sights of london essay

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Essay about London 10 models

admin February 3, 2018

Essay about London , contains all the important and valuable information about the city of London. Here you will find essay about London with all the information you are looking for about London, its attractions, geographical location and everything related to London.

 Essay about London

London is one of the most beautiful tourist and industrial cities in the world and if you are looking for more information about the city of London; here you will find essay about London  gives you all the information you seek .

The city of London is the capital and largest city of Britain. It is located on the south side of the country on the Thames, with a population of about 8.4 million, of whom 2.7 million live in inner London neighborhoods.

Its total population in all its suburbs is approximately 15,010,295 inhabitants, according to the 2012 estimates. This is Europe’s largest city by population and one of the most important cultural, political and economic centers in Europe.

It has a large number of famous theaters, universities, museums, educational institutes and cultural centers around the world.

Called several different names, including the following: Londra. Londres. The fog city has a climate of almost permanent fog in summer.

Tourism in London is suitable for all ages, young and old as well as all nationalities, where there are restaurants serving traditional meals from all over the world, often these restaurants in public parks.

There is also a famous market called Burro Market on the south side of the River Thames, as well as other commercial markets that include the world’s most famous restaurants and shops, especially clothing, jewelry and handicraft shops such as the Brick Lane Street in the east from the city.

London is also famous for the Camden market on the north side and the Portobello road on the west side. To enjoy the shopping, it is better to get out of the metro by foot to these markets, where you can see colorful houses and shops that sell old crafts on the street leading to the market.

The most beautiful part of London is the dynamic intercultural integration that a visitor can recognize  the city by walking on the sidewalk, riding the city’s famous red bus or by traveling on the subway.

The city of London is administratively divided into several administrative areas.

It is divided into two parts:

The north of the city: which includes the city district. Camden. Ealing. Enfield District. Barking and Dagenham. Barnett area. Brent area. Havering. London. Hackney. Hammersmith and Fulham. Harnegi. Harrow. And then Forrest. Westminster. Hounslow. Kansas and Chelsea. Newham. Redbrieg. Tower Hamlets.

South of the city, which includes both: Kingston. Merton. Lambeth. Bexley. Bromley. Greenwich. Louis. Saten. Richmond. Croydon. Your error. Wandsworth.

London essay

London is constantly growing. It is wonderful to walk around London and see the architectural and cultural development.

Since the end of the Roman authority over it, it has been in continuous progress since it was called the Little Kingdom of London.

It is wonderful that London passed through the economic events and commercial activities that led to it becoming one of the first centers of civilization.

One of the famous landmarks of London is the expansion of its streets and the vast areas that were used to enlarge the city. Which led to more openness, progress and an increase in the speed of lifestyle and development.

As we all follow from the news that it is always striving for a series of urban plans that lead to the improvement and beautification of the city’s function.

Paragraph about London

London is one of my attractions because of the close distance between us, I like a lot to go to it to spend a day trip with my friends, and do some recreational activities, such as cycling and passing through many of its attractions, such as Buckingham Palace, the Science Museum, or the interactive science and technology center in London, and take some souvenir photos in these wonderful areas.

Finally we head to watch Big Ben and enjoy sitting and talking in this area. And in the evening we take a bus ride, so the whole of London is lit up and more attractive. And at midnight we return to our homes eager to see her again.

London essay in English

At the end of last year, I traveled to London, the capital of the United Kingdom. It is located in the south of Britain on the River Thames. It is one of the most famous and densely populated cities in Europe.

London is an open city with a number of different nationalities. Therefore, there is a great cultural diversity. London is characterized by the unique architectural style that increases the splendor and beauty of the city.

And there are many prestigious universities in London that you can join in order to get the best education. And when you get a degree from these universities, it qualifies you to work in many countries of the world.

Short essay about London

London is a city known for its beauty and has people from all nationalities of the world. Because of the diversity of its population, you can find restaurants from all countries, where a restaurant is opened serving food for each type of population.

Because of her charming nature, she was the source of inspiration for a number of international personalities, including William Shakespeare, writer of Sherlock Holmes stories, and writer of the famous Harry Potter series.

As for music, London is known among the countries of the world for its interest in this form of art, where huge concerts and various festivals are held.

Essay about London city

My name is (..) I have a brother who is five years older than me. I am (..)years old . I study in class (..). I Live in the city of London. I really like to walk around and spend my free time.

But I love the Royal Opera House very much, because my older brother is rehearsing there and doing some performances with a band there. I would love to join this band too when I grow up.

I really like wandering inside the opera and watching the sky through the glass ceilings in the corridors and seeing the stars through them.

I loved watching the last show on the rooftops of the opera due to the outbreak of the Corona virus. I really enjoyed the experience of watching the show in a different place that I’m not used to and found it a great idea.

I also love spending time with my friends in Nottinghill Gate, Chelsea, Camden and Primrose Hill. I am very happy because I live and study in London and do many sports and activities there.

Describe London essay

London is famous as the city of dreams. As it contains many imaginary places that many would like to visit and enjoy spending time in.

Once you arrive in London, you will notice some means of transportation for tourism, such as the bus. You can sit upstairs and watch the landmarks of London through it. The bus provides you with a headset and several languages ​​to learn the landmarks of London through it. The bus will take you to see some of the famous archaeological sites such as Big Ben and other landmarks.

Then it will take you to the most famous landmarks of London or the London Wheel, through which you can see the entire London landmarks, and it is a favorite destination for tourists. Definitely you can try food on the streets of London.

This experience is great for many people who want to break the routine of eating at home or restaurants. There are several fast food areas on both sides of the road. This experience pleases many tourists.

Descriptive essay about London

London is one of the ancient cities that witnessed many wars and many kings. Modern London was formed on many of the ruins of old London, and few archaeological monuments remain that show the features of the old life that London lived and extended to the twenty-first century.

Through one of the most famous landmarks of London, we can see how castles were one of the symbols of ancient London, such as the Tower of London, built in 1078 by William the Conqueror. It served as a strategic defensive headquarters.

We can see many similar castles which were also used as prisons at many times. There are also other aspects of London that show its wealth, such as, Buckingham Palace, which was established in the year 1837.

And the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, which dates back to 960-970 AD. Many famous kings and writers were buried there, and it is a very big attraction for London because of its civilization and history.

It is through these landmarks that we can understand who life was like in London.

Short paragraph about London

London is my love, I live in London since I was born, I live in the neighborhood of (write the name of the neighborhood). I study in class (type class here).

I very much like to study and live in London, I appreciate this very much and see that many ate not as lucky as me, as they are in different areas less than London in many respects such as health and hygiene and the availability of many opportunities around them.

I learned gratitude when I witnessed many parts of Africa suffering from starvation and poor diet and health. So I value my life very much and the opportunities I have.

I very much like to see the fast life around me in continuous development and creation, and I would very much like to succeed in my hobby that I love and to provide something different that distinguishes me and makes me unique.

I love designing and making electronic games. I hope in the future I can make some great models for movies, or for other purposes. This specialization is in great demand in London, so I aspire to succeed in it.

Describing London in a single paragraph

There is no doubt that London is one of the target tourist destinations for many people, and you can find out why once you arrive and see the historical monuments and how it has preserved its 2,000-year-old splendor.

London is distinguished by its tradition and contemporary art that goes with all eras. You can walk around London to find everything in front of you: wide roads, distinctive pubs, historical and cultural landmarks linking art and politics, you can during your wandering see Big Ben, see Parliament and you can take some pictures with the most famous members of Parliament while wandering in front of it without any guard, and picnic in the gardens and attend amazing modern parties and shows. That is why London is considered the most beautiful city.

In this way, we have given you essay about London,  and you can read more by entering the following section:

• A trip to London essay

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Essay on London Trip

Students are often asked to write an essay on London Trip in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on London Trip

Planning a london trip.

When you decide to visit London, making a plan is key. Choose the places you really want to see. London has famous spots like the Big Ben and the London Eye. Pick a time when the weather is nice, usually in the spring or summer.

Traveling in London

Must-see attractions.

Don’t miss the Tower of London and the crown jewels. See the guards at Buckingham Palace. Museums are free, so you can learn a lot without spending money.

Food and Fun

Try fish and chips, a classic London meal. Parks like Hyde Park are great for picnics. At night, the city lights up, and you can watch a play in the famous theater district.

Shopping and Souvenirs

250 words essay on london trip, planning a trip to london.

When you decide to visit London, the first thing to do is to choose the places you want to see. London has many famous buildings, parks, and museums. You can make a list of the top spots like the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, and the British Museum. It’s a good idea to look at a map and see where these places are. This way, you can visit several places that are close to each other on the same day.

Getting around in London is easy because of the buses and trains. The underground trains, called the Tube, are fast and run to many parts of the city. You can get a special card called an Oyster card to pay for your rides. It’s cheaper and more convenient than buying a ticket each time.

Seeing the Sights

When you’re in London, you’ll see lots of old and beautiful buildings. The Tower of London is a castle with a long history, and you can learn about the kings and queens of England there. For a great view, you can go on the London Eye, which is a big wheel that lets you see the whole city from the sky.

Fun Activities

London has fun things for everyone. If you like animals, you can visit the London Zoo. For those who love stories, there are plays in the theater district, called the West End. You can also eat different kinds of food from all over the world in London’s restaurants.

A trip to London is exciting and full of adventures. Remember to take pictures and enjoy every moment of your visit!

500 Words Essay on London Trip

When you think about traveling to a new place, it’s like getting ready for an adventure. London, a big city in England, is one of those exciting places to visit. Before you go, it’s a good idea to make a plan. You can look at a map and decide which places you want to see. There are so many things to do in London that you might want to make a list. This list could include famous buildings, parks, and museums.

Famous Places in London

London is known for its amazing sights. One of the most famous is the Big Ben clock tower. Even though it’s being fixed right now, you can still see how big and important it looks. Another must-see is the London Eye, a giant wheel that lets you see the city from high up in the sky. If you like history, the Tower of London is a place where you can learn about the kings and queens from long ago.

Museums and Parks

If you enjoy looking at old things and learning, London has some of the best museums. The best part is that many of them are free. The British Museum has treasures from all over the world, and the Science Museum makes learning about how things work fun. After visiting museums, you might want to relax in one of London’s parks. Hyde Park is a big green space where you can walk, play, or just sit and watch the ducks in the pond.

Seeing a Show

Food and shopping, traveling around the city.

Getting around London is easy because of the Underground, also known as the Tube. It’s a train that goes under the city. There are maps in every station to help you find your way. Riding on the famous red double-decker buses is another fun way to see the city.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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22 Famous London Landmarks to Visit (+ map and tips)

By: Author Tracy Collins

Posted on Last updated: March 23, 2024

Planning to visit London for the first time? Not sure which London landmarks to include in your itinerary? We have you covered! Discover 22 of the most famous landmarks in London, including tips for visiting each right here – plus a useful map to help you plan your itinerary!

London’s famous landmarks are some of the most iconic in the world. If you are planning your first visit to London, you could feel overwhelmed when deciding which ones to see and how to include them in your itinerary.

In this article, you will discover 22 of the most famous places in London – the places that are worth taking the time to visit. We also include a map indicating the locations of each, so you have a better understanding of where each landmark is situated in London.

Note — In this article, the term landmark may refer to any feature, object, or building that makes a place easily recognisable. I have, therefore, included famous buildings, historical monuments and structures, and locations with cultural and/or geographical significance.

This list will help you decide which of these famous places to visit in London are must-sees. This will depend on your interests, budget, and time scale. I have also indicated what I consider the minimal amount of time to visit each and information about the best tours and the cost of entry to each. 

If you are planning to visit several London landmarks, it may be cost-effective to purchase a London Pass. For more information about the pass, click here .

Tip – If you have limited time in London and want to see as many of these London iconic landmarks as possible there is always the option of joining a tour such as Take Walks London in a Day, which includes the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey & the Changing of the Guard .

Or you could take a hop-on, hop-off bus trip , which will take you to most of the main landmarks. This will help you decide which famous building in London or attraction you want to explore more.

Buckingham Palace

Westminster abbey, big ben & the houses of parliament, the london eye, st paul’s cathedral, the tower of london, popular london landmarks and attractions – advance purchase and/or fast-track tickets, tower bridge, kensington palace, piccadilly circus, trafalgar square, the british museum, covent garden, shakespeare’s globe, wembley stadium, the gherkin, millennium bridge, pudding lane and the monument to the great fire of london , royal observatory greenwich, hampton court palace , river thames, map of the locations for the 22 london landmarks in this article, which london landmarks will you see, london travel guide & itinerary planner (+ 4 bonus ebooks).

Top guided tours for London sights

• Buckingham Palace – Skip-the-Line Tickets & Royal London Walking Tour
• Westminster Abbey – Skip the Line Westminster Abbey Tour with Diamond Jubilee Galleries
• Tower of London – VIP Ceremony of the Keys Tours or The Opening Ceremony

22 of the top London landmarks to visit 

• Address: Buckingham Gate, London, SW1A 1AA
• Nearest tube station: Victoria
• Cost of entry: Standard adult £30
• How much time to allow: 2 – 2.5 hours
• Opening dates & times: Check here

As the official London residence of the British monarchy, Buckingham Palace is one of the most famous places in London. Many people worldwide would have no trouble recognising it, and it’s certainly up there with the best-known London iconic buildings.

It takes at least 2 hours to tour the state rooms here, so the last entry for the day is usually 2 hours and 15 minutes before closing. As a working palace, it’s only open in spring and winter on selected dates. Otherwise, it opens to the public for ten weeks each year between late July and early October. 

In the past it was not possible to see inside the palace, so if you are in London when it is open, a visit is highly recommended. The splendour of the state rooms is an incredible sight to behold. Purchase tickets for the state rooms here.

The Changing of the Guard also occurs several times per week outside the palace. 

• Address: 20 Deans Yd, London SW1P 3PA
• Nearest tube station: Westminster 
• Cost of entry: Standard adult £24
• How much time to allow: 1.5 – 2 hours

Westminster Abbey dates back to 960 AD when Benedictine monks first founded it, and the current building began during Henry VIII’s reign. Today, it appears on TV screens across the globe when it is used as the venue for an occasion such as a royal wedding.

The abbey is the burial place of 17 British monarchs, and since 1066, it has been the official coronation church. This gothic-style structure is at the centre of London life, both literally and metaphorically, with services taking place daily. 

The abbey is also the final resting place of over 3,000 notable British figures, including past kings and queens. Special events are regularly held, daily services of worship are held, and a respected research library is on site. 

Purchase your entrance ticket for Westminster Abbey here.

• Address: Palace of Westminster, London SW1A 0AA
• Cost of entry: Standard adult guided tour £28

The Palace of Westminster is home to the British government’s House of Commons and House of Lords. You can also find the famous Big Ben tower in London here, with its iconic and recently renovated clock face.

Some visitors like to take a walk from London Bridge to Big Ben, which takes around 15 minutes. This takes you past the City of London, one of the planet’s most important financial centres, and along the River Thames.

Guided or multimedia tours should be booked in advance as capacity is limited. The tour is delivered in English and takes you through what happens in Parliament in addition to the rich history of the building itself. 

Walks offer tour options, including a Behind the Scenes Parliament Tour , which is a fully guided tour at closing time.

• Address:  Riverside Building, County Hall, London SE1 7PB
• Nearest tube station: Waterloo
• Cost of entry: Standard adult £33.50
• How much time to allow: 30 minutes plus waiting, boarding & disembarking

The London Eye is the UK’s number one paid tourist attraction, so it’s one of the most highly regarded of all the famous places in London. Your 30-minute ‘flight’ gives you an incomparable bird’s eye perspective over the city and a sense of scale.

As you hover over the Thames, your transparent compartment allows you to spy on many classic and modern London landmarks. The boat moves slowly, so there’s plenty of time to capture what you want on camera while soaking up the magnificent views.

Around 3 million people annually take a trip on the London Eye, so book in advance if you’d like to join them. Our dedicated and in-depth London Eye guide explains the options. 

Read – Guide to visiting the London Eye (tips, tickets and tour options)

• Address: St Paul’s Churchyard, London EC4M 8AD
• Nearest tube stations: St Paul’s
• Cost of entry: Standard adult £21
• How much time to allow: 2 hours

With its iconic dome, St Paul’s is set at the City of London’s highest point. So, it is not only one of the most famous places in London to visit but also gives visitors sweeping views over the surrounding skyline. 

This Anglican cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of London, and visiting it is a way to follow in the footsteps of royalty, political leaders, and other dignitaries. Christopher Wren designed the dome, and the present house of worship is the fifth church to stand on the site. 

While the current structure dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries, churches have been on this site since 604 AD. During your visit (purchase your ticket here), you can climb up to the Whispering Gallery inside the dome to witness the unique acoustics, look for famous names down in the Crypt or take in the views from the Golden and Stone Galleries. 

• Address: London EC3N 4AB
• Nearest tube station: Tower Hill 
• Cost of entry: Standard adult £29.90
• How much time to allow: 4 hours +

The Tower of London is one of the most historical landmarks in London, and exploring it is an experience few want to miss. This is why we’ve written a comprehensive Tower of London guide, where you can learn more. 

London’s Tower Bridge is one of the most famous sights in the city, and simply by visiting the Tower, you’ll get to see it at close quarters, as the Tower stands right by the Bridge on the banks of the Thames. 

There are lots to see at the Tower of London, including the ‘Beefeaters’ in their famous uniform, the Crown Jewels, the ancient buildings, the Fusilier Museum, armour sets, and the Tower’s resident ravens. Make sure you allow at least a full morning or afternoon; longer is ideal if you can spare more time. 

Read more – Practical guide to visiting the Tower of London

🎡 London Eye – Ride with fantastic views over London. (Skip-the-line tickets available)

🏙 The Shard – The tallest building in the UK with commanding views over London.

⛪️ Westminster Abbey – Gothic abbey where coronations and royal weddings are held.

💎 Tower of London – Infamous prison and mighty fortress. The Crown Jewels are on display too.

⚔ Madame Tussauds – Get up close and personal with over 250 waxworks of famous people.

⛓ London Dungeon – Enjoy a recreation of some of London’s goriest and macabre historical events.

🐧 London Zoo – World’s oldest scientific zoo and a popular attraction for families.

👑 Hampton Court Palace – King Henry VIII’s favourite palace.

• Address: Tower Bridge Rd, London SE1 2UP
• Cost of entry: Standard adult £10.60
• How much time to allow: 1 hour+

If your visit to the Tower of London has whetted your appetite for seeing more of Tower Bridge, then you may wish to explore this London landmark more thoroughly. It’s a Grade I listed building dating from 1894, when it opened after eight years of construction.

Tower Bridge is known as a suspension and ‘bascule’ bridge, which refers to its being moveable. This is because two sides open up, allowing taller river traffic to pass beneath. It’s the capital’s only bascule bridge and was one of the first anywhere to be powered by hydraulics.

At Tower Bridge, you can enjoy panoramic city views from the glass-walled walkway and explore the exhibits displayed in the original Victorian engine rooms. On a clear day, you may even make out Wembley Stadium in the distance, and the views of The Shard and St Paul’s Cathedral are pretty impressive. 

Tip – Purchase early entry tickets for the Tower of London and London Bridge and avoid the crowds.

• Address: London W2 2UH
• Nearest tube station – Hyde Park Corner
• Cost of entry: Free
• How much time to allow: 2 hours + 
• Opening dates & times: 05:00 to midnight daily

Whether you want to escape the crowds or tick the likes of The Serpentine off your London landmarks list, a visit to Hyde Park is a must for many visitors. It’s one of 8 Royal Parks in the city and is one of the finest green spaces to be found in any city on earth.

The park occupies a 350-acre site, and highlights include the memorial statue dedicated to Diana, Princess of Wales, a lovely rose garden, and The Serpentine, a popular open-water swimming spot for Londoners.  

Hyde Park has long been associated with freedom of speech, and it can be fascinating to see the latest airing of views at Speaker’s Corner. If the weather is kind, take a picnic when you visit so you can kick back and relax by the water in this majestic inner-city park. 

• Address: Kensington Gardens, London W8 4PX
• Nearest tube station: High Street Kensington or Queensway
• Cost of entry: Standard adult £16
• How much time to allow: 1.5 to 2 hours + 

Kensington Palace was, in some ways, the predecessor to Buckingham Palace, as it was the favoured royal residence until 1760. Queen Victoria was born here, and the public left masses of floral tributes to Princess Diana outside the palace following her death. 

Kensington Palace was also home to her son Prince Willam, his wife Kate, their children, and several other members of the Royal Family. Despite its grandeur, this palace has a more relaxed, intimate feel than the more imposing Buckingham Palace.

Things to see when visiting include themed exhibitions, the King’s and Queen’s state apartments, the story of Queen Victoria and the Jewel Room. Outdoors, Kensington Palace Gardens are also delightful and can be explored without needing a ticket. 

Alternatively, why not purchase a tour of the gardens with Royal high tea and make an afternoon of your visit!

• Address: London W1J 9LL
• Nearest tube station: Piccadilly Circus
• How much time to allow: 1 hour + 
• Opening dates & times: Public outdoor space

Piccadilly Circus is the British answer to New York’s Times Square. The ‘circus’ part of the name stems from the fact that the road junction is circular, and it was originally created to connect Piccadilly with Regent Street, one of London’s busiest shopping streets. 

The huge advertising screens and the statue of Eros are the most famous sights to see at Piccadilly Circus, while nearby areas to explore include Leicester Square and Shaftesbury Avenue as well as Regent Street.

Shaftesbury Avenue is home to some of London’s leading theatres , while Leicester Square is famous for hosting many movie premieres. Chinatown can also be found on and around Gerrard Street – a great place to go if you crave some dim sum during your stay!

• Address: London WC2N 5DN
• Nearest tube station: Charing Cross

Regarding top London landmarks that can be found outdoors and where you’re free to wander at will, Trafalgar Square is one of the finest. This public square is home to some of the best City of London landmarks, including the fountains, the lion statues and Nelson’s Column.

Trafalgar Square is also known among Londoners as a site of protest, and it often hosts religious, political, or social demonstrations. Since the summer of 2003, the square has been connected to the National Gallery via a pedestrianised area, and a disabled access lift was also added then.

Nelson’s Column was built to commemorate Lord Nelson, who died aboard HMS Victory despite contributing to Britain’s 1805 win at the Battle of Trafalgar. The square is also near The Strand, Whitehall, The Mall and London’s theatre district. 

• Address: Great Russell St, London WC1B 3DG
• Nearest tube station: Holborn or Tottenham Court Road
• How much time to allow: 3 – 4 hours

If you only have time for one museum while in London, add the British Museum to your list of London’s most famous places to explore. Located in genteel Bloomsbury , the museum houses a collection of around 8 million exhibits and tells the story of human history and mankind’s artistic and cultural developments. 

We advise allowing a full morning or afternoon for your visit, as there’s so much to see. Witnessing all these historical sights in London is also free of charge, though you may pay for a guided tour or to see specific exhibitions.

With the dramatic stone columns marking the entrance, this is the oldest national museum in the world. In fact, it opened in 1759, 17 years before the US Declaration of Independence. The museum once had its own tube station and was also one of the first buildings to use electric lighting. 

• Address: London, SW8 5BH
• Nearest tube station: Covent Garden 
• How much time to allow: As long as you like
• Opening dates & times: Always open

Covent Garden is popular with locals and visitors alike. This appealing part of the city lies close to Theatreland and is home to a covered market, street entertainers, pedestrianised streets, and lots of shops, pubs, and restaurants.

It’s best not to have too much of a plan when visiting Covent Garden—wander around, dip in and out of the shops, stroll through the market, watch the entertainers, and stop for a pint at the Punch and Judy, a cosy 18th-century pub on Henrietta Street.

The light-filled market with its characteristic glass ceilings still bears the original ‘Apple Market’ sign, dating back to the time when fruit and vegetables were sold here.

On Mondays, the space is devoted to collectable and antique items, while clothing, jewellery, and arts and crafts are sold between Tuesdays and Sundays. 

• Address: 32 London Bridge St, London SE1 9SG
• Nearest tube station: London Bridge
• Cost of entry: Standard adult from £25
• How much time to allow: 1 – 2 hours+

Going up inside The Shard is one of the best things to do in London at night or during the day. Open since early 2013, it has rapidly become one of the most recognisable landmarks on the city skyline. 

You can travel up to the 72nd floor of The Shard to take in magnificent, sweeping views of the London cityscape from this contemporary skyscraper on the banks of the Thames. The space is divided into offices, apartments, and a hotel. Viewing platforms are on the 69th and 72nd floors, the highest being open-air.

A number of restaurants and bars are also located at The Shard, so if you want to dine or drink cocktails there, you may wish to allow longer for your visit.

The Sky Lounge is in the Shangri-La hotel, while other options include eateries showcasing modern British and northern Chinese cuisine. 

• Address: 21 New Globe Walk, London SE1 9DT
• Nearest tube station: Blackfriars 
• Cost of entry: Standard adult guided tour £17
• How much time to allow: Varies

Stratford-upon-Avon is one of England’s most famous places, associated with playwright William Shakespeare, and it is his birthplace.

London, though, is home to the reconstruction of his Globe Theatre, which has become one of the most popular landmarks in London since it opened in 1997.

The Globe is also close to the Southbank and the Millenium Bridge, so visiting several sites simultaneously is simple. As an open-air theatre, performances go ahead, whatever the weather, so dress appropriately if you have tickets.

If you’re not attending a play, you can book a guided tour if you want to see inside the theatre. These can be booked directly or via third parties such as London Theatre Direct . 

• Address: London HA9 0WS
• Nearest tube station: Wembley Park
• Cost of entry: Standard adult guided tour £22

Although it’s a little way out of town, Wembley Stadium is one of the most iconic London England landmarks, and for football or even music fans, it’s not one to miss. 

You can either book a guided tour of Wembley Stadium , or if you plan carefully you might even be able to see your favourite team, artist or band play at this famous venue. Football is often the focus, but there are other sporting options too.

Construction began on the current stadium in 2002, and the arch can sometimes be seen from various elevated viewpoints in central London. The reimagined Wembley Stadium opened in 2007, over 40 years after England’s sole World Cup victory here in 1966.

• Address: 30 St Mary Axe, London EC3A 8BF
• Nearest tube station: Aldgate
• Cost of entry: Varies

Along with The Shard, the Gherkin (or 30 St Mary Axe, as it’s officially known) is one of London’s most familiar skyscrapers. It opened in 2004 and once the land price was factored in, cost several hundred million to build.

The best way to get inside The Gherkin is to book a table at the restaurant and bar on the tower’s top floors. It’s called Searcy’s and includes the Helix restaurant and the Iris bar. 

Dress up in anything but flip-flops, sportswear, or shorts, and you can dine or drink while enjoying one of the UK capital’s finest views. Modern European-style dishes are served, or you can book in for afternoon tea or Sunday lunch. 

• Address: Thames Embankment, London 
• Nearest tube station: Blackfriars
• How much time to allow: 15 minutes +

At a cost of over 18 million pounds sterling (about 24 million US dollars), the Millenium Bridge was a pricey project to complete. It spans the Thames, and is currently one of 6 Millenium Bridges in the UK alone. There are others in Newcastle-Gateshead, Salford, Stockton-on-Tees, Lancaster, York and Glasgow, as well in various locations worldwide.

The bridge is close to the London Eye, between the Blackfriars and Southwark bridges. It only takes around 5 minutes to walk across, but as there are interesting sights nearby you may want to take your time.

Plus you want to make the most of those incredible views! (You may also recognise the bridge as it was used as a filming location in one of the Harry Potter movies – do you know which one ?

A competition was held in 1996 to find a design for the new bridge, and the winner was made into the resulting structure. Colloquially it’s often referred to as the ‘Wobbly Bridge’, and engineers addressed this initial problem by various kinds of shock-absorbing dampers.

• Address: Fish Street Hill, London EC3R 8AH
• Nearest tube station: Monument or London Bridge
• How much time to allow: 30 minutes +

It has a tube station named after it and marks one of London’s worst disasters ever seen – yes, it’s the Monument to the Great Fire of London. Found near the northern end of London Bridge, it’s positioned on the corner where Fish Street Hill meets Monument Street.

Like the St Paul’s Cathedral dome, the Monument was designed by Christopher Wren. In 2007, it closed for 18 months to allow for a period of repair and restoration, which included adding gold leaf to the structure’s copper orb. 

The Monument is located around 200 feet from where the Great Fire of London began at a bakery in Pudding Lane in 1666. It comprises a fluted column made from Portland stone, and an inside staircase with over 300 steps leads to the viewing platform at the top. 

• Address: Blackheath Ave, London SE10 8XJ
• Nearest tube station: Greenwich
• Cost of entry: £16
• How much time to allow: 1.5 to 2 hours

Located south of the River Thames, Greenwich is home to a UNESCO World Heritage SIte that includes the National Maritime Museum, the Cutty Sark and the Queen’s House. 

In 1884, Greenwich Meridian was selected as the site that would effectively set the time for the entire world. The Royal Observatory lies at longitude 0° 0′ 0”, and as such is the planet’s Prime Meridian , marking the divide between the two hemispheres.

By standing on the Meridian Line, you can have one foot in the eastern hemisphere and one in the west – even if only for a moment.

The Royal Observatory also houses a planetarium, and there are regular scientific and astronomic demonstrations led by experts. Don’t miss the Great Equatorial Telescope, either; it’s one of the biggest anywhere and you can clearly see its ‘onion dome’ from Greenwich Park. 

Tip: If you plan to visit Greenwich, don’t miss the Tulip Stairs in the Queen’s House or the Painted Gallery in the Old Royal Navy College.

Read more – Best things to see and do in Greenwich (One day Greenwich itinerary)

• Address: Hampton Court Way, Molesey, East Molesey KT8 9AU
• Nearest train station: Hampton Court (mainline)
• Cost of entry: £25.30
• How much time to allow: 3 hours +

As one of London’s Historic Royal Palaces, Hampton Court is located a little way out of London, in leafy Surrey. The train journey from Waterloo takes just over half an hour, so getting to this slightly lesser-known of London’s most famous landmarks is easy.

The glorious gardens are every bit as impressive as the interior, and are home to the Hampton Court Palace maze. This is very well known and is the oldest hedge maze found in the UK today. It takes up a third of an acre and it is thought to have been commissioned by William III. Other highlights of the gardens include the Magic Garden which is great for kids, the Royal Kitchen Garden and the Great Vine in the glasshouse.

You can see Henry VIII’s kitchens, the Great Hall, William III’s apartments, the Cumberland Art Gallery, the Chapel Royal and more inside the palace.

Click here to purchase a Hampton Court Palace and Garden Entrance Ticket

• Address: N/A
• Nearest train station: Westminster
• Cost of entry: Free 

The River Thames makes any aerial view of London instantly recognisable due to the distinctive shape it creates as it meanders through the city. The river’s banks are also home to various attractions, including some of the top 10 London landmarks like the London Eye.

A series of bridges span the Thames, and some of these are also famous sights of London in their own right—not least Tower Bridge and the Millenium Bridge, detailed above. 

There are various ways to see the best of the Thames. You can take the tube to a location such as Westminster and wander along the Embankment on the northern side, or stroll around the Southbank area on the other side of the water.

Visiting other central London landmarks such as The Shard may also give you the chance to see the Thames, or you can take a trip on the London Eye to be suspended over the water while gazing at the city.

We recommend seeing the Thames from the water, which you can do by booking a river cruise. If this interests you, read our guide to the top 20 London river cruises to learn more. 

Read – 21 Best Thames river cruises and boat trips

We’ve discovered that there are many famous places in London, England, that you won’t want to miss when you visit.

From the dizzy heights of The Shard or the London Eye to putting one foot into both of the world’s hemispheres, make sure you leave enough time to see the most famous London landmarks when putting together your London itinerary and bucket list !

The best London landmarks to focus on will depend very much on your interests and preferences—as well as your timings and budget. If you want to know more, why not take a look at our top tips for first-time visitors to London ? 

These London posts were written to help you plan your trip:

• London Travel Guide – a step-by-step guide to planning your London trip.
• Where to stay in London – guide to each of London’s neighbourhoods so you choose the right area for your budget and travel style.
• Budget London guide – how to save money when visiting London
• Essential tips for first-time visitors to London
• 31 free things to do in London
• London itinerary planner and bucket list
• Seven beautiful English castles to visit near London
• 29 things to do in London in spring
• 9 red London phone booths for that iconic photo
• 37 Best Hidden Gems in London
• 39 of the best views in London
• Podcast episode #74 – Top sights to see in London

London as a Place for a Tourist Vacation Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Works cited.

Saying that London is one of the most beautiful cities in the world is saying nothing about it. I have been going to this city since I was two years old and there were some years when I visited it four or five times a year; despite this, I will never stop getting amazed by it every time I get there. London is the best place for me and my Kuwaiti friends to spend a vacation in because this city is full of sights and nice places to visit with its shops and department stores offering goods for any taste; apart from this, a vacation in London can help non-English speakers, such as the Kuwaitis, perfect and sophisticate their English.

To begin with, London offers its visitors a number of sights the beauty of which is sometimes impossible to describe. Its parks are absolutely amazing; they are so diversified that one visit to London will not suffice if a person wants to see at least a part of them. London has a number of parks which are absolutely amazing. I can state for sure that none of other cities in the world has so much green and open space. There is at least one park in every part of London; at this, it does not matter “if it’s just a small pool with surrounding trees or a park like the magnificent and slightly wild in appearance Richmond Park” (“London Parks”).

The most prominent, perhaps, is Hyde Park which all the visitors go to play tribute to Princess Diana. The park is 360 acres in size and one can rent a boat to paddle in the lake there. There are also St. James’ Park, Primrose Hill Park, Alexandra Park, Regents Park, Syon Park, and an incalculable number of other parks. Theme and adventure parks are also numerous. A visit to any of them will become the greatest fun day a person could ever have.

Madame Tussauds and the London Dungeon are the most famous adventure parks in London, though the others are no less great. It is impossible to leave London without visiting Westminster Abbey, seeing Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, watching the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, and having dinner in Covent Garden (Porter’s English Restaurant would be the best choice) (Moore and Porter 243).

