London

London is the capital of England and the UK, on the River Thames, with royal landmarks, free national museums and West End theatre.

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London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom, on the River Thames in southeast England. Travelers come for the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and St Paul's Cathedral, and for national museums such as the British Museum and the National Gallery, which have free entry. Greater London is the main administrative area, and the wider metropolitan area has about 15.4 million people, the largest in Western Europe.

Plan around one base near the sights you want, and use the Tube for most journeys. The Underground opened in 1863 and is the world's oldest metro. Summers are warm, with an average July high of 23.5 °C, but London gets about 110 rainy days a year, so bring a rain layer in any season. Three days covers the central sights. A week leaves room for Greenwich, Kew Gardens and a day trip to Hampton Court Palace.

London in five

Get a UK ETA before you flyVisa-exempt visitors, including EU and US citizens, need an electronic travel authorization. It costs £20 and covers stays of up to six months; British and Irish citizens do not need one.UK ETA explained
Tap one contactless card everywhereTube, buses, the Elizabeth line and most trains in the city accept contactless cards and phones, with daily and weekly caps. Tap in and out with the same card.
Use the free museumsThe British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern, V&A and Natural History Museum are free. Special exhibitions charge and often need booking.
Pick the right airport trainFrom Heathrow the Elizabeth line takes about 30–40 minutes to central London and Heathrow Express 15 minutes to Paddington for a higher fare.
Book big-ticket sights aheadThe Tower of London and Westminster Abbey sell dated tickets on their own sites. Buy there before you go; the Tower also sells tickets on the day.

Things to do in London

See all attractions in London

Monument · LondonThe National Police Memorial

Gallery · LondonSerpentine South GalleryRegister for a free ticket online, or be ready to queue if the gallery is busy.

Park · LondonPostman's ParkWeekdays are quieter than weekends.

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to LondonPut the places you like in London on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Airport: Heathrow (LHR) about 30–40 min by Elizabeth line; also Gatwick, Stansted
Getting there: Eurostar from Paris about 2 hours 20 min, from Brussels about 2 hours
Getting around: Tube, buses and trains; contactless with daily caps
Best base: Covent Garden, South Bank or Bloomsbury for a first visit
Time needed: 4–5 days

Weather by month

Rainy days
Festival

Best
Good
Mixed
Poor

JanuaryPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh8°Low3°Cold, gray
FebruaryCloudy11 rainy daysHigh9°Low4°Cold, quiet
MarchRain13 rainy daysHigh11°Low5°Cool, showers
AprilPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh14°Low6°Mild, blossom
MayPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh18°Low9°Mild, long days
JunePartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh21°Low12°Warm, long days
JulyPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh23°Low15°Warm, busiest
AugustPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh23°Low15°Warm, busiest
SeptemberPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh20°Low13°Mild, clear
OctoberRain13 rainy daysHigh16°Low10°Cool, half term
NovemberRain12 rainy daysHigh11°Low6°Wet, dark early
DecemberPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh9°Low5°Lights, busy shops

Average daily high and low in London, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Festivals: Jun Meltdown · Jul BBC Proms, Wireless Festival, Pride London · Aug BBC Proms, Great British Beer Festival · Sep BBC Proms · Nov London to Brighton Veteran Car Run

Right now in London

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 7°
Humidity: 82%
Wind: 17 km/h
Chance of rain: 92%

London

08:06 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT+0

Today12°9°92%Monday: Drizzle. High 12°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 92%.
Tue12°9°35%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 12°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 35%.
Wed11°8°10%Wednesday: Drizzle. High 11°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 10%.
Thu9°7°2%Thursday: Drizzle. High 9°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 2%.
Fri9°7°6%Friday: Drizzle. High 9°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 6%.
Sat8°7°16%Saturday: Drizzle. High 8°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 16%.
Sun10°4°14%Sunday: Drizzle. High 10°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 14%.

Updated 06:23 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 0.7469 GBP

Amount

Converted to

GBP · British Pound

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

What's on in London

Concerts, festivals and big events in and around the city

Events calendar

Coming up

Every year

May–AugGlyndebourne Festival OperaBrighton & Hove, a day trip
MayBrighton FestivalBrighton & Hove, a day trip
Jun–JulGarsington OperaOxford, a day trip
JunMeltdownLondon
Jul–AugCambridge Folk FestivalCambridge, a day trip
Jul–SepBBC PromsLondon
JulWireless FestivalLondon
JulPride LondonLondon

Day trips by train

Windsorabout 30–55 minutes by trainWindsor Castle, still a royal residence, and the Thames towpath.
Oxfordabout 1 hour by trainThe colleges, the Bodleian and the covered market.
Bathabout 1.5 hours by trainRoman baths and Georgian crescents; better with a night.Read the guide
Brightonabout 1 hour by trainThe pier, the Royal Pavilion and a pebble beach.

Before you go to London

Stays in LondonCovent Garden, South Bank, BloomsburyCheck availability

Eurostar and rail ticketsParis and Brussels from St PancrasRead the guide

eSIM for LondonData for the Tube map and contactlessRead the guide

Insurance for city breaksCover for theft and show cancellationsRead the guide

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Rules for London, checked

Check entry requirements for your passport on GOV.UK before you book.Source
Dial 999 for police, fire or an ambulance, or 112 from a mobile phone.
Central London has a congestion charge. Check the zone and payment rules on TfL before you drive in.Source
Some restaurant bills include a service charge, so check the bill before you add a tip.

All London guides

Where to stayWhere to stay in London: five areas comparedChecked Oct 13, 2026

Tower Bridge over the River Thames in London with people on the embankment

ItineraryLondon in 3 days: Westminster, the Tower and the free museumsChecked Oct 13, 2026

Plan around London

All of England

Cities, rail, entry rules and money

Read the guide Bath

Roman baths and Georgian crescents, 1.5 hours away

Read the guide The Cotswolds

Stone villages by train from Paddington

Read the guide Paris

Eurostar from St Pancras, about 2 hours 20

Read the guide UK ETA explained

Who needs one, what it costs, how to apply

Read the guide Money and city taxes

Cards, caps and what Europe charges visitors

Read the guide

London FAQ

Do I need an ETA to visit London?

Yes, if you do not need a visa and are not British or Irish. EU and US citizens need a UK ETA, which costs £20 and covers stays of up to six months. Apply on the official UK government site.

What is the cheapest way to get around London?

Pay with a contactless card or phone. Fares cap daily and weekly, so you never pay more than a travelcard for the same zones.

Which London museums are free?

The British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern, Tate Britain, V&A, Science Museum and Natural History Museum are free to enter. Special exhibitions cost extra.

How many days do I need in London?

Four or five days covers the main museums, Westminster, the Tower and a couple of districts. Add days for trips to Oxford, Windsor or Bath.

Where should I stay in London for the first time?

Covent Garden or the South Bank puts the main sights on foot. Bloomsbury is quieter and close to St Pancras for Eurostar, and South Kensington suits families who want the museums.