4 Days in London: Complete London Itinerary for First Timers

When we hastily planned a trip to London, we weren’t completely sure what to expect. We had both visited London previously, though not for a few years, and we decided two weeks would provide a comfortable amount of time to explore the city, and perhaps take a day excursion or two to explore other parts of the United Kingdom.

As it turns out, we never actually left the city limits yet still ended up with unexplored sights remaining within the city.

London is huge, and there’s plenty to see and do across the city. Picking attractions will be challenging with only 4 days, as you can`t possibly visit every museum, church and market.

But that’s where we come in.

In the following guide based on our recent two-week stay in London, we provide our assessment of what to prioritize during a visit and what could potentially be overlooked.

Our preferred aspects regarding London were the diverse variety of food stalls at the countless food markets round the city, the city’s great green spaces, and the sum of back ground that is present in London (most of which we didn’t really understand about, since to us, London record commences in the 16th Century relating to what we discovered in school).

In this guide to planning your trip to London, we’re going to assist you in making the most of your time there.

We’ve prepared a comprehensive 4 day London schedule below, but we also have opinions on what to do with less time (one, two, or three days) if you have a shorter trip. If you do have a shorter trip, you can still use the details in the main schedule for the sections you’re actually going to use.

Sound good to you? Let’s get into planning your trip to London.

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post, like hotel links, are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, we make a little bit of money if you click through and book. That being said, we would never recommend something to you that we don’t stand behind 100%.

Where to Stay in London

One of the major themes you’re going to find in this itinerary is that London is massive, and you’re definitely going to want to be strategic about organizing your time to avoid running back and forth across the city.

This also relates to accommodations. For shorter trips (four days or under) or initial visits, we recommend lodging in a reasonably central part of London.

We have an extensive guide focused on deciding where to lodge in London, but here is a brief version.

If you’re searching for a central location and excellent food and drinks, remain in Southbank. This is our top selection for basically everyone.”

We reserved our first four days in this section of London, finding it served as an excellent base for exploring central parts of the city while also providing quality dining and nightlife options (but dining destinations immediately along the river may not merit visits). Modern high-rises and fancy office buildings lend an upscale aura to the neighbourhood.

We resided at the CitizenM Bankside, which is our most preferred hotel chain globally and this location was their initial in London.

There are two extremely expensive hotels in the area – the Hoxton and Sea Containers – the latter of which has extraordinary views from some of the rooms directly above the banks of the Thames.

If you want to remain in the center of all activities, stay in Covent Garden. This area is popular with tourists, which is understandable, but the prime location and excellent public transportation connections will allow moving around London with ease. Additionally, it is filled with excellent bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and shopping outlets.

If you’re seeking something more unconventional and trendy, explore north east to Shoreditch, an area that left us feeling very outdated and uncool. Lots of vintage stores, hipster coffee shops, nightlife events, and great street art in this transforming (transformed?) location. There’s another CitizenM site here, which is where we initially planned to stay until deciding to locate up in Camden instead.

Tips For Visiting London (Especially for First Timers)

Here are some tips and strategies for planning your initial visit to London that are probably most useful for first timers.

As Americans, traveling to London is noticeably different than traveling to other places in Europe, like Italy or Portugal, due to the lack of a language barrier. It feels much more akin to home, even though it’s really not. There are certainly cultural and practical distinctions that one will want to know going in.

Here are a few learnings we`ve gathered about London to keep in mind as you plan your trip.

Early Mornings are Best for the Main Sights

For sights like St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, and Westminster Abbey, try to visit them as they open. Especially on a Sunday.

Alysha went on a solo trip to the Tower of London (Matt had previously gone multiple times) and was surprised at how few people there were on a Sunday morning! We encountered a similar experience on a Thursday morning at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

In the summer months, the museum will still be busy in the morning hours, but likely not as crowded as during the midday or later afternoon periods.

London is Massive

We LOVE walking around cities, and think it’s the best way to experience a city. But if we’re being honest, it’s nearly impossible to walk around London – it’s just too big!

Fortunately, London has an excellent public transport network that allows quick travel around the city via bus and underground railway.

Public Transportation is Both Expensive and 100% Worth it

Many people balk at the £6 per ride cost of using the tube in London, but if you look deeper, you’ll find that it’s definitely worthwhile.

Taking public transportation is an affordable option. A taxi or rideshare service would be more expensive.

