London? In ONE DAY? Yes! With a well thought itinerary you can see some of the must-see our beautiful, gigantic city has to offer.
For starters, consider buying a London Explorer Pass for easier access to many of London’s attractions.
Going around trying to see everything will only destroy your feet, wallets and expectations, so be smart about it! Let’s get started!
1. Buckingham Palace: big, imposing, one of the main symbols of England, it needs to be seen. Catch the centuries-long tradition of the Changing of the Guard in a formal procession that happens everyday at 10.45am in the summer and on alternate days the rest of the year.
Just close by lies the prettiest park in London;
Which leads us to our second stop!
2. St. James Park: it’s the definition of pretty, with its flower beds and beautiful sights – reach the top of the park to take in the majestic view of its entirety and some famous landmarks like Westminster Abbey and the London Eye. Take your time here, it’s worth losing ten minutes more, let it remind you where you are.
3. Westminster Abbey, a Royal Peculiar church and World Heritage Site, deserves a visit. This 1000 year old triumph of gothic architecture is where all things royal happen! But it’s also the burial place of (many, many, many) notable figures among which Queen Elizabeth I, Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, Steven Hawkins, Charles Dickens, and maybe, perhaps, possibly, The Bard himself, William Shakespeare, who is memorialized there anyways, although his body may or may not be buried in the Church.
Well, onward! A very brief march takes you to straight to the next stop of this one day London itinerary:
4. The Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. What even is there to say? A 170 years old UNESCO World Heritage Site, this is another one of the world-recognized must-see symbols of London, a British cultural icon. If you have time, why not book a tour inside? It’s very interesting, but it takes a while.
5. Look up, it’s the London Eye! You definitely have to go up, you.have.to. Is it cheap? Mmno; is it fundamental? Yes. Just yes. See the skyline from inside the skyline with a 25 minute ride that will change your life (yeah, and your instagram feed).
6. Cross Golden Jubilee Bridge and reach Trafalgar Square! See the famous Lion Statues and Nelson’s Column at the center of this London Landmark, oh, and obviously “Britain’s smallest police station”.
Right at its side,
7. The National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery. Here you have two options: either get inside and stay for the rest of the afternoon – which would be a worthy way to use your time, trying not to drown in the hundreds of thousands of artworks guarded in their halls, among which Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers and Leonardo da Vinci’s The Virgin on the Rocks, or watch them from the outside, wave goodbye, and go have a great time at (drum roll)…
8. Covent Garden! It’s in the center of Theaterland and offers an abundance of things to do! If you want to go for a hunt, look for Neal’s Yard, a colorful bubble inside London with independent stores and restaurants, and just around the corner, hides Cecil Court, that is rumored to have been the inspiration for Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley! An old timey looking gem that deserves to be explored, with its second hand shops and bookstores, a full experience! If you can fit it in your packed one day itinerary, visit Somerset House, full of art venues and generally very pretty.
After all this walking, you must be tired, hungry, starving, even!
9. Head towards Soho for any kind of food you might possibly desire! Thai? We got it! Mediterranean? We got it! Udon? We got it! Indian? We definitely got it! And obviously, the same goes for drinks!
Ultimately, if you’d like to do one more nice little walk,
10. Make your way to London Bridge for a stroll along the banks of the river, looking at the illuminated, world- famous bridge.
Hopefully you enjoy this one day London tour, and let us know if you do!
