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Bucket list trip:

London 5-day Itinerary

  • United Kingdom (UK)

Last updated: 10 July, 2024

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.

Note – London is a big place, and getting around London is both time-consuming and exhausting. Indeed, the secret to enjoying this incredible city is to minimise your travel, especially in cars, buses or trains.

Each of our itinerary days focuses on a different part of London, gathering the city’s bucket list attractions into smaller, more manageable areas that you can mostly navigate on foot.

Our 9-day itinerary has other suggested days that you can mix and match. Each day is fairly independent of each other – so choose the days that suit you best.

Editor note – Annabelle has not included specific recommendations of where to stay each day, as it’s best to base yourself in one place. See the ‘Where to stay’ section in our London destination guide.

Day 1

3

Spend the morning with the Beefeaters seeing the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London. If you have time, take in spectacular views from the Tower Bridge Walkway.

After, head to the Sky Garden for lunch with a view, then wander along the road to St. Paul’s Cathedral.

After a few whispers in the whispering gallery, finish up with dinner at the Duck and Waffle or Sushi Samba (pre-book). It’s a short walk – and on the way pop into the magnificent Leadenhall Market.

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

View from afar of the tower during the daytime

Bucket List Experience

Tower of London

The Tower of London is one of the UK’s most iconic and impressive historical attractions. Yes, it’s stuffed with tourists but for good reason: inside, you’ll get up close to the Crown Jewels, including the Queen’s crown and the armour of the great Tudor King, Henry VIII. Its White Tower is the oldest intact building in London, built by William the Conqueror in the 11th century.

The resident Yeoman Warders (or Beefeaters) give excellent free tours of the various wings, uncovering some gruesome stories from the Tower’s role as a prison in the Middle Ages. This is where ‘traitors’ were executed – the water gate entrance, built by Edward I, witnessed a stream of prisoners enter the Tower for execution, including Anne Boleyn, Sir Thomas More and Catherine Howard. The unfortunate’s head would be displayed on a spike at London Bridge afterwards.

Look out for the resident ravens – legend has it that if they desert the tower, the kingdom will fall.

Adult price: £25

Good for age: 4+

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

View of the great dome sticking out above the skyline

Bucket List Experience

St Paul’s Cathedral

Instantly recognisable, and one of London’s best-loved monuments, St Paul’s Cathedral was the greatest achievement of 17th-century architect Sir Christopher Wren. Taking 33 years to build, it was declared officially complete on Christmas Day 1711 (although work continued for some time after) and remained the tallest building in London until 1967. Through astonishing luck – or perhaps divine intervention – St Paul’s survived (virtually unscathed) the 1940 World War II bombing blitz – and the ensuing fire – that flattened or destroyed almost every other building for miles around it.

Still the second largest cathedral in the UK, the church is famed for the height of its vast dome (111m) and the incredible acoustics of the Whispering Gallery. Legend has it that if you stand on one side of the gallery and whisper along the wall, someone listening on the opposite side (33m away) will be able to hear you.

Adult price: £17

Good for age: 13+

Sky Garden

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

Sky Garden

Experience

This atmospheric indoor garden, occupying 3 floors at the top of a skyscraper, offers stunning 360-degree panoramic views of the city. There’s an observation deck and several dining options – a fine dining restaurant, an Italian restaurant and a brasserie – all with views.  A great place to break from sightseeing.

Good for age: 18+

Day 2

3

Spend the morning admiring world treasures at the British Museum. There are several good lunch options inside, including a pizzeria.

After lunch, stroll down to soak up the atmosphere of Covent Garden. Shop the boutiques and central market, watch the street performers and, if of interest, pop into the excellent Transport Museum.

For dinner, either book into Rules for British classics, or wander over to Chinatown, via Leicester Square, for Chinese street food. Finish the evening with a West End musical.

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

Exterior view of the museum during the daytime

Bucket List Experience

British Museum

A must-do on every London visitor’s itinerary, the imposing, colonnaded British Museum truly lives up to the hype. One of the oldest museums in the world (established 1753), its enormously rich collection of more than seven million artefacts, many collected and brought back to London from across the world by British explorers and archaeologists during the days of the British Empire.

The ethics may be questionable, but it has ensured thousands of ancient relics that may otherwise have been lost have been safeguarded. Discussions go on about the rights of returning many of these artefacts to their original countries, but for the moment they are still on display to be enjoyed and marvelled at.

The addition in 2000 of a soaring, glass-domed atrium – the Great Court, designed by Norman Foster – brought a dash of contemporary cool to a historic landmark.

