United Kingdom
London
United Kingdom
London
The fact that the British Empire had at one point conquered 25% of world’s landmass was truly an astonishing feat in human history. It explains much of the grandeur and social diversity that I’ve experienced in London. The co-existence of modern capitalism and imperial elitism in absolute authenticity gave London a dynamic feel that has a lot more depth than similar metropolises like New York City. This leisurely 3-day itinerary offers a perfect mix of the must-see attractions and opportunities to enjoy the cultures of the city.
FULL ITINERARY
- City
- Landmark
- Culture
- Traveled in July 2018
Day 1
Westminster
Visit a cluster of London’s most iconic landmarks such as Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament | Overnight in London
8:30 am
Arrival
- Getting to city center
Whether you arrive by flight or by train, the tube (subway) may be the most cost effective way to transit to city center for less than US$10 per person. Use Google Map or the Tube Map to find the appropriate lines. It may take about an hour to get to the city center from the airport.
Alternatively, taxi/ride share costs about US$40 per car and may still take 45 minutes – 1 hour to get to the city.
10:30 am
Buckingham Palace 🅐
The Royal Family’s residence requires no introduction, though I was more interested in the many Commonwealth memorials around it that spoke to the true power of the once great British Empire. Sooner or later, in my personal opinion, the Crown would become history and the Buckingham Palace a museum. It’s good to see it still alive today.
- Tips
Changing of guards ceremony is generally held every other day in front of Buckingham Palace at 11am. You’ll need to get there about an hour early to get a good spot.
12:00 pm
Lunch
2:00 pm
Westminster Abbey 🅑
One of the most famous churches in the world and the site of coronations, Westminister Abbey is a stunning place to visit. Expect to spend 1-2 hours inside.
- Visiting Information
Click here to see open hours. You can buy tickets online or at the door, but getting an advance ticket will help you skip the long queue. You would need to specify a date but not a time when buying ticket online.
3:30 pm
Palace of Westminster 🅒
The meeting place for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, Palace of Westminster is commonly known as the Houses of Parliament. The 19th-century masterpiece has over 1000 rooms and over 3 miles of passageways. Together with Big Ben, the 16-story clock tower at the eastern end, it is one of the best recognizable landmarks of UK.
- Tips
When either house is in session, visitor can sit in the public gallery and observe debates for free. You can find out when the parliament is in session by visiting www.Parliament.uk. Visitor entry is located at 3 St. Margaret’s Street.
On Wednesday mornings, the Prime Minister will address the House of Commons and during this time. Access during this time is limited to ticket holders only, who will need to request it from their Member of Parliament.
5:00 pm
London Eye 🅓
Frankly, I found a giant ferris wheel right next to London’s historical landmarks a bit odd. Since it’s impossible to ignore this on the bank of the Thames River, I thought we might as well check this out. The line was long but moved pretty fast. The ride was 30 minutes and I wished we could be up there longer. It can be a “thing” to do in London but I would not say this is a must-do.
- Visiting Information
Open Mon-Sun 11am-6pm. Expect to spend 30 minutes on the ride and 30 min waiting in line. You can get the ticket online in advance where you can save a few pounds, but you may lose the flexibility to change the plan if weather is not good that day.
6:30 pm
Dinner
Day 2
Tower & Camden
Learn about London’s history in the Tower of London, followed by panoramic view from the city's tallest building, then hang out in the counter culture neighborhood of Camden | Overnight in London
8:30 am
Tower Bridge 🅐
The Tower Bridge was built at the end of 19th century to connect East End of London and is still functioning today. A very touristy thing to do walking across it but felt like a must-do in London. No ticket needed unless you want to go up the towers and do the top level walkway. That felt even more touristy and we weren’t interested.
- Visiting Information
Tower bridge is open 24 hours to public access. If you’d like to visit the towers and upper walkway, it’s open Mon-Sun 9:30am-6pm. Expect to spend less than an hour here and add another hour for a tour up the towers.
9:30 am
St Katherine's Dock 🅑
Tucked away in a picturesque pedestrian area is St Katherine Docks, Central London’s marina. It’s a cute little place just steps away from the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge.
