Vibrant and truly multicultural, London is a megalopolis of people, ideas and frenetic energy. The capital and largest city of the United Kingdom sits on the River Thames in South-East England. Greater London has a population of a little over 9 million. Considered one of the world's leading "global cities", London remains an international capital of culture, music, education, fashion, politics, finance and trade.
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The name "London" used to refer only to the once-walled "Square Mile" of the original Roman and later medieval city; this is now confusingly called the "City of London" or just "The City". Today, London has taken on a much larger meaning to include all of the vast central parts of the modern metropolis, with the city having absorbed numerous surrounding towns and villages over the centuries, including large portions of the surrounding "home counties", one of which - Middlesex - being completely consumed by the growing metropolis. The term Greater London embraces Central London together with all the outlying suburbs that lie in one continuous urban sprawl within the lower Thames Valley.
Settlements have existed on the site of London since well before Roman times, with evidence of Bronze Age and Celtic inhabitants. The Roman city of Londinium, established just after the Roman conquest of Britannia in the year 43, formed the basis for the modern city (some isolated Roman period remains are still to be seen within the City). After the end of Roman rule in 410 and a short-lived decline, London experienced a gradual revival under the Anglo-Saxons, as well as the Norsemen, and emerged as a great medieval trading city, eventually replacing Winchester as the royal capital of England.
The main travel options in summary are: By bus: Running by iconic red double-decker buses, this is the cheapest and usually the best way to get around London as a tourist: on most of the Underground, you won't see anything! By Tube / Underground: As world's oldest rapid transit system, there're 11 lines cover the central area and northern suburbs, run by TfL. By Overground and the Elizabeth Line: Urban communter rail systems run between central area and suburbs, part of National Rail network but run by TfL. By National Rail: A complex network of suburban rail services mainly covering southern suburbs, privately run and not part of the TfL network, although all operators now accept Oyster pa…
London is a huge city, so all individual listings are in the appropriate district articles and only an overview is presented here. Buckingham Palace. The London residence of the King, in Westminster. Open for tours during the summer months only (in 2022 - from Jul 22 to Sep 30; tickets - https://tickets.rct.uk/product/date), but a must-see sight even if you don't go in. (Tube: Green Park). Changing of the Guard spans three locations: Buckingham Palace, St James’s Palace and Wellington Barracks, and usually begins at 10:43 (check https://changing-guard.com/dates-buckingham-palace.html for details). London Eye.
London is a huge city, so all individual listings are in the appropriate district articles. To make the most of the city's tremendous cultural offerings (performing arts, museums, exhibitions, clubs, eateries and numerous others), visitors will do well to pick up a copy of a cultural magazine like Time Out London (available at most corner shops and newsagents) which gives detailed information and critiques on what's around town including show times and current attractions. The Time Out London website also has major shows listed.
For suggestions of specific restaurants have a look into the district articles. It is a huge task for a visitor to find the "right place" to eat in London – with the "right atmosphere", at the "right price" – largely because, as in any big city, there are literally thousands of venues from which to choose, ranging from fast food joints, pubs, and mainstream chains all the way up to some of the most exclusive restaurants in the world which attract the kind of clientele that don't need to ask the price. Sorting the good from the bad isn't easy, but London has something to accommodate all budgets and tastes.
London is home to a great many pubs, bars and nightclubs. The online city guide View London and the weekly magazine Time Out tell what's going in London's night life, as well as cultural events in general. London is an expensive place and your drink will cost more than its equivalent elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Expect to pay £6-7 for a pint in an average pub. As with restaurants, pubs close to major tourist attractions cash in on travellers' gullibility so be on your guard for the tourist traps where higher prices are not unheard of. If you're looking to save money and meet travellers then pub crawls are guided tours that run nightly in central London.
In an emergency, telephone 999 or 112. This number connects to police, ambulance and fire & rescue services as well as the coastguard for incidents on the river. You will be asked which of these services you require before being connected to the relevant operator. London has two of the oldest police forces in the world. The Metropolitan Police (The Met) is responsible for policing London except the tiny City of London, which is the responsibility of the City of London Police. In addition to these, the Tube and other railways are patrolled by the British Transport Police. On the whole, London is a safe place to visit and explore.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, London typically sees ~24°C daytime highs and 9 rainy days.
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