London’s ancient buildings strike the visitors with their mysteriousness and one cannot stop wondering what hides between those old walls and columns created by famous architects and visited by no less famous people. So, visiting London is the best way to spend a vacation because after leaving the hotel one gets into a real fairy-tale where the sights whizz by and the memories about them remain in the mind forever.

Moreover, London is known as a city of shopping this is why doing shopping there is one of the duties each of the visitors is expected to fulfill. Shopping becomes a special entertainment in case the weather is not suitable for sightseeing. I for one adore London weather, though most of the visitors find it rather gloomy. I adore London for its rains for they are a rare occurrence in Kuwait where the weather is sunny hot.

Shopping is the best way to have fun during rainy days in London. The main shopping areas “center around Oxford Street and Regent Street, while Knightsbridge is home to stores stocking even more upmarket goods” (“London Shopping”). Major international and British brands can be found at these shops, but the visitors who look for specialist items will find them in Covent Garden. New Bond Street is for those who search for exclusive shops, while Hatton Garden is the best place to buy jewelry and watches.

Those who are interested in music, especially in rare cuts, will feel like in a dream in Soho where a great number of independent music shops offer the music items of all the possible genres. Therefore, the rainy weather of London is perfect for those who cannot imagine their lives without shopping and who are interested in goods which cannot be found anywhere but in London.

Finally, London is a great place to visit for Kuwaitis in particular because they can meet their nationals there and perfect their English speaking skills. Most of the Kuwaitis speak English well enough, but being in the natural environment will make their English absolutely great. British English is nothing like American English; it is like a song where all the words acquire special meanings. London natives sound so beautiful that all the visitors, regardless of their native language, get British accent because it is impossible not to wish resembling this mysterious language. London is full of people of different nationalities; the Kuwaitis are also numerous there this is why my friends will find London even more attractive and friendly.

Though the population of London is extremely diverse, most of people speak namely English there. This is the best place to improve spoken English because nothing except the communication with a native speaker can make your language richer. The communicative skills get improved after spending several days in London and the excitement, which speaking to the natives (who are, by the way, unbelievably sociable and polite) brings, stays with the visitors for a long time.

What is even more important is that learning English in such a way is entertaining rather than difficult or boring like some of the classes may be. Natural environment allows imitating not only language, accent, and even slang of the native people, but even some of their gestures and facial expressions. This makes the process of learning entertaining and favors the acquisition of knowledge. Thus, a vacation in London is especially useful for the Kuwaitis because English speaking environment can help them make their English even better.

In conclusion, London is indeed the best place for a vacation, especially for people whose native language is not English, such as the Kuwaitis. Ordinary, theme, and amusement parks of London will bring joy to all the visitors; they strike with their beauty and variety offering a number of ways to have fun. Shopping in London will satisfy the needs of even the most exigent shoppers. London shops and department stores not only ensure the visitors with an access to a wide range of goods, but open their doors for the buyers who look for something exclusive and provocatively expensive.

Lastly, a visit to London is extremely useful for the non-English speakers who can improve their English speaking skills, perfect their English, and adopt the beautiful accent of the true English language. I really doubt that there is at least one person who will find a vacation in London boring because it is the best place to have fun and to learn simultaneously.

Moore, Jennifer and Porter, Darwin. Frommer’s Europe. New York: John Willey and Sons, 2006.

“London Shopping.” London Guide. 2008. Talking Cities. Web.

“London Parks.” Life in London. 2009. London for Fun. Web.

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IvyPanda. (2021, November 20). London as a Place for a Tourist Vacation. https://ivypanda.com/essays/london-as-a-place-for-a-tourist-vacation/

"London as a Place for a Tourist Vacation." IvyPanda , 20 Nov. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/london-as-a-place-for-a-tourist-vacation/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'London as a Place for a Tourist Vacation'. 20 November.

IvyPanda . 2021. "London as a Place for a Tourist Vacation." November 20, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/london-as-a-place-for-a-tourist-vacation/.

1. IvyPanda . "London as a Place for a Tourist Vacation." November 20, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/london-as-a-place-for-a-tourist-vacation/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "London as a Place for a Tourist Vacation." November 20, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/london-as-a-place-for-a-tourist-vacation/.

The Ultimate Cheat Sheet for Your First Trip to London

Are you planning your first trip to London?  

This global city is endlessly popular with travelers from all over the world. With its famous landmarks and iconic sights, the number of things to see and do in London can easily excite and overwhelm first-time visitors.

In this post, you’ll find a cheat sheet compiled over 3 separate visits to London packed with information about how to get to London from the airport, where to stay in London, how to get around once you arrive, and best of all,  mapped-out London itinerary planning tips .

Are you ready to make your first trip to London a success? 

How to Plan a Trip to London

It can seem daunting to get started on your London trip plan. It’s a huge city with lots of iconic sights and experiences. In fact, I think it’s often underestimated by travelers who often write to tell me what a great time they had in London and that the city was such a surprise…in a good way!

So, as any good teacher will tell you, start with an outline. In this case, you want to break down each step you’ll need to do to plan a trip to London and then work on filling in all the details.

Start with deciding when you want to visit London and how many days you’ll stay. (I recommend at least 3-4 days.)

Once you know this, you can work on booking your London accommodations. (I recommend staying in a central-ish area within walking distance of a Tube station. Keep reading for more below) The further out you book your London hotel, the more available options you’ll have with competitive pricing.

ProTip: If you have flexibility, you might even look at London flights and hotels first to find the cheapest combination of dates and rates. In this way, you’re letting the deals decide when you travel versus looking for a deal on the dates you need/want to travel.

Once you’ve got the major logistics set, it’s time to work on your London itinerary. (I’ve got specific itinerary ideas below so keep reading!)

At this point in your planning a trip to London, you’ll want to make a list of the London sights and attractions that are your must sees and dos. Then, using the maps below (or Google Maps), start grouping them by area.

One really important thing to know as you plan your London trip is that the city is huge. The distances between places can be far, and with limited days, you don’t want to backtrack or plan activities on opposite ends of the city on the same day.

From here, figure out what can be booked ahead…and actually book it ahead! London is a popular destination. It’s normal for there to be lines at top sights and restaurants that are completely booked.

You can use sightseeing passes like The London Pass (my complete review) to pre-plan and save money. Or you can book individual tickets through a platform like Get Your Guide .

Once you know where you’re staying and what you’ll be doing each day, you can round out your London trip planning by looking at the Tube Map to orient yourself and decide how you’ll get from the airport to the city center. (More tips on this below!)

What to See and Do on Your First Trip to London

This London trip planner is set up in different sections to help you plan a trip to London from start to finish. The first part helps you get ideas about how to plan your days in London with landmarks, attractions, museums, markets, and activities in a logistically sensible way.

You want to maximize your time in London without backtracking or zigzagging around the city. These ideas can also help you piece together a complete day because not all of them require a full day.

You also note that I’ve included the Tube stops for individual attractions. This is to help you in case you visit these places outside of the order I’ve suggested in the Google Map for each itinerary idea.

After these itinerary ideas for planning your trip to London, you’ll find tips and helpful information so you can navigate the city confidently.

Are you ready to plan your trip to London?

London Itinerary Planning Idea #1 – History Buffs and Foodies

Tower of London – Tower Hill Tube Stop – Circle and District Lines

The  Tower of London  with its crown jewels is an absolute must with its thick, ominous walls, dark past, resident black ravens, and informative Beefeaters. The Tower and the nearby Tower Bridge sit stalwartly as a link to the past when Kings and Queens sent prisoners to “think” about their choices and to wait for the inevitable… execution.

The Tower of London was the inhospitable home to infamous gangsters, spies, Dukes, Bishops, Princes, and even Queens!

Undoubtedly the most famous Queen of them all was the ill-fated Anne Boleyn. The Tower of London is where Henry the VIII’s executioner beheaded her on charges of adultery and conspiracy, however, Henry actually blamed her for not producing a male heir.

Today, visiting the Tower of London is like stepping back in time. The daily traditions involving this historic castle have continued for hundreds of years. The resident Beefeaters live at the Tower of London and maintain the rituals and routines of the past. But they also offer free tours (once inside) and comically share their vast Tower of London knowledge.

These tours begin every 30 minutes starting at 10:00 a.m. and finishing with the last tour at 2:30 p.m.

Pro Tip:  Arrive in the morning when the Tower first opens. It becomes quite crowded later in the day. Use your  London Pass  to get Fast Track Entry and bundled savings when compared to buying attraction tickets individually.

Tower Bridge & Borough Market – London Bridge Tube Stop – Northern and Jubilee Lines

After a morning at the Tower of London, time your escape for lunch at  Borough Market . It’ll be easiest to walk from the Tower of London. Walk across Tower Bridge instead of London Bridge as shown on the map above. The walk is a bit longer than crossing London Bridge, but historic Tower Bridge is a sight in its own right.

You can tour the Victorian-era engine rooms, as well as climb to the bridge’s upper walkways for gorgeous views over London and the River Thames. Get your Tower Bridge ticket in advance or use The London Pass to visit the bridge.

You can also cross the River Thames with a river bus using your Tube Oyster Card (more on these below) from Tower Pier to London Bridge City Pier.

Once at Borough Market, the market lanes are lined with food and grocers selling every imaginable food item. It’s a great place to sample a variety of foods from all types of global cuisines. Not to mention, no London trip is complete without taking advantage of the city’s amazing international food scene!

From famous falafel to perfectly spiced Indian food, huge skillets of paella, and savory British pies from Pieminster, you’ll be thankful to visit with an empty stomach on your first trip to London and every time you return like I do!

Restaurants and cafes fill the upstairs level and the surrounding streets (in case you’d prefer to sit rather than sample and roam) making this Southwark neighborhood a foodie’s delight.

ProTip: From Borough Market, you’re just a 5-minute walk to The Shard , London’s tallest glass skyscraper to see the highest views over the city. If you have it, you can use your London Pass for access. Be sure to follow the pass instructions to pre-reserve a time.

London Itinerary Planning Idea #2 – Royalty and High Tea

Westminster Abbey – Westminster Tube Stop – Jubilee Line

Coming out of Westminster Station, you’ll immediately be in the shadow of Big Ben and London’s iconic Parliament Building. You can walk back onto the Westminster Bridge to capture fuller photos of these London landmarks. If you’re lucky, you just might get a classic shot with a red doubledecker bus!

Continue on to  Westminster Abbey , just a couple of minutes walking from Big Ben. Westminster Abbey is open to visitors Monday-Saturday from 9:30 a.m until 3:30 p.m. The Abbey is closed on Sundays so keep this in mind when planning your London trip.

Use your  London Pass  to gain access to Westminster. Once inside, admire the architecture and the Abbey’s gorgeous choir room. Westminster is also the final resting place of numerous kings, queens, and dignitaries. You can see the monuments in their honor, as well as learn about their place in history.

If you’re a fan of the Royals, you’ll be visiting the spot where Kate and William were married.

Pro Tip:  If you want to take a ride on the London Eye , it can be included with the stops you make in and around Big Ben because it’s just a short walk over the bridge you see in the photo below. Avoid the lines by choosing the fast-track ticket option. It’s also quite popular to depart from the Westminster Pier for a cruise along the River Thames to take in the sights of London from the water.

History buffs won’t want to miss the Churchill War Rooms. They’re not far from Westminster Abbey, along the edge of St. James’s Park. These rooms served as the secret headquarters for Churchill during WW2. The rooms have been preserved just as they were during the war and give a fascinating look at how Churchill operated and made decisions during this dark time in history.

If your trip to London is 3 days or less and it’s your first visit, this WW2 museum may not be a top priority. But if you or a travel companion is interested in visiting WW2 sights and museums in Europe, The Churchill War Rooms are a great way to divert from the typical first time in London sights.

Buckingham Palace-Green Park Tube Stop-Jubilee, Victoria, & Piccadilly Lines

Next, make your way to  Buckingham Palace  where the  Changing of the Guards  happens.

The ceremony is all pomp and fanfare. The King’s Guard outside the castle has been on watch for hours and the new guard comes to take over in grand style! A marching brigade of guards along with a mounted cavalry and a marching band head up The Mall and through the palace gates.

This ceremony draws a crowd so it’s best to arrive ahead of time so that you can get yourself in a position to see the fanfare. I’ve watched from both the gates of Buckingham Palace and the Queen Victoria Monument directly opposite the palace gates.

You’ll have to choose the location you want because it’s typically too crowded to move from place to place. To get a spot along the fence at Buckingham Palace, be prepared to arrive up to an hour early and wait.

If this is the case, you also may need to reverse the order and visit Westminster Abbey after so that you can stake out your Changing of the Guard spot in the morning.

Pro Tip:  Check the  Changing of the Guard schedule  before you go to make sure the ceremony is planned for the day you intend to visit.

Hyde Park – Hyde Park Corner Tube Stop – Piccadilly Line

When the ceremony is finished, keep those royal juices flowing for a stroll around  Hyde Park . It’s one of the largest parks in London, as well as one of the Royal Parks. Enjoy its monuments, bridges, fountains, gardens, and lake, including the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain.

Finish up with a classic afternoon tea experience at  The Dorchester Hotel .

No doubt, it’s a luxurious splurge, but after having experienced life as a royal, it’s the perfect way to properly finish the experience. From finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream, sweets, and of course, tea, you’ll have had a quintessential London outing.

Alternatively, if you plan afternoon tea for another day, you might want to visit London’s Natural History Museum or Kensington Palace on the other end of Hyde Park.

The latter has been a royal residence for hundreds of years and was where Princess Diana lived with Princes William and Harry. Today, you can tour the apartments and staterooms and see the sunken gardens where there is a statue of Princess Diana commemorating the 20th anniversary of her death.

While the Natural History Museum displays animal specimens, dinosaurs, and exhibitions about the history of the natural world and the people who evolved in it.

If you intend to walk into Hyde Park and casually make your way towards Kensington Palace or the Natural History Museum, the walk will be broken up by the time spent in the park.

Otherwise, if your aim is to get to either of these sights without a long walk, use the London underground. The Queensway stop along the Central line is the closest to Kensington Palace and the South Kensington stop along the Circle and District lines is near to the Natural History Museum.

London Itinerary Planning Idea #3 – Architecture, Theatre, & Art

St. Paul’s Cathedral – St. Paul’s Tube Stop – Central Line

Start off at  St. Paul’s Cathedral  to admire this Anglican Church’s architecture. You can explore the crypt or head in the opposite direction and climb the dome’s 528 steps for spectacular panoramic London views.

If you have it, entry is included with your London Pass .

Take your time crossing the pedestrian-only Millennium Bridge on your way to the Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. This is a great spot to watch boat traffic along the River Thames.

Tate Modern & The Globe Theatre-Blackfriars Tube Stop-Circle & District Lines

These 2 London attractions are just next to one another.

The  Tate Modern  has a vast permanent collection of modern art by the likes of Henri Matisse and Jackson Pollock, as well as temporary exhibitions. There are beautiful views looking back on St. Paul’s Cathedral and the River Thames, as well.

It’s free to enter the museum and there’s no need to book ahead, unless there is a specific exhibit you’d like to see that requires a reserved space.

The nearby  Globe Theatre  is a replica of Shakespeare’s original which burned in a fire many years ago after the thatched roof was ignited during a production of Henry VIII.

For your first trip to London, you’ll want to use your  London Pass  to tour the theater during the day and hear about its historic past. The Globe also has evening performances during the spring, summer, and fall seasons. The ambiance of the open-air theater makes for a fantastic night out!

Pro Tip:  Check times to coordinate visits to both the Tate Modern and The Globe in a way that lets you see one after the other. The Globe performance tickets sell out so purchase them in advance, especially if you want to see a play on a specific date.

London Itinerary Planning Idea #4 – Artifacts, Landmarks, and Shopping

The British Museum – Tottenham Court Tube Stop – Central & Northern Lines

No trip to London is complete without a stop at The   British Museum . The art and artifacts on display are open free to the public beginning at 10:00 a.m. each day. Highlights include the Rosetta Stone, sculptures from the Parthenon, and a vast Egyptian collection including mummies.

It’s worth checking for any special, limited-time exhibits during your stay. If there’s one you’d like to see, it’s worth buying tickets online or at the museum when you first arrive.

After the museum, spend the afternoon strolling through  Covent Garden  or head over to  Soho  and  Oxford Street  for a shopper’s paradise. Covent Garden is in London’s West End, home to theaters, restaurants, and shops. You’re sure to find anything you’d want to buy from the numerous chain stores, boutiques, and markets.

Pro Tip:  There are many classic London pubs in these neighborhoods. If you haven’t had a plate of fish and chips yet, now’s the time. You can also join a historical pub walking tour to visit some of London’s most iconic pubs.

Leicester Square – Leicester Square Tube Stop – Piccadilly & Northern Lines

Make your way to  Leicester Square  and the heart of London’s Theatre District. It’s super touristy here. Think Times Square-esque…a place where you take a few photos before moving on.

But if you plan to see a musical or a play later (and you certainly should!),  get your discounted tickets at the TKTS booth right in the square for performances that day or night.

There’s crossover between shows in London and New York’s Broadway district. Sometimes, you can even catch a performance in London before it heads to New York City.

Trafalgar Square – Charing Cross Tube Stop – Bakerloo & Northern Lines

Finish your walk at  Trafalgar Square . This iconic London crossroads has monuments, historic buildings, museums, and street performers. It’s an absolute beehive of activity and perfect for taking more classic London photos complete with red double-decker buses passing by on the streets in and around the square.

With any luck, you’ll have time to check out the  National Gallery  right in Trafalgar Square which houses famous paintings by the likes of Vermeer, Monet, Rembrandt, Cezanne, and Leonardo Da Vinci.

Best of all, it’s free to visit, and you can use your  London Pass  Hop On Hop Off double-decker bus ticket to reposition yourself closer to your hotel when you’re done.

London Itinerary Planning Idea #5 – Harry Potter Fans

Harry Potter Studio Tour Meeting Point – Victoria Station – Circle, District & Victoria Lines

Are you traveling with a wannabe wizard dying for a Hogwarts adventure?

Plan a visit to the  Harry Potter and Warner Brothers Studio . Buses leave from Central London and travel to the magical sets of the famed movie and book series. The closest tube stop to the meeting point is Victoria Station. From there, it’s just a few minutes on foot.

You’ll have 4 hours to see places like the Great Hall, Dumbledore’s Office, Diagon Alley, and more! Plus, get to see some of the most famous props and the costumes worn by Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

If you’ve wanted to visit Platform 9 ¾, ride the Hogwarts Express, and attempt to ride a broomstick, then you definitely don’t want to miss escaping the world of Muggles for just a bit on your visit to London!

ProTip: If you want to sprinkle some Harry Potter into your London trip but don’t want to commit a full day to the experience, this Harry Potter Guided Walking Tour is a popular alternative.

Out-of-Town Must-Sees on your First Trip to London

From London, many parts of Britain and the U.K. are easily reachable by train. This makes it possible to visit a couple of popular sites with even just a half day’s worth of time.

Trains run from London to both  Windsor Castle  and  Hampton Court Palace . From their respective train stations, it’s just a few minutes on foot to reach the entry points.

The exquisite staterooms at Windsor Castle are open to the public when the King is not in residence. These rooms are some of the most spectacular castle rooms you’ll see anywhere in the world.

St. George’s Chapel, within the grounds of Windsor Castle, is the final resting spot of Henry VIII and several other Kings and Queens. It’s also where Meghan and Harry were married and the final resting place of Queen Elizabeth II.

Hampton Court Palace is full of Tudor history, as it was a regular stop for Henry VIII and his royal court. The palace creates a historical experience by revealing the inner workings of how the palace operated in its heyday. It’s undoubtedly one of the most interesting and well-preserved looks at Tudor history, as well as what life was like during this period.

Look out for King Henry VIII himself, as visitors can watch the King interact with Anne Boleyn or flirt with his soon-to-be next wife, Jane Seymour. Leave some time for the palace’s gardens and maze.

Pro Tip:  Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace are both included with the  London Pass . Get Fast Track Entry at Hampton Court to maximize your time and avoid any entry line.

If you have extra days in your itinerary, consider a London day trip to:

• Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, and Bath
• The Cotswolds
• Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey) & the Filming Locations

If you’re planning a trip to England, rent a car and drive into the English countryside when your time in London is done. I’ve done this to spend time exploring places like Stratford-Upon-Avon , the Cotswolds villages , and Warwick Castle .

It’s a perfect way to add on to an England itinerary and explore more of what the country has to offer beyond London.

Best Area to Stay in London

Where to stay in London is one of the most frequently asked questions for anyone planning a trip. It’s understandable. You want to be somewhere conveniently located, safe, and within your travel budget.

London’s neighborhoods and districts each have their own unique charm and flavor. And while some might say you should absolutely stay in the heart of the most touristy areas of the city, I think the most important thing when choosing where to stay in London is to  stay somewhere with convenient access to the Tube. 

You shouldn’t be hesitant to book a hotel or rental accommodation that’s a few Tube stops away from popular attractions. You can truly get nearly anywhere in London very quickly by using the underground train system.

That being said, you don’t want to stay too far from the heart of London, either. The city is big and the Tube rides from London’s outer neighborhoods can take upwards of an hour back to the center.

Ideally, you want to find a London hotel that matches your travel budget, close to a Tube station, in a relatively center-ish location. Example neighborhoods include Seven Dials, Covent Garden, Westminster, Soho, and near Southwark along the south bank.

Below, I’ve shared a couple of hotels where I’ve stayed. They’re in different budget categories and neighborhoods, and they have convenient Tube access.

I’ve had excellent hotel points and paid stays at several London hotels including the ones listed below.

Radisson Blu Edwardian Mercer Street Hotel  – The hotel is located in the Seven Dials neighborhood near Covent Garden, the West End’s Theatre district, pubs, and my favorite Indian restaurant, Dishoom. Rooms are a classic modern boutique style for which Radisson Blu hotels are known.

Holiday Inn Express London-Southwark  – Just a 10-minute walk to Borough Market, the Tate Modern, or the Globe Theatre, with a Tube station nearby. This hotel is on the south bank of the city not far from the Southwark Tube station.

London Rental Accommodations

During my travels, I’ve also opted for apartment and home rentals. You feel more like a local and oftentimes can save money because you’re able to prepare your own breakfast or share the overall cost with family members or friends. Not to mention, you can find truly unique places to stay with awesome views or even discover a new neighborhood!

London is the perfect destination to consider a rental accommodation over a hotel because hotels aren’t cheap(!) and London is well-connected with its underground trains.

My go-to place to search for rental accommodations is Plum Guide . They vet the properties on their site using “Home Critics” and only select the best properties in a variety of price brackets. Plum Guide even offers phone support 24/7 should you need any help or have questions.

How Many Days to Spend in London

As with most places, you can spend an extended period of time and still not see and do everything a fantastic city like London has to offer.

If it’s your first time in London, you likely will focus on the most popular attractions and experiences that interest you. For this, you’ll need 3-4 days to explore and make use of the London itinerary ideas in this guide.

With 4+ days in London, you can also use a day to visit a popular sight just outside of London or even  get off the beaten path .

London is a great city to explore. It’s also the perfect jumping-off point for future trips to Europe. It’s not complicated to add a couple of days in London as a stopover before continuing on to another destination in Europe.

Arrival into London

The  Heathrow Express  is a quick and efficient way to get into the city from London Heathrow Airport. The train leaves every 15 minutes and arrives in just about the same time to Paddington Station.

You can book your tickets online or using the Heathrow Express App. Not only will this save you any hassle at the airport, but you’ll also save money. Heathrow Express prices are lower the further you book in advance.

Gatwick Airport also has an  express train  which arrives at Victoria Station. Trains run every 15 minutes and take a half-hour to reach London.

Similarly, the express train from Gatwick offers considerable discounts for booking online and ahead of time.

The airports also have commuter trains, buses, and taxis to get you into London. Except for the taxis, these options are less expensive than the express trains mentioned above but do take more time.

You can check prices and schedules for  Southern Railways  from Gatwick to compare.

In addition, from London Heathrow, you can take the Tube. Trains along the Picadilly and Elizabeth lines connect terminals 2, 3, 4, and 5. The ride takes between 45-50 minutes to reach central London but is less expensive than the Heathrow Express.

From Paddington and Victoria Stations in London, you’ll have access to the  London Tube  with lines spreading across the city, as well as a taxi queue at ground level. Most taxis take credit cards but be aware of the occasional cash-only sign in a taxi’s window.

Pro Tip:  My recommendation is to use an express train or the Tube (from/to Heathrow), for a quick and easy trip to London’s city center or even directly to your hotel. Avoid London traffic and expensive taxi rides.

If you’d prefer to arrange transportation and/or avoid taking the trains, consider booking a car with Welcome Pickups  to transfer to the city. Although I’ve only used the trains to get from Heathrow to London, I’ve used Welcome Pickups in several other European cities and always had a great experience.

This will be a much more affordable option compared to a London taxi. The price will be a flat rate, as opposed to paying based on the taxi’s metered fare which can get quite high with even the smallest amount of traffic

How to get around London

London is very pedestrian-friendly and you’re bound to do a good amount of walking during your London trip. Remember, cars are on the opposite side of the road compared to the U.S., so you need to LOOK RIGHT when crossing the road. When in doubt, just look both ways before crossing.

Along the Thames, the riverwalk is a clear path connected with several bridges to help you cross to the other side as frequently as you need.

In addition, London’s Tube (subway) is reliable, easy to navigate, and stretches across the city. The announcements are clear and the lines are identified with colors and names, like Central, District, and Piccadilly. Given how big London is, you’ll need to rely on public transportation to maximize the time you have rather than always walking long distances.

As with getting to London from the airport, taxis are expensive in London and get even pricier when traffic is heavy. It’s best to go underground to save time, money, and patience.

Visitors staying for a few days can get an Oyster Card for easy use and refills in the Tube. Your Oyster Card is good for your first trip to London and every return trip thereafter!

London Pass  purchases come with the option to add a visitor’s Oyster Card. I would skip this option because the card takes several weeks to be physically mailed to you. You can also save more money by simply using a regular Oyster Card or the Tube’s contactless payment system because it will cap how much you’ll pay each day automatically.

Use a contactless credit card to pay to enter the Tube, as well as a mobile device like a smartphone with Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay. Just be sure you’re using a card with no foreign transaction fees.

A few things to keep in mind when paying to access the Tube.

• Use the same card or device when you touch in and out at the yellow card readers. The London Tube caps how much you’ll pay. So, you can ride as much as you want in a day or a week and you’ll never pay more than the capped price.
• If you don’t use the same card or device, the Tube card readers won’t be able to accurately cap the amount you pay.
• If you’re using a device like a smartphone, be sure you have enough battery power. You need to touch in and out of the Tube. You also need to use your phone all day otherwise the system can’t cap the amount you pay.
• You can pay for another person if you are traveling together. (They will need to touch out of the Tube and can’t do it without your card or device.) You’ll need to pay for yourself with a separate card or device.

London Tips for Your First Trip

As you plan things to do in London and where to stay in London, also take into consideration the tips below. They’ve come from 3 separate trips to London and a lot of travel experience overall.

The best time to visit London is during spring and fall.

Visiting London in the shoulder/winter season months, April-June and September-November, are the perfect combination of moderate to cool temperatures and fewer visitors. January to March can also be a good time to visit if you’re not bothered by colder temperatures and prefer to visit during the least busy time of year.

Summer can be very busy, making the next London travel tip even that much more important.

Book as many things as possible in advance.

Not only will things like the London Pass or advance fast-track tickets help you save time and money, but it’ll eliminate indecisiveness about what to do while you’re in London and who to trust when you eventually buy the tickets, tours, and passes you want.

Use a credit card with no foreign transaction fees.

London isn’t a budget destination. The last thing you want to add to the currency exchange are fees from your credit card once you get your bill back home.

Credit cards are widely accepted throughout London and also remove the necessity to convert and carry large amounts of dollars to British pounds.

ProTip: When paying by credit card or using your debit card to withdraw money at an ATM, always pay in the local currency (Pounds) and/or decline the currency conversion. This is a sneaky way to convert your money at a less-than-desirable rate.

Wear comfortable walking shoes.

I know this seems obvious but it truly can’t be understated. As someone who lives in New York City, I can always recognize a visitor who’s regretting his/her shoe choice.

These are the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn. I wear them walking around New York City and they’re a staple I pack for nearly every trip I take. You can walk miles without any irritation or blisters.

Check for service charges.

Tipping isn’t obligatory in London. In fact, service charges are often added to bills at restaurants and pubs. That being said, if you’re happy with your service, you always leave a small amount as a gesture of appreciation.

Pack the right electrical converters.

Most commonly, you’ll need a Type G converter to plug into the outlets throughout the U.K. I’ve encountered one place where this wasn’t the case. So, it’s smart to also have a universal adapter with USB ports, too.

London Trip Planner FAQs

How do i start planning a trip to london.

To plan a trip to London, first, decide how many days you’ll spend in the city. Then, book your hotel. You’ll find more options and competitive pricing the further in advance you book. After this, plan your London itinerary. Make a list of the sights and activities you want to see and do. Then, group them by area to logically plan what to do without backtracking. Be sure to book ahead as many things as possible to save time and to ensure you can visit places on the days that make sense for your London itinerary.

How many days should I plan for London?

As you plan a trip to London, you’ll need at least 3-4 days to comfortably see the city’s top sights and attractions. London is a very large city with an endless number of things to see and do. You can easily plan a trip to London for a week and have plenty to fill your itinerary.

What time of year is best to go to London?

The absolute best months for a perfect combination of weather and number of visitors is from April to June and September through November. January to March can also be a good time to visit London because fewer people are visiting during this time. Summers come with big crowds and long lines.

What is the best area to stay in London?

The best area to stay in London is in the heart of the city, especially if you’re visiting London for the first time, and within walking distance of a Tube station. These include neighborhoods like Seven Dials, Covent Garden, Westminster, Soho, and along the south bank near the Southwark area.

Where should I go on my first trip to London?

For your first London trip, plan to see the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, the British Museum, Covent Garden, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, and the iconic view of Big Ben and Parliament from Westminster Bridge. You should also plan to have afternoon tea, eat at Borough Market, go to a play or musical, and glimpse London from above at the London Eye or the Shard.

First Trip to London – Bottom Line

You have chosen a fantastic city to visit, full of important landmarks, historic sights, good food, and fun experiences. With some advance planning, you’ll arrive in London prepared with your itinerary and know-how to navigate the city confidently for an unforgettable trip.

So, what questions do you have about your first trip to London or about planning a London itinerary?

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Essay on my favorite city London

London is a stable and inclusive city. It is the capital and the most famous city of England. Its eminence is due to the presence of river Thames.

History of London:-

As every city has some history, so does the London, It possesses a history of more than 2000 years but even then it is totally modern. Romans laid its foundation, and they called it with the name Londinium. In 2011, its population was 7,375. In 1889, the city was given the name London. Since that time, it has also recognized as the Country of London and now Greater London.

Modern city:-

It is the modern city as well. It possesses the elegant and stylish features in Mayfair, Hampstead, Knightsbridge, and Chelsea. It also provides the distinct features in Shoreditch, Camden, and Dalston. Moreover, its vast business and the educational center provides the professionals and artists with too many opportunities.

Multicultural City:-

London is based on many cultures. It is stated as the multi-cultural city, and that’s the main reason for me for liking this city. Anyone can learn different cultures from here. Anyone can make friendships and relationships here.

Inhabitants of this City:-

Also, another feature which makes the city most favorite for anyone is the behavior of its inhabitants. British people are very loving, well- mannered, and considerate.

Museums of London:-

The city is well known for its museums which make it the finest city in the world. Most of the museums are free there. The British museums are big, and few of them allows free entry. It’s too big that you cannot look all the things by visiting only once. Other art museums include Victoria, Tate galleries, and Albert Museum. London provides the outstanding exhibitions at the Science Museum, Museum of London, London Transport Museum, Design Museum, and Natural History Museum.

Music in London:-

Everyone likes music, so does I. London offers an unconquerable music legacy. The fact that there born a lot of music legends makes the city an awe-inspiring one.

Cafes and pubs of London:-

As we know that there exist many cultures in London, so this feature offers us with a variety of food. This includes the appetizing tastes of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, etc. you can also have traditional British food out there at many places like Rules, which is the oldest restaurant in London, and also in the pubs.

Different scenes and sights of London:-

London comprises of many historical places like House of Parliament, St. James Palace, The Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, and St. Paul’s Cathedral. These places are well organized and are looked after carefully.

Recreational areas of London:-

The city is full of greenery as there you can see many gardens, parks, and green open places. You will enjoy the walk here and never feel tired because of the greenery present around. There you can come across about 2000 flowery plant species that are growing. So you can say that the city is full of greenery.

Species of birds and animals present in London:-

There exist 120 species of fish. London’s history shows that there are 60 species of birds which resides in Central London. Moreover, research shows that there survive almost 47 species or groups of butterfly, 270 types of spiders, and 1173 moths. Among others, you can also find 10000 foxes out there. These foxes frequently creep into the House of Parliament. In addition to that, other living creatures that are located in Greater London are mice, rabbit, rats, squirrels, hedgehogs, vole and shrew.

Transportation system of London:-

Transportation is very easy in London. You can reach anywhere you want within time as the bus facility never stops and the bus comes on exact time. This bus system has 8,500 buses with more than 700 routes. It’s one of the best transportation systems in the world. Moreover, London’s metro system is the ancient and second biggest system in the world. It operates 270 stations. About three million travelers travel every day from an underground metro system.

Cable car:-

London cable car which is known as Emirates Airline launched in June 2012. It crosses the river Thames and links Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks together and carries 3,500 people a day.

London airports:-

The city has a great administering system on airports. It comprises of eight airports out of which six are the busiest. West London and London Heathrow Airport are the busiest airports in the world.

Education in London:-

London is the chief universal hub for education as many big universities including the University of London and Westminster University are here. People from all around the world come here to approach higher studies.

Shopping in London:-

London is my favorite city as it offers the best stores for shopping. One of the oldest departmental stores named Selfridges is recognized as the best stores in London.

