This striking museum fills the decommissioned Bankside power station across the river from St. Paul’s. Its powerhouse collection encompasses more than 100 years of art, ranging from early modernist works to the very latest in painting, sculpture, photography, film, and performance.

Cost and Hours: Free; daily 10:00-18:00, usually open the last Fri of every month until 22:00; especially crowded on weekends, quieter at start and end of day; on the south bank of the Thames across the Millennium Bridge from St. Paul’s; +44 20 7887 8888, downloadable map at tate.org.uk.

Tours: Free 45-minute guided tours generally run at 12:00, 13:00, and 14:00 (meet on level 2, Natalie Bell Building); see info desk for details or call +44 20 7887 8888 (option 1) to confirm times.

Visiting the Museum: Besides the art it houses, Tate Modern’s display space is a sight in and of itself. The museum occupies two buildings connected by skybridges, and the art is displayed in both: the Natalie Bell Building (aka the Boiler House) and the Blavatnik Building. To get orien-Tate-d, consider buying the £2 map on the ground floor or study the floor plans on the walls next to the escalators.

Starting in the Boiler House, stroll down the ramp to the Turbine Hall, the site of a former electricity-generating powerhouse that was refurbished and reopened as a museum in 2000. Tate Modern routinely commissions contemporary artists to create installations for this vast hall. Head upstairs for a mix of themed exhibits pulled from the permanent collection (called “Collection Displays”) and temporary exhibits (some free, some requiring special admission).

Keep an eye out for old masters of Modernism (Matisse, Kandinsky), mid-20th-century innovators (Pollock, Miró), and the vanguard of globalism and new media in the 21st century (Holzer, Kapoor). Look past the painted canvases to appreciate the museum’s many installations: Entire rooms are given over to single artists to create multimedia displays.

Across the bridge, in the Blavatnik Building/Switch House, are several more floors of exhibition space with changing themed exhibitions, performance art, experimental film, and interactive sculpture incorporating light and sound.

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This 1997 replica of the original open-air Globe Theatre, half-timbered and thatched, approximates the theater of Shakespeare’s time. (Its thatched roof was the first allowed in London after the Great Fire of 1666, when the flammable material was outlawed.) The original Globe opened in 1599, debuting Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. It accommodated 2,200 seated patrons and another 1,000 standing.

Today’s slightly smaller Globe (800 seated and 700 groundlings) serves as a working theater by night and offers tours by day. Its programs strive to meld “the three A’s”—actors, audience, and architecture. The working theater puts on classic performances of Shakespeare’s plays, with actors in period costumes, as well as modern interpretations of his works (May-early Oct). (For details on attending a play, see here.)

The complex’s indoor playhouse allows the show to go on year-round (performances Oct-April). Illuminated by more than 100 beeswax candles, this intimate playhouse (seating 350) is patterned on the candlelit theaters of the Jacobean era. Named for the Globe’s founder, American actor/director Sam Wanamaker, the playhouse tends to focus on Renaissance playwrights (Jonson, Marlow, Fletcher), as well as some new works.

Touring the Globe: Tours depart from the box office every half hour. You’ll spend 45-50 minutes with a guide before being set free for an hour to explore exhibits (£27, £20 for kids 5-15, £2.50 fee online; best to check online; first tour generally departs daily at 9:30 or 10:00 during outdoor theater season—April-mid-Oct; last tour generally departs at 12:00 if there’s a matinee performance, otherwise around 16:00; shorter hours off-season; +44 20 7902 1400, shakespearesglobe.com). Other themed tours are available during outdoor theater season, including a £20 Shakespeare Walking Tour that explores the archaeological site of the Rose Theatre (a contemporary of the original Globe) and other Bankside sights.

While made a cathedral only in 1905, this has been the neighborhood church since the 13th century and comes with some interesting history. Enthusiastic docents give free 45-minute tours on weekday afternoons as well as Tuesday and Thursday mornings—ask at the welcome desk.

Cost and Hours: Free, daily 8:30-18:00, access limited during services (see website for calendar to time your visit), Tube: London Bridge, +44 20 7367 6700, cathedral.southwark.anglican.org.

Music: The cathedral hosts evensong Sun at 15:00, Tue-Fri at 17:30, and some Sat at 16:00. Free 30-minute organ recitals are Mon at 13:15 and music recitals Tue at 15:15 (check website to confirm times).

Climb a tight and creaky wooden spiral staircase to a church attic, where you’ll find a garret used to dry medicinal herbs, a fascinating exhibit on Victorian surgery, cases of well-described 19th-century medical paraphernalia, and a special look at “anesthesia, the defeat of pain.” Then you stumble upon Britain’s oldest operating theater, where limbs were sawed off way back in 1821.

Cost and Hours: £9, Thu-Sun 10:30-17:00, closed Mon-Wed, free app on Bloomberg Connects, no WCs, up 52 tight spiral steps at 9a St. Thomas Street, Tube: London Bridge, +44 20 7188 2679, oldoperatingtheatre.com.

After beating Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815, Arthur Wellesley, First Duke of Wellington, found himself the most famous man in Europe. His savvy victory ended 20 years of conflict with France, and in gratitude, the British gave him a huge fortune. With it, Wellington bought Apsley House, built in the 1770s by architect Robert Adam, a leader of Britain’s Neoclassical movement. The duke refurbished the mansion, adding a gallery for his handful of world-class paintings. The highlight is the large Waterloo Gallery, decorated with Anthony van Dyck’s Charles I on Horseback (over the main fireplace), Diego Velázquez’s earthy Water-Seller of Seville, and Murillo’s St. Francis Receiving the Stigmata—and countless other canvases. In the Portico Room, look for the large portrait of the Duke of Wellington by Francisco Goya.

Cost and Hours: £14.50; Wed-Sun 11:00-17:00, closed Mon-Tue, shorter hours Jan-March; good, free audioguide; 20 yards from Hyde Park Corner Tube station at 149 Piccadilly, +44 20 7499 5676, wellingtoncollection.co.uk [URL inactive].

Originally Henry VIII’s hunting grounds, London’s huge, royal Hyde Park has more than 600 acres of lush greenery, Santander Cycles rental stations, the huge man-made Serpentine Lake (with rental boats and a lakeside swimming pool), the royal Kensington Palace (described next), and the ornate Neo-Gothic Albert Memorial across from the Royal Albert Hall (for more about the park, see royalparks.org.uk/parks/hyde-park). The western half of the park is known as Kensington Gardens (once the private gardens of the palace). Study a Tube map to choose the stop nearest to your destination.

On Sundays, from just after noon until early evening, Speakers’ Corner offers soapbox oratory in the rough (northeast corner of the park, Tube: Marble Arch). Characters climb their stepladders, wave their flags, pound emphatically on their sandwich boards, and share what they are convinced is their wisdom—though with the internet giving any conspiracy theorist a built-in audience, it’s not what it used to be. This “grassroots of democracy” is actually a holdover from when the gallows stood here and the criminal was allowed to say just about anything he wanted to before he swung.

The Diana Memorial Fountain honors the “People’s Princess,” who once lived in nearby Kensington Palace. The low-key circular stream, great for cooling off your feet on a hot day, is in the south-central part of the park, near the Albert Memorial and Serpentine South Gallery (Tube: Knightsbridge). The Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Playground, in the park’s northwest corner, is loads of fun for kids (Tube: Queensway).

For nearly 150 years (1689-1837), Kensington—sitting primly on its pleasant parkside grounds—was Britain’s royal residence. But when Queen Victoria took the crown at age 18, she left Kensington for Buckingham Palace, where monarchs have lived ever since. Today, the palace has two halves: the spaces open to the visiting public and the private quarters of the royals who continue to bunk here (Princess Diana lived here both during and after her marriage to then-Prince Charles, and Kate and William still consider it their London address). A visit here includes historic state rooms (including where Victoria spent her childhood), as well as changing temporary exhibits. Garden enthusiasts enjoy popping into the flower-filled and secluded Sunken Garden, 50 yards from the palace exit (free, daily 10:00-16:00). A statue of Princess Diana was unveiled here in 2021, on what would have been her 60th birthday. While there’s lots of history here, this sight is best appreciated by royalists and completists.

Cost and Hours: £24.40; daily 10:00-18:00, Nov-Feb until 16:00, last entry one hour before closing; free audioguide; ££ café with indoor and outdoor seating; a 10-to-15-minute stroll through Kensington Gardens from either High Street Kensington or Queensway Tube stations, or ride bus #52 to the Palace Gate stop; +44 84 4482 7788, hrp.org.uk.

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The world’s top collection of decorative arts encompasses 2,000 years of art and design (ceramics, stained glass, fine furniture, clothing, jewelry, carpets, and more), displaying a surprisingly interesting and diverse assortment of crafts from the West, as well as Asian and Islamic cultures. There’s much to see, including Raphael’s tapestry cartoons, Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks, the huge Islamic Ardabil Carpet, a cast of Trajan’s Column that depicts the emperor’s conquests, and pop culture memorabilia, including the jumpsuit Mick Jagger wore for the Rolling Stones’ 1972 world tour.

Cost and Hours: Free, daily 10:00-17:45, Fri until 22:00, free tours daily, on Cromwell Road in South Kensington, Tube: South Kensington, from Tube station a long tunnel leads directly to museum, +44 20 7942 2000, vam.ac.uk.

Visiting the Museum: In the Grand Entrance lobby, look up into the rotunda to see the 1 Dale Chihuly chandelier, epitomizing the spirit of the V&A’s collection—beautiful manufactured objects that demonstrate technical skill and innovation, wedding the old with the new, and blurring the line between arts and crafts.

Now look up to the balcony (above the shop) and see the pointed arches of the 2 Hereford Screen, a 35-by-35-foot, eight-ton rood screen (built for the Hereford Cathedral’s sacred altar area). It looks medieval, but it was created with the most modern materials the Industrial Revolution could produce. George Gilbert Scott (1811-1878), who built the screen, redesigned much of London in the Neo-Gothic style, restoring old churches such as Westminster Abbey, renovating the Houses of Parliament, and building new structures like St. Pancras Station and the Albert Memorial—some 700 buildings in all.

The V&A has (arguably) the best collection of Italian Renaissance sculpture outside Italy. One prime example is 3 Samson Slaying a Philistine by Giambologna (c. 1562), carved from a single block of marble, which shows the testy Israelite warrior rearing back, brandishing the jawbone of an ass, preparing to decapitate a man who’d insulted him.

