City guides
London
London is a huge, busy capital with world famous museums, royal sights and big parks, and many of its best museums are free. It is easy to get around by Tube and bus, but distances are long and the city is expensive, so plan each day around one area. A large Persian-speaking community means Persian food and help in your own language are never far away.
Good for
- Visiting family
- Free museums
- Families with children
- Parks and walks
- Shopping
- First trip to Europe
A good length: 5 days
Group sights by area, use the Tube between areas and walk inside each one, and leave one quiet day for parks or family.
Best months
May, June, July, September
Per person per day
- Budget
- US$110
- Mid-range
- US$230
- Comfort
- US$500
Per person per day, sharing a double room: a simple hotel or guesthouse bed, two meals out, a Tube day at the daily cap, and one paid sight. Staying with family cuts this by more than half.
Where to stay and spend time
South Kensington and Kensington
Stay or visitThree big free museums sit side by side here, Hyde Park is a short walk away, and the streets are calm and clean. The Piccadilly line runs straight here from Heathrow.
For: Families, museum lovers, older travellers
Watch out: Hotels here are among the most expensive in London and rooms are often small.
Open in mapBayswater and Paddington
Good baseMany mid-priced hotels sit next to Hyde Park, Paddington station has the Heathrow Express and the Elizabeth line, and Edgware Road with its many halal and Middle Eastern restaurants is close.
For: Families on a budget, travellers with heavy luggage
Watch out: Some older hotels have tiny rooms and no lift, so read recent reviews before booking.
Open in mapWestminster and the South Bank
Worth a visitBig Ben, Parliament, Westminster Abbey and the London Eye are all here, and the flat riverside path on the South Bank is one of the best walks in the city.
For: First-timers, everyone
Watch out: Very crowded at midday, and street gamblers on Westminster Bridge are a trick to take your money.
Open in mapCovent Garden, Soho and the West End
Worth a visitThe main shopping streets, street performers in Covent Garden and the big musical theatres are here, and the area stays lively in the evening.
For: Shoppers, theatre fans, evening walks
Watch out: Restaurants around Leicester Square are overpriced, and pickpockets work the crowds on Oxford Street.
Open in mapBloomsbury and King's Cross
Good baseCentral and well connected, with the British Museum on the doorstep and Eurostar trains to Paris leaving from St Pancras.
For: Couples, rail travellers, budget hotels
Watch out: The streets right around the stations feel rough late at night, so use the main roads.
Open in mapGreenwich
Worth a visitA green riverside town with a large park, the line of zero longitude at the Royal Observatory, a covered market and great views back to the city. Arriving by river boat is half the fun.
For: Families, a slower day out
Watch out: The walk up to the Observatory is steep, which can be hard for older visitors.
Open in mapFinchley
Worth a visitBallards Lane in North Finchley and Finchley Central is lined with Persian bakeries, grocers and kabab restaurants, and many Iranian families live nearby. It is on the Northern line of the Tube.
For: Anyone missing Persian food and shops
Watch out: It is about 35 to 45 minutes from central sights, so it is a half-day trip, not a base.
Open in map
Places worth your time
- MuseumsFree
British Museum
Bloomsbury · 2 to 3 hours
Free and enormous. Go straight to Room 52, Ancient Iran, for the Oxus Treasure and Achaemenid pieces, then pick one or two more galleries. Arrive at opening to avoid queues at security.
- MuseumsFree
Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A)
South Kensington · 1.5 to 2 hours
Free museum of art and design. The Islamic Middle East gallery shows the famous Ardabil carpet, woven in the Safavid era, laid flat in a glass case and lit at set times.
- With childrenFree
Natural History Museum
South Kensington · 2 to 3 hours
Dinosaurs, a blue whale skeleton and a grand hall that children love. Entry is free; on weekends and school holidays come early or book a free time slot online.
- With childrenFree
Science Museum
South Kensington · 2 hours
Next door to the Natural History Museum, with space rockets, engines and hands-on rooms. The main halls are free; the interactive Wonderlab costs extra.
- Sights
Tower of London
City of London · 3 hours
A medieval castle with the Crown Jewels and guided tours by the Yeoman Warders. Tickets are cheaper online in advance; see the jewels first before the queue grows. Tower Bridge is right next to it.
