London 3 Day Itinerary
London 3-Day Itinerary
London's one-of-a-kind atmosphere is so energetic and addicting, but it's easy to get lost in all the bustle and miss some of the city's best attractions. In this itinerary, I will detail the best spots and activities this city has to offer while giving you plenty of time to walk around and explore this grand city. This schedule consists of 3 full days, not including the day of arrival or departure from London. Being a large metropolitan city, London has much more to provide than this short itinerary so feel free to stay a few more days and explore the grand city. Now prepare your cup o' tea as we explore this iconic city.
Located in the Business District, Borough Market is a bustling area full of restaurants and shops. We had a reservation at Sky Garden (definitely not worth visiting btw), so we could not sit down and enjoy a quality lunch. However, I recommend visiting Borough Market if you have more time. After Borough Market, you can follow the given route or cross the Millenium Bridge to reach Covent Garden. While I, personally, find no significance in the Millenium Bridge, many movie fans may be interested in crossing this landmark.
Your second day of vacation is significantly less exhausting than the prior. You will primarily be walking along the streets of London and visiting the British Museum. This day includes a lot of window shopping and museum touring which may be boring to some. For those who are uninterested, quickly visit the museum and Oxford Street in the morning and enjoy a tour atop the famous double-decker busses. Enjoy dinner at Flat Iron (the suggested restaurant) or explore a different restaurant near you.
As the royal family's official residence, Buckingham Palace is the king of all palaces. The castle's decor and history were prominent despite visiting only the select rooms that were displayed. I found Buckingham quite similar to the Royal Palace of Madrid we visited 2 years ago. Both had similar decor and style with the the palace in Madrid having slightly more rooms open to the public. However, I was unbothered by the lack of access as I find these large castles can become boring quite quickly. Once you exit the palace, be sure to visit the ice cream stand (I mentioned this stand in my London food blog as well.) Overall, I was impressed by Buckingham Palace and would recommend visiting the interior if you are traveling in the summer, Buckingham Palace does not welcome visitors any other season.
Running perpendicular to Oxford Street, you may already be somewhat familiar with this shopping avenue. While the street continues both ways from Oxford Street, most shops lie south. The one store you can not miss is Hamleys, the world's oldest and largest toy emporium in the world. With 7 brilliant floors of crafts and delights, Hamleys is an exciting visit even if you have outgrown many of the toys they offer. After touring the department store, head over to Kricket Soho, our favorite restaurant in London. Kricket is an elevated Indian kitchen that serves unique food and dishes. We had Kricket on our first day in London but I've saved this treat for last on your final day in London.
Day 1: Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Borough Market, Covent Garden, Outernet London
Day 2: British Museum, Mercatto Mayfair, Oxford Circus & Oxford Street
Day 3: Big Ben & House of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Hamleys & Regent Street
Day 1
Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Borough Market, Covent Garden, Outernet London
On your first full day in London, you should tour the Tower of London and surrounding areas. Day 1 of this itinerary has by far the most walking, so make sure you are prepared for the weather. (London's weather is very chaotic. It is 50% of the time cold, 50% of the time warm, and 100% of the time raining) If you find this plan to have too much walking, visit St. Paul's Cathedral rather than hiking towards Covent Garden. You should not follow this plan on the day you arrive (even if you arrive early) because the walk is too draining after a jet-lagged flight. I recommend reserving tickets in advance for the Tower of London, a personal favorite which you can't miss.
Tower of London
Start your journey at the world-famous, Tower of London. This landmark was originally a fortress commissioned by William the Conqueror to express the Norman's power. Throughout the years, the Tower of London has served many other purposes, including a prison and royal palace. To learn more about the tower's fascinating history, join a Yeoman Warder as they tour this landmark for free. Yeoman Warders are the ceremonial guards of the Tower of London and provide quality tours every 30 minutes. However, the Yeoman Warders do not have microphones so it may be difficult to hear with large crowds and windy weather. We stayed for the entire tour, but you can always join and leave tours as you wish. After completing your tour, wait in line to examine the world-famous Crown Jewels. While the line may seem endless, we found the wait fairly short. Once you enter, large crowns and swords will adorn the walls, but they'll all seem to be missing their gems! This is because the crown jewels are taken out of every crown and reused for every coronation. You can find the Koh-i-Noor and other stones later on in the exhibits. Besides the crown jewels and tour, there is little to see at the fortress. Take a quick pit stop at the gift shop (I convinced my parents to get a large statue of a knight in detailed armor) before making your way toward the next stop on our route.
Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge is one of the most iconic landmarks in the world. Its Victorian architecture and proximity to the Tower of London have only escalated the bridge's popularity. Despite all of its fame, Tower Bridge is not worth crossing. Take a quick picture of the bridge and make your way toward Borough Market.