The 4 Medieval and Renaissance Galleries display 1,200 years of decorative arts, showing how the mix of pagan-Roman and medieval-Christian elements created modern Europe. In Room 8 is a glass case displaying the blue-and-gold shoebox-sized 5 Becket Casket, which contains the mortal remains (or relics) of St. Thomas Becket, archbishop of Canterbury, who was brutally murdered in 1170. The enameled box is the technique called champlevé, a specialty of Limoges, France. In Room 10a, you’ll run right into the 6 Boar and Bear Hunt Tapestry. Though most medieval art depicted the Madonna and saints, this colorful wool tapestry—woven in Belgium—provides a secular slice of life.

Two floors up, you’ll see the tiny, pocket-size 7 notebook by Leonardo da Vinci (Codex Forster II, c. 1495-1497), which dates from the years Leonardo lived in Milan, exploring subjects ranging from weights and measures, to hydraulic engineering, to weaving and recipes for making paints. (The V&A owns three volumes collectively known as the Codex Forster; because of their fragile nature, the notebook on display varies.)

Back on level 0, find two huge courts, Rooms 46a and 46b, labeled 8 The Cast Courts. These plaster-cast replicas of famous statues allowed 19th-century art students who couldn’t afford a rail pass to study the classics. In Room 46a, you’ll see a copy of the world’s grandest column from antiquity in two pieces: Trajan’s Column (the original rises 140 feet and is decorated with a spiral relief of 2,500 figures trumpeting the exploits of the Roman Emperor Trajan). In Room 46b, Michelangelo’s David steals the show, but he is surrounded by other great works from throughout Michelangelo’s career.

Head down to Room 42 for 9 Islamic art, reflecting both religious influences and a sophisticated secular culture. Many Islamic artists expressed themselves with beautiful but functional objects, such as the 630-square-foot Ardabil Carpet (1539-1540), which likely took a dozen workers years to make. Also in the room are more ceramics and glazed tile—all covered top to bottom in similarly complex patterns. The intricate interweaving, repetition, and unending lines suggest the complex, infinite nature of God (Allah).

In the hallway (technically “Room” 47b) is a glass case with a statue of 10 Shiva Nataraja, one of the hundreds, if not thousands, of godlike incarnations of Hinduism’s eternal being, Brahma. As long as Shiva keeps dancing, the universe will continue. In the adjoining Room 41, a glass case in the center of the room contains 11 possessions of Emperor Shah Jahan, including a wine cup (made of white nephrite jade, 1657), cameo portrait, and thumb ring. Shah Jahan—or “King of the World”—ruled the largest empire of the day, covering northern India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

At the far end of Room 41 is the huge wood-carved 12 Tipu’s Tiger, a life-size robotic toy once owned by an oppressed Indian sultan. When you turned the crank, the Brit’s left arm would flail, and both he and the tiger would roar through organ pipes. (The mechanism still works.)

In Room 40, 13 fashion galleries display centuries of English fashion, from ladies’ underwear, hoop skirts, and rain gear to high-society evening wear, men’s suits, and more. Across the hall are 14 Raphael’s tapestry cartoons. The V&A owns seven of these full-size designs (approximately 13 by 17 feet, done in tempera on paper, now mounted on canvas). The cartoons were sent to factories in Brussels, cut into strips (see the lines), and placed on the looms.

Upstairs, Room 57 is the heart of the 15 British Galleries, which cover the era of Queen Elizabeth I. Find rare miniature portraits—a popular item of the day—including Hilliard’s oft-reproduced Young Man Among Roses miniature, capturing the romance of a Shakespeare sonnet.

Back in the Grand Entrance lobby, climb the staircase to level 2 to see 16 jewelry, theater artifacts, silver, and more.

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Across the street from the Victoria and Albert, this mammoth museum is housed in a giant and wonderful Victorian, Neo-Romanesque building from the 1870s. Its huge collection (50 million specimens) delightfully captures the 19th-century penchant for accumulating one of everything. Exhibits are wonderfully explained, with lots of creative, interactive displays. It covers everything from life (“creepy crawlies,” human biology, our place in evolution, and awe-inspiring dinosaurs) to earth science (meteors, volcanoes, and earthquakes).

Cost and Hours: Free, daily 10:00-18:00, helpful £1 map, long tunnel leads directly from South Kensington Tube station to museum (follow signs), +44 20 7942 5000, exhibit info and reservations +44 20 7942 5011, nhm.ac.uk. Check the website for “What’s On” today.

Next door to the Natural History Museum, this sprawling wonderland for curious minds is kid-perfect, with themes such as measuring time, exploring space, climate change, medicine, and the Information Age. A big hit with school groups, it offers hands-on fun, with trendy technology exhibits, a state-of-the-art IMAX theater (shows £12, £10 for kids, family ticket available), the Garden (a cool play area for children up to age 7), and several other pay-to-enter attractions, including the Wonderlab kids area (£15 day pass, family discounts). Look for the family “What’s On” brochure and ask about tours and demonstrations at the info desk.

Cost and Hours: Free, prebooking recommended, daily 10:00-18:00, last entry 45 minutes before closing, Exhibition Road, Tube: South Kensington, +44 333 241 4000, sciencemuseum.org.uk.

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This borough of London is an easy, affordable boat trip or DLR (Docklands Light Railway) journey from downtown. Along with majestic, picnic-perfect parks are the stately trappings of Britain’s proud nautical heritage (the restored Cutty Sark clipper, the over-the-top-ornate retirement home for sailors at the Old Royal Naval College, and the comprehensive National Maritime Museum). It’s also home to the Royal Observatory Greenwich, with a fine museum on how Greenwich Mean Time came to be and a chance to straddle the Eastern and Western hemispheres at the prime meridian. Boasting several top-notch museums (including some free ones), Greenwich is a fun day out.

Getting There: For maximum efficiency and sightseeing, take the boat there for the scenery and commentary, and take the DLR back to avoid late-afternoon boat crowds (you may wait as long as an hour to board a return boat).

Various tour boats (about 75 minutes, thamesclippers.com, cityexperiences.com, and thamesriversightseeing.com) and faster Thames Clippers commuter boats depart from several piers in central London. Thames Clippers also connects Greenwich to the Docklands’ Canary Wharf Pier (2-3/hour, 10 minutes).

Docklands Light Railway (DLR) runs from the Bank-Monument station to Cutty Sark Station in central Greenwich; it’s one stop before the main—but less central—Greenwich Station (departs at least every 10 minutes, 20-minute ride, all in Zone 2).

Eating: Greenwich’s parks are picnic-perfect, especially around the National Maritime Museum and Royal Observatory. The Greenwich Market offers an international variety of tasty food stalls. £££ The Old Brewery, a gastropub in the Pepys Building of the Old Royal Naval College, is decorated with all things beer.

▲▲Cutty Sark

When first launched in 1869, the Scottish-built Cutty Sark was the last of the great China tea clippers and the queen of the seas. She was among the fastest clippers ever built, the culmination of centuries of ship design. With 32,000 square feet of sail—and favorable winds—she could travel 300 miles in a day. But as a new century dawned, steamers began to outmatch sailing ships for speed, and by the mid-1920s the Cutty Sark was the world’s last operating clipper ship.

Displays explore the Cutty Sark’s 140-year history and the cargo she carried—everything from tea to wool to gunpowder—as she raced between London and ports all around the world.

Cost and Hours: £22, £11 for kids 4-15, free for kids 3 and under, £38 combo-ticket with Royal Observatory; daily 10:00-17:00—until 18:00 in summer, last entry 45 minutes before closing; download Cutty Sark audioguide via Smartify app; +44 20 8312 6608, rmg.co.uk/cutty-sark.

Painted Hall

Originally intended as a dining hall for pensioners, this sumptuously painted room was deemed too glorious (and in the winter, too cold) for that purpose. So almost as soon as it was completed, it became simply a showcase for visitors. Impressive as it is, the admission is quite steep to see gigantic paintings by an artist you’ve never heard of, featuring second-rate royals. But those who appreciate artistic spectacles and picking out lavish details will find it worthwhile.

Cost and Hours: £17.50, daily 10:00-17:00, sometimes closed for private events, ornc.org. Ticket includes audioguide, 30-minute talk describing the Painted Hall (begins every 30 minutes from 11:00-16:00), and 45-minute guided tour of the Old Royal Naval College grounds (departs from the Greenwich Visitors Center at the top of each hour, usually from 11:00-15:00).

▲Chapel of Sts. Peter and Paul

Not surprisingly, you’ll sense a nautical air in this fine chapel. Notice the rope motif in the floor tiles down the aisle and the wood flooring under the pews, recycled from old ships. The enormous painting above the altar, by American artist Benjamin West, depicts a shipwrecked St. Paul (standing in red, near the luminous center) being bit by a poisonous viper.

Soon after the chapel was completed, it was gutted by a fire and had to be redecorated all over again. The six Ionic columns framing the entrance are expensive stone, but to cut costs, many others are painted wood. And the “reliefs” lining the nave high above are actually trompe l’oeil paintings meant to look real. The chapel ceiling, beautifully detailed in carved plaster, borrows its light-blue and cream coloring from Wedgwood porcelain.

Cost and Hours: Free, daily 10:00-17:00, service Sun at 11:00—all are welcome, evensong Mon at 17:30, Eucharist Wed at 13:05.

▲National Maritime Museum

This excellent, modern museum holds everything from a giant working paddlewheel to the uniform Admiral Horatio Nelson wore when he was killed at Trafalgar. A big glass roof tops three levels of slick, thoughtfully presented, kid-friendly exhibits about all things seafaring.

Cost and Hours: Free, daily 10:00-17:00, +44 20 8858 4422, rmg.co.uk/national-maritime-museum. The museum hosts frequent family-oriented events—singing, treasure hunts, and storytelling—particularly on weekends; ask at the desk. A 45-minute Treasures Tour (£3.50) departs daily at 12:00 and 14:00. You can find an audioguide on the Smartify app.

▲▲Royal Observatory Greenwich

Located on the prime meridian (0° longitude), this observatory is famous as the point from which all time and distances on our planet are measured. It was here that astronomers studied the heavens to help seafarers navigate. Using the constancy of the stars, they also established worldwide standards of measurement for time and distance.

Cost and Hours: £24, £38 combo-ticket with Cutty Sark, advance timed-entry ticket recommended, daily 10:00-17:00, May and Sept until 18:00, June-Aug until 19:45, guided tour-£5, must book with admission, +44 20 8858 4422, rmg.co.uk/royal-observatory.

Visiting the Observatory: A visit here gives you a taste of the sciences of astronomy, timekeeping, and seafaring—and how they all meld together—along with great views over Greenwich and the distant London skyline. In the courtyard, snap a selfie straddling the famous prime meridian line in the pavement. In the museums, visit the original 1600s-era observatory; you’ll see several early telescopes and the famous clocks from the 1700s that first set the standard of global time.

