Online Guides

Please see the various websites below that provide useful information on ideas for things to do, both free and paid for.

Visit London - We are London's Official Visitor Guide

For free things to do have a look at 101 free things to do in London

A free guide to visiting London can also be obtained from London 101 Guide | Love and London

Getting around London

London is an easy city to navigate and all major sites and attractions are well-signposted. There are many options for getting around - the TFL website provides comprehensive information on the alternative public transport options, accessibility and ways to travel including walking maps, the tube, buses and trains. London black cab taxis can be hailed almost anywhere and there is always an Uber taxi not far away.

For iconic sites from the conference venue you can take a stroll through Parliament Square past the Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey and along Great George Street past the Winston Churchill War Rooms. A 2km walk around the beautiful St James’s Park will take you alongside its lake with pelicans and wildfowl towards Buckingham Palace (the official residence of the British Monarchy since 1837) and the Queen Victoria Memorial. The 'Changing of the Guards' ceremony is free to watch, but to enter the Palace you will need to book in advance. The lakeside eco-cafe in St James Park offers English fare at reasonable prices.

Westminister Abbey

A short walk from the conference centre, take a stroll through Parliament Square to the Westminister Abbey Cathedral     

An architectual masterpiece of the 13th to 16th centuries, Westminster Abbey also presents a unique pageant of British history - the Shrine of St Edward the confessor, the tombs of Kings and Queens, and countless memorials to the famous and great.                                              

The Westminster Abbey is free to attend a service or you can attend a multimedia tour - £30.00 per person

The Winston Churchill War Rooms

Walk along Great George street and have a look at the Winston Churchill War Rooms, this tour covers what it was like to live and work beneath the streets of London during the Second World War. Navigate your way through secret corridors and explore more about the character and actions of Churchill himself. Ticket prices - £32.00.

St James's Park and Buckingham Palace

The 2k walk around beautiful St James's Park will take you alongside the lake with its pelicans and wildfowl. Follow this walk around up to Buckingham Palace, the official residence of the Bristish Monarchy since 1837. Have a look at the Queen Victoria Memorial and watch the changing of the guard (free), if you wanted to enter the famous palace you must book in advance, tickets are £32.00 for adults.

For the arts from Parliament Square head along Whitehall Street past the Horse Guards Parade and Downing Street, the official resistance of the Prime Minister. As you continue on, you will reach Trafalgar Square with Nelson’s column and the free National Gallery (a must for art lovers). A short walk from here will take you to Covent Garden with its many shops, pubs and restaurants, and for Ballet or Opera lovers some free performances at the Royal National Opera House.

Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery

Take a walk down Parliament Square and head along Whitehall Street past the Horseguards Parade and Downing Street to see the official residence of the Prime Minister. A 1k walk from Downing Street you will reach the famous Trafalgar Square with Nelson's Column and a must for art lovers, the free National Gallery, pop in to see famous paintings and free exhibitions. 

Next to the National gallery is St Martin in the Fields church, which dates back to 1222. They run lunchtime and afternoon/evening concerts.

The Royal National Opera House

A 0.5k walk from Trafalgar Square will take you to Covent garden with its many shops, pubs and restaurants.

Visit the ballet or for those Opera lovers enjoy a free performance at the Royal National Opera House (visit the website below to see what's on). 

The Royal Ballet and Opera, formerly the Royal Opera House, is a major performing arts organisation, based at the historic Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, Central London. 

For theatre lovers, from Parliament Square turn right past the Elizabeth Tower housing Big Ben and cross Westminster Bridge to the river Thames Southbank, and the National Theatre which is free to visit, but performances cost from £35.00 for adults. Further along you will reach Shakespeare’s reconstructed Globe Theatre (with performances from as little as £10.00).

Big Ben, Westminster Bridge, River Thames and the National Theatre

From Parliament Square, turn right past the Elizabeth Tower and see the famous landmark known as Big Ben. If you cross the popular Westminster Bridge, to have a stroll down the River Thames Southbank, a 1k walk from here will take you to the National Theatre which is free to visit, but if you would like to enjoy a performance, tickets start from £35.00 for adults. Please visit the website below to book the National Theatre.

Shakespeare's Reconstructed Globe Theatre

Shakespeare called his theatre a ‘wooden O’ and like his historic playhouse our Globe Theatre is a 360° auditorium. With no roof over the central yard, the theatre is open-air and audiences who attend performances and tours are told to dress for the weather! Events will go ahead in rain, shine and snow.

