3 days in London

Day by day

1. Day 1: British Museum and Tower of London

   British Museum, Tower of London and Westminster Abbey, then London Eye in the evening.

   1. Morning

      British Museum

      Two million years of human history fill the British Museum, from the Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies to the Parthenon sculptures and the Anglo-Saxon Sutton Hoo helmet.

   2. Late morning

      Tower of London

      Head to the Crown Jewels first thing before the queue builds, then join a Yeoman Warder tour from near the main entrance.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Full English breakfast

      Traditional cafés ('caffs') and pubs across the city; vegetarian versions with meat-free sausages are easy to find.

   4. Afternoon

      Westminster Abbey

      Coronations have taken place in this Gothic abbey since 1066, most recently that of King Charles III in 2023.

   5. Evening

      London Eye

      Book a time slot online for a lower price than on the day, and in winter aim for late afternoon to watch the city lights come on.

2. Day 2: Houses of Parliament and Big Ben and Churchill War Rooms

   Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, Churchill War Rooms and Buckingham Palace and Changing the Guard, then Sky Garden in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Houses of Parliament and Big Ben

      The classic photo is from Westminster Bridge or the riverside path across the Thames; for a closer look, walk through Victoria Tower Gardens beside the palace.

   2. Late morning

      Churchill War Rooms

      Beneath Whitehall, the bunker from which Winston Churchill and his staff directed the Second World War is preserved much as it was left in 1945, including the Map Room with its pinned charts and the Cabinet Room.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Fish and chips

      Fish-and-chip shops ('chippies') across London and many pubs; Friday is the traditional fish day.

   4. Afternoon

      Buckingham Palace and Changing the Guard

      Arrive at least 45 minutes early and stand on the Victoria Memorial steps, or watch the guards march along The Mall where crowds are thinner.

   5. Evening

      Sky Garden

      If the free slots are gone, a reservation at one of the Sky Garden's bars or restaurants also gets you in.

3. Day 3: National Gallery and St Paul's Cathedral

   National Gallery, St Paul's Cathedral and Natural History Museum, then Soho in the evening.

   1. Morning

      National Gallery

      Western European painting from the 13th to the early 20th century hangs in the National Gallery on the north side of Trafalgar Square: Van Gogh's Sunflowers, Turner's The Fighting Temeraire, Constable's The Hay Wain, Velázquez's Rokeby Venus and Van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait among them.

   2. Late morning

      St Paul's Cathedral

      Sightseeing entry is paid, but services including Choral Evensong are free; arrive early to sit in the quire.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Sunday roast

      Pubs all over the city; popular ones fill up, so book a table for Sunday lunch.

   4. Afternoon

      Natural History Museum

      Alfred Waterhouse's terracotta building, decorated with carved animals and plants, holds some 80 million specimens.

   5. Evening

      Soho

      Cocktail bars, late-night restaurants, jazz at Ronnie Scott's and the centre of LGBTQ+ nightlife around Old Compton Street.

Before you go

• British Museum: Entry is free, but booking a free timed slot online helps at busy times such as school holidays.
• Tower of London: Tickets bought online in advance are usually cheaper than at the gate and secure entry on busy summer days.
• Westminster Abbey: Timed sightseeing tickets bought online save queuing in summer.
• Houses of Parliament and Big Ben: Guided tours sell out at peak times; book them on the UK Parliament website.
• Buckingham Palace and Changing the Guard: Check the official schedule for Changing the Guard days, and book State Rooms tickets ahead for summer visits.
• London Eye: Timed tickets are cheaper online, and fast-track tickets help on summer weekends.
• Natural History Museum: Free entry, but booking a timed slot online is advised during school holidays.
• Churchill War Rooms: Timed tickets often sell out in summer and school holidays; book online in advance.
• Sky Garden: Free tickets are released online in advance and go quickly, especially around sunset.

If it rains

• Swap in Tate Modern (Bankside): Begin in the Turbine Hall, then walk across the Millennium Bridge for the framed view of St Paul's dome.
• Swap in Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) (South Kensington): Have a coffee in the tiled Victorian café rooms, then rest by the oval pool in the John Madejski Garden.
• Swap in Sir John Soane's Museum (Holborn): Stay for a demonstration in the Picture Room, where staff open hinged wall panels to reveal more paintings behind.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Covent Garden and Soho keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, South Bank and Bankside ($$$) suits first-timers, couples, culture and food lovers. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 18–23 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 7.9 hours in December to 16.6 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in London
• 2 days in London
• 4 days in London
• 5 days in London
• 7 days in London

Questions travellers ask