The Best Instagram Spots in London
London is such a charming city and truly an Instagrammer’s heaven, with all of its historic sights and flower arches. There are just so many pretty places in London! On my last couple of trips to London, I did my research and found the best Instagram spots in London. Read on to check them out!
And if you love Instagrammable travel as much as I do, feel free to check out my Instagram guides to Paris, New York, Las Vegas and Scottsdale AZ.
Alright, let’s move on to London, baby!
1. Peggy Porschen
Peggy Porschen has to be THE most Instagrammable spot in all of London. This pretty pink cafe in London has an Insta-famous exterior and it’s easy to see why.
You can either stop by for a quick photo of the exterior, or grab a cappuccino and cake, and take a photo sitting at one of the outdoor cafe tables.
Location: Peggy Porschen has a couple of locations in London. The original location in Belgravia is at 116 Ebury Street, but they’ve also opened a second location in Chelsea at 219 King’s Road. The photo below is from the more famous Belgravia location.
Photography Tip: Come early! The Peggy Porschen in Belgravia often has a line up starting mid-morning. But, it opens at 8 AM – we got there at about 8:15 AM and were the only ones there taking photos!
Bonus Tip: Other Instagrammable cafes to check out in London include EL&N Cafe, Biscuiteers Boutique and Icing Cafe, Fait Maison, The Ivy Chelsea Garden and Sketch London (which is mentioned below).
2. Notting Hill
Notting Hill is one of London’s most charming neighborhoods. There are candy colored homes pretty much everywhere you turn. One of my favorite Instagram spots in London is this row of pastel colored homes on a street called Colville Houses. Definitely a pretty place in London!
Location: Colville Houses is a small dead end road in Notting Hill that intersects with Talbot Road.
Photography Tip: Avoid coming when the sun is at its strongest and harshest – when the sun is high, the houses look bleached out and their colors don’t pop as much in photos.
3. Westminster + Big Ben
The UK Parliament sits in the Palace of Westminster. Just nearby is the iconic clock we all call Big Ben.
But did you know that clock tower is actually called Elizabeth Tower? It was originally called the Clock Tower, but was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II. Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the clock, but most people refer to the entire clock and tower as Big Ben.
Location: Westminster Palace is located at Westminster, London SW1A 0AA, UK. The photo below was taken standing on the nearby Westminster Bridge.
Photography Tip: Although it is one of the best Instagram spots in London, Big Ben is under restoration until 2021. Unfortunately we should expect it to be covered by scaffolding until then. That’s why I chose to make Westminster Palace the focal point of my photo.
4. The London Eye
The London Eye is a massive observation wheel on London’s South Bank. It’s a great place to catch a view of London – and also one of the best Instagram spots!
The best place to snap a photo of the London Eye is sitting or standing across the Thames river from it. We took the tube to Westminster station and then walked a few minutes to the photo spots below.
There are two great photo ops here:
- sitting or leaning on the ledge across from the London Eye, and
- walking to the set of red phone booths that are slightly to the right and taking a photo at an angle.
Location: Victoria Embankment – walk until you’re directly across from the London Eye. The nearest tube stop is Westminster station.
Photography Tip: In both spots, be prepared to wait your turn to take a photo. If you want a photo with the two red phone booths, have your photographer stand in the median of the street. You can get a much better angle from there!
5. Tower Bridge
The Tower Bridge is another icon and definitely one of the best Instagram spots in London! If you have time, I highly recommend going up into the bridge itself and checking out the glass floor experience. I was terrified the whole time, but it was an absolutely memorable experience.
If you want a beautiful sunset photo of the Tower Bridge, head to the Girl with a Dolphin Fountain (pictured below). You’ll catch the sun setting behind the Tower Bridge and – on a clear day – capture the brilliant colors that light up the sky.
Location: The Girl with a Dolphin Fountain is located at 1 St Katharine’s Way, London.
Photography Tip: Towards late afternoon and early evening, your best bet is to take a photo near The Girl with a Dolphin Fountain – you’ll get the best light behind the bridge. But, there isn’t a ledge to sit on from this vantage point. You have to lean against a railing for this photo.
If you really want a photo sitting on a ledge with the Tower Bridge in the background, head across the Tower Bridge to the Southbank. You should take that photo in the first half of the day before the Tower Bridge is covered in shadow in the afternoon and evening.
6. Harrods
Harrods is a famous department store, and also one of the best Instagram spots in London. Around the Christmas holidays, its exterior is covered in twinkly lights.
Location: Harrods is located at 87-135 Brompton Rd, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7X.
Photography Tip: For the best photo, walk down the block until you see a set of classic red phone booths. Frame Harrods in the background and voila, you’ve got an iconic Instagrammable photo.
