Since moving to the UK, I’ve headed into London almost every week. London is my favorite city in the world, and a place I could easily wander for the rest of my life without seeing it all. If you’re wondering how many days you should spend in London, my immediate response is “as long as you can!”
But, I know none of us have unlimited time so I’ve created this guide to help you plan what you can reasonably hope to see with between one and seven days in London.
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Know Before You Go: London
✈️ Closest airport: Most international visitors use Heathrow (LHR) or Gatwick (LGW)
🚆 Train booking: Plan your day trip routes, check ticket prices, and get your tickets directly through Trainline.
🔌 Electronics: Make sure you can use your electronics with a universal travel adaptor.
📱 Phone data: Check maps, send messages and utilize your phone apps without surprise charges with an Airalo e-sim.
How Many Days to Spend in London – The Short Answer
Depending on how long you stay, here is what you can expect from your London itinerary.
1–2 Days: Top Highlights for a Whirlwind Trip
If London is just a stopover or a quick city break, you can still hit some of the major sights. I’d focus on the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and the Southbank area. With such limited time, you should expect to move quickly and not dive beyond tourist areas.
3–5 Days: Ideal Length for First-Time Visitors
This is the sweet spot. You’ll have time to explore major attractions while still leaving some time to wander. You can explore London’s museums, shop in the Seven Dials neighborhood, and book tickets for a West End show.
6–7 Days: Slower Travel With More Day Trip Opportunities
With this amount of time you can move at a more relaxed pace and go beyond the most popular London sights. You’ll be able to seek out hidden gems, and you can go beyond central London with day trips outside the city.
7+ Days: Perfect for Feeling Like a Local
Have you been offered a chance to move to the UK and need to scope out what life would be like as a London local? With an extended trip you can get a much better feel for different neighborhoods and experience the ebb and flow of daily London life.
Things to Consider When Deciding How Long to Spend in London
We all have individual travel styles. It’s important to know how you like to travel before you finalize your London itinerary. Keep these factors in mind when you decide on how many days to spend in London.
Jet Lag
Don’t underestimate how tired you can be on your first day in London. If you are visiting from North America, then jet lag can knock you back hard.
Stick to outside sightseeing on the day you land. It’s much harder to avoid fatigue indoors and you probably won’t have the attention span to appreciate a museum.
Travel tip: Melatonin is not available over the counter in the UK. If you plan to use melatonin to help you adjust to the time difference, you will need to bring it with you.
Pace Preferences
Do you travel to a timed checklist or prefer time for an unplanned afternoon coffee? Don’t try to force yourself into a speedy itinerary if that will leave you feeling stressed. If you can’t expand the number of days you have to explore London, then make sure you only focus on seeing the things that appeal to you most.
Crowd Tolerance
London is a big city with a population over 8.9 million people. That’s before you add in tourists. The top sights are crowded, especially during the summer months and school breaks.
If you have trouble navigating crowds, consider a longer visit so that you can hit the highlights during the quietest hours and split your time towards less crowded neighborhoods.
Budget
One of the hard parts about visiting London is the cost of the city. It can be pricey, especially in terms of accommodations and restaurants.
Even so, I recommend against first-time visitors staying far from central London. You might save money on the hotel cost per night, but need to stay longer to make up for the time you lose commuting to sightsee.
Itineraries For Every Day You Spend in London
Here’s a sample progression to help you plan your time efficiently. I’ve grouped attractions together for each day so you can walk between them rather than taking the Tube between each place. Each day is meant to add on to your itinerary, or you can mix and match to suit your interests.
1 Day in London Itinerary (Tower of London, Tower Bridge and Southbank walk)
- Start your day at the Tower of London (book tickets in advance). See the Crown Jewels, take a walk with a Beefeater, and don’t miss a visit to the Tower’s ravens. I most love visiting the White Tower’s parade of armored horses.
- Walk across Tower Bridge and pause in Potters Fields Park for photos.
- Continue walking along the river to Hay’s Galleria. This lovely glass covered shopping area is also home to a curious sailing sculpture.
- Explore and grab lunch at Borough Market (my favorite is the classic sausage roll at Ginger Pig).
Travel Tip: Avoiding crowds? Skip lunch at Borough Market and head to the less touristy Vinegar Yard just south of London Bridge train station.
- Walk down the south bank of the Thames, admiring the city views across the river.
- Tour or see a play at Shakespeare’s Globe (book tickets in advance).
- Cross the Millenium Bridge and admire St. Paul’s Cathedral before grabbing dinner at Bread Street Kitchen (booking recommended).