Good for age: 13+

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

Elevated view of decommissioned buses

Bucket List Experience

London Transport Museum

Iconic black cabs, scarlet double-decker buses, architectural wonders as train stations, the world’s first underground railway system – London’s transport history is fascinating, even for those without train-spotting tendencies. This surprisingly compelling museum explains how transport development directly influenced the evolution of the city we know today.

There are interactive exhibits (including a tube simulator), original artworks and posters, and the real stars, the collection of heritage vehicles from the 19th and 20th centuries: trains, buses, cabs and more. Plenty of interactive exhibits ensure children will be engaged; the ‘Track it Down’ trail designed by Guardian cartoonist Stephen Appleby helps families to navigate key exhibits.

Adult price: £20

Good for age: 6+

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

West End Musicals

Bucket List Experience

West End Musicals

More than 40 large-scale, world-class theatres make up the ‘West End’, all crammed into a small, buzzy area of central London, around Leicester Square, Soho, Covent Garden and Shaftesbury Avenue. Theatres here have a heritage stretching back five centuries – several are home to shows that break world records for length of run and ticket sales, and many are elaborate listed buildings with beautifully-preserved Georgian or Victorian features.

While the West End is most famous for its blockbuster musicals, its theatres stage a wide variety of genres, including serious drama, comedy and avant-garde performance pieces.

Adult price: £45

Good for age: 8+

Duration: 2-3 hours

When: Daily

Freq: daily

Day 3

8

Rise early and head to Westminster Palace to see Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and Westminster Abbey.

After, stop into Churchill’s War Rooms, also on Parliament Square, then walk through St James’ Park to Buckingham Palace. If you’re there 10.45am you’ll catch the Changing of the Guard.

Art lovers could stop by the Queen’s Gallery, either way wander through Green Park and stop for lunch (or afternoon tea) at either The Ritz or Fortnum & Mason.

Walk into Soho for dinner (many choices). Shoppers could detour to the uber-expensive streets around Bond Street, or the big flagship brands on Regent Street.

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

View of the building from the River Thames, showing parliament and Big Ben

Bucket List Experience

Houses of Parliament & Big Ben

There has been a Palace at Westminster since at least the 10th century, but the neo-Gothic buildings that comprise the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben were built over a period of 23 years, between 1837-60. Designed by Sir Charles Barry and AWN Pugin, the building is set on a huge concrete plate on the banks of the Thames to keep the building stable. There are over 1,000 rooms, 100 staircases and three miles of passageways over four floors.

Today this is where the British Government meets, and although many visitors see these distinctive buildings as simply part of London’s historic skyline, it’s well worth venturing beyond the elegant facades to have a look inside.

Sit in on ‘Prime Minister’s Questions’ in the House of Commons or take a guided tour focusing on the decorative splendour of the House of Lords. You can also climb the Elizabeth Tower, which holds the clock famously known as Big Ben.

Good for age: 13+

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

External view of the grand church during the daytime

Bucket List Experience

Westminster Abbey

Despite religious wars and changing affiliations through the centuries, Westminster Abbey has been the traditional place of royal coronations, and the resting place of monarchs – since William the Conqueror arrived in 1066. In recent times, the Abbey has hosted the funeral of Princess Diana and the royal wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton.

The current building was built on the orders of King Henry III in 1245. It has also become a final resting place for prominent citizens – poets, actors, scientists and military leaders. It contains the remains of 3,300 notables, including 16 monarchs and 8 Prime Ministers.

Today, you can see the Coronation Chair, a throne where all British monarchs (bar two) have been crowned since 1066, Henry VII’s chapel, and towers built by Sir Christopher Wren and his protege, Nicholas Hawksmoor. You can pay your respects to the British pillar of science, Sir Isaac Newton. Poets’ Corner, in the South Transept, is a shrine to Britain’s most famous poets and writers, many of whom are buried or commemorated here. The tradition started when Geoffrey Chaucer, the father of English Literature, was interred here.

Good for age: 18+

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

Underground room with a conference table

Bucket List Experience

Churchill War Rooms

Staff worked 14-hour shifts in this subterranean bunker, from which the cigar-puffing Winston Churchill directed operations during the Blitz. The warren of rooms, which remains exactly as it was in 1945 – from the rationed sugar cubes to the military maps – provides a fascinating glimpse of London during World War II.

During air raids, the weather indicator was changed to ‘windy’ as a joke. Ironically, it recently emerged that this secret nerve centre was neither bombproof nor gas-proof.

