London 3-day Itinerary

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.