London Itinerary 1 Day

London Itinerary 1 Day: Overview

Thousands of kilometers and almost 8 million people, it’s hard to know where to start exploring a metropolis like London. If we look at it as a whole, the city seems noisy, loud and unfathomable. But when we break it down borough to borough, the real character shines through.

So how do you see all the incredible landmarks that London has to offer, and get a taste of the culture of the cities burrows, and experience uniquely London things all in 24 hours? Our first suggestion is to extend your stay and make your stay in London longer than just a day. Barring that change, here is a sample London itinerary 1 day that will give you a good start on seeing the magic London has to offer in 24 hours.

Morning Breakfast in London

Here, you can choose between 2 options. Either start your day with the famed traditional English breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausages, fried bread, mushrooms, baked beans, and coffee or do just as well grabbing pre-packaged fruit from a convenience store in a tube station or at a local grocery store and eating it on the way to your first site.

There's nothing better than exploring London on foot. But since you are short on time, why not take the Original London Sightseeing Tour for a whistle-stop visit to all of London's most famous landmarks? See double the sights in half the time. You can hop on and off wherever you like, at destinations including Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, St Paul's Cathedral, Royal Albert Hall, Piccadilly Circus, and the British Museum. The double-decker buses feature live tour guides and multi-language audio commentary while tickets also include a free 24-hour cruise on the River Thames and three complimentary guided walking tours.

8 am: London Eye / Big Ben / Westminster Abbey

The South Bank is our favorite walk in London. This route along the Thames river will take you past some of the city’s best sights: the Houses of Parliament, the afore-mentioned London Eye, the South Bank Centre, the Tate Modern, the Millennium Bridge, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and the Shard to mention but a few. It is best to start early as it gets very crowded later. The route will take somewhere between one to two hours. Unless you stop by The London Eye which is the most popular tourist attraction in London and with good reason if you’re only in London for a day, make sure you stop by. Please note one round takes approx 30 minutes.

10.30 am: Visit Buckingham Palace and Afternoon Lunch

It’s just a half-mile walk from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace, the official residence of British royalty. Admire Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Rubens and Vermeer paintings as you wander through the stateroom. Or, pretend you’ve been invited to one of the Queen's famous garden parties out on the luxurious grounds. Stick around until 11:15 to watch the Changing of the Guard.

Take a 15 to 20-minute stroll from the palace through the St. James Park to Trafalgar Square. Here you can grab a sandwich at any number of cafes located on the roads shining out from Nelson’s Column or tucked into nearby alleys and bring it back to the square for a good round of people watching. Or, duck into the cafeteria at the National Gallery and observe the impressive and stately architecture while you dine. If you have time, you can also duck inside for a quick view of the paintings.

1:30 pm: Shopping in London

London is one of the best places in the world to shop. Head over to the heart of London shopping, bustling Oxford Street, which has more than 300 shops, designer outlets, and landmark stores. Home to the legendary Selfridges, it also boasts a range of famous department stores such as John Lewis and Debenhams scattered among every well-known high street chain imaginable. Else, explore Covent Garden if you want hip fashion, unique gifts, rare sweets or one-off handmade jewelry. You can stock up on the latest urban streetwear, funky cosmetics, and shoes.