Suggested 1 day London itinerary
If you only have 1 day in the city, this is how I would recommend spending it!
Begin the day at the Tower of London (take the tube to Tower Hill) – it takes a good few hours to look around, so you’ll only have time to see it from the outside, but if you walk over the iconic Tower Bridge you’ll have a great view of it from the south side of the river.
Start walking 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 it is closed on a Monday) - if you want a snack then I recommend Bread Ahead for a pastry or donut. While you’re here, 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, the London Eye, and finally the Houses of Parliament.
This whole walk will take 1hr15 – 1hr45 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.
When you get to Westminster Bridge, cross over to get a closer look at the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. From here, walk to nearby Westminster Abbey which is just a couple of minutes away. It’s worth spending some time looking round this beautiful historic church (pre-booking is recommended) but as you’ve only got 1 day, it might be better to save for another visit. Walk up to St James’ Park, one of the city’s loveliest parks with a lake and resident pelicans. This is a good lunch stop – the park has a café, or there are cafes/shops in the Westminster area if you want to have a picnic. 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. Next, continue walking along Picadilly until you get to Piccadilly Circus. Walk through Chinatown (Gerrard Street), 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 which is a good place to sit down for a bit and have a snack. Then, spend some time exploring the historic Covent Garden market building which has a craft market, shops and entertainers.
Once you’ve finished in Covent Garden, walk along the Strand to Trafalgar Square. If you want, you could pop into the National Gallery or National Portrait Gallery to see some art – you won’t have long, but both are free to visit and are very close to Trafalgar Square. Book free tickets for the National Gallery in advance online in order to skip the queue outside.
In the evening, I would recommend an early dinner and then checking out a West End show. Make sure to book in advance direct from the theatre, and have a look at websites like Time Out for ideas of what’s on. If you’re not interested in theatre, you could visit one of the city’s viewpoints like the Shard, or head to Camden to see some live music.