All of our lives we’ve seen reference to the famous London Landmarks. Top London attractions have been featured in movies and TV shows, in magazines, and even sporting events and commercials.
When we had the chance to visit London, we were excited to explore all of the iconic landmarks and attractions that London had to offer. There is so much to see and do in London and the entire United Kingdom it takes many trips to see it all! When you go to London next, be sure to put all of these famous landmarks of London onto your list!
Famous London Landmarks That you Cannot Miss
Table of Contents
London England is a city that we’ve always wanted to visit and when we finally got the chance, we didn’t waste any time. We toured all the famous place that we had seen in the movies and read about through history. It was exciting and these landmarks in London definitely lived up to the hype. You may also want to check out Amazing Places to Visit in the UK for more great things to see and do.
1. Houses of Parliament
The Palace of Westminster is where Britain’s The Houses of Parliament are located on the River Thames. You can see Big Ben standing above the building that dates back to 1860. Read more: How to Visit The Palace of Westminster and the Houses of Parliament in London
2. Big Ben is the most famous London Landmark
Everyone associates Big Ben with London. Big Ben is located at the houses of Parliament. You can’t miss it. The Clock Tower stands tall over the Parliament buildings containing a giant bell that ways 13 tons!
- Fun Fact: Big Ben was completed in 1859 and is actually one of five bells located within the clock tower.
3. Tower Bridge – Number 1 London Landmark
Many people mistake the Tower Bridge for London Bridge. But London Bridge is actually the plain and unassuming Bridge of London. It is Tower Bridge that is the star and is one of the most iconic landmarks of London. Crossing London Bridge will take you close to the Tower of London.
Royal Landmarks of London
4. Tower of London
The Tower of London is another historic landmark in London. Throughout the centuries it was an infamous destination where many a royal awaited their fate.Famous prisoners included Anne Boleyn, Guy Fawkes, Lady Jane Grey and Rudolph Hess, Hitler’s second in command.
Fun Fact: The Tower of London has always housed important items of the British monarchs and it still houses the royal family’s crown jewels today.
5. Buckingham Palace – The Royal Residence
Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the Royal Family. When we visited London, we stood among the crowd waiting for the changing of the guard. It was fun to see and a must for first time visitors to London. Read about another Royal Residence: How to Visit Windsor Castle
6. Westminster Abbey – Famous Church in London
Westminster Abbey is one of the most famous churches in the world and definitely at the top of London’s famous landmarks. We all know it from the famous royal weddings that have taken place here. Most recently Prince William and Kate.
7. Painted Hall – Most Beautiful London Landmark
One of our favourite days in London was visiting the Greenwich Meridian at the Old Royal Navy College. Exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site is a great way to spend the afternoon. The star attraction for us was The Painted Hall, a massive hall with baroque painting dating back 300 years!
8. Trafalgar Square
After watching the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palaces, we walked along the mall to another of London’s famous landmarks, Trafalgar Square.
It’s a fantastic place to hang out and meet up with friends. Trafalgar Square has been used for protests and demonstrations throughout history. It is also where Londoners celebrate ringing in the New Year just like New York’s Times Square.
9. St Paul’s Cathedral
Located on the North Bank of the River Thames, St. Paul’s cathedral dates back to 1710. But the earliest church that stood on this site was in 604.
10. The Globe Theatre
Having gone to college or Music Theatre, I always heard my professors reference productions at the famous Globe Theatre of London. This cultural landmark dates back to 1599 when Shakespeare’s theatre company built the original building. A replica of the 16th century Globe Theatre was built a mere 750 feet from the original site.
Modern London Landmarks
11. The London Eye
It’s funny to think that a Ferris wheel has become the landmark that is most synonymous with London, but that is the first thing that comes to my mind when picturing London. It is so popular, that many cities around the world have designed waterfronts around Ferris Wheels of their own.
Located on the Thames, the London eye is one of the more modern London landmarks on the water. Be sure to give it a ride for some of the best views of London.
12. The Shard
One of the most modern London symbols is the Shard. The 95 story glass skyscraper was completed in 2012 and towers above London. We’ve come a long way since 1710 when St Paul’s Cathedral was the tallest building in London.