And, though you’re only in London for four days, a weeklong unlimited transit pass is just £38.70, which means it’s £10 per day for unlimited access (plus £5 for an Oyster card – more details on this in the section below on getting around the main itinerary).

The Museums are Mostly Free!

Unlike most other cities, where you’ll have to shell out a lot of money to visit the museums, the main museums in London are free.

During high season, making an advance reservation for a timed entry is best to ensure you can get inside.

We appreciate this aspect of London, because it allows glimpsing inside, determining if you’re truly interested in something, and then opting out if it’s not for you without the “we just spent £30 on this, I suppose we have to endure it” guilt.

They Drive on the Other Side of the Road

We knew beforehand about this but it didn`t stop us from nearly getting run over on our first few days in London.

Thankfully, in the center of London, there are helpful visual cues on the ground at crosswalks indicating when to “look left / right”, which safeguarded our lives multiple times.

When in doubt, look both ways. Three times. 

4 Days in London: A Complete 4 Day London Itinerary

Now that we`ve outlined some useful details and tips before your trip, let`s explore exactly how we would spend 4 days in London.

There is plenty to see and experience in London. You are unlikely to view it all with merely four days (even with two weeks, we had to abandon a couple of day trips because we felt the city deserved more of our time).

This itinerary aims to aid in deciding what to do in London by providing both renowned attractions like museums, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace, as well as less visited but worthwhile places that often escape notice. Achieving a balance of tradition and discovery was the goal.

There are a few elements that you WON’T find in this itinerary, and we wanted to mention them up front.

• The British Museum: We did briefly visit this location, however we only remained for a short period of time for two key reasons. Initially, the layout and organization of the exhibits did not provide clear guidance on where to start our tour, so we began viewing the Egyptian artifacts. This leads me to the second factor. A significant portion of the collection consists of items that were acquired from other regions and cultures. One could imagine how it might be perceived if a museum in Egypt displayed remains of British royalty. There is a sense of removed cultural context and perspective that felt slightly uneasy. Overall, it appeared the extensive holdings were more loosely aggregated than deliberately curated. For some undefined reason, the situation seemed more problematic compared to arrangements like those at the Louvre.
• Scaling the Tower Bridge structure: We were quite surprised when we saw a long line stretching from the middle of the tower bridge back towards the northern bank. It was a queue to ascend to the summit of Tower Bridge, which at one point served as a legitimate pedestrian route to cross when the drawbridge was raised, but now appears to be essentially a monetary gain tactic. Also, we think the finest views are of, not from, the bridge. Best to skip it!
• Kings Cross and Platform 9 3⁄4: While I`m an admirer of the Harry Potter series. I’ve read the books multiple times throughout my childhood as the characters grew up, which was meaningful to me at a similar age. However, I can confidently say the whole Platform 9 3⁄4 thing is rather underwhelming. There’s a long line, an “expert” photographer attempting to sell photographs, and it’s truly not worth the trip up there.
• The National Gallery: There are numerous museums in London, and truthfully you will not be able to experience them all AND do some other enjoyable activities such as food markets and scenic walks. This one is what gets excluded, in our assessment. It`s comparable to other art museums around the globe, and does not feel particularly exceptional to London. Although the same could be said of the Natural History Museum, so select the one that seems most intriguing to your tastes, I suppose.
• The London Eye: We blinked, and apparently cities everywhere suddenly must have a Ferris wheel. This is one of the originals, but we still think it’s costly and overrated for what it provides (Matt has done it twice, and if he could redo his first trip, he`d skip it and opt instead for the free rooftops in Central London).

Day 1: The City of London & Shoreditch

On the first day of your trip to London, start in the oldest region of the city (which, as will be covered below, actually feels like the newest part) to gain an understanding of where the city originated, and how it evolved to where it is today.

Along the route, you’ll learn about the origins of London. Most historians think London’s history begins with the Roman settlement, but there were certainly people here before that.

Sights will take in St. Paul`s Cathedral, the Museum of London, and an amble through older quarters before afternoon and evening in livelier Shoreditch, a hip crucible of diverse bars and eateries.

Important itinerary note: Old Spitalfields Market and the Upmarket are best on the weekends, which means you should do your best to have this day fall on a weekend. In particular, this would make an excellent Sunday itinerary.

