Upon arrival to London, take one of the mode of transports highlighted above and then settle in to the capital city of England. Grab a quick lunch bite whenever you are ready to go. If you are looking for quick sandwiches or nibbles, head to one of the grocery stores because they often offer a meal deal which will include a sandwich, a snack and a drink for a lower price.

British Museum

The British Museum houses over 8 million artefacts from all around the world, telling the story of human history from its beginnings all the way for 2 million years until present day. It is in fact the UK’s most visited museum, and one of the top 5 most visited in the world! When it was founded in 1753, it was actually the world’s first public national museum.

Entry to the museum is free, and depending on your interest in the subject, you can spend anything from one hour to one full day visiting it. In case you are tight on time, the Egyptian Gallery and the Greek and Roman galleries are the most popular. The Rosetta Stone in particular, is the museum’s most visited exhibit so make sure not to miss it in the Egyptian Gallery.

Other famous exhibits include the Egyptian mummies, Parthenon sculptures and the exhibits of the Roman Empire.

Enjoy a walk and flowers in a park

Springtime is one of the best times to visit a park in London because of the gradually warmer weather (but not as warm as summer) and the colourful blooms. Particularly during the spring season, the cherry blossoms and tulips brighten up and beautify the capital.

Regent’s Park

If you are looking for a park that is close to the British Museum and Platform 9 ¾, then look no further than Regent’s Park. Regent’s Park can be accessed either via the Regent’s Park station on the Bakerloo line, or the Great Portland Street station on the Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan and Circle lines.

Cherry blossoms and tulips – There are very beautiful displays of both in the Avenue Gardens (also English Gardens). Cherry blossoms can also be found along Chester Road and around the Inner Circle. These typically bloom around late March to early April.

London Zoo and canals – In the northern region of Regent’s Park, you can visit the animals in the London Zoo as well as take a leisurely walk along the canals.

Take note though, that the London Zoo closes at around 6pm in the spring and costs at least £28 (covered in the London Pass).

Boating Lake – You can also rent a boat to row or padel on Boating Lake. Either prebook your tickets or you can walk-up and rent one till dusk.

Hyde Park / Kensington Gardens

Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens are adjacent to each other, so while technically they are two different parks, they can be considered as one large park. Hyde Park is on the eastern side whereas Kensington Gardens is on the western side. There are a number of tube stations connecting you to the parks, such as Marble Arch, Lancaster Gate and Queensway on the Central Line (north of the parks) and Hyde Park Corner and Knightsbridge on the Piccadilly Line (south of the parks).

Cherry blossoms can be found in Kensington Gardens near the Lancaster Gate entrance, as well as near the Albert Memorial.

You can also choose to do boating on the Serpentine Lake, enjoy the number of playgrounds dotted around, and spare a moment to visit the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain.

Green Park / St James’ Park

Green Park and St James’ Park are both adjacent to each other, with the former north of the Buckingham Palace, while the latter to its east. Therefore, it may make sense that you can have a quick visit to these parks when and if you decide to head to Buckingham Palace. Green Park can be reached either by Hyde Park Corner or Green Park stations on the Piccadilly Line, while St James’ Park is connected by the St James’ Park and Westminster stations on the Circle, District and Jubilee (Westminster only) lines.

The green and open spaces at Green Park as well as St James’ Park make them great places for family picnics if the weather is good.

Cherry blossoms in both parks are minimal and scattered, so they do not look impressive on photos. However, there is a very lovely display of tulips – thousands of them – right in front of Buckingham Palace as seen in the cover photo of this article.

Don’t forget to visit Duck Island at St James’ Park for some wildlife spotting, particularly the pelicans!

Hyde Park Corner

Tucked to the western corner of the triangular-shaped Green Park is also Hyde Park Corner. This is where you can see the Wellington Arch, previously the grand entrance to Buckingham Palace. You can also see a number of war memorials here.

Battersea Park

The Battersea Park is located on the south side of the River Thames and is served only by the Battersea Power Station station on the Northern Line. Similar to Regent’s Park, there is also a Battersea Park children’s zoo. If you are looking for a park with activities, this is definitely one to consider, especially with children. Activities include boating on Boating Lake, treetop adventure courses at Go Ape, golf putting at Putt in the Park as well as a River Thames Walk.

Greenwich Park

This is the furthest of the main London parks, located on the eastern side of London in Greenwich. Due to its location, it will be more convenient to visit when you head to Greenwich on Day 3 of this London Spring itinerary. It is located closest to the Cutty Sark station on the DLR line.