- SightsFree
Westminster: Big Ben, Parliament and the Abbey
Westminster · 1 to 2 hours
Seeing the outside is free and takes an hour on foot. Walk on to St James's Park and Buckingham Palace; check the Changing of the Guard days before you go, as it does not happen every day.
- Views
London Eye
South Bank · 1 hour with queue
A slow 30 minute ride in a glass capsule with wide views of the city. Online tickets cost less than at the desk, and late afternoon on a clear day is best.
- ViewsFree
Sky Garden
City of London · 1 hour
A free indoor garden at the top of a tower with views over the river. You must book a free time slot on the official site; slots open about three weeks ahead and go fast.
- ParksFree
Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens
Kensington and Bayswater · 1 to 3 hours
A huge flat park with a lake, swans, cafes and the Diana Memorial Playground for young children. Deck chairs and boats can be rented in summer.
- MuseumsFree
Tate Modern and the Millennium Bridge
South Bank · 1.5 hours
A free modern art museum in an old power station with a free viewing level at the top. Cross the footbridge to St Paul's Cathedral afterwards.
- MarketsFree
Borough Market
South Bank · 1 hour
London's best known food market, full of stalls to taste and buy. Go before noon on a weekday; Saturdays are packed.
- ShoppingFree
Covent Garden
West End · 1 to 2 hours
A covered market hall with shops and street performers in the square. Walk from here to Leicester Square and Trafalgar Square instead of taking the Tube, they are very close.
- ParksFree
Greenwich Park and Royal Observatory
Greenwich · Half a day
The park and view from the hill are free; the Observatory, where you can stand on the zero longitude line, needs a ticket. Go one way by river boat for the views.
- Day trips
Windsor Castle
Windsor, outside London · Full day
The royal family's oldest castle, about an hour by train from Paddington (change at Slough) or Waterloo. Check that the castle is open on your date, as it closes for royal events.
Getting around
From the airport
Piccadilly line (Tube)about 55 min
The cheapest way. Tap in with an Oyster card or a contactless card at the Heathrow station and ride straight to Kensington, Knightsbridge, Piccadilly Circus or King's Cross. Trains get crowded at rush hour, which is hard with big suitcases.
about 5.90 GBP from zone 1 (2026)
Elizabeth lineabout 35 min
Newer, roomier trains with step-free stations, good for luggage and older travellers. Runs to Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road and on to east London. Pay with Oyster or contactless.
about 15.50 GBP to zone 1 (2026)
Heathrow Expressabout 15 min
Non-stop train to Paddington every 15 minutes. You can tap in with a contactless card or Oyster, but buying on the day is the most expensive way; advance online fares are much cheaper. Children 15 and under ride free.
about 26 GBP bought on the day, from about 10 GBP booked well ahead (2026)
Black cab or ride appabout 50 min
Licensed black cabs wait at every terminal rank, use a meter and take cash or cards. Uber and Bolt need a card in the app. Good for a family with lots of luggage.
about 70 to 120 GBP by black cab, depending on traffic (2026)
In the city
Oyster card
The best choice if you only have cash. Buy one at the ticket machines in any Tube station (most take cash) for a 7 GBP card fee and top it up with cash. It works on Tube, buses, trams, Elizabeth line and most trains, and stops charging once you hit the daily cap (8.90 GBP for zones 1 and 2 in 2026). Children under 11 travel free with a paying adult.
Contactless bank card or phone
If a relative gives you a foreign contactless card, you can tap it at the yellow readers exactly like an Oyster with the same caps. Each traveller needs their own card or Oyster, one card cannot pay for two people, and always tap in and out with the same card or phone.
Red buses
A flat fare of 1.85 GBP (from November 2026), and any further buses within one hour of your first tap are free. Buses do not take cash at all, so you need an Oyster or contactless card. The top deck at the front is a cheap sightseeing ride, and buses are easier than the Tube for older people because there are no stairs.
Taxis and ride apps
Black cabs can be stopped in the street when the yellow light is on; all must accept cards and most take cash too. Uber, Bolt and Free Now work well but need a card in the app, so ask a relative to book for you. Never get into a car whose driver approaches you offering a ride: minicabs must be booked, not hailed.
