3-Days London

Itinerary: The Best

Things To See And Do.
London Itinerary Planning Tips..................................................................3
How to get to London. ................................................................................3
How to move around London. ...................................................................3
London Pass- What is it and is it worth? ....................................................4
The best day trips from London.................................................................5
Where to stay in London for 3 days........................................................... 6
London Itinerary travel resources. .............................................................8
Complete 3-days London itinerary. ..........................................................9
London itinerary day 1: Exploring the City of London ......................... 10
London itinerary day 2: Waterloo and Central London. ....................... 15
London itinerary day 3: Notting Hill, Museums and Covent Garden..20
If you have more than 3 days- Alternative visits in London..................23
Conclusion.................................................................................................24
London is one of the most stunning cities in Europe, which plenty of things to see and do.

With such a vast offer, choosing the right London itinerary can be challenging for first-time
visitors. On top of it, the distances in London are also huge, so it is vital that you choose
your London itinerary wisely to make the most of your time.

After 7 years of living and working in London, we have prepared our recommended 3-days
London itinerary. On it, you’ll find the city’s highlight, travel resources, and some personal
recommendations.

We have also included a helpful map, to make it easier for you to explore the areas and to
know what to expect from each day

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London Itinerary Planning Tips
Every trip needs a little bit of planning, especially a 3-days trip to London.

We want to make sure you are going to make the most of your time in London, so we have
prepared all the things you need before starting your trip. We’ll cover things like knowing
how to move around, best areas where to stay in London, day trips and more.

How to get to London.

If you are coming to London, the most likely is that you are flying to one of its many
airports.

The good thing is that every airport has good connections with the city, being it normally
an easy journey. Also, most of the airports will give you the option to get to the city center
by bus (budget option), and also by train (normally fastest).

In addition, every airport will have plenty of information points and stands where to buy
your train and bus tickets on site. Although you can do it if you want, you do not need
to buy the tickets in advance. We promise, it has been 7 years here and we have used
every single airport and never had an issue.

If you still want to buy your train o rail tickets in advance, check national express for coach
connections from Stansted. The rest of the airports, offer tube and train connections which
is easy and fast to get on site.

Pro tip: Do not exchange money at the airport. Instead, use a debit card like Revolut to
withdraw money from the ATM’s in the airports for FREE. Is the easiest and cheapest way to
have pounds from the beginning. Most of the ATM’s will not charge to withdraw money.

How to move around London.

London is really easy to explore by using public transport. In addition, most of the sights
are within walking distances concentrated in certain areas.

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In the 3-days London itinerary below, we have minimized the amount of transport you
need to take so you can explore it mostly on foot.

If you are not planning on taking a lot of public transportation, which is the aim of our
proposed itinerary, the best way to move around London is using an Oyster card. An
Oyster card is simply a card you can top up as you use it. You can order it online if you
want, although you can get one easily at any station or airports.

Alternatively, if you think you will cover most of the sights by public transport, you can buy
a daily travel card. You can check fares for traveling in London here.

Lastly, there are many cabs all around London, and Uber is a good way to travel a bit more
in comfort or maybe for not so well connected areas. So downloading the Uber app would
be a good thing to do.

Pro-tip. Download the app Citymapper. This is the one we always use and is the best one.
It will give you several choices on how to get from point A to B via tube, bus, etc, and will
even include the price. It even has the tube map which you can see offline. There is no way
you get lost in London with this.

London Pass- What is it and is it worth?

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The London Pass is a sightseer credits package which gives you access to a choice of over
80 popular tourist attractions in the city. It’s available for either 1, 2, 3, 6, or 10 consecutive
days.

If you want to see what’s included, you can do it here.

In our opinion, the London Pass will save you money only if you are planning on visiting
many sights and you have at the very least 3 days in London. Otherwise and to try to make
it worth it, you’ll spend the whole day visiting things rather than enjoying the London
experience itself.

