5 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

      Pick three or four galleries — Egypt, the Parthenon sculptures and Sutton Hoo are the classics — rather than trying to see everything in one visit. (2–3 hours, free).

   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 hours, mid-priced).

   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

      To experience the abbey without a sightseeing ticket, attend Choral Evensong, which is free and open to everyone. (1.5–2 hours, mid-priced).

   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. (1–2 hours with a tour, free).

   2. Late morning

      Churchill War Rooms

      Book the first slot of the day; the narrow corridors become congested by late morning. (1.5–2 hours, mid-priced).

   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. (1–2 hours, free).

   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

      Start with the early Italian rooms in the Sainsbury Wing, then finish on the portico steps looking over Trafalgar Square and Nelson's Column. (2 hours, free).

   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. (1.5–2 hours, mid-priced).

   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

      Use the Exhibition Road entrance and visit the Dinosaurs gallery first, as its queue grows through the morning. (2–3 hours, free).

   5. Evening

      Soho

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

4. Day 4: Day trip to Windsor Castle

   About 1 hour by train each way. Getting there: Train from Waterloo, or from Paddington changing at Slough.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Windsor Castle

      About 1 hour by train (Train from Waterloo, or from Paddington changing at Slough); about 35 km.

   2. Day

      Windsor Castle

      Often described as the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, Windsor has been a royal home for more than 900 years. Best for first-timers, families and culture.

   3. Evening

      Back in London

      Dinner: try Pie and mash.

5. Day 5: Tower Bridge and Tate Modern

   Tower Bridge, Tate Modern and Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), then Shoreditch and Dalston in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Tower Bridge

      Check the bridge-lift times on the official website; watching the roadway rise from the riverside path costs nothing. (1–1.5 hours, mid-priced).

   2. Late morning

      Tate Modern

      Begin in the Turbine Hall, then walk across the Millennium Bridge for the framed view of St Paul's dome. (2 hours, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Pie and mash

      Historic shops such as M. Manze on Tower Bridge Road in Bermondsey.

   4. Afternoon

      Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A)

      Have a coffee in the tiled Victorian café rooms, then rest by the oval pool in the John Madejski Garden. (2 hours, free).

   5. Evening

      Shoreditch and Dalston

      Warehouse bars, rooftop terraces and clubs with a young crowd, busiest from Thursday to Saturday.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for British Museum, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and Changing the Guard, London Eye, Natural History Museum, Churchill War Rooms and Sky Garden before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 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 23–29 hours of visiting over 5 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
• 3 days in London
• 4 days in London
• 7 days in London

Questions travellers ask