What to see in London? London in three days is an itinerary that we want to put together in case you only have those days in the city. What are a few days? Yes, but our trips are not always ideal, nor do they last a lot of days, so we are going to outline here the essential things to see in the city. And if you have more days, great! We are going to go with the essential things to do in the city in several days or to choose the ones you like the most and do them in 3 days.
Indice:
What to see in London
If you arrive at Hethrow airport, here is our post on how to make the Heathrow/London transfer.
The route will be random, always trying to group the things to see by areas and thus not waste time in transfers. I leave you a map with each of the places marked so that you can appreciate the distance between them. Everything will depend a lot on where we are staying. In our case we were very close to Victoria Station, so we were very well connected with the entire city.
Lodging
There are many areas to stay in London, it is not a cheap city but you can find good deals. As we said, we chose to stay near Victoria Station, in a B&B, B+B Belgravia is its name.
We chose it for its location and price. It has an included breakfast that they leave in the minibar of your room, or you can choose, for another price, to have breakfast in their lounge. It is clean, comfortable and very quiet, in fact we cancelled reservations for 2020 because of what happened, but it was the chosen one again, and it will surely be when we return.
In this post we are dedicated to looking for hotels in each area► The best areas to stay in London
Booking.comSo, what we’re getting at is… must-sees in London. Day 1
After knowing how to get to the city and choosing accommodation, let’s get back to what we came for…what to see in London?
Big Ben
Big Ben is probably the most famous clock in the world.
Next to it, the Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey form the iconic photo and emblematic place to start the tour. Entry to the abbey costs £24, check the information on their website.
►A good option is to start the tour with a free tour of London
London Eye
The London Eye is a Ferris wheel located on the south bank of the River Thames in London. It is the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe, and the most popular tourist attraction in the United Kingdom. It opened to the public in 2000, and has a height of 135 m and a diameter of 120 m.
The cost of the standard entrance is £27, but you have endless combinations with other attractions and the option to skip the queue, promotions, etc. For more information, we leave you their website londoneye.com.
A short ride on the subway and we begin with a walk…
Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge is one of the symbols of London, this striking drawbridge is located next to the Tower of London. Among the various bridges that stand out over the River Thames, the Tower Bridge is undoubtedly the most beautiful. The Tower Bridge is not only the most famous bridge in the city, but one of the most famous in the world. This bridge that crosses the River Thames, combines the characteristics of a bascule bridge and a suspension bridge, is built in Victorian neo-Gothic style and is located near the Tower of London, which gives it its name.
You can climb up it, and there is a glass walkway above it that allows you to see the river and the vehicles passing over the bridge as well as the boats on the water while you walk on it.
The cost of entry is £10.60.►More Information .
Book your ticket to access Tower Bridge here
*London Pass
What is the London Pass? It is a tourist pass that you get for x number of days (you have from one to ten days), and during those days you can enter the included attractions for free. The prices of the passes vary depending on the number of days chosen, although they are not cheap you have to do the math, because if you plan to visit several places you will surely get your money’s worth and it will work out better for you than buying each ticket separately. London Pass prices. If you haven’t seen our video on whether or not it is worth getting the tourist pass, here we leave it for you.
Passes are constantly evolving, so included attractions may change. Always check The London Pass website before purchasing for up-to-date information.
►When you arrive in the city, you can choose to take a tour to get your bearings and gain some historical information that will help you appreciate it better. You can do this with a free tour of London, you just need to book it and be there at the indicated time and place. Free tours are always a good option to start getting to know a city on foot.
Tower of London
Located on the north bank of the River Thames, next to Tower Bridge, we find the Tower of London, officially the Royal Palace and Fortress of His Majesty, is a historic castle. Built under the reign of William I, the Tower of London is a huge fortification, which has functioned throughout its history as a royal residence, arsenal, fortress, and prison. The Tower of London was synonymous with terror, because it was the place where all those who offended the monarch were locked up. Most of the prisoners of the Tower of London did not come out alive. Inside the Tower of London we can see the crown jewels, composed of crowns, swords, and scepters of incalculable value, both material and historical.