Weather of London:-

Weather of the city is cold. It possesses a moderate climate. It is one of the things that most people like about London. It’s a rainy city of England. Usually, summers are warm and occasionally hot. The winter season here is cool and moist. You can see snowfall also which can create a disturbance while traveling. In London, autumn and spring seasons are pleasant and enjoyable.

To sum up, all the features mentioned above make London a favorite place for everyone. It’s each and every feature and advancement flourished it as the darling place for us. Above essay provides some basic info about London, you can discuss further essay writing examples to enhance your writing abilities, you can find and add more sample data for essay writing about London city if you are interested in lengthy essays with headings.

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London’s World of Cultures, A Photo Essay

By denise lu.

One of the most diverse cities in Europe, London offers a gorgeous taste of world cultures and beautiful sights. Here are some locales we loved.

The London Eye provides breathtaking views of the city, including long stretches of the banks of the Thames.

Even on a misty day, London remains a sight to behold under the mysterious veil of its iconic fog.

London’s parks are wonderfully serene recluses to escape to in the middle of a bustling city.

Just beyond the city walls, the campus of Oxford University escorts visitors back in time with its majestic medieval architecture and weathered cobblestone streets.

Hampton Court Palace

The city’s various palaces offer a sense of grandeur and luxury. Hampton Court Palace, slightly farther from the city center, has a spread of various gardens that lend themselves well to calming walks in the crisp fall fog.

Jamie Oliver Fifteen

London is also a culinary capital that many world-renowned chefs call home. Jamie Oliver has several restaurants in the city, including Fifteen, which hires otherwise unemployed youth.

Food is cheap and authentic from dozens of restaurants to small bakeries and ethnic grocers at Brick Lane, a street full of cultural surprises.

Old Spitalfields Market

Located near Brick Lane, Old Spitalfields Market is comprised of a smorgasbord of stalls featuring vintage duds and handcrafted goods, surrounded by a plethora of cheap gourmet eats.

Afternoon Tea

From finger sandwiches to scones with clotted cream and jam to sweets such as cakes and macarons, afternoon tea is nothing less than a full meal. Full-bodied English tea is also a warming refuge from the autumn air.

Indian Food

A melting pot of different cultures, London has some of the best selection of ethnic foods in Europe with standouts being Indian, Pakistani and Middle Eastern cuisines.

Camden Market

One of the bigger markets in London, Camden Town has a sprawl of stalls from jewelry to clothing to food and everything in between.

Even the off-streets of big boulevards can yield amusing shenanigans.

A vibrant neighborhood full of upcoming talent and independent shops, Shoreditch is a gem for nightlife and catching local bands outside of crowded clubs in touristy downtown areas.

About Denise:

Denise Lu is a junior at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University where she studies journalism and economics. She is currently studying abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark while also hopping around multiple countries in Europe. She loves strange music, street photography and wholesome food. With a love for entertainment and culture writing, she maintains a personal music blog at  the omelette chronicles  and does amateur food photography at  eat your jams . Follow her on Twitter  @DeniseDSLu .

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12 Reasons Why London Is My Favourite City in the World

In 2023, I touched down in London for my 9th visit in 11 years. Every single time I return to London , I fall more and more in love, happily calling London my favourite city in the world.

This city totally has my heart and if it wasn’t so hard on the wallet, I’d move there in a minute. But until that happens, I’m content to be a continual London tourist taking any chance I get to set foot in this world class city!

Not sold on The Old Smoke? Check out the 12 reasons why my favourite city, London, might become yours too!

Plus, check out my itinerary for how to spend 3 days in London!

Table of Contents

1. Public transit: The London tube is easy, efficient and fun to use!

“Mind the gap between the train and the platform.” Just hearing that, in a posh British accent, puts a big smile on my face. When I took my first tube ride way back in 2012, I was so amazed by this enormous network of underground trains. I couldn’t believe how many lines there were, how much land they covered and how far underground they really went.

You can literally get anywhere in London via tube. In fact, in over a decade of visiting London, I have only ever taken one cab and one bus (and both of those were just to try out the iconic black cabs and the double-decker buses) – everything else was via the famous London Underground! For English speakers, the tube is also easy to navigate with maps and apps, clear signage, and English speaking employees who can help.

Back in the day you had to have an Oyster card or paper ticket to use the tube but now you can simply tap on and off with a credit card, making London public transit even easier for visitors. No need to load money onto a card, worry you haven’t paid the right fare or fret about losing a paper ticket.

Of course, the tube has its flaws. Getting on the tube at rush hour on a hot day? Not fun! And if you’re over six feet tall, you’re going to have a hard time squeezing into some of the compartments. But all of that stress melts away when you consider what you could be paying to take an Uber or taxi across the city. Plus, then you wouldn’t get to giggle like a 12 year old when you hear the voiceover announce, “This is a Piccadilly line train with service to Cockfosters.”

2. Voices: All the accents in London are amazing

It’s so fun to listen to people talk in accents that I don’t usually hear in my everyday life. Not being British, I can’t quite distinguish between the different types of British/UK accents. I just know they all sound cool!

And even cooler when they use fun UK English words like “jumper” (sweater) and “queue” (line) that we don’t usually hear in North America. And unfortunately, I’m one of those horrible tourists who start using the local lingo after only a couple of days in London . “I’ll just throw my rubbish in that bin by the lift” is a real life sentence I have said because I’m the worst.

Not only do you get to hear English accents in London but accents from all over the UK, Europe and the world speaking all sorts of languages. One of main reasons why London is my favourite city is because of all of the cultures, countries, religions, races and people who call it home.

3. History: Be wowed by the past in London

I love that in Europe, you can pass a church that has been around for 500 years and no one even bats an eye. It’s just another church. No big deal; there’s another one on the next block. That sort of thing just doesn’t exist in Canada! I love walking through streets and into buildings knowing that these have been around for ages.

If you’re a history buff, London is a great place to visit. It’s home to incredible museums (many of which are free!) and attractions where you can learn about British history like the Tower of London and the British Museum.

Of course, there are some really ugly parts of Britain’s history that still wreak havoc on our modern world. While we don’t need to celebrate all of Britain’s history, I do think it’s important to learn about it on a trip to London.

4. Size: I love that London is a big city

For some people, the fact that London is so big is a turn off. But for me, I love it! I grew up in downtown Toronto and I love a big city with lots of people, fast-moving traffic and loud noises. The sounds of sirens and streetcars lulled me to sleep as a kid.

As a visitor, I absolutely love having a huge city to explore. The idea of a small town sounds idyllic in theory – but I know I would be bored in an hour. Thanks to London’s size, I know I will never run out of neighbourhoods, restaurants, shops, parks or attractions to explore no matter how many times I return to London .

5. Beauty: All of London’s beautiful buildings & neighbourhoods

How can you walk through the streets of Notting Hill and not fall in love? Those Easter-egg hued houses, little independent shops and the outdoor market on the weekend? I would move in tomorrow if I could.

London is chock-a-block (a British term I heard used in Manchester and hope I am using right) with cool neighbourhoods, interesting markets and gorgeous buildings. I love the little brick houses, towering churches, bright parks, bridges over the Thames and awesome food markets.

Sadly I haven’t made it too far out of Central London on any of my trips but I know there are even better, cooler and more affordable neighbourhoods for me to discover on the next trip.

6. Diversity: There’s something for everyone in London!

I don’t understand people who don’t like London. There is something here for absolutely everyone! Whether you’re into sports, arts, nightlife or nature, you will find something here. There’s all types of foods, languages and activities. There are even things to satisfy every budget (though I know living in London is a whole different expense).

While London is probably best known for museums, history, royalty and theatre (more on that below), you don’t have to be into any of those things to enjoy a visit to London. You can spend your time watching a football match (aka soccer game), exploring parks, going on boat rides, eating food from every corner of the world, shopping, reading and even hiking around the city.

Like Samuel Johnson once said, “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.” If you don’t think you’d find something to interest you in London, I encourage you to give it a try. I’m positive you’d find something about London to love.

7. Theatre scene: London’s West End musicals are the best

Musicals are one of my huge loves in life. I used to perform in musicals when I was younger but these days, I just belt along to the tunes in the shower (and in the kitchen, and at my desk, and so on!). You don’t want to be my next door neighbour when I’m going for the high notes in Defying Gravity. So one of the reasons why London is my favourite city is the awesome musical and live theatre scene in the West End.

Every time I have visited London, I’ve seen a musical. Usually more like two or three! I love that there are so many shows playing all the time to cater to different theatre tastes and that getting discount tickets is super easy. Many of the theatres offer rush tickets or hold lotteries, or allow you to book discounted tickets through resellers, like TKTS and TodayTix. With so many options of what to see and how much you want to pay for it, theatre is a lot more accessible to everyone.

There’s nothing like seeing a musical or play in real life. I get the hugest smile on my face when I hear an actress belting out an impossible note, watch a company nail an intricate dance sequence, or see a stage transform with unbelievable sets and costumes. Live theatre is amazing and some of the best money I’ve ever spent!

8. Food & drink: Enjoy afternoon tea, Indian food & more in my favourite city, London

People are always ragging on British food. And, to be honest, mushy peas or bangers and mash don’t really do it for me either. But afternoon tea? I can definitely get on board with that. Tea, scones, cakes and mini sandwiches can be delicious!

Plus, with London being such a huge and diverse city, there’s lots of great food to be had from all over the world. London is well known for its awesome Indian food. I’ve also had some great ramen and Chinese baos in London. A visit to Borough Market will have you inhaling the scents of the global food scene, mouth-watering and ready to eat it all.

London is also great if you want to eat on a budget. Pret A Manger (found on every corner) is definitely one of my London staples. It’s so easy to pop in and grab a drink, sandwich and snack for just a few pounds. I highly recommend the hoisin duck wrap and the cranberries in coats!

9. Royalty: London is home to the British royal family (if that’s your thing)

I know the British royal family is not for everyone. While Canada is a commonwealth country under the British monarch, I don’t feel a deep allegiance to or affection for the crown and struggle to see where the monarchy fits into modern society. That being said, they are certainly a subject of fascination and a draw to London for many people.

Back in university, I was a pretty big fan of the royals. By that, I mean that I had a Kate and Will wall calendar and followed Kensington Palace on Facebook. Like many famous people that I admired in my youth, their appeal has lost its shine for me now as an adult. I’m still interested (I did read Spare after all), but I wouldn’t say I’m a supportive superfan.

That being said, my visits to London then and now have had royal themes. It would be a shame to visit London and not walk by famous places like Buckingham Palace or Westminster Abbey. I liked touring Windsor Castle in 2014 and wondering if the Queen was home. I also happened to be in town during Trooping the Colour in 2012 and 2014, allowing me to get a glimpse of the royal family on the palace balcony. I hadn’t planned my trip around the event but will admit it was cool to see Kate and Will in real life!

10. Pop culture: Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes and more call London home

If you’re a pop culture enthusiast, odds are one of your favourite TV shows, movies or books was filmed, set, written or created in London. From Sherlock Holmes and James Bond to Paddington Bear and Harry Potter, you’d be hard pressed to find a London-based character or story you aren’t familiar with.

Fans can visit Sherlock’s home on Baker Street or the Paddington Bear store at Paddington Station. You can walk the streets of Notting Hill like Hugh Grant did in the movie by the same name, head to Bridget Jones’ favourite bar or order James Bond’s signature drink. And, of course, if you’re a Potterhead (despite not supporting the transphobic author who should not be named), London is full of must-visit stops like King’s Cross Station, the Millennium Bridge, and a visit out to the Harry Potter Studio Tour .

11. Travel opportunities: Access to the rest of Europe is so easy from London!

One of the reasons why I would love to live in London and why London is my favourite city in the world is because it’s so accessible. You can get almost anywhere in Europe from London. And usually the cheapest flights are into and out of one of London’s many airports.

When we lived abroad in Prague , I regularly saw flights in and out of London for less than $50 round trip. London also has an extensive train and bus network that can connect you around the UK and even over to mainland Europe. While the trains can be pricy, sales do pop up occasionally and sometimes it’s worth it to pay a bit more for a train to avoid the hassle of getting to and from an airport.

12. Why is London my favourite city in the world? All of my awesome London travel memories!

One of the big reasons why London is my favourite city in the world is because of all of the amazing memories I have in London. London was the very first stop on my first solo trip and first trip to Europe . That trip totally changed my life and it meant a lot to be able to start it in London.

I stopped in London on my way to spending three months living and interning in Swaziland (now Eswatini) , another big life changing trip. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting London with my mom, my husband, my siblings, friends from Vancouver, friends from abroad, and by myself. And, somehow, I’ve managed to visit London almost 10 times with only a couple of days of rain!

Final thoughts on why London is my favourite city in the world

I know London can get a bad rap for being big, busy and expensive. But to me, I’m always going to have a soft spot for London!

Not only is the city full of amazing memories for me – from my very first solo trip to exploring London with my favourite people – but it also continues to surprise me. Despite visiting almost 10 times in the last decade, I never get tired of London. There is always something interesting to do no matter your budget or interests.

So, have I sold you on London? Are you ready to call London your favourite city too?  Let me know in the comments below how you feel about London and which city is your favourite.

Planning a trip to London? Don’t miss these posts:

• Our Itinerary: One Week in London and Iceland
• 3 Days in London – Your Perfect Itinerary
• Why I Keep Returning to London
• How to Spend a Weekend Break in Bath (the perfect side trip from London!)

Riana Ang-Canning is a travel writer who has been sharing her global adventures as the founder of Teaspoon of Adventure since 2012. In that time, Riana has travelled to almost 50 countries on 6 continents, including interning in Eswatini, working in Tokyo, road tripping New Zealand and living abroad in Prague. Riana helps everyday travellers discover the world on a mid-budget, proving that you don't have to be athletic, wealthy or nomadic to have an adventure!

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40 comments.

Sounds awesome! I’ve never been , but definitely adding to my list now! Maybe next year to visit you guys! Christmas in London?

That sounds awesome! I’ve heard London is a great place to be at Christmas. See you there!

London definitely gets undeserved bad reputation for the food, weather, being too much of a city etc. But like you, I have enjoyed London the 3x I have been. I took in 2 musicals on two of my visits, one was with you and I loved that play, and the other was on my first visit and saw Wicked and it was wicked! What is there not to love about the different areas of London? So much to see and do. I even love the parks. Yes, yes, yes…it’s all lovely! I will definitely visit when you guys are there next year!

Yay! Would love to see London with you again. I think our plan should just be to meet all of our visitors in London and then we’ll move on from there. I hear it’s beautiful at Christmas so I can’t wait to see that too!

I have visited London a couple of times and i absolutely love it! And I love the accent as well.

Glad to hear you love London too! And yes, the accents are amazing!

I’ve always been so curious about “the tube” haha I can’t wait to finally see what it’s all about.

I think if you’re a tourist, it can be pretty fun and charming. It’s impressive to see just how massive and sprawling it really is. But I’m sure if you lived in London and had to commute on a packed tube every single day it wouldn’t be nearly as much fun!

Doing anything every day often does ruin the fun

This is so funny to read as I have lived in London twice now. My husband is from London and so now and then he likes to go an live there for a while. I think to need to go and live in London to get the real sense of it. It definitely has its charms but……

Yes, I’m sure it’s a totally different experience to live in London rather than to just visit. I mean, I live in Vancouver, one of the prettiest places and often voted best places to live, and certainly don’t feel that way every day.

It is an exciting city with a great grunge and I don’t want to crush your dream. But check out well if you can afford to live there because it is ridiculous expensive with its rents. And if you live far out and have to do the trip into London every day during rush hour, the tube system shows a different side. Just a few notes.

Oh absolutely! Well aware that rent and living in London is pretty crazy. And I don’t want to spend all day commuting. So I don’t think a move to London is in our future – unless we win the lottery!

After reading your post, I must go see a musical in London! I never thought of that as an activity I must do there. Definitely adding it to my itinerary. Great job!

You absolutely do! It’s my favourite thing to do in London 🙂

Ohhh I absolutely love this post! London is definitely on my travel bucket list, and I really want to visit all the places you mentioned… 🙂

I hope you make it there! London is awesome!

I absolutely agree, London is wonderful. And the food scene is amazing with tremendous variety of different International cuisines delivering delicious fare!

Agreed! People are always hating on British cuisine but there are so many great eats in London!

London is one of my dream destinations! I hope I can go visit someday!

I hope you can too! It’s a great city!

I haven’t been to London in about 12 years and now I feel like I need to go back immediately. I loved it then and you just rekindled all that in me! I’m also a major Potterhead and the tours weren’t a thing yet when I went. Also, I feel like you should come to New York. Many of the things you love about London are here too so you would probably enjoy it.

Aw I hope you get to make it back to London soon. As a Potterhead, you will love all the new Harry Potter things. Yes, I did have similar feelings when I visited New York a few summers ago. Unfortunately, I visited in August and was sweating the whole time. But I’d love to visit New York again in the spring or fall!

We are totally on the same page! London is my soul mate 🙂

Ah, I love that! London is amazing!

Oh London town! It’s been too long since I’ve seen you.

Gotta get back soon!

London is such a dazzling city, you can always discover something new.

Absolutely! Always something new and exciting going on!

You make some great points about the best things in London. I’m totally with you on the tea, theatre and of course Harry Potter! My tips for getting tickets to the Cursed Child – sign up to the newsletter and join the queue as soon as it opens for getting tickets. Them gran what you can. It took me a year of trying to buy tickets for a year in advance. They were cheap seats super high up but the shows were amazing! Totally worth 2 years of effort 🙂

Thanks so much for checking out the blog, Hannah. And thank you for the tips! Will have to be more diligent and make Cursed Child happen one day soon!

The tube is great but I love the bus system. We rented a house for a month in Queen’s Park a block from a stop for the 36 bus. Two thirds of our trips were on the bus. You can see so much of the city that way. The grandkids loved sitting in the front of the upper deck. When we did use the tube we always looked for a bus route home.

Yes, good call about the bus! I was initially attracted to the tube because the planning seemed a lot easier with the tube maps. But the buses are great (and cheaper!). I went on my first one back in 2014 and loved the novelty of the double decker. Very cool that you rented a house in London for a month!

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I have to say the words you used (Jumper, queue, rubbish” aren’t slang words but actual English language words used every day. Slang words are more like “quid” instead of “pounds”, “bloke” instead of “man” or “pissed” instead of “drunk”.

I do agree though, London is a great city! Great for theatre and concerts. I definitely recommend venturing outside of London though 🙂

Good point! I’ll edit my post. I think I meant more lingo that is used in the UK that isn’t used in Canada/US, not that the words were made up, so I’ll make that change. But yes, a great city either way!

Definitely has something for everyone! Plus the theatre is great too.

Absolutely! And yes, the theatre is probably my favourite part.

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Why London is My Favorite City

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London - Tourist Attractions and Places to See

• Geography of London - Population, History, Economy, Culture

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is the most famous of London’s many royal palaces. Constructed in the 18th century , it is located at the end of the Mall, one of London’s broadest roads. The Queen and her family live in a part of the palace. Other parts can be visited by tourists. The Changing of the Guard is a ceremony that takes place every day.

• Tower of London

The Tower of London is one of the oldest buildings in the city. The fortress consists of several buildings around a central tower . It is situated on the northern bank of the River Thames . For many centuries the Tower of London served as a prison . Among the most famous prisoners were the explorer Sir Walter Raleigh and Anne Boleyn, one of Henry VIII’s wives who was beheaded there. Today visitors are able to see the Crown Jewels of England which were originally protected by Beefeaters and the Tower’s ravens .

Tower Bridge

The Tower Bridge , near the Tower of London, may be London’s most impressive landmark . The bridge is over a hundred years old and can be raised to let ships pass through. The two towers and the walkway that connects them give visitors a great view of London.

St Paul's Cathedral

St. Paul's Cathedral was rebuilt in the 17th century by the great English architect Sir Christopher Wren after the original building had been destroyed by the Great Fire of London in 1666. It has the largest dome in the world after St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey is located near the Houses of Parliament. Since its construction by William the Conqueror in 1066 almost all of the country’s kings and queens have been crowned there. Monarchs and famous people are buried in the abbey . Among them are Charles Darwin and Sir Isaac Newton .

Houses of Parliament

The Houses of Parliament are located in the city of Westminster alongside the River Thames . Both the House of Commons and the House of Lords hold their meetings in the palace. Big Ben , the clock tower’s famous bell , has been chiming since the middle of the 19th century .

Parks in London

The city of London is well known for its large and beautiful parks. Hyde Park is the largest of London’s royal parks. It is about 2km long and over 1 km wide. Hyde Park is a popular area for free time activities, including jogging, running and horse riding. Speaker’s Corner, near the north-eastern entrance of Hyde Park is a place where Londoners gather and listen to people who talk about all kinds of things. The Serpentine is a large artificial lake where people can go swimming or rowing . London has many other parks, including St. James’s Park, with a great view of Buckingham Palace, and Green Park.

Greenwich is a famous district in the eastern part of London. Tourists either take a Thames boat ride there or go by the Docklands Light Railway. Greenwich is famous for British naval history. The National Maritime Museum shows exhibits from a time when Britain was the world’s biggest sea power.

The Royal Observatory has a planetarium and a museum with a display of astronomical and navigational instruments. The prime meridian of the world goes through the observatory. It divides the world into an eastern and western hemisphere .

Other Sights

A giant Ferris wheel rises 135 m high on the south bank of the River Thames. It was built as a part of London’s millennium celebrations . Each egg-shaped cabin can take up to 25 passengers. A complete turn of the wheel takes 30 minutes.

Madame Tussaud’s

The most famous museum of wax figures was opened in 1835. Thousands of famous people, artists, writers, politicians and other celebrities have been created in wax. During the tourist season waiting lines can be very long.

Trafalgar Square

The largest square in London has been a central meeting place since the Middle Ages. In the centre is Nelson’s Column, built in honour of Admiral Nelson, who defeated the French fleet at Trafalgar in 1805.

Piccadilly Circus

A busy plaza in the heart of London lies at the junction of five major streets. The place is famous for its colourful billboards , a fountain and a statue of Eros.

Covent Garden

The former fruit and vegetable market is always a crowded place, especially during weekends and in the summertime. Today it is known for its open-air cafes, restaurants, pubs and street performers .

Kensington Gardens

The gardens east of Hyde Park cover an area of over 100 ha. Their most famous attraction is Kensington Palace , the former home of Princess Diana. One of the park’s playgrounds has a statue of Peter Pan.

Globe Theatre

London’s most famous theatre , originally built at the end of the 16th century , was reconstructed in 1997. It is only about 200 metres from its original site .

Windsor Castle

One of the royal family’s official residences is the largest inhabited castle in the world. It lies about 30 km west of London. In the course of history it has been changed several times.

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• abbey = a large church, where monks and nuns used to live
• alongside = next to
• artificial = man-made
• attraction = sight
• bank = side of a river
• behead = to cut off someone's head
• billboard = large sign used for advertisements
• broad = wide
• bury = to put a dead person in a grave
• celebration = festival, big party
• celebrity = famous person who is in the media very often
• century = a hundred years
• ceremony = an important event that is performed in a certain way
• chime = ring
• conqueror = a person who invades a country by fighting
• consist of = is made up of
• construction = building
• course of history = as time goes on
• crowded = very many people are around
• defeat = beat someone in a fight or battle
• display = exhibition, to show something
• dome = round roof of a building
• entrance = place where you go in
• exhibit = an object that is shown in a public place so that people can go and see it
• explorer = someone who travels to an unknown place and tries to find out something about it
• Ferris wheel = a very large wheel with cabins in which people can ride
• fleet = the ships that belong to the navy of a country
• former = in the past, ex-
• fortress = a large strong building that is used for defending an important place
• fountain = structure from which water is pumped into the air
• gather = get together
• hemisphere = half of the Earth
• impressive = exciting, great
• in honour of = to show that you respect someone
• inhabited = to live in a place
• junction = crossroads ; place where two or more roads meet
• landmark = an important building or sight that you recognize at once
• millennium = when a new 1000-year period begins
• monarch = king or queen
• naval = marine; everything that has to do with the navy
• performer = a person who acts or sings in order to entertain people and make them happy
• planetarium = a building with a curved roof; lights show how planets and stars move
• plaza = public square or place with buildings around it
• prime meridian = a line from the North to the South Pole that divides the Earth into an eastern and a western half ; the Earth's time zones also start from here.
• prison = place where you keep people because they have done something wrong or broken the law
• protect = guard
• raven = a large shiny black bird
• reconstruct = build again
• residence = place where someone lives
• row = to make a boat move across water with wooden paddles
• royal = something that belongs to the king or the queen
• site = place where something once stood
• situated = located
• turn = to move completely around one time
• walkway = a path that connects two objects, usually high above the ground
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Posted on Published: 30th August 2023  - Last updated: 13th February 2024 Categories London Travel Tips

By: Author Julianna Barnaby

One Day in London: The Best Way to See London in a Day

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Planning to spend one day in London and not sure where to start? Don’t worry – it’s a tough task but we have you covered with this step-by-step itinerary – everything you need to know to tackle London in a day.

We’re going to start this guide by being brutally honest with you here – seeing London in a day is no easy feat.

This crazy city that we are proud to call home can be overwhelming – 8 million people call it their home also and 20 million people visit annually. It’s busy, large and can be a bit confusing if you’re visiting for the first time. Our London bucket list alone is enough to keep you entertained for about a year.

That all sounds like a lot to deal with – and it would be… if it were not for a little secret.

You can tackle a day in London, seeing many of the city’s biggest sights without breaking a sweat… if you just know how.

Sure, you could run around in a blind panic, trying to see everything in different parts of the city, visiting all the museums, stuffing in as much as possible.

But (there’s always a but).

We can guarantee that you would come away from the whole experience a) exhausted b) with only the vaguest idea about any of the places that you’d encountered in your whirlwind tour of the city. That’s the silly way.

The smart way is to focus on a relatively small area of central London with the biggest concentration of sights, all in walkable distance of each other and taking the time to enjoy them all. That’s what this one day in London guide does.

What’s more? If you want to take things at an even slower pace, simply cut out a thing or two. Simple.

One Day in London Itinerary

Wondering what you can do in London if you only have one day? This cool itinerary takes you to the city’s highlights.

Buckingham Palace

Alright, alright – we know you want to feast your eyes on Buckingham Palace and who are we to deny you? The monarchy’s official London residence is a pretty good place to start your London one-day trip.

The imposing Georgian palace isn’t the fanciest building in London, but even we’ll admit that it is pretty impressive – in no small part thanks to its gargantuan size.

The palace is monstrously large: it contains no fewer than 775 rooms, counting 52 bedrooms (and an additional 188 bedrooms for staff… because the Royal Family are so extra about everything).

You can’t actually go inside for most of the year, but they do open the State Rooms for 10 weeks in the summer and a couple of other dates throughout the year to enable you to witness the truly OTT (dare we say it… garish) decor – including the thrones – up, close and personal.

Buckingham Palace is also one of the main locations for seeing the rather cool Changing of the Guard – a formal procession marking the changing of the Royal Guard.

It’s brilliant – the guards are accompanied by a full brass band and it’s rather cool watching a tradition that has been going for centuries. The Changing of the Guard takes place daily at 10.45am during the summer months, and on alternate days for the rest of the year.

Book tickets to see the state rooms

Read More: The Changing of the Guard: What You Need to Know Before You Go

St James’s Park

St James’s Park is a hop, skip and a jump away from Buckingham Palace and our favourite of the Royal Parks.

St James’s Park is the prettiest park in central London – with a large lake, willow-lined banks and gorgeous flower beds that somehow always seem to be in bloom all year round. It’s the kind of park that is just made for leisurely picnics and chitchats, all in the shadow of the royal palace across the road.

You can take some time out here if the weather is nice, otherwise we’d say just stroll through – towards Westminster, the political heart of the city.

Top Tip: If you stand at the top of the park with your back to Buckingham Palace (the cheek!), you can see the whole of the park, framed by a few landmarks in Westminster and the South Bank (including the London Eye) – one of our favourite views in central London.

Westminster Abbey

World Heritage Site Westminster Abbey is one of the most striking churches in London (the other is St Paul’s Cathedral, which unfortunately we’re not going to have time to visit today).

What do you get when you combine Gothic architecture with centuries of history? Answer = one hell of an impressive building.

Interestingly, Westminster Abbey is not a cathedral as is often thought. It’s a “Royal Peculiar” meaning that it’s directly responsible to the monarchy – that explains why it’s so closely connected with royal events.

You know all the Royal weddings you watch on TV (if you bother to watch, we don’t) – most of them happen here. Same for all coronations and many state funerals.

Westminster Abbey isn’t all about the royals though. It doubles up as the burial site of some of the UK’s most important historical and literary figures, including Charles Dickens, Stephen Hawking, and William Wilberforce.

There’s even a section called Poet’s Corner that… kind of does exactly what it says on the tin, except quite a few novelists are buried there too

Buy Tickets for Westminster Abbey (Complete with Audio Guide)

The Houses of Parliament + Big Ben

You barely have to stretch your legs to get to the next spot on our 1 day London sightseeing itinerary – none other than The Houses of Parliament (to which the clock tower Big Ben is attached).

If you had more time in London, we’d suggest visiting inside Parliament – either on a guided tour , or just to the public galleries to watch a debate in process (one of our favourite free things to do in London ) but time is, sadly, of the essence, so we’ll have to move you along to our next destination.

The London Eye

We have a real soft spot for The London Eye for many reasons. First of all, we remember the pomp and circumstance surrounding its opening in the year 2000 – back in those long lost days when it was called the Millennium Wheel.

Secondly, one of our team worked there for several of their college and uni holidays, meaning they’ve ridden, stared at, talked about and directed people to the damned thing enough times to have it ingrained in their mind.

Do we recommend that you go on it? Yes! It should go straight (and we mean straight) to the top of your list of best things to do in London for a day. Don’t even think about skipping it.

The London Eye is not the cheapest London sightseeing spot but on a clear day, the views that you get from it are beautiful – you can even see as far as Windsor Castle 25 miles away.

The wheel rotates super-slowly, so you have plenty of time to take in the ever-changing views (and a lot of photos we’re sure) during your 30 minute ride.

Book tickets for The London Eye here

Trafalgar Square

Time to cross back over the River Thames via Golden Jubilee Bridge to head to another of London’s biggest landmarks – Trafalgar Square. Every city has its main square and Trafalgar Square just so happens to be London’s.

Personally, we think the square itself is a bit overrated – the hodgepodge of architectural styles and random statues dotted all over the place are charming enough but not crazy beautiful. Do we still think it’s worth visiting? Totally.

Swing by the famous lion statues (here’s a fun fact – the sculptor Edward Landseer had never seen a lion when he was commissioned to make the statues so he had to wait for a lion at London Zoo to pass away so he could use it as a model for the statues) and take a peek at the famous statues -not forgetting Nelson’s Column in the middle of the square.

Keep your eyes open and you’ll even see an old Tardis-style building that used to double up as a police watchpoint and holding station – leading it to be dubbed as Britain’s smallest police station.

Now it’s crunch time people.

Trafalgar Square is flanked by the National Gallery and, next to that, The National Portrait Gallery.

If you’re into art our suggestion would be that you spend the rest of the afternoon exploring at least one of them and then pick up at the West End Show / Theatre Point .

The National Gallery contains over 2,300 works dating from the 13th century to 1900 – with a broad range pieces of leading artists including Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers and Leonardo da Vinci’s The Virgin on the Rocks.

The National Portrait Gallery is smaller but no less mighty – with a collection of 215,000 works to discover. Entrance to both museums is free.

If you have decided to skip the museums (there’s always a next time right?) then it’s time to march on with the London one-day tour.

Read More: Insider’s London: Trafalgar Square

Spend Some Time in Covent Garden

Covent Garden Market tops many a list of what to do in London for a day. Sitting at the heart of theatreland, it’s a lively part of the city, with lots of cool bars , pubs and restaurants and things to do.

You should visit the famous Apple Market. It’s a beautiful covered market – but we wouldn’t bother to go shopping here: most of the independent shops are long gone, replaced with many of the same brands you’ll find all over the world. Yawn.

Much more charming is the pretty little Cecil Court – a 17th century alley lined with bookshops that’s rumoured to have inspired Diagon Alley in JK Rowling’s Harry Potter books.  

See if you can find quirky Neal’s Yard – accessed via two small passages that open up into a cool courtyard filled with brightly coloured buildings that bring some sunshine to even the greyest London day. It’s a refreshing haven of independent businesses – shops, restaurants and bars, in an area that’s increasingly dominated by large brands.

After that, if you still have time, walk over to Somerset House – a former Thameside royal palace that is now one of London’s leading cultural and arts venues. It’s free to enter and the striking courtyard is one of my favourite places to chill with a nice coffee in central London.

Read More: The Covent Garden Area Guide

West End Show (Or a Play at the National Theatre)

We maaaay be prejudiced, but we’ll come out and say it. London has one of the most exciting theatrical scenes in the world and you absolutely should book a ticket to see a play or a West End show while you are in town.

Personally, we favour plays over musicals but go and see whatever catches your eye – this is your one day in London and you want to make it count.

There’s a whole other post we’ve written about London’s numerous theatres and what they’re showing so you should go and check that out.

In the meantime, you can always have a browse on Ticketmaster for tickets to most of the big shows (including Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts I and II – still one of the hottest shows in town) at the West End Theatres.

Your other option is to pick an “Off West End” play – basically a play or show taking place at a venue that isn’t in the tiny London area defined as the West End. That covers a hell of a lot of brilliant venues including The National Theatre and The Young Vic , two of our favourite theatres in London.

The National Theatre is probably the easiest to fit into this London one-day trip as it’s only a short walk away from Covent Garden (albeit on the other side of the river), though the Young Vic is only about another 15 minutes further). The National also stands out for having not one but three theatres inside – meaning you can take your pick of which play to see.

Whichever way you swing it, a trip to the theatre has the benefit of a) making you cultured AF b) immersing you into the full London experience during your 1 day in London.