St. Paul’s Cathedral

St. Paul’s Cathedral is one of London’s more interesting historical aspects, and the archaeologist guiding our excellent walking tour (we recommend this if interested in London`s history – here is the listing) noted it is likely the single most pivotal building regarding the city’s history.

Why, you ask? A couple of reasons. 

There are two noteworthy periods in London`s history when the city was virtually leveled. The initial occurrence was in the late 17th Century, when a fire started at a bakery on a street actually called `Pudding Lane` (yes, that was genuinely the name of the thoroughfare housing all the bakeries) and ultimately incinerated around two thirds of the City of London.

In both instances, St. Paul’s Cathedral played an important role in assisting the city to heal and cope with the disasters.

It was constructed after the fire as a kind of “highlight” of the government at the time. We learned on the walking tour that it was very much a political symbol more than a religious one, one that said “we’re rebuilding London, and we’re doing it correctly.”

On the other side of the bridge, you’ll find yourself adjacent to the Houses of Parliament. You actually have the option of touring the Houses of Parliament building, with guided visits that permit access to sections of the complex ordinary visitors wouldn’t normally be able to enter.

If that is of interest, more information can be found here (it lasts around 1.5 hours and the cost is fairly high).

Westminster Abbey

Traverse across the square in front of parliament – be sure to pass by the statues of famous Brits like Winston Churchill and Gandhi – on your way over to Westminster Abbey, which is your first stop of the morning.

This gigantic Gothic cathedral was built in the 13th century by Henry III as both a monument to Edward the Confessor and his final resting place.

The history from that point is rather fascinating, primarily because of the intermingling of the monarchy and church over the course of centuries.

On a guided exploration of historic sites, the university lecturer directing the tour (we participated in this walking tour and found it quite enjoyable) mentioned that essentially the church had accumulated tremendous wealth, and the monarchy expressed a sentiment to the effect of wanting a share of those resources. While surely oversimplifying the complex historical specifics and nuances of the time.

But on the other hand, yeah, that checks out. 

Essentially, in the mid 15th century, King Henry VIII (the monarch known for beheading wives) became upset with the Catholic Church for not approving his divorce. So, naturally, he took control of all assets owned by the church, often selling pieces to fund his various endeavors across Europe.

From there, the royal family and the church became intertwined. Divine right and all that jazz.

Today, it’s the place for royal weddings, coronation ceremonies, and burials, but it’s mostly an attraction for visitors.

More than 3,000 Brits are interred in Westminster Abbey – the most famous being many of the royal figures of the last few centuries, and people like Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. Make sure to look down as you walk around the interior – it seems like every step you take inside of the Abbey, you’re treading onto a new burial site with the name and lifespan/date of death.

The Abbey opens at 9:30 am (9:00 am on Saturdays, closed on Sundays), which is fairly early in the day, and we would propose trying to be among the first visitors through the door. To do that, we would purchase advance tickets online, which become available two months in advance.

Buckingham Palace (and the Changing of the Guard)

From Westminster Abbey, it’s a nice walk through St. James’s Park to get to Buckingham Palace, which is reportedly where the queen supposedly lives (but spends almost zero time there these days, according to multiple people we talked to).

If coffee and caffeine is up your alley, we suggest making a brief side trip to Formative Coffee, which is a brief stroll from both Westminster Abbey and St. James’s Park. It makes the list of our favorites cafes in London for good reason.

Side note: What in the world is going on with the spelling using “s’s” at the end of “St. James’s Park”? Yes, that is the correct spelling. We had to verify it multiple times.

This is furthermore where the most “touristic” action on this whole itinerary occurs – the Changing of the Guard. That being said, it’s fairly the spectacle (we can’t believe this still happens, to be entirely honest) and it’s worthwhile seeing once, so long as you’re ready for the crowds and have the flexibility to arrive a little in advance at a specific time on a specific day.

You’ll need to refer closely to the official schedule for this event, as the ceremony times vary by season. You’ll also want to arrange your day to arrive here by at least 10:45 am, and likely much earlier if wanting a prime view, especially in high-summer.

Trafalgar Square and the West End

Virtually everyone ends up at the prominent Trafalgar Square at some stage throughout their London visit. Presumably because it resides centrally amid all the action.

To get there from the palace, simply walk straight along `the Mall` and you’ll arrive at the southern end of the square after passing under the Admiralty Arch.

