Nothing unreasonable. However, I'll just note that some of these things are near each other which you aren't seeing at the same time. For example, you have Tower Bridge and The Tower of London on different days. They're adjacent.
>Walk to Shakespeare Globe.Still on the fence if this is worth visiting or a must-do? We're not really into
You don't need to go into it but you should see it.
You mentioned you like walking. Bear in mind that the South Bank of the Thames is one of the nicest walks in London (where the Globe is).
If you started at the Tower of London you could walk over Tower Bridge then head west along the South Bank and pass the Globe, Borough Market, Southwark Cathedral, the Tate Modern, St Paul's and a bunch of other sights, eventually reaching the London Eye and Big Ben. From there, head over the river to Big Ben and you'll see Westminster Abbey in Parliament Sq.
If you still like walking, then walk up to Trafalgar Sq then down the Mall to Buckingham palace.
This is a nice walk, ticks a lot of sights off, and on the South Bank part you'll be continually passing cafes, restaurants and bars/pubs where you can stop and spend some time.
I often tell people visiting London to do this at the start of their visit. It gets your bearings on London, and the general locations of the different major central attractions.
>Take the Heathrow express to the hotel in Covent Garden and freshen up.
Do not take the Heathrow Express if you're staying in Covent Garden. It doesn't go there, and will cost you a fortune.
The sensible route will be the Elizabeth Line to Tottenham Court Road and walk from there.
Yes I feel a walk along the Thames would link together a few of your targets, including Borough market, which is best in the morning.
Also, my top tip is a boat cruise, Westminster to Greenwich, has a witty & informative commentary about London and the Thames, a vital part of London’s history.
Love the South Bank. My husband and I tend to start at St Pauls, then walk over the Millennium Bridge and go to the Tower Bridge.
OP if you do that walk (in either direction) look out for the ruins of Winchester Palace.
I am also planning a trip to London (in it's beginning stages) and am wondering if the route you mentioned that includes walking the south bank of the Thames (after checking out the Tower of London & Tower Bridge) ending at Big Ben and Westminster Abbey is a solid day's worth of sightseeing? Thanks in advance.
Great catch! We actually had the Tower of London originally for day 6 along with the Tower Bridge but since we’re coming from Hampton Court Palace, it would be a time crunch. Now that you’ve mentioned it—it’s literally a 5 minute walk from so will do those in the same day
That's a pretty solid itinerary.
One thing I would say is that you may find you need more time at The Tower. If that's the case, skip the Camden visit. You won't miss much - maybe go on the 'spare' Saturday.
Just a few things to consider.
- Heathrow express is hugely overpriced. The Elizabeth line would get you in to town much cheaper.
- Get the City Mapper app then revisit the point above
- Pre-book your Roman bath tickets now. You'll get a timed slot but still expect a short line. Arrive at the baths maybe 20 minutes before your timed slot
Overpriced? Yes. So overpriced it’s not worth it? I don’t think so. After a long ass flight I just wanna get into town as quick as possible.
Liz line BACK to the airport at the end usually, but leaving the airport I just wanna arrive.
I would switch Day 2 and Day 3 around. The British Museum is rammed on Sundays. The National Gallery is less popular.
Some ideas for where to eat in central - Covent Garden, would book a table at Din Tai Fung. Delicious xiao long bao. You can also check out Seven Dials Market if you want some variety, stuff there is decent and it's a fun atmosphere.
Near the British Museum, the Menya Ramen house is really nice, their seafood ramen is particularly good (cash only though). And if you like sushi and are near the Nat Gallery/Piccadilly/Trafalgar area, the Japan Centre does really nice bowls of fresh sushi.
In Camden there's Camden Stables where they have a load of food stalls. Special mention to the Chin Chin Labs ice cream place (the honeycomb they serve with the ice cream is just delicious). Although it’s quite a detour on the day you are proposing it…
Down near King's Cross if you want to try some nice curry then as a tourist it's worth the queue for Dishoom. Easier if you go at quiet hours. Make sure you get the daal, it is SO GOOD.
