| set in a former pub, this hostel is a 4-minute walk from both new cross and new cross gate train stations. check-in time: 2:00 pmcheck-out time: 11:00 am. all have shared bathrooms and come with free linen and towels. freebies include continental breakfast served in a colourful room, wifi, hot drinks and luggage storage. there's also a lounge with satellite tv, a library, washer/dryer and a kitchen with fridges. it shares a building with the new cross inn music venue. only for 18 to 40-year-olds. no-frills dorms with wooden floors sleep up to 8 people, and there are a number of private rooms
Heathrow Airport 1 hr 6
Big Ben (24 min)
16-storey Gothic clocktower and national symbol at the Eastern end of the Houses of Parliament. Palace of Westminster (25 min)
Neo-Gothic masterpiece and seat of the UK government. Guided tours on Saturdays and in summer. Buckingham Palace (29 min)
Visitors can tour the palace's opulent private and state rooms or watch the changing of the guard. The Shard (15 min)
87-floor glass skyscraper with a jagged peak, with restaurants, offices, hotel and viewing platform. Tower of London (18 min)
Centuries of bloody history around a medieval castle, home to Crown Jewels and iconic Beefeaters. Royal Observatory Greenwich (9 min)
Wren's 18th-century astronomical observatory on the Prime Meridian, now a museum with a planetarium. Hyde Park (34 min)
Huge green space, home to Diana Memorial Fountain, with boating and swimming in the Serpentine lake. St. Paul's Cathedral (27 min)
Churchyard and gardens outside Saint Paul's cathedral, with a floor-plan of the original building. Tower Bridge (17 min)
Panoramic views from high level walkways and behind-the-scenes access to original lifting machinery. The British Museum (29 min)
Huge showcase for global antiquities, including Egyptian mummies and ancient Greek sculptures. Trafalgar Square (28 min)
Nelson's Column rises above this iconic square's LED-lit fountains, artworks and lion statues. lastminute.com London Eye (23 min)
Huge observation wheel giving passengers a privileged bird's-eye view of the city's landmarks. Westminster Abbey (26 min)
Protestant abbey hosting daily services and every English and British coronation since 1066. The National Gallery (30 min)
Trafalgar Square art museum whose masterworks trace the development of Western European painting. Borough Market (18 min)
Huge market under the railway lines, for British-reared meat and artisanal baked and dairy goods. | 