Adult price: £25

Good for age: 13+

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

Exterior view of the palace during the daytime

Bucket List Experience

Buckingham Palace

Adopted as the British monarch’s official London residence on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837, the world’s most famous – if architecturally bland – royal palace is viewed by most visitors from the outside only. Walk up the Mall to get the most impressive view, and once you’ve mingled with the crowds, dip into leafy St James’ Park for coffee with the squirrels, who eat out of the hands of passersby.

In the summer months, the State Rooms and gardens open up to visitors; you can take your own picnic if visiting the gardens, and there are pre-bookable Gardener’s Tours for green-fingered visitors.

Good for age: 8+

Queen’s Gallery

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

A bright red exhibition room with statues and furniture with gold accents

Experience

The main public art gallery of Buckingham Palace, the Queens Gallery exhibits works of art from the Royal collection on a rotating basis – there are usually around 450 works on show.

Adult price: £8.50

Good for age: 18+

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

An aristocratic habit started by the Duchess of Bedford in 1840, pausing for tea, cakes and sandwiches at three or four in the afternoon is a good old-fashioned English treat.

Although there are afternoon teas offered across the city (and just about everywhere and anywhere these days), for the authentic, traditional afternoon tea – as the Duchess would have expected it – you need to attend one of London’s historic, grand dame hotels.

The great and the good have been flocking to the grand salons of Claridges, the Savoy and the Ritz (among others) for over a century. Settle in among the glamorous surroundings for miniature sandwiches and cakes served on gleaming silver stands, with tea poured by elegantly-livered waiters. In most cases, you can up the ante just a little further by adding a glass of champagne to the package.

Adult price: £20

Good for age: 13+

Duration: 1-3 hours

The Ritz

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

close up of a sign entrance to the hotel

Experience

In the palatial surroundings of the Ritz’s white-and-gold Palm Court, this is London’s only afternoon tea to have a certified tea sommelier on hand to help you with your choices.

Adult price: £60

Good for age: 18+

Duration: 1-3 hours

Fortnum & Mason

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

Exterior of the large red brick department store on a sunny day

Experience

Grocer to the queen, this glorious foodie emporium on Piccadilly has been supplying the great and good of London since 1705. A Fortnum’s hamper – perfect for a picnic in Hyde Park – is a thing of beauty.

Good for age: 18+

Day 4

7

Start the day feasting on some of the world’s best-loved works of art at the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery, both in Trafalgar Square.

Art lovers could then head to the Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House for more fine art, and afternoon tea at The Savoy Hotel.

Alternatively, walk across Waterloo Bridge to the ‘South Bank’ for a spin on the London Eye and the London Aquarium. Grab dinner at one of the many restaurants on the South Bank promenade.

Finish off with a play at the Brutalist National Theatre or a film at the IMAX.

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

Exterior view of the front of the gallery during the daytime with queue pf people outside

Bucket List Experience

National Gallery

The hallowed galleries of the National are home to one of the greatest collections of Western European paintings in the world. There are more than 2,300 works on display here.

Step out of the bustle of Trafalgar Square into the palatial building to take a tour of the classics, from the Italian Renaissance to the French Impressionists.

Good for age: 18+

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

National Portrait Gallery

Bucket List Experience

National Portrait Gallery

Founded in 1856 as a visual hall of fame for the country’s great and good, today the National Portrait Gallery is still a vital part of British culture. The form may be traditional but the collection of 175,000 portraits range from stiff-upper-lipped royals and Victorian politicians to modern-day celebrities and Olympic heroes.

If you’re in London in summer, look out for the gallery’s prestigious BP Portrait Award; otherwise, the rotating exhibitions of portrait photography cover lively themes such as rock’n’roll, fashion and dance.

Good for age: 13+

Courtauld Gallery

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

Courtauld Gallery

Experience

Located in the elegant surroundings of Somerset House, the Courtauld combines temporary exhibitions with a permanent collection including works by Manet and Van Gogh.

Adult price: £13

Good for age: 18+

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

An aristocratic habit started by the Duchess of Bedford in 1840, pausing for tea, cakes and sandwiches at three or four in the afternoon is a good old-fashioned English treat.

Although there are afternoon teas offered across the city (and just about everywhere and anywhere these days), for the authentic, traditional afternoon tea – as the Duchess would have expected it – you need to attend one of London’s historic, grand dame hotels.

