London Flights And Sights

Experience Britain’s eclectic capital with one of American’s flights to London. Take in the city from above on the London Eye, see the Rosetta Stone at the British Museum, and hit the West End for exciting theater when you fly to London with American Airlines.

Attend the Changing the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace and watch the guards, clad in red tunics and black bearskin hats, parade with perfect precision outside the Queen’s residence. From here, stroll through Hyde Park and take a romantic row on the Serpentine lake, or a refreshing summertime dip in its waters.

Take the family for a ride on the London Eye to see the capital unfold from a glass capsule 400 feet above the city. Time your trip on one of the world’s largest Ferris wheels for sunset, when the lights switch on along the River Thames and the Houses of Parliament glow from across the river.

Find your favorite masterpieces at the National Gallery, home to the world’s largest collection of Western European paintings. Feel the serenity of Turner’s seascapes, smile at Van Gogh’s cheery Sunflowers, and witness the drama of Delaroche’s 16th-century Execution of Lady Jane Grey. Descend the gallery’s broad steps to Trafalgar Square and its resident bronze lions.

Gaze at the British Museum’s ancient Greek sculptures and travel back to Ancient Egypt to see the hieroglyphic-covered Rosetta Stone, as well as the museum’s impressive collection of mummies. Step back to the 21st century with a stroll under Sir Norman Foster’s soaring glass roof of the Great Court. Like most of London’s major museums, it’s free, so a return visit to see more treasures such as medieval clocks and Viking artifacts is easy.

Be dazzled by a West End show in London’s theater district. Options abound—do you prefer the Royal Ballet at Covent Garden’s Royal Opera House, the longest-running play in history (Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap), or a glittering musical on Shaftesbury Avenue? Or seek out something edgier by hunting down a new drama in one of London’s many small studio theaters.

Book your flight to London with American Airlines today to see some of London’s top attractions.

Follow American Airlines as we go off the beaten path to discover more things to do in London. Dine on Bangladeshi cuisine in Brick Lane, stand on the Greenwich Meridian Line, and enjoy Highgate Cemetery’s Victorian mausoleums. American is with you every step of the way.

Peek inside Sir John Soane’s Museum, home to one of London’s most personal collections. This lovely Georgian townhouse, located in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, is crammed with oddities collected by the 18th-century architect. Look out for Greco-Roman statues peeping out from tucked-away alcoves, Hogarth caricatures of 18th-century London lowlife, and even an imitation monk’s parlor inside its twisty passageways.

Explore Brick Lane’s vintage stores and Asian cuisine in London’s East End. This up-and-coming area will keep you busy all day (and night) long—stroll through Old Spitalfields Market looking for fashion accessories, feast on spicy fish curry at Shampan and enjoy a beer with eclectic bands at 93 Feet East.

Take a romantic boat trip along the Thames to Greenwich. On the way, look out for the gleaming white dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral, the curved postmodern 30 St. Mary Axe Building (affectionately known as “The Gherkin,”) and the Tate Modern, a one-time power station now home to world-class contemporary art. At Greenwich, stand on the line marking 0 degrees latitude at The Royal Observatory.

Seek out Karl Marx in Highgate Cemetery. In village-like Highgate, this 19th-century cemetery is the resting place of some of England’s most famous writers, actors, and scientists. Wander its ivy-clad paths looking out for ornate Victorian mausoleums, catacombs, and the huge bust of Karl Marx. Afterwards, enjoy a pint of English beer in the nearby 18th-century—and possibly haunted—pub The Flask.

Enjoy a family walk in the treetops at Kew Gardens, one of London’s best day trips. Ascend the 60 foot-high Xstrata Treetop Walkway by starting at the trees’ knotty roots, then climb to the canopy to walk along the tops of sweet chestnut, oak and lime trees, with a bird's-eye view of the gardens below. Descend and walk through the steamy Palm House, or see the world’s tallest glasshouse plant inside the Temperate House.

Book flights to London with American Airlines today to discover more great things to do in London.