13. Piccadilly Circus
Located in London’s West End, Piccadilly Circus is a far cry from its origins in the 1600s. The heart of London’s shopping district, Piccadilly Circus has held on to the tradition of showcasing billboards since 1908. But today it is one big neon sign. While Trafalgar Square may be where new year’s celebrations take place, it is Piccadilly Circus that reminds everyone on New York.
14. Tate Modern
The Tate Modern is one of the largest modern art museums in the world. It is part of the Tate museum family, comprised of Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool, Tate St. Ives, and Tate Modern.
It’s free to visit and making it Britain’s most popular museum! The Museums of London are all considered important landmarks of London. From the Natural History Museum to the British Museum, London has and array of world class museums to visit.
Read about the Top 5 London Museums to visit
London Landmarks – Transportation and Communication
15. Black Cabs of London
Like the old yellow cabs of New York, the London Black Cabs are synonymous with the city. There are still thousands of Black Taxis in the city and drivers of these cabs take a rigorous test to become certified.
16. London Underground
Why is the London Tube a landmark in London? Well it was the very first passenger underground system in the world dating back to 1863.
It’s also the best and most affordable way to get around London. I know we were excited to first ride the Tube and its iconic sign can be seen throughout the city. Take the London underground to see all of London’s famous landmarks!
17. London Landmarks – Red Double Decker Buses
There are red tour buses around the world today, but the original double decker buses originated in London. They are considered the national symbol of England, so you can count on them not going anywhere.
18. London Landmarks – The London Phone Booths
They may be disappearing due to nobody needing a telephone anymore. But when we saw the red phone booths of London, we were so excited! There was once tens of thousands of red phone booths in London, today, the city has managed to preserve nearly 10,000 phone booths for mostly decorative purposes.
Do you have any favourite London Landmarks that we should add to our list?
For more London travel information to help your London itinerary, check out these links below.
- Where To Stay In London – A Guide to The Best Areas and Places
- 3 Days in London – The Ultimate London Itinerary
- How to Get from London Airports to the City
- 22 of the Top Things to do in London, England
- London’s Top 5 Alternative Attractions
- The Top 5 Museums in London you Have to See
- Amazing Places to Visit in the UK
If you are planning a trip to England, make sure to check out our UK Travel Guide
London is the most beautiful city in the world. I went three times but couldn’t visit all the places
I’ve personally visited London, but only for work so didn’t really get a chance to explore it in it’s pureness. Besides the landmarks London seems to be a breeding ground for the next upcoming music genre. From the Beatles to Prodigy the music that comes out of Great Britain is AMAZING! Being able to experience a show for the next upcoming music style and saying years later that you were in London and got to see experience it before anyone else would be cool to say the least.
Amazing pictures from an amazing city…Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for stopping by!
Congrats!! They are really amazing!
Gorgeously Gothic and beautiful use of HDR. What type of editing software do you typically use?
Hi Maria, Glad you enjoyed the photos and thanks for the compliment on the HDR Processing. Currently I am using Photomatix pro with other processing, including NR, done in Photoshop with Nik EFex.
Thanks for the response to my question. Not. Will not visit here anymore.
What question did you ask Chris? We normally respond and may have missed it. We have a lot of comments come through each day on several different and sometimes miss a few. Sorry that we missed yours.
Oooh, gotta say the last one is my favorite – the foreground/background contrast is intense.
You guys are getting good (and by good, I mean fantastic)!
Thanks Garrett. It’s all Dave, he’s the fabulous photographer in this partnership!
Do you use Photo shop after you are done in Photomatix? Found a great 3 page free tutorial and was all excited until I got to page 3 and everything went over my head. Even the basics of digital are a struggle for me.
Hi Chris, Sorry we missed this question. Yes, we do use photo shop after Photomatix. For noise reduction and sharpness. Keep going with the HDR, you’ll love it.
Wonderful photos! They are so good it at once inspires and depresses me, lol. Thanks for posting!
Thanks 50+, I hope that they didn’t depress you too much, and instead inspired you go get yourself to London:)
Hey guys, just “Stumbled” onto this today. Exceptional work!
Thanks Bret, glad you found it.
outstanding pics
I was there last year but your photos inspired me to go once again. A lots of good memories and beautiful architecture.
Thanks !Can. We want to go back again too. You need a lot more time than a week in London and we barely scratched the surface.
A week is simple not enough, but that is probably with every capital on the planet.