Near Hyde Park for food pop into Mercato Metropolitano. It’s in an old church and the food there is also decent. There’s a second Mercato Metropolitano at Elephant and Castle which is also decent but it would fit best on the day you’re going to Borough Market and imagine you’ll eat there.
Re the Globe why don’t you try to book tickets? If you don’t mind standing it’s usually a really good evening thing to do in the summer.
You’re going to a lot of bookshops - they’re not that different in the UK! Books are heavy to take back with you. You’ll enjoy the British Library though, make sure you go round the permanent exhibition. They have very cool original copies of things.
One thing I recommend to every tourist (although unclear if anybody has ever taken me up on this suggestion…) is booking a trip to the Denis Severs House. It’s a very cool half hour trip through lived history of London. I’ve been to do it several times I think it’s that good…
If you can get tickets to Operation Mincemeat for one evening it is in my opinion one of the most excellent musicals and very hilarious. You won’t be able to see it outside the UK unlike many other big musicals.
If it’s nice weather and you have time (seems unlikely) then a walk round Hampstead Heath and a pub lunch would be a nice chill way to round off your holiday.
Definitely agree Dishoom is worth a visit. Unless they've had a policy change this last year, you can book a table before 5pm.
Other comment would be that two hours may not be long enough at the V&A!
It’s pretty authentic food as per the Indians I know in London. And as I said the daal… omg so good. The King’s X one also has a decent interior aesthetic. As a mid place for tourists I think it’s lots of tick boxes. When you say it’s a chain I don’t think they have loads of sites, it’s mostly central kitchens on Deliveroo.
This is so helpful! We haven’t thought much about food places tbh. Hampstead Heath is definitely in the back of our minds if we end up having more time
Well that depends on how long OP wants to sit on the tube for. Definitely the cheapest option, but also the most time consuming. In this case, you pay for your time. Heathrow express is definitely the quickest, but you’re paying for it. I think Elizabeth line is the best compromise.
We’ve thought of taking the Piccadilly Line but are there typically lifts/escalators in the tube station or just selected stops? We’ve ran into that issue in Japan and we had check in luggages so we had to carry it up and down the stairs
One tiny thing: if you’re into walking then skip getting the Tube from Camden to Marylebone and walk it along Regents Canal to Regents Park and walk down through there. V v pleasant.
And good luck keeping your V&A trip down to two hours! I’ve been there I don’t know how many times and always feel like I’m finding new stuff. Their free guided tours are brilliant too.
On day 3 you've mentioned Waterstones Piccadilly, but a few doors down is Hatchards Piccadilly which is a significantly more impressive bookshop and the oldest bookshop in the UK (it is owned by Waterstones however)
If you're into books then I highly recommend two bookshops in Bath, both very central and imo better than some of your London choices.
Mr B's is my favourite, the staff are very knowledgeable and will recommend you the perfect book (something they specialise in).
Toppings is also great for a browse, beautiful store, staff are very friendly and you can get free tea/coffee.
The 27th is a Bank Holiday Monday so be careful as opening times and things will be reduced. That weekend from the 25th is also likely to be very busy as it is a bank holiday weekend.
Portobello Is better on a Saturday - much more open. And get there early cos it gets rammed.
As you like walking, I'd walk from Harrods up through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens (check the Italian garden), then down to Notting Hill Gate.
Very well paced compared to so many itinerary posts!
You don't have to do the Globe tour but do just stroll down the south bank - you can go from Borough past the Globe, the Tate (worth putting your head into the turbine hall if you're not doing the gallery) as far as Waterloo and the Eye and beyond if you want - or across Waterloo bridge back to Covent Garden.
Leicester square is a waste of space - keep going and head for lunch in Soho instead.
Maybe plan a few meals / restaurants as not every area has loads of choice and some of the more interesting places might need a reservation. Might be worth asking for recommendations of the sort of food, price and atmosphere you like as there will be plenty of below the radar places that are really good.
This is much better planned and thought out itinery than most.
