London is our favourite city to visit, but it is so large that we haven’t even covered half of it. Which is why we have created this London Bucket List of epic things to see and do in the city.
We love bucket lists; we have a bucket list for all our travel plans, from bucket list places to visit in Sri Lanka, bucket list places to visit in Europe, bucket list for UK, Bucket list USA.
Bucket lists are a great way to plan your holidays. Just make a list of the places you want to visit, research and plan you trip, then just tick them off as you go.
So, here is our London bucket list: Ultimate things to do in the capital. Come and join us and we can tick each place off as we go.
There may be affiliate links within this article, using these links will not cost you anything extra, but we may earn a small commission. We will never recommend a product that we are not completely satisfied with or wouldn’t use ourselves. Thank you for your support.
Table of Contents
Ultimate London Bucket list: Epic things to see and do
We have selected a wide variety of things to include on our bucket list, from historical sights, monuments, museums, parks and more.
What are we waiting for?
Tower of London
An iconic tourist attraction that has to be added to your London bucket list.
One of the most historic locations within the city. Dating back to 1066 when William the Conqueror built the castle. It has a long history from being a castle, a palace, an armoury, a mint, a zoo, a famous site for executions and now holds the most expensive jewels in England.
A home to the ravens and the Yeoman Warders. It is said that if the ravens were to fly away, the tower and the kingdom will fall.
Take a knowledgeable tour with the Yeoman Warders, around the Tower of London. The tour is one hour packed with tales of history, blood and imprisonment.
It can get very busy at the tower, especially Waterloo Barracks that display the Crown Jewels, visit early and make sure you purchase the tickets in advance online.
Westminster Abbey
The home to coronations, burials and royal weddings.
The original abbey dates back to the 11th century, but later additions from future kings and queens leaves us with this beautiful architecture we see in Westminster Abbey.
Queen Elizabeth II was coronated here back in 1953, tombs of famous Monarchs, such as Elizabeth I, Mary I and Mary Queen of Scots, just to name a few are found within the chapel of the abbey.
Stand in the spot where Prince William and Katherine Middleton got married, before paying your respects at the grave of the unknown soldier that’s buried along with royals in Westminster Abbey.
London Transport Museum
Transport enthusiasts will love this museum. Well even if you are not an enthusiast, it’s still worth a visit, especially if you are travelling with kids to London.
Starting at the beginning of transport history with horse drawn carriages, to more recent automobile such as an underground train are all on display for you and the little ones to discover.
Take on the Hidden London tour, that comes at a price, but could be worth it. You are taken underground to the disused tube stations, Down St Station that was once used as a war time bunker by Winston Churchill.
This is definitely somewhere we look forward to seeing in the future and have included this into our London Bucket list.
Related post: Essential travel gift ideas
St Pauls Cathedral
Sir Christopher Wren’s most famous masterpiece and definitely the city’s most magnificent building.
The original building burnt down during the great fire of London in 1666. Rebuilt between 1675-1710 with its bright white dome that’s a famous signature design of Christopher Wren.
St Paul’s Cathedral has been a symbol of resistance and pride during World War II and one not to be missed off your epic London bucket list.
Climb the 528 stairs to the top for panoramic views of London from 85m above the streets.
On your way down, listen out at the whispering gallery, what can you hear? Say something close to the wall so the person 32m away can hear your whispers.
Inside the crypt are the tombs of Sir Christopher Wren and Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, just to name a few.
Roman Wall
Step back to Roman London, when the city was enclosed in a wall.
Only small sections of the wall remain, but one that must be included in our bucket list of places to visit in London.
The sections of wall, are visible along Noble Street, some of the bastion is between the Museum of London and the Barbican.
While other sections are visible near Tower Hill tube station and within the walls of the Tower of London.
Museum of London
Learning about London’s history at the Museum of London.
Objects, archaeological finds and interactive displays take you back to where London all began, before it became the capital of England.
Start at London before London, it will shed some light on what London was like before the Romans. Follow London through the ages from Roman London, Medieval London, to the Plague, fire and war.
A great family day out.
Central Criminal Court
It is more commonly known as the Old Bailey.
Some of the most infamous criminals have been sentence here, such as the Kray brothers, Oscar Wilde and Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in the UK.
One of the things we would love to do here, is watch a criminal trial take place. Our chances of seeing a high-profile case, would be unlikely, but whatever we got to witness would be just as exciting.