In other words, most of the coolest things for your first visit to London are for free, so
if you ask me, I would not use the London Pass. But again, that is only my personal
opinion, because I rather see more things that lose a whole day visiting just a few. Having
said so, I encourage you to check and put on paper the sights you want to visit and
compare their prices with London Pass price. That way, you will really know if it is worth it
or not.

The best day trips from London

There are many amazing things to see and do in London. But there are also many pretty
little towns and sights nearby London which can make a great alternative for any day.

Our favourites best day trips from London are:

• Oxford. Oxford is one of the easiest and cheapest day trips from London. It is a pretty
town, well known for the Oxford University, Bodleian Library and more. Check here for
things to do in Oxford.

• Cambridge. Cambridge is another easy day trip from London and really similar to
Oxford. The city is by the River Cam, making it a really picturesque town. Check here for
things to do in Cambridge.

• Windsor. Windsor castle and town, are truly a beautiful way of spending your day. The
castle is astonishing, as it is the visit to the interior which offers plenty to see. Then you
can end up with a nice lunch somewhere in the little town for a perfect day. Check here
for things to do in Windsor.

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• Canterbury. Who does not know about the Canterbury Tales? This magical town and its
impressive cathedral are one of the top choices for a day trip from London. Get lost
between its ancient walls and lively pubs, and admire some reminiscent Costwolds
architecture. Check here for things to do in Canterbury.

• Brighton. Brighton is a lively city located in the south of London, easily reachable by a
one hour train (approx.) The town is also known for its nightlife, arts scene, shopping,
and festivals. On a sunny day, a stroll through the colourful and vibrant streets of
Brighton is a great plan. Check here for things to do in Brighton.

• Bath Spa. Although Bath Spa is a bit further and a more expensive day trip compared to
the previous ones, it is also one of the most beautiful places in the UK. Famous for
the Thermae Bath Spa, there is plenty to see in this city designated a UNESCO World
Heritage Site. Exploring the city on foot and taking a bike to explore the rural area of
Bath, is one of the best days plans you can find. Check here for things to do in Bath.

• Stonehenge. Stonehenge is perhaps the world’s most famous prehistoric monument

and a very common day trip from London. You can book a half day tour from London
here.

• Harry Potter Studios. A really popular option for all Harry Potters fans is the visit to the
astonishing Harry Potter Studios, located only a few miles to the north of London. Check
here for more information

Where to stay in London for 3 days.

Choosing the right place where to stay in London is really important. You’ll want to reduce
to the minimum the transportation time for a couple of reasons:

• The obvious one, time. If you don’t choose the right area, it will easily take you up 1
hour to get there from the sights. Also, take into account that although you might pay
more in a central location, you are also paying for your time and will decrease the
number of tubes you need (which equals money)

• Engineering works. The tube performs engineering works which can only be done
during weekends so work during weeks is not disrupted. This could seriously impact

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 your traveling time if your hotel is by a line with only one tube connection and that
one is not working.

So our recommendation is to stay somewhere central, ideally never further than zone

2, and close to a tube station. Some of our suggested hotels in terms of price of locations
are:

• Warwick – By Sojourn. Located in Westminster Borough and nearby many of the

important sights.

• Marylebone Inn. A 5-minute walk from Baker Street Underground Station and 10
minutes from Oxford Street.

• Days Hotel Waterloo. This London hotel is a 10-minute walk

from Waterloo International Station and near the London Eye.

• Point A Hotel London Kings Cross – St Pancras. Situated a 5-minute walk

from King’s Cross train station, 1.1 miles from British Museum and 1.3 miles from
Dominion Theatre

• The Z Hotel Piccadilly. The Z Hotel Piccadilly is in the heart of London’s West End and

offers compact and luxurious accommodation with a contemporary design. Leicester
Square, Piccadilly Circus, and Trafalgar Square are all within a 5-minute walk from the
hotel.

