England
City guide · England
London
About London
London, the capital of England and the United Kingdom, has grown over two thousand years from a Roman settlement on the Thames into one of the world's great cities. It is known for its royal heritage, museums, theatres, parks and diverse communities.
Highlights include the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace. The British Museum, the National Gallery and the Natural History Museum have free entry to their main collections. The London Eye, St Paul's Cathedral, Covent Garden and Oxford Street complete a first visit.
Three to four nights are recommended. Windsor Castle, Oxford and Cambridge are each about an hour away, and Stonehenge and Bath make a full day out. Paris is about two and a quarter hours away by Eurostar.
Indian travellers will feel at home in Southall and Wembley, and the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden is a popular visit. Diwali celebrations take place in Trafalgar Square each autumn.
Practical Information
Useful to know before your group arrives in London.
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London has a mild, changeable climate, and rain is possible in any season.
- Summer (June–August): highs around 22–24°C, occasionally much warmer.
- Autumn (September–November): cooling from about 19°C to 10°C, with more rain.
- Winter (December–February): highs around 8–9°C and lows around 2–3°C; snow is rare.
- Spring (March–May): highs from about 11°C to 18°C.
May to September is the best time to visit. Whatever the season, pack layers, a rain jacket or umbrella and comfortable walking shoes.
- Arriving: Heathrow is the main airport, linked to central London by the Heathrow Express to Paddington (about 15 minutes), the Elizabeth line and the Piccadilly line. Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London City airports also serve the city.
- Getting around: the Underground, buses and Overground trains cover the city. Pay with an Oyster card or a contactless bank card or phone; daily fares are capped automatically. Buses do not accept cash.
- Groups: central London has a Congestion Charge and an Ultra Low Emission Zone, and coach parking is limited, so set-down points should be planned in advance.
The UK is not in the EU, so an EU data plan may not cover it. Indian travellers usually save by buying an eSIM or data plan before departure that includes the UK, rather than using Indian international roaming packs. Local prepaid SIMs are sold at airports and in shops.
Free Wi-Fi is common in hotels, cafés and many stations. The power supply is 230 V with Type G sockets; Indian Type D plugs do not fit, so bring a universal adapter.
London is one of the best cities in Europe for Indian and South Asian food. Southall and Wembley have many vegetarian and Gujarati, Punjabi and South Indian restaurants and grocery shops, Brick Lane is known for Bangladeshi cooking and Drummond Street near Euston for South Indian vegetarian food. Halal food is widely available, and Jain meals are easier to arrange than elsewhere, though requesting them in advance is still advisable.
Vegetarian British favourites include a cream tea of scones with jam and clotted cream, a jacket potato with beans and cheese, and chips. For supplies, look for Tesco, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Marks & Spencer and Co-op.
