Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1 Arrival & Westminster
Morning Arrival in London & Check-in
Land at London Heathrow Airport (LHR), the UK's largest international hub. The fastest way into central London is the Heathrow Express train to Paddington Station — it runs every 15 minutes and takes just 15 minutes with no stops. Tickets cost £25 one way if booked online in advance (up to £37 on the day). A cheaper alternative is the Elizabeth Line (formerly TfL Rail) which takes 30-45 minutes to Paddington for just £12.80 peak or £5.50 off-peak with a contactless card. From Paddington, take the Tube to your hotel. Drop off your bags and step out for your first English breakfast at a nearby café: a proper Full English with eggs, bacon, sausages, baked beans, toast, grilled tomatoes, and a strong cup of tea — the perfect fuel for a full day of sightseeing. Wander through the streets of your neighbourhood to get your bearings before the afternoon's grand introduction to Westminster.
Afternoon Westminster — Big Ben, Parliament & the Abbey
Head to the political and historical heart of London: Westminster. Start at Parliament Square for the classic photograph of the Elizabeth Tower housing Big Ben, the iconic 13.5-tonne bell that has chimed the hours since 1859. The Palace of Westminster, a masterpiece of Gothic Revival architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been the seat of the British Parliament for over 700 years. If Parliament is in session, you can attend debates from the public galleries for free — a unique experience in one of the world's oldest democracies. Cross the street to Westminster Abbey, the royal church where every English and British monarch has been crowned since 1066. Walk through centuries of history: the Coronation Chair used since 1308, the tombs of 17 monarchs including Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots, Poets' Corner with memorials to Shakespeare, Dickens, and Austen, and the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior. After the Abbey, stroll through St James's Park — London's oldest Royal Park — with views of Buckingham Palace across the lake and pelicans that have lived here since the 1660s.
Evening Dinner in Covent Garden
Spend your first London evening in Covent Garden, one of the city's most vibrant and atmospheric neighbourhoods. The historic covered market, originally a fruit and vegetable market dating to the 1600s, is now home to boutique shops, street performers, and a fantastic food scene. Watch world-class buskers perform in the cobblestoned piazza — you might catch opera singers, acrobats, or magicians performing under the Victorian glass roof. For dinner, the area offers everything from traditional British gastropubs to upscale international cuisine. Try Flat Iron for a legendary £14 steak, Rules (London's oldest restaurant, est. 1798) for classic British game and pies, or Dishoom for award-winning Bombay-style comfort food. After dinner, wander through the beautifully lit market hall and surrounding streets — Neal's Yard with its colourful buildings is particularly photogenic at night. End with a craft cocktail at one of the area's hidden speakeasies.
Day 2 British Museum & Tower of London
Morning The British Museum — Treasures of Humanity
Arrive early at the British Museum in Bloomsbury, one of the world's greatest museums and home to over 8 million objects spanning two million years of human history. Entry is completely free — one of London's great gifts to visitors. Start in the Great Court, the spectacular glass-roofed central hall designed by Norman Foster, the largest covered public square in Europe. Head straight to Room 4 for the Rosetta Stone, the key that unlocked the mystery of Egyptian hieroglyphics in 1799. Continue to the Egyptian galleries (Rooms 62-63) for the extraordinary collection of mummies and sarcophagi. The Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon in Athens fill Room 18 with their breathtaking classical sculpture. Don't miss the Lewis Chessmen (Room 40), the Sutton Hoo Anglo-Saxon treasures (Room 41), and the Assyrian lion hunt reliefs (Room 10) — among the finest carved panels in existence. The museum is vast, so focus on 3-4 departments to avoid exhaustion.
