Which London Attractions Are Worth Visiting and Which Can Be Skipped?

[RyanR]

I'm planning my first trip to London and only have a couple of days to explore. There are so many famous attractions that I'm finding it difficult to decide which ones are truly worth visiting and which ones can be skipped.

I'm thinking about places like Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, the London Eye, and Westminster Abbey. Are they all worth the time and ticket price, or are any of them a bit overrated?

I'd also love to know if there are any hidden gems, local neighborhoods, museums, or viewpoints that you would recommend instead. If you've been to London recently, which attractions would you definitely include in a 2–3 day itinerary, and which ones would you leave out? I'd really appreciate any honest recommendations or personal experiences before I finalize my plans.

If you can get tickets, I can recommend this unless you’re with young children - something that is unique to London

www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/whats-on/ceremony-of-the-keys/

Tower of London is one of the few expensive visitor attractions that I felt was worth it. St Paul's and Westminster are over priced. Monument over London Eye any day.

St James's Park is a lovely wander as is Regents Park, especially this time of year with the rose garden.

Of all the itineraries this is best - but I’m biased because I got married in Temple church.

I might plan to pass OXO tower early evening and grab a cocktail and if I was down by Green Park I’d have breakfast at the Wolsley and then go to the V&A, popping in to Harrods food hall if the weather was good to grab a picnic for Hyde park and a pedalo on the serpentine.

john soames museum and the war museum are also excellent.

There’s also an east end ghost walking tour that l’ve done a few times with guests - both my DSs loved that at various ages

I agree that the Tower of London is well worth the entry fee. St Paul’s is heinously overpriced, but you can go in for free during a service.

The ghost tours of the East End and the City are brilliant.

When are you going OP? Buckingham Palace is (I believe) only open for a couple of months over the summer. The rest of the year all you can do is look at the outside and watch The Changing of the Guard.

Something I think is really interesting (I know others won’t!) is doing the Hidden London tours of old/unused Tube stations. You get to see behind the scenes and go down corridors that used to be part of the station but are no longer used, but often still have the old tiling and posters in place. Each tour lasts around 90 minutes and there’s several different ones to choose from. I’ve done a few of them and enjoyed each one, but it does depend on your interest in the history of the Tube! https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/hidden-london

Whoever mentioned hays galleria - why? There’s nothing there it’s a not particularly interesting shopping space!

Marylebone high street is lovely for a wander

Yep totally agree.

If you’re passing Hays Galleria anyway it’s worth sticking your head in to see the ship in the middle, but agree it’s not worth a special trip there!

I visited Battersea Power Station recently in the sunshine. Loved it, then hopped on a boat up to the Globe. The Globe is worth a visit for the £10 standing tickets (I had a seat cos I'm a bit of a wuss but I'd stand if I went again).

The Painted Hall in Greenwich is lovely.

Get the river bus eg from South Bank down to the Tower of London. I think the Tower is worth it, go early, also St Pauls Cathedral. Walk back over the wobbly bridge and along the South Bank. I love the guided tour of the Globe Theatre. Queues for the London Eye are horrendous, even if you have a ticket - not worth it imo. Westminster Abbey is worth it, and have a picnic in St James Park. I also love the British Museum and the British Library (Lindisfarne Gospels, Magna Carta)

London is incredible in itself you don’t really need the paid attractions.

We like fashion so always go to the V&A and brick lane or Camden. British museum and national gallery. Do research beforehand so you are aiming to look at something rather than rocking up clueless.

The Tower of London is good and the London dungeon fun too but only for 12 plus.