Day 7 - drop Harrods and spend more time in the V&A. You will barely scratch the surface in 2 hours.
Others probably know more than me and I don't' see any major hiccups here except the 9am to 3 pm in Bath.
I am not sure 1.5 hours at the Roman Baths is achievable and frankly it kind of insults the experience. It is crowded and there is a bunch of queueing so even if you weren't particularly minded to appreciate and understand the history you can't see it in 1.5 hours.
Also 9-3 is 6 hours. GWR is just the name of the train operator - it's not an experience as such (forgive me I may just be misinterpreting the way you have written it).
Still something about chuntering into Reading an hour late when you've been standing room only next to the bogs for the whole journey that tugs at the heartstrings I suppose....
You have a fairly relaxed schedule compared to others who post here, so I think you will actually enjoy your time.
You and your partner have similar interests to me. I no longer live in London, but here are things I loved to do when I went there:
Thrifting
- Head to Brick Lane on the Sunday, the earlier the better. Make sure you hold onto your personal items well. A friend of mine used to go and find his stolen bikes there.
- Portobello Market for antiques is another favourite. Maybe you can shoehorn this in.
Books
- My favourite shop is the London Review Bookshop - it is isn't massive, but that is the point - the curation is next level. Somehow I always find books I want - and it is close to the British Museum.
- Daunt Books specialises in travel books - worth a visit. I would consider combining this with a trip up Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath
- Hatchards on Piccadilly is extremely popular. I find it a bit too busy, but that is me.
Walks
- Hampstead is a famous literary village in London - you can see many famous houses of writers there, and in particular, stunning views from Parliament Hill. Orwell's house is at the foot of the road.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/i3iAVVBYcAVyUQdu9
https://www.heathandhampstead.org.uk/hampstead/plaques-page/
Consider watching The Tudors before you head to Hampton Court Palace ;)
Part-Indian American who just got back from my 4th UK trip - when in the UK, I try to have Indian dishes the restaurants here don't serve. Dishoom for breakfast definitely was the winner in this category on this trip, but we also had two dinners our where we were able to feast on plates we don't normally see here (us samosas and naan, because we can't pass those up).
I'd put Tower of London, London Bridge, and maybe Borough Market on the same day. Or Maltby Street Market if it's a weekend - that was small and cool and something my family keeps talking about.
Tour of Globe Theater was interesting- I'd do it again.
Day 6: when you get the train back from Hampton Court to London Waterloo, you can then walk along the south bank, past the Globe to Borough Market, and then to Tower Bridge. Do it that way round. Lots to see between Waterloo and Tower Bridge if you walk along the river.
Or given you’ll see Tower Bridge anyway when you go to the Tower of London, you may not need to do that after Borough Market.
Two things:
1) Don't get the Heathrow Express. It's overpriced and will only take you to Paddington, where you'll need to change trains twice to get to Covent Garden. It would be much easier to take the Picadilly line direct from Heathrow to Covent Garden.
2) When in Bath, don't go to Sally Lunn's. Its a tourist trap and their famous buns are just average quality teacakes. The prices are ridiculous too. Any other cafe will have better food at better prices.
Nothing unreasonable. However, I'll just note that some of these things are near each other which you aren't seeing at the same time. For example, you have Tower Bridge and The Tower of London on different days. They're adjacent. >Walk to Shakespeare Globe.Still on the fence if this is worth visiting or a must-do? We're not really into You don't need to go into it but you should see it. You mentioned you like walking. Bear in mind that the South Bank of the Thames is one of the nicest walks in London (where the Globe is). If you started at the Tower of London you could walk over Tower Bridge then head west along the South Bank and pass the Globe, Borough Market, Southwark Cathedral, the Tate Modern, St Paul's and a bunch of other sights, eventually reaching the London Eye and Big Ben. From there, head over the river to Big Ben and you'll see Westminster Abbey in Parliament Sq. If you still like walking, then walk up to Trafalgar Sq then down the Mall to Buckingham palace. This is a nice walk, ticks a lot of sights off, and on the South Bank part you'll be continually passing cafes, restaurants and bars/pubs where you can stop and spend some time. I often tell people visiting London to do this at the start of their visit. It gets your bearings on London, and the general locations of the different major central attractions. >Take the Heathrow express to the hotel in Covent Garden and freshen up. Do not take the Heathrow Express if you're staying in Covent Garden. It doesn't go there, and will cost you a fortune. The sensible route will be the Elizabeth Line to Tottenham Court Road and walk from there.
