St Paul's Cathedral

St Paul's Cathedral is one of the most recognisable buildings in the world — a baroque masterpiece completed in 1711 by architect Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London destroyed its medieval predecessor. It sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and has served as the backdrop to some of Britain's most defining moments: the funerals of Nelson and Churchill, the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana, and services of thanksgiving after both World Wars. It is still an active Anglican cathedral, meaning it functions simultaneously as a working church and one of London's most visited tourist attractions.

Inside, the scale is staggering. The nave stretches nearly 180 metres long, and the dome — at 111 metres high — is the second largest cathedral dome in the world after St Peter's in Rome. You can climb it in three stages: the Whispering Gallery, where the acoustic trick of murmured words travelling around the curved wall is genuinely worth testing; the Stone Gallery for open-air views over the Thames; and the Golden Gallery at the very top, which rewards the 528-step climb with a panoramic view of London that few other vantage points can match. Below ground, the crypt contains the tombs of Wren himself, the Duke of Wellington, and Horatio Nelson, whose elaborate sarcophagus was originally made for Cardinal Wolsey.

Arrive early on weekdays — the cathedral opens before London's tourist crowds fully mobilise, and the morning light through the windows is something special. Wednesday mornings open later at 10am, so aim for another day if you're an early starter. The entrance fee is steep (around £25 for adults), but it includes the dome climb and is significantly cheaper if you book online in advance. One often-overlooked detail: evensong is free to attend most weekdays at 5pm, and sitting in the choir stalls while the choir performs in that extraordinary acoustic space is one of London's genuinely moving experiences.