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If you only have three days to spend in London, then I am sorry, and I really wish you had more time. But I understand that time is not always a luxury, which is why I’ve written this 3-day London itinerary to help you maximize your valuable 72 hours! London is one of the most diverse and experience-rich cities in the world. I lived there for two years and have visited as a tourist multiple times, and our editor currently lives there, and we are all still discovering so many things to do! So in this 3-day itinerary, we are focusing on the absolute unmissable London attractions that first-time visitors shouldn’t skip. If you have been to London before, we’ll link some more resources further below so you can find hidden gems and lesser-known attractions.
This 3-day London itinerary has been designed to incorporate some of the most iconic London attractions and experiences – with a little touch of local flavors and neighborhoods. It’s a similar itinerary to what we did on our first three days in London during our 10-day family trip to England with our daughters (their first time in London). Follow in our footsteps for a memorable time. We’ve done the planning for you!
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London is a huge city, and since you only have 3 days, I created this itinerary to reduce the amount of time getting around. Fortunately, London is easy to get around. Just walking from Point A to B is a valuable memory-making experience and is where you’ll connect so much to the London lifestyle. But if you don’t plan properly, you could be spending far too much time zig-zagging across the city of London when you don’t need to.
Each day’s activities will be focused on one area of London, so you can spend more time exploring and less time on the London Tube (underground train). Adapt this three-day itinerary as you see fit, according to your budget, interests, time of arrival, and your hotel location.
I also recommend places to eat, coffee stops, and some hidden gems down below. I realize how personal those choices can be, so you may want to substitute your own. Just make sure you find something close to the attractions to reduce your travel time. Good news, in London there’s a pub and a pastry shop on every corner!
Breakfast at our Millennium Hotel, Kensington
We ate breakfast at our hotel each morning as it was provided with our room. Buffet-style English breakfasts at your hotel will be way better than any American ones you’ve experienced. So, enjoy and fill up. If you only have two days in London, simply drop Day 3. We’ve created it so the very best of London (from a tourist perspective) is on Days 1 & 2. If you have longer than three days in London, we have our 7-day London itinerary, which can also be shortened to five.
If you are prepared to wake up early and put your best walking shoes on, three days is enough to see the highlights of London, but if you have the time to spend longer, we recommend you spend at least 5 days in London. We also have other in-depth posts on London and its experiences, which will help you with further reading and research. You can also join our email community, where we share more helpful travel plans and inspirations. You’ll also get access to our free printable London Bucket List and this printable itinerary in a one-page outline:
On day one, you’ll visit some of its top attractions in the Westminster and St James’s areas, learning about the two forms of leadership in Britain with the Royals in Buckingham Palace and the Politicians at Big Ben and Parliament House. You’ll be taking in the views of London at the most popular attraction in the city, then exploring the vibrant arts and cultural West End.
Westminster Abbey is the Royal Church of England and one of the top attractions in London. I enjoyed our self-guided audio tour of Westminster Abbey more than I thought I would. We wanted to see Westminster Abbey to see where the Kings and Queens of England have their coronations. It was also where members of the royal family got married, the last being Prince William and Kate Middleton. As you walk through the pews, you can take in the beautiful Gothic architecture, while your audio guide tells you more about the artwork, architecture, and notable monuments inside the building.
You also get told about the Abbey’s long history, from as far back as the coronation of William the Conqueror. Be sure to check out the outside of the cathedral, too. I enjoyed seeing the perspective of the abbey from walking around the cloisters and gardens.
My favorite of all the parks in London is the 58-acre St James’s Park. It’s home to the Mall and Horse Guards Parade and is on the doorstep of Buckingham Palace. It’s the smallest of the eight Royal Parks and has a quiet beauty about it with its manicured gardens, blooming flowers, ponds, ample birdlife, and meandering paths under the shade of hundreds of trees.
Depending on how much time you spend in Westminster Abbey, you may have to skip through here to get to the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace on time. Don’t worry, you’ll walk back through it after the palace.
You can’t visit London without peeping through the wrought iron fence of one of the most famous palaces in the world. Buckingham Palace has been the royal residence of the British Royal Family since 1837. Although the British royals choose to live elsewhere (Windsor Castle is where the Queen lived before she passed), the palace is still used for stately events and meetings.
