London 3-day Itinerary
United Kingdom (UK)
Where to go and what to see in London to get the most from your trip – a 3-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Annabelle Thorpe.
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Overview >Bucket list experience:
Royal Albert Hall
Credit: Kiev.Victor / Shutterstock.com
Last updated: 06 November, 2022
Instantly recognisable as one of London’s greatest icons, the Royal Albert Hall is the capital’s premier venue – a beautiful, circular concert hall, founded in 1871, and based on the design of a Roman amphitheatre.
Outside, its red and gold frontage dominates the southern edge of Kensington Gardens, while inside – beneath the largest unsupported glass dome in the world – the main auditorium is almost overwhelming in its scale, with over 5,000 seats, many in galleried, gilt-edged ‘boxes’.
The Hall hosts everything from rock concerts to classical music and theatrical events such as Cirque du Soleil, and remains a pillar of the capital’s cultural life as the home of the Proms, a classical music festival that runs from July to September. Steeped in history, this is the place to perform in London, and everyone from Russian pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff to Adele has performed on its stage.
You can also take 60-minute daytime tours to go behind the scenes, and learn about the history and architecture of this monument to the arts.
Don’t miss
The Royal Albert Hall is most famous for ‘The Proms’ – an 8-week series of concerts, every summer, begun in 1895 and named after the era’s ‘promenade concerts’ which used to take place in London’s pleasure gardens. The Proms focus on classical music, but in a diverse array of styles, from opera to the National Ukelele Orchestra; many performances have a hugely celebratory atmosphere, particularly the world-famous ‘Last Night of the Proms’.
Promming – standing in the Arena or Gallery – is a brilliant way to experience the Proms for next to nothing. Up to 1,400 standing places are available for each concert for £5.
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Destination Guide >Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience
London 5-day Itinerary
United Kingdom (UK)
Where to go and what to see in London to get the most from your trip – a 5-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Annabelle Thorpe.
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London 9-day Itinerary
United Kingdom (UK)
Where to go and what to see in London to get the most from your trip – 9 brilliant, bucket list-packed days recommended by destination expert and travel writer Annabelle Thorpe.
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Overview >Price from: £15
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around
Duration: 1+ hours
Getting there & doing it
The nearest Underground stations are Knightsbridge (Piccadilly line), South Kensington (Circle, District, Piccadilly) and Gloucester Road (Circle, District, Piccadilly). It’s a 10-minute walk from there.
See the website for the programme of events. Tickets for top shows sell out weeks if not months in advance, so book ahead.
There’s a whopping 13 bars and three restaurants, including a dedicated champagne bar and even a cider bar. At Verdi restaurant, afternoon tea is sound tracked by live classical musicians.
When to do it
The RAH’s programme runs year round, with a diverse programme of events. The box office is open daily. Visit July to September to join in the world-famous ‘Proms’.
Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Number Sixteen
London, United Kingdom (UK)[0.9 miles]
Dazzling design and local colour abound at this intimate, under-the-radar bolthole in a convenient, upmarket location.
Official star rating:
Sydney House
London, United Kingdom (UK)[1.1 miles]
A value-for-money Georgian townhouse hotel that offers a pleasingly tranquil feel, set on a refined residential street in the heart of Chelsea.
Official star rating:
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park
London, United Kingdom (UK)[1.2 miles]
A gloriously opulent Edwardian hotel, with Michelin-starred dining, a subterranean spa and a wonderful location overlooking Hyde Park – one of the capital’s most expensive, most luxurious addresses.
Official star rating:
Portobello Hotel
London, United Kingdom (UK)[2.2 miles]
A colourful boutique hotel with an even more colourful rock’n’roll history, in the boho-chic residential quarter between Portobello Road and Notting Hill.
Official star rating:
Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
London
Greater London, United Kingdom (UK)
World-class culture, fashion, music, food and history – and a mind-boggling array of bucket list experiences – packed into one extraordinary, incomparable destination.
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Overview >Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
London Science Museum
London, United Kingdom (UK)[0.4 miles]
The world’s largest science museum, with 40 galleries celebrating three centuries of major scientific advances.
Best for ages: 4+ | Free
Natural History Museum
London, United Kingdom (UK)[0.5 miles]
Dinosaur skeletons, blue whales and chunks of meteorite set in a Romanesque, cathedral-like building – the world’s biggest and best such museum is a treasure trove of natural history.
Best for ages: 4+ | Free
Victoria and Albert Museum
London, United Kingdom (UK)[0.6 miles]
Known nationwide as ‘the V&A’, this museum focuses on the decorative arts, from fashion to furniture and interior design.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free
Kensington Palace
London, United Kingdom (UK)[0.8 miles]
Birthplace of Queen Victoria, this regal 18th-century palace in Hyde Park is now the official residence of TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children.
Best for ages: 13+ | £17
Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..
Royal Academy of Arts
London, United Kingdom (UK)[2.8 miles]
An 18th-century mansion of masterpieces sitting pretty on Piccadilly, home to one of Britain’s oldest collections of fine art and regular blockbuster exhibitions.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Madame Tussauds
London, United Kingdom (UK)[2.9 miles]
Meet the queen, get a selfie with Stormzy and take the controls of the Millennium Falcon with Chewbacca at the world’s leading and original wax museum.
Best for ages: 8+ | £30
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
London, United Kingdom (UK)[3.4 miles]
A magical leafy setting that’s as memorable as the shows themselves, Regent’s Park Outdoor Theatre is one of London’s must-do entertainment experiences.
Best for ages: 18+ | £25 | 1-3 hours
The London Eye
London, United Kingdom (UK)[4 miles]
Sky-scraping observation wheel taking passengers on a stately ride, 450 feet above the Thames.
Best for ages: Any | £31 | 30 minutes