The square is home to Nelson’s Column, dedicated to the beloved naval hero of the same name who outmaneuvered Napoleon multiple times, Trafalgar Square has been a huge attraction for tourists, locals, and flocks of pigeons since Victorian times.

There is also an excellent view back towards Big Ben from the southern end of the square. And many lions. Why do so many kings or queens seem to favor lions over selecting a different animal, like perhaps changing it up occasionally and opting for a warthog or water buffalo?

While we didn’t include it on this specific itinerary (because we’ve seen it before, and think it’s not the most engaging attraction in London), art fanatics should absolutely make time to check out the National Portrait Gallery.

The birds in Trafalgar Square are remarkably tame. It is easy to coax them into landing on you for a photo opportunity, but you will receive a substantial fine if you feed them! As I have been told by locals in years past, the square was home to thousands of the creatures (we refer to them as “sky rats,” though I once said that to a woman whose father raised pigeons and apparently that was very offensive), likely due to the many vendors selling bags of bird feed to passing tourists. DO NOT FEED THE WILD ANIMALS.

Seven Dials Market for Lunch (& Covent Garden) 

Another food market! Hooray! 

However, our most enjoyed part of London was all the incredible food markets, which is clearly reflected in our organization of this itinerary. There`s nearly a different food market every single day!

Today, it’s the Seven Dials Marketplace, a food hall housed in a former warehouse in Covent Garden. We were puzzled by the banana logo we saw around the building, and it turns out this warehouse was primarily used to store bananas previously, hence the logo. And cucumbers, too!

There are a ton of good food options here, and we have two recommendations.

First is El Pollote on the ground level, offering excellent (and gluten free!) guava-glazed chicken wings and sandwiches (the latter not being gluten free). Second is Chai Guys, producing some of the best chai that Alysha had in London (she greatly enjoys chai, and these individuals / groups do it correctly!). Get the kadak, which is a sweeter, creamier version.

The area around the market is also worth exploring. Historic and elegant Covent Garden, situated in London’s West End, is probably our favorite part of central London.

There’s enough to do in Covent Garden to last an entire day, with attractions such as the London Transport Museum, The Royal Opera House, The London Film Museum and many more, but you’ve got a lot to see, so we’d say that you should get some food, do some wandering around the Seven Dials and Neal’s Yard areas, and move on.

This motel was adequately outfitted, extremely tidy, and relatively unconventional. It too was found near to Ostbahnhof and offered entrance (as did the other two selections) to venues like Kater Blau and Berghain.

Hyde Park

Next, make your way towards the southeastern corner of Hyde Park.

To arrive there, you can either walk through Soho on Oxford Street, similar to Times Square in New York or the Champs-Élysées in Paris, or you can take the Tube (Piccadilly Line) and disembark at Hyde Park Corner station, located at the park`s southeastern corner.

We’d recommend starting at that corner of the park as you get to see the Wellington Arch, which commemorates the Duke of Wellington’s defeat of Napoleon.

Aside note: everybody has a glory arch – the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, the many glory arches in Rome around the Forum, everybody receives an arch!

Upon entrance to the park, the rose garden immediately catches one’s attention, though it will lack blooms during winter and fall seasons.

Spend some time wandering through the park, exploring the flowing (that’s the lake) and the cascading waters ( here) on Google Maps, a particularly lovely green space.

You’ll want to direct yourself to the southern boundary of the park – to this site on the online map – which will place you a brief distance from the finest museum complex in London (in our view, at any rate) for a short afternoon of enrichment.

Choose Your Own Adventure, Museum Edition

Now, we`re not huge museum people. We`d prefer spending our time wandering different neighborhoods, checking out nice green spaces, and eating. Mostly eating, if we`re being completely upfront.

However, we do believe museums are an important part of an itinerary for any major city. We just wouldn’t spend your whole time inside a museum.

There are two advisable museums here that appeal to various interests and crowds – the Natural History Museum, and the Victoria Albert Museum

Entry to both is free (although they request a donation), so the level of involvement is minimal. If you don’t enjoy it or find it interesting, you can leave! Alternatively, you could visit both and selectively look at collections to get a taste of both, rather than deeply exploring just one or the other.

We chose the Natural History Museum partly due to our interest in nature. They also had a temporary exhibition showcasing winners of an annual wildlife photography contest, which was excellent (though temporary exhibitions aren’t free!).

