The pedestrian-only Millennium Bridge opened to the public in 2000, linking St Paul's Cathedral on…read morethe north bank of the Thames with Tate Modern and Shakespeare's Globe in Southwark. The bridge is a great place to take photos of the river, with its magnificent views of some of the most iconic London attractions. Known colloquially as the "wobbly bridge," the Millennium Bridge began its' life in 1996 as the winning design of a competition held by the Southwark Council and the Royal Institute of British Architects. for HP fans: the bridge is more famously known as the site of a horrific Death Eater attack! Potter fans will know that in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, it is Brockdale Bridge (Not the Millennium Bridge) that is targeted by Death Eaters who are quickly escalating their attacks in the muggle world. The London Millennium Footbridge cost £18.2 million to construct (£2 million over budget)

I'm from Pittsburgh where there are a lot is suspension bridges. Of course I'm a big fan of the…read moreMillennium but not just because it's a suspension bridge. I love the architectural elements and design of it. I've heard it referred to as a blade of light because the walkway lights up and kind of has a ripple effect look to it. The other thing I love is walking across it to get to popular points of interest. It's cool to casually cross the River Thames at a leisurely pace. The views are well worth it. I've crossed the bridge on a few visits and never a disappointment. I definitely recommend crossing it.

Trafalgar Square is a place very fond in my heart and memories as I loved visiting as a kid (photo…read moreincluded). In recent years, they've cracked down on feeding pigeons and are far less than in the 1990s during my first visit. Sad for me as I love pigeons as my great grandad had messenger pigeons during WWII. Despite there being less birds to sightsee, there are plenty of performs and a stunning picturesque fountain to take photos. Well worth the visit if you find yourself in London!

An incredible journey and look into colonial English history. The size and immensity of Trafalgar…read moreSquare does the photographs justice - it's huge! Lovely fountain, the lions are incredible and stand the test of times. Nelson on the perch, one looks up, gets a bit dizzy, and ponders... just how on earth did they make that thing?! Relaxing, safe, but like any city watch your valuables and be aware. Grab a snack from nearby, walk to the square, sit down, relax and enjoy the scenery.

This was SUCH a fun cool touristic thing to do :D I'd wanted to do it for a while and so glad we…read morewent! Came here with my boyfriend back in December. It was chilly but still well worth it. You take a staircase up (that has quite a few steps but is not too difficult) and then end up on a 360 view platform, with extraordinary views of London! You can recognize a lot of different landmarks from here. Really cute thing to do and I have a fantastic memory of our visit :)

When in London to run the marathon and doing some sightseeing a few days before we visited the…read moreTower of London. It's a 200+ foot tall monument dedicated to the Great Fire of London and close to the spot in Pudding Lane where the fire started Sept 2, 1666. There are inscription and texts describing the event, how the fire started, the damage it caused, and how it ended. If you're a history buff it's worth seeing to learn about the devastation the fire caused. Hard to miss as it's within eyesight of the London Bridge when crossing. You can also pay a small fee to climb 300 stairs to the top.

Dear reader, Big Ben…read moreis one of those London landmarks that you have seen countless times in photographs, yet somehow remains magnificent when you are actually standing beneath it. The Elizabeth Tower is enormous, beautifully detailed, and every bit as grand as one expects from an icon that has spent generations casually dominating the London skyline. The entire Westminster setting adds to the experience. With the Houses of Parliament, the Thames, and Westminster Bridge surrounding you, there are fantastic views from nearly every direction. Hearing the famous bells while standing nearby only adds a little British theatre to the occasion. My tip: do not simply stand directly underneath it and leave. Walk across Westminster Bridge for one of the best views back toward Big Ben and Parliament, especially if you want photos that capture the whole scene. Go early in the morning if you can, before Westminster reaches peak human traffic. If you want the ultimate experience, you can actually tour inside Elizabeth Tower and climb 334 steps to the belfry. Tickets are released three months ahead, so planning in advance is essential. A magnificent London landmark and absolutely deserving of its reputation.

