The Brits have been making (and drinking) ale since the Bronze Age and a visit to a traditional London pub is as essential as a visit to Buckingham Palace.

With thousands of great pubs to choose from, you will be spoiled for choice and so to make your decision a little easier, we have put together a list of traditional pubs, which for one reason or another make them stand out from the rest!

This 17th century pub is the only surviving example of a galleried coaching inn in London and is owned by the National Trust. The cobbled courtyard area outside is often very busy in the summer, whilst the wooden floors, oak beams and cozy fireplace make it equally welcoming in winter.

At over 200 years old the Churchill has had plenty of time to gather a wealth of historic artifacts, which now adorn the walls and give this pub some real character. No less impressive is the outside of the pub, which, in 2007, came first in Chelsea Flower Show's "Boozers in Bloom" award.

An old 'gin palace' with a beautiful and ornate Victorian interior, The Salisbury was once run by a heavyweight boxing champion in the days before gloves! Today it is famed for the quality of its ales and was awarded a Platinum award in 2007 by the British Beer and Pub Association.

The Coach & Horses owes its place as the most famous pub in Soho to a number of reasons, not least because of former landlord Norman 'You're Barred' Balon. As part of Soho folklore, he is widely acknowledged as the rudest landlord ever to have run a pub in London and is the figure of such interest that in 1991 his memoirs were published entitled 'You're Barred, You Bastards'. Whilst now retired, Norman still frequents the pub on occasion. Approach with caution!

Situated on the bank of the river Thames and in the historic surroundings of Greenwich, The Trafalgar Tavern is incredibly popular, especially with tourists. With a long-standing reputation for serving great food (previous local diners include the likes of Charles Dickens), this is a good place to enjoy a traditional Sunday roast.

The Blind Beggar owes its place on the map of famous London pubs to its connection with notorious 60s East End gangsters, the Kray Twins, and is the pub where Ronnie Kray shot and murdered George Cornell in 1966. Today the pub is a really friendly place with great food, great staff and even their own wine label!

For almost 400 years the Lamb & Flag has been licensed to sell alcohol to Londoners, making it a contender as one of the oldest pubs in London - a title that has been fiercly debated for years and for which there is no real outright winner. Previously known as 'Bucket of Blood', it was a major venue for bare-knuckle fighting, which grew into what we know now as boxing. This place can be a little hard to find but is well worth the hunt!