Heathrow is located just 25 km from the center of London, with easy transport links via the M4 and M25 freeways. You’ll find Terminals 2 and 3 close together at the center of the airport, and Terminal 4 and 5 to the south, located just off junction 14 of the M25.

When you leave the airport, the M4 will take you east directly into central London. If you’re planning to drive in the city, be aware that you’ll have to pay the congestion charge in central areas between 7am and 6pm from Monday to Friday. Rental cars are not exempt from this charge, but our pick-up location teams will be able to tell you how to pay the charge.

Parking varies in London. In some areas, you’ll find on-street parking, in others you’ll have to pay at a meter and there are also numerous multi-story parking lots.

Heathrow is close to popular areas outside the city center, including Richmond Park, Twickenham and Kew Gardens, which can be reached by joining the A307 from the highway. To reach locations to the north of London, such as Hemel Hempstead, Watford and St Albans, you can take the M25 northbound.

The main difference from driving at home is that you’ll be on the left hand side of the road, with overtaking on the right. All speed limits and signs are in miles per hour and, if you have any other questions about driving in the UK, you can speak to our team when you collect your car, or use our 24-hour helpline.

London is one of the world’s most restless cities. Yes, it celebrates its rich history, its royals and great figures from literature and more, but it also moves forward. Cutting-edge music, incredible gastronomy, unforgettable street markets, outsider art and more keep the capital on its toes. Visitors here are in for a treat – this is a place that covers all bases and ticks all boxes.

Sample the ‘Smoke’

Without a doubt, the biggest attraction on Heathrow’s doorstep is London, one of the world’s most visited cities with a seemingly endless array of things to do. It’s impossible to fit everything into one trip, but you can spend a few days getting a flavor of this big, buzzing city.

Many visitors head for Buckingham Palace, which opens to visitors from July to September, although it’s an impressive building to see even if you don’t venture inside. A ride on the London Eye also gives you great views of the city’s skyline, and from your capsule you’ll see dozens of iconic landmarks including Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.

If you’re keen to get out of the city center, just a short drive away you’ll find the Warner Bros Studio Tour in Leavesden near Watford, where you can see the sets, costumes and props used in the Harry Potter films. Elsewhere, there’s the Tower of London, the British Museum, the vibrant theater scene of the West End, and one of the best cities to eat in anywhere in the world.

Dreaming spires

Less than 50 miles from Heathrow you’ll find Oxford, home to one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious universities. You can take a tour of its 38 colleges, with their buildings dotted all around the city.

Oxford also boasts the Ashmolean Museum and Bodleian Library. The former, open since 1683, finds room for modern classics from Picasso, but also Van Gogh, Egyptian antiquities and more in a collection that spans 8000 years. Step beyond the imposing entrance of the latter and you’re entering one of the world’s oldest and finest libraries, dating from 1602. It holds many treasured manuscripts, including four copies of the Magna Carta. If, after all this culture, you feel like getting out on the water, you can rent a punt or take a steamer along the river.

Just a short drive out of the city center is Blenheim Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Situated in a park designed by the famous landscape gardener Capability Brown, the Grade I-listed building dates back to the early 1700s and is a popular visitor attraction, with tourists flocking to explore its gilded rooms and collections of art, tapestries and sculpture.

The palace is open to the public all year round, with free parking on-site and tickets available to pre-book online.

Park life

Less than 10 miles away from Heathrow along the M4 is Richmond Park, one of London’s eight royal parks that spans a landscape covering 2,500 acres.

This national nature reserve is home to many ancient trees and rare species of birds and plants and if you’re lucky you might even spot deer grazing on the grasslands. The park also boasts impressive views of St Paul’s Cathedral from King Henry’s Mound.

It doesn’t all have to be about relaxation though, as visitors can try their hand at a range of activities including horse riding, golf and even power kiting. The park is open all year round, with vehicle gates open until dusk each day.

Renting a car from Heathrow at the start of your visit makes it possible to enjoy the sights and sounds of the park, be lured in by London and so much more.