The entrance fee to the Tower of London is £29.90. Visit the website for more information.
Walk along the Thames
A walk along the Thames is one of the must-sees in London. Perhaps a leisurely stroll along the Thames is not in your plans, but I suggest you add it and make it one of the first contacts you have with the city. From there you will have a view of the most modern part of the city, the museums, the bars, and all its bridges, it has a lot of atmosphere.
We will walk next to London’s City Hall, the city hall, inaugurated in 2002, has an oval and futuristic shape. The Hay’s Gallery also located on the banks of the River Thames is a very dynamic building, housing offices, restaurants, shops and apartments. In the center there is a bronze sculpture representing a ship called The Navigators.
On this tour you can visit the HMS Belfast, the Royal Navy museum ship, which remains anchored on the banks of the Thames. Admission costs £19 and is also included in the London Pass.
Borough Market
Following the walk we arrive at Borough Market. Immerse yourself in Borough Market, which is one of the largest food markets in the city and stretches under the arches of the railway. It is closed on Sundays, the rest of the days check the schedules, but they go around 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Borough market has been there since 1276 when a good number of merchants gathered under London Bridge, in 1755 the parliament ordered it to be closed due to the congestion that was created in the area, so some merchants put money to move to its current location, between Southwark street and Borough High street.
The buildings that currently house the Borough Market were built between 1851 and 1860. In addition to fresh fruit and vegetables, in Borough Market you can find all kinds of cheeses, meats, fish, seafood, bread, cakes, etc.
Of course admission is free, and if you can take advantage of any of the days that are not Saturdays, because the crowd of people is many.
Millenium Bridge
There are 33 bridges that cross the River Thames and link North and South London, the most recent being the Millennium Bridge completed in 2002.
The Millennium Bridge is a steel suspension bridge that crosses the River Thames. It is located between Southworks Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge. On the south side are the Globe Theatre and the Tate Modern. The views from the bridge are really worth it, and it is highly recommended to cross it.
Harry Potter fans will recognize him from his appearance in the scene from the film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Both Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre (the modern reconstruction of The Globe, the theatre built by Shakespeare’s theatre company) and the Tate Modern museum (where you can admire his works and also have a viewing platform) are two visits worth adding to your walk along the Thames. The entrance to the theatre is £17 (information), and the entrance to the Tate Modern is free.
►Shakesperare’s Globe Theatre Ticket
Do you know Shakespeare’s village?, Stratford Upon Avon is a very nice visit to do in England.
Crowning the bridge crossing we find St. Paul’s Cathedral.
St. Paul’s Cathedral
St. Paul’s Cathedral is one of London’s most famous and recognizable landmarks, its dome framed by the two towers on the main façade has dominated the city’s skyline for 300 years.
At 111 metres high, it was the tallest building in London from 1710 to 1962. To visit the interior, the opening hours are Monday to Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Going up to the dome is very interesting because you get some nice views. We did it and that’s how we ended the first day in London on this itinerary of “what to see in London”. The entrance fee is £21 (£18 online). ►More Information
As you can see, there are many things to do, in our case on this first day, except for the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral, which we did climb, we saw everything else from the outside, leaving the entrance to some of these places for the last day.
►Entrance to St. Paul’s Cathedral
Extra: Map and video day 1
Must-sees in London. Day 2
On this second day we are going to continue with our tour of the essentials to see in London.
As our accommodation is very close to Victoria Station, it is from here that we start our itinerary, because seeing the stations is interesting.
Victoria Station
Victoria Station is one of the most central and well-connected public transport stations in London. It is a fairly easy way to get around the city centre and also to other locations in the United Kingdom.
Victoria Station, also known as London Victoria, is one of the most important stations in London, located next to Victoria Street in the Belgravia neighborhood of the London borough City of Westminster. Opened in 1860, Victoria Station turned out to be much more popular than expected at the time, today it handles more than 73 million passengers a year, it is the second most used station in the United Kingdom after Waterloo Station.
After a short subway ride we moved to….
