Exploring London, England
Note: This post has been updated on September 30, 2023.
Time needed in this city: One week but even that might not be enough!
There are no shortage of things to do and see in London. Every time we come back, we find new areas to explore and new things to learn. Because of this, we have created a complete guide to exploring London with all its little hidden secrets, alleyways, and history!
The below information is a complete guide of the best places to stay, the top rated places to dine and drink, and all there is to see and do. We’ve also included transportation tips, as well as a summary of the history of this amazing city!
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Where to Stay
While there are many areas to stay in, we have chosen the most popular to consider:
City of London
For the City of London, click here.
Covent Garden
For Covent Garden, click here.
Kensington
For Kensington, click here.
Mayfair
For Mayfair, click here.
St. James
For St. James, click here.
Westminster
For Westminster, click here.
Other Recommended Areas
Click here to access the list.
Where to Dine & Drink
There are a TON of great restaurants all around this massive city. However, the ones listed below are the very best the city has to offer in the most popular areas to dine. We’ve also included a few outstanding ones that fall in some of the more suburban areas that can’t be missed!
City of London
For the City of London, click here.
Covent Garden
For Covent Garden, click here.
Kensington
For Kensington, click here.
Mayfair
For Mayfair, click here.
SOHO
For SOHO, click here.
St. James
For St. James, click here.
Westminster
For Westminster, click here.
Others Areas to consider
Click here to access the list of other areas to consider.
Things to See & Do
City of London
For the City of London, click here.
Covent Garden
For Covent Garden, click here.
Kensington
For Kensington, click here.
Mayfair
For Mayfair, click here.
SOHO
For SOHO, click here.
Westminster
For Westminster, click here.
Other AREAS to explore
For other areas to explore in London, click here.
other tours
Jack the Ripper Tour (All over London)
Hit the streets of East End London on a Jack the Ripper mystery walking tour. Head back to 1888 with your expert Ripperologist guide as you try to solve the still-unsolved murders on this immersive experience.
Assess photographic evidence and hear true stories about the investigation to suss out the suspects. 'Investigate’ the alleged perpetrators and hear about the theories as to who committed some of the most shocking crimes in Britain's history. Learn more about the victims and everyday life in Whitechapel, which was an impoverished neighborhood at the time. Your guide will even share gems about Victorian London, including the cultural context for enduring figures, such as Sherlock Holmes. Was Jack the Ripper ever close to being caught? Why did he choose Whitechapel? Where was any evidence discovered? Find all this out and more with your Ripperologist guide. Stops include: Brick Lane, Christ Church, Spitalfields Market, Mitre Square, Petticoat Lane, and Ten Bells Pub.
How to Get Around
to/from the airport
If you aren’t carrying much luggage, you are able to take the train into the city, which will most likely drop you off at Victoria Station. From there, you can either take a taxi ,ride share, or the Tube. NOTE: Tube safety has been a bit hit or miss.
around the city
The city is very walkable, but also very large. You are able to take the Tube (safety has been hit or miss there), a ride share, a bus, or a taxi.
A History Summary
6,000 B.C. - Iron Age - The area was originally settled by early hunter gatherers. Researchers have also found evidence of Bronze Age bridges and Iron Age forts near the River Thames.
43 AD - 5th century - The city of London was founded by the Romans and their rule extended from 43 AD to the fifth century AD, when the Empire fell.
60 AD - Celtic queen, Boudicca, led an army to sack the city, which was burned to the ground in the first of many fires to destroy London.
125 AD - While rebuilt, it burned again, causing more rebuilding to occur and within a few generations, the population exceeded 40,000 people.
3rd century - Londinium, the name given to the town by the Romans, had a population of 50,000, mainly due to the influence of its major port.
5th century - After the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 A.D., the city was attacked numerous times by Vikings and other raiders, and soon, London was largely abandoned.
8th century - Londinium became the capital of the Kingdom of Essex.
9th century - The town suffered numerous Viking attacks. As a consequence, Danish settlers established themselves in the area, encouraging trade and opening businesses in the town, transforming it into the first urban center of England. The town’s wealth and power attracted the Danish Great Heathen Army, which besieged the city until it was captured by King Alfred the Great in 886.
1065-1066 - Westminster Abbey was established. One year later, after his victory at the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror was crowned King of England.
1167 - The Tower of London was built, along with a wooden version of the London Bridge (which was repeatedly burned down until it was finally replaced with stone.
1199 - King John reinforced the city's self-government
1215 - The city could elect a different mayor every year. Also, the institutions of central government were moved to Westminster, close to London. This and the rise of trade in the area were two decisive factors in London's emergence as the capital of England.
14th - 15th century - London’s port became a European hub for the distribution of goods. This activity was strengthened during the 15th century thanks to its relevant textile industry.
16th - mid-17th century - London benefited from the centralized politics and the maritime trade expansion, developed by the Tudors and continued by the Stuarts. During Henry VIII’s reign, London had 100,000 inhabitants. In mid-seventeenth century it had over 500,000.
1665 - 1753 - The city was still held inside the ancient walls, though large-scale urban planning had already started. The population’s poor living conditions were responsible for the Great Plague, killing 100,000 people, and the following year, a huge fire burnt down most of the city. The reconstruction of London, based on the area we now call "The City", took over 10 years to finish. The architect, Christopher Wren’s, masterpieces, such as St. Paul’s Cathedral, increased the appeal of London and thus, the capital became the center of English social life with palaces, halls, theatres, societies (Royal Society, 1662) and museums (British Museum, 1753).
1694 - The Bank of England was founded in 1694. It was the second central bank in the world, rapidly following the Swedish Sveriges Riksbank.
1832 - 1858 - Overcrowded conditions led to grave problems like the cholera epidemics, as well as the great stink of 1858 - an event that took place during the hottest months of the summer, exacerbating the smell of the sewers that were dumped into the River Thames, which led to the suspension of the parliamentary sessions.
1837 - Queen Victoria was coronated.
1859 - Big Ben was built
1863 - The London Underground opened and was the world’s first underground railway
1888 - The administrative needs of a city with so much commercial activity led the creation of a new autonomous territorial unit in 1888, the County of London, ruled by the "London county council". This county was divided into 29 electoral units (the city and 28 metropolitan boroughs), but the progressive expansion soon overflowed outside the county boundaries to the suburban areas. Also, Jack the Ripper became a notorious serial killer.
1901 - There were 4,500,000 living in the city.
WW I - Air raids caused about 2,300 casualties
WWII - During the Battle of Britain in World War II, the city was bombed relentlessly by the German Luftwaffe—the London Blitz eventually killed about 30,000 residents.
1952 - During the Great Smog of 1952, Londoners endured immeasurable suffering and thousands died during and after the pollution event. It was the same year Queen Elizabeth was coronated.
1963 - A new division of London was made, comprising the old town and 32 metropolitan boroughs, and these are the divisions which can be seen today.
2005 - A terrorist attack on the London transit system killed 56 people.
2012 - The Olympic games were hosted in the city
2023 - King Charles was coronated
