Top 20 Things to do in London for History Lovers

London is one of the greatest cities in the world. It is a hub of culture, art, fashion, technology, and innovation. But most importantly it is such a historical place to visit. As a Historian, I am drawn to places full of history, and as a local, I know London in and out. In this blog post I’m bringing to you my top 20 things to do in London for history lovers.

So, if you’re a history buff like me, then put these places on your list of things to do!

✅ If you’re looking for a custom travel plan, find out more about my personalised itinerary service here.

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📖 Read my A Local’s London 4 Days Itinerary: See the Best of London blog post.

Historical Things to do in London

Alrighty history lover, here’s my list of the best 20 historical things to do in London.

✅ But before we go, learn from my mistake! I never bought the City Pass for myself nor when my parents were visiting. Later, out of curiosity, I put the regular prices of every attraction on one side and the combined City Pass ticket, and guess what, I could save a significant amount of money! Let’s just say, if you plan on going to London Eye, Westminster Abbey and The Tower of London, you are already saving money! More attractions you cover, the more you save. Therefore, I highly recommend getting a London City Pass.

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is a royal residence of the British Royal Family and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom.

It became the London residence of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837. The palace has 775 rooms and the garden, which is the largest private garden in London.

💡If you plan on visiting the Buckingham Palace inside, you can only do it from June to October. Make sure to get your tickets before they get sold out.

You can also watch the Changing of the Guards there which happens every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from 10:45am and lasts around 45 minutes, with the actual change that takes place at 11am.

Westminster Abbey

No historical visit to London can’t be complete without visiting Westminster Abbey! If you only want to pay for one historical attraction for whatever reason, then this is the one. It is by far my favourite historical place in London.

Westminster Abbey is the most historical sacred and royal building in London. The kings & queens have been crowned there since 1066! The last coronation was of King Charles III in May 2023. He was the 40th monarch to be crowned there.

And you know what’s cool? You can see the coronation chair inside the Abbey. The one you see now has been used since 1296 when King Edward I brought it to be crowned there.

Inside the Westminster Abbey you will find many royal tombs, with the oldest one that of Edward the Confessor, reinterred in a shrine behind the High Altar in 1163.

Apart from kings and queens, many famous scientists and writers have been buried there too, such as Isaac Newton, Stephen Hawking, Charles Dickens, Lewis Carroll to name a few.

✅ Therefore, The Westminster Abbey entrance ticket is well worth the price, and your time.

Big Ben & Westminster Parliament

I’m sure when you think of London, the first thing that comes to mind is Big Ben, or as officially called The Elizabeth Tower.

Big Ben has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

It is part of the Westminster Parliament (former Westminster Palace, also a UNESCO site since 1970).

✅ You can tour both Westminster Parliament and even climb Big Ben, but you have to buy your tickets months in advance (for example, in August they will release tickets for November!).

📖 Check my 5 Best Hotels with Big Ben Views in London for Every Budget blog post.

Tower Bridge

For me, it is one of the most beautiful bridges in the world.

Tower Bridge was built between 1886 and 1894 and was opened by Edward, Prince of Wales and Alexandra, Princess of Wales on 30 June 1894.

What’s cool about Tower Bridge is that it opens approximately twice a day to let tall boats pass through, which is about 800 times a year. Perhaps you’d be lucky to see it. I only witnessed it twice so far; once I was on the bus and the other time I was walking when they stopped us. The experience is pretty interesting.

Another cool experience at Tower Bridge is actually going up and walking its glass floor.

✅ You need to buy the tickets for this activity, it is not free of charge.

Tower of London

Another awesome site for history lovers – The Tower of London is the most historic castle and landmark in London. It was built in 1078 by William the Conqueror after he had won at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

The castle was also used as a prison from 1100 until 1952, although that was not its primary purpose. The tradition of housing the Crown Jewels, a collection of royal ceremonial objects, in the Tower of London probably dates from the reign of Henry III.

✅ While the Tower of London is pretty impressive from the outside and you can almost circle around it, if you’d like to go inside and to see the Crown Jewels, you need to buy your entrance ticket.

📖 Read my How to Spend 2 Days in London: London’s Main Attractions blog post.

St Paul’s Cathedral

St Paul’s Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in London, the seat of the Bishop of London.

It is on Ludgate Hill, the highest point of the City of London. St Paul’s Cathedral was built on a Roman temple dedicated to the goddess Diana.

