London is a complex and exciting city with much to offer travelers, but it is still possible to get a flavor of the city even if you only have a few days. Following is a suggested itinerary for three days in London.
Day 1: London Bus Tour, Thames River Cruise, London Eye
A sightseeing tour is a great way to start any trip to London, particularly a short one. A city tour will familiarize you with London and ensure that you see all of its iconic sights, such as the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, and Tower Bridge. Several companies provide sightseeing tours of London. The most popular are Big Bus Tours and The Original London Sightseeing Tour. Both companies offer “hop on, hop off” tours, so you can stop and explore any of the city's sights in more depth and resume the tour when you're ready.
Also included in the price of each ticket is a free Thames River Cruise and a free walking tour. Some popular walks include the Big Bus Tours' Beatles Walking Tour of London and Ghosts By Gaslight London Walking Tour and The Original Tour's Changing of the Guard Walk and Jack the Ripper Walk.
After orienting yourself with the city, get a bird's eye view of London from the London Eye. Each “flight” on the London Eye takes a half hour and offers outstanding panoramic views of Greater London. For those looking to splurge a bit, treat yourself to a champagne flight or combine your flight with a jazz lunch cruise, afternoon tea at the Marriott County Hall, or a three-course meal at any number of local restaurants.
Day 2: Churches and Museums
A second day in London is a great opportunity to visit some of the city's impressive churches and museums, of which there are hundreds. With just a day to experience the best that London has to offer, focus on those that are most representative of London.
Start the day with a visit to the British Museum, which houses an extensive collection of ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian artifacts. Then head over to the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, where you'll find the works of da Vinci, Monet, Rembrandt, and Van Gogh, among others. From there, it's a short bus or Tube ride to Westminster Abbey, where you can immerse yourself in over a thousand years of history. Then it's on to St. Paul's Cathedral; its gilded interior and stunning frescoes will leave you speechless.
Day 3: Shopping and West End Theatre
London is home to some world-class shopping. Start your last day in the city in upmarket Knightsbridge, home of the famous Harrods department store. Harrods features 330 departments, spread over 4.5 acres of space, selling everything from designer clothing and jewelry to toys and sporting goods and just about anything else under the sun. The store also houses over two dozen restaurants serving pub grub, pizza, seafood, and haute cuisine. High tea at Harrods is a London institution.
For some more budget-friendly shopping, head over to Oxford and Regent Streets, where you'll find several well-known high street chains such as Selfridge's, John Lewis, Marks and Spencer, Topshop, Gap, and many others. You'll also find some of these stores, as well as some unique independent shops, in Covent Garden.
You can cap off your trip to London with dinner at one of Covent Garden's many trendy pubs or restaurants and a West End show.
For tips on how to save money while in London, see Enjoy London on a Budget and How to Save on London Transport.
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