For up to 4 people. Or, you can buy an Oyster Card at Underground Stations, Gatwick Airport, and Heathrow Airport. Then you enter the Cabinet War Rooms. Purchasing the London Pass not only saves money but also time. The pass will pay for most of your activities on days 2, 3, and 4. Hours: Hours vary by the day of the week and it is not open on Sunday for sightseeing. As you wander through these rooms you will be amazed at how much stuff the British Empire amassed during their world rule. Day 5: Depart to Edinburgh late morning. Normally, we do not recommend bus tours. Action cameras come in many shapes and sizes find the perfect alternative for you. If you are visiting London on a budget, this property is a great choice. Learn more about the London Pass on their website. (As mentioned above, some shows start at 6pm, so adjust accordingly.). Its a fascinating lesson about the history of London and the events that occurred at the Tower of London. London a perfect blend of the old and the new is a city soaked in thousands of years of history yet sits at the forefront of the modern world! Want more deetz on why we love itso damn much? You will need to book your tickets in advance for a particular date and time, but once youre up there, there is no restriction on the length of your stay, and you can enjoy the sites at your leisure. You can take an audio tour or watch the debates at the House of Commons or the House of Lords, but what exactly you can do depends on whether or not you are a UK resident. Do you have any similar advice for Cotswold or more Country London? The main bathroom is shared, however, youll have a private toilet. After having tea, go for a stroll in the neighborhood of your choice, or visit one of Londons green spaces, such as Hyde Park and Green Park. Continue up to Oxford Circus, another famous London intersection. Basically, its quite usual for people to eat on the street in London. After exploring, settle down at one of the manylive music venuesto pair an awesome music performance with a couple of drinks. But dont worry, you wont have to rush from A to B, trying to fit everything in Ive strategically planned this three-day itinerary so you spend time in each neighborhood before moving on to another one. Transit: District or Circle to Embankment, then Northern to Tottenham Court Road. TRAVEL ITINERARIES: For more travel itineraries for destinations around the world, take a look at our Travel Itineraries page. In our opinion, your time is better spent at Westminster Abbey than joining the crowds at the Changing of the Guard. Im glad you like our site! Happy travels! We just stayed here on our most recent trip to London. Hopefully you can find what you need online and I hope you have a wonderful trip to London! Find out what people want to know when planning London itinerary. 5 Days in London: The Ultimate London Itinerary - Earth Trekkers There is a wide range of rooms to suit any kind of traveler, and the staff are incredibly helpful and friendly! Hostels are a great way to cut costs, make friends and the best hostels in London are all central. To skip the line, purchase your fast track tickets, How to Adjust this London Itinerary with Less Time, For more recommendations on where to stay, read our. The view from The Shard | 5 Day London Itinerary. Since this observatory sits on top of a hill, you have a great view over Greenwich and the River Thames from here. Its also a perfect place to find unique gifts! The Cutty Sark is located in Greenwich. Alternatively, you could just wander through the museum and get lost amongst a sea of history. Though pickpocketing is very rare in London, its best to be aware of your personal belongings when in busy public spaces. The Crown, the Guards and Royal London. Its the tallest building in the United Kingdom, standing at 1 000 feet. Republishing this articleand/orany of its contents (text, photography, etc. Explore London with these inspirational itineraries. The abbey was traditionally the burial site for English and British monarchs and has hosted all coronations of British and English monarchs since 1066. Cross back over Westminster Bridge and walk up Whitehall. AVOID THE CROWDS: Lines to enter the Tower of London are notoriously long, especially midday during the summer months. Trains depart multiple times an hour from Blackfriars, Liverpool Street, St Pancras and Kings Cross Stations in London. London's iconic exclamation point, the clock tower housing Big Ben, sprouts from the honey-hued complex of be-spired 1840 buildings where British Parliament meets (and you can attend sessions). Welcome to one of the world's most important and influential cities. This is a great spot to enjoy dinner with a view or find a nearby restaurant or pub. Portabello Road & More Museums Or Afternoon Tea, Option #1: Portabello Road & Museums in Kensington, Option #2: Afternoon Tea & a Leisurely Afternoon, London Bucket List: 50 Epic Things to Do in London, The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, Defiance During the Blitz, 12 Important Things to Know for Your First Visit to London. Use this itinerary as inspiration instead of a fixed plan, because not everyone is travelling with the same style and budget. The ceremony starts at 10:30 am at St. Jamess Palace, at 10:45 the procession enters The Mall and walks towards Buckingham Palace, and at 11 am the official Changing of the Guard occurs at Buckingham Palace. Paintings, sculptures, medieval objects, jewelry, photographs, and costumes from around the world can be seen here. Make sure you have a good breakfast to keep you fueled as you journey back in time at this museum. Be sure to