Every time Rick and I go on a trip I make a promise to myself that I’m going to spend more time enjoying the destination than photographing it, but that promise rarely holds true. I just can’t help it, I love taking pictures! And one of my favorite cities to take pictures of is London – especially if it’s sunny.

If you want to try and spend more time simply enjoying London instead of having your phone out for every single photo opportunity, here are our favorite photography locations in London so you can snap your pics and then get back to your getaway.

London’s most Instagrammable locations

Where to go for aerial views of London

Snap fantastic bird’s-eye views of the city from these ideal London photography locations.

Sky Garden

Visit London’s highest public garden and grab a cocktail and then enjoy an amazing panoramic view at Sky Garden. You can visit it for free but if you want to skip the line you should book in advance – they open the bookings up three weeks prior. The best tip is to go at sunset for stunning colors.

The Shard

Located near Tower Bridge, this 95-story building has a fantastic observation deck where you can get a good view of Tower Bridge. If you want fewer crowds, pay a bit more and get some drinks at the cocktail bar and skip paying admission to the viewing deck. The bar’s a bit further down than the viewing deck but not by much so the view isn’t much different, and the cocktails are a bit spendy but not much more so than the viewing deck ticket.

London Eye

I know most people think it’s a tourist trap, but I still think it’s a fun thing to do in London at least once! Plus, you can snap some really stunning photos of the city as you make your way higher and higher – especially facing out over Westminster and the Thames. It takes 30 minutes to make a revolution, so you’re going slow enough that you can hold your camera or phone steady to get some great shots. Go during the week if possible to escape the crowds.

Photographing London’s landmarks

London Eye

After your ride, be sure to take some photos where the London Eye is the subject of your photo as well. One of the best spots to snap a picture of the London Eye is on the Hungerford Bridge and Golden Jubilee Bridges. Another popular bridge to get great pics of the London Eye is from Westminster Bridge.

Big Ben

Unfortunately it’s a little hard to see the Elizabeth Tower right now as it’s undergoing construction, but you can still hear Big Ben as the bell tolls during the day. When work is completed, here are some of our favorite places to get shots of this London icon:

• Westminster bridge: Take a walk on this bridge to get great photos of Big Ben and even some double-decker buses or black cabs zipping by. Go at sunset for great light!
• Queen’s Walk: This spot has an ideal location to frame your photo with an arch around Big Ben, as you’re pretty much under Westminster Bridge.
• Double-decker bus: Hop on a tour bus or just a regular city buss with your Oyster card and get a seat at the top and enjoy a neat angle for photographing the clock tower.

The Tower & Tower Bridge

After oohing and aahing over the Crown Jewels and thanking your lucky stars you didn’t live during the times of torture at the Tower, be sure to run around to get some excellent shots of this historic London landmark. Some of the best spots to snap pictures of the Tower and the Tower Bridge include:

• Bank of the Thames: Go at sunrise if possible to get some great early morning light
• On Tower Bridge: Obviously a good location to get different views of the bridge is by actually crossing it and getting a feel for how big and grand it is
• Girl with a Dolphin statue: On the north side of the Thames, you can snap a photo of Tower Bridge with this statue in front and a glimpse of the Shard in the background

Houses of Parliament

Another great photographic landmark in London are the Houses of Parliament. A great spot to shoot is right in front of Big Ben, on the south side of the river. There’s also a little passageway nearby that offers some cool arches to frame your photo.

The Globe Theatre

The current theater is just a few hundred yards from the original site but still honors its traditions and homage to historical accuracy. Get a cool photo of the outside of it from the river bank or take a tour to feel like you’ve stepped back in time as you snap pics of the stage, seats, and stunning interior.

St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel

This famous hotel is just as beautiful on the outside as it is on the inside. After getting your exterior shots of its red bricked facade, go inside and start shooting the grand staircase with its beautiful tapestries, ceiling paintings, and giant windows.

Trafalgar Square

This landmark is a popular plaza with Nelson’s Column, the fountains, and lion statues – perfect elements for a Instagram-worthy picture of London. Unless you go super early in the morning, expect to have people milling about in the background – but that just adds to the lifestyle feel of this location.

Harry Potter shots

Feel like a wizard or witch as you run around London and get a few photos of Harry Potter filming locations.