The state-of-the-art, 120-seat Peter Harrison Planetarium offers entertaining and informative shows about the heavens several times daily (£12, shows about hourly, check schedule on the observatory’s website; kids under 5 aren’t admitted except to early weekend shows geared toward young children). These shows can sell out; consider getting tickets in advance online. For details on planetarium shows, see rmg.co.uk/whats-on/planetarium-shows.

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For a fine riverside park and a palatial greenhouse jungle to swing through, take the Tube or the boat to every botanist’s favorite escape, Kew Gardens. Kew has played an outsized role in botanical exploration, introducing 7,000 new plant species to Britain in the 19th century alone. While to most visitors the Royal Botanic Gardens of Kew are simply a delightful opportunity to wander among 50,000 different types of plants, to the hardworking organization that runs them, the gardens are a way to promote the understanding and preservation of the botanical diversity of our planet.

Cost and Hours: £25, cheaper online and after 16:00, £6 for kids 4-15, free for kids 3 and under; Mon-Thu 10:00-19:00, Fri-Sun until 20:00, closes earlier Sept-March—check schedule online, glasshouses close at 17:00 in high season—earlier off-season; last entry one hour before closing; free one-hour orientation tours daily at 11:00 and 13:30—register at information desk inside Victoria Plaza 15 minutes before start time, some seasonal tours also included with entry; +44 20 8332 5655, kew.org.

Getting There: By Tube, ride to Kew Gardens, then pass through the tunnel under the tracks, which deposits you in a little community of shops and cafés, a two-block walk straight ahead to Victoria Gate (the main garden entrance). Boats also run to Kew Gardens daily from Westminster Pier (April-Oct; see here).

Eating: Kew Gardens has plenty of dining options on-site, several with indoor/outdoor seating (see website for complete list). For light meals, near the Palm House is the fine ££ Orangery. Near the Temperate House is the ££ Pavilion bar and grill; closer to the Palm House is the ££ Botanical Brasserie.

Visiting the Gardens: Pick up a map brochure and visit the information desk to chart your course—garden lovers could spend days exploring Kew’s 300 acres.

For a quick visit, wander a themed trail: The Remarkable Trees trail has some of Kew’s most significant specimen trees, the Great Broad Walk Borders is a feast of flowers, and the Mediterranean Garden gives a taste of southern Europe. If the weather’s not ideal, wander through three buildings: the Palm House, a hot and humid Victorian world of iron, glass, and tropical plants that was built in 1844; the 1852 Waterlily House, with a display of enormous Amazon waterlilies named for Queen Victoria; and the Princess of Wales Conservatory, a meandering modern greenhouse whose different climate zones accommodate countless cacti, bug-munching carnivorous plants, and more. Also check out the Treetop Walkway, a 200-yard-long scenic steel walkway that puts you high in the canopy 60 feet above the ground.

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Fifteen miles up the Thames from downtown, the 500-year-old palace of Henry VIII, William and Mary, and other royals is worth ▲▲▲ for palace aficionados. The stately brick-and-stone palace stands overlooking the Thames and includes some fine Tudor halls and Georgian-era rooms, all made engaging by a well-produced, included audioguide.

Cost and Hours: £28, £14 for kids 5-15; Wed-Sun 10:00-17:30, Feb-March until 16:00, closed most Mon-Tue except mid-July-Aug, when the castle is open daily, last entry one hour before closing—but you’ll need 2-3 hours to see the place; free audioguide; café, +44 20 3166 6000, hrp.org.uk.

Garden Tours: In summer, guides lead free tours that trace the history of the gardens from Tudor times (daily at 12:00, 1.5 hours, confirm at “Events” page of website).

Getting There: From London’s Waterloo Station, take a South Western train (2/hour, 40 minutes). From the station, walk across the bridge over the Thames to the palace (10 minutes). Consider arriving at or departing from the palace by boat (connections with London’s Westminster Pier, see here); it’s a long but scenic three-to-four-hour cruise past two locks.

Background: Hampton Court was originally the palace of Henry VIII’s minister and right-hand man, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. When Wolsey realized Henry VIII was experiencing a little palace envy, he gave the mansion to his king...clever guy. The Tudor palace was also home to Elizabeth I and Charles I. Later, when William III and Mary II moved in, they renovated about one-third of the palace (with help from Christopher Wren). The property you’ll visit reflects these three eras of ownership, with Wolsey’s wing, Henry’s Tudor court wing, and William and Mary’s Baroque apartments.

Visiting the Palace: Pick up an audioguide and use the free map to find your way to the tour routes. Docents throughout the complex are happy to answer questions.

Henry VIII’s apartments feature a breathtaking Great Hall, with a marvelous hammerbeam ceiling, precious Abraham tapestries that kept this huge room warm and cozy, and carved intertwined Hs and As on the wood screen at the end of the hall (for Henry and Anne Boleyn). In the green hallway is a portrait of Henry VIII’s family, while the adjacent private balcony looks down into the stunning Chapel Royal.

His kitchens could keep 600 schmoozing courtiers well fed. At the end of the kitchens, dip into the Chapel Royal for a closer look at the wood-carved decor and the starry-sky and gold-beam ceiling.

Nearby, William III’s apartments are from about 150 years after Henry’s time. And the Wolsey Rooms, built for Cardinal Wolsey in the 1520s, are the oldest rooms at the palace. Before leaving, stroll in the gardens. Don’t miss the manicured Baroque privy (private) garden of William III, restored with the aid of the original 1702 plans—it’s like a mini Versailles.

While you can visit several real-life locations where the Harry Potter movies were filmed, there’s only one way to see imaginary places like Hogwarts’ Great Hall, Diagon Alley, Dumbledore’s office, and #4 Privet Drive: Visit the Warner Bros. Studio in Leavesden, 20 miles northwest of London. Attractions include the actual sets, costumes, and props used for the films; video interviews with the actors and filmmakers; and exhibits about how the films’ special effects were created. The visit culminates with a stroll down Diagon Alley and a room-sized 1:24-scale model of Hogwarts.

Plan Ahead: It’s essential to buy a ticket far in advance (entry possible only with reserved time slot). Allow three hours or more at the studio, plus nearly three hours to get there and back.

Cost and Hours: £56, purchase timed-entry ticket online in advance, £45 for kids 5-15, family ticket available; opening hours flex with season—first tour at 9:00 or 10:00, last tour as early as 14:30 or as late as 18:30, multimedia guide-£5.25, café, +44 800 640 4550, wbstudiotour.co.uk.

Getting There: Take the frequent train from London Euston to Watford Junction (£13-20 round-trip, about 5/hour, 20 minutes), then catch the Mullany’s Coaches shuttle bus (instantly recognizable by its bright paint job) to the studio tour (2-4/hour, 15 minutes, fare included with studio ticket). Detailed driving directions are available on the website.

More direct (and more expensive), Golden Tours runs multiple daily buses between three London locations (Victoria Station, Baker Street, or King’s Cross) and the studio (price includes round-trip bus and studio entrance and varies by date: adults-from £100, kids-from £97, £49 for round-trip bus only; reserve ahead at goldentours.com).

Harrods is London’s most famous and touristy department store. With more than four acres of retail space covering seven floors, it’s a place where some shoppers could spend all day. (To me, it’s still just a department store.) Big yet classy, Harrods has everything from elephants to toothbrushes (Mon-Sat 10:00-21:00, Sun 11:30-18:00, Brompton Road, Tube: Knightsbridge, +44 20 7730 1234, harrods.com).

Once the official department store of Queen Elizabeth II, Fortnum & Mason embodies old-fashioned, British upper-class taste. While some feel it is too stuffy, you won’t find another store with the same storybook atmosphere. With rich displays and deep red carpet, Fortnum’s feels classier and more relaxed than Harrods (Mon-Sat 10:00-20:00, Sun 11:30-18:00, elegant tea served in their Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon—see here, 181 Piccadilly, Tube: Green Park, +44 20 7734 8040, fortnumandmason.com).

Designed to make well-heeled shoppers feel at home, this half-timbered, mock-Tudor emporium is a 19th-century institution that thrives today. Find the central atrium and gaze up at its well-worn shopping appeal. Known for its gorgeous “Liberty Print” floral fabrics, well-stocked crafts department, and castle-like interior, this iconic shop was a favorite of writer Oscar Wilde, who called it “the chosen resort of the artistic shopper” (Mon-Sat 10:00-20:00, Sun 12:00-18:00, Great Marlborough Street at Regent Street, Tube: Oxford Circus, +44 20 3893 3062, libertylondon.com).

Classic, famous, quirky, and a bit dated, Portobello Road stretches for several blocks through the delightful Notting Hill neighborhood. Charming streets lined with pastel-painted houses and offbeat antique shops are enlivened on Fridays and Saturdays with 2,000 additional stalls (8:00-18:00), plus food, live music, and more. (The best strategy is to come on Friday; most stalls are open, with half the crowds of Saturday.) The first stretch, closest to Notting Hill Gate, is more touristy (the “The Travel Book Shop” you pass is a souvenir shop, not the actual Notting Hill movie location). But after a few blocks, as you go under the A-40 overpass, things become more local; you’ll see the Canopy (green market, Fri-Sun), an outdoor vintage fashion mall, and the highest concentration of food stands. While Portobello Road is best on Fridays and Saturdays, you can enjoy this street’s shops most other days as well (Tube: Notting Hill Gate, visitportobello.com).

This huge, trendy arts-and-crafts market is divided into three areas, each with its own vibe (but all of them fresh and funky). The whole complex sprawls around an old-fashioned, still-functioning lock (used mostly for leisure boats) and its retro-chic, yellow-brick industrial buildings. The main market, set alongside the picturesque canal, is a mix of shops and stalls selling boutique crafts and artisanal foods. The edgier market on the opposite side of Chalk Farm Road has cheap food stalls, lots of canalside seating, and punk crafts. The Stables, a sprawling, incense-scented complex, is decorated with fun statues of horses and squeezed into tunnels under the old rail bridge just behind the main market. It’s a little lowbrow and wildly creative, with cheap clothes, junk jewelry, and loud music (daily 11:00-18:00, some businesses open later, busiest on weekends, camdenmarket.com).

One of London’s oldest, Leadenhall Market stands on the original Roman center of town. Today, cheese and flower shops nestle between pubs, restaurants, and boutiques, all beneath a beautiful Victorian arcade (Harry Potter fans may recognize it as Diagon Alley). This is not a street market in the true sense but more a hidden gem in the midst of London’s financial grind (hours vary, generally Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00; Tube: Monument, Bank, or Liverpool; off Gracechurch Street near Leadenhall Street and Fenchurch; leadenhallmarket.co.uk).