There are of course way better hotels, but also way more expensive.

In any case, if you want to see the best hotel offers in London, click here.

Where to stay in London on a budget: Best hostels in London.

• Palmers Lodge – Hillspring at Willesden Green. With a clean and fresh touch, Palmers
Lodge is a great choice where to stay on a budget. Although is not located in the city
center, is just nearby the tube, making it easy to connect with the city center.

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 • PubLove @ The White Ferry, Victoria. Located right above a London classic it is close
to all major tourist attractions and transport hubs.

• 247 London Studios. These studios, are only 15mins by tube to central London.
There’s no curfew so you can discover our beautiful city on your own terms and they
have all that you need for a pleasant and cheap stay.

• Hostel One Camden. Claimed to be designed and run by backpackers, for

backpackers. It is located in Camden, where is easy to connect to London highlights.

These are some of the best in relation to the quality, location, and price overall.

In any case, if you want to see further budget options, click here.

London Itinerary travel resources.

When it comes to general information and what’s going on in London, there are mainly 3
sites we normally check.

Visit London, which has a lot of information about anything you might want to know about
in the city. They also write about things to do, food, events coming, etc.

The second one is TimeOut London. Keeping you always up to date to the latest London
events, attractions, festivals, etc.

If you need to book activities or tours in advance, you should check your options in
GetYourGuide.

Pro-tip: Check these websites well in advance your trip for the dates you are planning to
stay in London. You might find some really cool gigs, shows, events or anything else to do
you did not even know about.

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Complete 3-days London itinerary.
Let’s get into the action!

This 3-days London Itinerary means to cover the main London attractions and highlights.
Although it is specially designed for first-time visitors, it could help as inspiration for
anyone.

Also, you can decide in which direction you want to do each of the proposed itineraries.
We recommend doing the proposed way for the reasons we’ll explain for each journey
below. Also, it is really important to take into account the timetables of the places you
want to visit to make sure you follow a logic route according to which places you want to
visit.

Click here to see the map on Google maps.

How to read the map: Click the icon in the top left-hand corner of the map to view the
points of interest and the walking route. To see it full screen, just click the icon on the top-
right. You can click the check marks to hide or show layers. By clicking the icons on the
map, you will get more information about each point of interest.

There is a star next to the title of the map, if you click it, this map will be added to your
Google Maps account. Then you can view it on your phone or computer by opening

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Google Maps, click the menu button, go to “Your Places,” click Maps, and you will see this
map on your list.

Legend: The camera icon means is a landmark. If there is a star, means is an area of
interest. Finally, you have museums and food icons.

London itinerary day 1: Exploring the City of London

The itinerary for this first day can be started from St Paul or the Sky Garden, so it is really
your choice.

However, if you do it this way, you’ll have fewer crowds in St Paul, which is normally a hot
spot, you’ll be in the amazing borough market by lunchtime, and maybe you can even
make time to see an amazing sunset from the Sky garden.

This route has been done to explore London on foot and has a total of 4 kilometers
approximately.

St. Paul Cathedral.

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St. Paul’s Cathedral is one of the most important landmarks in London. It is a beautiful and
impressive piece of architecture and feels as if is been trapped in time.

In addition, it plays an important role in London’s history. Not only is St. Paul’s perched on
the highest point of the City of London, but it’s also the second largest church building in
the UK, and one of the oldest landmarks in London.

By starting your day in St Paul, you will be able to see it with less tourist in a more relaxed
way. If you want to visit the inside, we recommend you book your tickets online to avoid
queues and to go straight in.

Once you are done visiting St. Paul, we recommend you to head to the vibrant Borough’s
Market, via the distinctive Millenium Bridge. From here, you can also take some good
pictures looking back to St. Paul and also from the city. After crossing the bridge, you will
also pass through the curious Shakespeare Globe theatre. Although there is an entrance
fee, you can see the exhibition museum for free.

