10 Best Churches to Visit in London: A Guide for Christian Travellers

London is one of the great Christian cities of the world. And we mean that not just in a historical sense, though the history is extraordinary. We mean it in the sense that right now, every Sunday morning, tens of thousands of people are worshipping in this city, in buildings old and new, in languages from every corner of the world, in styles ranging from ancient choral liturgy to Pentecostal praise with hands in the air.

At The Highbury Centre, we have been welcoming Christian visitors from all over the world for many years. Our guests come from Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and beyond, and over time we have learned which churches they love to visit. This list reflects that. It is not just a list of famous buildings. It is a list of places where something is genuinely happening, where people go to worship and come back encouraged.

This guide is specifically about churches to walk into, sit in, and worship in.

1. Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB), South Kensington

Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) is known the world over as the birthplace of the Alpha course, now run in over 100 countries. But come on a Sunday morning and what strikes you first is not the fame or the reputation; it is the queue outside on the pavement before the service starts, people of every age and nationality waiting to get in.

Inside this beautiful Victorian church you will find lively contemporary worship, a strong message and an atmosphere that is hard to describe unless you have been there. There are multiple services throughout the day, from early morning to early evening, and the welcome to visitors is genuine. Afterwards, the cafe in the crypt is a great place to sit and reflect. HTB is near South Kensington tube station and easy to combine with a visit to the nearby museums.

Website: htb.org

2. Kensington Temple (KT), Notting Hill

If there is one church in London that captures the extraordinary diversity of the global church, it is Kensington Temple. Believers from 119 different nationalities worship here, and on a Sunday morning that is something you can feel as soon as you walk in. This is the largest Elim Pentecostal church in Britain, with around 5,500 people attending its five Sunday services, and the energy and warmth of the worship reflects that.

The theology is Pentecostal, with an emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit, and the preaching is bold and accessible. KT also runs hundreds of cell groups meeting across London during the week, so if you are staying in London for longer, it is easy to connect with a smaller community too. It is right on Notting Hill Gate, next to the tube station, which makes it simple to get to from Highbury.

Website: kt.org

3. All Souls, Langham Place, near Oxford Circus

All Souls sits at the top of Regent Street, opposite the BBC's Broadcasting House, and has been one of London's most influential evangelical Anglican churches for generations. John Stott ministered here for many years and his legacy of clear, serious Bible preaching continues. The congregation is large, diverse and genuinely welcoming to visitors from all over the world.

The classical building with its distinctive circular porch is one of the recognisable sights of that part of London. Services are contemporary in style, with good music and strong teaching. Given the central location, it fits very naturally into a Sunday that also includes some time in the West End.

Website: allsouls.org

4. St Helen's Bishopsgate, the City of London

St Helen's is a church that surprises people. Tucked between the glass towers of the City near Liverpool Street, it is a medieval building that has survived the Great Fire of 1666, the Blitz and two IRA bombs in the 1990s. It contains more monuments than any church in London outside Westminster Abbey, which tells you something about the generations of people who have worshipped and been buried here. Shakespeare himself worshipped at St Helen's when he lived in the area.

But the reason guests come back is not just the history. St Helen's has a large, thriving congregation in the conservative evangelical tradition, known across London for exceptionally clear and careful Bible teaching. Services are welcoming and well attended, and the evening service at 6pm has a particularly lively feel, drawing many students and young workers from across the city. After the evening service there is a shared meal, which is a wonderful way to meet people.

Website: st-helens.org.uk

5. St Paul's Cathedral, the City

We mention St Paul's in our Top 10 Christian Attractions guide too, but we want to make a separate point here: please do not only visit St Paul's as a tourist. Come to a service. Choral Evensong at St Paul's, sung by the cathedral choir beneath that great dome, is one of the finest worship experiences available anywhere in the world, and it is completely free. You simply arrive a little early, take your seat in the choir stalls and let it begin.

Evensong takes place most weekday evenings, and there are sung Eucharist services on Sundays too. Guests who have attended a service at St Paul's, rather than just sightseeing, consistently tell us it was the highlight of their time in London. Check the cathedral's website for service times before you travel.

Website: stpauls.co.uk

6. Westminster Abbey, Westminster

Similarly, Westminster Abbey is much more than a famous building to look at. It is a living church, and its daily services are free and open to all. Choral Evensong here is breathtaking: the choir is world class and the Gothic nave one of the greatest in England. If you can plan your visit around an Evensong, it is genuinely worth rearranging the rest of your day to make it happen.

Do check the Abbey's website before you visit for times and any closures, as the Abbey is occasionally shut for special events. But as a place of worship rather than just a sightseeing destination, it is quite extraordinary.

