3 day London itinerary

If you have 3 days in the city, this is how I would recommend spending them.

Day 1

Begin the day at the Tower of London (take the tube to Tower Hill) – it takes a good few hours to look around here. Start with the Crown Jewels before it gets too busy, then explore the many different areas of the Tower.

Once you’ve seen everything, there are some good lunch options nearby – St Katherine’s Docks marina is a short 5-10 min walk away and a lovely setting with pubs, restaurants and cafes overlooking the water. Alternatively, you could grab some takeway food from a café in the Tower Hill area and have a picnic in St Dunstan in the East Church Garden – also a 5-10 min walk away. Another option would be holding on a bit longer until you reach Borough Market – see below!

After lunch, cross over Tower Bridge, then walk west along the riverside path, passing HMS Belfast and Hays Galleria which are both worth a photo stop. Then, as the path comes away from the river temporarily, stop by Borough Market (note the market is closed on Monday) and grab something to eat (I recommend Bread Ahead for a pastry or donut), and pop into lovely Southwark Cathedral which is free to visit and will only take a short amount of time to view. Continue along Click Street past the Golden Hinde replica ship and the remains of Winchester Palace, and then resume the walk along the riverside path. You’ll pass Shakespeare’s Globe, Tate Modern, and see St Paul’s Cathedral on the other side of the river. Keep walking, and you’ll get to the National Theatre and the Southbank Centre.

This whole walk will take 1hr15 – 1hr30 mins depending on walking speed and how long you spend taking photos. If you’re not comfortable walking, you can take an uber boat along this stretch of the river instead.

Cross over the Golden Jubilee Bridge and walk up Villiers Street (stopping off at the pretty Victoria Embankment Gardens if you need a sit down and/or cup of coffee). Walk up the Strand to Trafalgar Square where this walk ends. If you still have enough energy, and depending on how you’re doing for time, pop into the National Portrait Gallery or National Gallery which are nearby – both are free to visit, but it’s worth getting tickets for the latter in advance so you can skip the queue.

Day 2

Start the day at the Houses of Parliament (nearest tube Westminster) where you can take in the iconic Big Ben Tower from the outside.  From here, it’s a short walk to Westminster Abbey. It’s worth spending some time looking round this beautiful historic church.

When you’re done, walk up to St James’ Park, one of the city’s loveliest parks with a lake and resident pelicans. Walk all the way through the park and come out onto the Mall to see Buckingham Palace.

Once you’ve taken in Buckingham Palace, walk through nearby Green Park to Piccadilly – a busy street that has the fabulous historic Fortnum and Mason department store. This is a great place to pick up some lovely souvenirs. Opposite Fortum and Mason is Burlington Arcade – a classic historic shopping arcade which is worth a look. From Burlington Arcade, walk up Saville Row and head to Liberty – another excellent shop where you can find some great souvenirs.

For lunch, head into the Soho area. You could get some food for a picnic in Soho Square Gardens, or find a café on Carnaby Street or Berwick Street

After lunch, walk back down to Piccadilly Circus. Pass through Chinatown (Gerrard Street), and Leicester Square, then cross over Charing Cross Road and walk into the Covent Garden area – don’t miss the streets around the Seven Dials junction and the Seven Dials Market where you may want to grab a snack. Then, spend some time exploring the historic Covent Garden market building which has a craft market, shops and entertainers.

Day 3

Begin the day at the British Museum (nearest station Russell Square). The museum is huge and it's a good idea to check the website beforehand and familiarise yourself with what's there so you can prioritise the areas that are most of interest. 

After you've had a good look round, it's worth taking a break in one of the nearby squares. Russell Square is lovely, and there's also Tavistock Square and Gordon Square. I’d recommend having a picnic in one of these. The surrounding streets are really pretty too - in particular Bedford Square which is often used for filming historic dramas.

When you've explored the area, go to nearby Tottenham Court Road tube and take the central line to St Paul's where you can visit the beautiful St Paul's Cathedral. If you didn’t get lunch near the British Museum, this is another opportunity to grab something, as there are lots of cafes round here.

When you've finished looking round the cathedral, have a walk round the surrounding area as this is the oldest part of London and there are many interesting historic buildings. These include the Guildhall (a 15th century town hall), and the Monument (a monument built to commemorate the Great Fire of London which you can climb). Not too far from here is Leadenhall Market - an ornate building used for filming scenes in Harry Potter, and Postman's Park which has a memorial for people who gave up their lives to save others. In this area you will also find free viewpoints like Sky Garden and Horizon 22 - book in advance to get tickets for those. 

While you’re in the area, I’d recommend going to Spitalfields Market or Brick Lane for dinner where there are lots of places to eat.