Afternoon Tower of London & Tower Bridge
Take the Tube to Tower Hill and step into nearly 1,000 years of English history at the Tower of London. Founded by William the Conqueror in 1066, this UNESCO World Heritage fortress has served as a royal palace, prison, armoury, treasury, and zoo. Start with the Crown Jewels exhibition in the Jewel House — the queue moves on a travelator past the dazzling Imperial State Crown (set with 2,868 diamonds), the Sovereign's Orb, and the Koh-i-Noor diamond. Join a free Yeoman Warder ('Beefeater') tour — these retired military veterans deliver brilliantly entertaining 60-minute walks through the fortress, filled with tales of executions, escapes, and royal intrigue. Explore the White Tower, the original Norman keep built in 1078, housing the Royal Armouries collection with Henry VIII's armour. Visit the Chapel of St John, the oldest church in London. Look for the Tower ravens — legend says the kingdom will fall if the six ravens ever leave. After the Tower, walk across the Victorian Gothic Tower Bridge and visit its glass-floored walkways 42 metres above the Thames for spectacular views up and down the river.
Evening Pubs & Dinner at Borough Market
Cross to the South Bank for an authentic London evening in the Southwark area. Start at Borough Market, London's oldest and most celebrated food market, operating on this site since 1756 (with roots going back to the 13th century). While the main market closes at 17:00, several of its restaurants and bars stay open for dinner. Try Padella for hand-rolled pasta (no reservations — the queue is legendary but moves fast), Roast for elevated British seasonal cuisine in the spectacular Victorian market hall, or Brindisa for Spanish tapas with the best jamón in London. After dinner, experience a proper London pub crawl along the riverside. The George Inn on Borough High Street is London's last surviving galleried coaching inn (owned by the National Trust, mentioned by Dickens). The Anchor Bankside has been serving pints since 1615 with views across to St Paul's Cathedral. Order a pint of real ale — London Pride, Doom Bar, or a local craft IPA — and soak in centuries of drinking history.
Day 3 London Eye, South Bank & Kensington
Morning London Eye & South Bank Walk
Start your morning at the London Eye, the iconic 135-metre observation wheel on the South Bank of the Thames. Since opening for the Millennium in 2000, it has become one of London's most recognisable landmarks. Each rotation takes approximately 30 minutes in one of 32 glass capsules, offering spectacular 360-degree views stretching up to 40 km on a clear day — you can see Windsor Castle to the west and the North Downs to the south. The views of the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, and the river are unbeatable. After the Eye, stroll along the South Bank — London's cultural mile stretching east along the river. Pass the brutalist Southbank Centre (home to the Royal Festival Hall), browse the second-hand book stalls under Waterloo Bridge (open daily, a London institution since the 1980s), and admire the exterior of the Tate Modern housed in the dramatic converted Bankside Power Station. Walk past the reconstructed Shakespeare's Globe Theatre — a faithful replica of the 1599 original where the Bard's plays were first performed. The entire riverside walk is pedestrianised and buzzing with street performers.
Afternoon Kensington — Natural History Museum & Hyde Park
Take the Tube to South Kensington and explore one of London's grandest museum quarters. The Natural History Museum is a spectacular Romanesque cathedral of science — the building itself, designed by Alfred Waterhouse in 1881, is as jaw-dropping as its contents. Enter through the main Cromwell Road entrance to be greeted by the stunning Hintze Hall, dominated by a 25-metre blue whale skeleton named Hope suspended from the ceiling. The Dinosaur Gallery houses an animatronic T-Rex and one of the finest fossil collections in the world. The Earth Hall features a dramatic escalator ride through a rotating globe into the geology galleries. The Wildlife Garden and Darwin Centre are also worth exploring. If you prefer art and design, the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) next door is the world's largest museum of applied and decorative arts — free entry and equally extraordinary. After your museum visit, walk through the tunnel to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens — 350 acres of green space in the heart of London. Visit the Albert Memorial, the Serpentine Lake, the Italian Gardens, and Kensington Palace (the former home of Queen Victoria and current residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales).