The great and the good have been flocking to the grand salons of Claridges, the Savoy and the Ritz (among others) for over a century. Settle in among the glamorous surroundings for miniature sandwiches and cakes served on gleaming silver stands, with tea poured by elegantly-livered waiters. In most cases, you can up the ante just a little further by adding a glass of champagne to the package.

Adult price: £20

Good for age: 13+

Duration: 1-3 hours

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

Distant view of the wheel during the daytime on a sunny day

Experience

The London Eye

One of the world’s highest observation wheels, the Eye gives you a gentle, rotating ride 450ft above the London skyline. On a clear day, the glass capsules have views stretching 25 miles across the capital, with iconic London architecture – from Big Ben to the Tower of London – laid out directly underneath.

This iconic bit of engineering and its dazzling views has charmed even hard-to-please Londoners. There’s no better way to get acquainted with the lie of the land.

Adult price: £31

Good for age: 4+

Duration: 30 minutes

Sea Life London

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

Exterior view of front facade with people walking in front

Experience

London’s impressive aquarium, set on the South Bank, is home to hundreds of species of fish and a selection of sharks. Great for families and nature lovers, but nothing especially unique.

Adult price: £27

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

Exterior view of the theatre during the daytime

Bucket List Experience

National Theatre

From classic drama to musical comedy, the National’s three stages (the Olivier, Lyttleton and Dorfman) epitomise the best of British theatre. Generations of renowned actors and directors have made their mark at this hulking, concrete riverside venue, which continues to surprise, provoke, and move audiences.

You can take a peek behind the scenes on one of the theatre’s Backstage Tours, which run most days of the week – contact the box office to find out more.

Adult price: £45

Min age 5

Good for age: 13+

Duration: -

Day 5

5

Start with an early morning stroll along the Thames Path alongside the river, then cross the Thames at the Millennium Bridge for entry into the Tate Modern.

Have lunch in their café, or wander over to Borough Market, London’s foodie central.

After lunch, either head to The Globe for an authentic Shakespeare Play (next door to the Tate Modern, but a short walk back from Borough Market). Book in for dinner at Oxo.

Or brave the original London Dungeons and the View the Shard. Book in for dinner at Oblix, in the Shard Tower.

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

External view of the art gallery - a big oblong brick building with glass roof and a single large square chimney

Bucket List Experience

Tate Modern

Like MoMA in New York or the Pompidou Centre in Paris, London’s Tate Modern is an energetic and uniquely site-specific art space. This former power station beside the Thames houses a permanent and rotating exhibition of contemporary art that gets London talking and walking around its inventive exhibition spaces.

From Damien Hirst to Monet, Rothko to Miro, Lichtenstein to Warhol, the treasures in this 1940s industrial construction are legendary. The main galleries feature a rotating selection of the 60,000-piece permanent collection.

But the big buzz is usually about its colossal Turbine Hall, which hosts temporary, site-specific installations from big names like Louise de Bourgeois, Anish Kapoor and Bruce Nauman.

Good for age: 18+

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

Close up of a stall selling artisanal breads

Bucket List Experience

Borough Market

A food market has stood beside London Bridge since at least the 12th century, and the current model – with Victorian architecture and railway arches covering many of the food outlets – has had a huge revival in recent years as London has become one of Europe’s biggest foodie hubs.

Stalls range from traditional fruit and veg to artisan bakers, charcuterie, cheese counters and chocolatiers, with some of the capital’s best restaurants in the historic streets that wind out from the main marketplace. Unquestionably London’s biggest culinary draw with over 100 stalls, it’s phenomenally popular with tourists, but local foodies also flock here for the fantastic street food, which ranges from artisan chorizo sandwiches to Egyptian curries, fresh pasta and Indian dosas, eaten on the go as trains rumble overhead.

Good for age: 13+

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

external view of the theatre, a round white building

Bucket List Experience

Shakespeare plays at The Globe

Anyone who has ever found Shakespeare dry should make the pilgrimage to The Globe. This is Shakespeare as Shakespeare was meant to be experienced: bawdy, funny and heartbreaking.

In a project driven by actor and director Sam Wanamaker, this exact replica of the Elizabethan Globe theatre was built on the banks of the Thames, about 230m from the spot where the original stood in 1599. Rain or shine, the performance goes on, with theatregoers crammed into the open-air yard or huddled on benches in the sheltered, tiered seating. The atmosphere is electric.