These East End markets are busiest and most interesting on Sundays.

Petticoat Lane Market: Just a block from Spitalfields Market, this line of stalls sits on the otherwise dull, glass-skyscraper-filled Middlesex Street; adjoining Wentworth Street is grungier and more characteristic. Expect budget clothing, leather, shoes, watches, jewelry, and crowds (full market Sun 9:00-15:00, sometimes later; smaller food-focused market on Wentworth and Goulston Streets Mon-Fri 11:00-15:30, closed Sat; Middlesex Street and Wentworth Street; petticoatlane.london).

Spitalfields Market: This huge market hall combines old brick buildings and sleek modern ones, all covered by a giant glass roof. The shops, the stalls, and a rainbow of restaurant options are open every day, tempting you with a wide variety of eateries, crafts, trendy clothes, and bags, and an antique-and-junk market (Traders Market open Sun-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat 11:00-17:00; food and drink places stay open until 23:00; from the Tube stop, take Bishopsgate West exit, turn left, walk to Brushfield Street, and turn right; spitalfields.co.uk).

Brick Lane Truman Markets: Housed in the former Truman Brewery on Brick Lane, this cluster of markets is in the heart of the “Banglatown” Bangladeshi community. Of the East End market areas, these are the grittiest and most avant-garde. The Upmarket Food Hall puts a roof over a diverse, well-priced assortment of street-food-style vendors (daily 11:00-18:00, Sun from 10:00, sundayupmarket.co.uk). A half-block farther up Brick Lane is the underground Vintage Market, with what claims to be London’s largest assortment of retro retailers (Mon-Fri 11:00-18:30, Sat 11:00-18:00, Sun 10:00-18:00, vintage-market.co.uk). Continue on Brick Lane, following the crowds, into the Backyard Market, with stylish clothing, arts, and crafts (Sat 11:00-18:00, Sun 10:00-17:00). Surrounding shops and eateries, including a fun courtyard of food trucks tucked off Brick Lane, are open all week.

More Brick Lane Action: If you leave the Truman Brewery complex and continue north along Brick Lane, the action flows into a more casual assortment of food and arts stands and street performers (best on Sun 10:00-17:00). This spans several short blocks, from about Buxton Street to Bethnal Green Road—a 5-minute walk. Continuing another 10 minutes north, then turning right onto Columbia Road, takes you to the next market.

Columbia Road Flower Market: This colorful shopping street is made even more lively by the Sunday-morning commotion of shouting flower vendors (Sun 8:00-15:00, columbiaroad.info). Halfway up Columbia Road, be sure to loop left up little Ezra Street, with characteristic eateries, boutiques, and antique vendors.

Covent Garden Market: Originally the convent garden for Westminster Abbey, the iron-and-glass market hall hosted a produce market until the 1970s (earning it the name Apple Market). Now it’s a mix of fun shops, eateries, markets, and a more modern-day Apple Store on the corner. Mondays are for antiques, while arts and crafts dominate the rest of the week. Yesteryear’s produce stalls are open daily 10:00-18:00, and on Thursdays, a food market brightens up the square (Tube: Covent Garden, +44 20 7420 5856, coventgarden.london).

Jubilee Market Hall: This market features antiques on Mondays (5:00-17:00), a general market Tuesday through Friday (10:30-19:00), and arts and crafts on Saturdays and Sundays (10:00-18:00). It’s located on the south side of Covent Garden (+44 20 7836 2139, jubileemarket.co.uk).

Nearly all big-name shows are hosted in the theaters of the West End, clustering around Soho (especially along Shaftesbury Avenue) between Piccadilly and Covent Garden. With a centuries-old tradition of pleasing the masses, they present London theater at its grandest.

Well-known musicals draw the biggest crowds, but the West End offers plenty of other crowd-pleasers, from revivals of classics to experimental works by up-and-coming playwrights. These productions tend to have shorter runs than famous musicals. You’ll see the latest offerings advertised all over the city. The Official London Theatre Guide, a free booklet that’s updated every two weeks, is a handy tool (find it at hotels, box offices, and the City of London TI). On the Official London Theatre website (officiallondontheatre.com) you can find theater news, read reviews, and buy tickets (including discounted tickets and same-day tickets through TKTS).

Most performances are nightly except Sunday, usually with two or three matinees a week. The shows that run on Sundays are mostly family fare, though an increasing number are offering matinee and evening performances.

Buying Tickets for West End Shows

For many visitors, it makes sense to simply buy tickets in London. Most shows have tickets available on short notice—and even at a discount. But if you have your heart set on a high-profile show that’s likely to sell out, you can buy peace of mind by booking tickets from home.

Advance Tickets: It’s generally cheapest to buy your tickets directly from the theater, through either its website or the theater box office. In some cases, a theater will reroute you to a third-party ticket vendor such as Ticketmaster. It’s best to try the show’s website or theater box office first, as third-party websites generally charge higher prices and fees.

Discount Tickets from TKTS: This famous same-day-ticket outlet, found online at officiallondontheatre.com/tkts and in a booth at Leicester Square, sells discounted tickets for many shows (20-50 percent off, £3/ticket service charge). TKTS offers a wide variety of shows on any given day, although they may not always have the hottest shows in town. Tickets go on sale online at midnight the night before a performance, and new tickets become available throughout the day, so it pays to check back. You can also buy tickets in person at the kiosk, where the staff may have creative ideas for how to get the best seat or the best price (Mon-Sat 10:30-18:00, possibly longer hours—more like 10:00-19:00—at busy times, shorter hours on Sun).

Take note: The real TKTS booth (with its prominent sign) is a freestanding kiosk at the south edge of Leicester Square, behind the Shakespeare statue. Avoid the nearby outfits advertising “official half-price tickets”—you’ll rarely pay anything close to half-price.

Tickets at the Theater Box Office: Even if a show is “sold out,” there’s usually a way to get a seat. Many theaters offer various discounts or “concessions”: same-day tickets, cheap returned tickets, standing-room, matinee, senior or student standby deals, and more. Start by checking the show’s website, then call the box office or simply drop by (many theaters are right in the tourist zone).

Same-day tickets (called “day seats”) can be an excellent deal. These tickets (starting around £25) often are in the nosebleed rows or have a restricted view—but sometimes they’re front-row seats. Some same-day tickets are available only in person when the box office opens (typically at 10:00; for popular shows, people start lining up well before then). Increasingly, theaters sell these tickets online, or as “rush tickets” through the TodayTix app. Very popular shows don’t bother with day seats, but a few distribute tickets through a lottery—look up the details on each show’s website.

Another strategy is to show up at the box office shortly before show time (best on weekdays) to ask about cheaper options. Last-minute return tickets are often sold at great prices as curtain time approaches.

For a helpful guide to cheap and last-minute tickets, including day seats, consult theatremonkey.com/day-seat-finder; also check londontheatretickets.org or timeout.com/london/theatre.

Booking Through Other Agencies: If you’ve run out of options but have your heart set on a particular show, you can try booking through a third-party agency. To be sure you aren’t being cheated by a scalper (“tout”), choose an agency that’s a member of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (look for the STAR logo—short for “secure tickets from authorized retailers”). These legitimate resellers normally add a maximum 25 percent booking fee to tickets.

Tickets for lesser-known shows tend to be cheaper, in part because most of the smaller theaters are government subsidized. Read up on the latest offerings online; Time Out’s website is a great place to start. Major noncommercial theaters include the National Theatre, Barbican Centre, Royal Court Theatre, Menier Chocolate Factory, and Bridge Theatre. The Royal Shakespeare Company performs at various theaters around London.

Shakespeare’s Globe

To see Shakespeare in a replica of the theater for which he wrote his plays, attend a play at the Globe. In this round, thatched-roof, open-air theater, the plays are performed much as Shakespeare intended—under the sky, with no amplification. If you can’t attend a show, you can take a guided tour of the theater and museum by day (see here).

The play’s the thing from mid-April through mid-October (usually Tue-Sat 14:00 and 19:30, Sun 13:00 and/or 18:30, tickets can be sold out months in advance). You’ll pay £10 to stand and £25-80 to sit, usually on a backless bench (only a few rows and the pricier Gentlemen’s Rooms have seats with backs). While this is a wonderful theater-going experience, be prepared for significantly less comfy seats than most venues (though you can rent a cushion or a blanket).

The £10 “groundling” or “yard” tickets—which are open to the elements—are most fun. Scurry in early to stake out a spot on the stage’s edge, where the most interaction with the actors occurs. You’re a crude peasant. You can lean your elbows on the stage, munch a snack (you can bring in food, but bag size is limited), or walk around. I’ve never enjoyed Shakespeare as much as here, performed as it was meant to be in the “wooden O.”

£5 Rush Groundling Tickets: Every Friday at 11:00, a limited number of rush groundling tickets are released—even for sold-out shows—for the coming week. See the website for details (shakespearesglobe.com/5-pound-rush).

Sam Wanamaker Playhouse: From October through April—when the outdoor Globe is closed—you can still enjoy plays at this indoor theater (the red-brick structure behind the modern box office building). It’s intimate (about 350 seats) and also feels historic. Plays are usually performed using only candlelight, with candelabras suspended from the ceiling. The Playhouse season complements the Globe’s summer season—Shakespeare, Shakespearean-era plays, new works by up-and-coming playwrights, and early-music concerts—though a few summer performances take place too. At the Playhouse, the cheap standing seats are in the upper galleries.

Buying Tickets: Tickets for the Globe or Playhouse are available online (£2.50 booking fee, shakespearesglobe.com) and at the box office (Mon-Sat 11:00-18:00, Sun 10:00-17:00, open one hour later on performance days, New Globe Walk entrance, box office +44 20 7401 9919, tickets@shakespearesglobe.com). If tickets are sold out, don’t despair: Returns happen, so keep checking online (especially the day before or day of a performance). Better yet, call the box office around noon the day of the performance to ask about returned tickets—if any are available, they’ll advise you on how to purchase them (first-come, first-served).

Getting There: The theater is on the South Bank, directly across the Thames over the Millennium Bridge from St. Paul’s Cathedral (Tube: Mansion House or London Bridge). The Globe is inconvenient for public transport, but during theater season a regular supply of black cabs waits nearby, or you could order one on the Gett or Uber apps.

These two hotels—pricey for what you get, but oh so central—are a short walk from Covent Garden, in the heart of the action.