Travel Tip: Ben Wilson, a local street artist, creates tiny artworks on top of gum that has been dropped and ground into the Millenium Bridge surface. Keep an eye out as you cross over!
2 Days in London Itinerary (Add Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace)
- Start your day at Westminster Abbey (book tickets in advance). For breakfast, Fresco Brunch offers English staples only a short walk away.
- Admire the exteriors of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.
Travel Tip: For a perfect picture of Big Ben and Parliament, cross over Westminster Bridge and pose on the far side of the river.
- Walk up Whitehall past 10 Downing Street and the Royal Horse Guards to Trafalgar Square.
Travel Tip: For a quieter route, walk up Horse Guards Road instead of Whitehall. You’ll miss 10 Downing Street but pass the Horse Guards parade ground and the edge of St. James’ Park instead.
- Stop for a unique lunch at the Cafe in the Crypt at St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church.
- Visit the National Gallery to admire classic British art in a gorgeous setting.
- Walk down the Mall to Buckingham Palace (open to visitors in July/August – book tickets in advance).
- For dinner, head to the nearby Market Halls at Victoria Station. Numerous food options, a full bar, and no need to pre-book.
3 Days in London Itinerary (Add the British Museum, Covent Garden and West End)
- Start your day at Fortitude Bakehouse for delicious pastries and a caffeine fix.
- Walk to the British Museum (free to visit, but pre-book your entry time).
Travel Tip: The British Museum is huge. I’ve never visited every room on a single visit. Stop by the excellent welcome desks in the Great Court atrium for help pinpointing the best route for your interests. They also have fun adventure packs for young visitors.
- Walk to colorful Neal’s Yard in the nearby Seven Dials neighborhood. Stop at Homeslice for an incredible pizza lunch.
- Explore the Seven Dials and the Covent Garden Apple Market piazza. This is a fun area to shop and enjoy street performers.
Travel Tip: If shopping isn’t your thing, book a tour of nearby Theatre Royal Drury Lane. It’s the oldest continuously running theatre in the world.
- Continue walking to Somerset House. Don’t miss walking through the stunning courtyard here and enjoying the view of the Thames from the terrace.
Travel Tip: Somerset House hosts rotating art exhibits, but there is no fee or booking required to walk through the courtyard and terrace. WatchHouse serves coffee and light meals in a corner of the courtyard.
- A little further down the Strand you can see the elaborate Royal Courts of Justice. Pop into the original Twinings shop across the street for a perfect London souvenir. If there’s time for a pint, the Old Bank of England is well worth a stop too.
- Book a West End show for your evening entertainment. I use London Theatre Direct to see what’s on and find the best show ticket prices.
Travel Tip: Many of the Covent Garden restaurants offer discounted pre-theatre menus. I really like the prix fixe options at Balthazar.
4 Days in London Itinerary (Add Museum Row, Hyde Park and Harrods)
- Start your day at Bread Ahead on Pavilion Road. This trendy bakery also has a shop at Borough Market, but this smaller venue is less crowded with just as many treats.
- Make your way to Museum Row by Tube from Sloane Square to South Kensington or walk there if the weather is nice – the walk only takes about 20 minutes.
- Museum Row consists of three major London museums: The Natural History Museum, V&A Museum, and the Science Museum. Choose your favorite or make short visits through them all. I think the V&A is the best museum in London.
Travel Tip: All three museums are free, but also offer paid special exhibits. Book in advance if you want to see a special exhibit as they often sell out. Arrive early in the day to any of these museums to avoid school groups that can crowd things up.
- After your museum visit, head north for a walk in either the Kensington Palace Gardens or Hyde Park for a nature break.
- Next walk to Harrods to explore this uniquely London department store. Don’t miss the food hall for unique treats and gifts.
- A Mediterranean dinner at CERU South Kensington makes a lovely wrap on the day.
5 Days in London Itinerary (Add a Castle Day Trip)
- Any of my three castle day trips from London by train work for this day, but my top recommendation is a day trip to Hampton Court Palace (book tickets in advance).
Travel Tip: Book your train tickets from London Waterloo to Hampton Court train station with Trainline.
- Pick up breakfast and coffee for the train from one of the many food spots in Waterloo station – my favorite is Black Sheep Coffee.
Travel Tip: I recommend having lunch at Hampton Court Palace as there’s enough to see here to occupy most of your day. If you’d like a good option nearby, head to The Six Restaurant at Kings Arms.
- If you still have energy after exploring the palace, take a walk in nearby Bushy Park to look for deer.
- Once you make your way back to London Waterloo, walk from here to the National Theatre. Even if you aren’t seeing a show, there is a lovely collection of food vendors and a good bar by the theatre – it’s a perfect spot for people watching.
