London Itinerary: How to Enjoy London in One Day

By Alice Ross | EUROPE

Feb 05
london in one day

There is no doubt that London is one of the most beautiful, and therefore one of the most visited places in the world. With its stunning buildings and amazing charm, this city is something you wouldn’t want to miss. If ever you find yourself having a quick stopover in London on the way to another city, you will be happy to know that experiencing the best of London in one day is extremely possible.

Experiencing London in one day is enough to have the sense of what the city has to offer, especially with the convenience of city transport.

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London One-Day Itinerary

Westminster Abby


To start off your exploration in London in one day, the first stop to go is Westminster Abbey. If you want to avoid rush hour and walk around peacefully, try to get there at or earlier than 9:30 AM. Westminster Abbey is a shrine of the country and most of the Kings and Queens of the country have been crowned there and a lot of the royal blood that passed also buried there.

westminster

Houses of Pariament and Big Ben

Since the 11th century, the Houses of Parliament have been the place to the nation’s government and are a rightly extraordinary landmark that has seen Britain through the years of colonizing, prosperity, and war. The building is also one of the best places to see Big Ben, which is the city’s iconic structure and is most famous timepiece of the world.

Downing Street and Trafalgar Square

Carrying on the political direction, you can walk down straight to Downing Street. Unfortunately, they no longer allow people to walk down it, however, if you are lucky, you might see someone famous guarded by policemen and security officials. Aside from that, it is hardly extravagant, but at least you are able to say you’ve been there. Going north, you’ll reach the center of London, Trafalgar Square. This is home to Nelson's tower, which is the scene to a lot of demonstration. Once beset by pigeons, many partygoers descend on this square to celebrate New Year's Eve.

trafalgar

National Gallery

Coming from the square, you are able to enter the National Gallery, which is a home to the artworks of Van Gogh, Da Vinci, Rembrandt, and other famous artists. Panoramic galleries span 8th centuries of some of the well-known artworks of the world and spending anything less than an hour here would be unacceptable.

Covent Garden

Going to the northern side of Trafalgar Square is where Covent Garden located. Known as the most historic market of London, Covent Garden was designed by Inigo Jones in the year 1633. This is home to different stalls and talented street artists.

convent garden

Lunch at Porters English Restaurant

By this time, you’re probably getting a little hungry, so why not try Covent Garden's very own 'Porters English Restaurant'? This restaurant offers some of the real traditional English food. This place is convenient, however, there are still other restaurants in the area you can try.

Buckingham Palace

The next destination will require you to hop on the tube, which itself is a must when spending some time in London. Go to Charing Cross Station, where you can take a quick walk going to Buckingham Palace. You probably know why Buckingham Palace should be a must-visit! Depending on what time of the year you visit, you may be able to visit inside, however, you have to know that you may have to fall in line and this may consume the rest of the day. If you’re lucky enough to get there on the right time, you may also see the changing of the guards, but then again it is not worth waiting for it to happen as there are more things you can do in London in one day.

buckingham

Tower of London

On your last tube trip, you may want to go to the Tower of London. For more than 900 years, it was used as a palace, a royal mint, as well as a prison. A lot of famous people have lost lives there and it is the national home for gore and blood. You may want to join an hour-long guided tour by one of the well-known Beefeaters, which brings the place to life.

The Salisbury

As your feet start to get tired, go to 'The Salisbury', which is a popular Art Nouveau Pub in the central part of the theatre district. Here you will be able to enjoy a great selection of drinks and some home cooked pies without spending a lot of money

The Globe

To spend your evening, one of the best things you can do is to spend it by watching some of the shows on offer. You may want to check out the Shakespeare show or the big West-End musical at the Globe. You would not be disappointed at either and it would be an amazing way to relax and end your trip to London in one day.

London Travel Tips

You don't have to take a cab

cab

Navigating The Underground is going to be an easy task, and if it happens to be late and it’s already shut down, you can take a bus. Cabs are expensive so you may want to avoid them at all cost if you won’t need them.

Pack according to the weather

Make sure to check the weather in London first as well as other cities included in your Europe itinerary before you start packing.

Organize airport transfer before your arrival

Depending on how much you are willing to spend, you can get to your first destination from the airport in multiple ways. It is best to plan this way before your trip. The easiest way would be asking your hotel to pick you up while the cheapest way would be getting on the tube or bus, but dragging your stuff would be a little tricky. The cab is another option but then again, it is expensive.

If you're keen to fly to London in style so you're rested and ready to go when you arrive, you can also look for cheap business class flights to London.

transport

Buy a London Pass

You can pre-purchase a London Pass that will allow you to get into more than 60 attractions in London; this includes transport and huge discount on attractions.
Download London Map on Your Smartphone

Especially if it is your first time and you are traveling alone, exploring London can be a little challenging. Make sure to download a map app that will help you navigate the city easier. Google Maps will allow you to do this. By downloading the city map, you can navigate the city even without having to connect to the Internet.

london

Visiting in London should be on the bucket list of any travelers who want to experience some of the beautiful cities in the world. London is clearly a must-see for everyone, and as you can see, you don’t have to spend a lot of time and money in order to experience what this city truly has to offer – although spending a longer period of time here will, of course, be a lot better! With the help of proper planning and some determination, you can have a great time in London.

Hopefully, this article helped you and gave you ideas on what to do in London in one day. If you have further questions or even suggestions to make this itinerary better, let us know your thoughts in the comment box below. Make sure to also share this article to your friends with help them too!

Rating: 4.29 (7 votes)

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Alice Ross, a long-term traveler who left the corporate world to travel the world. I chose to live life on my own phase and live day by day while immersing myself in new experiences, new knowledge, and new people in a different walk of life I met along the way.

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(4) comments

Rebecca February 7, 2018

This is a great one day trip! I would also say taking a walking tour is a wonderful way to see these parts and get some knowledge on the city.

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    Alice Ross February 10, 2018

    Thank you for the suggestion!

    Reply
Maddy February 21, 2018

Wow, that’s an action packed day! The Natural History Museum is also hugely popular and, like most of the museums in London, entry is free. It’s a good option if you have more time.

Reply
    Alice Ross March 13, 2018

    Thank you for the additional option!

    Reply
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