3 days in London: a day-by-day sightseeing plan

London's major sights cover a lot of ground, so this plan pairs walking stretches with short taxi or Tube rides between areas. Day one is the longest, from the British Library and the British Museum through Covent Garden and Trafalgar Square to the London Eye and St Paul's, day two goes from Buckingham Palace through Hyde Park to the South Kensington museums, and day three starts in Westminster and follows the river east to the Tower.

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Day 1

Bloomsbury museums, Covent Garden, the London Eye and St Paul's

6 stops

09:00
British Library
About 45 min
Head for the Treasures gallery, where manuscripts such as Magna Carta, Leonardo's notebooks and handwritten Beatles lyrics are on show, and look at the glass tower of the King's Library at the centre of the building. Then walk south through Bloomsbury to the British Museum.
Walk, 19 min
10:05
British Museum
About 2 h 55 min
The plan gives the museum most of the morning, enough for the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures and the Egyptian galleries on the ground floor plus a few rooms upstairs. Pause in the Great Court under its glass roof on the way in or out.
Walk, 12 min
13:15
Royal Opera House
About 1 h
The home of the Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet stands on Covent Garden's piazza, and its glass-roofed Paul Hamlyn Hall is the old Floral Hall of the flower market. Look into the public spaces or check the programme for a tour, then walk on through Covent Garden to Trafalgar Square.
Walk, 11 min
14:30
Trafalgar Square
About 25 min
Nelson's Column, its four bronze lions and the fountains sit in front of the National Gallery, and the Fourth Plinth always carries a changing contemporary artwork. It is a short stop, so cross Hungerford Bridge to the South Bank afterwards.
Walk, 13 min
15:10
The London Eye
About 1 h 35 min
The observation wheel on the South Bank turns slowly, and one rotation takes about half an hour, with Westminster laid out across the river. The rest of the slot covers the queue and a walk along the riverside; a time slot booked ahead cuts the wait.
Taxi, 5 min
16:50
St Paul's Cathedral
About 55 min
Christopher Wren's cathedral, built after the Great Fire of 1666, is known for its dome, and you can climb to the Whispering Gallery and the higher galleries for a view over the City. It comes late in a long day, so check the day's visiting hours; the steps and the Millennium Bridge in front still make a good finish.

Day 2

Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park and the South Kensington museums

4 stops

09:00
Buckingham Palace
About 45 min
Most visits are from the gates, as the State Rooms open to visitors only for part of the year, usually in summer. If you want to see the Changing of the Guard, check the schedule for your day, as it does not run every day.
Taxi, 4 min
09:50
Hyde Park
About 1 h 15 min
A large park to slow down in after the morning's crowds: walk along the Serpentine, past the Diana Memorial Fountain, or up to Speakers' Corner in the northeast corner. Kensington Gardens and Kensington Palace continue to the west if you want more.
Walk, 23 min
11:30
Victoria and Albert Museum
About 2 h 40 min
The world's largest museum of decorative arts and design covers fashion, jewellery, sculpture casts and the Raphael Cartoons. Its garden courtyard and the original Victorian café rooms are good places to rest before you cross Exhibition Road.
Walk, 2 min
14:15
Science Museum
About 1 h 40 min
Next door to the V&A on Exhibition Road, the Science Museum holds Stephenson's Rocket, the Apollo 10 command module and galleries on flight, medicine and computing. It suits families and anyone curious about how things work, and ends the day a short walk from South Kensington station.

Day 3

Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and the Tower of London

5 stops

09:00
Westminster Abbey
About 1 h 30 min
Coronations have taken place here since 1066, and the abbey holds royal tombs, Poets' Corner and the Coronation Chair. Ninety minutes is enough for the one-way route at a steady pace, with time to linger where it interests you.
Walk, 4 min
10:35
Big Ben
About 20 min
The clock tower at the north end of the Houses of Parliament is an outside stop: cross Westminster Bridge for the whole Gothic Revival riverfront in one view. From there a short taxi ride takes you east to London Bridge.
Taxi, 6 min
11:05
London Bridge
About 25 min
Today's London Bridge is a plain concrete crossing from the 1970s, so the interest is the long history of the site and the view downriver to Tower Bridge. Treat it as a short pause on the riverside walk; Borough Market is just off the south end if you want lunch.
Walk, 13 min
11:45
Tower of London
About 2 h 50 min
The fortress by the Thames holds the Crown Jewels, the White Tower and the Yeoman Warders, and the plan gives it most of the afternoon, so join a Yeoman Warder tour and still see the Crown Jewels early. A timed ticket booked ahead saves queuing at the entrance.
Walk, 5 min
14:40
Tower Bridge
About 25 min
Walk across the bridge for the views up and down the river, or go into the Tower Bridge Exhibition to cross the high walkways with their glass floor panels. It is the last stop, so take the riverside path on the south bank at your own pace.

Good to know

Book the Tower of London and the London Eye ahead; both sell timed tickets.
Tap in and out on the Tube and buses with a contactless card or phone; it is the simplest way to cover the longer gaps, such as the South Bank to St Paul's on day one and Westminster to London Bridge on day three.
Day one has six stops and runs from Bloomsbury to St Paul's, so if you want an easier pace, shorten the British Museum or skip the Royal Opera House.
London weather changes quickly in any season, so carry a light layer and an umbrella.
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3 days in London: a day-by-day sightseeing plan

British Library

British Museum

Royal Opera House

Trafalgar Square

The London Eye

St Paul's Cathedral

Buckingham Palace

Hyde Park

Victoria and Albert Museum

Science Museum

Westminster Abbey

Big Ben

London Bridge

Tower of London

Tower Bridge

Good to know

Make this plan yours