Evening West End Theatre Show & Dinner in Soho
No trip to London is complete without a West End show. London's Theatreland, concentrated around Shaftesbury Avenue and the Strand, is the world's oldest and arguably finest commercial theatre district, with over 40 venues staging everything from blockbuster musicals to cutting-edge drama. Current long-running favourites include Les Misérables (the world's longest-running musical), The Phantom of the Opera's successor, Hamilton, Wicked, and The Mousetrap (Agatha Christie's murder mystery running continuously since 1952 — the world's longest-running play). Most evening shows start at 19:30. Before or after the show, dine in nearby Soho — London's most eclectic food neighbourhood. Chinatown on Gerrard Street offers excellent dim sum and roast duck. Kingly Court is a three-storey food court with diverse cuisines. For a classic, try Barrafina for Spanish tapas at the counter, or Bao for Taiwanese steamed buns. The area buzzes late into the night with bars, live jazz clubs, and people-watching on Old Compton Street.
Day 4 Buckingham Palace, St Paul's & Departure
Morning Buckingham Palace & the Changing of the Guard
Head to Buckingham Palace for one of London's most iconic free spectacles: the Changing of the Guard. This colourful military ceremony takes place at 11:00 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays (daily in summer) and lasts about 45 minutes. The New Guard marches from Wellington Barracks down Birdcage Walk with a military band playing, while the Old Guard hands over responsibility for protecting the Palace. Arrive by 10:15 to secure a good viewing spot at the Palace railings or on the Victoria Memorial steps. The Palace itself, with its 775 rooms, has been the official London residence of the British sovereign since 1837. During summer (July-September), the State Rooms are open to visitors — a rare chance to see the opulent interiors including the Throne Room, Picture Gallery (with works by Rembrandt, Rubens, and Vermeer), and the Grand Staircase. After the ceremony, walk down The Mall — the grand ceremonial avenue lined with Union Jack flags — past St James's Palace (the oldest Tudor palace in London, built by Henry VIII in the 1530s) and Clarence House.
Afternoon St Paul's Cathedral — Dome Climb
Take the Tube to St Paul's for your final great London landmark: Sir Christopher Wren's masterpiece, St Paul's Cathedral. Built between 1675 and 1710 after the Great Fire of London destroyed the medieval original, its dome is one of the largest in the world at 111 metres high and dominates the City of London skyline. Start inside the cathedral to admire the stunning mosaics, the American Memorial Chapel dedicated to the 28,000 Americans who died in WWII while based in Britain, and the tombs of the Duke of Wellington and Lord Nelson in the crypt. Then undertake the legendary dome climb — 528 steps in three stages. First, the Whispering Gallery at 30 metres, an acoustic marvel where a whisper against the wall can be heard clearly on the opposite side 34 metres away. Next, the Stone Gallery for outdoor panoramic views. Finally, the Golden Gallery at the very top of the outer dome — the highest accessible point in the City of London with breathtaking 360-degree views over Tower Bridge, the Shard, the Gherkin, and the Thames curving towards Westminster. It's the perfect farewell panorama of London.
Evening Departure — Airport Transfer
Time to say goodbye to London. Head back to your hotel to collect your luggage and make your way to the airport. For Heathrow, the Heathrow Express from Paddington takes 15 minutes (£25 online, trains every 15 minutes) or the Elizabeth Line takes 35-50 minutes (£12.80 peak). For Gatwick, the Gatwick Express from Victoria takes 30 minutes (£19.90 online). For Stansted, the Stansted Express from Liverpool Street takes 47 minutes (£17 online). If you're heading to Paris via Eurostar, St Pancras International is your departure point — check in at least 30 minutes before departure. Allow plenty of time: London traffic can be unpredictable, and airport security queues at Heathrow can be lengthy during peak hours. If you have a late flight, use the luggage storage at your terminal to explore the airport shops — Heathrow Terminal 5 has excellent shopping including Fortnum & Mason, Harrods, and World Duty Free for last-minute gifts of English tea, shortbread, and Scotch whisky.