££ The Fielding Hotel is simple but offers a good location on a quiet lane. They rent 25 tight but tidy and comfortable rooms (plus two apartments next door), serve no breakfast, and have almost no public spaces (family rooms, no elevator, 4 Broad Court, between Bow Street and Drury Lane, Tube: Covent Garden, +44 20 7836 8305, thefieldinghotel.co.uk, reservations@thefieldinghotel.co.uk, well run by Sajaad).

£ Seven Dials Hotel’s 44 no-nonsense rooms are the definition of plain and fairly tight, but they’re also clean and incredibly well located. Since doubles here all cost the same, request a larger room when you book; some rooms in an annex around the corner (family rooms, some rooms with air-con, no breakfast, 7 Monmouth Street, Tube: Leicester Square or Covent Garden, +44 20 240 0823, sevendialshotel.co.uk, sevendialshotel@gmail.com, run by friendly and hardworking Hanna).

If you can score a double at a good rate (possible with promotional rates) and don’t mind a modern, American-style hotel, one of these can be a decent value in pricey London.

I’ve listed a few of the dominant chains, along with a quick rundown on their more convenient London locations. Some of these branches sit on busy streets in dreary train-station neighborhoods—read recent reviews for the locations you are considering before booking to be sure your choice aligns with your comfort level.

££ Premier Inn has more than 70 hotels in greater London. Convenient locations include a branch inside London County Hall (next to the London Eye) and at Southwark/Borough Market (near Shakespeare’s Globe), Southwark/Tate Modern, Leicester Square, and Kensington/Earl’s Court. In North London, three branches cluster between King’s Cross St. Pancras and the British Museum: King’s Cross, St. Pancras, and Euston. Just east of the museum is the Holborn location. Avoid the Tower Bridge location, a long walk from the Tube—but London City Tower Hill, north of the bridge, works fine (premierinn.com).

££ Travelodge has close to 70 locations in London, including King’s Cross (200 yards in front of King’s Cross Station) and Euston. Other handy locations are King’s Cross Royal Scot, Marylebone, Covent Garden, Liverpool Street, and Southwark (travelodge.co.uk).

££ Ibis, the budget branch of the AccorHotels group, has a few dozen options across the city; convenient locations include London Blackfriars and London City Shoreditch. The more design-focused Ibis Styles has branches near Earl’s Court, South Kensington, and Southwark (accorhotels.com).

££ Hub by Premier Inn—the budget chain’s no-frills, pod-style division—offers extremely small rooms (just a little bigger than the bed) in convenient locations. Not all rooms have windows—be sure to request when you reserve. They have a well-located branch tucked down a quieter back street right in the heart of Soho (premierinn.com).

£ EasyHotel, inspired by its parent company, the EasyJet budget airline, is a no-frills place. The generally tiny rooms feel popped out of a plastic mold, down to the prefab “bathroom pod.” Rates can be low—but you’ll pay add-on fees for TV use, Wi-Fi, luggage storage, and daily cleaning. Even a window adds to the base price (breakfast, if available, comes from a vending machine). It’s only a good deal if you book far enough ahead to get a good price and skip the many extras. Locations include the Victoria Station neighborhood, South Kensington, and Paddington (easyhotel.com).

Hostels can slash accommodation costs while meeting your basic needs. The following places are open 24 hours, have private rooms as well as dorms, and come with Wi-Fi. See the “North London Neighborhood” map for locations of the YHA and Generator hostels.

¢ YHA London Central is the flagship of London’s hostels, with all the latest in security and comfortable efficiency. Families and travelers of any age will feel welcome in this wonderful facility (no air-con, some en-suite rooms available, book long in advance; between Oxford Circus and Great Portland Street Tube stations at 104 Bolsover Street, +44 345 371 9154, yha.org.uk, londoncentral@yha.org.uk).

¢ YHA Oxford Street is right in the shopping and clubbing zone in Soho (no air-con, 14 Noel Street, Tube: Oxford Circus, +44 345 371 9133, yha.org.uk, oxfordst@yha.org.uk).

¢ Generator Hostel, a brightly colored place with pool tables in the game room and a DJ spinning the hits, attracts a younger crowd that puts up with the cramped, basic rooms. It’s in a renovated building tucked behind a busy street halfway between King’s Cross and the British Museum (no air-con, 37 Tavistock Place, Tube: Russell Square, +44 20 7388 7666, staygenerator.com, london@generatorhostels.com).

¢ St. Christopher’s Inn, a cluster of three hostels south of the Thames near London Bridge, has cheap dorm beds; one branch (the Oasis) is for women only. All have loud and friendly bars attached (air-con in some rooms, must be over 18 years old, 161 Borough High Street, Tube: Borough or London Bridge, reservations +44 20 8600 7500, st-christophers.co.uk).

¢ St. Paul’s Youth Hostel, near St. Paul’s Cathedral, is modern, friendly, well run, and a bit scruffy (no air-con, 36 Carter Lane, Tube: St. Paul’s, +44 345 371 9012, yha.org.uk, stpauls@yha.org.uk).

Consider this option if you’re traveling as a family, traveling in a group, or staying several days. Websites such as Airbnb and Vrbo let you correspond directly with property owners or managers, or consider Onefinestay (stylish, contemporary flats—most of them part-time residences—in desirable London neighborhoods, onefinestay.com) or Supercity Aparthotels (chic, comfortable apartment-hotels and serviced apartments, supercityuk.com). Other options include Coach House Rentals (chsrentals.com), visitapartmentslondon.co.uk, homefromhome.co.uk, and aplacelikehome.co.uk.

With its many theaters, fun-loving gay scene, reputation as a rollicking nightspot, and status as the place where budding restaurateurs stake their claim on London’s culinary map, the Soho neighborhood is a magnet for diners. As it’s close to London’s must-sees, you could find yourself eating here a lot (convenient for dinner after a day of sightseeing, or before going to the theater). It can be heaving with a sea of people and streets can be congested with scruffy sorts. (By the way, for gourmet Sicilian gelato, follow the cups and cones to Bilmonte at 30 Great Windmill Street.)

££ The Glasshouse Stores is an understated classic Victorian pub—almost forlorn in the midst of the Soho madness—with good beer on tap and a typical pub menu. Set in what was the red light district, it comes with darts and a whiff of 19th-century naughtiness (daily, 55 Brewer Street, +44 20 7287 5278).

£££ Barshu Restaurant is a hardworking, thoughtfully decorated little place across the street from Chinatown’s intensity. Their Szechuan (spicy, a rare alternative to Cantonese) dishes are nicely presented, and they like to say, “Sharing is caring” (daily, 28 Frith Street, +44 20 7287 6688, barshurestaurant.co.uk).

££££ Fallow Restaurant is a high-energy, youthful place serving modern British dishes with a nose-to-tail ethic of wasting nothing—they call it “conscious gastronomy.” It’s sprawling and a bit trendy, and the “chef’s counter” is the prized place—worth reserving if you want a front-row seat on the cooking action (long hours daily, plates designed for sharing, more peaceful in the heated outdoor terrace, a block downhill from Piccadilly Circus at 52 Haymarket, +44 20 8017 1788, fallowrestaurant.com).

£££ Cork & Bottle Wine Bar, just a few steps down off the crazy, touristy Leicester Square, takes you to a hidden little subterranean gastropub with a French/English menu, first-class cheese counter, focus on wine, and lively vibe (daily, 44 Cranbourn Street, +44 20 7734 7807, thecorkandbottle.co.uk).

££££ Kettner’s Restaurant, a venerable place with a French menu, was established in 1867 as part of Kettner’s Hotel. It’s spacious and plush, with saucy decor, candles, formal servers, and a romantic jazz vibe. They serve pretheater deals until 19:00 (long hours daily, 29 Romilly Street, +44 20 7734 5650).

£££ Andrew Edmunds Restaurant is a tiny candlelit space where you’ll want to hide your guidebook and not act like a tourist. This little place—with a loyal clientele—is the closest I’ve found to Parisian quality in a cozy restaurant in London. The extensive wine list, modern English/European cooking, and creative seasonal menu are worth the splurge (daily, tight if you’re a big person, come early or call ahead, request ground floor rather than the more spacious basement, good French wine by the glass, 46 Lexington Street, +44 20 7437 5708, andrewedmunds.com).

££ Mildreds, a 100 percent vegan restaurant across from Andrew Edmunds, has a creative, fun menu and a tight, high-energy interior filled with happy herbivores (daily, 45 Lexington Street, +44 20 7494 1634, mildreds.com).

£££ Bocca di Lupo, a stylish and popular option, serves no pizza but half and full portions of traditional dishes from each of Italy’s 20 regions (labeled on the menu). Dressy but with a fun energy, reservations are smart. The counter seating, on cushy stools with a view into the lively open kitchen, is particularly memorable, or you can take a table in the snug, casual back end (daily, 12 Archer Street, +44 20 7734 2223, boccadilupo.com).

£££ Kricket Soho serves upmarket “Indian-inspired cooking” a few steps from Piccadilly Circus. Opt for the tight, stylish, unpretentious main floor with counter seating surrounding an open kitchen ideal for singles and those popping in without a reservation, or the dining room in the cellar (which can be hot and stuffy). The small plates are designed for sharing and the menu is an education in Indian cuisine, with kulchas (miniature naan breads with toppings), and Keralan fried chicken (daily, 12 Denman Street, +44 20 3019 8120, kricket.co.uk/soho).

££££ NOPI is one of a handful of restaurants run by London celebrity chef Yotam Ottolenghi. The main floor seats diners at traditional tables; the cellar features communal tables looking into the busy kitchen. The cuisine is typical of Ottolenghi’s masterful Eastern Mediterranean cooking, with an emphasis on seasonal produce. If you want to splurge in Soho, do it here (closed Sun for dinner, 21 Warwick Street, +44 20 7494 9584, ottolenghi.co.uk).

££ Hoppers is an easy intro to Sri Lankan/South Indian cuisine—like standard Indian but with more tropical flourishes. You’ll be glad the menu comes with a glossary of key terms—for example, hopper (a spongy yet firm rice-and-coconut pancake, shaped like a bowl), kari (Tamil for “curry”), and roti (flatbread). Be adventurous, and seek the waitstaff’s advice (daily, tight seating, 49 Frith Street, reservations.soho@hopperslondon.com, hopperslondon.com/soho).

£££ Café Boheme works to re-create a 1920s’ cool, cozy, and jazzy Paris ambience with a theater vibe (often with live music from 15:00-17:00 daily). It’s loudly convivial with an artsy, youthful, good-time clientele. It’s great for a drink in front or on the sidewalk; the menu is filled with French dishes; and their pretheater, two-course dinners are a deal (£23 until 18:00). Their round, festive bar is fun (long hours daily, 13 Old Compton Street, +44 20 7734 0623, cafeboheme.co.uk).