Greenwich Park has one of the most beautiful stretches of cherry blossoms in London, and not surprisingly it is usually full of photographers and Instagrammers when they are in full bloom. The cherry blossom featured in Greenwich Park in particular, belong to a group of species that bloom fairly late. You can expect them to bloom some time between mid April and early May and are usually the last batch of cherry blossoms you can catch in London. This stretch of cherry blossoms is located along the pathway that leads to Ranger’s house, fairly close to the Royal Observatory.

Besides the cherry blossoms, you can also visit the Deer Park, the Royal Observatory, have a picnic or play some ball games in the vast open spaces. Further, make sure to catch the impressive views of the Old Royal Naval College and Canary Wharf.

Other parks in London

There are numerous other parks in London, and worthy of mention are Holland Park (which features a beautiful Kyoto Gardens with a Japanese theme) as well as the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Which park to choose? 

If you are looking for a park close to the British Museum, then Regent’s Park is a fairly good choice with some beautiful cherry blossoms and tulips. There are also other activities you can do such as boating on the lake and walking along the canals. The London Zoo within its premises also make it a good park to visit with children.

Also a good one with family-friendly activities is Battersea Park. If you are looking for one good for photography, then I’d suggest Greenwich Park as it boasts some very scenic spots.

In case you love to view memorials and monuments, go for Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens as they have the highest concentration of them. Don’t forget Hyde Park corner as well!

Breakfast

You will begin your day at Tower of London, which is located near the Tower Hill station. There are a few cafes in the area that serve breakfasts or brunch, such as De Vine, Nana’s Cafe and Senzo. Particularly when dining at Senzo, you can see a large portion of the conserved and restored London Wall (remains of the Roman fortifications) and view a small exhibition.

Another place to consider is breakfast at Darwin Brasserie at Sky Garden, one of my favourite breakfast places. For this London spring itinerary, I have suggested having dinner here instead. This is so that you can have more time visiting St Paul’s Cathedral, while still able to enjoy the daytime scenery at Sky Garden. You can however, feel free to swap this accordingly.

Tower of London

The Tower of London is one of the most popular attractions in London, mostly due to the Crown Jewels featuring the prior and current working crowns of the royal family. Specifically, you can even see the crown of King Charles III that was used during his coronation in 2023.

In essence, the Tower of London is a historic castle that previously served as a royal palace, prison and treasury. It is presently a UNESCO World Heritage Site and there are various different exhibits you can visit – including the White Tower (the heart of the fortress), the prison and torture chamber, the castle walls and of course the Crown Jewels!

You can also take the Yeoman Warders Tour that happens every 45 minutes from the Bell Tower. The Yeoman Warders are the guards of the Tower of London and are also more commonly known as the ‘Beafeaters’. The tour is included in your ticket to the Tower of London and it gives you a rather enjoyable overview of its scary and gruesome past. You can try to catch the first tour that happens at 10am (10.45am on Sundays and Mondays).

I’ve been to the Tower of London 3 times, and each time along with my visitors, we’ve spent an average of about 2-3 hours here. Depending on your interest in medieval history, you can spend much less or even much more than this. In case you think you may spend much more time, you may want to split this day into two.

Tower Bridge

Once you exit from Tower of London, you will be greeted by an impressive view of the Tower Bridge. And that is precisely where you will go next – after your mandatory photo shot of the bridge of course!

Walk towards the bridge and then climb a flight of stairs that will take you to the road level of the bridge. The entry point is at the North Tower (closer to Tower of London) and there is a total climb of 206 steps to reach the top of the bridge. In case you need, you can ask the staff for access to the lift.

Having climbed the Tower Bridge 3 times as well, I noticed that the exhibits at the Tower Bridge are constantly changing. But the views of Central London as well as the glass floors remain to be the bigger interest among visitors.

In case you are interested, you can also check the bridge lift timings to see when ships are expected to sail past the bridge.

A visit to Tower Bridge also includes a visit to the engine rooms located at the opposite end of the bridge. When you return back down to the road level at the South Tower, you will be instructed to follow the lines to lead you to the engine rooms. So make sure you keep your tickets securely with you during the visit – you need them again at the engine rooms!

HMS Belfast (optional)

After visiting the engine rooms of the Tower Bridge, continue along The Queen’s Walk westwards to enjoy the views of the bridge as well as the skyline of Central London. While walking along the River Thames, you will soon come to a naval battleship. This is the HMS Belfast.

