Welcome to London – one of the most amazing cities in the world! There is SO much to do in London and there’s no way you can explore it all in only a few days. I’ve spent months in this amazing city and still have loads to see, but I’ve tried to pull together an itinerary which works to help you on your trip.
I’ve tried to balance this itinerary with architecture, art, history, museums, parks, palaces and fun but if you have a particular interest I’ve also included options for substitutes on each day if there’s something that particularly does or doesn’t appeal. Or just pick and mix the items on it you like.
I’ve spent a LOT of time compiling this and every recommendation has had thought put in to it, so I really hope it’s helpful!
Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- How much time is needed in London?
- Itinerary Day 1: City of London
- Itinerary Day 2: South Bank
- Itinerary Day 3: Westminster
- Itinerary Day 4: Bloomsbury & Covent Garden
- Itinerary Day 5: Marylebone & Kensington
- Itinerary Day 6: Greenwich
- Itinerary Day 7: A Day Trip
- Where to Stay in London
How much time is needed in London?
To really get a feel for London you’ll need at least a week – so I’ve pulled together an up to 7 day itinerary below. As a minimum I think you need 2 days to tick off the main sites.
However long you have, my itinerary is designed such that you can just select the days you like or mix and match if you want to. Alternatively if you have the minimum 2 days, you can also check out my slightly more ‘rush around the key sites’ 2 day itinerary HERE.
The itinerary below focuses a day on each area minimising travel time and rushing. I’ve seen so many London itineraries trying to fit all of this in to 2 or 3 days and honestly it’s not possible. Let’s go!
Itinerary Day 1: City of London
Now, I’m assuming you’ve already arrived in the capital late the previous day and have a full day. If you don’t, then I suggest making sure Day 1 is a full day because it’s probably the most site packed day of all.
Morning: St Paul’s Cathedral, St Dunstan in the East, Sky Garden or Leadenhall Market
Grab some breakfast and then start the day off at a London Icon – St Paul’s Cathedral. Be sure to spend an hour or so marvelling at the inside of one of England’s most historic buildings, before heading to a beautiful oasis in the centre of London – the stunning St Dunstan in the East. This park inside an old church is the perfect spot for a quick break, before finishing the morning off with a special lunch in Sky Garden (book ahead for a limited number of free entry tickets), for wonderful views out over London, or a more casual lunch in Leadenhall Market.
Afternoon: Tower of London, Tower Bridge, The Shard
After lunch, head to the Tower of London. Go and see the crown jewels first then take your time in the Tower Museum and book on to a Beefeater tour, as well as visit the spot where Anne Boleyn was beheaded. Then head across Tower Bridge, stopping to take in the exhibition within the Tower if that interests you. For drinks and a special dinner with a view head to The Shard, London’s tallest building – or for a more casual and less expensive option head to Hay’s Galleria.
Day 1 Alternatives & Extensions
- HMS Belfast – WW2 ship which you can board to explore the museum on board
- The Tate Modern – World famous art museum
- The Medieval Banquet – 4 course banquet and show
- Electric Shuffle -Retro style bar with shuffleboard games and pizza
- The Clink Prison Museum & Restaurant – Explore and dine in an old prison
- Jack the Ripper walking tour – leaves from Aldgate East
Itinerary Day 2: South Bank
Morning: Southwark Cathedral, Borough Market, Jubilee Walkway, London Eye, Southbank Centre
Today is a day spent exploring London’s cool South Bank, though we start the day just outside of the area with a quick visit to Southwark Cathedral, grabbing breakfast at Borough Market next door. This day is best to do on a sunny day as it’s then time to stroll along the river following the Jubilee Walkway which runs along the river, taking you past the South Bank Centre, National Theatre, lots of nice food stands, and the Grafitti Tunnel at Leake Street. All with wonderful views out across the River Thames. Finish the morning riding one of London’s most famous attractions, The London Eye for views out over the city followed by a pub lunch. Or if you’d like to save a bit of money head to the church tower of The Garden Museum for views and a tasty lunch in the café.