The area south of Oxford Circus between Regent Street and Soho Gardens entices hungry shoppers with plenty of attention-grabbing, gimmicky restaurants. Consider these:

££ Kingly Court, with three levels of international restaurants overlooking a convivial courtyard, is like a low-end mall food court with lots of options—Syrian, Korean, Peruvian, Japanese, Greek, and more (long hours daily, enter at 9 Kingly Street or 49 Carnaby Street).

£££ Dishoom, the super-popular Indian restaurant (see full listing later, under “Near Covent Garden”) has a branch on Kingly Street, with the same top-notch fare and the same long lines even though they can serve 500 diners at once (long hours daily, 22 Kingly Street, +44 20 7420 9322).

££ Mother Mash is a bangers-and-mash version of a fish-and-chips shop. Choose your mash (potatoes), meat, and gravy, and enjoy this simple, satisfying, and thoroughly British meal. The menu is a fun chart designed so you can build a meal that includes many of the old English clichés (daily, 26 Ganton Street, +44 20 4613 8504, mothermash.co.uk).

Chinatown is just next door to Soho. Its main street is lined with unremarkable eateries and noisy with barkers. They all seem so similar and touristy, I hate to recommend just one. You could just take a stroll and play pin the tail on the dumpling.

Speaking of dumplings, if that’s what you’d like, try Dumplings’ Legend (daily until late, 15 Gerrard Street, +44 20 7494 1200). For dim sum, Peking duck, and reliably good Hong Kong/Cantonese cuisine, try Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant (daily, dim sum 12:00-16:45 only, 28 Gerrard Street, +44 20 7734 1073, gdlondon.co.uk).

Other options worth considering include ££ Viet Food, featuring Vietnamese pho, bún, and sharing plates with a busy chef in the window (daily, 34 Wardour Street, vietnamfood.co.uk); ££ Rasa Sayang, a hole-in-the-wall serving Malaysian wok dishes (daily, 5 Macclesfield Street, rasasayangfood.com); and ££ Bun House, appreciated for their steamed and fluffy bao buns (daily, 26 Lisle Street, bun.house). Don’t let the line scare you—most people are there to get takeaway.

££££ The Wolseley is the grand 1920s showroom of a long-defunct British car. The last Wolseley drove out with the Great Depression, but today this old-time bistro bustles with formal waiters serving traditional Austrian and French dishes in an elegant black-marble-and-chandeliers setting fit for its location next to the Ritz. Although the food can be unexceptional, prices are reasonable considering the grand presentation and setting. Reservations are a must (cheaper soup, salad, and sandwich “café menu” available in all areas of restaurant, daily, 160 Piccadilly, +44 20 7499 6996, thewolseley.com). They’re popular for their fancy cream tea or afternoon tea (details later, under “Taking Tea in London”).

£££ Brasserie Zédel is the former dining hall of the old Regent Palace Hotel, the biggest hotel in the world when it was built in 1915. Climbing down the stairs from street level, you’re surprised by a gilded Art Deco hall that feels like a 1920s cruise ship, filled with a boisterous crowd enjoying big plates of rich French food—old-fashioned brasserie dishes with live French music from the 1920s. (Between the music and boisterous crowd, the acoustics can be bad for intimate conversation.) With vested waiters, fast service, and paper tablecloths, it can be great for a group of friends. After 21:00, the lights dim and it gets more romantic (daily, with nightly £20 plats du jour, reservations smart, 20 Sherwood Street, +44 20 7734 4888, brasseriezedel.com). Across the atrium is the hotel’s original Bar Américain (with a Prohibition-era vibe), and the Crazy Coqs venue—busy with “Live at Zédel” music, theater, comedy, and literary events.

££££ Rules Restaurant, established in 1798, is as traditional as can be—extremely British, classy yet comfortable. It’s a big, romantic place, where you’ll eat in a plush Edwardian atmosphere with a hushed Downton Abbey vibe, formal service, and plenty of game on the menu. A warning reads, “Game birds may contain lead shot.” (After all, to be “game” it must be shot.) This is the place to dress up and splurge for classic English dishes (closed Mon, reservations recommended, between the Strand and Covent Garden at 34 Maiden Lane, +44 20 7836 5314, rules.co.uk).

Covent Garden bustles with people and touristy eateries. The area feels overrun and overly commercial, but if you must eat around here, you have some good choices.

£££ Palm Court Brasserie, great for pretheater, offers 1920s French-style dining. It’s romantic, with friendly service (daily, £20 specials until 18:30, on-street tables available, half-block from Covent Gardens at 39 King Street, +44 20 7240 2939, bookings@palmcourtbrasserie.co.uk, palmcourtbrasserie.co.uk).

£££ Dishoom, a chain, is London’s hotspot for upscale Indian cuisine. The dishes seem familiar, but the flavors are a revelation. People line up early (starting around 17:00) for a seat, either on the bright, rollicking, brasserie-like ground floor or in the less-appealing basement. Reservations are possible only until 17:45. With its oversized reputation, long lines of tourists, and multiple locations, it’s easy to think it’s overrated. But the food is simply phenomenal (long hours daily, 12 Upper St. Martin’s Lane, +44 20 7420 9320, dishoom.com). Other locations include near King’s Cross Station, Kingly Street (listed earlier), Kensington (several blocks west of the Royal Albert Hall), and Shoreditch (East End).

££ St. Martin-in-the-Fields Café in the Crypt is just right for a tasty meal on a monk’s budget—maybe even on a monk’s tomb. You’ll dine sitting on somebody’s gravestone in an ancient crypt. Their enticing buffet line is kept stocked all day, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner (hearty traditional desserts, free jugs of water). You’ll find the café directly under St. Martin-in-the-Fields, facing Trafalgar Square—enter through the glass pavilion next to the church (generally open daily from 10:00-17:00, hot food served until 15:00, later on Thu-Sun, profits go to support the work of the church, Tube: Charing Cross, +44 20 7766 1158, stmartin-in-the-fields.org/visit/cafe-in-the-crypt). While here, check out the concert schedule for the busy church upstairs (or visit stmartin-in-the-fields.org).

££ The Chandos Pub’s Opera Room floats amazingly apart from the crush of tourism around Trafalgar Square. Look for it opposite the National Portrait Gallery (corner of William IV Street and St. Martin’s Lane) and climb the stairs to the mellow and relaxed Opera Room. This is a fine Trafalgar Square rendezvous point and wonderfully local pub. They serve sandwiches and a better-than-average range of traditional pub meals for around £15—meat pies and fish-and-chips are their specialty. The ground-floor pub is stuffed with regulars and offers snugs (private booths) and more serious beer drinking. To eat on that level, order upstairs and carry it down (daily, 29 St. Martin’s Lane, Tube: Leicester Square, +44 20 7836 1401, thechandos.co.uk [URL inactive]).

£££ Gordon’s Wine Bar is a candlelit 15th-century wine cellar filled with dusty old bottles, faded British memorabilia, and nine-to-fivers. At the bar, order food (cheese and meat platters and other cold dishes) and consider the many varieties of wine and port available by the glass (this place is passionate about port—even the house port is excellent). The low carbon-crusted vaulting deeper in the back (which shakes as Tube trains pass) seems to intensify the Hogarth-painting atmosphere. Although it’s crowded—often downright packed with people sitting at shared tables—you can normally find a spot. When sunny, the crowd spills out onto the tight park-side patio, where they have table service—but I go for the inside atmosphere. Their £25 three-cheese board can be dinner for two (daily, 2 blocks from Trafalgar Square, bottom of Villiers Street at #47—enter just around the corner to the right, Tube: Embankment, +44 20 7930 1408, gordonswinebar.com).

££ Clipper Lounge is an easygoing floating cocktail bar/lounge at Embankment Pier that is simple, inviting, and handy for a memorable sandwich, drink, or cocktail on the Thames (daily, simple café menu, inside and outside seating, at the Uber boat dock, thamesclippers.com/clipper-lounge-emb).

£££ Tattershall Castle, literally a pub on the Thames, is a 1934 vintage ferry now permanently moored across from the London Eye. It’s a thriving spot for a beer or simple pub grub such as fish-and-chips or a burger and fries. It’s especially nice in good weather (daily, until late Fri-Sat, +44 20 7839 6548, thetattershallcastle.co.uk).

£££ The Thomas Cubitt, named for the urban planner who designed much of Belgravia, is a trendy neighborhood gastropub packed with young professionals. It’s pricey, a pinch pretentious, and popular for its modern English cooking. With a bright but slightly cramped interior and fine sidewalk seating, it’s great for a drink or meal. The ground floor can be crazy loud, but upstairs is a more refined and peaceful dining room (daily, reservations recommended, 44 Elizabeth Street, +44 20 7730 6060, thethomascubitt.co.uk).

££ The Antelope Pub is a neighborhood spot with a rollicking drinking scene and a solid focus on traditional pub grub. The action’s fun around the bar on the ground floor, but the scene can be noisy, driving diners to a simple dining room upstairs (daily, food served until 18:00 Sun, 22 Eaton Terrace, +44 20 7824 8512, antelope-eaton-terrace.co.uk).

If you’re looking for a good meal in this area, simply wander Wilton Road, which is lined with an enticing variety of eateries (including several of these choices). Best of all, chains are rare here in what feels like a neighborhood.

££ Grumbles brags it’s been serving “good food and wine at non-scary prices since 1964.” Offering a delicious mix of “modern eclectic French and traditional English,” this unpretentious little place with cozy booths inside (on two levels) and a few nice sidewalk tables is the best spot to eat well in this otherwise workaday neighborhood. The traditional dishes are their forte (early-bird specials 18:00-19:00, open daily, reservations wise, half a block north of Belgrave Road at 35 Churton Street, +44 20 7834 0149, grumblesrestaurant.co.uk).

£ Pimlico Fresh’s breakfasts and lunches feature fresh, organic ingredients, served up with good coffee and/or fresh-squeezed juices. This place is heaven if you need a break from your hotel’s bacon-eggs-beans breakfast routine (takeout lunches, vegetarian options; Mon-Fri 7:30-19:30 or later, Sat-Sun 9:00-18:00, 86 Wilton Road, +44 20 7932 0030).

£££ Seafresh Fish Restaurant, the neighborhood place for plaice, is a classic fish-and-chips joint that’s evolved into a more serious fish restaurant with a broader menu and classier seating. The original “chippy” survives adjacent (daily, 80 Wilton Road, +44 20 3795 4559, sfdining.co.uk, Martha).

