The Neighbourhood
The City of London is London's oldest quarter and its busiest — and almost all of it is walkable from our door. This is our guide to the streets we call home.
Romans, Wren churches, Victorian markets and glass towers — two thousand years in twelve minutes.
Bank Station & the Royal Exchange
The City's ceremonial crossroads. Six Underground lines and the DLR put the rest of London — and City Airport — within easy reach.
Leadenhall Market
A painted Victorian arcade trading on a site that has hosted markets since Roman Londinium. Best early, before the lunch crowd, with a coffee in hand.
The Monument
Wren and Hooke's column marking the Great Fire of 1666. Climb the 311 steps for a view the City has offered for three centuries.
Sky Garden, 20 Fenchurch Street
London's highest public garden, three storeys of planting beneath a glass dome. Free to visit — book ahead, and time it for sunset over the Thames.
The Gherkin & St Mary Axe
The eastern City's cluster of landmark towers — best seen from ground level on a quiet Sunday morning, coffee in hand, streets to yourself.
London Bridge & Borough Market
Cross the river for one of Europe's great food markets — arrive hungry, and let our team tell you which stalls regulars queue for.
St Paul's Cathedral
Wren's masterpiece, up Ludgate Hill through streets that still follow their medieval plan. Evensong is free and quietly unforgettable.
The Tower of London
A thousand years of state history on the river — the Crown Jewels, the ravens, and a Yeoman Warder's tour that is worth every minute.
How to see the City like someone who works here
Ask at the desk when you arrive — but these are the suggestions we find ourselves giving most often.
Visit on a Sunday
The Square Mile empties at weekends. Wren churches, hidden churchyards and empty streets — the City at its most photogenic.
Walk the alleyways
Change Alley, Austin Friars, St Swithin's Lane — the medieval street plan survives between the towers, and it rewards wandering.
Ride the river
From Bankside or Tower Pier, the Thames Clippers are the most civilised commute in London — Westminster in twenty minutes, with a view.
Book the free views
Sky Garden, the Garden at 120, and Horizon 22 are all free with a timed reservation — we are happy to help you plan the best light.