One of the oldest parts of London, The City is where the Romans founded Londinium. The City is still the main banking and finance district in London so unlike the rest of London, it is generally quieter at the weekends than during the week.
Enjoy the contrast – the hyperactive weekday City streets contrast with the ghost town of the weekends, just as the contemporary architecture of the new City skyline contrasts with the historic buildings.
One of the prettiest covered markets in London, Leadenhall Market dates from 1321 although the current structure is Victorian It is home to stalls selling flowers, cheese, meat and other fresh food.
There are also shops, pubs and restaurants in the market building. Scenes from Diagon Alley in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone were filmed here.
While most of London’s skyscrapers are not open to the public or charge an admission fee, the Sky Garden in the ‘Walkie Talkie’ building is free to those who book in advance.
There are landscaped gardens, observation decks and an open-air terrace – it’s London’s highest public garden. You must book in advance through their website.
St Paul’s Cathedral was designed and rebuilt by Christopher Wren. Visit as a tourist for access to the whole Cathedral and climb 528 steps to the Golden Gallery in the Dome of the building.
You can even go outside at this level where you’ll enjoy panoramic views across London. St Pauls was built on the highest point in London and the Golden Gallery is a further 85 metres above the Cathedral floor.
There are two other galleries in the Dome, the stone gallery which is about halfway up and the whispering gallery. Send your friend to the other side of the dome and whisper something into the wall – the curious acoustic means they will hear every word.
An iconic London sight, even if you don’t want to pay the fee to go into the grounds, it’s well worth a visit.
You can see the crown jewels on display at the Tower, take a tour or just wander round the grounds and take selfies with the Beefeaters – the strikingly dressed guards you’ll find there.
The best way to reach the Tower of London and Tower Bridge is by River Bus.
This is a hop on, hop off service which will take you all the way along the Thames and although not officially a guided tour, you’ll get a unique view of the City from the river.
And, arrive at Tower Bridge in exactly the same way that the original prisoners in the Tower would have done.
he Museum of London focusses on the History of London from prehistoric times to present day.
Opened in 1976 it’s on the edge of the Barbican Estate and is a modern museum with a collection that includes the Lord Mayor’s stagecoach and the London 2012 Olympic cauldron.
There’s a fee to enter, but plenty to make it worth your while doing so.
Perhaps best-known today for featuring in films, this Church was used for Four Weddings and a Funeral, Shakespeare in Love and The Other Boleyn Girl.
It’s one of London’s oldest, founded in 1123 and with a 13th century arch. It houses a number of important works of art including a statue of St Bartholomew by Damien Hirst entitled ‘Exquisite Pain’.
You’ll find small traces of Londinium’s original Roman walls around the City.
Tower Hill is a good place to start, but there are also portions of walls scattered around the City, notably near the Museum of London.
One of London’s best examples of Brutalist architecture, the Barbican is home to a famous Arts Centre in addition to a complex of luxury flats and maisonettes. This part of London was badly damaged during the Second World War and as a result the whole site was redeveloped.
Built in the 1960s and 1980s on the site of a Roman fort, the Arts Centre is the largest of its kind in Europe and home to the LSO and to the RSC. Insider tip – there’s often free entertainment here in the evenings before shows so you can come for a drink and a bit of live music.
Founded in 1694, The Bank of England began as a private bank that would act as a banker to the Government to help fund war efforts.
It moved to Threadneedle Street in the City in 1734 into a building designed by Sir John Soane.
The current building was the result of Victorian ‘modernisation’. There’s a free to enter museum where you can learn more about the history of finance in the City.
The pretty gardens at St Dunstan’s in the East were originally part of an 11th Century Church.
Sir Christopher Wren extended the Church which was sadly destroyed in the Second World War and is now a public garden.
Insider tip – nearby you can visit the Billingsgate Roman Bathhouse for a 45 minute guided tour.
Mansion House is the official residence of the Mayor of London.
Built in the Palladian style between 1739 and 1752 it is home to a fine collection of Dutch and Flemish 17th century paintings.
Open to the public on Tuesday afternoons only, you’ll need to time your visit carefully if you want to see inside.
The Art Gallery has a huge collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings and a collection of art documenting the history of London together with special exhibitions from time to time.
Housed in the historic Guildhall buildings, entry is free though you may have to pay for special exhibitions.
Hidden away in the basement are the remains of a Roman Amphitheatre dating back to when the Romans established Londinium around AD43.
The remains were not discovered until the Guildhall Art Gallery was refurbished. Free to visit.
London’s Silver Vaults were originally built as strong rooms to hold household silver, jewellery and documents. Over the years it evolved to its current day form, secure premises for silver dealers who both store and trade from the shops in the vaults.
Although the building above was completely destroyed during the second world war, the vaults themselves were undamaged. There are over 30 traders and all the shops have been owned by the same families for at least 50 years passed down from generation to generation.
Visitors are welcome to browse an astonishing collection of antique and contemporary silver, most of which is for sale.
Whether or not you get your credit cards out or just window shop till you drop, the Royal Exchange is home to some exclusive brands – from Aspinal of London to Hermes and Georg Jensen, it’s somewhere you’ll find luxurious and stunning goods to buy.
Originally a stock exchange which opened in 1566, the current building was constructed in 1844 after two fires destroyed the original exchange buildings.
One of the oldest pubs in London, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese was rebuilt shortly after the great fire of London in 1666.
It is known for its literary connections and appears in novels by Dickens, Agatha Christie and Anthony Trollope.
The proper name for the wobbly bridge is the Millennium Bridge.
Designed by Arup Group, Foster and Partners, and Sir Anthony Caro, when it was first opened in June 2000 it wobbled from side to side in high winds.
Pedestrian only, it’s a great place for a selfie – it lines up perfectly with the Dome of St Pauls behind.
Tower Bridge is often mistakenly called ‘London Bridge’. But, the original London Bridge was actually sold to an American, shipped there and replaced with a rather boring concrete structure.
Tower Bridge dates from 1894 but is still a working bridge – for an amazing sight, you can check the times when the bascules are lifted to let larger river traffic pass through.
The City is full of Sir Christopher Wren churches. Monument, though, was built as a reminder of the Great Fire of London and is a 202ft column designed by Wren and Dr Robert Hooke to celebrate the City rising from the ashes!
It’s a great place to visit if you want a panoramic view of London. You can climb up 311 steps and get nearly to the top, where there’s a 360 degree viewing platform. Look out for nearby Pudding Lane, where the Great Fire is said to have started.