££ Seafresh Take-Away Fish Bar sells the same fish from the same kitchen as the restaurant (next door), but to-go and for about half the price.

£££ Kazan offers “Ottoman cuisine”—Turkish-style plates and mezes—in a modern and stylish atmosphere. The energy sparkles, and when you sit down you know this is a winner (daily, £23 two-course meal before 18:30, 93 Wilton Road, +44 20 7233 7100, kazan-restaurant.com).

££ Cyprus Mangal is another pleasing Turkish option. Service is friendly and quick, with meat-filled skewers threaded and ready to throw on the charcoal grill. You can eat inside, but I’d grab a table on the street, where most of the neighborhood seems to be enjoying a kebab (daily, 45 Warwick Street, +44 20 7828 5940, cyprusmangal.co.uk).

££ The Jugged Hare fills a lavish old bank building with vaults replaced by its kitchen and kegs of beer. They have a traditional menu and a plush, vivid pub scene good for a meal or just a drink (daily, 172 Vauxhall Bridge Road, +44 20 7828 1543, juggedharevictoria.co.uk).

££ St. George’s Tavern, while part of a chain, is the neighborhood’s most lively pub for an after-work drink or a full meal. They serve pub grub (with a passion for meat pies) from the same menu in three zones: on the sidewalk to catch the sun and enjoy some people-watching (mostly travelers with their wheelie bags), in the ground-floor pub, and in a classier dining room with full table service. Erica takes good care of diners here (daily, corner of Hugh Street at 14 Belgrave Road, +44 20 7630 1116).

£ Tachbrook Street Market, filling a short traffic-free block near several recommended hotels, is a delightful place to browse a variety of food stalls. Sit on a nearby curb with the locals for a quick lunch. There’s also a row of produce, fish, and meat vendors, making this more local-feeling than most London street markets (Mon-Sat 8:00-18:00, closed Sun, on Tachbrook Street just off Warwick Way).

While this neighborhood is a bit humdrum, it has more than its share of good eateries. Several of these might be worth a trip from elsewhere in London, just to dine.

£££ Aphrodite Taverna is a long-established favorite with Greek expats in this neighborhood. The food is Greek and Cypriot, and there are a few tables on the sidewalk (closed Mon, 15 Hereford Road, +44 20 7229 2206, aphroditerestaurant.co.uk).

££££ Sumi Japanese Restaurant is a delicate place with pleasant streetside tables, serving elevated dishes (no rolls). It has an artisanal flair, with an open kitchen to pump up the energy. It’s classy, with a smart clientele—expect to spend £50 per person (157 Westbourne Grove, +44 20 4524 0880, sushisumi.com).

£££ The Prince Edward serves quality pub grub with an inviting menu, big screens for sports, good ales, and a comfy, family-friendly vibe. On a corner with good outside tables, it’s a neighborhood favorite (daily, 2 blocks north of Bayswater Road at the corner of Dawson Place and Hereford Road, 73 Prince’s Square, +44 20 7243 2795, theprince-edward.co.uk).

££££ Mazi is a highly regarded Greek restaurant serving refined renditions of classic dishes, including Greek salad, grilled octopus, and loukoumades (doughnuts) in a contemporary, sophisticated setting. Since ordering several small plates can add up, the £24.95 two-course lunch is a fairly good deal (daily, 12 Hillgate Street, +44 20 7229 3794, mazi.co.uk).

Supermarkets: Queensway is home to several supermarkets, including Sainsbury’s Local and Tesco Express (both next to Bayswater Tube stop; a larger Tesco is near the post office farther along Queensway). All open early and close late (except on Sun).

££££ Maggie Jones’s is a hit for its solid English cuisine. Its countryside antique decor makes a visit a step back in time. The portions are huge (especially the meat-and-fish pies, their specialty). You’re welcome to split your main course. The candlelit upstairs is the most romantic, while the basement is lively (daily, reservations recommended, 6 Old Court Place, east of Kensington Church Street, near High Street Kensington Tube stop, +44 20 7937 6462, maggie-jones.co.uk).

££££ The Shed offers what they call farm-to-fork dishes in a rustic-chic setting. Owned by three brothers—a farmer, a chef, and a restaurateur—The Shed serves locally sourced modern English dishes. The portions are hearty, with big, meaty flavors. It’s tucked a block off busy Notting Hill Gate (closed Sun, reservations smart, 122 Palace Gardens Terrace, +44 20 7229 4024, theshed-restaurant.com).

££ The Churchill Arms Pub and Thai Kitchen is a combo establishment that’s a hit in the neighborhood. It offers good beer and a thriving old-English ambience in front and hearty Thai (only) dishes in an enclosed patio in the back. You can eat the Thai food in the tropical hideaway (table service) or in the atmospheric pub section (order at the counter). Bedecked with flowers on the exterior, the interior is festooned with Churchill memorabilia, and its ceiling is decorated with chamber pots. Arrive by 18:00 or after 21:00 to avoid a line (daily, 119 Kensington Church Street, +44 20 7727 4242, churchillarmskensington.co.uk).

A few blocks east of Liverpool Street Station, this cavernous hall is filled with a festival of eateries. The modern part of the market—to the west, closer to Liverpool Street Station—has big, brassy outposts of predictable London chains. It’s much better to focus on the historic, Victorian-age Old Spitalfields Market section, where you’ll find a more interesting array of small, one-off £-££ eateries and pop-ups that are great for lunch or a snack. Hours vary, but it’s lively by 11:00, starts dying down by 17:00, and is closed up tight by 18:00 (oldspitalfieldsmarket.com).

Once synonymous with curry houses cranking out Indian and Bangladeshi meals, historic Brick Lane now has many more options (though curry is still what many come here for).

Brick Lane’s Famous Curry Houses: This “Curry Row” comes with its own subculture—it’s the only place in London where curbside hawkers pitch each eatery’s “award-winning” food and are eager to offer a discount. Ultimately, little distinguishes the options along here. Compare menus and deals, have some fun with the barkers (you should get 20 percent off; see if you can get 25 percent...and then negotiate a free drink), and take your pick. If stymied, ££ Aladin, at 132 Brick Lane, is a good choice (haggle for 20 percent off). £££ Brick Lane Brasserie is a notch above the competition on this street, serving reliably good Indian and Bangladeshi food without the barkers or discounts. It offers a more spacious, white-tablecloth dining room, and good seating on the street (daily, 67 Brick Lane, +44 20 7377 8072, bricklanebrasserie.com). £ Meraz Café, a half-block off the Brick Lane commotion, is where hardworking Shamin offers a small, simple menu of £10-15 Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi dishes and homemade chutney (daily, 56 Hanbury Street, +44 20 7247 6999, meraz.co.uk).

Other Brick Lane Delights: Alongside the Old Truman Brewery, ££ Café 1001 is a trendy bohemian industrial hot spot. By day it’s a brunch/café/workspace and in the evening it’s a cocktail lounge/pizza/DJ scene. On Wednesdays it’s BYOV (vinyl). They serve pizza until 20:00 as the evening evolves from jazz to house to electronic (daily, 91 Brick Lane, cafe1001.co.uk). A cluster of food trucks surrounded by wacky street art fills a courtyard behind the Old Truman Brewery.

£££ The Wolseley serves a good afternoon tea between their meal service (starting at 14:30 Mon-Fri, 15:00 on Sat-Sun). Split one with your companion and enjoy two light meals at a great price (£50) in classic elegance (daily until 18:30, see restaurant listing on here).

££££ The Capital Hotel, a luxury hotel a half-block from Harrods, caters to weary shoppers with its intimate five-table, linen-tablecloth tearoom. It’s where the ladies-who-lunch meet to decide whether to buy that Versace gown they’ve had their eye on. Even so, casual clothes, kids, and sharing plates are all OK (daily until 17:00, book ahead—especially on weekends, 22 Basil Street—see the “West London” color map at the back of this book, Tube: Knightsbridge, +44 20 7591 1202, warwickhotels.com/the-capital).

££££ Fortnum & Mason department store is famed for its afternoon tea at their Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, named in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s 60th year on the throne. At royal prices, consider it dinner (£100, dress up a bit—no shorts, “children must be behaved,” 181 Piccadilly—see the “Central London Restaurants” map, reserve well in advance, +44 20 7734 8040, fortnumandmason.com).

££££ Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair serves a fancy afternoon tea in its English drawing room (you’re welcome to ask for second helpings of your favorite scones and sandwiches). Said to be the inspiration for Agatha Christie’s At Bertram’s Hotel, the wood-paneled walls and inviting fire set a scene that’s more contemporary-cozy than pinkie-raising classy (daily until 18:30 with an After Dark tea that’s served until 22:30, reservations smart, no casual clothing, 33 Albemarle Street—see the “Central London Restaurants” map, Tube: Green Park, +44 20 7518 4006, roccofortehotels.com [URL inactive]).

££££ The Orangery at Kensington Palace offers an elegant (and expensive) afternoon tea in its bright white hall near Queen Victoria’s birthplace (10-minute walk through Kensington Gardens from either Queensway or High Street Kensington Tube stations to the orange brick building, about 100 yards from Kensington Palace—see map on here; +44 20 3206 7781, hrp.org.uk).

£££ Number Sixteen is worlds apart. Located in the garden and conservatory of a small recommended hotel of the same name in South Kensington, it is delightful in every way, including price (£35 for full afternoon tea, £11 for simple cream tea, served 13:00-16:00, closes at 18:00, 16 Sumner Place—see here, +44 20 7589 5232, firmdalehotels.com).

Taking tea is not just for tourists and the wealthy—it’s a true English tradition. If you want the teatime experience but are put off by the price, consider these options, more in the £20-30 range.

£££ Browns Restaurant at Butler’s Wharf serves an affordable afternoon tea with brioche sandwiches, traditional scones, and sophisticated desserts (daily 15:00-17:00, 26 Shad Thames facing Tower Bridge—see the map on here, +44 20 7378 1700, browns-restaurants.co.uk).

At £ Waterstones bookstore, you can put together a spread for around £10 in their fifth-floor view café (203 Piccadilly).

Museum Cafés: Many museum restaurants offer a fine inexpensive tea service. For example, the £££ Wallace Collection serves reasonably priced afternoon tea and cream tea in its atrium (see here). The National Gallery’s £££ Ochre Brasserie offers afternoon tea at £55 (three tiers of tasty fun, splittable with a drink, +44 20 7747 2525, ochre.london).

Shop Cafés: You’ll find good-value teas at various cafés in shops and bookstores across London. Most department stores on Oxford Street (including those between Oxford Circus and Bond Street Tube stations) offer an afternoon tea.