Drinks and Dinner in Soho

That’s it! Your hard work is done (we wouldn’t blame you if you took the time right now to give yourself a congratulatory pat on the back, we certainly are) – all that’s left for you to do is to have a few drinks and dinner in buzzy Soho. Let’s face it, drinks and dinner are a breeze compared to the rest of your epic day in London.

Soho is bursting with options when it comes to places to drink and places to eat (don’t believe me? We suggest you check out our Soho bar guide , where we painstakingly rated and reviewed all of the best bars in the area – the things we do for this blog).

Ultimately where you end up depends on what you are looking for. If you’re up for a blow-out night, we would recommend drinks at Disrepute or Swift Bar followed by a meal at Bob Bob Ricard – you know, the one with the press for champagne booths and to die for food.

Alternatively, Yauatcha is the hottest place in town for delicious dim sum (yeah, we know you traditionally eat it for lunch but we are renegades and we don’t play by those kinda rules).

Read More: Cool Things to Do in Soho

If you want something a little more budget friendly, then Bodega Negra serves banging Mexican food (and some killer cocktails), Flat Iron dishes up perfectly-cooked steaks and Pizza Pilgrims hawt and freshly-made pizzas – all at reasonable prices (well, by London standards anyway).

After that, if you still have a little life in you, Soho is also home to one of London’s best jazz clubs – Ronnie Scotts (oh and endless clubs if you really want to go large or go home – these days we personally go home).

Just like that, you’re done – we hope you’ve enjoyed your day in London. Time to retire to bed to get some beauty sleep.

If You Have More Time… A Few Other Places You May Want to Consider Adding to your London Trip

• The Tower of London
• Tower Bridge
• Museum Mile in South Kensington with the Science Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum and Natural History Museum (you can check out my Kensington guide here)
• Borough Market
• The Tate Modern and/or the Tate Britain
• The British Museum

One Day in London: Where to Stay

If you only have one day in London and you want to know where to stay – our advice is to stay centrally. That means Covent Garden, Westminster or Soho if possible.

Yes, the prices are high but it means that you are able to walk to all of the places on the itinerary and base yourself in the heart of the action so no time is wasted during your short trip.

Covent Garden

Our favourite hotel in Covent Garden is the absolutely gorgeous The Henrietta , mere metres from the Apple Market. The decor is beautiful, service is slick and you’re located right in the centre of London.

Check rates and availability on Booking.com or compare rates on Tripadvisor

Gone are the days when Soho used to be the seedy heart of central London. These days its all chic bars and stylish restaurants – with a few chic hotels thrown into the ring for good measure.

If you love boutique hotels with personality and bags of style, plump for Ham Yard Hotel – which offers arty rooms, its own bowling alley, spa and rooftop terrace in the midst of Soho.  

Westminster

Westminster has the bonus of being a bit quieter than the West End locations, though, as a rule, the prices are just as high (and sometimes higher).

You have a real pick of hotels to choose from here – The Conrad London St James is a great high-end option favoured by many a politician, while The Nadler is a stylish but reasonably priced option nearer to Victoria.

Check rates and availability for the Conrad London St James on Booking.com or compare rates on Tripadvisor

Check rates and availability for The Nadler Victoria on Booking.com or compare rates on Tripadvisor

Read More: The Best Areas to Stay in London

King’s Cross

King’s Cross has the bonus of being a bit less expensive than staying in the other areas in our guide while still not being too far away from the action. Given that the area is a bit of a transport hub, you’ll have plenty of options for getting around the city, as well as out of it when it comes time to leave. 

You’ll also be about a 30-40 minute walk away from the locations in our one day in London guide should you want to stretch your legs. 

For a bit of an up-market stay, choose The Standard . This plush (and highly trendy) hotel boasts stylish rooms that put the C in comfort. Then, on the top deck, you’ll find Decimo, a high-end Spanish restaurant with 360-degree views of London and some rather excellent food. 

For something a little more budget-friendly, try out The Alhambra . This hotel offers double rooms for around £127 per night and doesn’t sacrifice on the things that you’d want from your stay. Rooms come with all the regular amenities, clean linen, towels, TVs and free Wi-Fi and en suite bathrooms. 

The only issue might be that the rooms aren’t so big – but that doesn’t matter too much when you’ve got such an action-packed day on your hands. 

Check Rates and availability for The Standard on Booking.com or compare rates on Tripadvisor Check Rates and availability for The Alhambra on Booking.com or compare rates on Tripadvisor

Read More: The Best Airbnbs in King’s Cross

How to Visit London in One Day: Practical Tips to Help You Plan a Day in London

Best way to see london in a day.

The best way to see London in a day is to put on some comfortable walking shoes and follow this one day itinerary. If you’re unable to walk long distances, you may want to consider the hop on hop off Big Bus Tour .

What to Pack

Pack comfortable walking shoes and an umbrella.

You cover a lot of ground on this itinerary and the last thing you need is to be wearing shoes that look great but cut your feet to ribbons the moment you move. Repeat the mantra. Comfort is king. Comfort is king.

As for the umbrella… well I’m sure London’s reputation for rainy weather precedes me so we don’t need to say anymore on that.

Best Ways to Get to Central London from The Major Airports

Gatwick airport.

Gatwick is super-easy to get to central London from. Simply make your way to the train station and get a train to central London (destinations covered include London Victoria, London Bridge, Blackfriars and Kings Cross / St Pancras).

Top Tip: Do not bother with the Gatwick Express – it’s way more expensive and the trains to central London from Gatwick are pretty fast anyway.

You have a few options for getting to central London from Heathrow. The fastest is probably to take the Heathrow Express, which, unlike its Gatwick counterpart, saves enough time to make it worth the expense – it terminates at London Paddington. You can also get a normal (non-express) train to Paddington too.

Heathrow is also connected to London via the Underground (a.k.a. the tube), so you can hop on and make your rather slow way to central London this way.

Using the tube does have the added benefit that the Piccadilly Line (which is the line that Heathrow is on) takes you to much more central locations – including Covent Garden, so you can get into the heart of the city without having to change.

As Stansted is basically the arse end of nowhere, they have you pretty firmly in their grip when it comes to ways to get into central London.

You can get the so-called Stansted Express (which takes 45 minutes to get to Liverpool Street – we struggle to see how there’s anything express-like about it) or you can get a coach.

Both are a bit of a drag but take around 45-50 mins in total.

Again, another “London” airport that’s about as close to London as Paris (yes, we’re exaggerating a bit). Catch the airport bus to the train station and hop on a train to central London or get the coach. Again, your options are fairly limited here.

How to See London in One Day – Recommended London One Day Tours

We have outlined all the things that you need to know to cover what to see in London in one day but I know that sometimes it’s still nice to take a tour. If you do want to take a one day London tour, here are a couple of options that you should look at.

• London – Top 20 Sights Walking Tour (Includes Entrance to the London Eye)
• Sights and Tastes of London Walking Tour

Harry Potter Self-Guided Walking Tour 

We’re big fans of Harry Potter at London x London and needless to say we’ve charted all the film and book locations you can find in the capital. On top of that, we’ve concocted a walking tour that will take you round all of them in an afternoon. If the world of witchcraft and wizardry appeals to you more than the world of the muggles, you might want to check it out. 

Read More: The Ultimate Self-Guided Harry Potter Walking Tour of London

Literary London Self-Guided Walking Tour 

We’re massive fans of London’s wider literary history too – and boy is there a lot of history. Many of the world’s greatest writers from Orwell to Dickens have lived in London and left their mark for you to see. We’ve also got a self-guided walking tour of the city’s literary past for any bookworms who don’t want to see the big tourist spots (it also involves a few pub stops). 

Read More: The Ultimate Self-Guided Literary Walking Tour of London

What to do in London in a Day: Map

Click here for a Google Map of all the destinations featured in this guide.

Looking for more London tips and guides? Check these out…

• 2 Days in London – What to Do and What to Skip
• London Visitor Map: Interactive Map of London
• The Ultimate London Bucket List
• Unusual Places to Visit in London
• Sightseeing in London – London’s Biggest Landmarks and Attractions
• The Best Bus Tours of London

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London x London is the insider’s guide to discovering the best of London.

We delve into the cool, interesting and quirky spots that make London such a dynamic city, telling you the best things to do, eat and drink along the way. 

Tired of the same old dull suggestions? Want to know where to find London’s secret bars, tastiest eats and weirdest finds? We provide practical guides that help you do just that.

Find Out More

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London – photos and facts of sights

1. london eye.

• 135 metres high
• opening: March 2000
• 25 persons per capsule
• one revolution in 35 minutes

2. The Shard

• 310 metres high
• inauguration: 5th July 2012
• tallest completed building in the Europe

3. Buckingham Palace

• residence of Queen Elisabeth I
• built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703
• bought from Georg III in 1761
• has always been expanded
• main residence of the British Monarch since 1837

When the Queen is in residence the Royal Standard flies from the flagpole, when the Queen is not in residence the Union Flag can be seen.

4. Houses of Parliament (Palace of Westminster)

• residence of the English kings up to the 16th century
• destroyed by a fire in 1834
• meeting place of the House of Lords and House of Commons
• about 1,100 rooms

Gunpowder Plot in 1605:

A Catholic group wanted to blow up Parliament and kill the Protestant King James to re-establish Catholicism in England. Guy Fawkes was one of the conspirators. He was found, arrested and should have been hanged, but shortly before the execution he jumped from the scaffold and broke his neck.

5. Big Ben – Elisabeth Tower

• part of the Houses of Parliament official name: Great Bell of Westminster
• four bells (quarter bells) strike every 15 minutes
• the Geat Bell strikes every hour
• Big Ben refers to the name of the Great Bell
• the complete tower is called Clock Tower

Why is the Great Bell called Big Ben?

There are two possible origins. Either it is named after Sir Benjamin Hall who oversaw the installation of the bell or it's named after Benjamin Caunt, a boxer. The Clock Tower was renamed in 2012 in honour of Queen Elisabeth II.

6. Westminster Abbey

• built in 1065 by Edward the Confessor
• British Monarchs are traditionally crowned here
• Monarchs and famous people are buried here (Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens, George Friedrich Händel, Isaac Newton)

7. The Tower of London

• official name: Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress
• was a fortess, a zoo, a place for executions, a cemetry, a residence, a prison, a mint and archives
• oldest part is the White Tower
• William the Conqueror built it in 1078
• consists of three wards

8. Yeomen Warders (Beefeater)

• guardians of the Tower
• responsible for safeguarding the Crown Jewels

The letters E II R on their uniform stand for: Elisabeth II Regina

9. Tower Bridge

• opened in 1894
• bascule and suspension bridge
• 244 metres long
• the horizontal walkways are open for visitors

10. St. Paul's Cathedral

• the first church was here in the year 604
• after the Great Fire of London in 1666 Sir Christopher Wren started with the building of the cathedral
• 111 metres = 365 feet high (1 foot per day of the year)
• place for ceremonies (Lord Nelson's funeral, wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Di, Golden Jubilee of Queen Elisabeth II)

There is a Whispering Gallery in the dome. You are able to understand whispers and murmurs at any point of the dome.

11. Millenium Footbridge

• a bridge for pedestrians only (opened in 2000)
• 325 metres long
• links St Paul's Cathedral and the Tate Modern Museum
• has a special system to avoid wobbles

The bridge is shown in the film "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince".

12. Globe Theatre

• first theater was built in 1599
• reconstruction is 230 metres away from the original theatre
• plays by Shakespeare are shown here
• open theatre (Do not forget your umbrella in case it rains.)

13. Trafalgar Square

• largest place in the centre of London
• main roads cross here (The Mall, Whitehall, Pall Mall)
• place for festivals – but also for demonstrations

14. Nelson's Column

• in the centre of Trafalgar Square
• column with Admiral Nelson on top who won great victories for England (Battle of Trafalgar in 1805)

15. The Mall

• very broad road
• runs from Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square
• flags are shown on both sides of the road in case of state visits

16. Victoria Memorial

• near Buckingham Palace
• dedicated in 1911

17. The Gherkin

• office tower (180 metres high)
• situated in the financial district

18. National Gallery

• art museum (about 2,300 paintings)
• at Trafalgar Square

19. Royal Courts of Justice

• houses the Court of Appeal and the High Court of Justice
• opened by Queen Victoria in 1882

20. Harrods

• famous department store in London
• known for luxury goods
• enormous foods department
• destroyed by fire in 1883
• purveyor to Her Majesty the Queen until 2001

21. London Dungeon

• chamber of horrors – next to the London Eye (since 2013)
• from 1974 to 2012 under the Tube station London Bridge
• historical events (the Plague, the Great Fire of London, Jack the Ripper) are shown

22. Fleet Street

• a lot of newspaper agencies were situated here until the 1980ies
• the agencies have moved to more comfortable rooms in Canary Wharf

23. Covent Garden Markt

• former fruit- and vegetable market
• lots of small shops
• street entertainers in front of the market hall
• students of music often perform in the market hall

24. Dominion Theatre

• built as a theatre for live shown in 1928/29
• later used as a cinema
• more than 2,000 seats
• the musical "We Will Rock You" has been on stage since 2002

The name of the theatre is based on a melody in a song by Tangerine Dream which was recorded in the 80ies.

25. Lyceum Theatre

• built in 1765
• the first waxworks of Madame Tussauds were shown here
• the Musical "Lion King" has been staged here since 1999

26. Madame Tussauds

• Marie Tussaud showed first wax figures in 1802
• exhibition was moved to the today's building in 1884
• more than 10 locations worldwide

27. City Hall

• opened in 2002
• headquarters of the Greater London Authority and the Mayor of London
• situated between Tower Bridge and The Shard

28. HMS – Belfast

• Royal Navy Ship (built in 1936)
• commissioned from 1939 – 1963
• has been a museum since 1971

29. Camden Market

• first market in 1974
• in Camden Town
• about 500,000 people visit the market every week
• destroyed through a fire in 2008
• reopening in 2009 – Camden Lock Village

30. Borough Market

• one of the oldest food markets in London (13th century)
• situated in Southwark
• not only visited by tourists, but also used as a wholesale market where famous chefs like Jamie Oliver buy food for their restaurants
• London Lifestyle Awards in 2010

31. Chelsea Football Stadium

• opened on 28/4/1877
• situated in Fulham at Stamford Bridge
• seats for about 42,000 spectators
• last renovation: 1990

32. China Town

• was in the Docklands up to the 1070s
• today in Gerrad Street (West End)

33. Brick Lane

• street in the east End, where people from Bangladesh live
• lots of excellent curry houses which often do not sell alcohol as they are run by Muslims
• street names in English and Bengali
• famous for its graffiti (Bansky, D*Face)

34. Canary Wharf

• complex of office buildings in the Docklands which formerly belonged to the Port of London

35. O2 Arena

• indoor arena in Greenwich near Canary Wharf
• often used for concerts
• was opened in 1999
• diameter: 365 metres
• height: 52 metres

36. Royal Obervatory, Greenwich

• prime meridian in Greenwich (since 1884)
• tourist attraction – You can stand with one foot in the eastern Hemisphere and with the other one in the Western Hemisphere.

37. The London Undergrund – The Tube

• oldest underground railway in the world
• opening in 1863 (Underground steam locomotives)
• 11 lines (402 kilometres)

The nickname "The Tube" comes from the tube-like tunnels.

38. Mind The Gap

This sentence is a warning used at platforms on the London Underground.

Some platforms are curved and so there is a gap between the platform and the car of the train. Passengers might step into the gap and injure themselves. This warning was introduced in 1969.

• You are here:
• Vocabulary Explanations
• Customs and Traditions

Savvy Travel Advice

3 Days in London: A Perfect 72 Hour London Itinerary

Last updated: July 22, 2024 - Written by Jessica Norah 162 Comments

London is one of the world’s largest and most exciting cities, offering visitors thousands of things to do, including museums, royal palaces, beautiful parks, historical sites, and world-class theatre.

With all these options, planning a trip to London can be a bit overwhelming, especially for first time visitors. We’ve put together a recommended 3 day London itinerary that will help you see the city’s highlights if you have at least 3 days in London.

Our suggested 3 day itinerary has you visiting all the city’s most famous attractions (e.g., Westminster Abbey, Windsor Castle, Tower of London) as well as some of the city’s lesser-known attractions.

In addition to the 3 day itinerary, we also provide tips on how to get around London, a map that plots out each day’s suggested itinerary, and tips on how to save money during your 3 days in London.

Table of Contents:

Planning Tips for 3 Days in London 

Before we share the 3 day London itinerary, we wanted to make sure you have all the planning information to make the most of your 3 days in London. So we first share information on how to get around London, how to save money on sightseeing, day trip recommendations, advice on where to stay, and further trip planning resources.

How to Get to London

London is well-connected to the rest of the world and easy to reach by plane or train. Most international visitors arrive by air.

London has six main airports, and you can get to London from almost any part of the world. If you are arriving from an international location outside Europe, Heathrow  is likely to be your arrival airport. For helping in getting into London from an airport, see our London airport guide  which covers transport options from all 6 airports.

If you are arriving by train, London is well-connected to train routes throughout the UK and Europe with a number of train stations in and around central London. Those planning to travel by train throughout the UK might want to see if a BritRail Pass might save you money, or another rail pass if traveling throughout Europe by train.

Those arriving from Scotland can check out our Edinburgh to London guide , and might want to consider taking an  overnight sleeper train .

If you are arriving from continental Europe by train or car, you’ll need to travel across the English Channel on the  EuroStar  train or take a ferry.

How to Get around London

London is best explored either on foot or by public transportation. Cabs and bike hires are also options.

London has a great public transportation network and most visitors spend at least some time traveling on it. This includes public bus, tram, and rail services (including “the Tube”) within the city. You can buy individual tickets for each ride, but many visitors get an Oyster Card  which allows you to travel on almost all the city’s public transit options and can save you time and money.

If you are considering an Oyster Card, you can read our full Oyster Card review . For more information and tips on getting around London, check out our detailed  public transport guide to London .

We do not recommend driving in London unless you are planning to stay on the outskirts of the city as driving and finding parking in central busy locations can be a nightmare. Parking is also expensive in many areas and there are congestion fees for driving in the city center.

If you are driving to London, I’d park your car when you arrive in the city and then use public transport to get around the city.

If you need to book a taxi in London, we recommend using minicabit to compare prices and make a booking.

How to Save Money on Sightseeing in London

London can be an expensive destination for visitors and the costs of a trip here can quickly add up. There are a number of London discount passes you can purchase before your trip to help you save money (and time) at London’s most popular attractions and museums.

Our favorite London discount pass is the  London Pass which allows free entry into over 80 of London’s top attractions, including the Tower of London , Westminster Abbey, View from the Shard, Windsor Castle, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and many more.

The Pass also comes with a free hop-on, hop-off bus ticket, hop-on hop-off river boat, and additional discounts on food, shopping, theatre tickets, and tours. You can see a full list of attractions and benefits here .

We’ve used the London Pass on a number of visits and have written an in-depth London Pass review  which you can read to help determine if the London Pass would help you save money or time on your trip.

Although London can be expensive, it also has a number of fantastic free attractions including beautiful green parks, historic sites, and world-class museums like the British Museum, National Gallery, and Victoria & Albert Museum. Also be sure to check for special events and festivals that may be happening during your visit. 

Possible Day Trips from London

If you only have 3 days in London you certainly won’t need to leave the city for want of things to do. If this is your first visit, we actually would recommend spending the full 3 days in London as there is so much to see, do, eat, and take in! But we know that for many visitors, there is a must-see attraction outside of London that they want to see such as Stonehenge, Oxford, or the Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studio tour .

If there is something you really want to see in southern England and you only have the three days, then you can visit it as a day trip from London. For most places, you’ll have the option to see it as part of a guided tour, take public transit, arrange a private transfer, or rent a car and drive yourself.

We recommend taking public transit, joining a tour, or booking a private transfer to do a day tour from London. Unless you arrived by car or are planning to drive in the UK after your visit to London, we don’t really recommend having a car in central London as it can be a headache with the traffic, lack of parking, high overnight parking rates, and congestion charges.

Below are some popular London day trip options to consider:

• Stonehenge – This ancient and mysterious stone circle is one of the most popular stops on a day trip from London. Most commonly done as a bus day trip, but you can also do it via public transit (train plus shuttle), rent a car, or book a private transfer. Read about our Stonehenge day trip experience here , which was a version of this tour  of Stonehenge, Bath, and the Cotswolds. A couple other suggestions for guided tours are this express half-day trip  to Stonehenge or this full day trip which includes inner stone access at Stonehenge and a stop in Bath.
• WB Harry Potter Studio – Harry Potter fans will likely want to make time to visit the Warner Brothers Studio located outside the city in Leavesden where all of the Harry Potter films were filmed. The Harry Potter Studio Tour  (fee) includes loads of original sets, clothing, props, interactive exhibits, and a giant gift shop. You can get here from London via public transit (train plus shuttle) or by booking a tour or transfer. Tickets must be booked in advance. You can also  book a tour  from central London that will take you directly to and from the studio so you don’t have to take the train and shuttle. If you want to take a walking tour of the Harry Potter London filming sites consider this guided tour .
• Oxford – Oxford is a compact and scenic historical city that is home to England’s oldest university. You can read our post about things to do in Oxford and how to plan your own Oxford day trip from London . It is easy to reach by train. If you are interested in a guided tour, you might consider this tour which visits Oxford plus the Cotswolds.
• Highclere Castle  – Highclere Castle is the country house home of the Earl of Carnarvon, but it is better known as Downton Abbey from the hit British period TV series. The best way to get here is by car or by joining a tour. Here is a suggested guided tour option that includes a visit to Highclere Castle, Bampton (used as Downton village), and other Downton Abbey filming locations. Open seasonally so check opening dates before planning a visit.
• Stratford-upon-Avon  – Stratford-upon-Avon is a picturesque Midlands market town that is best known as the birthplace of William Shakespeare and for its well-preserved Tudor buildings. Best ways to get here is by car, train, or guided tour. Here is a  guided tour option that includes a visit to Stratford-upon-Avon and the Cotswolds. See our guide to things to do in Stratford-upon-Avon here .

Where to Stay in London for 3 Days

If you are planning to do a visit that is similar to our suggested 3 day London itinerary, we’d recommend staying in central London to avoid added travel time. We’d suggest staying somewhere in the region between Kensington in the west and Canary Wharf in the east.

London has every type of accommodation option that you can imagine, from  inexpensive hostels  to self-catering  apartments  to 5-star  luxury hotels .

London is home to some really classic luxury hotels like  The Ritz ,  The Dorchester ,  Brown’s , and  The Savoy , but it also has a number of mid-range and budget friendly chains like  Holiday Inn Express ,  Travelodge ,  Best Western ,  Premier Inn , and  Ibis.

London is an expensive city so expect to pay a bit more than you might normally in less expensive destinations. But if you book in advance and compare prices, you should be able to find something that will fit most budgets.

To find the best rates on hotels in London, we recommend searching on Booking com or Hotels.com as in our experience these two sites tend to have the best prices and widest choice on both hotels and a range of apartments.

If you are looking for self-catering apartments or rooms, we recommend checking out Plum Guide . In our experience they offer some of the best options. See their listings for London here . There are also loads of other apartment booking sites  you can check.

Here are a few suggestions across budgets (lowest to highest):

• The Walrus Bar and Hostel  – A well reviewed centrally located hostel, only a 15 minute walk from the Palace of Westminster (Big Ben) and Parliament Square.
• SoHostel – Another well-reviewed hostel located just at the edge of Westminster, only a 15 minute walk from Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery.
• Point A Hotel – This is a hotel within the well-priced Point A hotel range, and this one is well-reviewed and located in Westminster. A 17 minute walk to Parliament Square and Westminster Abbey. We’ve stayed here; rooms are tiny but clean and a great budget option.
• Premier Inn – This well-rated mid-range 3-star option is located hotel is located near the Borough Market and London Bridge.
• Hilton Tower Bridge – This well-rated hotel offers a good value for what it offers and is located within a short walk of Tower Bridge, London Bridge, and Borough Market.
• The Resident Victoria Hotel – A centrally located 4-star hotel offering excellent value for money located near Buckingham Palace. We’ve stayed here; the lower priced rooms are small but the hotel is very well-located.
• Lime Tree Hotel – A well reviewed boutique hotel, around nine minutes walk from London Victoria
• Brown’s – If you are looking for a classic 5-star London luxury hotel, you can’t go wrong with Brown’s which provides intimate boutique luxury. It is the oldest hotel in London and is located in Mayfair within a 12 minute walk from Buckingham Palace.
• The Savoy  – Another classic 5-star luxury hotel, this one much larger, located in central London. Less than 10 minute walk to Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery.

For many more options, see our complete guide to where to stay in London , which also has tips on what to look for and the different neighbourhoods in the city.

Have More or Less than 3 Days in London?

If you have less than 3 days in London, we have also written a suggested guide to spending  1 day in London  as well as a  2 day London itinerary . We also have a guide to seeing the best of the city and its royal sites in a  one day London walking tour .

If you have more than 3 days, we also have a 6 day London itinerary  that should give you plenty of ideas of how to spend up to 1 week in London.

If you’re in London for longer than 1 week and want some advice, feel free to leave us a comment and we’re always happy to provide some suggestions based on what you enjoy doing and seeing.

Further Information & London Resources

We have written a lot about London on both of our travel blogs, so you can check out our  London articles on Finding the Universe  and our  London articles  on this blog for more info and to see where we’ve been.

For additional planning resources, the  city tourism website  and  Visit Great Britain  websites also offer tons of helpful information for visitors. If your travels are taking you beyond London, you can check out Laurence’s suggested  2-week UK itinerary  to get you started.

If you are looking for a London guidebook, we recommend either the latest Rick Steves guidebook or Lonely Planet guidebooks .

Most of our suggested itinerary has you walking and using the Tube, so we recommend picking up a decent walking map for London. We really like the London  laminated Streetwise map  (it also includes a central Underground Tube map), but you can also probably find a free paper map at your hotel or at a visitor center.

If you are looking for packing tips for your trip, check out our suggested  London packing list .

3 Day London Itinerary: How to Spend 3 Days in London

Now, we’ll share our suggested 3-day London itinerary. Our itinerary is geared to the first-time visitor to London who has 3 days in London (or more), and is interested in visiting a number of historic and cultural attractions as well as some green spaces and scenic viewpoints.

As with all of our suggested itineraries, we recommend that you use this as a guide for your trip and tailor it to suit your individual interests, needs, and speed of travel. If you have any questions as you are planning your trip to London, please feel free to leave us a comment in the Comments section at the end of this post.

Be sure to check on the opening dates and hours for any must-see attractions before you set out as many attractions close for one day per week, or may be closed due to renovation or a special event.

For all attractions with an entrance fee, we’ve noted there is an entry fee by writing “(fee)” next to them. Since many visitors use the  London Pass , the attractions that are included on the London Pass are starred (*) denoting that passholders receive free entry so these attractions have “(fee*)” next to them. We do our best to keep this information updated, but things change so you may want to double-check fees and London Pass inclusions before your trip.

The map below shows the suggested walking routes for each of the three days in London with all major London itinerary locations noted. Click  here  or double click on the map below for a closer look and to see exact locations in Google maps:

London Itinerary Day 1 – Explore Westminster

We recommend starting your trip to London in Westminster as it is the geographical, cultural, and political center of the city. The City of Westminster is actually its own city within London! Here you’ll find some of London’s most iconic buildings, including Buckingham Palace, Palace of Westminster, and Westminster Abbey.

Many people enjoy taking a sightseeing bus or walking tour to get a good overview of a city before heading off to explore on their own. If this is you, I’d recommend doing it on your first day in London to get a good orientation.

• If you like hop on hop off buses, the City Sightseeing bus covers many of London’s highlights. A  free sightseeing bus is included for those with a London Pass.
• If you enjoy walking tours we can recommend  Take Walks which offers several tours in London as well as many other locations in Europe. We have used them several times and all their tours are well-rated.
• If you are looking for a full day walking tour that will cover most of the highlights of Westminster, we recommend this one  or this one . Both cover many of the highlights including a visit to Tower of London , a Thames river cruise, and seeing the Changing of the Guard. You can read a full description of the full day London walking tour I did on my very first visit to London to get an idea of what these are like.
• If you are looking for a half day tour, you might consider this 4 hour tour .
• If you are a Harry Potter fan, consider a Harry Potter guided walking tour like this one
• If you are looking for a private walking tour of London or a customized tour, we recommend checking out the London tours offered by Context Travel.

Our suggested Day 1 London itinerary starts and stops near Parliament Square, but you can begin it at any point along the route. Today’s route is walkable but you can also get around via public transit, taxi, or a sightseeing bus as well.

Parliament Square & Houses of Parliament

We’re going to start off our itinerary at Parliament Square which is a well known public square in Westminster that is easy to get to via public transport and is a stop on all the main sightseeing buses as well. Around the square you’ll also find the statues of a number of famous people, including Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, Robert Peel, and Gandhi.

This popular square is surrounded by famous buildings, including Westminster Abbey, St. Margaret’s Church, the UK Supreme Court, and the Palace of Westminster. The Palace of Westminster, better known as the Houses of Parliament, is probably best known for its famous Big Ben bell which sits within the iconic golden Elizabeth Tower.

The large government building is named after the former medieval palace of the same name. A few sections of the medieval palace of Westminster still remain, including the 14th century  Jewel Tower  (fee*) which you can visit.

Although perhaps not a priority stop with only 3 days in London, the public can tour the  Houses of Parliament  (fee) on certain dates. Tours include visits to the Westminster Hall, St. Stephens Hall, Commons Chamber, and the Lords Chamber. UK residents can contact their local MP or a Member of the House of Lords to arrange a free tour. Otherwise, you can  book a tour ticket online  for a self-guided audio tour or guided tour. Tours must be booked in advance.

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey  (fee*) is one of the most famous and impressive churches in England. It dates back to 1245 and was mostly built in the Gothic style. Inside the church are tombs and memorials to a number of the most famous British people from the past 1,000 years, including royalty, scientists, aristocrats, and artists. It has also been used for all English and British coronations since William the Conqueror in 1066 as well as being the site of numerous royal weddings, including the 2011 wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.

If you plan to visit Westminster Abbey be sure to leave extra time to get in and see everything as it is a popular place and it takes a while to explore. An audioguide is included and will help you make the most of your self-guided visit. You can skip the line and get fast track entry by booking your ticket online in advance here .

In summer 2018, the  Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries  (fee) via the new Weston Tower of Westminster Abbey Tower was opened. The galleries house exhibits about the history of the abbey as well as a number of priceless artifacts. Admission to the Galleries is currently an extra £5.00 and you will receive a timed ticket since space is limited.

Guided tours of the main sections of the Abbey are also possible for a small extra fee (currently £5/person), check at arrival or on the Abbey website for tour times.

Churchill War Rooms

The  Churchill War Rooms (fee) is made up of two connected museums: the Cabinet War Rooms and the Churchill Museum. The Cabinet War Rooms allows visitors to explore the huge underground secret bunker where the majority of the World War 2 effort was directed from 1939 to 1945. An audioguide and interpretive exhibits help visitors understand the maze of underground rooms and what happened here.

The Churchill Museum is a large room dedicated to the life of Winston Churchill. It provides information on his life from his early years to his death in 1965, with a focus on his long political career. This is the most comprehensive museum I’ve ever visited on Churchill and our favorite site of the many  Winston Churchill sites in London . Book your tickets online in advance here .

For those with an interest in the London Blitz, we can also recommend the  London Churchill War Room tour  (save 10% off any Context tour using this link) by Context Travel which includes a guided visit to the Churchill War Rooms as well as a guided tour of parts of London related to the Blitz.

Those interested in military and war related history, should check out this list of London war museums and memorials .

St. James’s Park

We now recommend walking through St. James’ Park in the direction of Buckingham Palace for a bit of greenery. The 50-acre park is one of the city’s 8 Royal Parks and is known for its famous pelican residents. There is a café located within the park if you need a tea or coffee break or a light lunch.

Near the park is the  The Guards Museum  (fee*) which tells the history of the British Army Guards regiments as well as St. James’s Palace , a 16th century palace that was once the main residence of the British monarch. Today the palace is still used as a residence for members of the British royal family (although not the monarch) and as a meeting place. The palace is not open to visitors.

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is the most famous palace in the UK and serves as the primary London residence for the reigning sovereign of the United Kingdom. The royal palace dates back to 1703 and was originally built as a townhouse for the Duke of Buckingham, but was later acquired by King George III. Queen Victoria was the first monarch to officially reside in the palace.

If you want to see the Changing of the Guard ceremony, you’ll need to skip either the morning visit to Westminster Abbey or the Churchill War Rooms (you can visit one later in the afternoon instead) to get to Buckingham Palace before 11am. The Changing of the Queen’s Guard ceremony takes place on most days at the forecourt of Buckingham Palace around 11am, and lasts about 45 minutes. If you want to see the Changing of the Guard ceremony, check the  schedule online  in advance (may be cancelled last minute due to weather or security issues) and show up early to get a good viewing spot.

If you want a spot to watch part of the Changing of the Guard with fewer people, you might consider watching from in front of Friary Court in front of St. James Palace (the Old Guard normally lines up and starts here). Another alternative is to watch the Changing of the The Queen’s Lifeguard (horse guards) at the  Horse Guards Parade .

Most visitors are happy to just get a look at the palace and perhaps see the Changing of the Guard, but you can also tour the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace (fee) in the summer (generally August and September only). You need to book tickets in advance if you want to tour the palace, you can get tickets here for a tour and self-guided tours include audioguides.

Even if you can’t visit the State Rooms of Buckingham Place, there are places on the palace grounds that are open to the public year round. At the  Royal Mews  (fee) you can see a large number of royal carriages and coaches, including the Diamond Jubilee State Coach. At the Queen’s Gallery  (fee*) you’ll find excellent art exhibitions from the royal collection which change regularly throughout the year.

Piccadilly Circus

We now recommend heading to Piccadilly Circus en route to Trafalgar Square. Piccadilly Circus  doesn’t have any clowns, but it is a famous circular road junction well-known for its neon signs and advertising. You’ll find the well-known Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain  here.