Buckingham Palace
Continuing our tour we arrive at Buckingham Palace. This is another icon of London. Buckingham Palace has been the residence of the British royal family in London since 1837.
It is currently the residence of Queen Elizabeth II. Visits to the interior of the palace are only permitted for a few weeks a year, between July and early September. There are two different types of tickets, one of which allows you to visit the state rooms, and the other also includes the royal coach houses and the Queen’s gallery.
Here at Buckingham Palace is where the changing of the guard takes place, which is one of the important tourist attractions to see in London.
Trafalgar Square
Continuing with our beautiful walk we arrive at Trafalgar Square.
Trafalgar Square is one of the most important squares in London. It was created in 1830 to commemorate the victory of the British army over the Spanish and French in the Battle of Trafalgar.
In the centre of the square stands Nelson’s Column, built in 1843 in honour of Admiral Nelson.
Next to the square we find the majestic National Gallery. The National Gallery is the most prestigious art museum in London and one of the most famous in the world. Admission is free and opening hours are every day from 10am to 6pm and on Fridays until 9pm.
On one side of Trafalgar Square we find the Anglican church of St. Martin in the Fields.
We recommend you stop here, the square is very lively and busy at any time of day. Tip for travelers: London’s museums have free entry, so make the most of them because there are many and very interesting ones.
Piccadilly Circus
If there are iconic places, it is Piccadilly Circus. Piccadilly Circus Square is known for its illuminated signs and the Eros fountain in the centre, which has become one of London’s icons. It is one of the liveliest places in London both day and night.
There are bars, restaurants and theatres in the area, and it is highly recommended to visit this fountain at night as well. The fountain has been there since 1893. Today, everyone knows it as the fountain of Eros, although its official name is El Ángel de la Caridad Cristiana.
Leicester Square
Just a few steps from where we were we found Leicester Square, the busy pedestrian square.
One of the attractions of the square is the Swiss clock, which chimes every hour of the afternoon and is decorated with flags of the cantons of Switzerland.
You will find many theaters, cinemas, cafes, restaurants, it is a super entertaining walk.
London’s Chinatown
Just a few steps away we enter London’s Chinatown. Located in the Soho district, London’s Chinatown is characterized by its unique atmosphere. Here you will find restaurants, bakeries, supermarkets, and souvenir shops.
The first area called Chinatown was located in the East End of London at the beginning of the 20th century. But it was not until the 1970s that we find it in its current location.
Chinatown is an excellent place to try the most varied dishes of Chinese cuisine. As we saw, you can easily access it from Leicester Square, Picadilly Circus or even from Covent Garden.
Covent Garden
We arrived at Covent Garden, one of the most fascinating areas of London. Covent Garden is a district in central London that attracts about 30 million tourists a year, and stands out for its wide range of shops, cafes, and entertainment.
This neighborhood initially emerged around a fruit and vegetable market, which today is located within a large, two-story building.
A large flower, fruit and vegetable market was established in Covent Garden in 1660, making the area famous. At the beginning of the 19th century, the square’s appearance was changed by the construction of three covered pavilions that housed the market.
In 1974 the market building was renovated to be transformed into a commercial space that has remained in existence to this day.
At the western end of the square is the parish church of St Paul’s in Covent Garden.
Opening hours: restaurants and cafés: Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.; shopping: Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. or Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
It is one of the places in London where we recommend you stop.
This time, the transfer is by subway, and we are going to…
St. Pancras Station
Between the British Library building and King Cross Station, we find St. Pancras Station, a visit not to be missed. The station is recognizable by its beautiful Gothic red brick façade, making it one of the most extraordinary Victorian buildings in the capital.
Next to the station, sharing the same building, is the St. Pancras hotel, which closed in 1935 and reopened in 2011 as the St. Pancras Renaissance, adding modern amenities without sacrificing period interiors. It is so beautiful that it is a must to see it, inside you will find beautiful sculptures, among which the 9-metre-high couple in love stands out.
The exterior of St. Pancras has been used in several scenes from the Harry Potter series.
King Cross Station
Right next door, at the neighbouring King Cross station, is the famous platform number 9 3/4.
