London is such a huge city that you could spend weeks here just seeing the sights and visiting museums.
The reality is that a lot of us only get one day there and often, less than that. Whilst planning a one-day trip to London for myself (British) and my girlfriend (Canadian), I realized there wasn’t a single guide on what to do in your short trip. Alas, I decided to write my own travel guide.
Let’s assume that you’re an average person, you get into London at a reasonable time in the morning and either leave at night or go to your hotel at a normal time. This gives you 10 hours in the city to do activities (ignoring time to get to the first destination), from 9am in the morning ’til 7pm in the evening.
This plan will test the very limits of your endurance, your legs will burn but you will have every picture you could ever want. This is not for the feint hearted.
Why Bother?
I'm going to answer this question now because I know it'll be asked. Why not take a tour bus instead? Why not just see a few sights? Firstly, tour buses suck. Even the ones where you get on-and-off. You don't have complete control and there's just no need. Most of the main sights are within walking distance of each other and London is a beautiful city, get outside and enjoy it. Secondly, there's a lot of people who just want the pictures and they want to see what they've seen on television. This is designed for the person who wants to experience as much of London as possible in a single day, you're not going to do that from a bus. By walking the streets and cycling along the Thames you'll experience more of London than you would sat on a bus or on the tube.
If you actually are feint hearted, have trouble walking long distances or would just prefer a more casual day, then remove a few of the destinations that you are least interested in. This will help to pace your day but by following the same general route you will maximize the amount you see and reduce the time spent traveling between destinations.
Our Adventurers Route
Ignore the two separate routes.. the map app wouldn't let it be too long
9:00am - Arrive at Harrods
Harrods is a famous London department store. It was originally opened in 1834 and is currently owned by the State of Qatar. It's popular among the rich and famous, with anybody who is anybody being seen at Harrods at least once. It has six-floors of departments with everything from perfume to pet toys, all aimed at the luxurious among is. Harrods is a great experience, it's an opportunity to see the luxurious side of London and to gaze at the world-famous window displays.
You can find out more here: Harrods.com
Opening hours: Harrods Opening Hours
9:30am - Walk to Hyde Park
The walk to Hyde Park from Harrods only takes a few minutes at most. The reason why this guide has it taking a little longer is because we suggest that you walk to Hyde Park Corner instead. This way you'll get to walk by some pretty buildings including the Embassy of France and St Paul's Church.
9:40am - Arrive at Hyde Park
Hyde Park was opened in 1637, it's over 600 acres and one of the largest parks in London. It's one of the most popular parts of London and if you're visiting in summer it's an amazing place to visit, there's thousands of people sunbathing and playing football.
Find out more: Hyde Park information
You can find out more about the history of Hyde Park here .
10:30am - Walk to Buckingham Palace
Walking to Buckingham Palace from Hyde Park takes around 15-minutes and by walking along Constitution Hill you'll be able to experience some more of the green that London has to offer. Expect this to be busy anytime after noon.
10:45am - Arrive at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace is the London residency of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Originally, it was built in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham not for the monarch. It was eventually acquired by King George III in 1761 as a private house for Queen Charlotte. Buckingham Palace has become one of the most recognizable buildings across the world and it a tourist hot-spot.
One of the best things to see is the 'changing of the guards'. This is when the guards out the front of the Palace change over in a ceremonial march. These guards are normally still for hours on end, so it's extremely rare to get to see them move. You can find out when they are going to change here .
If you would like to tour the Palace or go into the gardens you can: Book tickets here
11:00am - Walk to Westminster
On the map below you'll see that you'll walk along Birdcage walk, but you can choose to walk through St James's park instead, it'll take a little longer but if it's a nice day out you'll be able to pass over the river and it's more scenic.
The walk that we have suggested talks around 10-minutes.
11:10am - Arrive at Westminster
Across from each other you'll find the Palace of Westminster (pictured below), which is the home of the House of Commons and across from it is Westminster Abbey. Both of these buildings have been in countless television shows and movies, making them hot-spots for tourists.
If you decide to ignore parts of this list, you can choose to visit the Palace. Most people don't realize it but you can actually enter into Westminster Palace and get a tour.
Learn more about tours here
11:30am - Walk to Big Ben
Big Ben is found on the East side of the Palace of Westminster, but it is a sight in its own right. Big Ben is one of the symbols of London that much of the world grew up seeing on postcards.
11:35am - Arrive at Big Ben
Big Ben, or as it is officially known "the Great Bell" of the Palace of Westminster, is one of the most famous sights of London. The tower itself is officially known as Elizabeth Tower as of 2012 , renamed to celebrate her diamond jubilee.
The clock was finished off in 1859 and was considered to be "the most accurate four-faced striking and chiming clock in the world". The clock face itself is 23-feet in diameter and the tower is 315-feet tall.
You can also tour the clock tower, getting to see the back of the dials and the mechanisms that control this famous clock. Find out more about the tours here.
11:40am - Walk to Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is a must-see for any history buff. Considered by some to be the most iconic part of London, Trafalgar Square is always busy. Unless you come before sunrise or after sunset, it's always going to be packed with tourists. Trafalgar Square is amazing in the summer, with two large fountains to sun yourself around, you'll find ice-cream and drinks for sale here too.
The walk only takes 15-minutes and along Whitehall you'll find plenty of iconic buildings including the Horse Guards Parade building and some of the military buildings and embassies.