Most tourists love to visit for the Changing of the Guards Ceremony, which takes place daily at 10.45am. This is when the Queen’s Guard hands over responsibility for protecting Buckingham Palace and St. James’s Palace to the New Guard. The Changing of the Guards does get crowded and may take up a chunk of your time. For me, it’s not worth it. I’d rather put that time into other things to do in London. You can also tour the palace from July until October, from Thursday to Monday.
Alternative: You may want to explore Kensington Palace and Gardens, which are west of Buckingham Palace. If you only have three days, I’d skip Kensington Palace and stick to this itinerary, as the rest of this day is full of epic London experiences. Kensington is in our follow-up 7-day London itinerary!
If you did not get time to get your photos here when you were at Westminster Abbey, now is the time, as you’ll walk back through it to get to the London Eye. The Houses of Parliament are where all the important business in running the country happens. You can tour inside during select days and times.
Big Ben is the 13.5-tonne iconic clock tower that most visitors gaze up at and can be seen from all over London. Parliament Square is next to the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. It has statues of well-known political leaders, including Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, and Nelson Mandela. You might want to stop for lunch after visiting the Houses of Parliament. There are many great restaurants and cafes along the embankment, just across Westminster Bridge on the South Bank side. Just walk along Belvedere Road and see what takes your fancy.
Around the corner from Parliament House are the very pretty Whitehall Gardens. You may want to walk halfway out on the Westminster Bridge first for some lovely views of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. The views from here of the Thames and the London Eye are great. There’s not much else to do but enjoy the views as you walk to your next stop.
Moored on the Thames is the Tattershall Castle, a former passenger ferry turned pub with views of the London Eye. This could be a top spot for your lunch. Otherwise, you may want to find just a grab-and-go lunch as the day is quite busy. Walk across the pedestrian-only Golden Jubilee Bridge to the London Eye, enjoying the views as you go.
Under this bridge, right outside the Royal Festival Hall, is the colorful artistic 10ft shipping container, which is the home of Beany Green, an Aussie Cafe chain in London. While sadly, I don’t think their coffee is great, I love the vibe of this place, and their lamingtons are amazing (and they have gluten-free ones). So, if you need an afternoon caffeine and treat pick-me-up, this is the spot.
The London Eye is the tallest observation wheel in Europe and a great way to see different viewpoints of the famous buildings in London, like Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Yes, the London Eye is totally worth it. Just like you’d visit the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Sydney, you’d visit the London Eye in England’s capital.
While you book a time slot for the London Eye, you still have to line up. The lines move pretty quickly, but I have heard of long waits. To avoid that, get the fast-track ticket.
We have a full review of the London Eye and Thames River Cruise here, and more recommendations for the Best Views in London
You can see more of the London Eye experience by pressing play in the video below, including our private pod (recommended if you have the spare money):
If you would prefer to do a sunset cruise tomorrow, you may want to skip this. Since these cruises depart at a specific time, and the London Eye doesn’t, you may want to do the cruise first, then book your London Eye for after it. The Lastminute.com London Eye River cruise is a 40-minute circular tour of the Thames on a small open-top ferry with guided commentary.
You’ll learn many stories about the iconic Landmarks you’ll pass, like Big Ben, London Bridge, HMS Belfast, The Shard, Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, the Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral, and Tower Bridge, which you’ll get to sail under before turning around to cruise back. You can buy a combination ticket with the London Eye, which makes it easier to fit in.
Now you’re free to explore the West End. If you are going to go to the theater, you will be on a time limit. If not, explore at your leisure. It will be easy to return to Convent Garden on day three of this itinerary if you run out of time today. It’s a great area to explore, so give yourself time to wander. Returning is always a great idea! I would return every weekend when I lived in London. It’s an easy walk back over the Golden Jubilee Bridge straight into Trafalgar Square. Before a theater visit, I recommend a quick look around the following districts…
Trafalgar Square has always been a place for Londoners to gather, whether that is to bring in the New Year together, or to protest, rally, or march for important rights and causes. The 52-m high statue of Lord Nelson dominates the square, and the National Gallery is the stunning building in the background.
There’s not a lot to do here, other than walk around and take photos with the fountain and lions of courage. Take note of the LGBTQ pedestrian traffic lights as you’re crossing the road. You can see what Trafalgar Square is like over on our reel.