Website: westminster-abbey.org

7. Westminster Chapel, Buckingham Gate

Westminster Chapel is one of those places that means a great deal to Christians who know their church history. Sitting just off Victoria Street, a short walk from Buckingham Palace, it has been home to some of the greatest evangelical preachers of the last two centuries. G. Campbell Morgan ministered here, and most famously Martyn Lloyd-Jones, who preached here from 1939 to 1968 and whose influence on Reformed evangelical Christianity worldwide is still felt today.

The congregation today describes itself as a diverse family of Londoners of all ages, many of whom have moved to London from all over the UK and the rest of the world, which makes it a natural home for international visitors too. Services are on Sunday mornings at 11am, in the tradition of gospel-centred preaching that has always defined this chapel. The building itself is a Grade II listed Victorian structure, recently refurbished, with wonderful acoustics. If you love strong Bible preaching and a warm welcome, this is a must.

Website: westminsterchapel.org.uk

8. Ruach City Church, Brixton

If you want to experience the very best of London's Pentecostal worship tradition, Ruach City Church in Brixton is the place to go. With over 7,000 members, it is one of the largest and fastest-growing charismatic Pentecostal churches in Europe. The founder, Bishop John Francis, co-founded the Inspirational Choir, one of the first gospel ensembles to cross over into the UK mainstream, and that musical DNA runs through everything Ruach does. The praise and worship here is joyful, powerful and genuinely uplifting.

Brixton itself is one of London's most vibrant and culturally rich neighbourhoods, and a Sunday visit to Ruach fits naturally into a day exploring the area. The church is welcoming to visitors from anywhere in the world, and many of our guests from Africa, the Caribbean and beyond have told us it felt like home the moment they walked in. Brixton is about 30 minutes from Highbury on the Victoria line.

Website: ruachcitychurch.org

9. Temple Church, near Fleet Street

Another church well worth discovering and one that many visitors to London never find is Temple Church, a remarkable place that deserves far more attention. Temple Church is hidden in the courtyard of the Inns of Court near Fleet Street, founded in the 12th century by the Knights Templar. The round nave dates from 1185 and it is one of only four surviving round churches in England.

Services here follow the Book of Common Prayer, sung by the Temple Church Choir, which is one of the finest in London. Opening hours are specific so do check the website before visiting, but for anyone who loves history, beautiful choral music and the feeling of discovering something unexpected, it is a truly special place.

Website: templechurch.com

10. Union Chapel, Upper Street, Islington

Union Chapel is just down the road from us in Islington, and it is one of the most striking church buildings in North London. Walk in on a Sunday and you find yourself in a soaring octagonal space with extraordinary acoustics, full of people from the local community who love being there. The congregation has a generous heart for the city, with a well-established ministry supporting people experiencing homelessness.

It is a Congregationalist church with Sunday services that are warm and welcoming to visitors, and during the week it hosts concerts and events that are well worth looking out for. For guests staying with us who want to explore Islington on a Sunday, Union Chapel is a natural stop.

Website: unionchapel.org.uk

Bonus: Right on Our Doorstep

If you are staying with us at The Highbury Centre and would like to worship locally on a Sunday morning without getting on the tube, we are lucky to have three lovely churches just a short walk away.

Christ Church Highbury on Highbury Grove is an evangelical Anglican church with Sunday services at 9am and 11am, sitting beside the open green of Highbury Fields. Its motto, 'roots down, branches out', captures its spirit well. Several of our guests have wandered along on a Sunday morning and come back full of it. The welcome is warm and genuine.

Highbury Baptist Church on Highbury Place is a smaller, close-knit Grace Baptist congregation that has been part of this neighbourhood since 1850. Members come from ten or more different countries, and it has the feel of a real family. Sunday services are at 11am.

St Crispin’s Church offers a warm and welcoming space for worship in the heart of Highbury. With Sunday services centred on prayer, Bible teaching and fellowship, it’s a lovely place to experience local church life during your stay. Visitors are always warmly received, and it’s a wonderful opportunity to connect with the neighbourhood community.

All three churches are within a ten-minute walk of The Highbury Centre. Just ask us at reception and we will point you in the right direction.

A Note from Us at The Highbury Centre

We love hearing about the churches our guests visit during their stay. If you come back to breakfast on a Monday morning wanting to tell us about a service that moved you, we genuinely want to hear about it. And if you would like advice on getting to any of these churches from Highbury by tube or bus, just ask.

You can find out more about staying with us at thehighburycentre.org. We would love to welcome you.