King’s Cross

You just have to get the obligatory Platform 9 ¾ shot – King’s Cross even has the perfect prop to send you off to Hogwarts. Just look for the queue of millennials waiting for their chance to push the trolley through the wall.

Millennium Bridge

You won’t spot any Death Eaters but the Millennium Bridge definitely makes for a good architecture shot of London with its twisty sides, and backgrounds of St. Paul’s Cathedral on one side and the Tate Modern on the other. Go early in the morning or late at night to avoid the crowds and have unique lighting on the bridge.

London life

Capture the spirit of everyday life in London and some famous cultural elements with the shots listed below.

Phone booths

Another fun Instagram shot of London is of all the red phone booths in the city. The phone booths aren’t as prevalent as they used to be – but

• Great George Street: Get a few iconic booths in the frame – as well as Big Ben in the background
• Parliament Square: Another great option with Big Ben in the background is snapping the booths in Parliament Square. Chances are good you can catch a double-decker bus in the background dropping off tourists to this area.

Borough Market

Head to Borough Market to capture Londoners and tourists shopping and getting some fresh snacks. The colorful stalls and unique goods are great subjects for your photos, as well as showcasing everyday life in the city. A cool shot, especially for movie fans, is of the Globe Tavern, at the corner of the market as it’s the building that the titular Bridget Jones lived in in Bridget Jones’s Diary.

Portobello Road

Another shopping-centric option is snapping pics at Portobello Road. Go early in the morning when everything’s still closed to get shots of the colorful buildings and then head back after the market is open to see how much everything changes when the stalls go up. This vintage market is popular and a must-do in London!

Harrods

This London landmark is another shopper’s favorite and is such a neat building to photograph, both inside and out. Christmas is one of the best times to visit Harrods as it’s all lit up for the festive season and all the holiday shoppers add some movement to your shot.

Notting Hill

Cute, inviting pastel buildings lure you to Notting Hill for some amazing photograph opportunities. You can find plenty of Instagrammable locations right outside the Notting Hill Gate Underground station and then simply wander and get lost for unique shots of this charming neighborhood.

Pubs, bars, and tea in London

You cannot visit London and not pop into a pub for a pint! While the drinks are good, the destinations are also great locations for photos. With pubs, you can get cool shots of the outside of the buildings with their flower pots and old street signs and then head inside to get photos of your beer or cider and capture the lifestyle of the city.

• The Mayflower: Just outside of the main part of the city, you can find The Mayflower, one of Rick’s and my favorite pubs in London. The outside is quaint and the interior is so cool with its dark wood, historic pictures, and tributes to the ship. Step outside onto their patio for a great view of the Thames and the city beyond.
• The Dickens Inn: Another fun bar to shoot from the outside is the Dickens Inn. While the inside is your standard pub, the exterior makes for a fun, colorful shot and is so close to the Tower so it’s an easy to find photography location in London.
• The Churchill Arms: In West London on Kensington Church Street, discover the photogenic Churchill Arms pub. Whether it’s covered in flowers or flags, this iconic pub is a must-see.

Gordon’s Wine Bar

Rick and I stopped at Gordon’s for a glass of wine before our ghost tour in London and the interior of the bar was super cute and they had a fantastic outdoor patio as well – perfect for capturing on film or on my phone. Honestly, I wish we had found it earlier so we could have spent more time here.

Sketch

Want the perfect Instagram shot of afternoon tea in London? Head to Sketch and order the champagne afternoon tea for a delightful time. With it’s pink hues, cute decor, and whimsical flair, Sketch makes the perfect background for your afternoon tea photo opps.

Fortnum & Mason

Another option for photographing your classic afternoon tea is at Fortnum & Mason, where they keep it pretty traditional. The white tablecloths and cozy blue chairs are the perfect backdrop for your shot of your teacups, scones, and other light bites on the cake carriage.

Oblix West

If you want a little more London in your tea photos, opt for afternoon tea at Oblix West and combine your visit to the Shard’s viewing deck with tea! Located in the Shard, Oblix West lets their view do most of the talking and serves a traditional tea with scones, sandwiches, and pastries.

Where’s your favorite spot to capture the best photos of London? Tell us in the comments below or join the conversation on Twitter!