On foot
Central London is mostly flat and pleasant to walk, and many Tube stops are only a few minutes apart, so walking is often faster. Many older Tube stations have long stairs and no lift; use the step-free map, the Elizabeth line or buses with a pram or older relatives. Greenwich Park and Hampstead are hilly.
Food
Halal food: Easy. Edgware Road near Marble Arch is lined with Lebanese, Iraqi and Persian restaurants, Whitechapel and Brick Lane in the east have many halal curry and grill houses, and halal chicken and kebab shops are found in most neighbourhoods. Look for a halal sign in the window or ask.
Persian food and community: London has one of the biggest Iranian communities in Europe. Ballards Lane in Finchley is the main Persian high street with bakeries, grocers and kabab houses; Ealing in the west and the western end of Kensington High Street also have Persian shops and restaurants. You can find barbari bread, herbs, saffron and Iranian sweets in these shops.
- Supermarket meal deals (sandwich, snack and drink) are the cheapest quick lunch.
- Many restaurants add a 12.5 percent service charge to the bill; check before tipping again.
- Tap water is safe and restaurants must give it free if you ask.
- Pubs often serve food and families with children are welcome in the daytime, and you can order soft drinks.
Money and phone
Cash: Bring pounds if you can get them before the trip, or bring euros or US dollars in clean, newer notes and change them at a bureau de change in central London; compare a few, as airport kiosks give the worst rates. Many cafes, shops and even some attractions are now card only, so plan paid sights in advance. If you carry 10,000 GBP or more in cash (a family counts together), you must declare it on arrival.
Cards: Iranian bank cards do not work in the UK. Use cash for an Oyster card and everyday shopping, and ask family in the UK to book online tickets, hotels and ride apps with their card. Some travellers bring a prepaid Visa or Mastercard bought before the trip; test it with a small purchase on day one and always keep cash as a backup.
SIM and internet: SIM cards are sold in supermarkets, newsagents and phone shops, usually with no passport needed, and you can pay cash. Prepaid packs from giffgaff, Lebara, Three, EE or Vodafone cost roughly 10 to 20 GBP for a month with plenty of data (2026). Online eSIMs need a card to pay.
What travellers say
Advice that travellers from many countries repeat, chosen for Iranian visitors.
- Do not try to see everything: two or three sights in one area per day is plenty, because getting between areas takes time.
- Book timed tickets for the Tower, London Eye, Sky Garden and big shows ahead; queues at the door can take hours and online prices are lower.
- Stand on the right on Tube escalators and walk on the left.
- Avoid the Tube with suitcases between about 7:30 and 9:30 and 17:00 and 19:00 on weekdays.
- Weather changes fast, even in summer: carry a light jacket and a small umbrella every day.
- Big shops open only about six hours on Sunday, usually from late morning.
- Use Citymapper or Google Maps for live Tube and bus times, and check TfL for weekend line closures.
- UK plugs have three square pins (type G), so bring an adapter.
For Iranian travellers
- Iranian passport holders need a UK visitor visa before travel; see our visa page.
- Buy an Oyster card with cash as soon as you land: buses do not take cash, and you cannot use a contactless card unless you have a foreign one.
- Keep some coins and small notes, but expect many places to be card only, so ask before you order.
- Persian groceries, bakeries and restaurants are on Ballards Lane in Finchley and in Ealing, handy if older relatives miss home food.
- The Iranian embassy's consular section is in Kensington; keep a photo and a paper copy of your passport and visa page in case of loss.
- If you bring gifts of food, saffron and sweets are fine, but meat and dairy products from outside the UK are not allowed in your luggage.
- London's Persian speakers are everywhere, in shops, taxis and pharmacies, so do not hesitate to ask if you need help.
Stay safe
- Phone snatching by thieves on bikes and e-scooters is the most common crime: do not hold your phone near the road edge.
- Pickpockets work Oxford Street, the Tube and busy sights; keep bags closed and in front of you.
- The cup and ball betting game on Westminster Bridge is a scam, and the people watching and winning are part of the team.
- Only use black cabs or minicabs booked by phone or app, never a driver who approaches you.
- For police, ambulance or fire call 999 (112 also works); for non-urgent police matters call 101.
Checked 7 November 2026