Ask any Londoner what they think about London, and they’ll tell you it’s a chaotic mess, with dreadful weather and unfriendly people. But they’ll also tell you it’s the most wonderful city in the world and that they wouldn’t live anywhere else.
I moved to London 8 years ago, and despite my regular escapes I always come back. There is something about London that always calls me back.
I often find it hard to explain what it is about London that I love so much. So today, I won’t even try. Instead, I will share with you some beautiful quotes about London, written by people smarter than me and with better writing skills.
Here are some of the best London quotes, which will inspire you to visit the British capital and give you a glimpse into what it is that Londoners love so much about their city.
Before you start, why not take our London quiz?
My personal favourite quotes about London
“In London, everyone is different, and that means anyone can fit in.” – Paddington Bear
“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”– Samuel Johnson
“A bad day in London is still better than a good day anywhere else.” – Unknown
“By seeing London, I have seen as much of life as the world can show.” – Samuel Johnson
“It is not the walls that make the city, but the people who live within them. The walls of London may be battered, but the spirit of the Londoner stands resolute and undismayed.”–George VI
Famous quotes about London
“I’ve been walking about London for the last 30 years, and I find something fresh in it every day.”– Walter Besant
“There’s nowhere else like London. Nothing at all, anywhere.” – Vivienne Westwood
“London opens to you like a novel itself… It is divided into chapters, the chapters into scenes, the scenes into sentences; it opens to you like a series of rooms, doors and passages. Mayfair to Piccadilly to Soho to the Strand.” – Anna Quindlen
“I like the spirit of this great London which I feel around me.” – Charlotte Bronte
“My Dad says that being a Londoner has nothing to do with where you’re born. He says that there are people who get off a jumbo jet at Heathrow, go through immigration waving any kind of passport, hop on the tube and by the time the train’s pulled into Piccadilly Circus they’ve become a Londoner.”– Ben Aaronovitch
Romantic London quotes
“In London, love and scandal are considered the best sweeteners of tea.” –John Osborne
“The streets of London have their map, but our passions are uncharted. What are you going to meet if you turn this corner?” – Virginia Woolf
“London goes beyond any boundary or convention. It contains every wish or word ever spoken, every action or gesture ever made, every harsh or noble statement ever expressed. It is illimitable. It is Infinite London.”–Peter Ackroyd
“One thing about London is that when you step out into the night, it swallows you.” – Sebastian Faulks
Funny London quotes
“A person who is tired of London is not necessarily tired of life; it might be that he just can’t find a parking place.”– Paul Theroux.
“The man who can dominate a London dinner-table can dominate the world.”– Oscar Wilde
“There are two places in the world where men can most effectively disappear — the city of London and the South Seas.”– Herman Melville
“London is a bad habit one hates to lose.”– William Sansom
Short quotes about London
“If you’re curious, London’s an amazing place.”– David Bailey
“I travel continuously, and I see many cities, but there is nowhere like London.” – Norman Foster
“I think London’s sexy because it’s so full of eccentrics.” – Rachel Weisz
“London is a modern Babylon.” – Benjamin Disraeli
“London is like a cold dark dream sometimes” – Jean Rhys
Final thoughts on the most inspirational London quotes
And there you have it, some of the most famous, romantic or funny quotes about London. Do you know other brilliant London quotes? Share them with us in the comments below!
These London quotes also make for perfect Instagram captions for your fabulous London Instagram posts! Some of them also feature in my ultimate London quiz.
I hope you’ve found these quotes about London inspiring, and that they push you to visit the beautiful British capital! If you need help planning your trip to London check out these resources.
Looking for more London inspiration? Check out these articles!
If you’re looking for London travel advice, check out these resources:
- How to get around London
- Where to stay in London
- How to spend 1 day in London
- How to spend 2 days in London
- The ultimate London bucket list
- The best rooftop bars in London
- What to pack for a trip to London
- 33 free & awesome things to do in London
- 20 iconic landmarks you can’t miss
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