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City guide · London
London
A port city founded by the Romans: the Tower, Westminster and the Thames
London's two centres tell two histories: in the east, the City of London and the Tower are the London of merchants and castles; in the west, Westminster is the London of crown and parliament. Many great museums are free, and a walk along the South Bank of the Thames links Tower Bridge and the Houses of Parliament.
History
How the city came to be
After the Roman invasion of Britain in AD 43, Londinium was founded around AD 47; around 61 Boudica, queen of the Iceni, stormed and burned it. The rebuilt Londinium had about 60,000 people in the 2nd century. After Roman rule collapsed the Anglo-Saxons built a new settlement west of the old city, and in 886 Alfred the Great 'refounded' London. On Christmas Day 1066 William, Duke of Normandy, was crowned in Westminster Abbey and went on to build the Tower of London. The Great Plague of 1665–1666 killed about 100,000 people, the Great Fire of 1666 burned much of the wooden city, and Wren's St Paul's Cathedral was completed in 1710. After the Industrial Revolution London was the largest city in the world from about 1831 to 1925; the Blitz of the Second World War killed more than 30,000 Londoners.
- c. 47The Romans founded Londinium
- c. 61Queen Boudica burned Londinium
- 1066William I was crowned in Westminster Abbey
- 1078Work began on the White Tower (Tower of London)
- 1666Great Fire of London
- 1710St Paul's Cathedral was completed
- 1940–1941The Blitz of the Second World War
Stories
Stories of the city
The bridge that can 'lift' its roadway
History · Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge was begun in 1886, designed by the architect Horace Jones with the engineer John Wolfe Barry responsible for the structure; it took eight years to build and was opened by the Prince and Princess of Wales on 30 June 1894. In the middle are two bascules that lift up to let ships pass along the Thames; the two towers are linked high up by two horizontal walkways.
The Gunpowder Plot: 36 barrels in the cellar
History · Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster
In 1605 a group of Catholic conspirators planned to blow up the House of Lords at the State Opening of Parliament on 5 November. They rented a cellar directly beneath the House of Lords and brought in 36 barrels of gunpowder. On the night of 4 November searchers found the gunpowder under piles of firewood and coal, along with Guy Fawkes guarding it. Since then the British have marked 5 November with bells, bonfires and fireworks — still called 'Bonfire Night' — and the ceremonial search of the cellars before each State Opening continues to this day.
The new Houses of Parliament after the fire of 1834
History · Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster
On 16 October 1834, tally sticks discarded by the Exchequer were being burned in a stove in the palace; the stove overheated and set fire to the House of Lords chamber, and the blaze destroyed most of the palace. Only 11th-century Westminster Hall survived and was incorporated into the new palace designed by the architect Charles Barry. The great bell hanging in the Elizabeth Tower at the north end of the new palace is popularly called 'Big Ben'.
Jewish immigrants in the East End
History · Fish and chips
Dickens mentions a 'fried fish warehouse' in Oliver Twist in 1838, and an 1845 cookbook for ordinary people records 'fried fish, Jewish fashion' — coated in a batter of flour and water and fried. In the 1860s Joseph Malin, a Jewish immigrant from Eastern Europe, opened one of the first fish-and-chip shops in London, and around the same time John Lees opened one in Lancashire. By 1910 there were more than 25,000 fish-and-chip shops across Britain.
The Conqueror's White Tower
History · Tower of London
The Tower of London was founded at the end of 1066, during the Norman Conquest. The White Tower, which gives the castle its name, is generally thought to have been begun by William the Conqueror around 1078, at first a hated symbol of oppression for Londoners. From the early 14th century to the time of Charles II in the 17th, English monarchs usually spent a few nights in the Tower before their coronation, then processed from here to Westminster Abbey.
'Sent to the Tower'
History · Tower of London
The 16th and 17th centuries were the Tower's heyday as a prison, and in English being 'sent to the Tower' became a byword for falling from favour; even Elizabeth I was held here before she came to the throne. In 1536 Queen Anne Boleyn was taken to the Tower, tried for treason and beheaded, and buried in the Tower's Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula. However, the Tower's reputation as a 'place of torture and death' owes much to 16th-century religious propaganda and 19th-century writers: before the two World Wars of the 20th century, only seven people were executed within the Tower.
If the ravens leave, the kingdom will fall
Legend · Tower of London
At least six ravens are kept at the Tower of London. Legend says that 'if the ravens are lost or fly away, the Crown will fall and Britain with it', and local lore traces the ravens back to the reign of Charles II. But some scholars, including the Tower's official historian, believe the legend is probably a Victorian invention: the earliest known reference to ravens kept at the Tower is an illustration from 1883.
Must see
Places you shouldn’t miss
Tower Bridge
A Victorian gentleman in blue on the Thames, the afterglow of empire in every opening
Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster
The Gothic Houses of Parliament on the Thames, keeper of the world's 'standard time'
Tower of London
William the Conqueror's White Tower: royal palace, prison, armoury and Crown Jewels, all in one castle.
Local life
Food and local daily life
Tower Bridge
Must-try
- Fish and chips
- Full English breakfast
- Pie and mash
Fish and chips, the full English breakfast, pie and mash, Sunday roast, afternoon-tea scones
| Where to eat | Borough Market (within walking distance of Tower Bridge), restaurants on the south bank by Tower Bridge, simple meals by the Tower of London |
|---|---|
| Dining etiquette | In pubs, order and pay at the bar; queuing culture is strong |
| Typical price per person | GBP 18–35 ≈ CNY 169–329 |
| Tips | Borough Market has few stalls on Sundays — weekday lunchtimes are best; for fish and chips, choose a shop frying fresh in beer batter. |
Prices are typical rates as of October 2026, not exact quotes; CNY equivalents are approximate where exchange rates fluctuate.
Grendelkhan · CC BY-SA 4.0
Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster · Fish and chips · Sunday Roast · Full English breakfast
Must-try
- Fish and chips
- Sunday Roast
- Full English breakfast
Fish and chips, Sunday roast, full English breakfast, Indian curry (one of London's national dishes — chicken tikka masala), afternoon tea
| Where to eat | Pubs around Westminster, the Southbank food-truck market, the Covent Garden restaurant area |
|---|---|
| Dining etiquette | Security for Parliament and Abbey visits is strict, with no eating or drinking inside; note the no-drinking areas for under-18s in pubs |
| Typical price per person | GBP 20–40 ≈ CNY 188–376 |
| Tips | Pubs next to Parliament are pricey, while the Southbank market is cheaper and more varied. |
Prices are typical rates as of October 2026, not exact quotes; CNY equivalents are approximate where exchange rates fluctuate.
Acabashi · CC BY-SA 4.0
Before you go
Rules to know in London
London Underground: tap in and tap out
Do
- Tap your Oyster card or bank card on the yellow reader both on entry and exit, even if the gates are open
- At interchange stations with mid-route readers, tap as instructed
Don’t
- Tapping in but not out, or not tapping before boarding
If you miss a tap you are charged the maximum fare; if an inspector finds you travelling without tapping, you may be fined or prosecuted.
Not yet verifiedSource: Wikipedia: Oyster card
London Underground escalators: stand on the right
Do
- Stand on the right on Underground escalators and leave the left for people in a hurry
Don’t
- Standing still side by side on the left of the escalator
There is no penalty, but you block people behind you. The habit dates back to 1921, when Underground announcements first told passengers to 'stand on the right'.
Not yet verifiedSource: Wikipedia: London Underground