HMS Belfast was a WWII era warship, used by the Royal Navy in numerous WWII missions during that time. Presently, she serves as a historic museum about naval history and life at sea, and visitors can explore the steep stairs and low beams of the ship.

A visit costs £26.35 for adults and will typically take around 2 hours to complete its tour of nine decks. In case you are interested to explore the ship, again I will recommend that you split this day’s plans into two days. I’ve actually found the visit to this warship museum to be quite interesting especially down in the lower decks of the boilers and engine rooms.

Hays Galleria (optional)

After that, continuing along Queen’s Walk will lead you to Hays Galleria, a beautiful space of offices, shops and restaurants. It was previously and originally a warehouse, once the centre of trade and shipping.

Southwark Cathedral (optional)

Right before arriving at Borough Market, you can catch a glimpse of the Gothic style Southwark Cathedral. If you have some time, then you can enter it for free and have a look at the Shakespeare Memorial Window depicting the characters from his plays, as well as the Diamond Jubilee Window to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. At the same time, you can also visit the Havard Chapel, which pays tribute to John Havard (founder of Havard University). This was also where he was baptised.

Borough Market

After that, arrive at Borough Market for lunch. Here, you get a diverse array of street food from all around the world so you can take your pick. There are over a hundred stalls here so you can walk about and see what you are interested to have. The famous food here include fresh oysters, scotch eggs and of course freshly made paella at Bomba Paella. I am not a fan of coffee, but coffee drinkers have also told me about how good Monmouth Coffee is.

The market is not all about ready-made food though. If you are looking for some top class ingredients such as olive oil, spices and condiments, or some fresh meat and seafood produces, this is the place for you too!

Shakespeare’s Globe (optional)

Continue along the River Thames to arrive at Shakespeare’s Globe, a reconstructed version of the original theatre built by Shakespeare’s acting company. It is a 20-sided open air theatre constructed almost in a circle that can hold altogether 1,570 people. It is presently open to visitors for play performances or guided tours.

Have a photo stop here before continuing on along River Thames.

Tate Modern (optional)

The Tate Modern is a museum housing international modern and contemporary art, including large collections from artists such as Andy Warhol. Within its permanent exhibits is a collection of over 70,000 art pieces. It is housed in a converted power station, thus explaining the large and tall chimney in the middle.

Entry to the museum is free, but if you are interested in the world of modern art, I’d again suggest to split this day into two.

Millennium Bridge

Thereafter, continue on to the Millennium Bridge located right in front of Tate Modern. First built in 2000, this modern pedestrian bridge connects Tate Museum on the south of the river to St Paul’s Cathedral on the northern banks.

Due to the excessive swaying in its initial opening days, it was nicknamed the ‘Wobbly Bridge’. The issue has since been fixed and the bridge reopened in 2002, making it the newest bridge crossing the River Thames.

Walk across the bridge and enjoy the great views of the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral ahead of you.

St Paul’s Cathedral

Built in English Baroque architecture, the St Paul’s Cathedral is famous for its iconic dome dominating the skyline along the River Thames. Quite surprisingly, it was actually the tallest building in London until 1963!

The cathedral has also hosted some of the most high profile funerals such as that of Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher. Furthermore, recent royal weddings such as that of then Prince Charles and Lady Diana, as well as Prince Harry and Megan Markle were held here.

Your entry to the cathedral (covered by the London Pass) includes a visit to the Dome Galleries. In 528 steps, you get to climb up to the Whispering Gallery, Stone Gallery and then finally the Golden Gallery, offering you incredible views of London. You also can get to the Crypt, where a number of notable figures such as Admiral Nelson have been laid to rest.

Take note though, that the last entry to the cathedral for sightseeing is at 4pm, allowing you to visit until 4.30pm. The cathedral is however not open on Sundays for any sightseeing. I recommend that you arrive at the cathedral ahead of 3.30pm to ensure at least an hour to visit the cathedral. Otherwise, you can join the service at 5pm free of charge and leave the sightseeing visit to another day. Note though, that you cannot visit the Dome Galleries during service.

Bank and Bank of England Museum

After that, head round towards the Bank underground station and take a few pictures of the surrounding historical buildings including the old Royal Exchange as well as the Bank of England. On a normal working day, expect this area to be busy with working adults especially during the rush hours and lunch period.

You can also pop into the Bank of England Museum if you are there before 5pm on a weekday, or before 8pm on the third Thursday of the month. Here, you can find children-friendly exhibits about money, their circulation as well as basic economics.

