London 3-Day Itinerary

An intensive plan for a first visit: royal Westminster, then the Tower of London and St Paul's Cathedral, and finally Bankside and Tower Bridge on the

An intensive plan for a first visit: royal Westminster, then the Tower of London and St Paul's Cathedral, and finally Bankside and Tower Bridge on the south bank of the Thames \u2014 grouped geographically to minimize travel between opposite ends of the city.

Day 1
09:00
Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower) (30 min)
Exterior viewing; the inside climb needs advance booking months ahead if you want it.
🚶 10-minute walk
10:00
Buckingham Palace (60 min)
Check the Changing of the Guard schedule before visiting if you want to see it.
🚶 15-minute walk through St James's Park
12:00
🚶 10-minute walk
14:00
The Wolseley (75 min)
Lunch/rest stop at an elegant cafe-brasserie.
🚶 Taxi/Tube, 10 minutes
16:00
Hyde Park (90 min)
A quiet evening walk in central London's largest park.
🚶 Taxi/Tube, 15 minutes
19:00
Maroush I (Edgware Road) (90 min)
Lebanese dinner on the nearby Edgware Road.
Day 2
09:00
Tower of London (150 min)
Book ahead and start early; one of London's busiest sites.
🚶 5-minute walk
12:00
Tower Bridge (60 min)
Can be crossed on foot for free, or pay for the inside glass walkway.
🚶 Taxi/Tube, 15 minutes
14:00
St Paul's Cathedral (90 min)
Closed on Sundays for tourist visits.
🚶 Taxi/Tube, 15 minutes
16:30
Tayyabs (Whitechapel) (75 min)
Afternoon break/early dinner.
🚶 10-minute walk
18:00
🚶 5-minute walk
19:15
Beigel Bake (Brick Lane) (20 min)
A cheap late-evening snack or dessert.
Day 3
09:00
Monmouth Coffee (Borough Market) (30 min)
Morning coffee before the market gets busy.
🚶 3-minute walk
09:45
Borough Market (90 min)
🚶 10-minute walk
12:00
Shakespeare's Globe (90 min)
If there's a play on in season, advance booking is worth it.
🚶 10-minute walk
15:00
The Shard (75 min)
Best to go before sunset to see the lighting change.
🚶 15-minute walk
19:00
Le Pont de la Tour (120 min)
An upscale French dinner with a direct view of Tower Bridge.
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