Whatever your fancy, you’ll find it all and then some in the UK’s epic capital. But can you really do London justice in just three days? After all, there’s so much to do here! Let’s find out.
Day 1
London’s a big city. Get your bearings on your first day with a Hop-on, Hop-off bus tour, granting you access to all of the city’s top spots. It’s so easy to do. Get your ticket, head for one of the many stops on the route, climb aboard and then settle back. You’ll get commentary on the various places you’ll see as you weave your way around. If you really fancy hopping off to take a look at a particular place of interest, then no problem. You can always hop back on later.
Our favourite stops? Buckingham Palace, Tower of London and Westminster Cathedral, to name a few. Hassle-free, convenient travel always gets a yes from us.
The hop-on, hop-off bus tour takes you straight to the gates of Buckingham Palace. Photo by Carlos Delgado; CC-BY-SA, Wiki Commons
Check your ticket as this experience may include entry to Madame Tussauds. The wax museum displays striking life-sized replicas of the world’s most famous faces; from politicians to actors, musicians to the royal family.
Though Madame Tussauds is one of London’s most popular tourist spots, the journey through is well managed and pretty carefree. Selfie time with your favourite celebrity awaits.
Photos by Brunel Johnson & Hugo Sousa on Unsplash
Come nightfall – it’s time to relax. And after a hectic day, you deserve something special. Some gentle music and the glimmer from the twinkling London lights on the river should be enough to add some romance to your trip. A London boat tour should do the trick.
Take a Jazz Cruise on the Thames with drinks and canapés, see the sights that the hop-on hop-off bus tour can’t reach, and watch as London turns from the working hub of the daytime to the entertainment city of the night. It’s the perfect end to a hectic, but fun filled first day.
Day 2
Warner Bros Studios via GIPHY
Today is a day for theatrics. Kick things off with a tour of Warner Bros Studios – The Making of Harry Potter. This experience comes with a return transfer there and back, so you can sit back and leave the navigating to the experts. You’ll need to allow a few hours for this trip and tour, as the studios are situated on the outskirts of London. At least you’ll get to see some of the outer reaches of the city as you journey there.
Once back in town, it’s showtime! Head to Soho for some evening, pre-show grub (West End’s restaurants are tourist central) and meander on over to a musical. Our favourites include The Book of Mormon, Mamma Mia, and Les Miserables. There are plenty of other spectacular shows to pick from if you’re unsure of our picks.
Photos by Thomas Charters & Luke Stackpoole on Unsplash
Day 3
You can’t leave London without a quick wiz around the London Eye on south bank of the River Thames. Hop on the first ‘flight’ at 10am to see London from above. On a clear day you’ll see up to 40 kilometres away. See that castle over there in the distance, to your west? Yep, that’s Windsor Castle.
Photo by Dylan Nolte on Unsplash
Use the London Eye as your starting point to discover the South Bank. After the ride, stroll along the bank to visit other iconic Thameside attractions such as the Globe Theatre or The Tate Modern. You’ll also find some nice cafes and a riverside pub for some much needed refreshment.
You’ll find London’s cool crowd in Shoreditch. Make your way there in the afternoon and you can take a street art walking tours. Many top street artists have work on buildings, on top of pillars, in fact, almost anywhere! Grab a quick slice at Pizza East before heading West – your last London activity starts nearby, as the twilight hours arrive.
Shoreditch – Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash
The Jack the Ripper tour must be one of the most popular walking tours through the city. London’s most notorious serial killer still draws in those keen to find out about who exactly was the mystery person.
Hear the tales from one of the most macabre true life murder mysteries in history and walk the footsteps of the serial killer who escaped capture. Will you have the clues you need to solve the mystery? We couldn’t possibly tell you!
Alternative ideas for London in 3 days
If any of the above tours and activities don’t grab you, then maybe these will! Kew Gardens, on the edge of the city is a wonderful place to get some fresh air, see exotic and rare plant species, and walk among the trees.
You could always change the boat tour to a day trip. There are river cruises that will take you down to Greenwich, a wonderful area, famous the royal observatory, the cutty sark and the park. It’s where Greenwich Mean Time was created, so you are literally standing on the edge of time!
Another alternative is heading up The Shard for a London view or Sky Garden for an alternative view of the city. Both will need pre-booking, and with sky garden it’s free! What more could you ask for?
The verdict
While this itinerary makes good headway, London is far too diverse to be packed into just three days. You’ll probably need at least a week!
If you can allow extra time in the UK capital, do. Some of our favourite days out from London and Stonehenge experiences are well worth looking into too, if you have the time, as they will take you from the capital to these places and then return you in the evening. Happy exploring.