Afternoon: Imperial War Museum, Lambeth palace, Witness to the Prosecution
After lunch head to Lambeth Palace, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s home in London and book in advance on to a tour of one of the oldest buildings in London. Then to finish your day head to the Imperial War Museum to learn more about Britain’s roles in various wars, with a specific focus on WW1 and WW2. It’s a really sobering experience, but well worth it and worth at least 2-3 hours of your time, closing at 6pm just in time for a lovely riverside dinner. For the evening, head to County Hall to watch Witness to the Prosecution, a detective play set inside a real court house.
Day 2 Alternatives & Extensions
- Sea Life Aquarium
- London Dungeons – London’s gruesome past with real life actors
- Florence Nightingale Museum
- The Garden Museum – beautiful gardens with interesting museum
- The Grid – Sci Fi themed cocktail escape room
- Bounce – Cocktail bar with ping pong tables
- iMAX Theatre – for 3D films on the biggest screen in the UK
- Thames River Cruise
Itinerary Day 3: Westminster
Morning: St James’ Park, Buckingham Palace, Changing of the Guard
Now you can’t come to England and not visit The Queen! Start the day with a tour around Buckingham Palace (book ahead as they don’t run every day), before then getting ready outside for the changing of the guards at 11am. If your Day 3 falls on a day where the changing of the Guard isn’t happening, just swap days around to get this in. Finish your morning with a stroll through St James’ Park.
Afternoon: Trafalgar Square, 10 Downing Street, Houses of Parliament Tour, Westminster Abbey
After grabbing some lunch, head on to Trafalgar Square, and then to 10 Downing Street and on to the Houses of Parliament. Again I recommend a tour to learn about the British legal system in depth, including tours in to the House of Commons and Lords. Then to end the day head to Westminster Abbey (where Kate and Wills got married, and where many English monarchs are buried) for Evensong at 5pm, a truly magical experience. Finish up with dinner – I recommend Mio for unbeatable pizzas, or Aloo Toma for the most delicious Nepalese.
Day 3 Alternatives & Extensions
- Churchill War Rooms – Especially if you didn’t do the IWM on Day 2
- The National Gallery
- Afternoon tea on a London bus – Leaves from Trafalgar Square
- Shopping – Fortnum & Mason, Harvey Nichols and Harrods are all close by
Itinerary Day 4: Bloomsbury & Covent Garden
Morning: Granary Square, Russell Square, The British Museum
Start your day off in the Bloomsbury District at Granary Square, grabbing an early breakfast at Dishoom (incredible Irani/Indian food) and strolling along the canal side. Then head through the lovely London streets to Russell Park, particularly pretty on a sunny day. Then if you’re going to visit one museum in London (which would be a shame, there are lots of amazing ones), make it the The British Museum. Home to the Rosetta Stone, Parthenon Marbles, Lewis Chessmen and so much more, it’s easy to spend at least 2-3 hours here.
Afternoon: Covent Garden, Soho, West End Show
After finishing in the British Museum, head down to Covent Garden and grab a late lunch before exploring some of the most picture perfect streets in London including Neal’s Yard. Then head to Soho and explore some of the lovely shops in the area – be sure to check out Carnaby Street and Liberty, before finishing off the day with a West End show to suit your tastes.
Day 3 Alternatives & Extensions
- St Pancras Station – Including Platform 9 3/4 Harry Potter shop
- St Pancras Old Church and Gardens
- Charles Dickens Museum
- Postal Museum – including riding Rail Mail
- The Crystal Maze Experience – Interactive game based on the UK gameshow
- London Christmas lights tour – Route HERE (time of year dependent)
- The National Gallery
- Harry Potter Walking Tour – leaves from The Palace Theatre
Itinerary Day 5: Marylebone & Kensington
Morning: The Sherlock Holmes Museum, Madame Tussauds, Marble Arch
Today is spent in the area in and around Kensington, slightly out of the main centre of London. Start the day by paying tribute to an English Hero, Sherlock Holmes, in this small museum at 221B Baker Street. After that head to world famous Madame Tussauds to take photos with all the waxworks and then finish the morning with lunch near Marble Arch.
Afternoon: Hyde Park, Kensington Palace, V&A Museum, Royal Albert Hall
Stroll through Hyde Park to reach Queen Victoria’s home, Kensington Palace. It’s here I recommend sampling the English tradition of Afternoon Tea, which you’ve got to do at least once whilst in the capital – plus there are always some interesting exhibits on inside the Palace too. Then head on to the V&A Museum where you can spend a few hours browsing the collection, before exploring the Royal Albert Hall, and catching a show if you’re lucky with your timing.
