Why is London worth a visit?

Why London is worth a trip, you do not have to explain long and wide. Big Ben, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Palace of Westminster, St. Paul’s Cathedral, London Eye, British Museum, Hyde Park, Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square – no other city in Europe has as many illustrious and world-famous names in the list of attractions as the British capital (and that was only a very small excerpt). It is not surprising that London is the most popular tourist destination in Europe and is visited by over 20 million tourists every year.

Here are our top 10 reasons to travel to London:

1. London wrote and always writes history. Hardly any other city in the world has as many historical places and sights as the British capital.

2. You meet the Royal Family at every turn. Not personally, but no other city in Europe has as many “royal” sights to offer as London.

3. Like no other city in Europe, London manages to combine historical with modern architecture. The face of the city is not frozen in the past, but changes from year to year.

4. London is home to some of the largest, most interesting and most popular museums in the world. And best of all, admission to most of them is free.

5. Because of the many immigrants from all corners of the former British Empire and many other countries, every cuisine in the world is truly represented in London. Here you can eat more diverse than in any other city in Europe.

6. Although London is a huge metropolis, the city has plenty of greenery in the center. London’s public gardens and parks are undoubtedly among the most beautiful in the world.

7. London’s cultural offerings are simply unbeatable: Whether theater, musical, opera, concerts or other performances – there is nothing that does not exist in London.

8. From the luxury department store Harrods to second-hand flea markets, from flagship stores of international brands to small stores of independent labels – shopping in London is a lot of fun – with every available budget.

9 London is a sports metropolis. Whether Wimbledon or the many world-famous soccer clubs – here (almost) every sport is played at world-class level.

10. London is the world capital of pub culture. Nowhere else can you drink an after-work beer in such a cozy atmosphere as in the British capital.

For whom is London worth a visit?

Sightseers: 

Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace – if you are looking for a city with many world-class sights, you will hardly find a better destination than London.

History buffs:

London was already an important settlement under the Romans. A few centuries later, London became the center of the British Empire and the undisputed capital of the world. No wonder that in the British capital one encounters (world) history at every corner.

Architecture buffs:

Like hardly any other city, London manages to combine modern architecture with its historical buildings. Every year, new skyscrapers and other buildings are erected, permanently changing the skyline of the British capital.

Museum visitors:

London is one of the most important museum locations in the world. British Museum, Imperial War Museum, National Gallery, National Maritime Museum, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Tate Modern, Victoria and Albert Museum – the list of world-class museums in London is long.

Opera, concert and theater fans:

Hardly any other city in the world has such a high density of opera, concert and theater stages as London. Here, every visitor will find something for her/his taste.

Beer drinkers:

Whether you like English beer is anyone’s guess. What is indisputable is that London has an unsurpassed pub culture. Nowhere else can you drink a beer in such a cozy atmosphere.

Royalists: 

For die-hard supporters of a monarchy, there is probably no better destination than London. Here, royal history is encountered at every turn, and now even the royal palaces are open to “normal citizens” for visits.

Sports fans:

In London, almost every sport is played at a world-class level. Outstanding, of course, are the city’s many excellent soccer clubs and the Wimbledon tennis tournament.

Gourmets:

The English cuisine is not exactly known for particularly good food. But as a global metropolis, London has just about every cuisine in the world to offer, from Indian to Pakistani and Chinese to Italian – here no stomach remains empty and no palate dry.

Shopaholics:

London is the shopping mecca of Europe. Whether in glamorous department stores, trendy designer stores or at hip street markets and flea markets – here you can find everything for every taste and every budget.

Families and children:

Last but not least, London is a great place to visit with kids. The city is huge, but many museums and attractions have great children’s exhibitions and programs.

Best time to travel

London is a great destination at any time of the year. Of course, the best time to visit the British capital is during the summer months, when the weather is usually relatively good and you can enjoy the city’s many beautiful green spaces and outdoor life in general. But even in fall and winter, when the English weather can be a bit duller, London has plenty of indoor activities to offer with its countless museums, palaces and other sights.

Getting there

By car:

It is not particularly advisable to travel to London by car. For one thing, public transportation (especially the Underground) often gets you around the city much faster than driving your own car. On the other hand, London levies a congestion charge, which covers the entire inner city area and is not exactly cheap. And of course there is also left-hand traffic.

By train:

Since there is the tunnel through the English Channel, London is also very easy to reach by train. The Eurostar trains arrive at St. Pancras Station in the heart of the city.

By plane:

With Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton and Standsted, London has four major airports. In addition, the city also has the City Airport, which is close to the city center. Heathrow, the hub of British Airways, is the largest airport in Europe and offers flights to all major cities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Gatwick, Luton and Stansted are the hubs of the two major low-cost airlines Ryanair and Easyjet and also offer a variety of connections to German-speaking countries (often to smaller airports).

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Food and drink

English cuisine is not exactly known for its high standards. Fortunately, London’s diet of fish and chips and pub food has long been a thing of the past. When it comes to gastronomy, the British capital benefits more than any other city from its many immigrants who have settled in London over the decades. Many of them, especially from the former colonies of the British Empire, have opened restaurants where you can enjoy the national and local cuisines of their former homeland. No wonder that you can find an Indian, Pakistani or Chinese restaurant on almost every street corner in London. But also restaurants from many other countries of the world are represented in London. And if you want, you can still eat super delicious fish & chips in the British capital.

Sights