30 Must-See Landmarks in London

Whether you travel through London in black cabs or pop in and out of the Tube stations as you ride the London Underground, there are a ton of famous landmarks in London that you'll see during your time in the city. Our list includes top sights to see like Abbey Road for Beatles fans or Wembley Stadium for sports fans. There are also can't-miss landmarks like The Shard, the tallest building in the United Kingdom, the London Eye on the banks of the River Thames, and Tower Bridge, which you’ll surely cross a few times during your stay. No matter if you are traveling solo, on a fun trip with your partner or friends, or taking the kids on their first international vacation, this list of London landmarks will give you information about what you’ll see while you're there and inspiration for things to visit.

Suggested activity: Beatles London Walking Tour of Marylebone and Abbey Road

The crosswalk (or zebra crossing as it's called in England) at Abbey Road was made famous when the cover of The Beatles's album Abbey Road, released in 1969, featured the band walking across the namesake street. Since then, Beatles fans have visited this spot near the Abbey Road Studios, the studio where the Fab Four recorded many of their songs. It's a destination on many Beatles-themed tours. If you choose to recreate the photo at this London landmark, be safe and stay respectful of residents and commuters. This is an open road used by commuters.

The aptly named The Gherkin is a skyscraper shaped much like a pickle. It's an interesting feature of London's skyline in the financial district. While most of the 41-story office building is not open to the public, the top floor has Helix Restaurant, where you can make reservations for afternoon tea or dinner and enjoy a bird's-eye view of London while you dine.

visitlondon.com / Jon Reid

Suggested activity: London Eye Fast-Track Ticket

Whether or not you are interested in riding the London Eye, it has become one of the most recognizable and photogenic London landmarks. It's featured in travel shows and movies, and between its enormous size and setting along the River Thames, it is quite a sight to see in person. You can even visit at night when the enormous Ferris wheel is lit in an array of colors. It takes about 30 minutes to complete a rotation, and on clear days, people claim to see as far as Windsor Castle.

Piccadilly Circus gets its name from its original purpose as a traffic circle, and it's become a popular tourist stop not least for its location at one end of Regent Street, London's famous shopping destination. On your arrival, take note of the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain, commonly called Eros because of the statue of Eros (aka Cupid) perched atop the fountain with wings spread and bow drawn — ready to shoot his arrow. You'll also see the unmissable electronic billboards, reminiscent of Times Square in New York, displaying advertisements all hours of the day.

The Shard, built between 2009 and 2012, has become an iconic landmark in London. The modern-looking skyscraper is the tallest building in the United Kingdom at 1,016 feet. The Shard is more than just an unmissable landmark, it's also an attraction. You can stay at a hotel, rent an apartment, shop in stores and eat at restaurants in the towering building. You can also buy tickets for entry into The View from The Shard — the observation space on level 72 of the building.

visitlondon.com / Antoine Buchet

Suggested activity: Explore Tower Bridge & Westminster Walking Tour

Tower Bridge, first open for use in 1894, is a bascule bridge that spans the River Thames and is located near the Tower of London. Though it is often mistaken for the London Bridge that is located closer to The Shard, the Tower Bridge, a frequent feature in travel videos, is identifiable by its two gray stone towers and blue suspension cables. You might also recognize it from the 2012 Summer Games in London when the Olympic rings adorned the bridge. If you want to learn about the bridge, visit the museum located in the bridge's towers.

Trafalgar Square is located near Regent Street and bounded by the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery. When I visited, the bustling square was full of tourists bundled up from the cold, taking a break to admire the monuments and fountains. And it's no wonder. It's a beautiful spot in central London. At the middle of the square is Nelson's Column, named after Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, with four lion statues at the base, and on either side of the column are two large fountains featuring dolphin, mermaid and triton statues. An extra interesting spot that you're likely to miss if you don't know about it is the tiny police box believed by many to have been the smallest police station in the world. Unfortunately for “Doctor Who” fans, you won't find a giant blue TARDIS, but rather, it is the base of a light post located at the southeast corner of Trafalgar Square.

20 Fenchurch Street is a skyscraper nicknamed the Walkie Talkie because its shape resembles a walkie-talkie. Much of the building is private offices, but the top three floors contain the Sky Garden, a public garden that's free to enter. You can reserve free tickets online ahead of your visit, book a reservation at one the restaurants at Sky Garden or take your chance at snagging one of the limited same-day tickets at the entrance.

Westminster Bridge isn't as opulent as Tower Bridge, but it is still notable, especially for its locale. It's near the London Eye and SEA LIFE London Aquarium on one side of the River Thames and the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben on the other. The first time I crossed the bridge was on foot in late November on my first night in the city. We had walked along the river on the chilly late-November night and passed by the food stalls that pop up during the Christmas season. We didn't have our bearings yet but decided to cross the Westminster Bridge and were rewarded with an amazing view of the Houses of Parliament lit with soft, warm white light. It was a great first few hours in London.

visitlondon.com / Jon Reid

Buckingham Palace has become synonymous with the monarchy of the United Kingdom, and it is visited by tourists from all over the world. Crowds gather outside the gate during celebrations and on sorrowful occasions, like when crowds gathered to pay their respects at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral procession. During the summer, the State Apartment is open to visitors — book your tickets ahead of time to ensure entry. And folks gather at this top castle in London during the weekdays to watch the Changing of the Guard when the King's Guard in their iconic red uniforms and tall black hats perform the formal ceremony. (Make sure not to be in the path of the guards. They do not stop or move around people who get in the way; they only shout the warning, “Make way for the The Kings Guard.”) It is about 45 minutes in length beginning at 11 on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, though you should check with the Households Division calendar because dates and times can vary.

