Heathrow Airport 1 hr 6
Natural History Museum (42 min)
Landmark museum of animals and natural phenomena, with hands-on exhibits and animatronic dinosaurs. Tower of London (41 min)
Centuries of bloody history around a medieval castle, home to Crown Jewels and iconic Beefeaters. Trafalgar Square (41 min)
Nelson's Column rises above this iconic square's LED-lit fountains, artworks and lion statues. Hyde Park (45 min)
Huge green space, home to Diana Memorial Fountain, with boating and swimming in the Serpentine lake. Victoria and Albert Museum (41 min)
Blockbuster exhibitions and permanent decorative arts collection, with design shop and ornate cafe. St. Paul's Cathedral (45 min)
Churchyard and gardens outside Saint Paul's cathedral, with a floor-plan of the original building. The National Gallery (42 min)
Trafalgar Square art museum whose masterworks trace the development of Western European painting. The British Museum (43 min)
Huge showcase for global antiquities, including Egyptian mummies and ancient Greek sculptures. Palace of Westminster (37 min)
Neo-Gothic masterpiece and seat of the UK government. Guided tours on Saturdays and in summer. lastminute.com London Eye (38 min)
Huge observation wheel giving passengers a privileged bird's-eye view of the city's landmarks. The Shard (41 min)
87-floor glass skyscraper with a jagged peak, with restaurants, offices, hotel and viewing platform. Big Ben (38 min)
16-storey Gothic clocktower and national symbol at the Eastern end of the Houses of Parliament. Buckingham Palace (41 min)
Visitors can tour the palace's opulent private and state rooms or watch the changing of the guard. Tower Bridge (40 min)
Panoramic views from high level walkways and behind-the-scenes access to original lifting machinery. Westminster Abbey (38 min)
Protestant abbey hosting daily services and every English and British coronation since 1066. | 