I'm not going to try and add on anything else as most here have spelled it out. Big Ben is historic…read moreand no trip to London is complete without seeing it. I've had the opportunity to run the London Marathon a few times, as most recent as 2025, and running by Big Ben along the race course is a thrill, and makes for a terrific photo op. A great memory! It's iconic, period.

Sixteen years later, Matt B. and I went back to the world's tallest cantilevered observation wheel,…read morethis time with our two kids, my parents, my brother, my sister-in-law, and my niece. The London Eye--no one really calls it the Coca Cola London Eye, do they?--was exactly as I remembered it, just as fun and exciting, and no worse for age. My old review pretty much stands, but I'm updating to add that it was hard to figure out the online ticketing. I booked group tickets, as we had eleven people in our party, which gave me a more favorable rate for the Eye and the river cruise. I was able to get the Eye tickets and select a time, but when I went to reserve our cruise seats, the website simply shit me out. I tried the site's chatbot and sent emails to customer service, only to be told I'd have to call the number during business hours in London, otherwise known as the middle of the night in California. I ultimately decided I'd just deal with it in person. As it turned out, we were delayed two hours on EuroStar and missed our designated time slot for the Eye. One of my brothers and his fiancée weren't able to make any other time, so I emailed customer service asking if I could rebook and also get refunded for the unused tickets. We ended up going the last full day of our trip, and the in-person customer service experience was entirely easy and pleasant. The lady at the counter said there was no issue. It was around 11:30 and the 11:45 cruise was booked, but she got us on the 12:45 cruise and suggested we line up for the Eye, as the wait was minimal (this proved to be correct). She then said I'd just have to email customer service for my refund. We rode the Eye with the kids, and everyone loved it, and even sort of posed for a few pictures. About half an hour of slow movement with unparalleled views of London, pleasant and interesting, with total containment for our children. We did the river cruise afterward and spent the afternoon walking along the South Bank, all the way to the Tate. Highly recommend this itinerary. I emailed customer service when I got home, and it took a while to sort out, but I did get my refund. The tickets were expensive, so I'm relieved this wasn't a problem. Website (and EuroStar) woes aside, I'm happy we got to ride the London Eye.

I suggest first-time London visitors check out & ride the London Eye…read more You can get amazing panoramic views from up high. Each of the capsules holds up to twenty-five people. However, the time we chose to ride we lucked out and there were only a few others with our party of three. Not that it matters as there is plenty of room for everyone. The ride took about a half an hour and we saw views of Big Ben, River Thames (sits on River) and Houses of Parliament. I tried taking photos from inside the capsule and sadly they didn't turn out well. Instead, I just took the awe in and sealed it in my memory.

The Tower of London was founded in 1066 due to the Norman Conquest of England. The Duke of…read moreNormandy, William the Conqueror, had amassed thousands of troops and hundreds of ships and landed in southern England. In October 1066, the reigning Harold II died during the Battle of Hastings and was succeeded by William the Conqueror as king. A series of further victories had cut London's supply lines, and its leaders had surrendered the city. William then initiated an extensive program to fortify the city, which included the construction of the Tower of London in 1066. From then, the Tower had continued to play a significant role in England's regal history. For centuries, monarchs would begin processions at the Tower to Westminster Abbey for their coronations. However, during the Tudor period, the Tower declined in its use as a royal residence. The castle would also serve as a prison for those considered politically undesirable. Under the order of King Henry VIII, the execution of Anne Boleyn occurred at the Tower in 1536. Her daughter, Elizabeth I, was also imprisoned there before she became queen under the order of Queen Mary I. Today, the Tower of London is a popular tourist attraction in the country. Its proximity to Tower Bridge and other attractions along the Circle and District Underground lines help in bringing in many visitors. There is no need to purchase admission if one is walking beside it to view its walls. Fortunately, there are outdoor signs available to learn a little about the history of what you're looking at.