Borough Market
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a vibrant setting in London's West End, known for its lively atmosphere and rich cultural scene. Each street is adorned with restaurants and shops of different cuisines and styles. You can also find street performers executing acts in the bustling squares. I have found London's street performers to be profoundly underwhelming. The first act we watched was a man simply jumping over three crouched men. The crew excited the crowd before the jump and received some generous donations from anticipating viewers. This mediocre performance is a perfect example of why I recommend waiting till the end to show my thanks. The second show featured a Filipino man playing diabolo and climbing a ladder. His frequent shouts of "HATCHA" and "BABA FOR YOU" led to rounds of uncomfortable laughter and applause. I doubt the man received much charity after completing his quirky act. In contrast to these shows, Covent Garden has many impressive restaurants. We ate a Lahpet, a Burmese restaurant near the market (learn more about the best restaurants in London here) Another popular option at Covent Garden is Dishroom, a famous Indian restaurant.
Outernet London
We found the Outernet completely by accident when walking back to our hotel. The large cube has giant screens wall to wall which display mesmerizing short films and commercials. Packed with high-quality images and bright lights, the Outernet is an undiscovered attraction in the bustling city. While you don't have to stay long, this free exhibit is an interesting sight to behold.
After leaving the Outernet, it is time to return to your hotel. I'm sure you'll be tired but don't sleep too long, because another exciting day of travel awaits you tomorrow.
Day 2
British Museum, Mercatto Mayfair, Oxford Circus & Oxford Street
British Museum
If you're visiting London, it is impossible to miss the world-class (and free) museums the city has to offer. While we didn't have time to enjoy the National Gallery, the British Museum was astounding. Large display cases and podiums showcased the amazing feats of art throughout history and across the globe. While the British Museum likely stole these artworks unjustly, the number of masterpieces that decorate the halls is one to boggle at. I am not a large fan of museums, but we stayed a while admiring the artist's skill and dedication. The most interesting rooms in the museum are definitely the Egyptian room and the nearby Ancient Greek room containing the notorious Elgin Marbles. (The Elgin Marbles are statues from the Parthenon which Elgin bought from the Ottoman Empire during their occupation of Greece. While many Greek activists and historians have argued for the return of these statues, the British Museum has refused these requests.) If you finish your journey before lunch, visiting the National Gallery is a great pastime. After you've had your share of museums, head over to Mercatto Mayfair.
Mercatto Mayfair
Originally serving as a church, Mercatto Mayfair was repurposed into a food market and tourist attraction. No more listening to the humdrum of pastors; you're on vacation! Depending on your appetite after leaving the museum, you can walk straight to Mercatto Mayfair via some less crowded streets parallel to Oxford Street or window shop on the popular avenue during your journey. Mercatto Mayfair is limited in options with many areas serving alcoholic drinks, but there is a steak shop located on the second floor. There is also an ice cream parlor but the serving sizes are small. Even if you don't get lunch at Mercatto Mayfair, it is worth visiting as you walk along Oxford Street.
Oxford Street & Oxford Circus
The busiest place in London, Oxford Street is a bustling mayhem. The avenue includes some of the world's largest brands showcasing their best apparel and items. While I'm not a big fan of shopping, it can be fun to look around and explore. Oxford Street also neighbors the Theatre District, basically the Broadway of the East. You can find many world-class productions and playwrights performed in these large theaters. After shopping, enjoy a dinner at Flat Iron, a fantastic steak house in Marylebone. If you already had steak at Mercatto Mayfair, try other dining options. Chinatown is just a few minutes walk from the street with hotpot and dim sum restaurants on every street.
Day 3
Big Ben & House of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Hamleys & Regent Street
On your last day of travel, you can explore London's most iconic buildings and institutions. While these architectural feats entertain many travelers, few sights require touring and visiting. I did not include Westminster Abbey in this plan as it resembles many European churches. If this is your first European excursion, I recommend visiting Westminster Abbey; however, those who have traveled before may find the tour stale. While I recommend starting at Big Ben and walking toward Regent Street, you may start with Regent Street and travel south toward Buckingham Palace depending on where your hotel is. Many guides also recommend visiting Hyde Park, but the area is like many American arboretums and parks.
Big Ben & House of Parliament
With the largest iconography in the city, Big Ben is synonymous with London's landscape. The large clock tower stands over the River Thames, a beacon of English identity and democracy. While Big Ben is such an important landmark, touring the tower and climbing its stairs is laborious. Instead, just take a picture in front of the tower (and try to capture some iconic red buses in the photo as well). After you have taken enough photos or been shoved around by the large crowds, head over to Buckingham Palace, taking a quick stop to look at Westminster Abbey.
Buckingham Palace
Hamleys & Regent Street
It was a lot of fun visiting London and writing this itinerary so everybody else can experience what I felt on this well-deserved vacation. I came back from London with so many memories (an' maybe even a bri'ish accent). I hope you enjoyed this itinerary and continue to explore the many articles and features 3ts has to offer. Cheerio!
Comments
Post a Comment