11:55am - Arrive at Trafalgar Square
Named to commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar, it was completed in 1840. It's famous for its two fountains and Nelson's column which is protected by four lions.
If you visit within twelve-days either side of Christmas Day you'll find a huge Christmas tree which is donated by Norway each year. It becomes even busier over Christmas, as does the majority of London, but in summer it is especially busy because the fountains provide a well-needed break from the heat (in theory.. if there is any).
12:15pm - Walk to the London Eye
The walk to the London Eye from Trafalgar Square takes around 15-minutes and gives you a chance to cross the Golden Jubilee bridge. After the London Eye you'll pass back over the bridge to the Embankment, so remember where you are.
12:30pm - Arrive at London Eye
The London Eye is an attraction that divides people, some say that it's overpriced and a waste of money, but I believe that it's one of the most efficient ways to see the city.
The view isn't quite unrivaled anymore, the Shard has a far better view, but it's also more expensive and doesn't have the same experience. The London Eye is an easy way to see the whole of London, with a 360 degree view from your cozy-cabin, it's an excellent experience at a reasonable price.
You can book your tickets here .
13:15pm - Eat Lunch
Along the river between the London Eye and Waterloo bridge there is plenty of food. Don’t eat too much, Borough Market isn’t far!
There are loads of options for sit-in restaurants of street food, we would seriously suggest that you don't eat a huge amount if you're going to go to Borough Market after. Borough Market is famous for its food and you don't want to miss out, promise.
14:30pm - Walk to Embankment
You've seen this map already. As we mentioned before, you're going to want to go back to Embankment where you'll be able to walk alongside the river and find a bike station. Get a bike from here and cycle instead of walk.
14:45pm - Grab a Bike and Cycle Towards Borough Market
Cycling is one of the best ways to see London and along the route you'll be able to primarily stick to the 'super highway' which is limited to bicycles only, making tourists feel safer. It's an awesome view alongside the Thames. Also, if you're only using the bike for this journey (which we suggest), it'll be under 30-minutes and therefore it'll only cost the £2 access fee. You'll be expected to still use your credit/debit card but it won't be charged anymore if you return the bike within 30-minutes.
14:55pm - Pass by the Millennium Bridge and St Paul's
Millennium Bridge was made famous by television and film, whereas St Paul's cathedral has been famous for far longer. The cathedral was completed in 1697, dedicated to Paul the Apostle. It's been the site of many famous funerals including; Sir Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher.
You can tour the cathedral and the dome at the top, known at the whispering gallery: Book tickets here
15:05pm - Arrive at Borough Market
Borough Market. Londons home of food, it's open for a full-market from Thursdays - Sunday. This is one of the hottest spots in London not just for tourists but also for locals. No matter when you go, you will be shoulder-to-shoulder with everyone else, so if you don't like busy places then avoid this at all costs.
Learn more about the opening hours and the different stalls here .
15:50pm - Walk to London Bridge
The walk to London Bridge from Borough Market will only take 5-minutes at most. The market is actually located below the bridge. Expect the walk to be at a slow-pace, you'll be squeezing past the hordes of other tourists.
15:55pm - Arrive at London Bridge
London Bridge is, to be honest, a bit underwhelming. But it's en-route to Tower Bridge and right next to Borough Market, so you might as well step foot on it to say you've done it. You'll also by able to get a great look down the river for a fantastic view all-around.
16:05pm - Walk Past HMS Belfast
En-route to Tower Bridge you'll find HMS Belfast. For some people this might be worth a stop in itself, if this is the case then you'll want to remove at least one of the previous destinations. The Ship is large inside and can be toured. You can't see the entire ship, but you can explore a good amount of the main floor.
16:10pm - Arrive at Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge is another memorable location. It's the most famous bridge in London and is often confused as being 'the' London Bridge. It's consisted of two large towers each of which are 213-feet tall.
It's a suspension bridge that has a large opening to allow even the tallest ships through. If you see it in the early-morning or early-afternoon you'll often see a ship passing through which is an exciting experience.
If you really do wish to see the bridge lift then you can check the times here .
You can also walk along the walk-ways between the towers at a very reasonable cost. Find out more here .
16:30pm - Walk to the Tower of London
We've listed the walk as 10-minutes but it probably won't take even half of that... but, your legs are likely to be a little tired at this point!
16:40pm - Arrive at the Tower of London
The Tower of London is our favorite visitor attraction. There's an excellent guided-tour that is fun for children and adults alike. Our favorite part was getting to see the Crown Jewels , which also include some of the Royals other jewelry.
The 'Beefeaters' are extremely friendly and make sure that everyone is having a good time. After a long day of walking around the Capital it's a fantastic and easy-going way to finish off the day. You'll learn plenty about the history of the City and the tower itself. Whether you're a history-buff or not, this is a great attraction for any tourist who wants to learn more about the history of England and the City of London.
Book your tickets here and check out the opening times here .
17:30pm - Head for Food and Drinks at Sky Lounge
The Sky Lounge is a beautiful (but expensive) bar to finish off the day. It has a nice view out of the Thames and gives you the chance to put up your feet in style. It's not cheap and will be too expensive for some people to justify, but after a hard day being a tourist you deserve it!
19:00pm - Finish and Collapse
Hopefully you've enjoyed your day and didn't find it too exhausting. You'll have seen most of the cities sights and learned more about the history of London, we're looking forward to seeing you again soon. Next time spend some more time here and take the chance to check out Londons famous museums and art installations.