Borough Market.
Borough Market is a pleasure for the senses and one of the oldest food markets in London.

Here, you can find anything from cheese, fresh meat and fish, flowers, wine, etc. There is a
big variety of food stalls where to choose from.

The market is normally open from 10 am to 5 pm and is closed on most Sundays during
the year. Check the hours ahead of time when planning your day.

From here, you are just a few steps far from the famous London Bridge.

London Bridge.
London Bridge is one of the most famous spots in London and it is a great viewpoint
towards Tower Bridge.

There is also a really interesting activity nearby, called the London Bridge Experience.
Here, you can learn about London history on a different and “darker” way. You should take
a look if you’d like to do something different.

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From here, you can already see the Shard and maybe even look for a spot where it fits in
your picture before getting too close.

The Shard.

The Shard is said to be the new modern icon from London. The building is mainly used for
offices, but it also offers a hotel, several restaurants, and shops.

Standing at almost 310 metres, the Shard is one of the tallest building in Western Europe.

From floors 68-72, and 244m above the city, The View from The Shard offers visitors
unobstructed 360-degree, 40-mile views across the London skyline and beyond.

The price to get to the top, at £27.20 is not cheap. This attraction will be included though
in case you decided to take the London Pass. If you ask me, it does not worth it, because
you have free options which I honestly like even more. Read the pro-tip below to learn
them.

From here, you just a have a close walk to Tower Bridge.

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Pro-tip. There are a few restaurants in the Shard on level 31 and 32. You could simply go
the Shard reception, and say you are going up for a drink. No fee, no ticket needed, no
reservation in advance, nada. Careful though with doing this during peak times on
weekends or you might queue for quite a long time.

Also, you will still have a great view from all London later in the day from the Sky Garden,
for free. Plus, The Shard will be in your picture, which could not be otherwise. You see, win-
win.

Tower Bridge.

Tower Bridge was built over 120 years ago to ease road traffic while maintaining river
access to the busy Pool of London docks. Nowadays is one of London’s favourite icons,
and it is arguably one of the most famous and instantly recognizable structures in the
entire world.

You can buy online a ticket to visit the interior and also learn more about its history.

Just a few metres from here, you will be able to see the next stop, Tower of London.

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Tower of London.
The Tower of London is one of the world’s most famous fortresses and has seen service as
a royal palace, prison, armory, and even a zoo.

Today is a World Heritage site and one of the most visited attractions. Take a walk through
history and learn about some of the most important symbols of our culture and monarchy.
Visit the Crown Jewel Exhibition and count the 23,578 gems that make up the Crown
Jewels and marvel at the stories of how the collection was nearly destroyed through
history. You can even see the crown Elizabeth II wore to her coronation!

The London Pass will also include the entrance to this attraction. This is a very popular
landmark so it can get packed easily.

Once you are done here, we recommend you to go to St. Katherine’s dock for a nice view
from Tower Bridge. The Dickens Inn pub makes a great stop in the way for a pint!

After this refreshment, you can continue to what could be the last stop of the day, The Sky
Garden.

Sky Garden.

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If you were looking for the best views of London for free, The Sky Garden is your place.

The Sky Garden’s viewing gallery on the 43rd floor of the Walkie Talkie offers panoramic
views over London from their foliage-filled atrium. With floor-to-ceiling glass windows, this
lush urban jungle provides fantastic views of the famous rooftops of London, with an open-
air terrace providing views across the Thames.

It is not only about the views, but also the good vibes this open green space provides.
Although they take walk-ins and most of the time you will make it if you are willing to
queue for a while, it is advisable to book your free visit ahead.

If you have time for more…

If after the Sky Garden you have more time or feel like you would like to do one more
thing, you can go to Camden easily from here.

Camden is pretty accessible and only about 18 minutes away from the Sky Garden. Simply
walk 5 minutes to Bank station, and take the northern line (black) to Camden.