You could easily fill an entire day exploring this museum, but we wouldn`t advise it. Instead, pick a few sections that pique your interest.

Also, be prepared for children. LOTS of children. Though we were told there are fewer kids on weekday afternoons, which is part of why we scheduled it then.

The second is the Victoria and Albert Museum, which has a stronger focus on design – considering fashion, interior design, and other more practical applications of art (as opposed to something like a portrait or a painting). It`s an eclectic collection that may furnish you with a bit more insight into British history and culture than the Natural History Museum potentially could.

Dinner at Ceru

Ceru, located in South Kensington near the museums, was unquestionably among our favored meals sampled in London.

They offer tapas – which essentially signifies you`ll be requesting an assortment of little dishes to share at the table – yet in a style that highlights tastes that originate from an area called Levant, which incorporates spots like Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, and Israel.

“Levant” was an unfamiliar term to me, and I’d suggest perusing the Wikipedia page for a brief historical lesson.

The cuisine is excellent, and it’s an engaging dining experience with some really unusual wines originating from places like Greece, Lebanon, and other nations you don’t typically link to wine production.

Of all the items we ordered, the best thing we consumed was the side of roasted root vegetables, which is somewhat unusual.

You’ll also want to sample their excellent dips – the hamara, which is made with red peppers and pomegranate molasses, was our favorite of the three – and you can’t go wrong with fried halloumi (which is a squeaky cheese similar to paneer).

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We’ve seen Hamilton, Book of Mormon, Lion King, and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and we’d recommend them all (although Book of Mormon probably isn’t for kids or people who are easily offended).

Check out what performances are taking place in London during your stay here.

What to Do with Less Time in London

Though we had almost two full weeks exploring London, we understand most don`t have such abundant time. Nor even four days to spend.

Here is a suggestion for spending less time in London from one to three days. You can use these overviews to get an idea of the plan, and then explore the detailed sections in the itinerary above to learn more about potential inclusions.

London in a Day

With just a day in London, you’re truly going to have to choose carefully what you do and see, because a day is simply not enough time.

One-bedroom and two-bedroom suites are fantastic for families. Convenient location near Big Ben, London Eye, Waterloo Station and many top attractions. Nice indoor pool (though you need to book a time slot to access).

Straightaway, we consider you should bypass the museums. Both the Natural History Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum are intriguing, but they are quite distant from the rest of Central London.

Another event you won`t want to miss is the Changing of the Guard. First, it doesn`t take place every single day year-round, so there`s a chance it may not be occurring on your date in London. Second, having a rigid timeframe in mind makes arranging the remainder of your day difficult.

Instead, focus on exploring the area around the Thames. Begin your day at Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s part time abode (we were told by multiple people that she’s hardly ever there nowadays). Make your way to Westminster Abbey from there, and admire Big Ben before walking over the Westminster Bridge.

From there, make your way along the south bank of the Thames, pursuing the walk in the main itinerary above.

Pause at Borough Market for lunch, then direct your way across either London Bridge (superior perspectives, specifically of Tower Bridge and the Tower of London), or Tower Bridge (poorer perspectives, but an exciting experience) and head to the Tower of London.

Lastly, make your way on a walk through the city of London, and end at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

2 Days in London

With 2 days in London, you’ll need to adjust some activities, but the first three days of the plan above can provide a foundation.

Here’s how we’d do it. 

On the first day, combine the activities scheduled for the morning of the initial date (St. Paul`s Cathedral, the London Museum, and exploring the City of London) and the morning of the subsequent date (Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace). Begin with exploring the Westminster area to ensure arriving early at the Abbey, and conclude with St. Paul`s Cathedral. Head to Shoreditch for dinner and socializing.

On the second day, follow the instructions provided above for day 3. If you wish to attend a performance during your visit, plan to do so on your second evening.

3 Days in London

With 3 days allocated in London, we could follow the aforementioned itinerary as written, and not engage in day 4 at all. While missing out on Camden Market is disappointing, you`re making it to Borough Market, so you have experienced one of London`s food markets.

If you want to catch a show, you can add it to any of the evenings quite easily.

Specific Days of the Week to Keep in Mind for Your Trip

One thought that surfaced as we began to outline this guide was that numerous things to do depend on which days of the week you visit. This is particularly relevant for some of the food markets.

