Driving Inspiration: London
Pomp and circumstance, history, culture and world-class attractions. Our guide to the very best London has to offer.
- Driving inspiration
- United Kingdom
- London's ultimate sights
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London highlightsSomeone once said that if you are tired of London, you are tired of life. We would certainly agree with that! Whether you are looking for historic buildings, world-class museums or family-friendly attractions, the capital city of the UK has everything you could wish for. Here is our whistlestop guide to the very best London has to offer.
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Driving to London from ParisThe drive from Paris to the LeShuttle terminal at Calais takes around 3 hours and 30 minutes. After your 35-minute crossing across the channel to Folkestone, London is your next destination. Obviously London is a big city, and your journey time will very much depend on where you are staying. Let’s say though that you are heading for the east of London – Stratford is an up and coming area with plenty of accommodation options, shopping and excellent travel connections. That is around 1 hour 45 minutes drive from Folkestone. The M20 and then the M25 are your main routes to London. The M25 is London’s orbital motorway.
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Getting around LondonThe best way to get around London is by underground (tube) or bus. The cheapest way to use the tube or buses is paying via bank card or contactless device – simply tap your card or mobile phone over the contactless icon at the ticket barrier or when you board the bus. You can buy pre-loaded ‘Oyster’ cards which you can top up with credit; or Travelcards, giving unlimited travel for a flat fee. In central London you’re never far from a tube station, but the famous ‘tube map’ can be deceptive. Sometimes it can be quicker to walk – and usually more interesting!
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Driving in LondonAs you might expect, London is a very busy city to drive in, and increasingly an expensive one. A Congestion Zone charge of £15 is levied for entering central London. You will see signs when you enter this area. The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is like the ZCR in Paris; your car has to reach an emissions standard – check if your vehicle is compliant – or you have to pay a daily charge of £12.50. The ULEZ London has recently expanded and now covers most of what is called ‘Greater London’ – although it does not apply if you are driving on the M25 even if this is inside the ULEZ zone.
The Natural History Museum
London is home to many magnificent museums, but if you can only go to one make sure it is the Natural History Museum. You’ll find it in Kensington in West London, near two other major attractions, the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum. Opened in 1881, the NHM contains more than 2,500 fossils and specimens charting the natural history of our planet, its geology and animals. As soon as you step inside you will be met by the awesome sight of ‘Hope’, a 25-metre long blue whale skeleton hanging from the ceiling of the main hall. Elsewhere you’ll see animatronic dinosaurs, fossils of million-year old creatures, samples of Moon rock, the world’s largest mammals and insights into how the Earth was born and evolved, plus much, much more!
What’s even better, admission is free (although you may have to pay to see temporary exhibitions). You do need to book your ticket and entry time in advance.
Opening times: every day 10.00-17.50 (last entry 17.30). Closed 24-26 December.
Closest tube station: South Kensington
The Tower of London
Built by William the Conqueror in 1078, the Tower of London is one of the capital’s most iconic attractions. Throughout its thousand years it has been a royal palace, castle, prison, armoury and treasury, inspiring many enduring legends. Will the Tower really fall down if the ravens leave? Were two princes murdered here by their uncle Richard III?
You will discover some of the remarkable true stories of what happened at the Tower, such as the imprisonment and execution of Queens of England, Guy Fawkes and Walter Raleigh. You will be dazzled by the Crown Jewels, walk the battlements and see the infamous ‘Traitors gate’. One of the highlights of any day at the Tower of London is a tour with a Yeoman Warder (or ‘Beefeater’), who will regale you with more chilling and bloody tales from the Tower’s long history.
Opening times: every day except 24-26 December and 1 January.
Closest tube station: Tower Hill
Buckingham Palace
You will have seen it on the Netflix series ‘The Crown’ and on TV many times – Buckingham Palace is the London home of the British monarch and the place where the British people come to celebrate state occasions and national events, from coronations to jubilees, royal weddings to wartime victories. Buckingham Palace stands resplendent at the end of the Mall and should be on anyone’s ‘must see’ London list. Most days visitors can watch the famous ‘Changing of the Guard’ ceremony – where soldiers in their red tunics and bearskin fur caps march down the Mall accompanied by a band and swap places with their colleagues on guard outside the Palace.
For those who want to step inside this grandest of buildings, the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace are open during the summer months, but tickets must be booked in advance. You will know if the King is in residence if the Royal Standard flag is flying above the palace, and not the UK flag.
Opening times: early July to end of September
Closest tube station: St. James’s Park
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Madame Tussauds
You’ll never know who you might bump into at Madame Tussauds!
Taylor Swift, William Shakespeare, Nelson Mandela, Brad Pitt, King Charles III, Winston Churchill, Marilyn Monroe … they’re all here. The waxwork museum was first opened in 1835 by Frenchwoman Marie Tussaud. Charles Dickens (in 1860) said it was ‘more than an exhibition, it is an institution’ – and it is still one of London’s most popular attractions.
The formula has never changed – stars of stage and screen, historical and contemporary figures, recreated in wax so lifelike that sometimes they are undistinguishable from the real people. All human life is here, including its darker side in the form of the Chamber of Horrors. Head to Madame Tussauds on Marylebone Road and get some selfies you never thought possible!
Opening times: Every day except December 25th, summer closes 5pm, winter closes 3pm
Closest tube station: Baker Street
(image credit: Cezary p at Polish Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
Warner Bros. Studio Tour - The Making of Harry Potter
Attention all Potterheads! Any fans of the Harry Potter films will want to make the pilgrimage to the Warner Bros. Studio at Leavesden, just north of London. These were the studios where the eight movies were made, and this experience, one of the most popular in the UK, gives fans the opportunity to get up close to genuine sets, props and costumes.
So yes, you can actually walk in the Great Hall of Hogwarts, get lost in the Forbidden Forest, wand-er round Diagon Alley and board the Hogwarts Express at Kings Cross Platform 9 ¾. Speaking of which, the train for this magical attraction leaves from nearby Euston (journey time 25 minutes). Or if you’re driving, leave the M25 at junction 20 and follow signs for the Warner Bros. Studio Tour.
Opening times: Every day except December 25-26
Closest station: Kings Langley (National Rail)
(image credit: Karen Roe, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
The London Eye
Get a birds eye view of London! The London Eye has been giving people a unique perspective on the capital since 2000. A trip in one of the pods takes around 30 minutes and at its highest point you reach 135m. You can clearly see sights such as the arch of Wembley Stadium, the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral and the towers of Battersea Power Station, as well as the curve of the River Thames and the stunning London skyline. At sunset it is even more beautiful.
Book your ticket in advance, or go for an even more special trip with the champagne experience! Located on the south bank of the River Thames, the London Eye is close to other great attractions like Shakespeare’s Globe, the National Theatre and Tate Modern.
Opening times: Every day except December 25th
Closest tube station: Waterloo
Discover London with LeShuttle
There’s just so much to do in London you’ll be back time and time again. It’s only two and a half hours from LeShuttle’s Calais Terminal. Remember, we can get you from Calais to Folkestone in just 35 minutes, and a Short Stay Saver ticket is valid for any trip of 5 days or less.