Camden is a lively neighbourhood to see and live, which is best explored without any map.
Simply go with the flow and get lost in its vibrant streets and markets.

London itinerary day 2: Waterloo and Central London.

The itinerary for this second day is ideally started from Buckingham Palace.

By doing it this way, you will be tackling first the most touristic places earlier.

This route has been done to explore London on foot and has a total of 4,5 kilometers
approximately.

Buckingham Palace.
Buckingham Palace is recognized around the world as the home of The Queen, the focus
of national and royal celebrations as well as the backdrop to the regular Changing the
Guard ceremony.

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Most of the people, simply go and check it around and through the door, although a visit is
possible. You can take a tour of the royal State Rooms, which lie at the very heart of
Buckingham Palace. Venture past the gates to admire many of the greatest treasures from
the Royal Collection, including paintings, sculptures, furniture, and porcelain.

If what you want is to see The Changing of the Queen’s Guard ceremony, it takes place on
most days at the forecourt of Buckingham Palace around 11 am and lasts about 45
minutes. But if you do so, you might want to re-plan your day because you’ll be there for
the most part of the morning.

Once you finish here, there is a pleasant walk towards The Churchill War Rooms, via St.
James Park.

Churchill War Rooms.

Discover the secrets hidden beneath the streets of Westminster in the underground nerve
centre where Winston Churchill and his inner circle directed the Second World War.

This is an underground bunker that allowed Britain’s leaders to plot the Allied route to
victory during the Second World War. If you want to explore the Churchill museum to learn
the story of his life and legacy you can buy your tickets online here.

Once you are done with the visit, keep going towards the pretty Westminster Abbey.

Westminster Abbey.

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Westminster Abbey is another London icon and is a must-see living pageant of British
history.

Every year, the Abbey welcomes over one million visitors who want to explore this
wonderful 700-year-old building – the coronation church of England.

If you plan to visit the interior be sure to leave extra time to get in and see everything as it
is a popular place and it takes a while to explore. You can buy a ticket here with an audio
guide to explore a thousand years of history and marvel at the exquisite Gothic
architecture and beautiful stained glass.

From here, you are just a short distance to the Big Ben, and the Parliament, which are
better observed from Westminster Bridge.

Big Ben and Houses of Parliament

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Big Ben and The houses of Parliament are probably the most visited landmarks of London.

These 2 cannot be missed in any London itinerary. This is a pretty touristic area, so we
recommend simply walking around and look for your favourite angle to snap the perfect
picture. Walk along Westminster Bridge to take a good picture, or even from the other side
of the river.

The picture above was taken by mid-may 2019 and there was work in progress in the Big
Ben, so it is totally covered (but the clock). If that happens, you can always be creative and
snap a picture like this one above. Don’t let it spoil your views!

Then, you can continue towards the London Eye.

London Eye.

Waterloo, where the London Eye is, is one of our favourites area in London.

There is always something going on here: artists singing with Westminster in the
background, food festivals, nice restaurants and a vibrant city life overall in a laid down
atmosphere.

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On top of it, a trip on the  London Eye is truly captivating. The attraction is one of the
world’s tallest observation wheels and has been London’s number one visitor experience
for over a decade. The queues to go up can be massive though, so we
recommend booking your ticket here before going.

If you have time or want to explore further this area, the London Dungeon is a great
attraction to learn about London past history in an interactive and different way.

In any case, allow some time to chill on this part of this river and to enjoy the majestic
views. Then, keep walking to the Golden Jubilee Bridge, where you’ll have an amazing
postcard view. This will be your link to the next attraction, Trafalgar Square.

Trafalgar Square and The National Gallery.

Trafalgar Square is surrounded by museums, galleries, cultural spaces, and historic
buildings. Is another classic stop in every London itinerary.

The square also features performing street artists and contemporary art and is common to
find many different kinds of events going on here.

Also, just next door you can find both the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery.
Both museums are free to the public and offer you the opportunity to see great artists
work.