From here, it is a short walk to many of London’s West End theaters (head up Shaftesbury Avenue) or to London’s West End shopping area (follow Regent Street).

Trafalgar Square & the National Gallery

Trafalgar Square is one of the most popular public squares in London and is home to Nelson’s Column (a monument to Admiral Horatio Nelson) and London’s famous stone lion statues. The square also features performing street artists and contemporary art (a changing featured piece of art occupies the square’s Fourth Plinth ).

Here you’ll also find two of London top art museums, the  National Gallery  and the  National Portrait Gallery . We’ve spent a lot of time in both over the years and they include world-class art from artists such as Picasso, Turner, Titian, and Monet. If you love art, I’d plan to spend some time at one or both of these museums. Entry is free (special exhibitions may cost extra) at both museums although donations are greatly appreciated.

If you are traveling with kids, they may enjoy creating a brass rubbing they can take home with them at the nearby  London Brass Rubbing Centre (fee) located underground within St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Note that this isn’t always available, check the website for when you can do it.

Now we recommend walking down Whitehall, which is the street running south from Trafalgar Square towards Parliament Square. Whitehall is so named for the Palace of Whitehall, a large medieval royal palace complex that stood here until it was destroyed by fire in 1698. It was the largest palace in the world at one time with over 1,500 rooms!

A small well-preserved section of the Whitehall palace complex, the  Banqueting Hall (fee), can still be visited today. The Banqueting House was designed by Inigo Jones and features a beautiful ceiling painted by Peter Paul Reubens.

Today Whitehall is still the center of the UK Government and you’ll pass a number of government buildings along your walk. You’ll also pass the  The Household Calvary Museum  (fee*), a small museum dedicated to the history of the Household Cavalry which is located in the 18th century stables of the Horse Guards. In the middle of the street, you’ll also see The Cenotaph , the UK’s national war memorial.

You’ll also pass by the entrance to Downing Street which is where the Prime Minister (at 10 Downing Street) and other UK government ministers reside. The street is gated and guarded, but you can peek through and should be able to get a glimpse 10 Downing Street, which is the headquarters of the UK government and official residence of the UK Prime Minister.

As you continue your walk, you’ll end back in Parliament Square where we started our day.

Westminster Bridge

Now we recommend walking across Parliament Square and onto Westminster Bridge. This bridge dates back to 1862 but there has been a bridge here since 1750. From the bridge, you’ll have a fantastic view back of the Houses of Parliament and the River Thames. You can then take a walk along the Thames or head off to dinner.

London Dungeon

If you still have time and stamina you might want to continue on across Westminster Bridge to where you’ll find several attractions located along the Thames, including the London Dungeon and the London Eye (fee*).

The  London Dungeon (fee) is a popular interactive walkthrough attraction that uses costumed actors, special effects, and rides to share some of London’s darker and more gory history and provide some laughs and screams along the way.

The educational and historical part of the experience here is a bit questionable, but if you enjoy amusement parks and haunted houses, you’ll probably enjoy this. Not recommended for young children or those with a nervous disposition.

Next door to the London Dungeon are two family-oriented attractions, the Sea Life London Aquarium (fee) and DreamWorks Tours: Shrek’s Adventure (fee).

The  London Eye (fee*) is Europe’s tallest observation wheel and a great place to get some nice views over London and the Thames. Visitors stand in large enclosed glass pods on this giant ferris wheel like attraction and it spins very slowly to give visitors expansive views. You can also add champagne to the experience or even get a private pod.

The London Eye is open late (depending on the time of year) making it a great last stop or even after dinner visit. Around sunset is a nice time to do this ride. Great in good weather, I’d skip if the weather is too bad as it will spoil the views.

You can save money (and time) by purchasing your tickets in advance. Online prices are usually much lower than if you buy at the ticket desk.

You can buy tickets for the London Eye from the official site here . It’s also included on the London Pass.

We also have a complete guide to visiting the London Eye here .

London Itinerary Day 2 – City of London & Southwark

Today we recommend exploring the City of London. The City of London is another “city within a city” like Westminster. It is home to much of the city’s financial and banking services, and is also the oldest part of the city. This area was named “Londinium” by the Romans and you’ll find an interesting mix of the city’s oldest landmarks and most modern buildings here.

Across the River Thames from the City of London is the London Borough of Southwark. A number of top London attractions and landmarks can be found here including HMS Belfast, the Tate Modern, The Shard, Southwark Cathedral, the Imperial War Museum, and Borough Market.

You can get around and do this itinerary on foot, but you may want to take public transit to get from the Sky Garden to St. Paul’s Cathedral to save time. If you are planning to do a Thames river cruise, you may want to do it today after your visit to the Tower of London. 

Tower of London

The  Tower of London  (fee*) was first built by William the Conqueror in 1078 as a royal castle and defense tower. It was then expanded over the centuries and served many purposes, including a fortress, prison, armory, and Royal Mint. Today is it a UNESCO world heritage site and it is famous for serving as a prison and execution site of famous people like Queen Anne Boleyn and Lady Jane Grey, and for housing the Crown Jewels.

The Tower of London is definitely one of the most popular (and one of our favorite) attractions in London, so we recommend being there near opening time if you can. Once inside, we recommend visiting the Crown Jewels first as this part can get very crowded.

There is a lot of to see here but some of the highlights are the Crown Jewels, the White Tower, the Tower Green, and the tours given by the Beefeaters ( Yeoman Warders ). For more information, see our complete guide to visiting the Tower of London .

The Tower of London is included on the London Pass, or you can book tickets in advance here .

If you enjoy nice views, we recommend a stop at Sky Garden, London’s highest public garden. The terraced garden area is laid out over three storeys (level 35 to 37) and there is an observation deck, bar, and open air terrace.

Although the Sky Garden is technically a public garden and can be visited for free, we recommend booking a space in advance as they are often fully booked and can’t always accommodate walk-ins. Tickets are generally released each week and can be booked up to 2 weeks in advance. If the free slots are already booked out and you still want to visit and enjoy the views, you can generally still get in by making a restaurant reservation and eating at one of the several restaurants located here.

Nearby, we recommend stopping by to see The Monument , a 202 foot Doric column monument designed by Christopher Wren and Robert Hooke to commemorate the Great Fire of 1666 . The column stands approximately at the spot the fire started. Visitors can actually go inside (fee*) and climb the over 300 stairs to the viewing platform on top.

You can then walk to St. Paul’s (about 15 minutes) or take the Underground from The Monument stop to the St. Paul’s Cathedral stop.

St. Paul’s Cathedral

St. Paul’s Cathedral  (fee*) dates back to 1697 after the previous one was badly destroyed by the Great Fire of London in 1666. It was rebuilt by Christopher Wren in the English Baroque style, but a church dedicated to St. Paul has been on this site since the 7th century!

The dome of the cathedral is a recognizable feature of the London skyline and the church has long been seen as a symbol of the spirit of the British people, especially during World War II. The church is an active place of worship with regular Anglican services, and has been the site of a number of notable events including the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana, the state funeral of Winston Churchill, and Jubilee services for Queen Elizabeth II.

The church can be visited and tour and admission prices include an audioguide for a self-guided visited. Guided tours are often given throughout the day by church staff.

Visitors have the option to visit the main parts of the cathedral, the dome, and the crypt. There is often a line to visit the dome as only a certain number of visitors can climb the steps at a time, so allow extra time if you want to climb the dome to visit the Whispering Gallery and/or the Stone and Golden Galleries.

If you don’t have the London Pass (free entry included), we recommend booking your ticket online in advance to save money and to skip the ticket line.

Alternative: An alternative (or additional) attraction in the area that you may want to visit is the Museum of London . A great free museum that we’d highly recommend to anyone interested in the history of the city (note, closed until 2026).

Shakespeare’s Globe

Now we recommend heading across the Millennium Bridge, a steel pedestrian suspension bridge, to the other side of the Thames to see Shakespeare’s Globe (fee*).

This is of course not the original Globe Theatre (built in 1599) used by William Shakespeare, but it is as faithful of a modern construction as could be produced of the open-air theatre where Shakespeare staged many of his famous plays. The Globe is located near where the original would have stood. The original Globe Theatre stood about 200 meters away and you can go see the site and it is marked by a plaque.

The reconstruction of The Globe was the dream project of American actor/director Sam Wanamaker. If you want to see the inside of the theatre, you can visit the museum exhibition, learn how it was constructed, and do a guided tour of the open-air Globe where you get to see the stage and seating areas.

You can also enjoy open-air performances here in the summer or at the indoor candle-lit Jacobean style Sam Wanamaker Playhouse year-round. A great venue to see a Shakespeare play in London. Just be sure to book your performance ticket in advance.

Alternatives:  Other nearby attractions include the Tate Modern (free, charges for exhibitions*), HMS Belfast  (fee*), Southwark Cathedral (free, donations welcome), and  The Old Operating Theatre Museum  (fee*).

Borough Market

Borough Market is the best known and one of the oldest markets in the UK. It is believed that a market has been in this area since around 1014!

Today the market is filled with fresh produce, fresh meats and fish, baked goods, cheeses, flowers, wines, spices, and other food stuff. There are also cafes, demonstration kitchens, and restaurants that are part of the market as well as many food stalls selling ready-to-eat foods, including sandwiches and all kinds of street foods from Ethiopian wraps to Galloway beef stew to vegetarian pastries. This is a great place for a snack or meal!

If you are really interested in food, we’d recommend considering cutting out some of the other stops in the itinerary today and doing a food tour here, such as this one . A food tour will allow you to understand the history of Borough Market and allow you to sample and taste a wide selection of local products and dishes. For more on food tours, see our complete guide to the best food tours in London .

The market is normally open from 10am to 5pm and is closed on most Sundays during the year. Check the hours ahead of time when planning your day.

London Bridge & Tower Bridge

From this area you can admire London’s two most famous bridges, London Bridge and Tower Bridge. Both are active road bridges over the River Thames that can be crossed by vehicles and pedestrians.

Given time, you probably only have time to admire them today, but both do have associated attractions if you want to visit them. You’ll also have a good view of HMS Belfast (fee) moored in the Thames, a WW2 era Royal Navy light cruiser that is now a popular tourist attraction.

London Bridge has existed in some form since Roman times, although the current one was built in the 1970’s. Next to London Bridge is the  The London Bridge Experience  (fee*) which tells the darker history of the London Bridge over time through the use of interactive exhibits and theater and is geared towards families and young adults that don’t mind a bit of a scare.

Tower Bridge is the more iconic bridge, although often mistakenly referred to as London Bridge. It is a Victorian bascule and suspension bridge built between 1886 and 1894, and is very photogenic with its iconic bridge towers.

If you want to learn more about the Tower Bridge (and have extra time) you can visit the  Tower Bridge Exhibition  (fee*) which covers the history of the bridge and allows access to the towers and walkways, including a glass walkway you can walk across that extends 138 feet above the Thames!

The Shard  is a modern pyramidal shaped skyscraper that is home to several restaurants, a hotel, offices, shops, and a viewing gallery. It was completed in 2012 and is currently the tallest building in Western Europe at 1,017 feet (309 meters) with 87 floors.

The viewing gallery, called The View from the Shard (fee*), is the highest public viewing gallery in London located on floors 68, 69, and 72. The building offers spectacular 360 degree views over central London and you can see just about all of the city’s major landmarks. On a clear day they say you can see up to 40 miles away, and it definitely offers the most expansive views over London we’ve every seen! Good views both during the day and the evening.

Now, The View at the Shard is fairly pricey (currently £37/person) for what it offers. So I’d carefully consider your visit here especially if you have already visited the London Eye and/or Sky Garden which both also offer good city views. If you do want to visit book your tickets online in advance for the best prices.

The View from the Shard is also included on the London Pass , so if you have one of these then it is definitely worth visiting.

Another way to enjoy the view is to head to the GONG Bar on Floor 21, and while not as high as the viewing platform, still offers sweeping views of the city for the price of a cocktail. This is a great spot to enjoy a before or after dinner drink. You can book ahead but they also take walk-ins at the bar. The Shard also has several other restaurants and bars, reservations recommended or required for meals.

West End Show

The West End is one of the most world-renown places in the world, along with New York City’s Broadway, for professional theatre. Over 30 theaters can be found in the West End offering a wide variety of musicals and plays. Here is a good list  of the theaters which also denotes the current main production being shown at each.

If you are wanting to go to a West End theater performance, you can book tickets in advance online before your trip (recommended if there is a specific performance you want to see) or try to find a deal once you are in London if you are flexible in what you see. Here are some  tips for buying theatre tickets,  and London Pass holders have access to  theater ticket discounts  on several West End shows.

But if theater and musicals are not your thing, there are a number of nighttime performances in London every day, from rock concerts to opera to films to comedy shows. For operas, symphonies, and classical music, you can find a list of upcoming performances here .

London also has a great nightlife scene with hundreds of bars, pubs, discos, and clubs. No matter what your taste, you are sure to find something of interest!

London Itinerary Day 3 – Kensington & Windsor Castle

So now you’ve seen some of the BIG highlights in London like Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and the National Gallery. For your last day we’d suggest exploring a neighborhood like Kensington in the morning and then head to Windsor Castle in the afternoon.

Alternative London Neighborhood Options. We are going to recommend Kensington as the neighborhood to explore today, as we feel it offers something for every type of traveler and also has a large number of attractions, including several free museums. But if you are wondering about other neighborhood options we can also recommend Greenwich or Camden.

Each of these 3 neighborhoods are interesting and have a number of attractions and are worth a day of exploring. If you’d prefer to explore Greenwich or Camden, you can find a day itinerary for both of these neighborhoods as part of our suggested 6 day itinerary .

Or you can instead use this day to visit sites of interest to you that didn’t make it into our 3 day itinerary, such as the British Museum (free), Kew Gardens (fee*), the London Zoo (fee*) or a tour of the FC Chelsea stadium (fee*). Indulge in a particular passion or just enjoy a leisurely day of shopping or pub hopping.

Or head out of London for a day trip (see “Possible Day Trips from London” section at the beginning of the post for ideas) to visit popular sites in southern England such as Stonehenge or Oxford. It’s you last day, so spend it however you like!

You can get around Kensington today by foot, but you will need to take a train to reach Windsor Castle.

Kensington Palace

Kensington Palace (fee*) is a grand 17th century home that was first used as a royal residence by King William II and Queen Mary II. It continued to be used as a royal residence by a British monarch through the reign of King George II. Since then it been used as the residence and workplace of “minor royalty”, and is still an active working royal palace.

One of the people most associated with the palace is Queen Victoria although she never lived here as queen. Victoria was born at Kensington Palace and it was here that she learned that she was queen. Fittingly, outside of Kensington Palace is a large marble statue of Queen Victoria, designed by her daughter Princess Louise, that depicts her at the age of 18 in her coronation robes.

In more recent times, it has been the home and workplace of Princess Margaret, Prince Charles, Princess Diana, Prince William, and Prince Henry. It is still the official London residence of Prince William and Prince Henry and their wives, Princess Eugenie, and several other members of the Royal Family.

Despite it being a working royal palace, visitors are able to visit many of the rooms in the palace year round. There is a lot to see here and you can easily spent a few hours wandering around the warren of rooms. I would recommend taking a look at the different self-guided routes that the palace staff recommend and these are color coded and mapped out. The routes are based on different themes (e.g., Queen Victoria, King’s Apartments, Queen Victoria, royal fashion) so you can be sure to see the parts of most interest.

Note, the palace currently has a very popular Princess Diana fashion exhibition (entry is included with the palace ticket but expect additional lines for this exhibition). This has led to increased visitor numbers.

If you don’t have a London Pass I would recommend purchasing your ticket in advance here and if you do have a London Pass, I’d recommend arriving near opening time. I’d also recommend visiting on a weekday rather than a weekend if you can.

There is a  café here serving meals and refreshments, and also a garden worth exploring if you have time and the weather is good.

Kensington Gardens

After visiting the palace, we recommend spending some time exploring the surrounding Kensington Gardens. The gardens are another one of London’s royal parks and covers 265 acres. It’s a beautiful green space and we recommend a little wander if the weather is nice.

Some of the highlights of the park are the two Serpentine Galleries (free contemporary art galleries), an ornamental water garden, the Albert Memorial, the Elphin Oak (carved hollow oak tree), and the Princess Diana Memorial Playground.  Food and drinks are also available at cafés in the park year round.

Probably the most striking memorial in the park is the Albert Memorial, a giant ornate memorial to Prince Albert who died of typhoid in 1861, leaving his wife Queen Victoria grief stricken. From the memorial, you’ll have a good view of the Royal Albert Hall.

Royal Albert Hall

The Royal Albert Hall (fee*) is the top performance venue in London and the hall hosts everything from classical concerts to rock bands to sporting events. The world-class concert hall was the idea of Prince Albert and was first opened in 1871. Everyone from the Beatles to Winston Churchill to Nine Inch Nails have made appearances or performed here, and each year it hosts the BBC Proms .

If you are heading off to Windsor Castle this afternoon, you may not have time go inside and can just admire it from the outside. But if you do have time, visitors can join a guided tour of the hall. Guided tours of the Royal Albert Hall help you understand the history of the concert hall and take you to see the auditorium, gallery, and the private suites of the Royal Family.

If you want to do a guided tour, we recommend booking these online in advance, as they are very popular and do sell out.

If you are looking for an evening entertainment option during your time in London, there is almost always something happening at the Royal Albert Hall. You can book a ticket online or stop by the Ticket Office.

Now we recommend deciding between a visit to Windsor Castle or spending the rest of the afternoon exploring more of Kensington.

Afternoon Option #1:  Windsor Castle 

Windsor Castle  (fee*) is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world and still an active royal residence. It was originally built in the 11th century as a defensive motte-and-bailey castle by William the Conquerer and has been a royal residence since the reign of King Henry I. Today the castle is a favorite weekend home to Queen Elizabeth II, a place where state visits are often hosted, and a popular tourist attraction.

During most of the year, parts of Windsor Castle are open to the public. This includes the castle’s  magnificent State Rooms which were mostly designed and built in the 19th century. Other highlights include the Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, the 15th-century St. George’s Chapel, and the Changing of the Guards ceremony (a much smaller version of the ceremony that takes place in front of Buckingham Palace). 

Most visits are self-guided and there is a good audioguide included with admission. You can also join offered guided tours at the castle, I’d check the website in advance for tour times. Note that the castle can get very busy, especially in the summer months. 

If you want to visit Windsor Castle, the afternoon is currently the recommended time as the castle gets very crowded in the morning. We’d recommend getting on a train to Windsor at least 3 hours before closing time (it varies by season so check the website) to ensure you have enough time to visit. We’d recommend allowing 1 hour to travel to the castle and at least 2 hours for the visit.

To get here you need to take a train out of London (about 1 hour ride each way). You cannot use your Oyster Card to travel to Windsor as it is outside London, so you will need to buy a rail ticket at the station. Paddington Station is a 25 minutes walk (or slightly shorter Tube ride) from either Kensington Palace or Royal Albert Hall.

Afternoon Option #2: Afternoon Tea, V&A Museum, Shopping, & Hyde Park

If you decide to continue to explore Kensington, we recommend considering an afternoon tea break, visiting the V&A Museum (or one of the other free museums in Kensington), doing some shopping, and taking a stroll through Hyde Park. Check our guide for more things to do in Kensington .

Afternoon Tea in Kensington

The tradition of afternoon tea originated in the aristocratic homes of England in the 19th century, and there is no better place to have afternoon tea than in London. You’ll be spoiled for choice in London as there are thousands of places that serve tea from casual cafés where you can get a cuppa and a scone to luxury hotels offering a 3-tiered silver tray fancy afternoon tea experience.

If you are just looking for a casual tea, you’ll be able to find that at many cafés in this area. One suggestion is to break for tea within one of the cafés at the Victoria & Albert Museum , which include both opulent Victorian era rooms as well as casual outdoor courtyard spaces. Once a week, The Victoria & Albert Museum also serves a formal Victorian afternoon tea that recreates the afternoon tea experience of Queen Victoria, and for this one you do need to book in advance.

But if you want a more luxurious experience, you’ll want to make a reservation in advance. Luxury spots to enjoy afternoon tea in the Kensington area include The Berkeley and The Lanesborough . Also a few to consider in nearby Mayfair (west of Hyde Park) are The Ritz , The Dorchester , and Claridge’s .

We have oddly had a lot more afternoon teas in Paris (see our Paris afternoon tea guide ) than London so far. But we can suggest in this area that if you are looking for something a bit different, you might want to check out the fashion-inspired Prêt-à-Portea afternoon tea at The Berkeley. This fun and colorful tea is designed for those who love fashion and the tea menu changes each season along with the fashions on the catwalk.

Victoria & Albert Museum

The Victoria & Albert Museum , often referred to as the V&A, is one of the world’s leading museums of art and design. The museum collection is extensive and items range from Chinese embroidery to John Constable paintings to Baroque furniture to Alexander McQueen gowns. It’s a must visit for anyone interested in art or design.

The museum is also known for hosting a lot of really interesting exhibitions which often attract a large number of visitors. The museum is also known for its current café and restaurant located within the beautiful Morris, Gamble and Poynter Rooms, which is the oldest museum café in the world.

Entry to see the permanent collection at the V&A is free. Some temporary exhibitions are also free but there is generally a fee to enter the major ones. If you have a London Pass, you get free entry into one of the paid exhibitions.

Alternatives: Kensington is home to several other well-known museums, including the   Science Museum  and the Natural History Museum . Both are free (donations appreciated) and both are good alternatives if you aren’t excited by the V&A. The Science Museum in particular is a great family-friendly option.

Harrod’s

Now if you are in the mood for some shopping or just some window shopping, Kensington has some excellent shopping areas. The most concentrated areas are along King’s Road, Kensington High Street, and Sloane Street. You can find everything from more budget friendly international brands like Zara and H&M to high-end luxury department stores like Harrods and Harvey Nichols.

Harrod’s is one of the most famous luxury department stores in the world. It was founded by Charles Harrod in 1835 and grew to be the best known British department store in the world, being patronized by celebrities, politicians, royalty, and the British elite. Although in recent years it has been bought by the state of Qatar and has suffered from some bad press, it is still a luxury store worth checking out for those who enjoy shopping. Other department stores in this area are Harvey Nichols and the more traditional Peter Jones.

If you are more into antiques, you’ll want to head to Church Street where you’ll find a number of antique stores like Andrew Nebbett Antiques and Designs, Alfie’s Antique Market, The FM Gallery, and Church Street Antiques.

Hyde Park is yet another of London’s great Royal Parks, covering 350 acres. It used to also encompass Kensington Gardens, but the two are now divided by the Serpentine Lake and Carriage Drive. The park offers lots of tress, ornamental flower gardens, a large lake, walking and cycling paths, sport facilities, and a playground. 

Attractions with the park include The Serpentine Bridge, Holocaust Memorial, the Diana Memorial Fountain, Speaker’s Corner, and several war memorials. Located at the northwestern and southwestern corners of the park are the Wellington Arch and Marble Arch.

Each Sunday at Speakers’ Corner , located on the northeast edge of Hyde Park (near intersection of Marble Arch and Oxford Street), you can hear people give speeches and hold debates about a variety of topics in the name of free speech. The tradition dates back to the mid-1800’s and anyone can participate.

The park is a great place to get active as you can boat, cycle, play tennis, skate, ride horses, or even swim within the park. In the summer boating is popular and you can rent a rowing or pedal boat to enjoy the Serpentine Lake or you can take a ride on the solar-powered Solarshuttle. There are also a few places to grab coffee or have a meal, including lakeside dining.

Enjoy your final evening!

It is your last night in London so plan something you’ll enjoy and remember. This could be a nice dinner out, a pub crawl, attending a late night museum opening, a sunset River Thames cruise, a creepy Jack the Ripper tour , seeing an event at the Royal Albert Hall, a sporting event, a  classical music performance , or just relaxing after 3 busy days of sightseeing!

Save Money on your 3 Days in London with the London Pass

We wanted to give you an example of the cost savings over 3 days in London if you were using a London Pass. The following calculations are based on the above itinerary although it doesn’t include every single attraction we suggested but includes what we believe is a realistic number for someone planning to actively sightsee based on the above itinerary.

Here is the cost savings for 3 days in London for 2 people using the London Pass.

So in the above example, visitors would have a cost savings of £107.8 per person for a total cost savings of £215.60 for 2 people. This is definitely a considerable savings on entry fees for three days of sightseeing!

Even if you change some of the attractions or take away a couple of them, you would still save money with a London Pass if doing a similar amount of sightseeing. In general, you need to visit an average of 2 to 3 higher priced attractions per day to save money with a 3 day London Pass.

We highly recommend that all visitors check out the London Pass, especially if it is your first visit to London. The pass covers free entry to over 90 attractions and museums, plus a number of discounts on tours, restaurants, souvenirs, and theater tickets. Not only will it save many visitors money, it can also save time as it provides fast track entry into certain busy sites.

You can check the latest prices and purchase the London Pass at the official website for the pass here . We also recommend checking prices on and GetYourGuide here as sometimes one will be better value than the other.

However the London Pass is not a good fit for all travelers, and if you are not sure if it is a good fit or not, read our  full review of the London Pass to help you decide if it is worth it. Our review breaks down the features, ways to purchase, how to calculate your cost savings, and more.

There you have our suggested London itinerary on how to spend 3 days in London!

Planning a trip to London? Pin this article to Pinterest to read later:

How many of these attractions would be on your London itinerary? If you’ve visited London, what were you favorite spots in London? If you have any questions about the itinerary or visiting London, just ask them in the comments below and as always we are happy to help!

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Jewel Post author

May 31, 2024 at 1:53 pm

Do you have any taxi recommendations for London to brighton?

Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author

May 31, 2024 at 3:01 pm

I would recommend checking out minicabit which is a popular UK taxi comparison site. It is used by hundreds of cab companies.

However, that drive takes about 2 hours so is going to be very expensive if you take a taxi or other type of private transfer. So I would also recommend considering public transit for such a long journey.

You will save time and money by taking a train to Brighton, the quickest trains only take about 1 hour. You can also take a bus which is cheaper but that will take about 3 hours. There are regular trains and buses/coaches between London and Brighton daily. If you are just going to Brighton for the day, I would choose the train as it is the fastest and most cost effective way to do a return day trip.

Hope that helps and just let us know if you have any question as you plan your trip to England!

Best, Jessica

Kai Parker Post author

March 28, 2024 at 2:50 am

London has always been a dream destination for me, and this city itinerary just sealed the deal! I can’t wait to immerse myself in the rich history, stunning architecture, and vibrant culture of this iconic city. Thanks for the inspiration, I’m definitely bookmarking this for my next adventure!

March 31, 2024 at 6:58 am

Glad you found our London itinerary to be an inspiration for your future trip to UK. Once you start your planning, feel free to ask us any questions about your trip!

Wishing you happy travels! Jessica

Michelle Post author

February 25, 2024 at 1:11 am

Hi There, the map above is AWESOME! Just wondering if there’s a list of the numbered points on the map, rather than having to comb through the information, like a quick reference? Thanks 🙂

February 26, 2024 at 12:46 pm

Hi Michelle,

I am so happy that our London map and 3 day London itinerary have been useful in planning your trip. So I think you are just referring to the image, but if you double click on the image or the link above it (look at the paragraph above it where it says click here) that will take you to the map I created within Google Maps so you can see all the points on the map that are numbered in the picture. Does that help?

But just note that you should definitely consider reading through each day of the itinerary as these are just suggested routes and places to visit and you should modify it per your own time and interests. You may not have time for everything on each day so best to know which places are must-sees for you and which you are OK just seeing from the outside and all that.

Hope that helps, and just let me know if you have any further questions as you plan your trip to London!

December 27, 2023 at 6:26 am

I thoroughly enjoyed reading your insightful 3-day London itinerary! Your detailed suggestions and personal experiences really add a genuine touch. I followed your recommendations and had a fantastic time exploring the city. I’d like to share an additional budget-friendly tip: consider staying at Serviced Apartments in London. My recent stay there was both comfortable and affordable, making it an ideal choice for anyone looking to make the most of their London trip without breaking the bank. Thanks again for your fantastic suggestions!

December 28, 2023 at 1:31 pm

So glad that you enjoyed you stay in London!! Thanks for taking the time to let us know that you found our itinerary and advice helpful in spending 3 days in London. And thanks for sharting your tip about having a good stay in a serviced apartment. I hope you get a chance to return to London again soon!

Alan Post author

August 22, 2023 at 3:22 am

just wanted to say a big thank you for all the work you put into this itinerary, we used it to plan our own 3 days in London, got the pass, had a wonderful time! your advice made our time much easier and less stressful!

August 23, 2023 at 12:47 pm

Thanks for taking the time to comment and glad you found our 3 day London itinerary helpful. Very happy to hear that you had such a wonderful trip to London!

Hapy travels, Jessica & Laurence

Mary Jo Lauscher Post author

July 31, 2023 at 1:15 pm

Hi there, I found your three day itinerary very helpful.

We are going to London at the end of September. My question is about getting advance tickets for any of the sites. If we plan on using the London Pass, how do I order advance tickets, make a reservation, or skip the line ticket, etc? I have not been able to find any information on that. Also with the London Pass can we use the Hop on hop off both days of the 2 day pass? Thanks for all your information, it was very helpful!

August 2, 2023 at 8:04 am

Hi Mary Jo,

Glad you are finding our 3 day London itinerary helpful in planning your upcoming trip. So if you decide to go with the London Pass, you do not need to make advanced reservations for most attractions. But you do need to book for most walking tours, bus tours, and other types of guided activities. You can find all the details for the attractions and tours that need to be reserved and how to do that on this page .

The hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus ticket included with the London Pass is only valid for 1 day (no matter the length of your pass). This is the same with the Thames boat cruise ticket.

For skip the line access, you can skip the ticket line for most attractions with the pass but you can’t skip the security lines. Your London Pass essentially acts as your ticket for most attractions. I don’t think since COVID that there have been many attractions that have a specific line for pass holders, but generally you get in the same line as those who have prebooked tickets.

For popular attractions not included on the London Pass, such as the London Eye , Churchill War Rooms, UK Parliament tours, Madame Tussauds , etc. then it is best to buy tickets in advance for these. I would check on any must-see attraction if reservations are recommended or required. But if you only have 2 days, I suspect that the London Pass will cover your admission fees for most attractions that you plan to visit.

For any attractions or tours that you want to do in London that recommend or require reservations (with or without the London Pass), I would start booking those soon if you have your dates set for next month.

Hope that helps and let me know if you have any questions as you plan your trip!

Katie Post author

July 6, 2023 at 11:32 pm

Hello! Your itinerary is awesome!! I was wondering if you could help me with mine for four days in London in November. Is it doable or too packed? What should I take out or add? Should I buy an Oyster card? What should we actually go in and see? We are most likely staying at the Hoxton Holborn, AMANO hotel, or Wilde Aparthotel. Any dinner recommendations or cocktail/ house music places? 🙂

Day 1: Friday On and off bus tour Buckingham Palace Churchill War room Big Ben Westminster Abbey Dinner dishoom Shoreditch neighborhood for dinner/drinks

Day 2: Saturday St Paul’s Cathedral Borough Market Tower bridge South bank river walk Tower of London Leadenhall Market Soccer game

Day 3 Sunday Walking Notting Hill Kensington Palace Hyde Park Bond Street Regent street/Park Camden Market Abbey Road Hampstead Heath

Bermondsey neighborhood to eat?

Day 4 National Gallery Seven dials market Tennis museum?

July 9, 2023 at 7:05 am

So Day 1, I think all that is doable. Doing HOHO bus, visiting the Churchill War Rooms and Westminster Abbey. Seeing Buckingham Palace and the Parliament/Big Ben from outside. Also lots of other things you can easily see in that area such as St. James Park, Parliament Square, Westminster Bridge, London Eye and National COVID memorial. Dishoom is a great restaurant to try for atypical Indian food, we love it and just be sure to make a reservation as they are often fully booked. Although I’d also recommend trying a typical British curry place at some point too if you want the typical British Indian experience. The closest Dishoom to you (if stay in Holborn area) is the location in Covent Garden as its within walking distance. But if you are wanting to go to Shoreditch that night, then there is a location there as well, just note you’ll be looking at a 30 minute Tube/bus ride each way. Shoreditch might make more sense on the day you plan to visit Tower of London and be in the City of London.

Day 2 – I’d probably start with the Tower of London in the morning as it is normally worse with crowds than St. Pauls Cathedral. So I’d reverse the order and go from the Tower of London then to Tower Bridge and Borough Market before heading over to St. Paul’s. You can have lunch at or near Borough Market. Leadenhall Market is nice but limited options there compared to Borough Market. I think it would be hard to fit in a soccer game today if you want to visit all those places unless there is an evening football game on that day, might be better to try to do on Day 4?

Day 3 – If Kensington Palace is the only place you really want to visit the inside of, I think this is doable. Just note if walking it is about a 1 hour or so walk from Kensington Gardens to Hampstead Heath (so may want to take public transit as well). So if wandering on a more relaxed day today except for the palace, I’d just priortize your day for what you really want to see most and if you don’t make it to everything, you won’t be disappointed. The other thing to note is that Bermondsey is very far from any of the places you are planning to visit this day.

Day 4 – This might be a good day to also include the British Museum, especially if staying nearby. Its free, donation only and you can book time online in advance. Also easy to visit in the same day as the National gallery and Seven Dials Market. For a tennis museum in London, I am guessing you mean Wimbeldon – this is doable but it is well oustide central London and will take you about an hour each way to visit so I would just be sure this is something you really want to see. You could try to do the soccer game this day instead perhaps? Or consider a West End play or musical?

In terms of timing, I would go back through your itinerary and just make sure the timings will work out when you check the opening times/days and how long you expect to spend at each one. So say you expect to spend 2 hours at Tower of London, 1.5 hours at Westminster Abbey, 1 hour Borough Market, etc. plus the amount of time you think it will realistically take you to get from one place to the other. I’d then build in a bit of extra time so you don’t feel rushed. That should help you decide if there is too much on any one day. You want to try to balance seeing all the must-see things on your list without feeling rushed and having a little down time to relax and make unexpected stops.

