The world’s most essential street to walk down is right here in London
Walking is one of the best ways to get to know a city. If you spend all your time hopping on and off public transport, you’ll miss so many treasures and hidden gems that a place has to offer. Stroll down a random street in London (such as the coolest of them all, Blackstock Road), and you’ll likely come across a parade of beloved institutions, trendsetting restaurants and pioneering cultural centres. Often, those streets are landmarks in themselves.
With all of that in mind, travel writers at the Telegraph put together a list of 20 streets around the world that ‘you must walk in your lifetime’. The list isn’t in any particular order, but right at the top is Strand, here in London.
The Telegraph’s destination expert (and former Time Out staffer) Chris Moss said: ‘This classy Monopoly mid-price street (£220 to Park Lane’s £350) invites pedestrians to dance through old London history.’ As it happens, the central London street was also among Time Out’s top places in the UK to visit this year.
Photograph: Shutterstock
The Strand is one of the capital’s most ancient and historic streets, connecting Trafalgar Square to Fleet Street. Along its 1.3 kilometres, walkers will find leading West End theatres, historical landmarks, major art institutions and a slew of fantastic pubs, cafes and restaurants. Its most historic monuments include one of the city’s oldest shops, Twinings, which has been around since 1696; the church of St Clement Danes, thought to date back to pre-Conquest times, and the impressive Royal Courts of Justice, built in the late 1800s.
One of Strand’s other crowning glories is the magnificent Somerset House, which this year is hosting exhibitions about marine ecosystems, music fandoms and edible earth. Inside, there’s also the Courtauld Gallery which, in 2026, is putting on retrospectives on acclaimed artists Barbara Hepworth, Salman Toor and Georges Seurat. That’s not to mention the lineup of theatres like the Adelphi and The Savoy (currently home to Paddington the Musical).
Photograph: Rosie Hewitson for Time Out
Food-wise, the Strand’s grand spread of eateries includes artsy bakehouse Toklas Bakery, hotel dining room Savoy Grill, Cantonese spot Poon’s and the legendary Simpson’s in the Strand (one of the first UK restaurants to earn a Michelin star). Honestly, there’s enough along the Strand to keep you occupied for days.
Did you see that this new east London museum has been crowned one of the best places to visit in the world in 2026 by TIME magazine?
Plus: London is officially one of the best cities in the world in 2026.
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