Heathrow Airport is one of the world’s busiest airports. Consider this: 80 million passengers a year on 500,000 flights from 230 destinations traveling on 90 airlines, like some kind of global maypole dance. For Heathrow’s airport, flight, and transfer information, visit the helpful website heathrow.com (code: LHR).

Heathrow’s terminals are numbered T-2 through T-5. Each terminal is served by different airlines and alliances; for example, T-5 is exclusively for British Air and Iberia, while T-2 serves mostly Star Alliance flights, such as United and Lufthansa. Terminals T-2/T-3 are sometimes called Heathrow Central.

When flying from Heathrow, know which terminal your flight will use (see your boarding pass or search “Which Terminal” on the Heathrow website)—if it’s T-4 or T-5, allow extra time.

Moving Between Terminals: It’s a 10-minute walk between T-2 and T-3 via an underground passageway. To connect T-2/T-3 with T-4 or T-5, ride either the Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express train (free between terminals, trains depart every 15 minutes, pick up transfer ticket at station or tap your contactless card or Oyster card—you won’t be charged). You can also take a shuttle bus between T-4 and T-5 (free, every 20 minutes, serves other terminals only in early morning) or the Tube (ticket required, serves all terminals).

Services: Each terminal has an airport information desk, ATMs, exchange desks, Wi-Fi, car-rental agencies, a variety of shops and eateries, and pay baggage storage (long hours daily, left-baggage.co.uk).

You have several options for traveling the 14 miles between Heathrow Airport and downtown London: Tube (slow and cheap), bus (even slower and almost as cheap, but handy for Victoria Station area), two separate express trains with connecting Tube or taxi (more expensive but efficient), or taxi or car service (most expensive and likely to get stuck in traffic). The one that works best for you will depend on your arrival terminal, your destination in central London, and your budget.

By Tube: The Tube takes you from any Heathrow terminal to downtown London in 50-60 minutes on the Piccadilly Line (6/hour, use contactless card or buy ticket, Oyster card, or pass at station machine). Depending on your destination in London, you may need to transfer.

Returning by Tube from downtown London to the airport, note that Piccadilly Line trains don’t stop at every terminal—they stop first at either T-4, then T-2/T-3; or at T-2/T-3, then T-5. Check the screens in the station before you board to make sure the train goes to the right terminal.

By Bus: Most buses depart Heathrow from the outdoor Central Bus Station, a five-minute walk from T-2/T-3; a few buses depart directly from T-5. To connect T-4 or T-5 and the Central Bus Station, ride the free Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express train or take a shuttle bus.

National Express has regular service from Heathrow’s Central Bus Station to Victoria Coach Station in downtown London, near several of my recommended hotels (£7-11, 3-4/hour from Heathrow, less frequent from Victoria Station to Heathrow, 45-75 minutes depending on time of day, +44 871 781 8181, nationalexpress.com). A less frequent National Express bus goes directly from T-5 to Victoria Coach Station.

By Train: The Elizabeth line runs from Heathrow to central London in 30-40 minutes depending on your terminal and destination. Key stops downtown include Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Liverpool Street, and Canary Wharf—all of which offer interchanges to major Tube lines.

The Elizabeth line is faster than the Tube, but more expensive (£12.80-13.90 one-way depending on your destination; contactless card or Oyster card accepted, or buy single fare from airport station ticket machines; 6/hour from T-2/T-3, 2/hour from T-4 or T-5, trains run daily roughly 5:00-24:00; +44 343 222 1234, for details, search “Elizabeth” at heathrow.com).

The Heathrow Express train is the quickest option, zipping between Heathrow and London’s Paddington Station in 15-20 minutes. One-way fares are pricey; save by buying ahead (£25 one-way, £40 round-trip, don’t pay more for pointless business class, as cheap as £10 nonrefundable if purchased online far in advance, covered by BritRail pass; 4/hour, daily 5:15-24:00; 15 minutes to Paddington from T-2/T-3, 20 minutes from T-5, for T-4 first transfer to Heathrow Central; +44 345 600 1515, heathrowexpress.com).

All Elizabeth Line and Heathrow Express stations have ticket barriers, which you can enter only with a ticket or a contactless pay option (required even for free transfers between terminals).

By Car Service: Just Airports offers a private car service between five London airports and the city center (see website for price quote, +44 208 900 1666, justairports.com).

By Taxi or Uber: Taxis from the airport run £65-120 to west and central London (one hour). Uber also offers London airport pickup and drop-off.

Gatwick Airport is halfway between London and the south coast (code: LGW, gatwickairport.com). Its two terminals, North and South, are easily connected by a free monorail (3-minute trip, runs 24 hours). Gatwick Express trains (described next) stop only at Gatwick South.

Getting Between Gatwick and Downtown London: Gatwick Express trains are the best way into London from this airport. Trains shuttle conveniently between Gatwick South and London’s Victoria Station in about 30 minutes (generally £24 one-way, £48 round-trip, cheaper if purchased online and for groups of three or more adults, Oyster cards accepted, 2/hour, daily 5:00-24:00 daily, a few trains as early as 3:30, +44 845 850 1530, gatwickexpress.com). At Victoria Station, Gatwick Express has its own ticket windows right by the platform (tracks 13 and 14); you’ll also find easy-to-use ticket machines nearby.

A train also runs between Gatwick South and London St. Pancras International Station (£15, 3-5/hour, 45-60 minutes, nationalrail.co.uk—useful for travelers taking the Eurostar train or staying in the St. Pancras/King’s Cross neighborhood).

While very slow, the National Express bus is a cheap and handy option to the Victoria Station neighborhood (£7-11, at least hourly, 2.5 hours, nationalexpress.com).

Stansted Airport: From Stansted (code: STN, stanstedairport.com), you have several options for getting into or out of London. A National Express bus connects the airport and London’s Victoria Station neighborhood (£15-16, typically every 20-30 minutes, 2 hours, runs 24 hours, multiple stops throughout London, ends at Victoria Coach Station or Liverpool Street Station, nationalexpress.com). Or you can take the faster, pricier Stansted Express train (£25, as cheap as £9.90 if booked online far enough in advance, connects to London’s Tube system at Tottenham Hale or Liverpool Street, 2-3/hour, 45 minutes, 5:30-late, stanstedexpress.com). Stansted is expensive by taxi; figure £100-120 one-way from central London.

Luton Airport: For Luton (code: LTN, london-luton.co.uk), the fastest way to get into London is by Luton Airport Express train to London St. Pancras International Station (£23.50 one-way—cheaper online in advance, 2/hour, 35 minutes, +44 345 712 5678, lutonairportexpress.co.uk or thameslinkrailway.com). The train departs from Luton Airport Parkway Station, a three-minute ride on Luton DART light rail (outside the terminal; £4.90, every 4-7 minutes). DART tickets can be purchased online at lutondart.com, or if you buy a ticket into the city through Thameslink or Luton Airport Express, you can use your printed ticket at the DART ticket barriers (select “Luton Airport” when purchasing your ticket).

National Express bus A1 runs from Luton to Victoria Coach Station (£12 one-way, 2-3/hour, 1.5 hours, runs 24 hours, nationalexpress.com). Green Line express bus #757 runs to Buckingham Palace Road, just south of Victoria Station, and stops en route near the Baker Street Tube station—best if you’re staying near Paddington Station or in North London (£14 one-way, 2/hour, 1-1.5 hours, runs 24 hours, +44 344 800 4411, arrivabus.co.uk/greenline).

London City and Southend Airports: To get into the city center from London City Airport (code: LCY, londoncityairport.com), take the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) to the Bank Tube station, which is one stop east of St. Paul’s on the Central Line (about £4 one-way, 20 minutes, tfl.gov.uk/dlr). Some EasyJet flights land farther out, at Southend Airport (code: SEN, londonsouthendairport.com). Trains connect this airport to London’s Liverpool Street Station (£12.25 one-way, 3-5/hour, 55 minutes, greateranglia.co.uk).

A handy National Express bus runs between Heathrow and Gatwick, Stansted, and Luton airports—easier than cutting through the center of London—although heavy traffic can affect travel times (nationalexpress.com).

From Heathrow Airport to: Gatwick Airport (£13.20, 1-4/hour, about 1.25 hours—but allow at least three hours between flights), Stansted Airport (£17-25, 1-2/hour direct, 1-1.5 hours), Luton Airport (£15-20, roughly hourly, 1 hour).

The Eurostar zips you from downtown London to downtown Paris (about hourly, 2.5 hours), Brussels (6/day, 2 hours), or Amsterdam (4/day, 4 hours; more with transfer in Brussels). The train travels at 190 mph, and the tunnel crossing is a 20-minute, silent, 100 mph nonevent. Your ears won’t even pop.

Eurostar Tickets and Fares: A one-way ticket can vary widely in price. Between London and Paris or Brussels, for instance, you could pay $52-285 (Eurostar Standard class), $135-400 (Eurostar Plus, includes a light meal), or $435-480 (Eurostar Premier, includes a fancier meal and other perks). For London-Amsterdam on short notice, direct train rates can go as high as $325 Standard and $600 Premier. Fares depend on how far ahead you reserve and whether you’re eligible for discounts—available for children (under 12), youths (under 26), and adults booking months ahead or purchasing round-trip. You can generally book tickets up to six months in advance.

Buy tickets ahead at ricksteves.com/rail or at eurostar.com (+44 343 218 6186, £12 handling fee to book by phone).

In Britain, tickets are issued only at the Eurostar office in St. Pancras. In continental Europe, you can buy tickets at any major train station in any country or at any travel agency that handles train tickets (expect a booking fee). If you have a Eurail Global Pass, seat reservations are available at Eurostar departure stations, at eurail.com, or by phone with Eurostar (generally harder to get at other train stations and travel agencies; about $35 in Eurostar Standard, $45 in Eurostar Plus, can sell out, no benefit with BritRail or other single-country pass).

Taking the Eurostar: Trains depart from and arrive at London St. Pancras International Station. Per UK requirements, all passengers must enter their passport details online before boarding. After buying your ticket, click “Manage Your Booking” and enter your ticket’s reference number, then you’ll be directed to enter your passport info. If you weren’t issued a reference number by Eurostar, go in person to the check-in desk at the Eurostar terminal. It’s important to allow plenty of time for check-in (Eurostar recommends Standard-class passengers arrive at London St. Pancras 1.5 hours before departure; gates close 30 minutes before departure).

Times listed on tickets are local; Britain is one hour earlier than continental Europe. The waiting area has shops, newsstands, horrible snack bars and cafés (get food beforehand), free Wi-Fi, and a currency-exchange booth.