We invite you to go on an exciting journey through the British capital! What to see on your own in London and its immediate environs for an inquisitive tourist? A ready-made route for a trip for 3-5 days.
What to see in London in 1 day
The first day we will devote to acquaintance with the iconic sights of the city on the Thames. Have breakfast and travel to Westminster Tube Station. Here is the place where almost all English monarchs were crowned - Westminster Abbey... Hurry up to the opening - 9:30, at this time there are still few tourists. The entrance costs £ 24, if you buy online, it is cheaper - £ 22. The walk will take about an hour.
From the abbey, go to Parliament Square Garden and you will discover the neo-Gothic building of Westminster Palace and the famous clock tower Big Ben... Curiously, Big Ben is the old name for the tower. For 8 years now, the iconic landmark of London has been named after Queen Elizabeth.
Admire the spans of Westminster Bridge and turn towards the street Downing street... In 10 minutes you will find yourself in front of the humble entrance to the residence of the British Prime Minister. Many historical figures of the 20th century were photographed against the background of an inconspicuous door.
From Downing Street, exit onto Whitehall and head towards the famous Trafalgar Square... The main decoration of Trafalgar Square is a tall column with a statue of Admiral Nelson. To see works of art from the 13th-20th centuries, spend an hour and a half in London National Gallery... The third most visited art museum in the world is admitted free of charge.
From Trafalgar Square, walk through the Admiralty Arch and follow Mall Street towards Buckingham Palace... If you are here near the palace at 11:30, you can see the spectacular changing of the guard ceremony.
The middle of the day is the time to take a breath from the bustle of the capital's streets! One of the oldest parks in London is located next to the palace. Londoners come to St. James's Park read books, walk along the alleys and get some fresh air. The green oasis has a pond where waterfowl are found. There is a cafe and a restaurant in the park, but we suggest choosing an unusual place for lunch.
The British are pet lovers, so it's no surprise that a cat café is open in London. To get there, return to Trafalgar Square and take the Metro to Shoreditch High Street Station.
Cat cafe Lady Dinah`s Cat Emporium located 10 minutes walk from the station exit, on Bethnal Green Rd, 152-154. Enjoy delicious food and tailed pets! Food and drink prices range from £ 3.5 to £ 19.5. Cats can be treated with special food.
Not far from the cat cafe is a small square Saint Matthew's Church Gardens with the picturesque church of St. Matthew. Take a look inside and admire the beautiful interiors!
What to see in London in the evening? From the green square a little more than 2 km to Tower... Go to the famous fortress! A ticket to the castle and the Royal Treasures Exhibition costs £ 28.9 and £ 31.8 (the second price includes a donation). You can buy it online.
End the day on the banks of the Thames and admire the spectacular lighting of Tower Bridge.
What to see in London in 2 days
On the second day, you will feel like a little Londoner. In the morning, take a red double-decker bus and set off on a journey through the historic center with an audio guide in Russian. London ticket doubledecker valid for 24 hours. The tour runs in hop-on hop-off mode - tourists get on and off at any stop. You will be able to see those sights in the center of London, which you did not have time to reach on the first day.
Dine at one of Wetherspoons' online pubs! It's tasty and cheap, and in the afternoon go to get to know the history of the city in Museum of London, which is located next to the metro station St. Paul's. The entrance to the museum is free. Schedule an hour or an hour and a half to explore the halls. You will see how London has changed since Roman times, you will learn how the inhabitants of the medieval city baked bread, processed metal and sewed clothes. Remains of the old London Wall can be seen near the museum.
We advise you to schedule a visit to British museum - the main historical and archaeological museum of Great Britain. No money is taken to enter the main halls, but exhibitions in this museum are paid. Collections from all over the world are housed in 94 galleries. A whole day is not enough to get around them all. Be sure to check out the famous Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies, scrolls from Ancient China, and antique statues from Greece!
The evening can be spent on the banks of the Thames. To see the sights of London from above, for £ 27.5 buy your ticket online at London eye... The world's tallest Ferris wheel completes a full circle in 30 minutes. The city views are breathtaking!
What to see in London on day 3
Devote the third day to meetings with "old acquaintances." Plan your excursion to Madame Tussauds museum, which displays wax portraits of pop idols, famous politicians and legends from the world of sports. A ticket costs £ 32 online and £ 36 at the box office. It will take about an hour to inspect the halls and take photographs.
Take a ride to Baker Street in a private Sherlock Holmes Museum... The four-story building faithfully reproduces the furnishings of the rooms in which the literary hero Arthur Conan-Doyle lived and worked. A real policeman in a 19th century uniform is on duty at the door to the building. A ticket to the Sherlock Holmes museum costs £ 15. The tour will take 40-50 minutes.
Spend the evening in theater "Globus", where plays by William Shakespeare were staged several centuries ago. The building of the first Globe Theater has not survived. The theater you can get to today is a reconstruction that appeared in London in 1997. Tours of the legendary theater are held all year round, with performances running from April to mid-autumn. The ticket costs £ 13.5.
What to see in London in 4 days
In addition to the attractions listed above, go to interesting free museums in London:
- Victoria and Albert Museum... The halls display more than 4.5 million exhibits - rich collections of arts and crafts and design.
- Science Museum... The collection has cyclopean dimensions. Suffice it to say that airplanes, cars, steam engines and old steam locomotives are exhibited in closed rooms.
- Natural History Museum... See how small a person is next to the skeletons of a diplodocus, blue whale, giant squid, and a mechanical tyrannosaurus rex!
You can't leave London without visiting the majestic St. Paul's Cathedral... Marvel at the interiors of Britain's largest Anglican temple and climb the steps to the domed gallery. Everything that you say in a whisper can be heard in any part of the gallery. When buying online, entrance to St. Paul's Cathedral costs £ 17.
Alternatively, take a trip to Greenwich... You can get to the suburbs of London by bus, train or taxi, but we advise you to get on the Thames - by waterbus. Find the pier you want near Westminster Tube Station and enjoy sailing on the Thames.
Greenwich has the interesting Royal Observatory (£ 14.40) and the National Maritime Museum (£ 9). You can buy advantageous combi tickets online. Take a photo on the prime meridian near the Cutty Sark clipper carrying tea from India and visit the Greenwich Indoor Market.
What to see in London in 5 days
After the iconic sights of the city, get to know the unknown, but cool places, where many tourists simply do not reach! See a gallery of modernism and contemporary art in London on your own Tate modern... In the former building of the power plant, you will see paintings by Picasso, Malevich, Kandinsky and interesting exhibitions. Guided tours are conducted by a gallery employee at 11:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 15:00. The entrance is free.
For a history of advertising and product packaging, visit Brand Museum... Entrance ticket - £ 9.
Take a walk on London markets... The most visited - the Portobello clothing market - is located in the Notting Hill area and is open on weekends. Borough Food Market is open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays near London Bridge Tube Station. Shop on Oxford Street shopping and dine in London's Chinatown.
Walk the beautiful streets Covent Garden... There used to be a fruit market in this area, but now there are many authentic bars.