London has so many restaurants, cafes, cocktail bars – I would just think about where you are going to be/want to be and look for well-rated options nearby. It sounds like you are going to be staying in the Covent Garden area and there are lots of options there that would likely be within walking distance of where you are staying. For a cocktail bar with live house music (and also food), you might check out STEREO. If looking for a historic pub for a typical pub lunch or dinner, you could try Lamb & Flag in Covent Garden or Museum Tavern across from the British Museum. Just note that for meals, especially for dinner you’ll want to be sure to book a table in advance.

In terms of Oyster Card, you can read our Oyster Card review post here . Based on your itinerary, I would say you will be taking public transport quite a few times so you can either get Oyster Cards or use your credit cards if they are PIN & Chip ones. You would also probably save money with the London Pass , and you can order your Visitor Oyster Card with the pass if you want. For a London Pass, I’d probably do a 3-day pass and just be sure to fit anything in that you want to see included on the pass on the first 3 days, and stick to free or not included attractions on Day 4. But that would cover all the big attractions you have listed (Westminster Abbey, London Bridge, St. Paul’s, sightseeing bus, Kensington Palace, etc.) except for Churchill War Rooms which sadly is not currently on the pass.

Hope that helps and just let us know if you have further questions as you plan your trip to London.

Wishing you a wonderful trip! Jessica

katie Post author

July 12, 2023 at 6:34 pm

Thank you so much for the info!! What restaurant would you suggest for a traditional curry? Also out of my day 1 and day 2? Which do you think I should visit vs just see? Anything overrated? Are the markets worth it? Anything more local that I should include?

July 13, 2023 at 4:11 am

You’re very welcome, happy to help.

You can find good Indian curry places all over London, Brick Lane is famous for them but I’d just go some place that is convenient. I’d just check reviews or ask a local person of best curry place nearby. Chicken tikka masala is probably one of the most classic British Indian dishes and one of the most popular dishes eaten in the UK (of all foods!), but there are lots of popular curries. Indian curry is one of the most popular takeaway foods in the UK.

For Days 1 and 2, I would recommend visiting all the places you want to see (see my prior comments on each day). The places you listed are some of the most popular places to visit and all are worth visiting. But of course it depends on your specific interests, time, and budget.

Leadenhall Market is OK – it’s a beautiful setting (I think most tourists come here for the Harry Potter connection as it was used a filming location) and there are several places to eat here. But if you are looking for more of an actual fresh food market, then Borough Market has both fresh food/produce stalls as well as prepared food stalls and restaurants. So I would recommend Borough Market over Leadenhall but they are both different. You can walk through either fairly quickly (although Borough Markets gets really busy around lunch time) so if on your way, they are easy enough to visit but if you want to try food or buy food, I’d recommend Borough Market over Leadenhall.

I would just build your itinerary based on what you are most interested in seeing and doing. Just make sure to allow yourself enough time and build in some flexibility.

Hope that helps! Jessica

TF Post author

June 27, 2023 at 4:41 am

Hello there! Just finished reading your article on the “3 Days in London” itinerary, your detailed itinerary and insightful recommendations have truly sparked my wanderlust.

Thank you for putting together such a comprehensive and well-thought-out itinerary. Your passion for travel and your love for London shine through in your writing, making it an enjoyable and informative read. I can’t wait to plan my own trip to London using your recommendations. Keep up the great work, and I’ll be eagerly following your future travel adventures!

June 28, 2023 at 7:58 am

You’re very welcome, glad you enjoyed reading our London itinerary, and just let us know if you have any questions as you plan your trip to London!

Happy travels, Jessica

Lyn Fields Post author

May 26, 2023 at 6:08 am

LOVE all this info about London. We will be following the three day walking tour. We would like to have high tea/afternoon tea on Day 2. Do you have a recommendation for a location that would be in the vicinity of our Day 2 itinerary?

June 2, 2023 at 4:28 am

So glad that you are finding our London itinerary and info helpful!

So in terms of afternoon tea options in that area, you have a lot of them. Fortnum and Mason at the Royal Exchange would be a good bet in the City of London. Others in that area you might check out are The Four Seasons Hotel at Ten Trinity Square, The Ned, and the Rosewood Hotel. Another option could be the Helix Restaurant at The Gherkin for a more contemporary setting with a city view. But pretty much any nice hotel in that area serves afternoon tea (although some only on weekends) and you can also find more informal and less pricey afternoon tea options at cafes and such in the area (one is Cafe Rouge near St. Paul’s Cathedral). Just be sure to check dates and times, and make sure location makes sense with your schedule. And be sure to book your time in advance.

Enjoy! Jessica

Henry Cris Post author

February 5, 2023 at 7:05 pm

Amazing tips on London travelling. Hoping to visit here soon. And really liked your article about London. It will help me a lot on visiting here. Thanks for sharing.

February 13, 2023 at 7:24 am

Thanks for taking the time to comment, and so glad to hear our article was helpful to you! Wishing you a great trip to London and just let us know if you have any questions as youplan your visit to London.

Amy Bull Post author

January 7, 2023 at 9:22 pm

Hi J & L, I have read your advice for many cities we visit and it is WONDERFUL! I am actually going this week and we are celebrating a 60th birthday. I wanted to know if you recommended a few restaurants that are note worthy of a memorable birthday dinner for two. Maybe with a view or great environment? I want to make the entire day memorable and his biggest request is to see Stonehenge. Any thoughts would be very helpful! Thank you so much for sharing your experiences! Amy

January 11, 2023 at 1:03 am

So happy to hear that you have found our travel blogs helpful in planning your travels to various cities!

So for London, I don’t have any specific recommendations as it would depend a lot on budget, type of food, part of London, etc. There are just so many restaurants you could choose. Some thoughts might be to go to one of the old historic pubs for a pub lunch or dinner one day. For something fancy, the 5-star hotels (Savoy, Dorchester, Grosvenor Hotel, Claridge’s, Browns’, Ritz, etc.) all have very nice restaurants & bars and some of the top rated ones in the city. In terms of views, that is much harder but you could consider a restaurant near the top of The Shard as there are a few restaurants and bars there with great views over central London, and the nicer ones would make a good potential b-day dinner spot. Another option is the Sky Garden which has a restaurant. Or you might consider a restaurant along Thames with nice view of river. Anyway, hope that gives you some options and ideas to research.

For Stonehenge, it really depends if you are planning to drive yourself, take public transit, or join a guided tour from London? We’ve done all three at one point or another. Laurence has written a guide to visiting Stonehenge that might be helpful. Last visit, once we arrived, we took the free Stonehenge shuttle to the end to walk to the site, and then walked back through the field using the little map there to see some of the other prehistoric remains on walk back through fields. There is also a good visitor centre/museum that is worth spending some time to learn more.

If your husband is specifically interested in stone circles and prehistoric stone sights, Avebury might be a good secondary stop which is nearby and much less crowded (you can walk up and touch stones). There are also lots of other prehistoric sites in the region. Other places that people might combine on a day trip to Stonehenge are Oxford, Salisbury, or Bath. But I would just be careful to not pack in too much, especially if traveling on your own as it can make for a long day. But if doing a day tour, then at least you are not doing the driving. The only drawback to a guided tour is to make sure you will have a enough time in the places you visit for what you want to see/do.

Hope that helps, and just let me know if you have more questions as you plan your specific bday trip! Jessica

Florence Post author

November 1, 2022 at 8:15 pm

Hi Jessica & Laurence, This is Florence and i am making my 1st trip to the UK soon. May i know what’s the best site that i can look at for booking of train tickets in advance for travelling within UK? Apprecaite any advise. Thank yo.

November 2, 2022 at 7:04 am

Hi Florence,

So I am assuming you are meaning for travel outside of London? As within London itself, you don’t need to book in advance for the public transit Underground trains, buses, etc.

There is National Rail website which is the official UK train website which has info on the trains in England, Wales, and Scotland. But since there is not actual national rail service operator (but several independent operators), there are a number of website operators where you can book trains online in the UK so you can also go directly to the train service website (LNER, ScotRail, Avanti, Lumo, NI Railways etc.). The local operator will depend on where you are going in the country.

One convenient website to compare times and prices you can book on a website like Trainline . This is what we normally use for convenience to book online and they also have a mobile app.

You can also of course buy and book tickets in person at the actual train stations but we recommend booking in advance if you can for any longer journeys. You are often not guaranteed seats if you don’t book in advance on many trains. It depends on the company but tickets are often available to purchase 90 days in advance.

Another good website for figuring out how to get from one place to another and general travel info and connections (also works for buses and such) is the Traveline Info website . It is a very helpful website.

Anyway, hope that helps get you started. If you have any specific questions about booking train tickets in the UK, just let us know.

November 3, 2022 at 2:58 am

Great! Thanks Jessica. I will look into it and will inquire again if I have any other questions with my travel plans. Have a great day!

Bart Post author

October 3, 2022 at 12:53 am

Top tip if you’re visiting Borough Market… don’t venture there on a Saturday. It’s crazy busy, rammed full of people from very Early on! Visiting during the week is a far more pleasant & leisurely affair – you won’t feel like you’re being rushed off of your feet.

October 3, 2022 at 7:09 am

Thanks for sharing your tip for visiting Bourough Market in London – it is definitely busier on the weekends. But it is also the most lively so it can still be interesting to visit on the weekends if that is when you plan to visit, but you do have to expect the crowds and be more patient than on weekdays.

Also on Saturdays is usually opens earlier (8am) so going near opening time is a great way to enjoy the market on Saturday.

Shelley Post author

September 20, 2022 at 11:29 am

Hello! I love your 3-day itinerary and plan to use most all of it. Is there link where I can download it? Maybe I missed it but I am trying to work smarter, not harder and am copying and pasting a ton. Thanks in advance!

September 21, 2022 at 4:16 am

Hi Shelley,

Glad you are finding our London itinerary helpful for your trip. Is there a reason you need to copy it? We’d recommend just using it directly from the website for best functionality.

But you can also print or download it as a PDF file for offline personal use as long as you are a newsletter subscriber (it is free and easy to sign up). Once signed up you can then click on the Printer icon on the sidebar or at the end of the article.

Hope that helps and just let us know if you have any questions as you plan your trip to Lonon!

Bright A Post author

September 15, 2022 at 12:04 pm

Great tips to hear from you for 3 days itinerary. You blog is awesome to read also to explore London within the days. Thanks!

September 16, 2022 at 4:01 am

Hello Bright,

Thanks for letting us know our London itinerary is helpful.

Obviously if planning to visit London in the next few days, things are a bit crazy because of the Queen’s passing and upcoming funeral. So be sure to check opening dates/times and closures. Many businesses and attractions will be closed on Monday for the funeral.

Wishing you a great trip to London! Jessica

Suzie Post author

July 15, 2022 at 1:52 pm

Wow so glad I stumbled across your blog . So informative. I will be visiting London this July and am taking a lot of tips from your blog . For shopping , what would you recommend? Any outlets where I can get a good deal on bags ? Thanks so much

July 18, 2022 at 5:51 am

Glad you are finding our London articles on our travel blogs helpful in planing your upcoming trip.

In terms of shopping in London, Oxford Street is probably the best known shopping street. Also Regents Street, Bond Street, Mayfair area, Knightbridge area (Harrods). So lots of shopping opportunities, but not sure about great outlet stores in the city or where to get a good deal. London is generally an expensive city so we find shopping is often less expensive elsewhere. But you can often get good deals if you shop the sales and pay attention to discounts. It just depends on your budget and the types of stores you are prefer.

Bicester Village is a shopping outlet located near Oxford (about 1.5 hours from London) which has a lot of outlet stores all together and is a popular place for shopping for tourists. So that might be a place for your to consider.

Hope that helps, and just let me know if you have any other questions as you plan your trip to London!

tuhina roy Post author

June 27, 2022 at 11:56 pm

wow…great info….wud be visiting in Oct’22….might add perfect fit for me at one glance/place…have been asking so many people around for last one month abt London n places to visit n here its given in such a nice n informative way….wonderful:-)….thanx much for collating these kind of info for people like us who r visiting from other countries….thanx again

June 28, 2022 at 10:41 am

You are very welcome, and so glad to hear that you are finding our London itinerary helpful! If you have 3 days in London, this should definitely give you some good ideas of where you might want to visit on your trip.

But if you have any questions as you plan your trip about things to do in London or elsewhere in the UK, just ask us and we are happy to try to give advice.

Rebecca Post author

June 12, 2022 at 5:34 am

Jessica & Laurence, We just returned from an awesome visit to London and we used your recommended 3 day itinerary. Thank you SO MUCH for your work in preparing the itinerary. All of the information you provide from the London Pass, Oyster Card, the description of places to visit and how to get there helped our visit to go smoothly. We didn’t waste too much time looking for things or figuring out how to get there and we were able to fit in everything we wanted to do! Having the London Pass helped us avoid lines, plus everything was already paid. The Oyster Card was also a huge benefit because we didn’t have to keep buying tickets. THANK YOU! Rebecca

June 12, 2022 at 6:11 am

Hi Rebecca,

So happy that you had such a great trip to London! And we are happy that our tips and advice were helpful in planning your trip.

Yes, I think that if you have limited time on a trip, you want to plan ahead and do what you can so that you can spend as much time as possible doing things and visiting places rather than having to plan and figure things out on the go.

Thanks for taking the time to comment and let us know about your trip. We always love hearing that our advice was helpful!

shelly v Post author

April 27, 2022 at 8:12 pm

Hello Jessica, Wow! Thank you for all the valuable info in your planning tips and itineraries. We are traveling to London and Paris this June. It is our first visit and traveling with teenage daughters so are focused on the most iconic sites. Based upon your 3-Day Itinerary for London, we have selected our “Must-See” London List ( most likely the minimum time to tour the area for each site since I’ll be traveling with teenagers). – Explore Westminster: Buckingham Palace w changing of guard; Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Westminster Bridge, Westminster Abbey – City of London: Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Borough Market, London Bridge & Tower Bridge, – Windsor Castle & Kensington: Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace, Royal Albert Hall, Shopping at Harrod’s

1) Based upon our Must-see list, will the 3-day London Pass cover the attractions we plan to visit? 2) We are staying close to Earl’s Court Station – do you recommend we also purchase the Travelcard? 3) Since we arrive 6/9 midday into London (after overnight flight), what might you recommend for day 1 itinerary?

April 28, 2022 at 9:27 am

Thanks very much!

So based on your itinerary we have the following feedback if you are trying to visit them all in 3 days:

– For Westminister: Make sure you check Westminster Abbey opening dates and hours. It is closed on Sundays to visitors and for certain occasions/holidays so you’d want to make sure to schedule around any closures if you want to visit here. – For City of London sites: I would probably choose to do either the London Bridge OR Tower Bridge experience. I think otherwise you’ll be rushed for time as the Tower of London, in particular, can take a while to visit. But you can of course see both from the outside without paying but as far as doing the full attractions on them, I’d probably do one or the other. – For Windsor & Kensington – Because you will need to travel out to Windsor, this could be a lot to fit into one day, but depends of course on how long you spend at each place. For the Royal Albert Hall, the tours are only given at certain hours so you may want to make sure that will fit in with your day. – Note that it looks like you are planning to visit a few days after the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee (June 5th) so we expect things will be busier than usual during this general period. Although luckily you are arriving after the Jubilee weekend itself when things will be super busy and hard to visit I think. It may make sense to book timed tickets directly for some attractions that have limited capacity such as Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace, and Royal Albert Hall so you are guaranteed entry within a certain time period.

1 – Yes, the 3-day London Pass will cover all the paid attractions you plan to visit, which are Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge Exhibition, London Bridge experience, Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace, Royal Albert Hall. If you were to pay adult (16+) entry to all those it would cost around £178, whereas a 3-day adult London pass is normally £123. However, as noted above, you may not have time to do everything on your list so keep that in mind. The price saving will also depend on the age of your daughters, if they are under 16, then they can use a child pass so I would do those cost-savings separately. If you plan to take the sightseeing bus at any time during your visit, that would also add to the cost savings.

2 – You are definitely going to use public transport during your time in London, so will need a travel card. Bundling the travel card will save you some time and is convenient, although it costs the same as buying a Visitor Oyster Card separately. It’s really just for convenience, there’s no saving or extra cost to buying it with the London Pass. You can see more about getting around London here.

3 – For your first day, it sounds like you will just have probably a half day once checking in at hotel. I am guessing this is not a day you plan to use the London Pass? If not, I’d recommend maybe the British Museum and/or London Eye, both of which are not included on the pass. You’ll likely be pretty tired so I wouldn’t plan too much that first day.

April 9, 2022 at 5:07 pm

Hi Jessica, The information you provide in the 3 days itinerary is amazing, so detailed and informative! We will be getting off a cruise in London on a Friday and will stay until Monday.

We have reservations at Point A Hotel in Paddington. What would you recommend for transportation from the port to our hotel? We’ve already purchased the 4 day London Pass and Visitor Oyster card. Is our hotel near public transportation? It looked like it when we checked, but would like to verify. What would you recommend for getting to the airport on Tuesday morning? We need to arrive at the airport at 6:00 A.M. Transportation begins at 5:00 A.M. Is it feasible to use the public transportation and arrive to the airport on time? Our Oyster Card will be expired so we’ll need to pay for the transportation to the airport.

On Day 2 you recommend the river cruise right after visiting the Tower of London in the morning. If we do that, will we have time to visit the other sites recommended for that day? Might it be better to take the cruise in the evening? I looked at the times and it looks like it runs later on weekends, but stops in the afternoon during the week. Am I reading that right? Is the Thames River Cruise the same as the Uber Boat by Thames River that’s included in the London Pass?

If I download the London Pass app on my phone prior to the trip, will I use data as I access it while in London?

April 10, 2022 at 6:35 am

First, glad you are finding our London itinerary helpful in planning your upcoming trip! Sounds like you have already got a lot of your trip planned.

Yes, the Point A Hotel (a good budget option) is near a lot of public transit options. You have Underground stations (e.g, Edgware and Paddington), bus stops, a train station (Paddington), and the Heathrow Express service (at Paddington) all under a 10 minute walk from your hotel. So you should not have any issues accessing public transit.

For getting to the airport, probably the best option, if flying out of Heathrow (I assume you are flying out of Heathrow? there are 6 airports around London) would be to do the TfL Rail train from Paddington Station to the airport. It takes about 30-40 minutes. I would just double check the timetable for your specific date to make sure it works for when you need to leave.

You should be able to still use your Oyster Card by just adding some credit to it if you have used up your prepaid credit (you can do it at the machines at the stations) as the Oyster Cards do not expire. Or you can buy tickets at the station or in advance online.

Other options would be to take the Heathrow Express (a bit faster but more expensive) or the Underground/Tube (but you would have to change stations).

Yes, we do mention taking the boat after visiting the Tower of London just because it is very convenient to do so there as there is a boat pier just next to where you exit the Tower of London. But you can of course do it later in the day from elsewhere along its route. It can be a good late afternoon or evening activity as it keeps running after many of the other attractions close. But just make sure that you will be near one of the piers where you can use the London Pass (you can only start a journey from 4 of the piers). And yes, there are a few options for taking Thames River Cruises but the one included with the London Pass is now called the Uber Boat by Thames Clippers. So you want to make sure to get on that one.

I think you may be reading the timetables wrong on the boat schedule as that doesn’t sound correct as I think the boats run until 10pm/11pm all week. Some of the boats don’t run as much on weekends, especially the routes focused on commuters, but the more tourist-oriented routes generally run regularly all week. I would double check the schedule and specifically look at the times for the 4 stations where you could start your journey with the London Pass. The boats are normally about every 20 to 30 minutes. You can choose how long you want to stay on the boat as there are regular stops and you can do hop-on, hop-off if you wish.

In terms of how much you can do, it will just depend on which places you intend to visit and for how long, and which you just plan to stop and see during your day. The Tower of London for instance will likely take up all or most of your morning. I would not plan for more than 3 big visits per day. So you may need to pick and choose and prioritize certain attractions over others. I would write down which places you want to visit, how long you think you’ll spend at each, and the time it takes to get between them to get a good idea of what is feasible. Everyone goes at their own pace. You also want to work in some flexibility and free time so you aren’t too rushed and also leave a little time for getting lost/waiting in lines, etc.

If you download the London Pass app and install it prior to your trip, you should then not need to use any data to access the app on your phone. You just need data to download it and set it up. The only reason it would need data would be if the app needed an update. We also recommend downloading your QR code to a separate local place on your phone so you will have access even if you can’t open the app for any reason. We also recommend printing the QR code and London Pass # so you also have a paper copy you can use to access sites in case your phone battery dies or something.

Anyway, hope all that helps and makes sense! Happy to answer further questions as you plan your trip to London.

April 15, 2022 at 10:53 am

Thank you so much for taking the time to provide thorough answers to all of my questions! You are an amazing wealth of information! Rebecca

April 15, 2022 at 11:20 am

You’re very welcome and just let us know if you have further questions as you plan your trip to London!

April 29, 2022 at 12:13 pm

Hi Jessica, I’m trying to finalize our plans for our trip to London. We’ll be getting off a NCL cruise. What do you suggest is the best transportation option for getting from the port to our hotel, Point A Hotel in Paddington? We’ve purchased the Oyster Card. Thank you, Rebecca

April 30, 2022 at 4:29 am

It depends on where specifically your cruise ends, where is the cruise terminal? You say the cruise goes to London but does it actually end in London itself?

Most cruises end in either Dover or Southhampton, and if that is the case, you would need to catch a train from either to London. For a journey to London from either of these cities, you would need to pay for your train tickets separately (can’t use Oyster Card) since that journey would be well outside of greater London. Then once in London, if you are not arriving into Paddington station, you would probably want to get the Tube to your hotel and you can use your Oyster Card for that. Or you can of course take a taxi if you have a lot of luggage.

May 1, 2022 at 3:30 pm

Trish Post author

April 8, 2022 at 9:40 am

Thank you for your article on visiting London! I’m doing research for a trip I’m planning in early 2023. My question is, are there any of the locations you mention that could be unsafe for an older lady traveling alone? Or any special tips for me related to this?

April 8, 2022 at 10:37 am

London is considered a pretty safe city in general for travelers. I’ve generally felt safe when in London, even in the “less nice” neighborhoods. So I would not worry too much about it when visiting London.

However, as with any large city, there are pickpockets and thieves, and you should always use normal caution (e.g., not carrying large amounts of cash, securing your valuables so difficult to pickpocket, being aware of your surroundings, trust your gut). Most crimes against tourists are opportunity ones where a theif will steal someone’s wallet, smartphone, or purse. Thefts and muggings tend to take place in London’s busiest tourists areas, including Westminister, Camden, and Kensington.

And of course, more serious things do happen (we were in London during the 2017 London Bridge incident for instance) but these are unusual. Violent crimes against tourists are pretty rare in London (and the UK in general).

The only thing I would say other than regular safety advice would be to be more cautious if walking around the city at night after dark, such as after dinner or after leaving an evening West End play or something. But it is generally pretty easy to stay in well-lit main streets and around other people. If you need to go a longer distance, you can always take a taxi/minicab/Uber or get a bus instead of walking. Also a good idea to have your route and transport planned out in advance before leaving the attraction/restaurant/hotel.

If it’s late at night (after 10pm), particularly on Friday and Saturday evenings, I tend to avoid the Tube. It’s not necessarily unsafe but a lot of drunk people tend to be riding on these evenings and it can be more unpleasant.

In terms of planning your time, our suggested London itinerary is pretty geared to someone trying to do a lot each day. But if you like to go at a slower pace, I’d just recommend planning a bit less each day so you have plenty of time to enjoy each attraction and get from one place to the other.

Hope that helps, and feel free to reach out if you have further questions as you plan your London trip!

tatiana Post author

March 2, 2022 at 12:21 pm

HI. I saw the London Pass includes a walking tour, any reviews on this tour?

March 3, 2022 at 2:49 am

Hi Tatiana,

Yes, the two general London walking tours: 3 hour Palaces and Parliament Tour and then the 5-hour 30+ London Sights Tour are newer additions to the London Pass. We haven’t done either of those tours or taken any tours yet with the company that runs those two tours but the company has a 5-star rating on Google. The tours are pretty similar to ones we have taken in London with other companies and seem like they would both be good intro tours to London.

Just note that the tours don’t include entry into any attractions. If choosing one of them, I would choose the 3-hour tour as 5 hours is pretty long without visiting any attractions. But both of them have very good reviews online.

If you decide to take any of the walking/bus/bike tours with the London Pass, just be sure to make your reservation in advance once you have your Pass. I believe that all the guided tours required advanced bookings.

Marina Teramond Post author

February 11, 2022 at 3:09 am

I can subscribe to everything mentioned about London because it is truly an incredible place with its unique atmosphere and I think that if you have an opportunity, this city should be in your list of places which you plan to visit. It is so cool that you devoted your article to a detailed plan for implementing a trip to London. I really like this idea to cover London for three days because if you plan it in a smart and thoughtful way, you will be able to spend this time eventfully and it will be enough for you to observe wonderful landscapes there. Your plan seems so elaborate and convenient in all respects because it provides you with a great deal of opportunities. I think that it is important to put exploring Westminster first because it is a real calling card of this city and it has its own individuality at the same time, being truly unique. I also want to visit Trafalgar Square because I think that it perfectly conveys the vibe of London.

February 11, 2022 at 9:35 pm

Glad you are finding our 3 day London itinerary helpful in planning your trip. You will want to tailor it to your interests, pace, mobility, time, etc. but this should be a good starting point for what you might want to see on a first time visit with 3 days to visit London. Just let us know if you have any specific questions as you plan your trip!

Kitkat Post author

February 5, 2022 at 1:42 pm

So glad I found this article! I live in UK and my family is visiting soon but was having a hard time planning on what to see in London. This is perfect! Although I would like to ask, roughly how long or how many hours does the daily itinerary last? As I have to factor in touring with a child and a 60 year old. 🙂

February 6, 2022 at 5:28 am

Glad you are finding our 3 day London itinerary helpful in planning things to do with visiting family. For each day, we list a lot of potential places you could see and things to do; however, you would want to pick and choose what is of the most interest. We give some of the main sights as well as alternatives. The itineraries are definitely designed with those packing in a lot for a full day from after breakfast in morning to about dinner time, but you can adjust to suit your own pace and interests.

I would say visiting 3 major sights per day is going to be plenty with children but you could also see additional things along the way (without taking the time to go inside and visit). I’d try to estimate amount of time you’d want to spend at each and plan day accordingly with plenty of time for breaks and plenty of time to get in between each place, depending on how far away. Most of the places we list each day are within a reasonable walking distance from one another, but it will depend on everyone’s physical mobility.

Since you have a child visiting, I’d maybe pick at least one place that would be particularly fun for him or her. Depending on age and interests, this could be a place like the London Dungeon (not for young children), Sea Life, London Eye, Shrek’s Adventure, Tower of London, London Zoo, Science Museum, etc.

Some places you could easily spend a few hours (such as the Tower of London or National Gallery) whereas another place you may only be interested in a brief visit. If you have London Passes , this can save you a lot of money if visiting several places. We used them when we had family visiting over the summer and they were great. Note that a few places in London (including free museums) require reservations due to COVID-19 precautions so be sure to check in advance if reservations or time slots are needed to visit.

Our 6 day London itinerary may also be helpful as it includes a couple more areas of London you may want to explore in addition or instead, depending on how long your family is staying.

Hope that helps, and just let me know if you have further questions. Wishing your family a fun visit to London!

elena gilbert Post author

December 28, 2021 at 9:22 pm

Amazing blog on visiting London, really interesting I loved reading it.

December 29, 2021 at 8:12 am

Glad you enjoyed our London itinerary and hope you found it helpful. Do let us know if you have any questions if you are planning a trip to London!

Vicki Copeland Post author

October 2, 2021 at 5:08 pm

Hi Cats- This is a fantastic travel site! Thank you so much. There are 2 of us headed to London for 3 days and your itinerary is perfect! I think we should definitely get the London Pass. Being that we are going in October, do you think there will be fewer people already booked for the places that are currently selling tickets for specific times? I’m guessing that even if we have a pass, if the time we arrive is booked we will have to wait? We are so looking forward to some pints and Shepard’s pie!

Laurence Post author

October 3, 2021 at 1:55 am

London is a busy city year round but there should be fewer visitors in October. A lot of tourist attractions have not been very busy this year due to Covid and travel restrictions. We last used the London Pass in late August and never had any long waits when we visited (including Tower of London & Westminister Abbey) but it does just depend as some have security checks. So just be sure to book those places that require it and you should be OK. But I would leave a little extra time in your itinerary just in case.

Note that most of London’s free museums currently also require pre-booking a time slot due to COVID to ensure entry so be sure to check in advance.

Wishing you safe & happy travels to London! Laurence

Elena Post author

September 24, 2021 at 4:18 am

Amazing blog about London, really interesting and very informative!

September 26, 2021 at 6:03 am

Glad you enjoyed our suggested 3 day London itinerary! Just let us know if you have any questions if you are planning a trip to London.

vertoe Post author

August 26, 2021 at 4:21 am

Thank you for this amazing itinerary on 3 days to spend in London. London is a beautiful place to visit .

August 29, 2021 at 3:58 am

Thanks Vertoe, glad you enjoyed our London itinerary and had a good visit to the city! We were just back in London ourselves just yesterday and spent 3 days there – so much do there!

Johani Ponce Post author

August 19, 2021 at 6:49 am

I am planning to go to London next year. Very good guide

August 20, 2021 at 4:55 am

Thanks for taking the time to let us know that you enjoyed our London itinerary. Just let us know if you have any questions as you plan your trip to London for next year!

Vertoe Post author

March 25, 2021 at 5:52 am

Wow what an amazing London itinerary and list of things to do! Thanks for sharing this valuebale information.

March 25, 2021 at 8:44 am

Thanks very much, and just let us know if you have any questions if you are planning a trip to London!

GG Post author

January 19, 2021 at 4:00 am

This was so useful in planning my first trip to London! Thank you so much.

January 23, 2021 at 8:31 am

You’re welcome GG, just let us know if you have any questions as you plan your trip to London!

Raleigh Truitt Post author

September 17, 2020 at 9:12 am

Will you publish a fold-up plasticized (rain-proof) version of your 3-day London guide? I could use one.

September 20, 2020 at 5:34 am

Hi Raleigh,

Glad you like our 3 day London itinerary. We do not have any published guides (waterproof or otherwise) of our itineraries but you are welcome to print (and laminate!) it. Just let me know if you have any questions as you plan your trip to London.

Vernon Post author

April 15, 2020 at 10:22 pm

Great blog, very helpful! If you’re visiting Europe and would like to stop over in London, but only have a 3 days to spare this blog get you covered it contains all the information.

April 16, 2020 at 5:24 am

Glad you found our 3 day London itinerary helpful and wishing you safe and happy travels!

Lia Post author

February 26, 2020 at 2:30 pm

Hello, Me and my mom are going to travel to London next week, we arrive on the 4th at about 3pm and we leave on the 7th at about the same time, so that means we have 2 full days and 2 half days…we have a lot things we want to do but we are kinda short on time and we need to stay with a budget…This time, I’m really lost and it has been really difficult to plan this trip….Do you have any tips or suggestions for our trip? Thank you ^-^

February 27, 2020 at 5:13 am

It really depends on what you want to do, your budget, and where you are staying in London. But I would recommend considering getting a London Pass or London Explorer Pass if many of the places you want to visit are included on those passes. They can help save you money and also help you organize your time – the London Pass also includes a sightseeing bus and boat tour you can do.

I’d make a list of the places you really want to see and can realistically see in the time you have and then group them together by where they are in London. The half-days are going to make it harder to plan around, especially if you are arriving into London via the airport as most places will be closing by the time you get in so I’d focus on the evening only activities that night (London Eye, theatre shoes, late night museum openings) so you don’t feel rushed.

I would also focus on some of the many free and low-cost attractions in London – many of London’s best museums have free entry (donation only) and there are of course the parks, gardens, and you can do your own walking tours of neighborhoods of interest.

If dining out is not a must-do, you can definitely save money in London on food and drink by picking up sandwiches, salads, snacks, etc. on the go rather than dining in. Grocery stores, Marks & Spencer, Greggs, Pret a Manger, fast food, etc. Museum cafeterias can also be great places to stop and eat that are normally good value without taking up too much time (if you are there already). It can also save you time, especially in the day, if you are trying to see a lot in one day.

Hope that helps and wishing you a great trip! Jessica

Karen Gilbert Post author

February 8, 2020 at 8:23 pm

Good Morning My friend and i will be in London (first time) on 14th April departing 18th April from Gatwick to South Australia. I have looked at so many things and have got myself very confused. We woud like to see Buckingham Palace, Changing of the Guard, the Mews, Kensington Palce, Tower of London, Windsor Castle, Westminster Abbey, Parliment Houses, Harrods and Portobella Markets and a cruise on the Thames. Is this realistic??We have a hop on hop off bus ticket for the 15th only. Is it worth getting the London Pass or would it be better to pay as we go in case our wants exceed our endurance. We are both in our 60’s. We dont want to do too much walking (ie a complete walking tour)but we can manage some walking. Should we get an oyster Card? we are staying at Hyde Park Executive Apartments which is close to a train station and bus line i understand. Any help you can give 2 older ladies would be appreciated very much.

February 9, 2020 at 5:38 am

I would look at how much time you have from arrival to when you need to depart London for Gatwick airport. Do you have 4 full days for instance? 3.5 days?

Then I’d break down the places you want to see by day and think about how much time you wan to spend at each. For instance do you plan to tour Westminster Abbey or do you just want to see the outside of it? Most things are not time specific except for things like the Changing of the Guard so you will want to take that into account when planning our your days.

For the busiest places, like Tower of London you’ll want to try to get there first thing in the morning to make the most of your visit.

Given the number of places you want to see, I would suggest that you’d probably save money with a 3 day London Pass. The London Pass allows you to be flexible as it sounds like you don’t want to pre-purchase your tickets for attractions in advance? So then the pass would be ideal if you plan to visit several places on it.