Adult price: £10

Good for age: 13+

Duration: 1-3 hours

When: April-October

Freq: daily

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

Promo photo of things you can experience at the dungeon

Bucket List Experience

The London Dungeon

Something seriously spooky can found lurking on the Southbank, just beyond the London Eye. This light-hearted look at some of London’s most gruesome periods of history, its shadiest characters and most horrific happenings is delivered with a good dose of gallows humour, via rides, live action and at times quite impressive special effects.

Learn what happened to Gun Powder Plotter, Guy Fawkes during his 10 days of torture, take a visit to Sweeney Todd’s barber shop, wander – if you dare – through Whitechapel Labyrinth, Jack the Ripper’s lair, and plunge to your virtual death on the Long Drop, a recreation of 18th-century Newgate gallows.

Fiercely funny and gratuitously gory, come with a well-lined stomach and steady nerves.

Adult price: £27

Min age 12

Good for age: 12+

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

Towering 800 feet above ground level, the View from the Shard offers London’s most sky-scraping views. Step out onto the 72nd storey and feel the wind in your hair on the open-air Skydeck, with 360° bird’s eye views of London that reach for 40 miles. The viewing gallery on level 69 keeps the panorama behind glass but Renzo Piano’s daring design means views, from inside and out, remain just as impressive.

At almost twice the height of any other viewing platform in London, The View is by far the capital’s most vertiginous vantage point. It’s also home to London’s highest Champagne bar and special events that have included silent discos, yoga classes and concerts.

Adult price: £25

Good for age: 8+

Day 5 (Alternate)

5

Take the tube to South Kensington, then it’s a few minutes’ walk to three world-class museums: the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum – take your pick.

Jump in a cab and head up the road to Harrods for lunch in their excellent (but pricey) food court. Then head back for another of the museums, or spend the afternoon shopping with billionaires in Harrods or nearby Harvey Nichols.

Book in for a delicious home-cooked Italian dinner at Signor Sassi.

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

Front facade view of the museum

Bucket List Experience

Natural History Museum, London

From the 25m blue whale skeleton that hovers over the central atrium to the theatrically-lit Earth Hall, exploring the natural forces behind our planet’s existence, the NHM is a spectacle from start to finish.

Adults and kids alike will be entranced by the elegantly-arranged collection spread over 43 galleries. Its treasures – everything from dinosaur fossils to diamonds and Martian meteorites – entice Londoners back for multiple visits.

Designed by Alfred Waterhouse in 1873, the museum is an outstanding example of Gothic Revival architecture, its facade designed with delicate columns, articulated arches and carvings of plants and animals.

Good for age: 4+

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

two girls in front of mirror illusions in the London Science Museum

Bucket List Experience

Science Museum, London

Interactive, innovative and packed with wow-factor exhibits, this vast, seven-floor museum is traditionally seen as the preserve of school groups – but grown-ups overlook this at your peril.

Come here for treasures such as the command module from the Apollo 10 spacecraft, astronaut’s space suits, early computers and thrilling flight simulators. The Flight Gallery, complete with full-size craft from the beginnings of aviation, will make even the most museum-jaded traveller’s heart soar.

The museum is adored by families for its lower floors, which focus entirely on stimulating mini-scientists: the spectacular Wonderlab is spread across seven zones, offering the chance to interact with scientific phenomena, see live science shows and demonstrations and get hands-on with experiments and displays.

Good for age: 4+

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

Rear exterior view of the beautiful red brick building on a sunny day. People paddling in the pool in foreground

Bucket List Experience

Victoria and Albert Museum

The world’s greatest collection of design objects and decorative arts has seven miles of galleries devoted to everything from ancient oriental rugs to Victorian fashion, rock’n’roll album art to iconic 1960s furnishings.

Its hallowed west London halls contain over four million items, running alongside which are some of the capital’s most cutting-edge temporary arts exhibitions – often celebrating the work and impact of a single artist or designer. The institution is also a major centre for study, home to the National Art Library and the RIBA Architecture Study room.

The V&A’s rich variety of exhibits includes the Great Bed of Ware, mentioned in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, a Cold War era Egg Chair and an Ossie Clark jumpsuit worn by Mick Jagger. Temporary exhibitions might look at Sixties fashion, or the history of underwear.

Good for age: 13+

Harrods

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

Night time view of the department all lit up with lights

Experience

The world’s most famous department store – touristy, yes, but also glamorous, glitzy, and unmissable.

Good for age: 18+

Harvey Nichols

  • London, United Kingdom (UK)

Street view of a popular store on a sunny winter's day

Experience

The original, flagship store in Britain’s upscale department store chain, still a destination for the best in international luxury brands.

Good for age: 18+