I always took old buildings for granted until I met so many Australians. Here are the best historical buildings in London to visit:

Buckingham Palace If you’re in London during the 3 months that this place is open then it’s worth buying tickets. It’s not every day you get a chance to visit one of the most iconic buildings in the world.  The audio guide is excellent and the gardens are huge.  Changing of the Guard details can be found here.

Tower of London Tickets for the Tower are expensive but then this place has the Crown Jewels and is saturated by history.

St Paul’s Cathedral For me, this is one of the most beautiful buildings in London.  On a a fine day the view from the top is superb and beats the London Eye every time.

Westminster Abbey This place is a lot more interesting than it looks.  It is expensive but worth a visit if you’re keen and want to see lots of famous people’s graves. The chapels at the back are beautiful.

Painted Hall, Old Royal Naval College This place takes my breath away every time I visit.   Unmissable if you’re in Greenwich.

Jack the Ripper Tour Several walking tours leave from Tower Hill each evening at 7.30pm.  Make sure it’s dark if you want to maximise the atmosphere.  It’s not the nicest of stories but will give you an insight into nineteenth century London.

Trafalgar Square Right in the heart of London.  Say hi to Nelson on top of the column, and if you can, get a leg up and climb up on to the back of one of the lions for a photo.

Somerset House A great place to be in summer, and also home to a great music and film festival in summer.  It’s an excellent place for children on a hot day if they want to run through the fountains. There are usually a couple of interesting exhibitions to see.

Royal Courts of Justice This grand building is right on the Strand and is worth having a look at if you’re in the area.  It is open to the public during the week if you want to pop in.  Technically any adult should be able to sit in on a court case unless it’s marked private.  Cases might not be interesting as the ones in the Old Bailey but should be easier to get into if you fancy it.