Tate Modern houses 

Take a walk along Southbank Centre and visit the national theatre and the Shakespeares Globe - Just a short walk from the Globe, you will find the Tate modern houses. Enjoy international modern and contemporary art. It is free to enter.

After you have enjoyed the Tate Modern houses Borough Market is only a 5 minute walk away. It is a wholesale and retail market hall in southwark, London. This is one of London's largest and oldest food markets, with a market on the site dating back to at least the 12th century.

Victoria and Albert Museum

Only a short 5 mins by district and circle line, you will find the Victoria and Albert Museum. The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A / VAM) is the world's largest decorative arts and design museum, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects. It is well worth the short tube journey for a visit.     

This is free to enter.  

The Natural History Museum 

The Natural History Museum (NHM) is home to life and earth science specimens comprising 70 million items within 5 main collections.

Find answers to your big nature questions. Delve into stories about research, scientists and the collections this incredible museum has to offer. Uncover the history of life on earth, from smallest insects to the largest mammals.

The Royal Albert Hall 

Royal Albert Hall is Made up of more than six million red bricks and 80,000 blocks of terracotta, the Hall opened in 1871 as a tribute to Queen Victoria's late husband, Prince Albert. Admire the beauty of the building, attend a concert, or enjoy a drink inside. 

Sloana Square

It is a short walk from South Kensington, Sloane Square is a tree-lined plaza in Chelsea, London, known for its theatres, department stores, and elegant fountain. Enjoy a stroll around the neighbourhood.

You can also visit The Saatchi Gallery. This gallery seeks to collaborate with artists openly and honestly, with a primary aim of introducing their work to wider audiences. The Gallery presents curated exhibitions on themes relevant and exciting in the context of contemporary creative culture. Free entry. 

Richmond

Richmond is a beautiful town located on the outskirts of London, but is a mere 38-minute tube away from the venue, and well worth the visit. Richmond station is 39 mins via District Line from venue in Westminster Any Fans of Ted Lasso can embark on guided tours around Richmond - Travel on a river boat from Richmond up to Kew Gardens.

Enjoy an approximately 1.5-mile walk along the River Thames to Ham House. Ham House is 400 years old and has a largely unchanged 17th-century interior.  Browse the cobbled streets for independent shops and take a break on Richmond Green. You can also walk up the hill to Terrace Gardens and admire the beautiful view. The hill offers the only view in England to be protected by an Act of Parliament. It is well worth the walk. Grab a drink in the Roebuck as a reward for your efforts! 

London’s history is bound to the river Thames and an Uber water taxi from Westminster Pier (see TfL website for further information) will take you past many iconic sites to beautiful Greenwich where you can stand on the Meridian Line at the Royal Observatory, experience life on board Cutty Sark, the world’s last remaining tea clipper, see the fabulous baroque artistry of the Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College and explore Britain’s naval history at the National Maritime Museum; as well as visit the quintessentially British Queen’s House, with its Royal history, captivating architecture and world famous art.

Greenwich 

Jump on an Uber water taxi from Westminster Pier (tickets cost approximately £20.00) this will take you past many iconic sites to beautiful Greenwich. You can stand on the Meridian Line at the Royal Observatory or experience life on board the last remaining British clipper ship The Cutty Sark.

See the fabulous Baroque artistry of the Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College.

National Maritime Museum 

Visit the free National Maritime Museum and discover epic stories of exploration and endeavour that have shaped the world we all know today.

The galleries and displays allow you to discover ships and boats of all shapes and sizes, voyage across the world's oceans and experience epic adventures of exploration and encounter. 

The British Queen's House

Visit the quintessentially British Queen's House, with its royal history, captivating architecture and world famous art. It is free to visit, but you must book in advance using the website below.

For a self-guided historical walk around Bloomsbury you could try a Blue Plaque tour which links the people of the past with the buildings of the present (e.g. Charles Darwin and Victor Horsley, the first neurosurgeon), ending up with a free visit to the British Museum to see the famous Rosetta Stone and Magna Carta.

The British Museum 

End your day with a free visit to the British Museum to see the Rosetta Stone and Magna Carta. If it's your first visit to London, you can take a free guide which will inform you on everything you need to know before you visit. Please see the link below.