You can climb the dome, but be aware there are 528 steps. For me, it was one of the most difficult ascents, especially from the balcony to the very top because the stairs are spiral, tiny and you see everything down from the.

But the views are well worth the climb! St Paul’s Cathedral offers 360 degree views of the city.

You can only visit the inside of St Paul’s Cathedral for free on Sundays during the mass. But you can’t explore it freely, you can only attend its Sunday service.

✅ For all the other days in the week you need to get the ticket to get inside.

The ticket will include the crypt (you will find Nelson’s, Wellington’s and Fleming’s tombs there), the cathedral and the dome. You can’t buy a ticket only for the cathedral, everything is immediately included and you can then decide if you’d like to see the crypt and climb the dome.

For historians and history buffs, visiting the crypt is a must-have!

Trafalgar Square

Speaking of Nelson, Trafalgar Square is a large beautiful square in London that commemorates General Nelson’s victory at the Battle of Trafalgar against Napoleon.

British Museum

I mean, it doesn’t get better than this for any historians and history lovers! And not only in London, but in the world. The collection of the British Museum is simply amazing and you can spend hours and days there.

You will find collections of different historical periods: from Ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian, to medieval Europe and highlights of Middle East, Africa and Asia to the very least!

✅ While the entrance is free, if you’d love to learn more, I highly recommend you to take a guided tour or a completely private and exclusive tour tailored to your interests!

Museum of London

If you’d love to learn more about the history of London, then you need to check out Museum of London. The museum covers London’s history from prehistoric to modern times, with a particular focus on social history.

It’s also free to visit!

Jack the Ripper

The notorious Jack the Ripper was a serial killer who was never identified and whose crimes took place in 1888 in the district of Whitechapel (a very poor area at the time).

His victims typically involved women working as prostitutes who lived in the slums of the East End of London. As the murders were never solved, the legends surrounding these crimes became a combination of historical research, folklore and pseudohistory.

✅ The best way to learn more about Jack the Ripper is to join a guided tour and/or visit the museum.

Roman Wall

London was founded about 50 AD by the Romans. It grew into the administrative capital and largest city of the province of Britannia.

The residents built a stone wall around Londinium in about 200 AD. The surviving section of the wall is at Tower Hill, close to Tower Bridge.

Shakespeare Globe Theatre

William Shakespeare is the greatest English writer who left a huge cultural, historical and literary heritage in England.

Shakespeare’s Globe is a reconstruction of the Globe Theatre, an Elizabethan playhouse first built in 1599 for which Shakespeare wrote his plays. The reconstruction was completed in 1997 and while concentrating on Shakespeare’s work, it also hosts a variety of other theatrical productions.

✅ Check what’s going on at Shakespeare’s Theatre here.

You can also join a guided tour of Shakespeare’s Theatre.

📖 Read my 10 Best Literary Towns in the UK to Add to Your Bucket List blog post.

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Pub

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Pub is a historic pub that was rebuilt in 1666 after the Great Fire.

Many famous artists and writers came to this pub, including Charles Dickens who has undoubtedly placed a part of A tale of two cities story in their Chop Room.

Today, British Chop House continues to serve up classic dishes that have been enjoyed for generations; from steak and kidney pudding to sticky toffee pudding.

Prospect of Whitby Pub

Another one to add to your list of historical pubs is Prospect of Whitby. It was built in 1520 and is considered the oldest riverside tavern.

Its original flagstone floor survives and the pub also has a rare pewter-topped bar as well as old barrels and ships masts built into the structure.

Plus, if you sit outside, you also get to enjoy amazing views of the River Thames.

✅ Consider joining this Historic Pubs of Central London Walking Tour.

The George Inn

I had to include The George Inn too because it’s the last surviving galleried inn, built in 1676.

The Cabinet War Rooms

If you love WW2 history, then you have to check out Churchill War Rooms – underground headquarters in the basement of a purpose-built government building.

You can explore different rooms, each built for different purposes: War Cabinet Room, Transatlantic Communication, Churchill Suite, Switchboard Room, Map Room.

✅ You can buy the tickets on the official website or join a guided tour for more in-depth exploration.

Imperial War Museum

Likewise, if you’re into military history, then you have to check out the Imperial War Museum, which is free to visit.

HMS Belfast

HMS Belfast was built for the Royal Navy. Today, it’s a museum ship permanently based on the River Thames, next to The Shard and Tower Bridge.

✅ You can get the tickets on the official website.

Leadenhall Market

Leadenhall Market is one of the oldest markets in London, dating from the 14th century.