Related post: Best places to visit in Europe
Clink Prison Museum
After seeing a criminal case at the Old Bailey, the next best thing is to visit a prison museum to learn about the fate of those prisoners.
Although imprisonment methods have changed drastically over the years, from the torture and execution, to locking inmates into a cell and rehabilitation.
The Clink Prison, would have detained any such prisoner, that was sentenced for crime such as prostitution, theft and religious beliefs.
With the use of props, storyboards and original objects, a story is told of the torture a prisoner would have endured during their stay.
Not for the fainthearted or for young children.
Jack the Ripper Walking Tour
Ever heard of Jack the Ripper? If not, on the night of 31 August 1888 the first of Jack the Ripper five victims was found.
The fifth and final victim that is link to Jack the Ripper was on November 1888. There were some suspects but the case has never been solved.
If you like a bit of mystery, like we do, then a Jack the Ripper tour is just the ticket. We can’t wait to take a walking tour with a knowledgeable guide. The guide will take us around the White Chappel area of London. To the places that both victim and killer would have been and in some cases to the spot the bodies were found.
This is a gruesome tale of Victorian history in the heart of London.
You can book one of these great Jack the Ripper tours:
Horse Guards Parade
Two guards on horseback, sternly and silently keep watch at the vehicular entrance to the royal palace.
Only members of the royal family can ride through on horseback through the arches of Horse Guards Parade.
The Queen celebrates her official birthday, with Trooping the Colour here, while the less ceremonial version of changing of the guard happens here at 4pm.
We would love to learn more about the Household Cavalry, with a tour through the museum.
Tower Bridge
Many mistake this as London Bridge. So much so, that when London Bridge was sold to Robert McCulloch from Arizona, he had a big surprise in store. He mistook London Bridge for Tower Bridge. Robert paid a whopping $2,460,000 back in 1960 for London Bridge. That’s a pricey sum for the wrong bridge.
The last of the Victorian bridges to cross the Thames and was opened in 1894. Tower Bridge is the only bridge in London that opens to allow large ships to pass.
The length of the bridge at 800ft and well worth crossing on foot.
Check the opening times for the bridge and watch traffic come to a halt, while the arms pull the bridge open to allow a ship to pass.
The Monument
Another great design by Sir Christopher Wren and his friend Dr Robert Hooke. A memorial to the Great Fire of London in 1666.
The height of The Monument is 60.6m tall, which is the exact distance from the location the fire first thought to have broken out in a bakery in Pudding Lane.
For a small price of £5.00, take the 311 spiral stairs to the top, with awesome views of London, with skyscrapers surrounding. But back in 1762, The Monument was the highest viewpoint in London.
Hyde Park
One of London’s largest royal parks and a great day trip for the kids. Families will love this London bucket list of ultimate things to see and do.
During the summer months, families bring their children to play in Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain. Shallow waters allow kids to paddle in the cool waters on a hot summer’s day, while the adult relax back and enjoy a picnic.
For the adults that need to cool off, then take a dip in the Serpentine lido. Or take a paddle boat out onto the lake.
Kensington Palace
The home to the royals, not the queen she lives in Buckingham Palace.
It was built in 1605, as the royal residence, until George III became king and relocated to Buckingham Palace.
Prince William, Kate and their children all reside at the palace, while Harry lived here before moving to the USA with his Wife Meghan Markle.
Take a tour around the palace, including the lavish King’s State Apartments, the Grand Staircase, the Drawing Room and Victoria’s Apartments.
Queen Victoria was born and lived here until she became queen. Much of her childhood toys, personal effects and extracts from her journal are on display.
Related post: Hiking in the Seven Sister – the perfect day hike from London
Conclusion
There is so much to see and do in London, that we have compact our epic London bucket list.
Most of us who travel around our full-time jobs, will only have a few days to a few weeks in London. The most effective way to get everything ticked off your bucket list, is to keep is short and compact.
There’s no point having a long list that you’ll never cover everything off. It is for this reason, we have chosen the most important places in London that cover a wide variety of things to see and do, that dive right into London history.
Come and join us on our London bucket list and we can tick each place off as we go.
Do you have a bucket list? What is on your London bucket list? Is there somewhere you would recommend that you feel must be on our bucket list? Let us know, by leaving a comment below.
If you liked this post, please feel free to share it.
[…] Related post: London bucket list […]