Suggested activity: Cutty Sark Entrance Ticket

Near the River Thames, on the land near the Old Royal Naval College and Greenwich Park, is a sailing ship with three masts lifted off the ground on what almost looks like a large inflatable raft but is actually a glass structure that visitors can enter to view the underside of the ship's hull. The Cutty Sark, thought to be the last surviving tea clipper, was used in the tea trade with China, but after steamships took over that route, it was used as a cargo ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Eventually the ship was restored and used as a training vessel for cadets. The Cutty Sark has been a London landmark since 1954 and is still open to visitors.

Suggested activity: Princess Diana Private Walking Tour of London

Within Hyde Park is the Diana Memorial Fountain. Built in honor of the former Princess of Wales, who was beloved by many around the world, the fountain is a river made of Cornish granite built into a loop. At the high point of the loop, the water flows down both sides of the sides of the fountain to the low point of the loop. There are a few bridges to cross over the water of the fountain into the green space in the center. Visitors are invited to sit on the fountain but are asked not to walk on it, and the sign at the entry says the area is for “quiet enjoyment.”

Wikimedia Commons / Tristan Surtel / CC BY-SA 4.0

The white Marble Arch stands alone at the edge of the famous Hyde Park, but it wasn't always that way. It was originally planned to be an extraordinary grand entrance to Buckingham Palace. Once completed, it wasn't as opulent as the original design, but it did serve as a Buckingham Palace gate for 17 years, including the year of Queen Victoria's coronation. Rather than destroying the arch when it was to be replaced, it was disassembled and moved to Hyde Park to serve as the entrance to the beloved green space. As time passed, roads were widened and changed, so the arch now stands alone in a green patch surrounded by streets.

Erected in 1677, the Monument to the Great Fire of London stands as a reminder of the fire that ravaged London for four days in 1666. Though there were only six recorded deaths, some 13,000 houses were destroyed, and it is estimated that 85 percent of the population was left homeless. It took 50 years to rebuild all that was damaged and destroyed. The monument was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and Dr. Robert Hooke. Today, you can purchase a ticket to enter the memorial to take the spiral staircase up the 202-foot column for panoramic views from the London landmark's spot on the corner Fish Street Hill and Monument Street.

In Greenwich near the National Maritime Museum is the Royal Observatory, a building made of red brick with white accents. An onion dome houses a telescope while the tallest tower is topped with a weather vane with a large red ball at the base. The Royal Observatory was commissioned by King Charles II to use astronomy to assist and improve navigation at sea in the late 17th century. On a visit, you can stand on the the Prime Meridian, the longitudinal line determined by the Observatory, find out why we use Greenwich Mean Time and learn about the role of Astronomer Royal.

visitlondon.com / Jon Reid

Suggested activity: St. Paul's Cathedral Admission Ticket

St. Paul's Cathedral is one of many famous London landmarks designed by Sir Christopher Wren. After the Great Fire of London of 1666 that damaged the church, Wren was commissioned to design and rebuild the renowned cathedral. He incorporated elements of neoclassical, Gothic and baroque styles and used Portland stone, a white limestone, as the the main construction material. Today, you'll see a beautiful white cathedral with a dome where visitors can climb the stairs up to the dome to get views of London.

The Globe Theatre where Shakespeare and the acting company Lord Chamberlain's Men (later called The King's Men) put on plays in the 17th century. The theatre came down in 1644, but a replica, named Shakespeare's Globe, opened in 1997. The round building with its white walls and exposed timber frame is a stark contrast to its surroundings especially the nearby industrial brick building of the Tate Modern. You can watch plays at Shakespeare's Globe either as a groundling in the standing-only section in front of the stage or on bench seating in the stands where wealthier citizens would have been. Guided tours of the theater also are offered.

Similar to the Marble Arch, the Wellington Arch was intended as a gateway into Buckingham Palace, but having gone over budget, the arch was completed without all the lavish decorations that were originally planned. Wellington Arch is located on Hyde Park Corner. The first statue placed atop the arch was of Duke Wellington, but the statue was controversial and eventually removed before replacement in 1912 by a statue of a chariot pulled by four horses. The arch can be entered, and visitors can climb to the top. Book your ticket ahead of time to save on cost.

Tennis fans will likely recognize the All England Lawn Tennis Club as the host of The Championships, more commonly known as Wimbledon — the oldest tennis tournament. Every summer, the best tennis players from around the world don white and compete in this prestigious sporting event. If you aren't lucky enough to catch a match in person, you can still take a 90-minute guided tour of the tennis club.