For example, Borough Market is excellent on Saturdays when it`s open, closed on Sundays, and pretty good on weekdays but only during lunchtime!

On the other hand, Broadway Market up north is truly a Saturday destination, when the streets are packed with vendors selling all kinds of delectable food.

Here are some considerations for days of the week to keep in mind as you’re planning your trip (there’s more detail on what exactly these places are and what they offer in the detailed 4 day London itinerary above).

• Borough Market: Available for lunch only, Monday through Saturday.
• Broadway Market: Definitely visit on Saturday for lunch.
• Camden Market: Mostly a lunch spot, and you should also go on Saturday if feasible.
• Spitalfields Market: Weekends are best here, when the entire interior is lined with stalls selling food, arts and crafts, and other fun stuff to peruse.
• Portobello Road Market: The market in Notting Hill is best attended on Saturdays, when most vendors have stalls set up.
• Columbia Road Flower Market: Only on Sundays!
• The Sunday Market: The vintage goods and food marketplace on Brick Lane occurs only on weekends, both Saturdays and Sundays.

“WOW” you say, “that’s a large number of weekend only markets – which ones do you find most appealing?”

We deliberately planned our 12 days to include two weekends, because the food market culture in London stood out to us as something that was uniquely special.

If given a choice, we would select the Broadway Market, which has more of a local community market atmosphere than other venues we explored (visiting twice!), and the nearby Spitalfields Market and Upmarket, located a few blocks apart.

You should also definitely visit Camden Market and Borough Market, but the day of the week matters somewhat less for those (though they’re both lunchtime destinations, rather than evening destinations).

When to Visit London

London is a city that changes with the seasons, though those seasons may appear somewhat different than what you`re accustomed to.

Matt has now visited London multiple times in the spring, and it’s somewhat of a toss up in terms of the weather. On this last trip, we were in London for two weeks. At the beginning, it was summer conditions, and London residents came out fully in force on the first sunny weekend after a dreary winter. We’re talking tank tops and sundresses all over the place.

A few days later, it was snowing. Literally. 

So if you’re visiting in springtime, be ready for unpredictable weather – you might be warm, cool, or wet, or all three in a single day! Having layers will serve you well, and a rain jacket is indispensable.

In the summer – which means about June through August – the climate is warm, the skies are clear (mostly), and summer festivals are in full swing. It’s easily the busiest time of the year, so you’ll be paying more for lodging, and you’ll want to book things like museum entries as early as possible.

Fall resembles spring in many ways, but its weather patterns prove a bit more predictable. Temperatures will be cool – ranging mainly from the 50s to 60s on most days – and it will shower occasionally, yet it makes for a lovely time to be in London.

Winter sees dreary gray skies and very short days. However, London around Christmas is said to be magical, as the city is lit up with holiday lights and markets set up throughout. It will likely be affordable, excluding December, when rates surprisingly increase.

Getting Around London (Using Public Transit)

We didn’t quite grasp the enormous scale of London until we had spent some time navigating it. I mean, sure, we knew it was an immense city with 10 million inhabitants, but I don’t think we completely understood just how long it takes to travel from one end of the city to the opposite.

For that reason (p.s., the answer can be well over an hour, depending on where you’re headed), we strongly advise investing in an unlimited public transportation card while in London, which is called a Travelcard and can be purchased at ticket machines located at most underground stations.

The Travelcard provides unlimited access to the Underground and buses in London. Both are efficient, relatively clean (coming from the US), and will get you from point A to point B much faster than walking. You’ll need to choose the duration based on your trip – one day, two days, a week. More details here.

As you`ll likely only need zones 1-2 for most sightseeing in Central London, we`d recommend purchasing your travel pass separately from your trip from the airport (more details on that soon). The airport is outside that range, and it would markedly elevate the cost of your pass.

Alternatively, £5 can purchase an Oyster Card to top up as needed. Cards and value additions both occur at Tube Stations. Riders can tap the card to enter and exit the tube or board buses (no tap required when disembarking buses in London, it should be noted).

Top Travel Recommendation: Search online storefronts like Apple or Google Play using the acronym “TFL” (Transport for London) to access an application containing abundant maps, timetables and transportation guidance.

Getting Around by Electric Bike

Battery-powered bicycle rentals have vastly increased in popularity across London over the past decade.

