London is a world-city that seems to contain all the others. In a single day you can watch the changing of the guard outside a palace, lunch in an Indian market, visit a world-class free museum and end in front of a West End musical. A thousand-year-old capital and a permanent trend laboratory, it rewards the curious.
Three days let you catch its many facets without drowning. Here's our itinerary — find the activities on our what to do in London page.
Day 1 — Royal London: Westminster & the Thames
Start by the Thames, facing Big Ben — nickname of the great bell in Elizabeth Tower — and the Palace of Westminster, seat of the British Parliament for centuries. Follow the river to Westminster Abbey, where England's kings have been crowned since 1066, then head to Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guard.
In the afternoon, rise above it all on the London Eye: the big wheel offers, at 135 metres, a striking panorama over the city and its skyscrapers. As night falls, it's time for a West End show, London's rival to Broadway.
Monuments & shows in London
Tickets for the London Eye, the Tower of London and West End musicals.
Day 2 & 3 — Museums, markets and neighbourhoods
Spend a morning at the British Museum, home to the Rosetta Stone and the Parthenon marbles — and free to enter. Then explore the neighbourhoods that make today's London: Camden and its alternative markets, Shoreditch and its street art, Notting Hill and its pastel façades beloved of cinema.
Keep time for the Tower of London, a thousand-year-old fortress guarding the Crown Jewels, and a walk along the Thames to Tower Bridge. In between, treat yourself to afternoon tea: a tradition savoured, in London, without irony.
Tours & experiences in London
Guided tours, Thames cruises and day trips to Windsor or Stonehenge.
