Iconic London Photo Spots Without the Crowds

London is full of beautiful spots for photos, but the popular spots are often also full of crowds. That’s great for atmosphere, but not so great for photos. Luckily as a long-time local I’ve learned when and where to go! Here are ten suggestions for capturing great iconic photos of London without the crowds (and without having to get up at the crack of dawn to grab the perfect shot). I’ve also added five bonus spots that are less well-known but equally instagrammable. Happy shooting!

Big Ben from Westminster Bridge

No trip to London is complete without a glimpse of Big Ben! Emerging from Westminster Tube Station to the view of the iconic clock tower never gets old, but the traffic, crowds and barriers near Parliament can be frustrating for photos. For me, the best crowd-free shots are achieved by walking across the bridge to the other side of the river. There’s a lovely archway on the south side of Westminster Bridge to frame your shots, and I’ve never had to wait long at all for a picture without anyone or anything else in the frame. Plus, a stroll along that area of the river and the Mary Seacole Memorial and gardens is worth it even without the lovely pic!

Westminster Abbey from Victoria Street

Westminster Abbey is another famous spot full of history – and people. There are sometimes some lovely crowd-free shots of the Abbey or the Cloisters near the entrance by Dean’s Yard, but a fave photo spot of mine can be found by strolling a short way down Victoria Street. There are usually far fewer people, and even a red phone booth and lots of double-decker buses to make the shot iconically London.

London Eye from the Embankment

The London Eye is an immediately recognisable part of the London skyline, and it’s possible with patience to get crowd-free shots of the Eye as you approach, but you’ll need a LOT of patience as there are usually a LOT of people. However, you can almost always get great crowd-free shots from across the river! Just stroll along the lovely Embankment for amazing views of the skyline and the Eye – there’s even a great shot of the Eye complete with two red phone booths that’s rarely crowded despite being only a few steps away from Big Ben!

St Paul’s Cathedral from the Reflection Garden

The dome of St Paul’s Cathedral is a gorgeous backdrop (and fun to climb by the way!). There are many great vantage-points for photos here, and two of my personal faves to avoid the crowds are just across New Change Street from the Cathedral. There is a lovely reflection garden at the corner of New Change and Cannon Street with a water feature that provides a reflection of the dome – and a photo spot that’s completely free of people too! Also, next door to the reflection garden is the entrance to the One New Change shopping centre, and the glass buildings provide reflections of the dome. You’ll defo need a bit of patience if you want a completely crowd-free shot here but it’s never very crowded.

Tower Bridge from Horselydown Stairs

In my opinion, you can’t find anything more iconically London than Tower Bridge. What’s even better is that despite the tons of people who stroll past here every day, it’s usually relatively easy to get a crowd-free shot along either side of the river. However, for a truly gorgeous crowd-free view, head to the south side of the bridge and turn towards Butler’s Wharf. There you’ll find the Horselydown Stairs that will take you right down to the banks of the river itself just below the Tower Bridge! At low tide you can walk out onto the beach for a gorgeous shot, and as the tide rises, you can still get a fab shot from the stairs itself.

Covent Garden from the Opera Terrace

Strolling through Covent Garden is lovely, but as it’s a market it is always buzzing with people. From a photographer’s perspective that’s not great, but it’s fun all the same. They often have displays set up for photos, and the flower carts surrounding Covent Garden can help create a great shot without too many people. One of my fave vantage points of Covent Garden though is from above. Head into the Royal Opera House and their Terrace Bar. You can grab a very yummy cocktail – or even a lovely lunch – while you’re there, but even if you just go for a look, the view of Covent Garden below and the London rooftops beyond is worth the visit and free. While you’re admiring the view, you can also watch the Opera staff preparing the opera and ballet costumes.

The King’s Guards from the Tower of London

Seeing the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace is on most first-timer itineraries and an iconically British site. However, unless you arrive early and secure a front-row spot, crowd-free pics are difficult. As an alternative, if you’d like a shot with royal guards but without the crowds, consider visiting the Tower of London. The guards are there protecting the Crown Jewels and selfies with guards in the background are easy to capture. There is also a (much smaller) Ceremony of the Word daily at 14:50 (2:50pm) for pics of marching guards. And you can always ask for a picture with one of the King’s Yeoman Warders! (Note: you will need to buy a ticket to the Tower for these shots)

Old Royal Naval College from the Water Gate

Greenwich is full of lovely iconic photo spots, and one of the best is the view of the Old Royal Naval College from the Water Gate on the river. The gate itself creates a lovely frame for the photo with Christopher Wren’s domes in the background, and the steps are rarely crowded so capturing the shot free of people is easy. Greenwich is also a great spot on rainy days with snaps along the colonnades of the building with the London skyline behind. It’s no wonder this is such a popular spot as a filming location!

The London Skyline from Greenwich Park

Greenwich is one of the best spots for pictures of the London skyline. You can capture pics right from banks of the river Thames, but a climb up one of the hills in Greenwich Park is well worth it for sweeping views. The most popular spot is from the Royal Observatory. The views across London are spectacular from there, and you might be able to snap a photo without too many people. For a crowd-free shot, head a little further over to One Tree Hill Vista Point (also in Greenwich Park) for equally stunning views of both London and the Observatory as well.

London Highrise Views

I love stopping for a drink or meal at one of London’s many highrise restaurants or rooftop bars. There are also a number of viewing platforms and sky gardens, though most of them require booking (even if they are free). One of my fave completely free skyrise spots is the roof garden at the Post Building. No booking is required (though you will need to show an ID) and I have never ever seen crowds here. I have seen some amazing 360 degree views over London though! Alternatively, for a night view, I’d recommend stopping by for a drink at one of the bars at the Shard. The views are at least as good as from the Shard viewing platform, and it only costs you a cocktail!

Bonus Instagrammable Spots:

The ten spots above are instantly recognisable London sites and each worth a visit. For something a bit more unique, here are five more spots that are less well-known but still very London – and beautiful for that instagrammable photo!

St Dunstan in the East – a former Christpher Wren church that was bombed during the Blitz is now a gorgeous reflection garden with lovely photo spots of window frames and greenery
Barbican conservatory – this gorgeous urban jungle offers a juxtaposition of tropical plants against brutalist architecture. It’s free to visit but requires advance booking (and books out fast!)
Guildhall – the lovely administrative centre of the City of London is a medieval building that’s almost always crowd-free (and it’s sitting on top the remains of of a free to visit Roman Forum by the way!)
Shoreditch street art – the hands down best spot in London to stroll through street art (and vibrant eateries as well!) is along Brick Lane and its surrounding streets in Shoreditch.
Bridgerton House – The filming location of ‘Bridgerton House’ is actually Rangers House in Greenwich Park. Especially in the summer when the rose garden is in full bloom, it’s lovely and great for soaking up the Bridgerton vibes in London.

Conclusion

I hope you’ve enjoyed these suggestions for creating iconic London photos without the crowds, and I hope even more that it’s inspired you to get out and explore this lovely city!