Quick answer: book four things before you arrive — the Tower of London, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, the London Eye and a Sky Garden slot. Everything else can wait until you see the weather. The free museums need no ticket at all.
Cite this page: Atravel.uk, “London attractions worth booking before you go”, updated 12 November 2026. https://atravel.uk/attractions/
London has more paid attractions than any city in Europe, and most of them sell timed entry. That changes the planning: the question is not what to see but which three or four you book in advance and which you leave to the morning you wake up.
The twelve we would book
Prices below are typical adult tickets; the partner page shows the price for your date. Half the list is free, which is worth remembering before you buy a pass.
Tower of London
A Norman fortress that has been a palace, a prison and the mint. The Crown Jewels are the draw, the armoury and the ravens are what people remember.
Tip: Go at opening. The Jewel House queue is shortest in the first 30 minutes and again after 15:00.
Check ticket pricesBritish Museum
The Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures and eight million objects behind one colonnade. Entry is free and it is the best rainy-day hour-for-hour value in London.
Tip: Book the free timed slot anyway. Walk-ins queue at the main gate; the Montague Place entrance is usually shorter.
Check ticket pricesWarner Bros. Studio Tour London
The actual sets from the Harry Potter films: the Great Hall, Diagon Alley, the Hogwarts Express. It is a half-day out of central London, not a stop on a walking tour.
Tip: Tickets are timed and sell out weeks ahead in school holidays. The shuttle from Watford Junction costs about £3 return.
Check ticket pricesLondon Eye
One rotation, 135 metres up, with the whole Thames layout in front of you. Best at dusk when the city lights come on and the queue has thinned.
Tip: Standard tickets are cheaper booked online and off-peak. Fast-track is worth it only in the middle of a school holiday.
Check ticket pricesSky Garden
A glass box on top of 20 Fenchurch Street with planted terraces and a 360° view. Free to enter if you book a slot; the restaurants are a different price bracket.
Tip: Slots open a few weeks ahead and vanish for sunset times. Book the earliest morning slot for clear photos.
Check ticket pricesWestminster Abbey
A thousand years of coronations, tombs and Poets' Corner. The building is the point: the ceiling of Henry VII's chapel is the best thing in it.
Tip: Book online and arrive before 10:30. On Sundays entry is for services only, which is free but not a visit.
Check ticket pricesSt Paul's Cathedral
Wren's dome, the Whispering Gallery and 528 steps to the top if your legs are willing. The view from the Golden Gallery beats most paid viewing platforms.
Tip: The climb is in narrow stone spirals with no lift. Go early and leave the big bag at the hotel.
Check ticket pricesThe View from The Shard
The highest viewing platform in London, on floors 68 to 72. Indoors and open late, which makes it the reliable option on a wet or windy day.
Tip: Sunset slots cost more and sell first. A 10:00 slot has the same view with cleaner glass.
Check ticket pricesNatural History Museum
The blue whale, the dinosaurs and a building that is itself worth the trip. Next door to the Science Museum and the V&A, so one Tube stop covers three free museums.
Tip: Weekday mornings are calmest. The Dinosaurs gallery is a scrum after 11:00 in holidays.
Check ticket pricesHampton Court Palace
Tudor kitchens, the maze and the gardens on the Thames. It needs a half-day and a train: 35 minutes from Waterloo to Hampton Court.
Tip: The gardens are free to walk even if you skip the palace. Combine with a Thames path walk back to Kingston.
Check ticket pricesKew Gardens
300 acres, the Palm House, the Treetop Walkway and the Temperate House. The cheapest big day out on this list if you bring a picnic.
Tip: It is 15 minutes on the District line from central London, and the walk from Kew Bridge adds the river for free.
Check ticket pricesGreenwich
The Cutty Sark, the Royal Observatory with the meridian line, the Painted Hall and a market. One DLR or Thames Clipper ride and you have a whole day.
Tip: Take the boat back at dusk: the Thames Clipper is the best-value sightseeing in London and it is a commuter service.
Check ticket pricesWhat tickets actually cost
| Attraction | Adult ticket | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| British Museum, Natural History Museum | Free | 2–3 hours each |
| Sky Garden | Free, timed slot | 1 hour |
| Kew Gardens | About £20 | 3 hours |
| St Paul's Cathedral | About £26 | 2 hours |
| London Eye | £29–£39 | 30 minutes |
| Westminster Abbey | About £30 | 1.5 hours |
| Hampton Court Palace | About £31 | 3 hours |
| The View from The Shard | About £32 | 1 hour |
| Tower of London | About £35 | 3 hours |
| Warner Bros. Studio Tour | About £53 | 4 hours plus travel |
Typical adult prices, 2026-11-12. They move with the date and the channel you buy through: always check the partner's page for the day you want.
When to go
- Best months: May, June and September. Long days, no school holidays, queues at their shortest.
- Cheapest months: January and February, when hotels drop and the paid attractions discount.
- Avoid: the last week of December and any half-term. Timed tickets sell out and the Tower's Jewel House queue doubles.
How to book without wasting a morning
Three rules cover almost everything. First, book the one attraction that anchors the day and leave the rest loose. Second, take the earliest slot at anywhere with a queue — the Tower, Westminster Abbey and the London Eye are all calmer before 11:00. Third, check whether the free alternative is better: the Sky Garden is a free viewing platform, and the Golden Gallery at St Paul's beats several paid ones.
Multi-attraction passes only pay off if you do three or more paid sites in consecutive days. Do the arithmetic on the two or three you actually want before buying one; for a two-day trip it rarely works.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to book London attractions in advance?
For the Tower of London, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, the London Eye and the Sky Garden, yes — at least a week ahead, and a month in school holidays. The national museums are free and do not need a ticket, though a timed slot saves queueing.
What is the best free attraction in London?
The British Museum and the Natural History Museum, in that order, followed by the Sky Garden if you can get a slot. All three cost nothing and take half a day each.
Is the London Pass worth it?
Only if you visit three or more paid attractions in consecutive days and start early. Two paid sites in two days is usually cheaper bought separately.
How far ahead should I book the Harry Potter studio tour?
Four to six weeks for weekdays and two to three months for weekends and school holidays. Tickets are timed and non-transferable.
Where to book
Tickets for these attractions are sold through our tour partner, which shows live prices and availability for your date. We do not sell tickets ourselves and we add nothing to the price.
As an affiliate, we may earn a commission when you book through our links, at no extra cost to you. The ticket is issued and supported by the partner.