Nothing kills the excitement of visiting London like wasting hours in queues or realizing you can't get in at all because it's already fully booked. Especially if you're visiting in summer or around Christmas, a bit of planning and advance booking will drastically increase your experience and save you some precious time (and even money sometimes!). Here's what you should consider booking ahead of your visit:

📍 London Eye

A frequent complaint about the London Eye is the lengthy wait times. Although every ticket comes with a designated time slot, this only marks the start of an hour-long queue before boarding the pod. If you haven’t booked in advance, you’ll first need to queue at the ticket office for an additional hour, meaning you could be waiting for up to 2h for a 30-minute ride. So if you really want to tick off the London Eye from your bucket list and value your time, book your ticket in advance. And if you don't mind spending extra money, you can purchase a fast-track ticket granting you priority entry at your chosen timeslot.

📍 Sky Garden and other observation decks

Sky Garden is London’s version of a rooftop garden with stunning views of the city. Unlike the expensive London Eye or Shard, this one’s free. You just need to book in advance (slots open up a few weeks ahead and sell out fast). If you miss out, you can try your luck with their bars/restaurants, but expect to pay premium prices. Alternatively, Horizon 22 or the Lookout will provide similar views but the early booking advice also applies here!

📍 Tower of London

Home of the Crown Jewels, Beefeaters, and some gruesome history. Tickets have a specific time slot but you'll still have to queue to enter. Book tickets online to skip the first queue at the ticket office and ensure you get a convenient time slot for you.

💡 Tip: Get there as soon as it opens and head straight for the Crown Jewels, this is the only way to avoid massive crowds later in the day

📍 Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace opens its door to visitors only for 10 weeks in summer (July to September). As you might expect, this is hugely popular and you have almost no chance to get in without booking in advance. Don't expect to meet the King though, he usually spends his summer a Balmoral Castle in Scotland!

📍 St Paul's Cathedral

While advance booking is not mandatory and there is a chance you can just walk in, tickets have a specific 2-hour window and some time slots can end up fully booked at peak season. Booking ahead will guarantee you get the time slot you want so you don't have to re-organise your day.

📍 Madame Tussauds

Booking in advance online will guarantee entry at your chosen timeslot and will save you money compared to walk-up prices

📍 Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio

If you’re a Harry Potter fan (and even if you're not!), you won't regret visiting the studio. But booking in advance is absolutely essential as tickets sell out months in advance!

📍 Theatre shows

London’s West End is famous for its theatre scene and attending a show is part of the classic London experience. The large and popular productions (Lion King, Mamma Mia, Les Misérables, etc.) sell out quickly so if you're planning a night out at the theatre, book a few months ahead for the best seats and prices. Same advice applies for shows held at the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Opera House or the National Theatre.

💡 Tip: If you miss out on tickets for you favourite West End show, you can try purchasing same-day tickets on websites like TKTS.

📍 Popular restaurants

When it comes to food, you're spoiled with choice in London. However, if you’ve got your heart set on a particular place or if you're planning a romantic dinner at an upscale restaurant, book ahead. Popular restaurants being fully booked days or weeks in advance is a constant source of frustration, even for Londoners.