Day 5 Alternatives & Extensions
- Regent’s Park
- Natural History Museum
- Peggy Porschen – for Insta worthy cakes
- Mayfair – stroll around one of the most expensive areas in London
- Science Museum
Itinerary Day 6: Greenwich
Morning: River Cruise, Royal Observatory, Planetarium
To start off Day 6, hop on a boat across the Greenwich. Start off the day visiting the Royal Observatory to cross the Prime Meridien line where east meets west and learn more about navigation over the years. Also head on to the Planetarium and catch a show to learn more about our solar system and beyond.
Afternoon: National Maritime Museum, Cutty Sark, North Greenwich Cable Car, O2
After lunch, pay a visit to the National Maritime Museum to delve deeper in to England’s naval history, and then step aboard the Cutty Sark – an old tea clipper which used to sail to China. You can even have afternoon tea on board if you’d like to. Then to finish off the day, head to the North Greenwich cable car over to the O2 for dinner, before heading back to your hotel.
Day 6 Alternatives & Extensions
- Greenwich Park
- Up at the O2 Climb – Harness up and climb the O2 dome for great views
- DLR and Docklands – Old London docks area, now a cool area of town with nice bars and views
Itinerary Day 7: A Day Trip
With a week in London it would be a shame not to see a bit more of England so it’s time for a day trip. Now, I’m assuming you’re departing on Day 8, but if you’re not – you may want to switch days 5 and 7 around so you have a full day for the day trip, and then the day you depart do as much as you can from Day 5. And if there’s a day in London that doesn’t massively appeal, just do another day trip instead.
Windsor Castle
Full post: Windsor Castle
If you like the Royals, visiting Windsor Castle is a must as it’s one of the Queen’s main residences. You can explore the grounds, chapel and certain areas inside the Castle for a really special royal day out.
Cambridge
Full post: Cambridge
Take an hour long direct train from King’s Cross to Cambridge to explore the historic University, go punting on the River Cam and maybe even visit a picture perfect English cottage or two.
Oxford
Full post: Oxford
Another short train journey away, Oxford is known as the city of dreaming spires. With a day in the city, you can visit the University, plus visit The Radcliffe Camera and see inside one of the most incredible libraries in the world.
Other Day Trip Options
- Highgate Cemetery – a unique gothic Victorian cemetery, home to Karl Marx
- Bletchley Park – visit the WW2 codebreakers and learn about their role in the war
- Salisbury and Stonehenge – World famous ancient site
- The Cotswolds – beautiful area of typical English countryside
- Brighton – for a beach trip in the summer
Where to Stay in London
There are literally hundreds of options of where to stay in London, and really as long as you’re fairly central it doesn’t matter too much. The average cost of a hotel room in London (at time of writing in 2022) is £172, but you can find places for much less if you don’t mind staying somewhere basic.
For me personally, I enjoy travelling to hotels which are in themselves part of the experience, but appreciate that isn’t everyone’s choice. If you’re like me, then I can recommend a few lovely ‘experience’ hotels in the capital which are worth it if you want to splash a bit on accommodation, even if for just 1 or 2 nights of your stay.
Treehouse Hotel
Treehouse Hotel – this is closest to the things in Day 4 of the itinerary and provides a lovely sustainable hotel option. The modern design and views out over London from the tub bath are what makes this hotel stand out.
Sea Containers
Sea Containers – this is closest to things in Day 2 of the itinerary and puts you central to the cool Southbank area of London. The balcony out over the Thames and wonderful spa are what make this hotel special.
The Megaro
The Megaro (review coming soon) – this is closest to day 4’s activities and is great if you love design and architecture. The unique rooms are beautiful and full of colour – you won’t find a more bold design choice than Megaro.
So what do you think? I’ve spent a long time compiling this guide and really hope you like some of my ideas if you’re planning a stay in the capital. And if you are using this guide to plan, just drop me any questions you might have in the comments below. It will also be constantly updated as I write more detailed posts on individual items, and experience new things in London so save it for the future as well if you’re planning on visiting one day. Thanks for reading – stay safe and happy travelling!
Barney Travel Technologies
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