6 Days in London Itinerary (Add City of London Sights and Sky Garden)
- Start your day at St. Paul’s Cathedral after a quick coffee and pastry breakfast from Buns From Home.
- Explore inside Sir Christopher Wren’s masterpiece. If you’re feeling brave, climb up to the Golden Gallery for sweeping views.
Travel Tip: If you don’t like heights or twisty stairs, don’t go beyond the Whispering Gallery. The Golden Gallery requires climbing stairs in confined space and the viewing area is much higher than people sometimes realize.
- Walk down Cheapside until you reach Queen Victoria Street. Turn right and head to the Bloomberg building. This modern office building hides a Roman secret – visit the ancient temple to Mithras found here at the London Mithraeum.
Travel Tip: This is the oldest area of London and it is heaving with stories to tell. I highly recommend joining a guided tour to uncover the tales walking these streets beside you.
- Next, take a walk through Leadenhall Market. This ornate Victorian arcade hosts restaurants and shops today. Film buffs can find the door to the Leaky Cauldron from the Harry Potter movies or spot the storefront used as Wonka’s candy shop.
- For lunch, head a bit north to Paradise Green. The Australian owned restaurant does fantastic brunch and lunch menus, and also makes killer coffee.
Travel Tip: The City of London serves as the city’s financial district today. As a result, the schedule here tends to revolve around business commuters. If you visit on the weekend, expect quieter streets and more closed shops.
- Walk south to visit a hidden gem that makes for excellent travel photos. St. Dunstan in the East was originally built in 1100, damaged by the Great Fire and bombed during WWII. The ruins still stand today and are a remarkable and haunting remnant of London’s past.
- A short walk from St. Dunstan’s will find you at the Monument of the Great Fire of 1666. It was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and you can still climb it today.
- End your day with sunset views at the Sky Garden. This viewing area in one of the city’s skyscrapers is free to visit, but you’ll need to book an entry time in advance.
Travel Tip: If you miss booking a free entry to the Sky Garden, look for dinner or drink reservations at one of the restaurants located inside Sky Garden.
7 Days in London Itinerary (Add another Day Trip From London)
- Explore beyond London by following my day trip itinerary to either Bath (Roman history, Jane Austen and Bridgerton film locations) or Oxford (One of the most famous universities in the world and Harry Potter film locations).
Where to Stay in London by Itinerary Length
The less time you spend in London, the more important it is to stay close to the action. With more room in your itinerary, you have more flexibility and can consider areas with a more residential feel.
1-3 Days in London: Covent Garden, Westminster or Southbank
These neighborhoods are right in the middle of the places you’ll want to see on a short visit to London.
- Covent Garden is the heart of the West End.
- Westminster keeps you close to Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey.
- Southbank is near Shakespeare’s Globe and is often the best budget area for central London.
👉 1-3 Days Top Hotel Recommendation: Radisson Blu Mercer Street, Covent Garden
4-6 Days in London: Marylebone, Shoreditch or Hampstead
Each of these neighborhoods are slightly further from the tourist crowds, but still only a short hop from the major sights.
- Marylebone is a posh central district with unique and fashionable shops.
- Shoreditch is trendy and artsy with a younger feel.
- Hampstead borders the beautiful Hampstead Heath and feels like a small English village.
👉 4-6 Days Top Hotel Recommendation: Oak & Poppy, Hampstead
7+ Days in London: Richmond, Greenwich, Wimbledon
These neighborhoods are more suburban and require over 30 minutes to travel to central tourist sights. Each offers charm and a quiet reprieve from the central districts.
- Richmond was the film home for Ted Lasso and offers beautiful walks along the Thames and deer spotting in Richmond Park.
- Greenwich is home to a fantastic market and bonus sights like the Old Royal Naval College and Royal Observatory.
- Wimbledon is a leafy suburb that is also home to the famous annual tennis tournament sharing the same name.
👉 7+ Days Hotel Recommendation: Elegant Plus Luxury Apartments, Greenwich
How Many Days in London is Enough?
I recommend spending at least three days in London, but if you’re anything like me London will keep pulling you back for more.
If you’re trying to make the most of limited time and want to see the highlights of the UK in a week, don’t miss my London and Edinburgh one week itinerary.
If you are not a city person at heart and just want to see the top sights in London, spend one or two days in London and then follow my three day Cotswolds itinerary to explore the English countryside.
No matter how long you spend in London, make sure you leave yourself some time to wander. The most memorable charms of this city are the ones you find by accident.
More London Trip Planning Resources
Check out these guides for more help planning an unforgettable trip to London.
How to Spend a Rainy Day in London
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