The Oyster Card can also make transport easier for you if you plan to use the public transit and you can also use it to get to and from the airport.

The apartments it looks like you are staying are near some metro and bus stops. The Paddington train station is about a 15 minute walk away. However, if you are flying into Gatwick Airport, you might be better off staying near Victoria Station in London as the bus and train connections to and from Gatwick are better to Victoria train station. But you can of course just transfer and change trains to get there as well.

Veronica Webster Post author

January 28, 2020 at 11:17 am

Hi Jessica, I love your blog!! My husband and I are travelling in March to London-Paris-Amsterdam and your blog has been very useful. Very well organized, the information is fantastic. Here gomy questions. Based on your 3 days itinerary we have planned the London part. My “problem” seems to be fitting Saint Paul’s Cathedral in a more efficient way, on day 2, as we also plan to take the river cruise that day. I’m breaking down the draft so maybe you have some suggestions

Day 1, we arrive 10:50 am in London, we are giving ourselves like 2-2:30 hours to arrive to hour hotel (customs, picking up Oyster card, London pass, etc), our hotel is very close to Saint Pancras station (5 minutes walk, on Argyle square). As it will be the afternoon, we’re trying things not included in the London Pass. If we make it to he museum well, if not we will just take time to walk around and enjoy the evening by Picadelly Circus.

Day 1 Arrival Hotel British Museum Picadelly Circus

Day 2 (we start the London Pass) HopOnOff (we actually use it as transportation to Westminster) Parliament Square Westminster Abbey Big Ben ( I know it’s under renovation, just watch) Churchill War Rooms Trafalgar Square Buckingham palace

Day 3 Tower of London Tower Bridge/London Bridge (we walk to St Paul’s and views of bridges) St Paul’s Cathedral (here we would use the tube to go back to almost where we started to take the cruise) Cruise Tower of London-Westminster Westminster Bridge to London Eye London Eye

Day 4 Kensington Palace Hyde Park Harrods

Thank you very much!! Veronica

January 29, 2020 at 6:34 am

Hi Veronica,

Yes, I would probably leave yourself 3 hours for everything just to be on the safe side for everything as it is hard to predict time it takes for security etc. and you don’t want to feel rushed on your first day.

Day 1 – The British Museum is a great place to visit and entry is by donation only and there is so much to see that you could spend most of the day here if you wanted. From there you could also wander around the Covent Garden area and go to Picadilly Circus. If you don’t get to Picadilly Circus your first night, it is very close to Trafalgar Square on your second day so easy to fit in there between Trafalgar and Buckingham Palace. Day 2 – Looks good, yes, I think they’ve uncovered Big Ben finally (it was under wraps for a while) but it is still under construction. But you will see it from as soon as you step off the bus into Parliament Square. You’ll also see it from Westminster Bridge which you cross to get to London Eye on Day 3 which is our favorite view of the Houses of Parliament. I am guessing you are going by Buckingham Palace just for the view, correct? The palace is not open to the public in March but you can visit the next door Queen’s Gallery (royal art gallery) and the Royal Mews (royal carriages). Both are included with your London Pass if you have extra time that day. Day 3 – I think St. Paul’s is fine as you have it and it is only about a 30 minute walk between the two sites if you go along the river and it is a nice walk along the Thames (provided weather isn’t too bad!). Just note that the London Eye is not included as part of the London Pass so you’ll want to buy tickets for that separately. Day 4 – Looks good. If you are staying near St. Pancreas train station, you are a fairly short walk away from the Eurostar station if you are taking the train from London to Paris.

If you are still planning your Paris part, this suggested 3 day itinerary may be helpful.

Hope that helps and wishing you a great trip to London, Paris, & Amsterdam!

Leslie Post author

December 1, 2019 at 5:25 am

Thank you so much for your 3 day itinerary! I visited London for the first time in October and only had 3 days; I followed your itinerary almost exactly (with just a few slight variations). London seemed a little overwhelming as I was planning my trip and your itinerary made it so easy to figure out how to organize and spend my time. I was able to see all of the highlights I wanted to without feeling rushed. It turned out to be one of the best trips I’ve ever taken!

December 1, 2019 at 6:28 am

Hi Leslie, So happy to hear that you had a great trip to London and that our 3 day London itinerary was helpful in planning your trip. Thanks for letting us know! Feel free to share any highlights from your own trip or tips for future readers visiting London as I know a lot of other visitors only have a few days to explore. Best, Jessica

December 2, 2019 at 2:30 pm

I think the highlight of my trip was the morning spent in Kensington; walking through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, touring Kensington Palace, then walking by Royal Albert Hall and on to the History Museum. One thing I did that was not on your itinerary was take the Thames Clipper (you can use your Oyster card) from the Tower of London to Greenwich. I enjoyed walking around Greenwich, visiting the market and a pub there, and of course see the Royal Observatory and standing on the Prime Meridian!

December 3, 2019 at 9:38 am

So glad you enjoyed Kensington so much. Yes, it is nice a nice area of London to wander around and there is a lot to do and see while still being fairly relaxing with lots of green spaces and free museums.

We enjoy Greenwich too, especially the historical sites and market! We have it as part of our 6 day London itinerary but not on our 3 day one. But yes for those wanting to take a Thames river cruise, to any destination, the Tower of London is a great place to do it as the boat stops just a short walk from the Tower.

So glad you had a great trip and thanks so much for sharing some of your favorite places and tips!!

Trevor Hall Post author

September 25, 2019 at 7:10 am

I’m glad London has great transportation that I can take all around the city. My wife and I are taking our kids to the UK soon to make some fun memories. I’ll try to incorporate public transportation into our plans.

September 26, 2019 at 12:55 pm

Yes, it is very easy to get around London using public transportation and you can check out this guide to London public transit for some more information and tips. You can explore just about all of London using a combination of public transportation and walking. Best, Jessica

Sanjay Kadam Post author

September 7, 2019 at 8:17 pm

Dear Team, Excellent information provided for visiting London. I am sure with such descriptive and in-depth study of spending 3 days in London anyone as per his/her budget can explore London . it will be much more easier and convenient to a first time traveler. Thanks and keep up the good work.

September 8, 2019 at 2:24 am

Hi Sanjay, Thanks for taking the time to comment, and glad it was useful to you. Wishing you a wonderful trip to London! Jessica

Taryn Hristova Post author

August 27, 2019 at 5:55 am

Thanks for this awesome article! My daughter and I just spent three days in London earlier this month and your itinerary was a lifesaver! We used it as ours. We did a ton of walking and feel like we packed so much in. Thank you so much for all of your research and advice 🙂

August 27, 2019 at 6:10 am

So glad you had a great visit to London and thanks for letting us know that our itinerary was helpful in planning your visit!

John William Post author

August 26, 2019 at 9:49 am

nice article, thanks for sharing.

August 26, 2019 at 11:33 am

Hi John, Thanks for letting us know you enjoyed it! Wishing you a great trip to London, Jessica

Tiffany Bui Post author

August 12, 2019 at 10:46 am

My friend and I are going to London Sept 14-18. We’ll arrive at Heathrow airport noon the 14th and travel to Paris morning the 18th from St Pancras station. We already got 3 days London Pass (mobile). Which London transportation pass do you recommend for our stay?

August 12, 2019 at 11:34 am

Hi Tiffany,

For your time in London, I’d recommend the Oyster Card if you are looking for a transport card. You can read our Oyster Card guide for more info – you can purchase it in advance (the Visitor Oyster Card which can be purchased here ) or get one once in London.

For tips on using the public transit in London, you can read this London public transport guide .

For your trip to Paris, you’ll want to book your EuroStar tickets in advance for the train if you haven’t done so already.

Hope that helps, and wishing you a great trip to London & Paris!

Tiffy B Post author

August 12, 2019 at 1:04 pm

Thank you so much for the prompt response and all the helpful tips. I really appreciate your work. May you and Laurence be blessed in everything that you do!

Have a wonderful week!

August 9, 2019 at 3:58 pm

Great itinerary, thank you so much for your recommendation. I’m going to buy 3 days pass and how should I best fit Hop on hop off bus and the river cruise to this itinerary?

August 10, 2019 at 2:47 am

Glad you are planning to use our London itinerary. You can modify the itinerary as you wish but we would suggust maybe doing the sightseeing bus on the first day you arrive to get an overview of the city (rather than so much to get from place to place) by taking one of the routes. This can be a nice way to get an overview of a part of the city. But you can take a look at the routes and see what will make the most sense for you as it could work on other days as well.

We recommend doing the Thames River cruise on Day 2, perhaps after a morning visit to the Tower of London. There is a stop located near the Tower. You can also check out Day 2 suggestions as part of our 6 day itinerary as we have the Thames cruise included as part of it.

Simone Post author

August 6, 2019 at 5:38 am

Hey Laurence and Jessica, Thanks for the content, it has helped me a lot to craft the best route for my short-visiting.

August 7, 2019 at 5:44 am

Hi Simone, You’re very welcome and wishing you a great trip to London. Best, Jessica & Laurence

Claudel P Post author

June 11, 2019 at 8:57 am

Great post! We will be heading to London for 5 full days during Thanksgiving this year.. so I am loving reading on your 3 and 6 day posts! Will there be christmas decorations or christmas markets during this time (november 27-december 2). if so, do you know where and what we should hit? We love Christmas! Have you seen either plays: Harry potter & cursed child, wicked, or matilda? which would you recommend?

Thank you so so much! I’m sure I’ll have more questions once I continue reading 🙂

June 11, 2019 at 10:14 am

Hi Claudel,

Glad you are finding our London posts helpful in planning your trip.

Some Christmas decorations should be up by the beginning of December, especially in the stores. Some of the larger Christmas markets also start around this time. One of the biggest is the Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park and it is expected to begin in late November so you should be able to catch that which has Christmas market, decorations, ice skating, rides, circus shows, etc, but it is a bit early for exact dates for most of these so I’d check a bit closer to your trip. You can see the official website for the Winter Wonderland here .

I have personally seen Wicked and enjoyed it but not the other two, but all have really good reviews. I doubt you’d be disappointed with any of them and I would go for the one that is of most interest to you. Or if you are on a bit of a budget, you can see if you can get discount tickets for any of the shows once in London. If you are getting a London Pass, then Wicked is currently one of the shows that pass users are eligible for discounted tickets, you can see more about this here .

Note that the Harry Potter & Cursed Child is a long two-part show (either both shows on same day or 2 over 2 days) and tickets often sell out well in advance, and you are very unlikely to get a discount for that show. So if that one is your fave, I’d book it in advance to guarantee a seat.

If you enjoy Harry Potter, Laurence has a Harry Potter filming location in London guide that you might enjoy, as well as a guide to the Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studio Tour .

Olga castillo Post author

May 29, 2019 at 12:49 pm

Great tips and great 3 day pass information.

On the London pass does that include theater tickets? Any recommendations for a nice pub for lunch and for a good place for fish n chips. Also if you can help me out or give me some suggestions. I purchased London eye tickets for the wrong date, now it seems that I can’t change therefore will lose my money what can I do please help. Also can we wear shorts and go into the churches and the museums? Please advice if all possible. O. Castillo Miami Fl

May 29, 2019 at 2:23 pm

Glad you finding our London itinerary helpful in planning your upcoming trip. Sure happy to try to answer your question.

– The London Pass does not include free theater tickets, but it gives you up to 50% off on certain shows so you can purchase theater tickets at a discounted rates through their concierge service with your Pass. For example, there is usually 4-5 shows discounted (e.g., Aladdin, Thriller Live) and the discounts are usually between 20 to 50% off the normal ticket price. You can see more about this here . -BTW, I assumed above you were referring to West End performance theater, not movie theaters / cinemas as the London Pass does allow free entry to see films in a few area Curzon movie theaters right now. You can see those listed under the included attractions.

-There are LOTS of good pubs in London and many also serve fish and chips so you can get both at the same place in many cases. I’m not an expert on good fish n chips, but I would just do a search online depending on where you are and you’ll find lots of recommendations. The Clarence in Whitehill (Westminster) is a long-standing central pub where many Prime Minsters have had a pint including Winston Churchill. One popular spot for fish n chips is Ben’s Traditional Fish & Chips. But as I said, there are lots and lots of pubs, you’ll run into them everywhere as you walk around.

-For London Eye tickets, I can’t really help with that. You will need to call or email the London Eye or ticket seller where you purchased the tickets to see if they can change the date for you. Where did you purchase them?

-Appropriate shorts (e.g., not too short) should be OK in London. Most of the churches in London are active places of worship and so you should dress respectfully and act as you would in churches in your own country. You are asked to dress respectfully and modestly (e.g., avoid wearing things like skimpy tank tops, midriff baring tops, really short shorts/skirts) and for men to remove hat upon entry, etc.

-Note that if you are from Miami you might find London a bit chilly depending on the weather when you visit, as it can be cool and rainy even in the summer at times (or it can be pretty hot). So be sure to check the weather before your trip and make sure you bring some clothes for layering.

Stanley Post author

May 18, 2019 at 8:58 pm

Hi Jessica,

We, a party of 4 adults and 6 teenagers, will be in London this December. First arrival on the 18th, then off to Europe the next day, and back to London for a few days from the 31st to the 2nd

My questions are:

1. Would moving around London (mainly using tube, HIHO, and walking) during New Year’s eve and New Year’s day itself be congested, meaning we may have to scale down on the number of places that we plan to visit?

2. Will the attractions be open on New Year’s day?

3. For the above reasons, and to avoid the crowd, we are actually considering the option of taking a day trip to Bicester Village on New Year’s eve for some shopping. But, can you advise if we would have problems returning to London due to overcrowding on the trains and tube?

May 19, 2019 at 3:42 am

Hi Stanley,

Sounds like a fun family trip to Europe.

1. Yes, things will likely be congested on New Year’s Eve, especially towards evening as many people will be heading off to eat, celebrate, and party. So expect it to be busy and the Tube may not be the best place to be later in the evening (e.g., plenty of loud drunk people). But New Year’s Day shouldn’t be too bad as most people in the UK are off work and sleeping in as it’s a public holiday.

2. Some attractions will be closed on New Year’s Eve and/or New Year’s Day so I would be sure to double check the ones you plan to visit to be sure they are open. Some may just have reduced hours. But you should still find plenty to do in London on these days as many attractions stay open.

3. Bicester Village is definitely an option and I think it only closes on Christmas. You can get there by train or you can book one of the dedicated shuttle buses that goes back and forth from central London to Bicester Village if worried about the trains/Tube. It is a very popular destination with the Chinese and other international tourists so it will likely still be busy but not more busy than usual. Other non-shopping options is to book a day tour to some place like Stonehenge, Stratford-upon-Avon, Kent, Cambridge, the Cotswolds, etc. Since you have such a large group, a private tour is likely to be less expensive than joining a group tour and most private tours will pick you up and drop you off at your hotel so you don’t need to worry about transportation.

May 19, 2019 at 9:15 pm

Many thanks for the speedy response and useful tips, much appreciated.

Warmest Regards,

Vicki Baker Post author

May 17, 2019 at 6:51 am

So informative. Thanks so much. I have planned our UK trip from your suggestions. What SIM card for my cell phone do you recommend for the UK. We are coming from Canada.

May 17, 2019 at 7:33 am

Hi Vicki, Glad you are finding our London itinerary and other UK content helpful. For a SIM card, perhaps the easiest is going to be the Three SIM card , which you can pick up at the airports in booths or once in London. Then you can just add data to it as required, and they come with unlimited texts and minutes. Three is our provider here in the UK.

Another to consider is the SIMS and SiM stickers by KnowRoaming which is a Canadian company and you could get one before your trip. We’ve used them as well before.

But you can read more about these and other options for getting online and staying in touch internationally in this article .

May 17, 2019 at 7:56 am

Thank you Jessica for the quick response. Will look up the article you suggested. Great help. Keep up the good work!

May 17, 2019 at 9:03 am

Hi Vicki, Glad it was helpful and just leave Laurence (my husband who wrote the article about SIM cards, hotspots, etc.) a comment if you have further questions as he is more of an expert on UK SIMs 🙂 Wishing you a wonderful time in the UK. Jessica

Tim Riley Post author

April 5, 2019 at 10:10 am

Wonderful web site. We are going to be in London 2 days prior to a Princess Cruise around the British isles. There are 8 of us, ranging in age form 62-82. We arrive Heathrow, June 4 @ 6:45am and will be staying 2 nights 6/4 & 6/5) at the Grange Tower Bridge Hotel. Boarding the ship on Thursday, June 6. Would like your suggestion of how best to make the most of 2 these days.

Thanks for your time.

April 5, 2019 at 1:04 pm

Your hotel is well suited for exploring the central highlights of London. I would recommend doing Day 1 and Day 2 of this itinerary. And then I’d recommend taking a few things out and slowing it down since you’ll be traveling in a bigger group. Getting a 2 day London Pass can help as it will allow you to bypass ticket lines at many attractions.

I’d also recommend asking everyone for 1 or 2 must-see things to do or see in London and see if you can incorporate at least one thing everyone really wants to do. Hopefully most will fall within the main highlights (Tower of London, Buckingham Place, etc.) of the itinerary, but may also include changing the itinerary a bit to visit the British Museum, going to a particular shop, or making sure to stop for a fish and chips pub lunch or going to a West End performance.

It may also make sense for a group of this size to split into 2 if there are differences in interests (e.g., one wants to spend the day in museums and one wants to go shopping).

If you have any specific questions about how to modify the itinerary, let me know!

Ken Post author

March 25, 2019 at 10:09 pm

Hi Jessica, we are planning 4 and half days in London and then 3 days and nights starting in Bath and Cotswold. Any suggestions on a mid range hotel/ bed and breakfasts . We are taking a train to Bath and I’m asking for help on the transportation to the Cotswolds area, places to stay for 3 nights,tours and rentals car to get around. Thanks in advance, Ken

March 26, 2019 at 11:29 am

I’d book your train ticket in advance to Bath to save money and also ensure a seat reservation. You can see schedule here .

For exploring the Cotswolds, you can either explore on your own by car or you can take a half day or full day tour from Bath. So if you stay within walking distance of central historic Bath (e.g. Roman baths) you could probably do it without a car if you wanted and rely on public buses and day tours. Or you can rent a car in Bath but you don’t really need a car to explore Bath itself as the highlights are located within walking distance of each other.

If you rent a car, there are a few agencies in Bath including Europcar and Enterprise, we normally use Enterprise, you can check prices here . Just note you need to take a short bus or taxi ride from central Bath to many of the car rental agencies, including Enterprise, as most are a little outside the city center.

For activities and day trips from Bath, I’d check out this list . Some good day trips might be Stonehenge, Cotswolds, Oxford, Bristol, Cheddar Gorge, but I’d recommend spending one day just exploring Bath itself.

We haven’t personally stayed in Bath overnight so I don’t have any personal recs, but there are a number of mid-range hotel and B&B options, I’d just pick something near the city center. Some to check out might be Annabelle’s Guest House , Henrietta House , or The Rising Sun Inn .

Menaka Post author

March 18, 2019 at 5:06 pm

hi Jessica This is super awesome…all your blogs have helped me tremendously in planning my itinerary. Would greatly appreciate your inputs on a few of my questions below: 1- as part of the London pass, I believe we get one day of HOHO bus and River Thames cruise option. Assuming the 24 hour clock for HOHO starts the moment we take the bus but do we also have to take the River Thames cruise within that 24 hours or can we do it any time within the 3 days of London Pass validity? 2- how did use the HOHO option with the 3 day pass itinerary? 3- we want to do the stonehenge, bath and windsor day trip as a part of a tour so I’m assuming the admission fee to Windsor would be a waste for us? 4- we are a party of 6, 2 kids (5 and 9) and 4 adults (2 over 60)- how family friendly would you consider the 3 day itinerary, also considering, we will be jet lagging first couple of days. We are staying a total of 6 days in London and 3 in Edinburgh- London 4 days, Edinburgh 3 days and London 2 days.

Your thoughts are much appreciated.

thanks Menaka

March 18, 2019 at 6:05 pm

1. The HOHO bus ticket is good for 1 full day, so not for 24 hours. Just for one full operating day of the sightseeing bus to whenever the bus service begins to when it ends. The HOHO River Thames cruise is good for 24 hours, and I would probably do this a different day than you are using the bus ticket. 2. You can use the HOHO bus anytime/day you want, but I’d probably do it the first day so you can listen to the commentary and learn more about the city and sightsee from the bus before you start visiting a lot of places. If you are feeling tired the first day from jet lag, this can also be a nice break from walking. Since our itinerary is designed for walking, you don’t really need the bus or public transit too much to get around so you can also use it more to just sightsee than to get from place to place, but it is up to you. 3. For the day trip, yes, the price of the entry fee for Windsor is probably included in your tour cost. I’d try to do the day tour on a day when you don’t have the London Pass if you have days when the pass is not going to be valid. 4. With 2 younger kids and a group of 6 people, it is going to take you longer and you’ll need more breaks. So I’d cut out a little bit from each day or just take it at a relaxed pace and do what you can each day, without trying to rush too much. Maybe just set priorities to make sure that everyone in the group gets to visit their top attraction. I’d get some info from everyone what their must-see thing to do in London is so you know it ahead of time and can make sure you can fit it in.

Elaine Post author

February 24, 2019 at 8:54 am

Hi Jessica and Laurence, My friend and I are traveling to London and Paris from 4/19 (land at 9am) – 4/26 (leave at 6:40 pm) . My son is studying abroad in Bologna and will be meeting us in London for the weekend. We are in London from 4/19-4/23 but are going on a day trip to Highclere Castle on 4/22. What days’ itinerary would you suggest for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Sunday is Easter so hope that doesn’t impact our stay too much. We were planning on attending Mass(Covent Garden) around 9ish that morning then continuing on from there. We are staying at the Doubletree Hilton – Victoria. Thank you, Elaine

February 24, 2019 at 10:15 am

I think our suggested 3 Day itinerary will work for you since you essentially have 3 full days with one day going to Highclere Castle. I’d just check on the opening dates for each attractions you want to visit. Some may be closed (or have reduced hours) for Easter Sunday. Many attractions are closed certain days (Westminster Abbey closes on Sunday) so I would just plan as you would any other trip. If you plan to follow our itinerary (at least loosely), I’d recommend considering the London Pass.

Covent Garden is a good area as you are within walking distance (or short ride) from several good attractions including St. Paul’s Cathedral, London Transport Museum, The National Gallery, and the West End theatres.

At Highclere Castle be sure to take time to stroll the gardens and visit the museum – the focus of the visit here has become on Downton Abbey but I think the true life story of the family is more interesting.

I would expect that London will be busier than usual that weekend as many people, locals and tourists, will be enjoying a long weekend in the city. But it should not be as busy as summertime.

For Paris, it looks like you may have at least 2 full days there. Here is a suggested 2 day Paris itinerary that may be helpful.

Hope that helps, and let us know if you have any specific questions as you continue planning your trip to London!

Cindy Post author

January 13, 2019 at 1:05 pm

I am researching my first trip to London. I think that our flight will come in around 11:00 am. Is this too late to start with the day 1 itinerary? Is there something else that you would recommend for this day?

January 13, 2019 at 3:22 pm

Hi Cindy, If your flights lands around 11am and then you go through security, baggage claim, travel into London, and check into your hotel to leave your luggage, you’ll probably have about half the day left. So you could probably fit in part of the day’s itinerary, but you won’t be able to do it all.

I would suggest just picking one big attraction that you want to visit and head there after you get into London and drop off your luggage, perhaps in Westminster. Then after your visit you can see how much time you have left. I’d do some walking around and visit one or two of the attractions that are open later hours, such as the London Eye and the the Shard or you can do a tour such as the Jack the Ripper tour or get tickets for a West End show. Some of the museums also are open late one night of the week (Fridays is a popular day) so you can check that as well.

Hope that helps, Jessica

Cindy Dunlap Post author

May 6, 2019 at 3:01 pm

Hi Jessica, I think this was my post to you from January. Now that I have solidified my itinerary a little more, it raises more questions. You were so good with your last reply I am reaching out to you again. We land at Heathrow at 10:10am on May 12th, with transportation to our hotel in Bloomsberry already covered. Should we purchase our Oyster Pass at the airport? We will be in London May 12th, 13th, 14th, then Paris on the 15th for a one day visit. (Already have tickets for EuroStar) Back in London 16th with a 1:15 Harry Potter Tour and 17th with an afternoon tour of Stonehenge. We fly back home at noon on Saturday the 18th. We are planning to get a two day London Pass since my understanding is they have to be used on consecutive days. Should we pick up the pass at their Center? We love your 3 day itinerary but how can we tweak it to fit our schedule, any suggestions? Also, we want to do the London Eye, any idea as to when would be best time to squeeze it into our time in London? So much to see so little time???? Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance, Cindy

May 7, 2019 at 1:11 pm

Hi Cindy, Yes, I think getting the Oyster Card at the airport make sense and then you can start using it right away. Otherwise you can purchase the Oyster Card at just about any Underground station (the standard one, not the Visitor one).

Yes, the London Pass has to be used during consecutive days so it does sound like you would want the 2 day London Pass. I would then to try to visit all the main attractions you want to visit covered by the London Pass on those 2 days. You can often save money by purchasing the London Pass online and then you could pick it up in central London. Otherwise, you can purchase it at the Heathrow airport Information Center, but the lines here can sometimes be a bit long.

If you like the itinerary and you only have 2 days, I would just do Day 1 and Day 2 of the itinerary as that covers most of the central highlights of London. The London Eye is already included as a suggestion for something to do in the evening of Day 1. Since the London Eye is not included on the London Pass, it is good to do in evening when other attractions are closed. It is also nice for sunset views and is open late.

Grace lee Post author

October 17, 2018 at 5:46 pm

Wow! I can’t believe how helpful this site is! You’re amazing. We will be in london in June for about 5 full days and will follow your 3 day itinerary. We want to explore Cotswolds area. Is there a way to do it without a tour guide? Sounds like it’s not an easy area to visit on your own? We will rely on public transportation. Any suggestions please? Thank you! Sincerely, Grace from Chicago

October 18, 2018 at 12:19 pm

Public transport is generally very good in the UK, particularly England, but it is not the best in the Cotswolds area. You can take a train to get there but a train will not get you around efficiently. There are several bus companies that operate within the area but you can spend a lot of time waiting and changing buses to see the main towns with tourist appeal unless you only want to stop in one or two of them. It is doable though to see the area by bus, and best if you have 2 days from London to explore just so you have adequate time to really explore. If you decide to do public transit, I’d recommend taking a train to Oxford and then taking buses from there.

But probably the two best ways to explore the area, especially as a day trip or overnight trip from London, are by renting a car or taking a guided bus tour (or private tour). If you are only doing a day trip, it is probably not worth renting a car unless you have a bit more time. Taking an escorted tour of the Cotswolds is very time efficient as you don’t have to worry about driving or parking, can visit several villages in one day, and they will take you to some of the most scenic and popular spots.

Check out our article on visiting Blenheim Palace and the Cotswolds , as it goes over the various options in how to get to Oxford and the Cotswolds from London (car, train, bus, guided tour, self drive). It can also help you decide what villages and attractions you may want to visit on a day trip.

Hopefully that helps, and just let us know if you have any further questions as you plan your trip to London!

Julie Post author

October 17, 2018 at 12:00 am

Hello I will be arriving at Gatwick airport next month. It is my first trip to London and I am very excited! Can I know where can I buy the London oyster card and London pass in Gatwick airport? Will the shop be opened? Also how much to rent a wifi router there? My arrival time is 5am. I will need the card to go to St Pancras station. Thanks in advance!

October 17, 2018 at 1:23 pm

Sounds like an exciting trip to London!

You can buy the London Pass at Gatwick Airport at the travel concierge and reservations desks. I don’t know for certain their hours, but it says here that there are 2 and both open at 4:00am. I would call in advance just to double check their times and what they have available if you need to purchase something there and you can find all the phone details here: https://www.gatwickairport.com/at-the-airport/shopping-eating/shops/airport-concierge/

But I would actually recommend buying the London Pass online in advance if you can. It is currently on sale so it will save you a little money – you can then have it delivered to your home (for a shipping fee) or pick it up once in London (for free).

If you are planning to get a Visitor Oyster Card , you need to purchase it in advance. You can purchase it alone or in combination with the London Pass.

The regular Oyster Card can be purchased at the concierge desks in Gatwick North Terminal or Gatwick South Terminal or at the Gatwick Airport train station (or most Underground stations once in London).

I am not sure about mobile WiFi hotspots, but you can certainly rent them if you need to. If you can’t rent one in the airport (or they seem too pricey), you can certainly rent them once you get into London. Here is a guide to getting online while traveling that might be helpful. But you might also look into options before your trip. Prices generally range from about $7 to $12 per day depending on the company.

Hope this helps and do let us know if you have more questions as you plan your trip to London!

October 19, 2018 at 10:35 pm

Hi Jessica, thank you for your quick reply. 🙂 Could you let me know if our itinerary (first week of Nov) is feasible? We do not want to wear ourselves out, yet do not wish to miss out on any interesting sights.

DAY 1 (5pm onwards) – Watch a musical. Which do you recommend? And any tips on getting a cheaper tic? I have watched The Wicked, Lion King, Phantom of the Opera and the Les Miserables at my hometown. Would love to watch one that I have not seen before in London itself!!

DAY 2 – 1) Free & easy day trip to Stonehenge. Love to see the magnificent wonders of nature! Is it the most convenient way to go by the tube? Can I just use the Oyster card?

2) Leicester Square to see the Christmas lights (heard it will be up already?)

DAY 3 – 1) Sky Garden, 2) Imperial War Museum, 3) Westminister Abbey, 4) Churchill War Rooms, 5) Thames River Boat Cruise @Westminister Pier, 6) London Eye.

DAY 4 – 1) St. Paul’s Cathedral, 2) Tower of London, 3) Tower Bridge, 4) Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, 5) Borough Market, 6) View From The Shard.

DAY 5 – 1) Kensington Palace, 2) Windsor Castle.

DAY 6 (Need to leave for Gatwick around 6 – 7pm) – 1) British Museum, 2) London Zoo.

I am thinking to get a 3 days London Pass to use from Days 2 ~ 4. Is the free transport to Windsor Castle still valid on Day 5, after the 3 days?

We are also keen in the following: Is it possible to squeeze into the above?

1. Mudchute City Farm (If we go for this, should we skip London Zoo?) 2. Chinatown 3. Museum of Brands, Packaging & Advertising 4. Brick Lane visit 5. Big Ben (Is it under renovation?) 6. B Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus Tour

We are also on a tight budget as have spent most on the airfare and accommodation. It would be great if you can recommend any affordable and nice places to eat, shop (for souvenirs, snacks, etc) or apps that can use to get discounts? Is UK Groupon good for tourists? Our budget is around 20 pounds/pax for lunch and dinner.

Thank you in advance!

October 21, 2018 at 9:33 am

There are a lot of musicals (and plays) always playing in London – you’ve seen some good ones, some other popular ones include Kinky Boots, Book of Mormon, Aladdin, Matilda, Mamma Mia, Thriller, Hamilton, and School of Rock.

If you are flexible about the performance you see, a good way to save money is to check in at the TKTS booth in Leicester Square which offers half-price and discounted theatre tickets or you can go directly to a theatre’s box office on the day for cheap standby tickets and returns. But you can also save money often by booking online (just be sure to book with a reputable ticket seller). You can also get discounted theater tickets with the London Pass (performances change but currently includes Thriller, Kinky Boots, and Aladdin) as well and you can see more about that here .

If you want to go to Stonehenge, you will need to book train tickets (and then take a shuttle) or book a bus trip. Stonehenge is far from London so you cannot use your Oyster Card or take the Tube. You can read all about that in our Stonehenge day trip post. I’d recommend booking a day tour for the most convenient option.

Day 3 – This will be a busy day and a bit spread out. I’d start early and perhaps consider starting at either Westminster Abbey or Churchill War Rooms as those are the busiest 2 attractions. Or start really early at Sky Garden (breakfast or coffee) so you can get to one of the others by opening time.

Day 4 – Tower of London gets very busy, so you may want to go there first. St. Paul’s is also busy but absorbs crowds a bit better. Just a thought.

The London Pass will definitely save you money on your time in London if you do all the above. I’d consider the 6 Day London Pass (especially since it is currently on sale) as I think it will be worth it as you’ll save money on entrances to Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace, and the travel to Windsor and back. Otherwise you will need to pay for these entrances and the travel.

I would probably not try to squeeze much more into your itinerary as it is already pretty full. If you find yourself with extra time, it is always good to know what else is around you but I would maybe not try to do too much more. Having some time to relax and enjoy just wandering around and enjoying a pub lunch is always nice 😉 Big Ben is under renovation and is not expected to reopen to the public for tours until 2021.

Some budget tips: London Pass will save you money on attractions and theatre tickets. Grab sandwiches and snacks from places like Boots or Marks & Spencers during the day – most UK grocery stores and convenience stores offer grab-and-go meals deals around £10 which include sandwich or pasta, side or snack, and drink. Compare menus for sit-down meals before you sit down – traditional pub meals usually offer a good value in London as well as ethnic food spots like Indian, Thai, and Pakistani. London has great Indian food! I have not used Groupon in the UK but it is here.

October 24, 2018 at 12:21 am

Noted on your tips.

If I buy a 3 days London Pass, do I have to activate the HOHO bus and transport to/from Windsor Castle during the same 3 days? Or can they be used outside of the 3 days?

Also what is the current theatre 1 for 1 promotion on the Visitor Oyster card? I read up online and it seems that the train play (can’t remember the name) has finished? Does it offer discount for Aladdin and the other plays that you mentioned?

If not, would it better if I just buy a standard Oyster Card at Gatwick airport’s concierge counter upon arrival? Is it for sale there? I emailed them but no response.

Where are the places that I can get affordable souvenirs and snacks?

October 25, 2018 at 12:51 pm

Yes, you do need to get and use the HOHO ticket while your London Pass is valid, you use your London Pass to get a same-day ticket to get on the bus. It is the same for Windsor Castle as if the person checks your London Pass date and it is expired they won’t let you though the gates (they are manned by a staff member). So for your itinerary, I’d recommend the 6 day pass as it will probably be a better value than the 4 for what you want to do.