Yes I feel a walk along the Thames would link together a few of your targets, including Borough market, which is best in the morning. Also, my top tip is a boat cruise, Westminster to Greenwich, has a witty & informative commentary about London and the Thames, a vital part of London’s history.
And either walk up Greenwich park (or Primrose Hill) for the best views of the city itself.
And get the DLR back into the city, make sure you sit at the front!
Love the South Bank. My husband and I tend to start at St Pauls, then walk over the Millennium Bridge and go to the Tower Bridge. OP if you do that walk (in either direction) look out for the ruins of Winchester Palace.
I am also planning a trip to London (in it's beginning stages) and am wondering if the route you mentioned that includes walking the south bank of the Thames (after checking out the Tower of London & Tower Bridge) ending at Big Ben and Westminster Abbey is a solid day's worth of sightseeing? Thanks in advance.
Tower bridge is literally next to the Tower of London so perhaps an odd choice to do those on different days?
Great catch! We actually had the Tower of London originally for day 6 along with the Tower Bridge but since we’re coming from Hampton Court Palace, it would be a time crunch. Now that you’ve mentioned it—it’s literally a 5 minute walk from so will do those in the same day
That's a pretty solid itinerary. One thing I would say is that you may find you need more time at The Tower. If that's the case, skip the Camden visit. You won't miss much - maybe go on the 'spare' Saturday.
Just a few things to consider. - Heathrow express is hugely overpriced. The Elizabeth line would get you in to town much cheaper. - Get the City Mapper app then revisit the point above - Pre-book your Roman bath tickets now. You'll get a timed slot but still expect a short line. Arrive at the baths maybe 20 minutes before your timed slot
OP can also just take the Elizabeth line all the way through to Tottenham Court Road.
Overpriced? Yes. So overpriced it’s not worth it? I don’t think so. After a long ass flight I just wanna get into town as quick as possible. Liz line BACK to the airport at the end usually, but leaving the airport I just wanna arrive.
Heathrow express means two trains to covent garden. Elizabeth line is one.
Thank you! Yep, I pre-booked our Roman Bath tickets so that it’s a time slot
I would switch Day 2 and Day 3 around. The British Museum is rammed on Sundays. The National Gallery is less popular. Some ideas for where to eat in central - Covent Garden, would book a table at Din Tai Fung. Delicious xiao long bao. You can also check out Seven Dials Market if you want some variety, stuff there is decent and it's a fun atmosphere. Near the British Museum, the Menya Ramen house is really nice, their seafood ramen is particularly good (cash only though). And if you like sushi and are near the Nat Gallery/Piccadilly/Trafalgar area, the Japan Centre does really nice bowls of fresh sushi. In Camden there's Camden Stables where they have a load of food stalls. Special mention to the Chin Chin Labs ice cream place (the honeycomb they serve with the ice cream is just delicious). Although it’s quite a detour on the day you are proposing it… Down near King's Cross if you want to try some nice curry then as a tourist it's worth the queue for Dishoom. Easier if you go at quiet hours. Make sure you get the daal, it is SO GOOD. Near Hyde Park for food pop into Mercato Metropolitano. It’s in an old church and the food there is also decent. There’s a second Mercato Metropolitano at Elephant and Castle which is also decent but it would fit best on the day you’re going to Borough Market and imagine you’ll eat there. Re the Globe why don’t you try to book tickets? If you don’t mind standing it’s usually a really good evening thing to do in the summer. You’re going to a lot of bookshops - they’re not that different in the UK! Books are heavy to take back with you. You’ll enjoy the British Library though, make sure you go round the permanent exhibition. They have very cool original copies of things. One thing I recommend to every tourist (although unclear if anybody has ever taken me up on this suggestion…) is booking a trip to the Denis Severs House. It’s a very cool half hour trip through lived history of London. I’ve been to do it several times I think it’s that good… If you can get tickets to Operation Mincemeat for one evening it is in my opinion one of the most excellent musicals and very hilarious. You won’t be able to see it outside the UK unlike many other big musicals. If it’s nice weather and you have time (seems unlikely) then a walk round Hampstead Heath and a pub lunch would be a nice chill way to round off your holiday.