visit the tomb in the basement, and climb the dome for splendiferous views over London. To get to your hotel from the airport, you can take a taxi or hire a private driver (expensive, about 45 minutes, but most likely will be longer depending on traffic), take the Underground (cheap, about 1 hour), or take the Heathrow Express to Paddington station and then take the Underground to your hotel (about 45 minutes but varies depending on hotel location). Each room has its own TV and free minibar, and guests have access to a health and fitness center. It is, in fact, the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom! Looking to spend one day in London? It is here that you can see British art from the 13th century to 1900. Most of the first day you can spend on foot, but your feet will be tired if you try to walk it all. It sits on the River Thames and from here its just a short walk to Covent Garden and the British Museum. Then plan to return to the Globe for the show after you visit the Tate, which is next. For the remainder of the year, this terrace has outdoor seating without the igloos. Arrival in London: How to get to the city from the airport It is now a museum and can be visited while you are in London. From Westminster Abbey, walk through St. Jamess Park to The Mall (1.1 km, 0.7 miles, about 15 minutes) to Buckingham Palace. However, note that the queues can be bloody long if you are thin on time but fat on budget, I suggest booking a skip the queue pass in advance. Whether you decide to watch a musical or an incredible play, a West End show promises to be the experience of a lifetime! With 10 days, you can also visit London, Amsterdam, and Paris. This will keep you from spending unnecessary time on Londons metro (aka the Tube and the Underground) and backtracking through the city. The Perfect 10 Day London Paris Itinerary. From the National Gallery, walk to Piccadilly Circus. From the Churchill War Rooms, continue the walk towards Big Ben. At the View from The Shard, you will have the highest view over London. Continue the walk north to Trafalgar Square. 2 days in London: The perfect itinerary - Tripadvisor There are lots of great places, cafes, and restaurants around. You can visit Oxford or Bath as a day trip by train on your own, or book a guided Stonehenge and Bath day trip. At the time of writing, London is also struggling with knife-crime but this appears to be gang-related. If you like the idea of Indian food, consider Dishoom Carnaby, located on Kingly Street, one block off of Regent Street. London in half a day tour (4hrs). No interior visits The City of London is the UKs financial centre, home to the Bank of England and major offices of pretty much every financial institution in the entire world. From a taste of the royal life at Buckingham Palace to a taste of beer at a local pub, think of this as a London sampler. Its amongst the biggest cities in Europe and is one of the worlds largest financial centers. We also have guides to the best Christmas lights and best Christmas markets. So whether you are visiting London for the first time or returning to make more travel memories in this city, this itinerary can help you experience the best of London in 6 days at a relaxed pace. Though access to the palace itself is limited to the summer months of August and September, guests can visit the Queens Gallery and Royal Mews (both on the palace grounds) during the rest of the year. In this guide, learn how to plan a trip around the world. Have a seat on the steps of the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain and watch London in action. document.getElementById("ak_js_2").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Travel with peace of mind. From the quickest and simplest ways to see the sights to shopping, royalty, the river Thames and some of the city's . If you are visiting London for the first time, then chances are youll want to see the Queens residence. Theyve been doing it since 2002 protecting, connecting, and inspiring independent travellers just like you. London also sees a lot of tourists at the end of the year, around the December holidays. In the winter, dine in an igloo. View from our room at the Marriott Hotel County Hall | 5 Day London Itinerary. A round trip on the London Eye takes 30 minutes, so youll have plenty of time to enjoy the stellar views! This was our favorite history lesson in London, plus the crown jewels are stunning, and probably the best in all of Europe. 122 helpful votes. I do not recommend adding on the Oyster Card through the London Pass. Stonehenge, Windsor Castle and Bath from London 2023 If you want a really immersive experience you can jump on a tour guided by a beefeater. However, the more central areas are nearest to the majority of the iconic London attractions, so I wouldnt recommend staying too far from the center. Make the most of your time in London at top attractions and cultural icons with this 48-hour in London itinerary, with highlights including The London Eye, The View from The Shard and the Tower of London. 11,390 posts. What to Do with More than 3 Days in London? A week and a half is long enough to tick off many of England's classic highlights. 