For the discounts with the Visitor Oyster Card, you can see them here . They change regularly so not sure which theater tickets are currently on offer. For the London Pass, you can see the discounted tickets on offer here (currently includes Aladdin).

The Oyster Cards are essentially the same but the Visitor Oyster Card provides discounts so it is normally the pick for most visitors. But if you don’t plan to use any of the discounts, then either will work exactly the same. Just remember the Visitor Oyster Card would need to be purchased before your arrival to London.

As noted before, there are several locations you can purchase the regular Oyster Card at Gatwick. If you need to get a hold of the airport concierge counter, I’d recommend calling them rather than email them. The phone number to both desks is on the page I sent earlier.

For discounts on passes and cards, you won’t find them in person, only online. So if the London Pass is on sale, I’d definitely recommend buying it online. The London Pass has fairly regular sales online. As far as I know there are not sales on the Oyster Card as it is a transport pass.

A good area for budget souvenirs is actually where you pick up the London Pass (if you buy it online, and don’t have it mailed) around Leicester Square as there are several shops there. But it depends on what you are looking for as you’ll see souvenir places all around as you travel in London. Snacks can be found all over – grocery stores like Boots, Sainsburys, Aldi, Tesco, etc. all have affordable snacks.

Wishing you a great trip to London!

Sulastri Gunawan Post author

October 14, 2018 at 7:33 am

We’re interested to follow your 3 days itinerary and buy a London Pass for 4 people. Please advise which 3 stars hotel should I stay which is close to the HOHO bus so we can save transport cost.

Many thanks and best regards, Lastri

October 14, 2018 at 2:37 pm

Hi Sulastri,

Glad you found our 3 days in London post helpful in planning your trip itinerary 😉 In terms of hotels in the 3 star range a few to check out are Premier Inn (located near the Borough Market and London Bridge), Hilton Tower Bridge (within walking distance of Tower Bridge, London Bridge, and Borough Market) and Nadler Victoria Hotel (a 4-star near Buckingham Palace). All are centrally located and within a 10 minute walk of a HOHO bus stop – all work well with the itinerary and will minimize the amount of public transport (or taxis) you’ll need to take.

Those should give you some good places to start, but you have loads of lodging options in London near bus stops as the buses stop near almost all of the major centrally located tourist attractions.

sergio Post author

October 10, 2018 at 10:58 pm

This itinerary is amazing. The best one I’ve seen while researching my London trip next week. Is there a way to get this in a PDF or hard copy so I can keep it with me while on the road? Or should I just print it from my web browser. I feel like it may get too cluttered that way. Thanks!

October 12, 2018 at 7:28 pm

Hi Sergio, So happy you found our 3 day London itinerary so helpful in planning your trip! We don’t have a great way to get a PDF of our content at this time, but since a lot of people have asked over the past year, we are trying to come up with a solution soon.

But can definitely print it if you wish and the best way to do that might be to scroll to the bottom of the post and then find the “Share this Post” social icons. If you then click on the “More” button, you’ll find a print option.

Wishing you a wonderful trip to London! Jessica

Karen Post author

October 10, 2018 at 9:50 am

Hi, We will be visiting London October 25-28. I am having a hard time deciding on how to plan out our days. We arrive October 25th at 10:00 am from Los Angeles. I would like to do some sightseeing that afternoon. What would you recommend doing that day? Th next day we will try to see a lot!! Then on the 27th I would like to go to Windsor and if you have other recommendations I would greatly appreciate it. Do you think we should book any tours? Sorry for all the questions. It’s difficult to cram so much in a short time. I appreciate your help. I love your site!! Its been very helpful.

October 10, 2018 at 10:53 am

I would recommend following the Day 1 suggested itinerary on your first afternoon in London. Since you will have a later start, you won’t be able to go inside too many places, so prioritize any of the sites you want to visit the interiors, but there is lots to see by just following the walking tour. Then on Day 2, I’d start at Tower of London if you want to visit there. On Day 2, you can also go back and visit anything on Day 1 that you missed and prioritize the places you really want to see/visit. Then Day 3 you can follow the Day 3 itinerary as it includes Windsor.

Since it sounds like you have about 3 full days, I’d just modify the 3 day London itinerary into how it fits your time in London and interests. The more you plan ahead, the more you’ll be able to see. Just make sure to leave in some flexibility so you are not too rushed and have some time to explore and enjoy!

Let me know if you have questions as you put together your itinerary.

Anais Hernandez Post author

October 1, 2018 at 5:42 pm

My brother and I will be spending 3 full days in London in November. After sooooo many reading of London itinerary, this one is the most complex. I feel it covers everything and most importantly at my pace. Love it! Well done!

October 3, 2018 at 8:31 pm

Hi Anais, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a comment and thanks so much for the kind words. We are so happy that you found our 3 day London itinerary helpful for planning your trip to London. We wish you and your brother a wonderful 3 days in London. Please let us know if you have any questions as you plan your trip – we will be back in London in November ourselves for a week 😉 Best, Jessica

Hugh Post author

August 25, 2018 at 4:49 am

Hi Jessica & Laurence,

Simply wow….!!! Your efforts are really appreciable, this is an amazing itinerary for spending 3 days in London. I love all the images that you have shared. Thanks for sharing this!

August 25, 2018 at 5:45 am

Thanks Hugh, thanks for taking the time to comment and wishing you a great trip to London! ~ Jessica

Rio Post author

August 25, 2018 at 4:00 am

This is a great itinerary. As a native Brit I only visited the Tower of London last year and still have yet to visit The Churchill War Rooms (it was closed the last time I was there). I used to visit London several times a year as I had family living there at the time and we would rarely do any tourist attractions. It’s only in the last few years that I’ve actually managed to properly explore our Capital.

August 25, 2018 at 5:43 am

Hi Rio, Glad you enjoyed our London itinerary and hopefully you get a chance to visit some more attractions on your next trip. It is so true that we often don’t properly explore our own home. My husband lived in central London for a few years, and only went to a few of the major tourist attractions while he was there. Now, with me, he’s been to just about all the highlights over the past few years 😉 Best, Jessica

Rob+Ann Post author

August 21, 2018 at 8:55 pm

We’ll definitely be using both this itinerary and the London Pass on our next visit. Sadly, we have yet to actually dedicate a trip to explore the city properly! Fixing that is high on our list. Thanks for all of the ideas and details – pinning this one for later! Only thing is, so much to see we’ll have to repeat several times. At least, that’s our plan! 🙂

August 23, 2018 at 5:40 am

Hi Rob & Ann, Hope you get a chance to visit soon and the London Pass is definitely a great way to explore the city. Yes, there is so much to do in London that it can take a few visits to do all the things you might want to do. We visit at least once a year and always leave with things we want to see next time 😉 Best, Jessica

Seana Turner Post author

August 20, 2018 at 6:10 am

The last time we were in London I was surprised at how crowded it was. It had been awhile since I’d been there, and I found it pretty packed. If I were to go back, I’d love the side trips. I’ve never done any of them. I would love seeing Highclere Castle and the Harry Potter world. I wonder what I would think of Stonehenge, but hey, why not? I love the detail of all of your posts.

August 20, 2018 at 6:29 am

Hi Seana, Yes, London is just one of those cities that is busy and popular year round – it can particularly be busy in the summer months. We tend to visit in the autumn, winter, or Spring although you can get some amazing weather in summer. Day trips are pretty easy to take from London and we’ve done all three of those ones and really enjoyed them – I am not even a huge Harry Potter fan but the Harry Potter Studio is still really interesting and well done. Best, Jessica

Anna Post author

August 19, 2018 at 7:43 am

London is such an awesome city and what a great itineary! I´ve spent a month there for my masters thesis 6 years ago and really wanted to go back to do more of the sightseeing ever since! Especially the day trips like Stonehenge or Oxford!

August 19, 2018 at 11:11 am

Hi Anna, Thanks, and hope you get a chance to return to London to do some of the day trips and explore more of the country. Stonehenge and Oxford are both great places to visit in England – we particularly really love Oxford. Best, Jessica

Michael Post author

August 19, 2018 at 3:26 am

Wow what an extensive list of things to do! WE live in London and are meant to be planning 3 days here for our friends later this year. I think I might just send them the link to this and then spend my afternoon in the pub!? Thanks for sharing!

August 19, 2018 at 4:59 am

Hi Michael, So you can just print the 3 day London itinerary, have them buy a London Pass, and meet up with them after their sightseeing in the evening for drinks and dinners – all sorted 😉 It can be hard to show people around a popular destination, I used to live near San Francisco and we now are in Edinburgh (Laurence used to live in London as well) and most people want to go do/see many of the same things but how many times do you really want to ride the cable cars or visit Edinburgh Castle. Enjoy your friends’ visit to London and hope this helps you a bit in your planning! Best, Jessica

Wendy Maes Post author

August 18, 2018 at 7:00 am

It’s been 16 yers since I was in London, but next month I am finally going back with my BFF. This itinerary is perfect! I am going to pin it to use it next month.

August 18, 2018 at 7:59 am

Hi Wendy, Thanks for pinning and so happy to hear you are getting a chance to visit London again next month. I hope you have a wonderful time and glad our London itinerary came at such a great time – enjoy your vacation in London! Best, Jessica

California Globetrotter Post author

August 17, 2018 at 7:20 pm

We thoroughly enjoyed using the London Pass and would highly recommend it again! And probably get it again on a future return to do more! So convenient, and it’s so nice to be able to visit as many locations as you wish without any limits, unlike Nashville.

August 18, 2018 at 7:47 am

Hi Lolo, Yes, the London Pass is one of our favorite city discount passes and we’ve used it a few times now. It would definitely save you money (and time) if spending three days in London and visiting many of the places on this itinerary. It along with the Paris Museum Pass are our two favorite city passes we’ve used.

There is a limit with the London Pass (there is a maximum purse value) but it is pretty high so very few travelers would be able to visit enough places to max is out, and we’ve never heard from anyone about this being an issue. Best, Jessica

Cynthia Post author

August 17, 2018 at 6:41 pm

This is a great itinerary! I was in London for 5 days a few years ago. My favorites were the National Gallery, the British Museum, and the Tate Modern. Also went to a couple other museums can’t remember names of! One had pre-Raphaelite art. Wonderful collections. The Tower of London and other iconic sights were faves as well. I liked seeing the sparkly jewels. 😉

August 18, 2018 at 7:41 am

Hi Cynthia,

Thanks, yes, London has some amazing museums and art galleries and you could easily spend 3 full days just visiting them! Sounds like you visited a number of great ones. Umm, for the pre-Raphaelite art, it may have been The Tate (not the Tate Modern) but it could have been one of several museums. Yes, the Tower of London and the Crown Jewels is always a popular favorite 😉 Best, Jessica

Anda Post author

August 17, 2018 at 6:15 pm

London is one of my favorite travel destinations. We’ve spent a week there a few years ago, but my sweet memories started to fade. I think it’s time for another trip. Your 3-day itinerary gave me the idea to add London to our trip to Italy this fall.

August 18, 2018 at 7:36 am

Hi Anda, Ours too! Although I didn’t have a very good impression of London on my first day there, it was raining, windy, and there was tons of some sort of debris in the air that kept blowing into our faces. One of our first stops was also visa related which didn’t add to the appeal. But I’ve come to really love the city and there is just so much to do there, which is a good thing since is it one of the places we visit the most 😉 Hope you get a chance to stop in London in the fall. Best, Jessica

Katherine Post author

August 17, 2018 at 2:35 pm

I lived in London for a few years, and the best thing about it is that you’re never done seeing everything there. There’s always something new and different to check out, and your London itinerary is an awesome first taste! I miss it so much 🙂

August 18, 2018 at 7:34 am

Hi Katherine, I hope you get a chance to get back to London soon 😉 Laurence also used to live in London but saw very few tourist attractions while in London so he enjoys returning with me and seeing all the museums, historical attractions, etc. We’re excited to head back for a week in November! Jessica

Anisa Post author

August 17, 2018 at 1:46 pm

I have spent a fair amount of time in London but I still have so many things I want to see! I need to go to the Churchill War Rooms and do the tour of the Houses of Parliament. I still need to go to the Sky Garden too, but I never plan enough in advance.

August 18, 2018 at 7:31 am

Hi Anisa, Both the Houses of Parliament and Churchill War Rooms are great sites in London and both are easy to visit on the same day as they are a short walk from one another, but you do need to plan ahead for the Parliament. There are also some similar threads between them that make them good stops for the same day. We’ve visited the War Rooms twice, once with a guide and once without and found it interesting both times. Best, Jessica

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Hidden London – 10 of the city's lesser known delights

Dec 12, 2018 • 4 min read

One of London's many hidden and unusual sights, Brixton Windmill © Davide Cioffi / Getty Images

London has plenty in the way of must-see sights and instantly recognisable landmarks, but hidden down the side streets and tucked away in urban backwaters is a scattered collection of equally fascinating, lesser-known highlights. Delve beyond the London of the postcards and discover an excitingly unfamiliar side to this great city.

St Etheldreda’s Church

Hidden in plain sight down a gated road of neat terraced houses, St Etheldreda’s Church is as beautiful as it is incongruous. It dates back to the mid-13 th Century and was the seat of the Bishops of Ely for its first 200 years. Nowadays it’s open every day and free to visit, and it’s usually a place of tranquillity, due to most tourists being oblivious to its presence. The stained glass east window is sublime.

Ye Olde Mitre

For a post-church pint, seek out Ye Olde Mitre , a minute's walk from St Etheldreda's. Located at the confluence of two alleyways so narrow you almost need to walk down them sideways, this  is one of London’s oldest pubs, dating to 1546 (though remodelled in the 18th century). Even if you have been before, it still feels like a new discovery every time you visit. It’s especially great in colder months, with its open fire, beamed ceilings and maze of cosy little rooms. A proper London pub.

Chelsea Physic Garden

London’s oldest botanical garden (established in 1673) is a secret delight, with its four acres enclosed by high brick walls. Originally named Apothecaries Garden and now known as Chelsea Physic Garden , it’s a captivating spot, full of rare trees and pharmaceutical plants used in contemporary Western medicine.

Barbican Conservatory

Many have heard about the Barbican Estate, the enormous confusing complex of homes and public spaces in the City of London, built in the Brutalist style. But few are aware of its biggest secret: a gargantuan tropical oasis in the form of a steamy conservatory , where over 2000 species of plants thrive. It’s a truly spectacular environment, also home to terrapins, fish and birds. 

18 Stafford Terrace

There’s practically nothing from the outside to suggest this terraced house on a quiet residential street is any different from its neighbours. But step inside and you’ll find  18 Stafford Terrace is actually stuck in a time warp – an untouched Victorian family home, complete with Turkish rugs and William Morris wallpaper. It was the residence of illustrator Edward Linley Sambourne, and after his death in 1910 passed through the hands of various family members, who didn’t change anything and ultimately opened it to the public.

Dennis Severs’ House

Dennis Severs’ House is an incredible attraction, part museum, part theatre. It’s the brainchild of its namesake, an American artist who lived here (1979-99) and aimed to produce ‘still-life drama’ throughout the house’s ten rooms. Imagining the occupants to be a family of Huguenot silk weavers, he fashioned each room to provide glimpses of domestic life in Spitalfields from the early 18 th to early 20 th century. Candle-lit evening openings are particularly atmospheric.

Phoenix Garden

Possibly the unlikeliest pocket of wilderness anywhere in the world, Phoenix Garden sits smack bang in the heart of London’s glittering West End, and somehow manages to be secret and secluded at the same time. Its grassy patches, shrubbery, ponds and benches provide a sanctuary for wildlife and people alike. Look out for the frogs – you won’t find them anywhere else in this part of London. Amazing.

St Dunstan-in-the-East

Another urban garden, this time mixed with architectural remains,  St Dunstan-in-the-East is a beautiful, tranquil, and little-known green space in the heart of the City. It’s framed by the ruins of St Dunstan Church, which was destroyed by the Great Fire of 1666, and then again during the Blitz, and surrounded by the steel and glass architecture of modernity.

St Bartholomew-the-Great

The arched gatehouse on the approach to St Bartholomew-the-Great  is an extremely rare survivor of Tudor architecture in London, almost all of which was destroyed by the Great Fire of 1666. Once you’ve walked through the arch and entered the church itself, you're in a beautiful space that's an equally rare example of Norman architecture, one of very few such buildings still standing in the city. Keep an eye out for the tomb (and also, allegedly, the ghost) of the church's 12th-century founder, Rahere.

Brixton Windmill

A glorious, and gloriously unexpected, sight, the superbly restored Brixton Windmill is an eye-catching, 200-year-old reminder that London grew from a mosaic of once pastoral villages. You can visit on selected days between April and October on free tours, and the location is also used for various events, including a beer festival in May.

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The sights of london: a photo essay, with its history, beauty, and charm, it's no wonder why london is a city desired by all..

I am in London...for a whole semester...WHAT?!

It's finally here; after all the days of planning, scheduling, packing, and saying goodbye, I am officially here across the pond. London is a city filled with rich history, yet modern living, a place containing trillions of opportunities around every corner, but mostly, it is a world that is entirely new to me.

However, now that I have finally arrived, it has become my job to see and do as much as possible here in the short amount of time given. So for now, here is a series of photos that I have taken from the first two weeks in this great city. Although they only show a mere snippet of what this place has to offer, it also contains some of the most iconic places that you might be able to recognize. As for me, the adventure only continues...

Princess Diana's Memorial Garden at the Kensington Palace (Gate view with a foliage arch)

Princess Diana's Memorial Garden at the Kensington Palace (One of the four garden tunnels)

Princess Diana's Memorial Garden at the Kensington Palace (Center of Garden: Where Diana used to roam)

St. Martin-in-the-Fields (Center), National Gallery (Left) and The Canadian High Commission (Right) all surrounding the famous Trafalgar Square

Big Ben (Shot with scaffolding behind the Portcullis House: A Government Office)

Big Ben (Upper View: showing details of its Gothic Revival architecture)

St. Paul's Cathedral (Located in Ludgate Hill. This building rests as the tallest point in London)

Tower Bridge (River Shot: Located upon the River Thames and reflects the similar architectural style of the Tower of London)

Tower Bridge (Street Shot: Highlighting the royal blue suspensions and lamp posts around and within the bridge)

Buckingham Palace (Close-up Angled Shot: Known mainly for Queen's Residence, State Rooms and Changing of the Guard)

Buckingham Palace (Full View Shot: Revealing the golden Victoria Memorial and garden from St. James's Park)

London Eye (Full Wheel Shot: Taken in front of London County Hall)

Street Shot feat. Harrods (Harrods: The famous high-end department store lit up in lights)

Overview Sunset Shot (Looking over the city of London)

Overview Night Shot (Revealing Parliament and Big Ben on right side of River Thames)

Big Ben and Parliment (Night shot in center view)

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25 beatles lyrics: your go-to guide for every situation, the best lines from the fab four.

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make

The End- Abbey Road, 1969

The sun is up, the sky is blue, it's beautiful and so are you

Dear Prudence- The White Album, 1968

Love is old, love is new, love is all, love is you

Because- Abbey Road, 1969

There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be

All You Need Is Love, 1967

Life is very short, and there's no time for fussing and fighting, my friend

We Can Work It Out- Rubber Soul, 1965

He say, "I know you, you know me", One thing I can tell you is you got to be free

Come Together- Abbey Road, 1969

Oh please, say to me, You'll let me be your man. And please say to me, You'll let me hold your hand

I Wanna Hold Your Hand- Meet The Beatles!, 1964

It was twenty years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play. They've been going in and out of style, but they're guaranteed to raise a smile

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band-1967

Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see

Strawberry Fields Forever- Magical Mystery Tour, 1967

Can you hear me? When it rains and shine, it's just a state of mind

Rain- Paperback Writer "B" side, 1966

Little darling, it's been long cold lonely winter. Little darling, it feels like years since it' s been here. Here comes the sun, Here comes the sun, and I say it's alright

Here Comes The Sun- Abbey Road, 1969

We danced through the night and we held each other tight, and before too long I fell in love with her. Now, I'll never dance with another when I saw her standing there

Saw Her Standing There- Please Please Me, 1963

I love you, I love you, I love you, that's all I want to say

Michelle- Rubber Soul, 1965

You say you want a revolution. Well you know, we all want to change the world

Revolution- The Beatles, 1968

All the lonely people, where do they all come from. All the lonely people, where do they all belong

Eleanor Rigby- Revolver, 1966

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends

With A Little Help From My Friends- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967

Hey Jude, don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better

Hey Jude, 1968

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. Now it looks as though they're here to stay. Oh, I believe in yesterday

Yesterday- Help!, 1965

And when the brokenhearted people, living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be.

Let It Be- Let It Be, 1970

And anytime you feel the pain, Hey Jude, refrain. Don't carry the world upon your shoulders

I'll give you all i got to give if you say you'll love me too. i may not have a lot to give but what i got i'll give to you. i don't care too much for money. money can't buy me love.

Can't Buy Me Love- A Hard Day's Night, 1964

All you need is love, love is all you need

All You Need Is Love- Magical Mystery Tour, 1967

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these broken wings and learn to fly. all your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise.

Blackbird- The White Album, 1968

Though I know I'll never lose affection, for people and things that went before. I know I'll often stop and think about them. In my life, I love you more

In My Life- Rubber Soul, 1965

While these are my 25 favorites, there are quite literally 1000s that could have been included. The Beatles' body of work is massive and there is something for everyone. If you have been living under a rock and haven't discovered the Fab Four, you have to get musically educated. Stream them on Spotify, find them on iTunes or even buy a CD or record (Yes, those still exist!). I would suggest starting with 1, which is a collection of most of their #1 songs, or the 1968 White Album. Give them chance and you'll never look back.

14 Invisible Activities: Unleash Your Inner Ghost!

Obviously the best superpower..

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

1. "Haunt" your friends.

Follow them into their house and cause a ruckus.

2. Sneak into movie theaters.

Going to the cinema alone is good for your mental health , says science

Considering that the monthly cost of subscribing to a media-streaming service like Netflix is oft...

Free movies...what else to I have to say?

3. Sneak into the pantry and grab a snack without judgment.

Late night snacks all you want? Duh.

4. Reenact "Hollow Man" and play Kevin Bacon.

America's favorite son? And feel what it's like to be in a MTV Movie Award nominated film? Sign me up.

5. Wear a mask and pretend to be a floating head.

Just another way to spook your friends in case you wanted to.

6. Hold objects so they'll "float."

"Oh no! A floating jar of peanut butter."

7. Win every game of hide-and-seek.

Just stand out in the open and you'll win.

8. Eat some food as people will watch it disappear.

Even everyday activities can be funny.

9. Go around pantsing your friends.

Even pranks can be done; not everything can be good.

10. Not have perfect attendance.

You'll say here, but they won't see you...

11. Avoid anyone you don't want to see.

Whether it's an ex or someone you hate, just use your invisibility to slip out of the situation.

12. Avoid responsibilities.

Chores? Invisible. People asking about social life? Invisible. Family being rude? Boom, invisible.

13. Be an expert on ding-dong-ditch.

Never get caught and have the adrenaline rush? I'm down.

14. Brag about being invisible.

Be the envy of the town.

But don't, I repeat, don't go in a locker room. Don't be a pervert with your power. No one likes a Peeping Tom.

Good luck, folks.

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned..

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

1. The importance of traditions.

Sometimes traditions seem like a silly thing, but the fact of it is that it's part of who you are. You grew up this way and, more than likely, so did your parents. It is something that is part of your family history and that is more important than anything.

2. How to be thankful for family and friends.

No matter how many times they get on your nerves or make you mad, they are the ones who will always be there and you should never take that for granted.

3. How to give back.

When tragedy strikes in a small town, everyone feels obligated to help out because, whether directly or indirectly, it affects you too. It is easy in a bigger city to be able to disconnect from certain problems. But in a small town those problems affect everyone.

4. What the word "community" really means.

Along the same lines as #3, everyone is always ready and willing to lend a helping hand when you need one in a small town and to me that is the true meaning of community. It's working together to build a better atmosphere, being there to raise each other up, build each other up, and pick each other up when someone is in need. A small town community is full of endless support whether it be after a tragedy or at a hometown sports game. Everyone shows up to show their support.

5. That it isn't about the destination, but the journey.

People say this to others all the time, but it takes on a whole new meaning in a small town. It is true that life is about the journey, but when you're from a small town, you know it's about the journey because the journey probably takes longer than you spend at the destination. Everything is so far away that it is totally normal to spend a couple hours in the car on your way to some form of entertainment. And most of the time, you're gonna have as many, if not more, memories and laughs on the journey than at the destination.

6. The consequences of making bad choices.

Word travels fast in a small town, so don't think you're gonna get away with anything. In fact, your parents probably know what you did before you even have a chance to get home and tell them. And forget about being scared of what your teacher, principle, or other authority figure is going to do, you're more afraid of what your parents are gonna do when you get home.

7. To trust people, until you have a reason not to.

Everyone deserves a chance. Most people don't have ill-intentions and you can't live your life guarding against every one else just because a few people in your life have betrayed your trust.

8. To be welcoming and accepting of everyone.

While small towns are not always extremely diverse, they do contain people with a lot of different stories, struggle, and backgrounds. In a small town, it is pretty hard to exclude anyone because of who they are or what they come from because there aren't many people to choose from. A small town teaches you that just because someone isn't the same as you, doesn't mean you can't be great friends.

9. How to be my own, individual person.

In a small town, you learn that it's okay to be who you are and do your own thing. You learn that confidence isn't how beautiful you are or how much money you have, it's who you are on the inside.

10. How to work for what I want.

Nothing comes easy in life. They always say "gardens don't grow overnight" and if you're from a small town you know this both figuratively and literally. You certainly know gardens don't grow overnight because you've worked in a garden or two. But you also know that to get to the place you want to be in life it takes work and effort. It doesn't just happen because you want it to.

11. How to be great at giving directions.

If you're from a small town, you know that you will probably only meet a handful of people in your life who ACTUALLY know where your town is. And forget about the people who accidentally enter into your town because of google maps. You've gotten really good at giving them directions right back to the interstate.

12. How to be humble .

My small town has definitely taught me how to be humble. It isn't always about you, and anyone who grows up in a small town knows that. Everyone gets their moment in the spotlight, and since there's so few of us, we're probably best friends with everyone so we are as excited when they get their moment of fame as we are when we get ours.

13. To be well-rounded.

Going to a small town high school definitely made me well-rounded. There isn't enough kids in the school to fill up all the clubs and sports teams individually so be ready to be a part of them all.

14. How to be great at conflict resolution.

In a small town, good luck holding a grudge. In a bigger city you can just avoid a person you don't like or who you've had problems with. But not in a small town. You better resolve the issue fast because you're bound to see them at least 5 times a week.

15. The beauty of getting outside and exploring.

One of my favorite things about growing up in a rural area was being able to go outside and go exploring and not have to worry about being in danger. There is nothing more exciting then finding a new place somewhere in town or in the woods and just spending time there enjoying the natural beauty around you.

16. To be prepared for anything.

You never know what may happen. If you get a flat tire, you better know how to change it yourself because you never know if you will be able to get ahold of someone else to come fix it. Mechanics might be too busy , or more than likely you won't even have enough cell service to call one.

17. That you don't always have to do it alone.

It's okay to ask for help. One thing I realized when I moved away from my town for college, was how much my town has taught me that I could ask for help is I needed it. I got into a couple situations outside of my town where I couldn't find anyone to help me and found myself thinking, if I was in my town there would be tons of people ready to help me. And even though I couldn't find anyone to help, you better believe I wasn't afraid to ask.

18. How to be creative.

When you're at least an hour away from normal forms of entertainment such as movie theaters and malls, you learn to get real creative in entertaining yourself. Whether it be a night looking at the stars in the bed of a pickup truck or having a movie marathon in a blanket fort at home, you know how to make your own good time.

19. To brush off gossip.

It's all about knowing the person you are and not letting others influence your opinion of yourself. In small towns, there is plenty of gossip. But as long as you know who you really are, it will always blow over.

Grateful Beyond Words: A Letter to My Inspiration

I have never been so thankful to know you..

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

You have taught me that you don't always have to strong. You are allowed to break down as long as you pick yourself back up and keep moving forward. When life had you at your worst moments, you allowed your friends to be there for you and to help you. You let them in and they helped pick you up. Even in your darkest hour you showed so much strength. I know that you don't believe in yourself as much as you should but you are unbelievably strong and capable of anything you set your mind to.

Your passion to make a difference in the world is unbelievable. You put your heart and soul into your endeavors and surpass any personal goal you could have set. Watching you do what you love and watching you make a difference in the lives of others is an incredible experience. The way your face lights up when you finally realize what you have accomplished is breathtaking and I hope that one day I can have just as much passion you have.

SEE MORE: A Letter To My Best Friend On Her Birthday

The love you have for your family is outstanding. Watching you interact with loved ones just makes me smile . You are so comfortable and you are yourself. I see the way you smile when you are around family and I wish I could see you smile like this everyday. You love with all your heart and this quality is something I wished I possessed.

You inspire me to be the best version of myself. I look up to you. I feel that more people should strive to have the strength and passion that you exemplify in everyday life.You may be stubborn at points but when you really need help you let others in, which shows strength in itself. I have never been more proud to know someone and to call someone my role model. You have taught me so many things and I want to thank you. Thank you for inspiring me in life. Thank you for making me want to be a better person.

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life..

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Don't freak out

This is a rule you should continue to follow no matter what you do in life, but is especially helpful in this situation.

Email the professor

Around this time, professors are getting flooded with requests from students wanting to get into full classes. This doesn't mean you shouldn't burden them with your email; it means they are expecting interested students to email them. Send a short, concise message telling them that you are interested in the class and ask if there would be any chance for you to get in.

Attend the first class

Often, the advice professors will give you when they reply to your email is to attend the first class. The first class isn't the most important class in terms of what will be taught. However, attending the first class means you are serious about taking the course and aren't going to give up on it.

Keep attending class

Every student is in the same position as you are. They registered for more classes than they want to take and are "shopping." For the first couple of weeks, you can drop or add classes as you please, which means that classes that were once full will have spaces. If you keep attending class and keep up with assignments, odds are that you will have priority. Professors give preference to people who need the class for a major and then from higher to lower class year (senior to freshman).

Have a backup plan

For two weeks, or until I find out whether I get into my waitlisted class, I will be attending more than the usual number of classes. This is so that if I don't get into my waitlisted class, I won't have a credit shortage and I won't have to fall back in my backup class. Chances are that enough people will drop the class, especially if it is very difficult like computer science, and you will have a chance. In popular classes like art and psychology, odds are you probably won't get in, so prepare for that.

Remember that everything works out at the end

Life is full of surprises. So what if you didn't get into the class you wanted? Your life obviously has something else in store for you. It's your job to make sure you make the best out of what you have.

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Cats steal the show: High-profile felines star attractions at locations around world

It’s a tail as old as time. You’re in the right place at the right moment and the next thing you know, you’re living in the White House.

That’s what happened to a stray, gray, green-eyed cat named Willow, who turned up at a Joe Biden rally in Pennsylvania in 2020, jumped onstage and left with soon-to-be first lady Jill, who later wrote a book about her.

Plenty of other four-pawed wonders have landed on their padded feet in famous and fortuitous places.

And it works both ways: Cats bring value to the venues they inhabit, whether it’s simply adding a cute factor or ratting on rodents. Sometimes, they even come to define the place.

London’s feline royalty

Take Lilibet, for example.

She’s a Siberian Forest cat who spends one of her nine lives stretching her toe beans and snoozing by the fire at the five-star Lanesborough Hotel in London. Plenty of people check in just to check out the resident cat, who is named after Queen Elizabeth II, says managing director Stuart Geddes.

And Lilibet, who has hypoallergenic fur, isn’t the only cat living in a grand British building.

Hodge sits inside the sacristy at Southwark Cathedral, founded in 1106 on the south bank of the Thames River. He roams around delighting visitors and popping into the shop for treats, where fans can also buy their own plush version of him.

Not far away, across the Thames, is Larry, the famous cat of 10 Downing St., where he has stayed longer than most prime ministers — Kier Starmer is his sixth.

Employed as Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office, Larry pays his way by keeping the official office and residence of the PM more cat than mouse. He outlasted his rival Palmerston, a previous Foreign Office puss who retired to the British countryside in 2020.

Treasured by museums

It’s a similar situation at the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

About 80 cats get to call Catherine the Great’s Baroque palace home in return for keeping the pest population down. They have their own press officer and staff of volunteers, who keep them publicized, fed and watered while they pad around Russia’s state museum.

Another museum delighted to play host to a colony of cats is The Hemingway Homes and Museum, in Key West, Fla. Fifty-nine cats roam freely through the estate, half of them descendants of Hemingway’s own six-toed cat, Snow White.

Visitors are kept away from the original furniture, but the animals lounge on the writer’s desk. A large “Cat Bible” helps track the lineage of the resident felines.

Alexa Morgan of the Hemingway museum says they are an extra draw.

“We have visitors that come here for Hemingway, and then once they see the cats and they love them, then it’s like they visit again so they can come back and see the cats,” she said.

Meowing mascots

And then there are those moggies without an impressive family tree or breed.

In Puerto Rico’s Cuartel de Ballajá one Tuesday, a cat arrived at the Don Ruiz Coffee Shop in San Juan. She spent her time napping and permitting patrons to pet her (when in the mood). They named her Tuesday, and she became a regular.

In Venezuela, under a banner of Hugo Chavez, an unnamed cat has become well-known to the journalists of Caracas. Often found snaking between the tripods of TV crews at the National Electoral Council, this mysterious animal keeps reporters company as they wait for updates, playing with the occasional audio cable and generally strutting around like it runs the place.

Meanwhile, Lule is so beloved at the Dit’ e Nat (Day and Night) bar in Pristina, Kosovo, that her feline face has become its symbol, even on the sugar sachets. Owner Genc Salihu says she’s part of the family, and people turn up just to see and pet Lule.

“She is very much the soul of the place.”

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