Our City Guide for London

Around 30 million people a year make London the world's most visited city by international travelers. 33 boroughs are home to almost 8 million people and with so much to do, it's hard to know where to start. So read this guide and get inspired and if you have suggestions of your own, we'd love to hear them.

Our FREE TOUR is always a great way to orientate yourself in a new city. In 2.5 hours, our freelance tour guides show you the best of London, no matter how big or small your budget, and are always happy to answer your questions both during and after the tour. You can also download a FREE MAP of the city, print it out and get circling any interesting places you find. By keeping it handy, you're sure to never get lost when out and about.

Getting around

London is served by five airports, each of which are regularly connected to the city centre. Once you are there you'll find a comprehensive transport network of underground trains and buses.

Stansted Many budget flights arrive at Stansted. Trains and coaches take you to the city including National Express, Teravision, EasyBus, and the Stansted Express.

Luton North of London Trains taking 20-55 minutes will take you to St. Pancras whilst a variety of coach services run 24 hours a day and take around 90 mins. Central London is very congested, so remember to allow yourself plenty of time.

Gatwick South of London EasyBus and National Express will take you there by road, or train services will do it more quickly but at a higher cost.

Heathrow West London You can join the main underground network on the Picadilly Line.

City Airport - A smaller airport in the Docklands. The DLR will connect you to the main railway stations.

You can also enter London via coach where most services arrive at Victoria station or by rail. Rail connections inside Britain arrive at a variety of stations, and international services via Eurostar arrive at Kings Cross St. Pancras International.

See also: rail.co.uk, nationalexpress.com, easybus.com.

Something to eat

If you're looking to eat out in London you're in luck. With diversity of culture comes diversity of food, and there are plenty of cheap eats if you know where to look.

Elliot's 12 Stoney St, SE1 9AD, London, SE1 9AD, 020 7403 7436

If you manage to walk around Borough Market without filling up on the amazing food on offer on its stalls, sit down in the cafe of Brett Redman and Rob Green. Using whatever they find at the market that day, they'll prepare you a dish which will make you reconsider whatever you've heard about British Cuisine.

Misato 11 Wardour Street, Soho, London, W1D 6PG, 020 7734 0808

Expect a queue at peak times outside this popular Japanese restaurant in the heart of China Town. Sushi is on offer and you'll find plenty of other Japanese dishes too.

Tayyabs 83-89 Fieldgate Street London E1 1JU, 020 7247 9543

Offering a real East London experience, this Pakistani restaurant behind the East London Mosque is large, loud and busy for a reason.

Something to drink

A country reputed for its drinking culture, London's nightlife has plenty to offer.

Lamb & Flag 33 Rose Street, WC2E 9EB, 020 7497 9504

Sit down with a Real British Ale right in the centre of tourist-haven, Covent Garden.

Bloomsbury Lanes Basement of: Tavistock Hotel, Bedford Way, London, WC1H 9EU, 0207 183 1979

Bowl.Eat.Drink.Sing.Dance – their tag line sums them up pretty well. Located just off Russell Square in a hotel basement, this vintage themed bowling alley come bar-disco is not only one of the coolest spots in town, but has regular 50s and 60s and rockabilly. Stay there all night!

Heaven Nightclub Under The Arches, Villiers Street, London, WC2N 6NG

Popular with the gay community, Heaven describes itself as operating an all-welcoming door policy. It's big and loud and the music is diverse. Visit their website for details of Comedy Events and Music Award Shows too.

Don't forget, we've offer a Pub Crawl for just £15. Our infamous pub crawl guides will take you to five cool bars and dance venues with free drinks, queue jumps and drink specials along the way. They'll even tell you how to get home. For just £15 in London, it doesn't get much better.

Getting your head down for the night

Whether you've been seeing the sights or hitting the shops, London will definitely tire you out.

We've been working with our partners for years, who we are proud to recommend. You can check out a list of prices, availabilities and reviews of various great-value hostels in London and book directly without even leaving our site.

What else?

If you’re visiting London for the first time, you’ll probably want to see all the main sights. Why not head on over to the You Tell Us! Page to see what others have recommended to see in the UK’s bustling capital?

You should consider checking out:

• London Eye
• Big Ben
• East London
• Covent Garden
• Brick Lane
• Spitalfields Market
• Greenwich Observatory
• Buckingham Palace

One of the best things about London is that the major art galleries and museums, such as the Tate, Tate Modern, National Gallery, Imperial War Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum, are all free.

Disclaimer: whilst we make every effort to ensure this guide is up-to-date, London like any major city changes every day. As such, we insist that you double-check all details yourself, and can not be held responsible for any inaccurate information.