When I visited London earlier this month, it was the first I'd been in London for almost 20 years…read more I don't remember if I went to the Tower of London when I was in London in 2007, but I do remember that I went on my very first trip to London when I was a little girl. I was heavily into my King Henry VIII phase then, and I wanted to see the site where two of his queens lost their lives. Visiting as an adult was interesting. Some things I remembered and some things I didn't. There's no question that this is an incredibly historic site. The site dates back to 1066, and then William the Conqueror built his castle, the White Tower, in 1078. Then the site was expanded by the kings that followed. The purpose of the site changed over the centuries: armory, treasury, menagerie, Royal Mint, public record office, home of the Crown Jewels... For a few centuries, it was the place the next king would spend a few nights leading up to their coronation. And under the Tudors, it became what I knew it as when I was in my Tudor history phase - a prison. Guy Fawkes was tortured at the Tower in 1605. Anne Boleyn was held and executed at the Tower in 1536. Henry VIII's fifth wife was executed at the Tower in 1542. Lady Jane Grey was executed at the Tower in 1554. Queen Mary I imprisoned her sister Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth I, in the Tower for two months in 1554. It's a large site with several different buildings that explain and cover different eras and aspects of the Tower's history. Although I suspect the Crown Jewels are the highlight of many people's visit to the Tower, I really enjoyed and learned the most from the Medieval Palace (which has been preserved/reconstructed to demonstrate the palace where Henry III, Edward I, Eleanor of Provence, and Eleanor of Castile lived); the Chapel Royal of St Peter and Vincula (the final resting place of many prominent prisoners who were executed at the Tower); the Tower Hill Execution Memorial; the Bloody Tower (the tower tied to the imprisonment and disappearance of two young princes in 1483 and Sir Walter Raleigh); St John's Chapel inside the White Tower; and the Tower's ravens (legend says that the kingdom will fall if the resident ravens ever leave the Tower). It's a large property, and the map they provide is pretty terrible. So we just wandered and wandered. You need some time to do this, because there are towers and nooks and crannies - and every little corner of the property has something to teach visitors. I might be a little past my Tudor phase, but a visit to the Tower of London can still thrill this history nerd. A must include on an itinerary for a trip to London.

Magnificient 360 degree views of the London skyline from the 72nd floor including Big Ben, London…read moreEye and Tower Bridge. Champagne offered for a fee with your ticket. Fyi: prior to entry, everyone will be checked for contraband. Great attraction for everyone.

Pay $100 to have to fight to see out of a window. You are better off going to the hotel near by and…read moregetting a drink. Better view and cheaper Also line of 6 people to use the restroom, my nose unexpectedly started bleeding so I had to use a sink and it was a total nightmare

I went on the London Eye River Cruise with my husband, my sons, my parents, my brother, my…read moresister-in-law, and my niece. I had a hell of a time scheduling our slot through the glitchy website, even after I paid, but we were able to figure things out in person. We showed up around 11:30 on a Friday and got nine seats on the 12:45. Boarding was fast and easy, and I felt less like a ewe in a herd than on the similarly popular mass Seine cruise we did earlier in our trip. We sat in one of the long rows of plastic chairs, and our three-year-old started throwing a tantrum almost as soon as we started moving. I let his dad and grandma take the lead on that one and enjoyed a peaceful cruise with our six-year-old, who was really taking in all the sights. We had Mitch as our tour guide, and he was fantastic, funny and charismatic. He must give the same tour, with the same dad jokes and line delivery, fifty times a week, but he managed to do it with fresh energy and apparent delight. Everyone paid attention, including my child, and we all learned a lot about the bridges and buildings along the Thames. I'd highly recommend this river cruise if it's your first time in London, or you want to entertain children with an educational boat ride. It's a relaxing way to see a whole lot of London in less than an hour, especially if someone else will deal with any accompanying meltdowns.

07/20/25, My second time on the London Eye, it's a nice 30…read moreminute whirl around to slow spin with breathtaking views of London. Nice to just take in the views and to relax a bit from all the city walking. I would definitely do this again!