Updated: August 12, 2026 • By Santorini Dave
Central London is large, but most first-time visitors spend the majority of their time between Kensington in the west, Westminster and the West End in the center, and the City of London and Tower Bridge in the east. The Thames is the easiest landmark for getting your bearings. For a first visit, I prefer staying in Covent Garden, Soho, Westminster, South Bank, or Mayfair. Kensington is excellent for museums and families, while Bloomsbury and Marylebone are central but a little calmer.
London Areas Map
For most visitors, staying as central as your budget allows is worth it. Covent Garden and Soho are best for restaurants, nightlife, theaters, and walking; Westminster and St. James’s put you close to the major sights; Mayfair is best for luxury hotels; South Bank is excellent for families and river walks; and South Kensington is convenient for museums and Hyde Park. See my complete Where to Stay in London guide for a detailed comparison of neighborhoods.
London Hotel Map
Best Hotels: 1. St. Pancras Renaissance • 2. Kimpton Fitzroy • 3. Montague on the Gardens • 4. Radisson Blu Edwardian • 5. The Mandrake • 6. Chiltern Firehouse • 7. The Marylebone • 8. The Langham • 9. The Cumberland • 10. Claridge’s • 11. The Connaught • 12. The Dorchester • 13. Four Seasons at Park Lane • 14. Athenaeum Hotel & Residences • 15. Ham Yard Hotel • 16. The Soho Hotel • 17. Hazlitt’s • 18. W London • 19. Fielding Hotel • 20. ME London • 21. The Savoy • 22. Citadines Trafalgar Square • 23. The Milestone Kensington • 24. Meliá London Kensington • 25. Cheval Knightsbridge • 26. Egerton House • 27. Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park • 28. The Berkeley • 29. The Goring • 30. Taj 51 Buckingham Gate • 31. Conrad London St. James • 32. The Ritz London • 33. London Marriott Hotel County Hall • 34. Park Plaza Westminster Bridge • 35. Park Plaza County Hall
Best Affordable Hotels: 36. Central Hotel • 37. Generator London • 38. Holiday Inn London Bloomsbury • 39. Z Hotel Gloucester Place • 40. Z Hotel Soho • 41. Strand Palace • 42. Premier Inn London County Hall • 43. DoubleTree by Hilton London Victoria • 44. Park City Grand Plaza Kensington • 45. Best Western Victoria Palace • 46. Luna and Simone Hotel
London Location Map
London is in southeast England. The map shows its location within the United Kingdom and its position relative to Paris, Amsterdam, Dublin, Berlin, and other European cities.
London Tube Map
The Tube, Elizabeth line, Overground, and buses make it easy to cover longer distances across London. Use the official Transport for London Tube map for the current network. One important thing to remember: the Tube map is a diagram, not a geographic map. Stations that appear far apart can be a short walk from each other, especially in the West End and Central London.
London Map Tips
- Stay central on a first visit. Covent Garden, Soho, Westminster, South Bank, Mayfair, Bloomsbury, Marylebone, and South Kensington all give you good access to the main sights.
- Use the Thames to get your bearings. Westminster, Covent Garden, Soho, Mayfair, and the City are north of the river; South Bank is directly across from Westminster and the West End.
- Do not judge walking distances from the Tube map. Leicester Square and Covent Garden are the classic example: they look like separate Tube stops but are only a few minutes apart on foot.
- Combine walking with public transport. Central London is very walkable neighborhood by neighborhood, but crossing the entire sightseeing core on foot wastes time.
- Group sightseeing by area. Do Westminster and St. James’s together, Covent Garden and Soho together, South Kensington museums together, and the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, and nearby City sights together.
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