It’s beautifully decorated for Christmas time, and the Harry Potter fans would know it as it was used as a filming location.

The Monument to the Great Fire of London

The Monument to the Great Fire of London stands at the junction of Monument Street and Fish Street Hill, close to the spot in Pudding Lane where the Great Fire started on 2nd September 1666.

You can climb to the top, but personally, there are way better viewpoints in London, such as Horizon 22, which is btw free!

Google Maps of Historical Sites in London

Here’s the Google Maps of all the best things to do in London for you history lovers.

Best Historical Tours in London

While you can surely explore historical London on your own, here are my top 5 historical tours well worth looking into.

Westminster Abbey, Big Ben & Buckingham Guided Tour

Surely, the 3 most important historical sites in London are Westminster Abbey, Big Ben & Westminster Palace and Buckingham Palace.

✅ If you want to dive deep into the history of the royal family that shaped the history of London and England, this is the best tour you can book.

Westminster WW2 Tour & Churchill’s War Rooms Ticket

✅ For all the WW2 and military history buffs, this WW2 Tour is surely the best choice.

Not only do you get to learn about this history period, but it also covers the ticket and audio guide for Churchill War Rooms. It’s a win-win!

British Museum Guided Tour

As I’ve already mentioned, it’s easy to get lost in the British Museum.

✅ So, if you’re on a tight schedule and want to see the most out of it + educate yourself, then I highly recommend joining this highly-rated guided tour.

Tower of London and Crown Jewels Exhibition Ticket

The Tower of London is one of the oldest landmarks of London.

✅ Therefore, if you’d love to explore it more deeply and learn about its dark history, then this is the best tour for you.

Historic Pubs of Central London Walking Tour

And lastly, why not learn something while having a pint?

✅ This historic pubs guided tour is perfect for those who like me love both history and beer!

A Brief History of London

A Historian in me will now tell a brief history of London.

The area which is today London was already inhabited in the prehistoric historical period, around 6000 BC by the hunter-gatherers.

However, the history of London as a city begins with the Romans, who founded a port and trading settlement called Londinium in 43 AD. After the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 AD, the city was attacked numerous times by Vikings and other raiders, and soon London was largely abandoned.

London began to rise again in 1065 when Westminster Abbey was established. One year later in 1066, at the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror was crowned King of England. During his reign The Tower of London was built.

As the power of the Tudor and the Stuart dynasties grew, London expanded in size and importance. By the time Henry VIII was king, the population of London was at least 100,000. During the reign of Henry’s daughter Elizabeth I tensions between Catholics and Protestants grew which led to the infamous Gunpowder Plot when Catholic sympathiser Guy Fawkes tried, and failed, to blow up the entire British House of Parliament.

Real disaster struck in 1665, when London was hit by the Great Plague, which killed about 100,000 people. One year later in 1666 the city was again reduced to ashes in the Great Fire of London. In the wake of these unfortunate events, many notable buildings were constructed, including Buckingham Palace and St. Paul’s Cathedral.

During the reign of Queen Victoria, London was well established as the prestigious seat of the vast British Empire. During this period Big Ben was built and the London Underground was opened, but also the notorious Jack the Ripper was doing his killings.

InWW1, air raids caused about 2,300 casualties in London. London was vastly destroyed in WW2. The Blitz began on 7 September, also referred to as the ‘Black Saturday’, when German bombers attacked London, leaving 430 dead and 1,600 injured. London was then bombed for 57 consecutive nights, and often during daytime too. London experienced regular attacks and on 10-11 May 1941 was hit by its biggest raid. German bombers dropped 711 tons of high explosive and 2,393 incendiaries, which killed 1,436 civilians. However, this proved to be the last major raid until January 1943.

During the Great Smog of 1952, Londoners endured immeasurable suffering and thousands died during and after the pollution event. More recently, a terrorist attack on the London transit system killed 56 people in 2005. 

But London has continued to grow and prosper, while establishing itself as the cultural and financial centre of Europe.

Best History Books about London

Where to Stay in London

The best is to stay in Zone 1, which is the city centre. That way a lot of historical sights will be within walking distance and you won’t be dependent on public transport that much.

📖 For more, have a look at my hotel recommendation blog posts:

– Top 11 London Hotels with the Best Views (All Budgets!)
– 6 Best Hotels with Amazing Views of Tower Bridge in London
– 5 Best Hotels with Big Ben Views in London for Every Budget

✅ If you’re looking for a custom travel plan, find out more about my personalised itinerary service here.

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