Cricket has been played in England for hundreds of years, and there is perhaps no better place in England to get a glimpse at that history than Lord's Cricket Ground. Lord's has been on its current site since 1814. You can tour “the home of cricket” on a 100-minute guided tour or opt for a tour that includes an extra experience, such as lunch with selections from the match-day menu for players. You'll have the chance to see the Victorian Pavilion, the player's dressing room, the Long Room and the MCC Museum.

visitlondon.com / Antoine Buchet

Suggested activity: Iconic London Sporting Venues Private Tour

Wembley Stadium is a must-see for many a soccer fan (or football, as it's known outside of the U.S.). The stadium, first opened in 1923, was closed in 2000 to be rebuilt to meet modern standards, reopening in 2007. Wembley has seen many notable events including the 1948 Olympics, 1966 World Cup final, the 2012 Olympic soccer matches and the 2015 Rugby Cup. It's not just sports! Evel Knievel performed one of his death-defying stunts here in 1975, while in 1985 Queen gave a famous performance during Live Aid. For a chance to see more than the outside, book a guided tour of the stadium. For an extra special treat, if your schedule lines up with a sporting event, you can take a match-day tour that includes the opportunity to watch the players warm-up.

Movie: “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”

At Claremont Square in the Borough of Islington, you'll find the exterior of Sirius Black's home that was used as the hideout for the Order of the Phoenix.

Movie: Featured in all the movies

The Hogwarts Express picked up students at King's Cross Station, specifically platform 9 3/4, but there's a little movie trickery happening with King's Cross Station. For filming, they actually shot at platforms 4 and 5, not 9 and 10. Also inside the station, you can find a sign for platform 9 3/4 with a trolley loaded with luggage pushed halfway through a wall. Here, you are also likely to find a line of fellow fans waiting their turn for a picture of the half-disappeared trolley. To find this spot, head to The Harry Potter Shop at Platform 9 3/4. To see the outside of the movie version of King's Cross, you'll have to head to St. Pancras International (mentioned further down in the list).

Movie: “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”

If you recall in the third installment, Harry accidentally summons the bizarre and oddly delightful Knight Bus when escaping 4 Privet Drive after a magical mishap, then you'll likely remember the scene when the purple triple-decker bus is whizzing across a bridge and magically narrowing to fit between two oncoming double-decker busses. That's Lambeth Bridge. The bridge first opened to traffic in 1932, and is open to both vehicles and pedestrians crossing the River Thames.

Wikimedia Commons / Diliff / CC BY-SA 3.0

Movie: “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone”

Leadenhall Market appears in the first Harry Potter film as Hagrid is leading Harry to the Leaky Cauldron and ultimately Diagon Alley. Notice the red signs with gold lettering, and the arched glass ceiling protecting pedestrians from rain and snow. If you look closely in the film, you can even spot an engraved stone sign that reads Leadenhall Market (though only on screen for a few seconds). The market dates back to the 14th century, and while you won't find the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron (at least I haven't yet), this London landmark has dragon decorations, restaurants, pubs and shops.

Movie: “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”

Though King's Cross is the train station where the Hogwarts Express departs, in the movies the exterior shots are actually of St. Pancras International train station. You'll likely remember it from the second film when Harry and Ron were unable to get onto Platform 9 3/4 and decided to fly Arthur Weasley's blue Ford Anglia over the Victorian Gothic train station and all the way to Hogwarts Castle. St. Pancras has been used as the filming site for other movies and TV shows, too, including “Bridget Jones's Diary” and “The Crown.”

Movie: “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone”

Suggested activity: London Zoo entry ticket

Before Harry learns that he is a wizard, he visits a zoo with the Dursley family. The reptile house in which the scene was filmed was the Reptile House at the London Zoo. While you might not have conversations with the snakes like Harry, you can visit the reptile house as well as other habitats to view animals like lemurs, lowland gorillas and sloths. You might also recognize parts of the London Zoo from other movies including “Goodbye Christopher Robin.”

Movie: “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”

In the sixth movie, spectral Death Eaters zoom through London as trails of black smoke. They fly over Trafalgar Square and make their way to Diagon Alley to kidnap Ollivander from his shop before taking flight again. As they fly over the Millennium Bridge, the muggles crossing over the River Thames fall as the bridge shakes and buckles. As the camera zooms out into an aerial shot, you can spot the tops of the Tate Modern and Shakespeare's Globe.

Movie: “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”

If you take the London Underground during your time in London, look around if you visit Westminster Station. You might recognize it from the scene when Arthur Weasley is escorting Harry to the Ministry of Magic for his hearing. Arthur has a bit of trouble at the ticket barrier, and Harry has to scan Arthur's ticket to get him through.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter

Suggested activity: The Making of Harry Potter: Warner Bros. Studio Tour & Transfers

Strictly speaking, this doesn't belong on a list of London landmarks, but I can't talk about the many filming locations for the Harry Potter movies in London and not mention The Making of Harry Potter, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. It's a top thing to do in London. On the tour, you can see sets and learn about the movies' special effects and other elements of movie magic. You can even grab a sweet treat at The Chocolate Frog Café and sip on a butterbeer at The Backlot Café.