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Historical Sites in London

The city of London is a great place to go if you love history? With so many stories, landmarks and iconic buildings scattered across this cosmopolitan city, you won’t run out of things to do in London.

From Dover you can get a high speed train to London that takes just over an hour after your ferry to England. Alternatively, London takes about 2 hours if you are driving there. Giving you plenty of time to explore this great city.

It is worth planning ahead when visiting London to make sure you get the most out of your time in the city. Whether you’re planning to get the tube to locations or walk between sites there are loads of options. To plan your routes in advance use the TFL website.

We would highly recommend do the 45-60 minute walk from Victoria station to Covent Garden. It is an easy walk taking you pass historic landmarks such as Buckingham Palace and Leicester Square. Giving you plenty of opportunities to soak up the atmosphere as well as the historic sites of London. Covent Garden itself is home to some of the best street performers in London and has a very European feel with restaurants and eateries spilling out into piazza.

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Westminster
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Historical Houses and Palaces
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Greenwich
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Walk along the river

Historical sites in London

Westminster and Houses of Parliament

There are so many London icons for you to see from the red telephone boxes to the Big Ben. The London hop-on and hop-off buses for tourists with tour guides in multiple languages.However, nothing is quite as stunning as the Houses of Parliament at sunset. The Houses of parliament includes the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Work completed on the House of Parliament in 1860 and it a gothic revival style building.

Most people think that Big Ben is referring to the clock tower at the Palace of Westminster in London, but it is actually referring to the Great Bell of the striking clock. People believe that the Big Ben is named after Sir Benjamin Hall, whose name is inscribed on the bell.

Or perhaps you are more interested in visiting Westminster Abbey, the home to many a royal wedding or occasion. The royal church is in the heart of the city, offering daily services to all and is also a World Heritage Site with over a thousand years of history.

Historical Houses and Palaces

There are lots of historic houses and palaces to visit in London, but our top two are Kensington Palace and Eltham Palace.

Kensington Palace is the official residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children. This beautiful location is within easy walking distance of mainline stations: London Paddington, London Marylebone and London Victoria. When you explore this palace you will go on a one-way route through the palace starting in the Jewel Room and Victoria. Find out more about a royal childhood among history of the modern royals.

Eltham Palace is easily accessible by public transport or cars. This was a magnificent medieval palace and then a Tudor royal residence and was later transformed by the Courtauld’s into an extravagant stylish home. It also has stunning gardens with a mix of medieval fixtures woven into the landscape for you to explore. This site is run by the English Heritage, a conservation charity.

Greenwich and Royal Observatory

There is something quite spectacular about the beauty of Greenwich, making it a great place to visit as part of a tour of the historical sites of London. Leaving the tube station it won’t be long before you exploring the cobbled streets of Greenwich and heading towards the Old Royal Naval College forming the heart of Maritime History in Greenwich. For free you can wander around the grounds and explore 500 years of British History, including visiting The Painted Hall one of the hidden gems of London.

The grounds also make the perfect destination to have a picnic on a summer’s day or just simply take some time to reflect on your visit to London. From the Old Royal Naval College you may want to head to the Royal Observatory they have a range of events throughout the year and tours for you to enjoy.

The Cutty Sark in Greenwich is a great place to visit during your trip to London. The ship went on its first voyage in 1870 bound for Shanghai and is famously known for travelling back to China with an impressive 1,305,812 lbs of tea. You can walk around the ship and find out more about its history and eat in their restaurant.

Walk along the river

A walk along the River Thames is a great thing to do on an autumn day and gives you a chance to explore many of the historical sites of London. We would recommend starting at Bank Station and making St Paul’s Cathedral your first stop. This incredible cathedral is an imposing feature of London’s skyline and open to the general public.

From there you can head over to the Jubillee Bridge and see the stunning building of the Tate Modern, which is free to go in. From there just follow the river down to Tower Bridge, walking past a pirate ship, the London dungeons and the Globe Theatre.

Finishing at Tower Bridge you can looking around one of the most stunning fortresses in the UK and home to the crown jewels.

Iconic red telephone box in Covent Garden

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