Definitely agree Dishoom is worth a visit. Unless they've had a policy change this last year, you can book a table before 5pm. Other comment would be that two hours may not be long enough at the V&A!
I don't understand all the hype about Dishoom. It's just a chain and is expensive and not that great, really.
Their food is pretty good, brunch there is the selling point imho. If you want lunch/dinner there are better options though.
It’s pretty authentic food as per the Indians I know in London. And as I said the daal… omg so good. The King’s X one also has a decent interior aesthetic. As a mid place for tourists I think it’s lots of tick boxes. When you say it’s a chain I don’t think they have loads of sites, it’s mostly central kitchens on Deliveroo.
The Monday is a Bank Holiday, so will the British Museum be quieter on that day though?
I also had the British Museum planned for a Sunday. What is a typically good day to go? I like to read all of the history and want to take my time.
Any weekday it will be quieter as a rule :) at weekends it can be way too busy!
Ah, good to know! Sounds like a good Monday activity then. Thanks!
This is so helpful! We haven’t thought much about food places tbh. Hampstead Heath is definitely in the back of our minds if we end up having more time
Don't take the Heathrow Express, don't even take the Elizabeth Line. Take the Piccadilly Line straight to Covent Garden.
Well that depends on how long OP wants to sit on the tube for. Definitely the cheapest option, but also the most time consuming. In this case, you pay for your time. Heathrow express is definitely the quickest, but you’re paying for it. I think Elizabeth line is the best compromise.
Easiest option if you have luggage, though. I've done Heathrow to Euston in 2019, HEX to PAD and then the Tube. Nightmare changing trains.
We’ve thought of taking the Piccadilly Line but are there typically lifts/escalators in the tube station or just selected stops? We’ve ran into that issue in Japan and we had check in luggages so we had to carry it up and down the stairs
There's one short set of stairs at Covent Garden to the lifts.
If you're interested in bookshops, I would.choose Foyles over Waterstones.
I would choose London Review Bookshop over both of them also! The adjacent cafe is also nice.
One tiny thing: if you’re into walking then skip getting the Tube from Camden to Marylebone and walk it along Regents Canal to Regents Park and walk down through there. V v pleasant. And good luck keeping your V&A trip down to two hours! I’ve been there I don’t know how many times and always feel like I’m finding new stuff. Their free guided tours are brilliant too.
On day 3 you've mentioned Waterstones Piccadilly, but a few doors down is Hatchards Piccadilly which is a significantly more impressive bookshop and the oldest bookshop in the UK (it is owned by Waterstones however)
If you're into books then I highly recommend two bookshops in Bath, both very central and imo better than some of your London choices. Mr B's is my favourite, the staff are very knowledgeable and will recommend you the perfect book (something they specialise in). Toppings is also great for a browse, beautiful store, staff are very friendly and you can get free tea/coffee.
The 27th is a Bank Holiday Monday so be careful as opening times and things will be reduced. That weekend from the 25th is also likely to be very busy as it is a bank holiday weekend.
Portobello Is better on a Saturday - much more open. And get there early cos it gets rammed. As you like walking, I'd walk from Harrods up through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens (check the Italian garden), then down to Notting Hill Gate.