The primary bicycle rental company in London is Santander Cycles, though locals refer to them as “Boris Bikes”, after their inauguration by then-mayor and now Prime Minister Boris Johnson, way back in 2010.

The bicycles have been rented over ninety-three million times since their introduction, and cost £2 per 30-minute ride, with drop-off and pick-up points across the entire city.

Getting Around on Foot

Unlike San Francisco, where we previously lived full-time, London has a fairly level landscape, which allows navigating by foot easily. In fact, you may notice that much of the itinerary previously described involves travel between places on foot, a very pleasant way to explore the city.

However, we also stated that London is enormous, which implies you’re going to want to supplement your walking with public transportation if you’ve got limited time and want to fit in as much as possible.

Getting to the City from London Heathrow

The option chosen for entry into the city from the airport will depend on one`s budget and timeframe available, as several alternatives exist.

We`ll review these options from quickest (and priciest) to slowest (and most affordable).

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First is the Heathrow Express, which is a train running between Paddington Station and Heathrow in 15-20 minutes flat with no other stops. The disadvantage is that it’s EXTREMELY expensive if you book it at the very last minute, and it doesn’t quite receive you into the regions of London you’re likely staying in, so it will require a transfer.

If traveling more than 90 days ahead, tickets for as little as £5.50 each way can be booked, which is a tremendous value, and will cost about equal to the longer Tube option, taking around 1⁄4 the time.

Katherine Lake(10.3 Miles / 2,800 ft. Elevation Gain): The first route is perhaps the simplest route to access. After reaching the high ridge overlooking Helen Lake, hikers will descend into the valley on the opposite side to arrive at the northern shoreline of Katherine Lake. The lush, green meadows bordering Helen Lake are left behind for more rugged and rocky alpine terrain prevailing above 8,000 feet in elevation.

One final option for travel from Heathrow is utilizing the Underground railway system for the entirety of the trip into Central London, which was the method we ultimately selected. The cost is approximately £6, and it takes around one hour to traverse the Piccadilly line from the airport to the city center. Depending on your destination, a transfer may be necessary, which is relatively straightforward to execute. Purchase tickets from machines located before exiting the airport terminal and entering the station.

Utilizing the Underground during crowded commute hours with baggage will most likely be quite troublesome, so consider that if you’re arriving between 8:00 am – 10:00 am or 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm.

Getting to London

When contemplating how to transport oneself to London, you`ll discover that the city is extremely well connected to major hubs. The city serves as a significant travel center for Europe, North America and many other places worldwide.

Flying into London

Here’s a brief overview of the major airports surrounding the city. There are three of them, and the one with the widest selection of flights (and ways to get into the city) is London Heathrow (LHR).

London Heathrow (LHR)

Heathrow is undoubtedly the busiest airport in the UK. This implies it’s probable to be the airport of arrival, especially when flying from the United States.

Heathrow airport, being in close proximity to London`s city center, makes it a preferable location to land for those with a choice of airports given its more convenient access to the heart of the city.

London Gatwick (LGW)

Gatwick Airport is situated 28 miles to the south of London. The airport is smaller than Heathrow, and primarily connects to destinations across Europe. If you’re planning on arriving on an affordable flight (Easyjet, WizzAir, Ryanair) there’s a good chance you’ll come into Gatwick.

Do not be discouraged by Gatwick’s area. It’s incredibly easy (and quick) to achieve the center of London utilizing the Gatwick Express direct train service. The trains run every 15 minutes between the airport’s South Terminal and London’s Victoria Station daily from 5:00 am until 12.30 am. The non-stop journey takes around 30 minutes.

London Stansted (STN)

London Stansted is situated to the north of the city, and it takes approximately 50 minutes to arrive at central London’s Liverpool Street Station by express train.

Stansted, like Gatwick, is mainly used by budget operators like Ryanair. Stanstead is a busy airport, but numerous of the flights cater to Eastern European destinations, so it may have restricted usefulness for many visitors.

Taking the Eurostar into London

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So What’s the Appeal?

For one, taking the Eurostar is very efficient. The journey from Paris to London takes approximately 2.5 hours, with departures and arrivals right in the heart of each city center.

It’s also possible to travel from Brussels, Amsterdam and even further away, meaning one could visit London by train as part of a more extended European trip. Moreover, there`s something romantic about traveling by train, and it’s something we wish we could do more of domestically in the United States.