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London’s enduring landmark is a neo-gothic wonder. A masterly piece of civil engineering, the bridge was built in 1894 with steam pumps to raise its two halves. Guided tours include views from the top.

When the Pool of London was the gateway to the city’s larder, this flamboyant bridge was constantly being raised and lowered for sail and steam ships bringing their cargoes from all corners of the Empire. Pedestrians who needed to cross the river when the bridge was open had to climb up the 300 steps of the towers to the walkway overhead. Today, visitors on the 90-minute Tower Bridge Exhibition tour still have views from the 40-m (135-ft) high walkways. The entrance is beneath the north pier, where a “journey through time” begins. It ends with a hands-on experience in the massive engine room, and exits via a shop on the south bank of the river.

London’s most venerable and most beautiful church, the scene of coronations and royal weddings and the resting place of monarchs.

The ancient Palace of Westminster is the seat of the two Houses of Parliament – the Lords and the Commons. A Union flag flies on the Victoria Tower when the Commons is in session. Night sittings are indicated by a light on the Clock Tower – the tower that houses Big Ben, the 14-ton bell whose hourly chimes are recognized around the world.

To see a Shakespeare play at the reconstructed Globe is a magical experience. Seated in three tiers, open to the skies, the audience is encouraged to heckle and shout as they did in Shakespeare’s day. Except when a matinee is playing, visitors to the exhibition next door are given guided tours of the theatre by staff.

The official home of the Queen, Buckingham Palace is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks, where the changing of the Queen’s guard happens every day (see Buckingham Palace).

One of London’s most popular attractions, this is where you can see everyone from Arnold Schwarzenegger to the Queen. A Spirit of London ride takes you on a whistle-stop tour of the city’s history. The famous Chamber of Horrors puts you face-to-face with London’s most infamous criminals and has the very guillotine that beheaded Queen Marie Antoinette in the French Revolution. The next-door Planetarium has a 30-minute star show and two interactive exhibits unravelling the mysteries of space. Get there early to avoid waiting in long lines.

This is a delightful royal residence on a domestic scale, still in use by members of the royal family: Diana, Princess of Wales lived here as did Princess Margaret, the Queen’s sister. The first-floor state apartments, built by Sir Christopher Wren for King William III and Queen Mary, are open to the public, and the audio guide (free; pick one up as there is no literature or labelling in the rooms) evokes 17th–18th-century court life. Rooms on the ground floor have a collection of royal costumes, including those belonging to Queen Elizabeth II and Diana.

Designed by John Nash as a junction in Regent Street, the Circus is the endpoint of the street called Piccadilly. Its Eros statue – erected as a memorial to the Earl of Shaftesbury – is a familiar London landmark and a popular meeting place. Piccadilly Circus is also renowned for its neon advertising displays, which mark the entrance to the city’s entertainment district. On the south side of the Circus is the Criterion Theatre, next to Lillywhite’s – a leading sporting-goods store.

Trafalgar Square – once the royal mews – is a hub of the West End and a venue for public rallies and events. From the top of a 50-m (165-ft) column, Admiral Lord Nelson, who famously defeated Napoleon’s fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, looks down Whitehall towards the Houses of Parliament. The column is guarded at its base by four huge lions – the work of Edwin Landseer. On the north side of the square is the National Galleryand the church of St-Martin-in-the-Fields while, to the southwest, Admiralty Arch leads to Buckingham Palace.

Admiralty Arch