1 Day In London Itinerary - The Perfect Guide - Charlie Pauly Neals Yard is a colorful alley near Covent Garden. The Changing of the Guard occurs every other day at 11 am (usually Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday). The West End (SoHo, Leicester Square, Covent Garden) is one of your best bets for touring London, as its centrally located and near to many of the best entertainment, gallery, shopping, nightlife areas. OR, have afternoon tea, take a stroll through one of your favorite neighborhoods in London, and follow this up with dinner and drinks. Built in 2000, Millennium Bridge is a pedestrian bridge that crosses the Thames River. Our itinerary includes London's most famous attractions (e.g., Tower of London, Windsor Castle) as well as some of the city's lesser known attractions. I just want to take a moment to say thank you. 2 Days in London: The Perfect London Itinerary + Map and Tips! Contrary to popular belief, Big Ben is not the name of the bell tower itself nor its enormous clock face. From here, its a thrilling look down at the pedestrians, cars, and buses traveling over London Bridge. You could easily swap most of those afternoon activities to become morning activities on Day 2 ifyour 36 hours have you leaving London midday on Day 2 to go elsewhere. Ive used so much of it for our upcoming London/Paris/Amsterdam trip! Unfortunately, the Elizabeth Tower is currently undergoing construction, and tours have been postponed until 2021. After walking about in the bustle of Oxford Street, youll want to chill and recharge with an awesome meal. Itinerary. Small-Group Tour: Historical Pub Walking Tour of London. If you DONT use them, do you have any tips for sightseeing days? Taking a bus tour is a great way to get an overview of this amazing city. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Travelling to London? For just $50 you can enjoy unlimited travel in zones 1-3 for a week. This spot is similar to Times Square in New York City. You can do the climb during the daytime, at sunset, and at twilight. Learn more here. Walk through the Covent Garden neighborhood to the north side of Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery, filled with Old Master paintings. Up at the O2 is a 90-minute experience where you get to climb onto the O2 roof. She's a nerd for culture and a lover of foreign foods, despite being allergic to almost everything under the sun. The provided walking distances are the amount of walking you will do to get between sites. Take a pub crawl through London, bending your elbow at historic and storied pubs and sampling Real Ales and London porters. This guide will explain what you need to see (and what is realistic to see with just 1 day in London), and includes some other tips and advice for travelling to London. During that time, I was able to do almost everything listed above, except #4 and #11. The V&A museum is the largest museum of applied and decorative arts in existence, featuring 2.2 million art pieces and relics from all around the globe. If you do have the time, it is definitely worth going inside to see the Stately rooms which are still in use today. Our website uses cookies. Restaurants on Whitehall either mediocre or expensive (your best bet on Whitehall is The Red Lion). There is a daily max which means once you hit the max, you can travel as much as you like in a single day and the amount you pay is capped. The Shard is a 95-storey skyscraper in Southwark with a striking design and walled almost entirely with glass! Also known as the London Houses of Parliament, the Palace of Westminster is the political center of the city and a UNESCO world heritage site. To operate the underground, you will need to buy an Oyster card or day tickets. Tower Bridge is Londons most famous bridge. The gallery suggests that you aim to get there first thing in the morning in order to avoid the crowds and enjoy the beautiful artwork in peace. PRO TRAVEL TIP: If you purchase your tickets online in advance, you will save money compared to purchasing them same-day on the city street. In the evening, have drinks and dinner at a rooftop bar or restaurant. At the height of the British Empire, 25% of the world was controlled by London. For your evening plans, choose one of the following: London theatre, music, and other performance venues. If you purchase your tickets online 24 hours in advance, you will save money off of the ticket price. The Oyster Card is a smartcard that you use to pay for transportation in London, including the Tube, trams, buses, and more. The streets are tightly-packed with a series of narrow alleyways running between them. For five days in London, start with35. If youre not, then you could skip it and not miss out. Walking Tour It isnt cheap, so if you are backpacking London on a budget and looking to save money, I suggest diving into a Tesco Express or Boots for a meal deal instead. These days, Camden is best known for its shopping, markets, live music, and unique atmosphere. London's top free local paper has good events and restaurant listings, This is that events guide and mini-guidebook magazine you get free in mide-range hotels all aroudn the world. England, Itineraries, London, UK. Home to bookmakers, karaoke bars, and loads of Chinese restaurants, its the perfect place to end the day with some delicious, hot Chinese food. For more recommendations on where to stay, read ourBest Hotels and Neighborhoods Guide for London. The Cutty Sark was the fastest ship of her time, the worlds sole surviving tea clipper ship. The British museum sees more visitors each year than any other tourist attraction in the country. They offer simple & flexible travel insurance, and safety advice to help you travel confidently. The London History Museum covers everything related to the history of our natural world and beyond, from chunks of moon rocks to a 25-meter Blue whale skeleton hanging lazily overhead. Note: If you dont want to spend your time or money here, later today you will visit the Sky Garden. We do not represent World Nomads. r/solotravel on Reddit: London Itinerary (5 days)