7. Natural History Museum
London goes full out during the December holiday season. One of my favorite Instagrammable places in London around the holidays is the Natural History Museum. They set up an ice rink and a giant Christmas tree just outside the museum.
Location: Cromwell Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 5BD.
Photography Tip: This Instagrammable spot gets extremely busy in December. So, if you’re planning to take a photo here, bring a prime lens so you can blur the people in the background with a bokeh effect.
8. Sketch London
Sketch London is a pretty pink restaurant that’s known for its high tea. The man in the fedora in my photo is their dedicated caviar man, so you know this is a swanky spot!
You need a reservation and – in the interest of full disclosure – we found this restaurant to be very expensive. So, if you really want a photo at this Instagram spot in London, be prepared to pay for an expensive meal.
Location: 9 Conduit St, Mayfair, London W1S 2XG.
Photography Tip: Bring a wide angle lens. I didn’t own one at the time, and I wish I had a photo that included more of the restaurant behind me.
9. Wild at Heart
Wild at Heart is an adorable flower shop in Notting Hill. Its unique turquoise wedge shaped building is such a pretty place in London!
Location: 222 Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill, London W11 2RH.
Photography Tip: The shop is most photogenic when it’s open and has flowers lined up outside. Go Monday to Friday from 8 AM to 6 PM, or Saturdays from 8 AM to 5 PM. The store is closed on Sundays.
10. Les Senteurs
Les Senteurs is a charming little perfume shop in Belgravia with a beautiful Instagrammable exterior. It’s also London’s oldest independent perfumery.
Location: 71 Elizabeth St, Belgravia, London SW1W 9PJ.
Photography Tip: Try playing around with angles rather than shooting straight on.
11. Moyses Stevens
Moyses Stevens is a London florist with multiple locations. The Belgravia location is the one you may have seen on Instagram. This Instagram spot in London is an easy walking distance from Peggy Porschen, Dominique Ansel Bakery and Les Senteurs.
Location: 53 Elizabeth Street, London SW1W 9PP.
Photography Tip: This is another shop you want to capture when it’s open and has its charming flower display out front. From Monday to Friday, it’s open from 9 AM to 7 PM. On Saturday, it’s open from 10 AM to 5 PM, and on Sunday it’s open from 11 AM to 4 PM.
12. Dominique Ansel Bakery
Dominique Ansel Bakery is home to the famous Cronut® (yes… they actually use the ® symbol every time they write it). Its exterior also has a pretty flower arch that’s perfect for Instagram.
Location: 17-21 Elizabeth St, Belgravia, London SW1W 9RP.
Photography Tip: This isn’t a photography tip, but try a Cronut® while you’re there. Although we have this bakery in New York City, I had never tried one before because I’d have to wait in line for it. And, I don’t have the patience to wait in line for pastries. But in London, we were able to waltz right in and buy one without waiting.
13. The Churchill Arms
The Churchill Arms is a classic London pub with a memorable exterior. Apparently, they spend £25,000 a year on decorations! In the spring, they cover the exterior with 100 flower pots, 48 window boxes, and 42 hanging baskets. Last Christmas, they covered the exterior with 90 (90!) Christmas trees.
The pub has been around since 1750, so it’s steeped in history. Winston Churchhill’s grandparents were regulars there in the 1800s, hence the name The Churchill Arms.
Location: 119 Kensington Church St, Kensington, London W8 7LN.
Photography Tip: Don’t come at happy hour or your photo will have a bunch of people standing outside the pub drinking their pints, like mine. Next time, I’ll go no later than 3 PM!
14. Kew Gardens
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – usually referred to as Kew Gardens – has world class botanic gardens. My husband grew up down the street, so we try to visit Kew Gardens every time we’re in London.
Location: Richmond TW9 3AB – Elizabeth Gate is the best entrance if you’re coming from central London.
Photography Tip: Temperate House is the most iconic spot in Kew Gardens – it’s the largest Victorian glasshouse in the world.
To be honest, the photo below was taken very early on in my Instagram journey and is not how I would capture Temperate House now. Next time I visit, I’ll take a wider angle photo standing on one of the spiral staircases.
15. With a Pink Cab
The clothing brand PrettyLittleThing has pink “unicorn” cabs that you can find driving around the city.
Location: All over the city of London.
Photography Tip: Catch one if you can – but please be safe with traffic and remember they drive on the other side of the road in London!!!
That wraps up my list of the best Instagram spots in London.
I visit London at least once a year, so I’ll be updating this post as I discover more and more Instagrammable places there.
Which Instagramamable place in London is your favorite?
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