King’s Cross appears in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books as the departure point for the Hogwarts Express, the train using a secret platform, 9 3/4, located between platforms 9 and 10. Paradoxically, platforms 9 and 10 are located in a secondary building separate from the main one, and face each other with the railway tracks in between.
In the film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, we said that the exterior of St. Pancras was used due to the much more striking aesthetics of its Gothic façade. In the secondary building of King’s Cross, where platforms 9 and 10 are actually located, a luggage cart has been installed that seems to be halfway through the wall where you can take photos, the queue is endless.
►If you are a fan of Harry Potter, going to Warner Studios is a must. You can get tickets with transfer from London ►Harry Potter Tour
Notting Hill
A quick tube ride brings us to another place where a movie has been filmed, Notting Hill.
Notting Hill is a district of London located in the northwest corner of Hyde Park in the west of the city. It is a district that has a lot of charm, but that became better known thanks to the film A place called Notting Hill.
The streets have a very special charm, with the elegance of their Victorian houses, the flower gardens and the colorful walls.
The most important tourist attraction in the area is Portobello Market. Portobello Market is one of the most famous in London, the best day to visit it is Saturday morning, the rest of the days only the shops that take some products out onto the street are open (this is what happened to us).
►A very good idea is to tour it with a free tour!
Extras: map and video day 2
Must-sees in London. Day 3
On the last day of the tour we will take the opportunity to tour the London parks and their viewpoints.
Sky Garden
We head towards the Fenchurch Street building, better known as the Walkie Talkie. This skyscraper opens its doors to visitors free of charge and allows you to see the London skyline.
Yes, you read that right, for FREE, you can’t miss it. While admission is free, you have to book your ticket through Skygarden.london. Places for visits open two weeks in advance, but always check the website.
Designed by Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly, it cost £200 million and is 160 metres high. Sky Garden is located on the 35th floor and offers an uninterrupted 360-degree view of London.
The schedule is Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on weekends from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The Monument
The Monument to the Great Fire of London, better known as The Monument, is a 61 m high Doric column located in the City of London near London Bridge.
This column is located in the closest place to where the tragic fire started in 1666, and today you can climb to its top. To access the upper platform you will have to climb 311 steps, but the views you will get from the top of the monument are definitely worth it.
The entrance fee is £5.40. Opening hours: April to September from 9.30 a.m. to 6 p.m., last admission 5.30 p.m., October to March from 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., last admission at 5 p.m. But check their website for any changes.
The Shard
The viewpoint par excellence, The View from the Shard. The 95-storey skyscraper was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano.
The Shard was designed in an irregular triangular shape, has 73 floors and is completely covered in glass. On the top floor there is an open-air viewing terrace open to the public offering spectacular views of the British capital.
It was inaugurated in 2012, and the observation deck The View from The Shard opened to the public on 1 February 2013. It is divided into three floors, two of which are closed, and an open terrace, and offers a 360-degree view.
In my opinion, one of the best, if not the best, viewpoints in London.
Tickets for The View From the Shard , admission is flexible as to the schedule within the selected day.
The schedules will depend a little on the season. In high season from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., while in low season from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., but it also depends on the days, sometimes on weekends it closes a little later, check the website to see the schedule well.
Boat trip on the Thames
Just as when we go to Paris, taking a trip on the Seine by boat is almost essential, in London, taking a trip along the Thames by boat is not to be missed.
The price is around £21.
London’s parks
Another must-see in London is a tour of some of its parks. Among them, Hyde Park, Regent’s Park, Kensington Gardens, and St. James’s Park stand out.
At this point we know that you are thinking that it is impossible to choose between all these places to put together your tour, help yourself with the videos that we have left, there you will see the places and it will help you decide which ones are of most interest to you.
Camden Town
If we want to see an area with a lot of atmosphere, colour and we like street markets, then we will go to visit the Camden Town neighbourhood.
Camden Town is famous for hosting one of the most varied and extravagant street markets in all of London.
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Extra: Map and video day 3
NOTE: The information in this article is based on our own experience, being totally objective. This article contains affiliate links