Piccadilly Circus is like a mini Times Square in New York. Full of neon lights, massive flashing advertising billboards, and people getting selfies. It’s overrated, but many tourists love it, so I’m adding it here for you. You’ll no doubt come across it as you walk around the West End. From here you can easily walk to Piccadilly, Leicester Square, Shaftesbury Avenue, the curving Regent Street, and Covent Garden.
Soho is the proud LGBTQ area of London. It has a fun, artsy vibe with a lot of cafes, stores, bars, restaurants, and theaters. It’s also the best place in London for nightlife and is filled with vibrant bars and nightclubs.
For families, you can find a lot to see and do in Soho, too. The House of MinaLima in SoHo is a must-visit for all Harry Potter fans. Look how cool MinaLima is in this video. This gallery and store showcase the graphic art of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films, all of which were exclusively designed by Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima. You can read more about it in our teens’ guide to London.
One of the most well-known places to visit in London is Covent Garden. Wander the cobblestoned areas surrounding the central marketplace, which had its beginnings as a convent garden in the 1500s. There are endless restaurants, bars, and shopping stores. Performers rotate all day long on the street just below the balcony of the famous Punch and Judy pub (good luck trying to get on it!).
Don’t forget to spread out across the central Covent Garden marketplace area to explore the surrounding cobblestone streets and side alleys for other secret gems! We found Cecil’s Court and Goodwin Court, both of which are said to have inspired Diagon Alley.
Click here for more tips on what to do in Covent Garden.
I’m sure you’re ready to collapse in a restaurant at this point. Covent Garden and the West End is overbrimming with them, many with outdoor seating. So find one you like and sit down, if there is space. If you’re going to the theater, be sure to time it right.
Here are a few ideas:
There are over 40 theater venues in the West End performing a variety of shows to over 14 million visitors every year. They have shows throughout the day, but most evening shows begin at 7:30pm. On our family vacation to London, Kalyra, Savannah, and I went to see Matilda in the Cambridge Theater, while Craig caught up with his old North Sydney Bears Rugby teammates in Chelsea. I’m glad we added this to our London itinerary at the last minute as our teen said it was one of her favorite London experiences.
Read more helpful tips on planning a London trip, including how to get cheap(er) West End theater tickets.
Click play to see what day one of this itinerary in London looks like!
On Day 2 of this London itinerary, you’re going to continue learning more of Britain’s history (its dark kind) at the Tower of London and the stunning St Paul’s Cathedral before crossing over the Tower Bridge into its more modern, artistic vibe. You’ll be exploring bustling market vibes, art galleries, and stunning views!
The UNESCO World Heritage, Tower of London, is a castle comprising twenty-two towers, but sitting in the middle is the original White Tower, built in the 1070s by William the Conqueror.
Don’t miss the free Yeoman tour with the red-coated Beefeater (Yeoman Warders) guides entertaining with gruesome stories of its macabre history from its former years (and I mean centuries) as a Royal residence, armory, treasury, and zoo (thank goodness they stopped that!)
After your tour, walk around the old castle grounds to see the prison towers, Crown Jewels, and many other infamous sites. Head to the Crown Jewels first. While I found them overrated, others line up for two hours just to see them! As one of the best things to do in London, the Tower of London is notorious for its long lines, which can extend for hours; that’s why we’ve scheduled it first. Tickets will also be cheaper online.
Almost anyone coming to London is already familiar with the elegant beauty of its neo-Gothic turrets and blue suspension cables. Walk across the iconic Tower Bridge for free and get great views overlooking the Thames and back over the Tower of London. Check for times when the Tower Bridge will raise up its bridge arms so boats underneath can pass by (usually twice a day). Check opening times here.
If you follow our schedule as outlined in this London itinerary, the best views of the bridge (taking into account the sun) will be on the south side of the bridge. The north side was completely washed out.
Whether you’re hungry for strawberries dipped in chocolate, soft local cheeses, bowls of Vietnamese pho, sausage rolls or a refreshingly sweet peach Prosecco, you’ll find it at the Borough Markets on the south side of the River Thames. Popular London Borough Markets are a collection of stalls and vendors selling fresh produce. It’s a great insight into local London life.
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