From here, you have a short walk to Picadilly Circus, the next stop.

Picadilly Circus.
Piccadilly Circus is one of London’s most popular tourist destinations.

It is a busy junction at the end of Regent Street with neon signs and giant screens. It is the
heart of the city since is in the middle of most of the West End theatres, the Soho,
Chinatown and even Oxford Circus. Which makes it hard to miss it in any London itinerary.

From here, we recommend you to go up through the majestic Regent Street. This street is a
paradise for shoppers, and there are really curious shops. Don’t miss Hamleys to feel like a
child again and for something completely different.

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Although this was quite a day, you are a very short walk from Carnaby Street if you want
some more.

London itinerary day 3: Notting Hill, Museums and

Covent Garden.
The London itinerary for the last day is going to be a bit different and public transportation
is required.

This would be the best day to use the Citymapper app we mentioned before to move
around.

Our recommendation for this last day would be visiting Notting Hill with its colourful
English houses and Portobello market. Then the top 2 museums in London, to end up in
Covent Garden area.

Portobello Road Market (Notting Hill).

In Portobello Road Market, you won’t only see the famous colourful houses from Notting
Hill, but the world’s largest antique market with over 1,000 dealers selling every kind of
antique and collectible.

It is a pretty neighborhood and the market is really fun to walk and see. Arriving early when
the market start is recommended, cause it can get packed. You can see the market
timetable here.

Once you have enough of antiques, take your phone and launch Citymapper app to learn
what is the best way to go from where you are to the Natural History Museum.

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Natural History Museum.

If you ask me for what is the single museum I need to visit in London, I ‘d say this one is.

The Natural History Museum exhibits a vast range of specimens from various segments of

natural history.

Moreover, it is one of the most iconic and impressive buildings in London. Discover star
specimens such as Hope – a 25-meter blue whale plunging down from the ceiling, a rock
as old as the solar system and one of the UK’s most complete dinosaurs.

The Museum has a dynamic program of temporary exhibitions which includes its world-
renowned Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition.

We promised you won’t leave disappointed. And what is even more amazing, the entrance
is free!

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Careful though with time, because is easy to spend many hours on this amazing place.
From here, we recommend taking the Piccadilly line to Rusell Square if you want to see the
British Museum. If not, you can go directly to Covent Garden.

The British Museum.

The British Museum offers a vast collection of items and galleries and it is one of the most
complete museums in the world.

We recommend you plan your visit because you can spend here a whole day, literally.

From the museum, you can easily walk towards Covent Garden area.

Covent Garden.

Covent Garden is a good way to end up your 3-days London itinerary.

This is a zone where to live the city rather than see it. There is a lot of options for shopping,
many good restaurants, bars, and more. There is no better place where to look for an epic
restaurant for dinner on your last night in the city, you deserve it!

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If you have more than 3 days- Alternative
visits in London
There is so much to see and do as you can see. And probably, you did not have time to see
it all or maybe you just prefer some other options.

If that is the case, these are some of the top things to see and do on top of the proposed
London itinerary:

• Camden Town. A lively neighborhood with many shops, antiques, and bars with live
music. You might have time to visit this on your first day as we suggested in the day
one itinerary.

• Greenwich. Famous for the Cutty Sark, the Maritime Museum, and the Observatory,
Greenwich park offers also a great view over the city of London.

• Shoreditch and Brick Lane. If you like street art and want to see the locals go, head
to these 2 places. Some say hipsters were created in Shoreditch ;).

• Hyde Park. Famous for being the largest park in London, next to the Buckingham
Palace.

• Brixton. This is now of the trendiest neighborhoods in London. There is a big market,
many cool bars with live music and the pretty cool Pop Brixton. This is where I’d go for
a local night out of for real London vibes.

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Conclusion.
We hope you find this guide useful for your trip to London.

In the meantime, don’t forget to follow us in social media for more adventures to follow!

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