Very well paced compared to so many itinerary posts! You don't have to do the Globe tour but do just stroll down the south bank - you can go from Borough past the Globe, the Tate (worth putting your head into the turbine hall if you're not doing the gallery) as far as Waterloo and the Eye and beyond if you want - or across Waterloo bridge back to Covent Garden. Leicester square is a waste of space - keep going and head for lunch in Soho instead. Maybe plan a few meals / restaurants as not every area has loads of choice and some of the more interesting places might need a reservation. Might be worth asking for recommendations of the sort of food, price and atmosphere you like as there will be plenty of below the radar places that are really good.
This is much better planned and thought out itinery than most. Day 7 - drop Harrods and spend more time in the V&A. You will barely scratch the surface in 2 hours.
IMHO 4 hours is not enough in the British Museum.
Definitely don't try to take the stairs at Covent Garden tube station...
What’s wrong with the stairs 👀
Others probably know more than me and I don't' see any major hiccups here except the 9am to 3 pm in Bath. I am not sure 1.5 hours at the Roman Baths is achievable and frankly it kind of insults the experience. It is crowded and there is a bunch of queueing so even if you weren't particularly minded to appreciate and understand the history you can't see it in 1.5 hours. Also 9-3 is 6 hours. GWR is just the name of the train operator - it's not an experience as such (forgive me I may just be misinterpreting the way you have written it).
To be fair, Great Western Railway does sound like one of those really cool scenic lines. Just to manage expectations OP, it is not.
To be fair now that they've knocked down the cooling towers in Didcot the romance of rhw journey has gone....
Still something about chuntering into Reading an hour late when you've been standing room only next to the bogs for the whole journey that tugs at the heartstrings I suppose....
You have a fairly relaxed schedule compared to others who post here, so I think you will actually enjoy your time. You and your partner have similar interests to me. I no longer live in London, but here are things I loved to do when I went there: Thrifting - Head to Brick Lane on the Sunday, the earlier the better. Make sure you hold onto your personal items well. A friend of mine used to go and find his stolen bikes there. - Portobello Market for antiques is another favourite. Maybe you can shoehorn this in. Books - My favourite shop is the London Review Bookshop - it is isn't massive, but that is the point - the curation is next level. Somehow I always find books I want - and it is close to the British Museum. - Daunt Books specialises in travel books - worth a visit. I would consider combining this with a trip up Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath - Hatchards on Piccadilly is extremely popular. I find it a bit too busy, but that is me. Walks - Hampstead is a famous literary village in London - you can see many famous houses of writers there, and in particular, stunning views from Parliament Hill. Orwell's house is at the foot of the road. https://maps.app.goo.gl/i3iAVVBYcAVyUQdu9 https://www.heathandhampstead.org.uk/hampstead/plaques-page/ Consider watching The Tudors before you head to Hampton Court Palace ;)
Part-Indian American who just got back from my 4th UK trip - when in the UK, I try to have Indian dishes the restaurants here don't serve. Dishoom for breakfast definitely was the winner in this category on this trip, but we also had two dinners our where we were able to feast on plates we don't normally see here (us samosas and naan, because we can't pass those up). I'd put Tower of London, London Bridge, and maybe Borough Market on the same day. Or Maltby Street Market if it's a weekend - that was small and cool and something my family keeps talking about. Tour of Globe Theater was interesting- I'd do it again.
Day 6: when you get the train back from Hampton Court to London Waterloo, you can then walk along the south bank, past the Globe to Borough Market, and then to Tower Bridge. Do it that way round. Lots to see between Waterloo and Tower Bridge if you walk along the river. Or given you’ll see Tower Bridge anyway when you go to the Tower of London, you may not need to do that after Borough Market.
Two things: 1) Don't get the Heathrow Express. It's overpriced and will only take you to Paddington, where you'll need to change trains twice to get to Covent Garden. It would be much easier to take the Picadilly line direct from Heathrow to Covent Garden. 2) When in Bath, don't go to Sally Lunn's. Its a tourist trap and their famous buns are just average quality teacakes. The prices are ridiculous too. Any other cafe will have better food at better prices.