The best tourist attraction in London
It's not difficult to see why tourists flock to London in their millions each and every year. Steeped in centuries of history and teeming with all sorts of culture, London isn't short on things to do or see. Some people may come here for the food, others for the history, some for the architecture, others for the art, music and nightlife.
But there are several sights in the city that are considered unmissable for anyone popping their London cherry. To find out which of them are the most popular, researchers budget hotel chain, Travelodge, quizzed 13,500 people on their favourite London tourist attraction.
The votes were counted and (drumroll please) the Tower of London came out on top. Attracting more than three million people a year, the tower houses 900 years worth of British history, from Henry VIII's codpiece to medieval torture tools to the dazzling Crown Jewels.
If you have plans to visit the Tower, we recommend joining a tour led by one of the costumed Yeoman Warders (aka Beefeaters) who live and work there. Time Out contributing writer Alex Sims said: 'They're a fun bunch, filling their talks full of jokes and fun jibes, as well as nitty gritty details you won't find in the guidebook.'
Covent Garden, synonymous with theatre, shopping, street entertainment and fine dining, was the second most popular place, according to Travelodge's survey. It's got the spectacular Royal Opera House, the iconic central piazza that hosts Covent Garden market and a bunch of Time Out-approved restaurants, like Savoy Grill, Tandoor Chop House and Parsons.
In third place was royal HQ, Buckingham Palace. While much of the palace is private, there's still plenty for non blue-bloods to check out. Tourists can wander around the King's Gallery, take guided tours and watch the changing of the guard, which happens every morning at 10.45am.
Other must-see London landmarks to make the top 10 were Big Ben, Borough Market, Camden Market and the Natural History Museum. A Travelodge spokesperson said: 'It's no surprise that the top spots were taken by iconic, historic classics like the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace, but it's also great to see people rate newer attractions such as Battersea Power Station and Sky Garden too.'
If we're looking at actual visitor numbers though, data from the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions recently revealed that the British Museum was the most visited attraction in not only London, but the whole of the UK for 2024.
The top 20 attractions in London, according to Travelodge
Tower of London
Covent Garden
Buckingham Palace
Natural History Museum
Camden Market
Big Ben
Borough Market
The London Eye
British Museum
Tower Bridge
Victoria and Albert Museum
Imperial War Museum
Battersea Power Station
Harry Potter Studio Tour
Science Museum
Sky Garden
Hyde Park
Hampton Court Palace
St Paul's Cathedral
Tate Modern
See Time Out's guide to London's 50 best attractions here and a list of our favourite alternative attractions here.
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