10:00 am
Tower of London 🅒
A royal fortress, a palace, a prison, a place of execution, and a protector of crown jewels, Tower of London is one of the major attractions in London to witness the luxurious and horrifying history of medieval England. Ghosts of queens and princes are said to haunt the sites of their execution, among them the infamous Anne Boleyn.
- Tips
A 700-year old tradition of Ceremony of the Keys is still performed every evening by the Yeoman Warders at 10pm. Limited visitors are allowed for free with advanced booking here.
- Visiting Information
Opening hours are Mon-Sun 10am – 6pm. Expect to spend 2-3 hours here.
12:30 pm
Lunch
2:00 pm
The Shard 🅓
The Shard is London’s tallest building. Its observatory deck, The View from The Shard, offers some fantastic 360° view of the London landscape. With some patience and a glass of wine, we were lucky to find a spot to sit down right by the window. I also must add that they have the best restroom with a view!
3:30 pm
Camden Town 🅔
I’m absolutely in love with this colorful, vintage, buzzing district that is the haven of London’s counter culture. Of all the wonders that London has to offer, this is the place that captivated me the most.
The punk music exploded in the 70s right here in Camden. This is the place that launched Pink Floyd, The Ramones, The Clash, and so many other legends that blazed the world with a revolutionary spirit and attitude. Having idolized them for decades in my youth, the significance of this place is extremely personal.
Today, Camden is still the place for alternative live music and performances. It’s also a fantastic place to shop and chill.
6:30 pm
Dinner
Day 3
West End & Tea
Explore other areas of interest but don’t forget to relax over English afternoon tea and catch a show at the West End theatre district | Overnight in London
8:30 am
English Breakfast
If you have not done so, I’d highly recommend having a proper English breakfast with the black pudding and all. It’s not too different from the American breakfast, but you can almost certainly find some nice breakfast spot to relax over a cup of tea.
10:30 am
Abbey Road 🅐
This is not a typical tourist destination but I can’t resist visiting this place and walking across the zebra crossing the same way the Beatles did in 1969.
The album Abbey Road is considered by many the Beatle’s greatest album and one of the greatest music albums in history. Photographer Iain Macmillan had only 10 minutes to shoot this cover photo while police held up the traffic. Today, numerous fans and tourists come to this street for photo ops while the street remains functional for traffic.
Alternatively, choose to visit whatever else draws your interest in London before heading to West End for the remainder of the day.
11:30 am
Covent Garden 🅑
Covent Garden is a lovely area to stroll around at West End. It’s a busy place with lots of restaurants and shops, but there’s a cultural and artsy atmosphere about it that feels very London-like. The famous fruit and vegetable indoor market is open 9am-5pm Monday thru Saturday. It’s a perfect place to grab a small snack before the afternoon tea.
1:30 pm
English Afternoon Tea 🅒
Nowhere else should you try something fancy like English afternoon tea than in its homeland. There are quite a few places to do this in London, and we chose Afternoon Tea at the Savoy and spent quite a few hours there. The atmosphere and service was impeccable. Every piece of sweets was a work of art. It was truly an elegant and royal experience, and the bill properly reflected that too. Don’t come here with a full stomach because there is a lot of food.
- Visiting Information
Afternoon Tea at the Savoy is open 2pm-7pm Monday thru Tuesday and 12pm-7pm Wednesday thru Sunday. We didn’t need a reservation when walked in. Expect to spend 2-3 hours here.
Click here to check menu and pricing.
4:30 pm
Piccadilly Circus 🅓
Built in 1819, Piccadilly Circus (meaning a roundabout) connects several major streets and is more of a busy traffic junction than an attraction itself. We chose to walk around the Piccadilly Circus area to digest the afternoon tea, while experiencing one of the most lively and happening area in London.
5:30 pm
Dinner
7:30 pm
West End Show 🅔
There are lots of debates about whether London’s West End or New York’s Broadway is better. They are two of the world’s greatest theatre districts. West End has a longer history than Broadway, and Broadway is generally more geared towards musical and family friendly shows. Both districts offer world-class productions and talents, but West End shows are much cheaper than Broadway shows.
For a Broadway fan like me, catching a West End show is one of the things that I’m most excited about in London. We chose to see a relatively new play “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie” at Apollo Theatre. It was not a classic but we still enjoyed it very much.