London travel from Canada: the complete guide

London is about 7 hours away by direct flight from Canada. Air Canada and British Airways fly daily from Toronto to Heathrow, Air Canada operates 1 to 2 daily flights from Montreal alongside a daily British Airways service, and Air Transat links both cities to Gatwick, mainly in summer. Since February 25, 2026, Canadian citizens need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before boarding: it costs £16, about $30 CAD, and stays valid for 2 years. The best months run from May to September, with temperatures of 17 to 24 °C. As a guideline, budget $700 to $1,300 CAD for a round-trip flight from Montreal and $220 to $450 CAD per night for a central 3 or 4-star hotel. Here is the full picture, neighbourhood by neighbourhood and expense by expense.

The essentials at a glance

Why London

Few cities give away this much for free. The British Museum, the National Gallery and the Tate Modern, three of the world's great museums, charge nothing for their permanent collections. You can duck in for an hour between showers or spend a full day without touching your budget.

London is a city you explore on foot and by Tube. Each neighbourhood has its own character, from the Houses of Parliament in Westminster to the stalls of Camden, and a West End musical can often be seen the same evening if you time it right. For a first trip to Europe, the shared language makes everything easier, from ordering at the pub to sorting out a train ticket.

The city also works as a gateway. Windsor, Oxford and Stonehenge are all doable as day trips, and the Eurostar puts Paris just over 2 hours away by train. If you want to see more of the country, our England travel guide maps out where to go next.

When to go

From May to September, temperatures sit between 17 and 24 °C and daylight stretches late into the evening. It is the most pleasant season, which also makes it the busiest: book your hotel several months ahead. April and October bring shorter lines and often gentler hotel rates. December is worth the trip for the Christmas lights and markets. Rain is possible in any season; a rain jacket serves you better than an umbrella.

How to get there from Canada

From Toronto, Air Canada and British Airways both fly direct to Heathrow every day, with a flight time of about 7 hours, and Air Transat serves Gatwick. From Montreal, Air Canada operates 1 to 2 direct flights a day to Heathrow and British Airways adds a daily service, for a total of about twenty direct flights a week; Air Transat connects Montreal to Gatwick, mainly in summer. An evening departure lands you in London the next morning, local time.

On arrival at Heathrow, you have two solid options: the Heathrow Express reaches Paddington station in 15 minutes, while the Piccadilly line on the Tube covers the same ground for much less money in about an hour. From Gatwick, the Gatwick Express reaches Victoria station in 30 minutes. Either way, you step off the train in the centre of the city, within walking distance or a few Tube stops of most hotels.

Neighbourhoods and must-sees

Westminster and the classics

Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey sit within a few hundred metres of each other along the Thames. A 15-minute walk away, Buckingham Palace hosts the Changing of the Guard; arrive early for a decent view. Round it out with the Tower of London, home of the Crown Jewels, and book your tickets online.

South Bank, the cultural riverside

The south bank of the Thames is one long walk, from Westminster Bridge to the Tate Modern, housed in a former power station. Along the way: street performers, book stalls and views across to Parliament. Do it on your first day to get the measure of the city.

Camden, Notting Hill and Shoreditch

Camden earns the detour with its market, its street-food stalls and its proudly scruffy edge. Notting Hill lines up its pastel houses and the Portobello Road market, liveliest on Saturdays. Shoreditch, in the east, concentrates murals, cafés and independent shops; it is where to spend an evening if you are under 40, or feel like it.

The West End after dark

The theatre district stages musicals nearly every night. Book ahead for the big titles; for the rest, same-day tickets are often available. End the evening in a pub: order at the bar, pay as you go, and take whichever table opens up.

Day trips

Windsor and its castle are an easy train ride away, and so is Oxford. Stonehenge is usually visited on a guided day tour, often paired with Bath. And if a second country tempts you, the Eurostar reaches Paris in just over 2 hours. For ideas beyond the capital, from the north of England to the coast, start with our England travel page.

The budget, in Canadian dollars

The ranges below are a guideline only, based on an exchange rate of £1 ≈ $1.89 CAD in July 2026. Prices vary with the season and how far ahead you book.

Two easy ways to keep costs down: pay for the Tube with a contactless bank card, since the daily cap limits your spending to about $15 CAD, and build your days around the free museums. Lunch costs less than dinner at most restaurants, so make midday your bigger meal.

Entry requirements and health for Canadian citizens

• UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) required, enforced since February 25, 2026: £16 (about $30 CAD), applied for online or through the UK ETA app, before departure.
• The ETA is valid for 2 years, or until your passport expires, and allows multiple entries for stays of up to 6 months.
• Your passport must be valid for the full length of your stay.
• Health: no vaccines are required for entry; travel.gc.ca recommends keeping routine vaccinations up to date.
• Travel insurance with medical coverage is strongly recommended before departure.

A few last things before you zip the suitcase: pack a type G adapter in your carry-on (the current is 230 V), keep a contactless card handy for the Tube, and look both ways before crossing, since traffic comes from the right. The 5-hour time difference is manageable eastbound: go to bed at local time on your first night and you are set.

First time in London or your tenth? The travel advisors at Voyages AquaTerra build your itinerary from the ground up: flights, well-located hotels, tickets and day trips, matched to your actual budget. 450-628-6241 | 1-866-628-6241 | info@voyagesaquaterra.com