Btw, you pictures are great, you have unique style.
You are so right! A week is never enough to see anything:)
Thanks and you are so right! A week is never enough.
Wow! These photos literally take my breath away! The coloring, light and wide angle – especially on the Big Ben and St. Paul’s photos – is absolutely gorgeous. You have a great artistic eye!
Thank you very much Jade. I was very inspired photographing London and I am so glad that the photos turned out as I hoped they would.
Loving these!
Love the tones in the sky, could use the “Big Ben” photo as a state of the nation photo with the current recession issues. London is a place I have often worked but never spent any spare time in. One of the things I want to correct when I go to the UK in November.
Hi Matt, thanks for the feedback. Hope you have a great time revisiting London in November. It’s always more fun being a tourist than being in a city for work for sure!
Stunning photos you two! The clouds are really haunting!
My eyes are hurting from the beauty! Friggin amazing!! 😀 Congrats on your 1million-th view D&D!!
The chain link fence with London Bridge has a great perspective. Like it!
this is so gorgeous it hurts my eyes!!! 🙂
Aw, cheers and thanks Jen!
I love how you incorporated the fence + lock into the last photo!
Cheers, thanks Erin. It was the lock that caught my eye.
Amazing pictures! I love London and these photos gives justice to the beauty of the city! Thanks for sharing!
I am trying to learn HDR but using simple Light Room post processing techniques on current photos. I find if you don’t know how to post process correctly the photos come out weird–you guys really know your HDR techniques. How many levels of bracketing do you use?
incredible photos. WOW!
these are some really great photos. i love what you did (or appeared to do) with the sky. it looks so gray and fluffy. i really love the colors in all of these, and how some of the stuff is blurry, but not too blurry. good job.
Thanks Mack! Much appreciated.
I especially love the last shot! Those love locks all over Europe are so cool!
Another great collection Dave!
Man, I gotta learn HDR processing – really creates originaly pics (though I really like your composition and creative angles too – especially the last one and the Eye)
Just stunning, Dave.
OK. So I’m sitting here thinking to myself, when I go visiting my parents next year, perhaps I should go through London and stop there for a few days? Hard decisions! Beautiful, amazing photos, Dave.
Gorgeous! I haven’t been there in six years but we’re visiting soon – can’t wait
Love that last shot, no pun, does “lock of love” have any meaning. Looks like it could have been taken any time, the only thing which betrays it’s modernity is the padlock.
Those photos are scary good! Very awesome!!
These are the most gorgeous photos I’ve seen of my favorite city!
Wow, I lreally like them! I’ve seen and made many pictures of the buildings in London, but these are very fascinating.
My favourite is St. Paul’s in B&W.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Marlieke. We’re looking forward to going back to really explore more of London. 1 week while planning for the Mongol Rally is not enough time.
Wow, these are stunning photos! Great work.
Wow! these are awesome. I live in London & these make me want to go out and explore. Good work
Hey Wakeybluenose, Thanks for the compliment. That means a lot when someone from the city enjoys the photos. We definitely can’t wait to come back. Cheers!
Wow! These pictures look so great – hyperrealistic in a way that they are even enhanced by fantasy! What kind of camera do you use?
Hi Thai Tour Guides, I use a Canon 5D MKII it is the HDR processing that give the fantasy feel. Cheers and I’m glad that you like it.
Awesome photos Dave, love that last shot of the fence and lock!
Every time I see your pictures it reminds me how much I need to learn about taking awesome photographs! These are pretty spectacular. I especially loved the Painted Hall – beautiful.
Thanks Debbie, that painted hall was pretty beautiful in person. London has some fascinating landmarks and we only just barely scratched the surface.
Wow! Absolutely amazing photographs!
Wow! You do have a knack for making those HDR photos!
These are so cool!
The Tower Bridge shot behind the fence is amazing. 🙂
I love these photos! Great job, Dave.
Amazing photos. I don’t like London but in those photos you bring a mysterious aura to the place.
Great shot! I love the black and white shot of St Paul’s, and the Painted Hall picture reminds me I’ve never been inside the Old Royal Naval College – some day!
Amazing photos as always. Incredible!
Very nice! What post-production software did you use?
I used a combanation of Photomatix Pro for processing and the Nik Software bundle for Noise Reduction. Glad you enjoyed them.