London in Pictures: 90 Free Photos and a Short Travel Guide
London in 90 free photos: the Thames and Tower Bridge, Westminster and Big Ben, the Changing of the Guard, red buses and old pubs. Below each set of photos is a short note on the place, so the page works as a quick guide as well as a photo library.
London at a glance
- Getting there: five main airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London City) and Eurostar trains from Paris and Brussels to St Pancras.
- Getting around: the Underground (“the Tube”) and buses; pay with a contactless card or phone, or an Oyster card.
- Money: pound sterling. London is expensive, but many of the big museums are free, among them the British Museum, the National Gallery and Tate Modern.
- When to go: May to September for the longest days; hotels are busiest and dearest in July and August.
How to download: click a photo to see it large, then use Download. The originals are about 1200 × 800 pixels: right for blog posts, slides, social media, school projects and video call backgrounds.
The Thames, Tower Bridge and the City
The River Thames is London’s main feature, and most of the sights, theatres and restaurants sit on its north bank. Tower Bridge, finished in 1894, still lifts its roadway for tall ships several hundred times a year. Next to it stands the Tower of London; across the water are HMS Belfast and City Hall, and behind them the towers of the City, the square-mile financial district with the Bank of England.
Westminster, Big Ben and the London Eye
The Houses of Parliament hold the House of Commons and the House of Lords; the clock tower is officially the Elizabeth Tower, though everyone calls it Big Ben after its great bell. Across Westminster Bridge turns the London Eye, the big observation wheel on the South Bank.
Royal London and the Changing of the Guard
Buckingham Palace, the Victoria Memorial in front of it and the guards in red tunics and bearskins. The palace first opened its State Rooms to visitors in 1993, and they are still open in summer. St James’s Park and Admiralty Arch are a short walk away.
Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly and the West End
Trafalgar Square, with Nelson’s Column, its four bronze lions and the National Gallery on its north side, is the heart of visitors’ London. From there the West End spreads out: Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Soho, Covent Garden and Regent Street.
Red buses, black cabs and the Tube
The things everyone photographs: red double-deckers, phone boxes, taxis, street signs and the Underground roundel.
Pubs and old shopfronts
Traditional pubs, Tudor-style facades and old shop windows.
Tips for a first visit
- Stay central if you can: a hotel near a Tube line saves hours. Book early for July and August.
- Visit Westminster early in the morning or after 6 pm to avoid the worst crowds; the Changing of the Guard draws large crowds, so arrive early for a view.
- Walk the South Bank from Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge: the London Eye, Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe and HMS Belfast are all on the way.
- The East End, once the home of the Cockney, is now one of the city’s most mixed and lively areas, with markets around Spitalfields and Brick Lane.
More free photos
Questions about these London photos
Can I use these London pictures for free?
Yes, for personal and commercial projects. All we ask is a link back to BigFoto.com; the box at the top of the page has a credit link you can copy.
What are the best free things to see in London?
The British Museum, the National Gallery, Tate Modern and the Natural History Museum are free, as are the Changing of the Guard, the walk along the South Bank and the royal parks.
