Most people might think "Well, churches, .... not wuite the most interesting thing on a city trip to London...", but I can assure you that the buildings on this list are everything but ordinary! SO let me take you on a short journey through the cathedrals and churches of Central London!
ST MARTIN-IN-THE-FIELDS at trafalgar square
This church has an absolute prime location: The step in front of its main entrance loook towards the always busy Trafagar Square. It is fantastic to sit here, watch all the traffic go by and observe the people wandering around. Also, this church hosts some free classical concerts every day around lunch time which can be attended on the inside. By the way, it is always free to visit during the daytime. On the side of the curch there is also a church cafe as well as entrance to the crypt. Still, my highlight is enjoying the few from the entrance stairs: you can properly feel the city vibe here!
WESTMINSTER ABBEY in westminster
This gothic cathedral might even be the most famous one on this list. Pelnty of tourists queue every day for their ticket to get inside - and it is clearly not cheap. However, lots of them even say it is worth it! The inside it huge with tall ceilings, beautiful coloured windows and the classical gothic flare. The cathedral has something special about it: It feels aboslutely airy and light in there, unless plenty of gothic churches.
Still, you can also get in here for free: Simply attend a church service. There ususally are a few every day, especially on Sundays. Try to be there a little eatrly to make sure you still get a seating space and don't need to be in the standing area at the back. The view is simply much more spectaculat when you sit right in the middle and can marvel at all the beauty around you.
For all those who are not necessarily a fan of hour long services: There are some very short (about 15-30 minutes) choire services as well that pretty much only consist of listening to beautiful relaxing songs while taking a look around.
ST PAULS CATHEDRAL in the city of london
Just like the Westminster Abbey, this is an incredibly famous tourist attraction that requires long waiting and an expensive ticket. Still, there is the same trick to get inside for free: Simply attend one of the many services. However, here the most stunning thing is the view from the dome which defnitely won't be possible to visit during a service. But here is a tip: On the day of the Lord Mayor's show in November you can go in and go up completely for free! And actually the lines aren't even too long. The security personnell is very skilled and the work fantastically fast, so then when I visited I only waited like 15 minutes to get inside.
Once I was there, it was breath taking: the bright and lovely interior was so welcoming! And looking towards the ceiling with all the beautiful art and windows was simply unforgettable! Who would have thought it could become even better? When we made our way up the narrow steps to the first level inside, then the second and finally the third one on the outside (yes it was quite windy there) the only thing describing these views is unreal! Looking down on the complete cathedral from up in the dome and then having the most spectacular perspective London has to offer with luckily a beautiful sunshine and blue sky is something I am never going to forget. So many nice photos were taken up here, even if on the very highest level you were only allowed one round due to the many people queueing that day. But this was enough time, still, and I enjoyed every second of it.
I absolutely recommend a visit up here on a beautiful day!
ST DUNSTAN IN THE EAST in the city of london
This is absolutely the most unusual of the churches on the list. More particularly, it is only a ruin of an old church. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of London and is actually located quite near to Pudding Lane, where the fire is supposed to have started.
Instead of rebuilding it afterwards, the Londoners decided to leave it here as a monument. So all there is now it one tower and some exterior walls with a nicely planned garden inside and the century old marks of smoke on the stones.
It a great place to relax and calm down, as it is also pretty hidden and not too many people come by. It is not a church in the traditional sense, but a cleary stunning oasis between all those skyscrapers around reminding people of the devastating events of the past.
It is also perfect for taking photos. You don't need to worry about anyone having a problem with you using your camera in this church as it really is more like a park - and of course free to visit for everyone.