Review: London Big Bus Best Attractions

While in England, I took the London Big Bus. I love the whole concept of the Hop on Hop Off Tour. Plus it offers headphones with a recorded tour featuring fourteen languages. It is the best way to learn about a new city quickly. My husband and I took the Big Bus tour in Ireland as well and we loved it. See below for that review link 

London Big Bus

It’s been quite a while since I visited London, so it was a fun crash course in the best attractions in London. As always it was totally up to us as to what and where we wanted to hop off. The first day of our two day tour we rode the red line completely around. This way we could pinpoint exactly what attractions we wanted to see, and therefore where to get off. Then, later in the day, as well as the following day, we started hopping on and off. We utilized both the red and blue lines to visit our favorite picks. 

We had a great experience, and all of the workers for the Big Bus were so nice. At the end of the day, we had plans to review a restaurant. However when we hopped off at the Tower of London, we were a bit turned around, and needed some directions. Here we met Fernanda, one of the Big Bus reps. She was so helpful. She went above and beyond her employee duties to direct us with the easiest route. Thank you Fernanda (see pix above) – You Rock! We were scheduled to take a river cruise as well as a walking tour, but the weather just didn’t cooperate. Til next time.

Here are some of our favorite attractions on the London Big Bus

Tower Bridge 

The gorgeous Victorian Gothic style suspension bridge was built between 1886 and 1894. A great place to grab a photo is while you are visiting the Tower of London – this is where I shot the above photo. Horace Jones and John Wolfe Barry designed the bridge which crosses the River Thames. Needless to say the bridge has had many updates since it was first built. In 1976, the hydraulics that allow for the bridge central portion to lift for large ships to pass were changed to electric. Then in 2014, a glass floor was installed, which allow for a full view of the river and city below as one walks across the bridge. This is both thrilling and a bit scary. 

However, you will need to pay for a tour of Tower Bridge if you want to walk on the upper glass walkway. Pedestrians can use the lower walkway, which does NOT offer a glass floor. Several tours are available of the Tower Bridge Exhibition which includes the Victorian Engine Rooms, and towers and of course its glass-floored walkways. Some are self-guided while others come with a tour-guide. 

The Tower of London 

William the Conqueror built the Tower of London in 1078 as a palace. It later turned into what is now considered a dungeon in the nineteenth century. See the famed ravens, the Crown Jewels, the White Tour, the Medievel Palace and all kinds of torture contraptions. There is also a great gift shop right outside the entrance to the Tower of London. Visit the website for admission fees, and more info for not just this attraction, but several others. The website features additional castles – Hampton Court Palace, Banqueting House, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace, as well as Hillsborough Castle. https://www.hrp.org.uk

Sky Garden

While at this stop you can also visit the Sky Garden located in the Walkie Talkie building. Offering fantastic views, it is free but you have to book it super early. Of course, there are also several bars and restaurants that also offer the exceptional view, just in case it’s booked up. https://skygarden.london/

St Paul’s Cathedral

A stunning church inside and out Architect Christopher Wren created the majestic London landmark and masterpiece. He brilliantly created three domes to support the height and weight of the outside dome at St Paul’s Cathedral. The inner gorgeous painted dome is what we saw while inside.  When visiting this exquisite cathedral, you must book tickets from Monday through Saturday. With tickets you will gain access to the main sanctuary, the Crypt, the Dome as well as any temporary exhibitions. Of course if you would like to attend a service, it is free. However, photos are not allowed. https://www.stpauls.co.uk

The London Eye

Officially opening in 2000. the London Eye is yet another spot to enjoy a birds eye view of London. It features 32 pods which represent London’s boroughs.  You can even rent a private pod for a romantic rendezvous. The wheel never stops since it rotates incredibly slowly allowing easy access on and off. https://www.londoneye.com

The Palace of Westminster (Big Ben)

Probably most known for its famed bell tower Big Ben, the Palace of Westminster is a historic gem not to be missed. Architect Charles Barry has created a breathtaking Gothic building. We had fantastic views on the Big Bus, with several chances to catch the perfect photo. Enjoy mine of Big Ben. 

Originally named Great Bell, Big Ben rang its first bell in 1859. Housed in the The Palace of Westminster, it is basically the star of the show. Westminster Hall is a true piece of London history. In addition to being the oldest building in Parliament, it also happens to be the sole part of the palace that has escaped fire in all these years. It was the sole portion to survive the Westminster Palace fire in 1834, as well as the Great fire in 1666. https://www.parliament.uk

The Shard, located in Southwark London, is the tallest building in England. Italian architect Renzo Piano designed the 72-story skyscraper. It earned its name literally because it looks like a shard of glass. The façade of the building has over 11,000 glass panels that come to a point, thus creating a one of a kind building. There are a plethora of restaurants and bars at the Shard. You can visit the Shard and enjoy a fantastic view of London. Be aware there is a charge. Visit the website for more info – https://www.the-shard.com/viewing-gallery/

Harrods

I took this photo of Harrods standing on the bottom level of the Big Bus right from the front window as our driver pulled up to our stop.

If you just happen to be a shopaholic like me, there is nothing better than shopping at the renowned retail store Harrods. Established in 1849, Harrods opened as a general store. These types of stores often provided groceries and a variety of teas. It was not until the early 1900s that fashions were introduced. Throughout that century the glamorous store added a plethora of new departments which included beauty, home goods as well as luxurious restaurants. Today after 176 years (as of 2025) Harrods is still considered one of the top luxury department stores in the world. Stay tuned for my retail therapy article where I’ll be talking a lot more about Harrods. https://www.harrods.com

Of course you can visit if you are a fan of the British Monarchy, you must visit Buckingham Palace. You can enjoy a  variety of tours of this royal residence and working palace. The changing of the guard takes place 3-4 times a week usually at 11am, but check the website for up-to-date info – https://www.royal.uk/

There are soo many more attractions to take in, but these were just a few of my favorites. Visit the Big Bus website and here you can view all the bus routes, as well as available tour packages. https://www.bigbustours.com/en/london/london-bus-tours

Find out more about London on the ETG England Page.