London, the capital city of England, is one of the world's most visited cities in terms of international visits. It is home to an array of notable tourist attractions, attracting 20.42 million international visitors in 2018, an additional 27.8 million overnighting domestic tourists in 2017, and 280 million day-trippers in 2015.
Tourists at Buckingham Palace
A tourist stall selling various London and United Kingdom related souvenirs on the edge of Trafalgar Square on the Strand
A signpost on Parliament Square with directions for nearby attractions
In spite of heavy traffic, several companies operate tour buses in London.
London is the capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of around 8.8 million, and its metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe, with a population of 14.9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a 50-mile (80 km) estuary down to the North Sea and has been a major settlement for nearly two millennia. The City of London, its ancient core and financial centre, was founded by the Romans as Londinium and retains its medieval boundaries. The City of Westminster, to the west of the City of London, has for centuries hosted the national government and parliament. In the 19th century, London grew rapidly, becoming the world's largest city at the time, as it expanded and absorbed the neighbouring county of Middlesex, and parts of Surrey and Kent. In 1965 it was combined with parts of Essex and Hertfordshire to create the administrative area of Greater London, which is governed by 33 local authorities and the Greater London Authority.
Image: London Skyline (125508655)
Image: London Eye at sunset 2013 07 19
Image: London, Trafalgar Square, Nelson's Column 2016 4851
Image: St Paul dome