How to spend 3 Days in London

London is the capital city of England and the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom. Being one of the most popular cities in the world, there is plenty to do, and 3 days is only enough time to see the best of the best London has to offer.

This itinerary is based off of a morning/early afternoon arrival, which is common for most flights from the Americas.

Day 1

Our flight was delayed and we arrived to London in early afternoon, which gave us time to explore a bit of the city on foot.

Tower Bridge

Our hotel was located just a few blocks away from the iconic Tower Bridge, making this a natural starting point. The Tower bridge connects the north and south sides of London across the Thames River. We bought tickets to walk across the glass bottom walkway between the top of the two towers. The ticket also lets you go inside the engine rooms, which is what powers the raising of the bridge deck. Most people call this bridge “London Bridge,” however, the real London Bridge is a nondescript bridge located down the Thames River.

Borough Market

Located near the south end of the Tower Bridge, Borough Market is a market in with a variety of great food and gifts. It is one of the largest and oldest food markets in London, with a market on the site all the way back to the 12th century. The market is a great place for a quick snack, food sampling, or buying a gift.

Tate Modern

A few blocks away from Borough Market is the Tate Modern, one of the largest modern art museums in the world. The museum is also one of the most visited museums in the world, and is part of several Tate art galleries across England. The Tate Modern is home to 11 floors of modern art, and is set inside of an old power station on the Thames River.

Piccadilly Circus

Piccadilly Circus is a major traffic junction in downtown London, and is in a major shopping and entertainment area. With a large LED screen and plenty of pedestrian traffic, Piccadilly Circus is often compared to Times Square in New York City and Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo. In my opinion, Piccadilly Circus is best seen at night.

Day 2

We spent our first whole day in London on an Evan Evans tour of Windsor Castle, the town of Bath, and Stonehenge. The tour departed from Victoria Station, and lasted about 12 hours.

Windsor Castle

The first stop of the tour was in the town of Windsor, just outside of London. The main attraction is Windsor Castle, the largest occupied castle in the world, and weekend home to the Queen. The castle is also used to hosts presidents, kings, and head of states from around the world. Visitors can walk through the museum-like portions of the castle, see the Changing of the Guard, and might even be able to see the Queen walking around the castle

Bath

About a 2 hour drive west of Windsor, the city of Bath is known for its Roman-built baths. The city is located on top of hot springs, which is what heats the baths. The main baths and temple complex at Aquae Sulis were built almost 2,000 years ago, and is the main tourist attraction. Bathing here is no longer allowed due to the presence of bacteria in the water, which is what causes its green color. However, you can drink the same, chemically-treated water.

Stonehenge

Located about halfway between Bath and London is the well-known Stonehenge, which is one of the Seven Wonders of the Medieval World. The monument is estimated to be 5,000 years old, although no one knows for sure when or how it was built. The stones weight about 25 tons on average, which has led some people to theorize that aliens built Stonehenge.

Day 3

Today was our last whole day in London, and it was spent exploring the north side of Thames River.

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace hosts the Changing of the Guard ceremony daily during the summer months, and only several times a week during the rest of the year, so plan ahead if you want to see this famous ceremony. The ceremony lasts about an hour, and is undoubtably one of the most popular things to see in London. During the summer months, you can also take a guided tour of several rooms inside of Buckingham Palace.

Green Park

Located right next to Buckingham Palace, Green Park is one of the esteemed Royal Parks of London. Along with St James’s Park, Kensington Gardens, and Hyde Park, Green Park forms a nearly 3 mile stretch of green space in downtown London. While the park doesn’t have any lakes, buildings, or playgrounds, Green Park does have several post-WWII monuments inside the park.

Camden Market

Several miles north, and an Underground trip later, is Camden Market, which are several adjacent food, gift, and clothing markets. Camden Market is a great place to grab lunch and get a gift for your trip.

British Museum

Just like the Tate Modern, the British Museum is one of the most visited museums in the world. The British museum houses over 8 million artifacts, which is one of the largest collections in the world, with many artifacts from ancient Rome, Africa, and the Middle East. Some of the most popular artifacts include the Rosetta Stone, Parthenon Marbles, and the Mummy of Katebet. In addition to the artifacts, the glass ceiling in the center of the museum is well-photographed due to its unique design.

*Roman statue ruins at the British Museum*

With More Time

The Shard

At 1,016 feet tall, Shard is the a residential and commercial skyscraper in downtown London. It is also the tallest building in the United Kingdom, and one of the tallest in all of Europe. An combined indoor/outdoor observatory on the 72nd floor allows for great views of all of London, and several restaurants are inside the building.

Shakespeare’s Globe

Shakespeare’s Globe is a reconstruction of Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, and hosts plays throughout the year.

Tower of London

The Tower of London is a castle located at the north end of the Tower Bridge, and is known for housing the crown jewels and for holding many famous prisoners.

Getting Around

London is full of public transportation options, including the well known Tube - aka the London Underground. There are also several light rail and trains throughout the city and region, including connections to several of the international airports. Additionally, there are plenty of double-decker busses traversing through the city. Walking and cycling through the city is a popular and easy method of getting around. In order to do the Windsor Castle, Bath, and Stonehenge tour, you will need to use a tour bus.

Where we Stayed

We stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel London - Tower of London. The hotel is located a block away from the nearest Underground station, several hundred feet from the Tower of London, and about half a mile from the Tower Bridge.