Leadenhall Market (optional)

Although the public spaces are open 24 hours, the shops are open only on weekdays from 10am and close at about 6pm. So by the time you arrive here I expect most shops to be closed or about to close.

Nevertheless, if you are (again) a Harry Potter fan, the Leadenhall Market was used as the filming location for the entrance to Leaky Cauldron and part of Diagon Alley for the movie ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’.

Architecture-wise, Leadenhall Market is built in Victorian style in the 14th century, though the location has been a marketplace since the Roman times.

Monument to the Great Fire of London (optional)

The Great Fire of London set London ablaze for 3 days from 2 September to 5 September 1666, destroying not only the city within the Roman walls but also a western stretch outside of the city walls. It destroyed more than a square kilometre of London (85% of the walled city) and rendered over 13,000 people homeless.

The monument was thus built to commemorate the destruction of the fire, and the years of rebuilding that came after. It is erected close to the start of the fire and stands not particularly tall at 61m (202 ft) compared to the surrounding skyscrapers.

Presently, the monument is open for visitors to climb the 311-steps to the top for a little panoramic view of the area. It is open from 9.30am to 6pm with an hour of break from 1pm, and costs £6 (included in London Pass). Once again, if you are intending to cover this entire day’s plans in a single day then you are likely to arrive here when it’s closed or near closing. Nevertheless, take a while to admire its grandness.

Dinner at Sky Garden

Sky Garden is located at the top of 20 Fenchurch Street, also widely known as the ‘Walkie Talkie‘ due to how it looks from the outside.

The dinner is purely optional in case you have got other plans. But it is the best option to visit Sky Garden if the free tickets to the attraction have all been snapped up.

Visiting Sky Garden involves an airport-style security check so be prepared for it. And I think it is a very good free option compared to the Shard where tickets cost around £28.50. On a good day, you’ll be able to see Canary Wharf, the Tower Bridge, the city sky scrapers, the Shard and all the way to Westminster.

Although the Sky Garden is indoors (with an outdoor terrace), it is naturally ventilated so dress appropriately. Spend some time before or after dinner to enjoy the 360° views as well as the indoor garden and bars.

Tickets to the Sky Garden as well as the tables at Darwin Brasserie get snapped up very quickly, so it is essential to make bookings prior to your visit. Particularly for Sky Garden tickets, they are released 3 weeks in advance.

Other Dinner options

In case you prefer not to have dinner at Sky Garden, there are a few other nearby options, as well as around the St Paul’s Cathedral. You can head to the One New Change shopping centre where you have options such as The Ivy or Gordon Ramsey’s Bread Street Kitchen. Specifically at Bread Street Kitchen, you can try their famous beef wellington.

Otherwise, you can also join a night pub crawl tour and immerse yourself into the nightlife of the capital city. If you enjoy nightlife, love immersing yourself into local culture, tasting beer and/or interacting with fellow travellers, then this may be a suitable option for you. That’s because these pub crawl tours are designed to be a social event, bringing you to different pubs for a drink and experiencing what the locals love.

Note though, that there is a historic pub crawl tour covered under the London Pass. However, that tour operates at 1.30pm and only on weekdays.

Breakfast options

The third day begins at Westminster Abbey so that you can take advantage of the London Pass. However, food options in the area of Westminster are very limited. If you are low on budget, you can probably go for the sandwich and croissant place Pret A Manger – one is located along Tothill Street near St James’ Park station.

Otherwise, you can first head to Victoria or Waterloo station where there will be more options. That includes budget-friendly Wetherspoons where you can have a typical English Breakfast. GAIL Bakery, Eggslut as well as Giraffe are also some nearby options you can consider. After that, Westminster Abbey is about a 20-minute walk from either train stations.

Westminster Abbey

The Westminster Abbey is an impressive 13th century Gothic Church that is one of the most well known in the world due to the numerous high profile funerals and weddings held here. Most recently, the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II as well as the coronation of King Charles III have been held here. Over 3,000 prominent British have also been laid to rest here – Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens to name a couple.

The key things to see include Poets’ Corner (the memorials or burial place of prominent writers), the Royal Tombs, the cloisters, Tomb of Unknown Warrior, and of course the main church and the coronation chair last used by King Charles III. You can expect to spend up to 2 hours visiting these areas.

The Westminster Abbey is closed to sightseeing and is open only for services on Sundays. Last entry on other days is generally at 3.30pm (3pm on Saturdays) and closes an hour later. However, check out their website for any changes due to various reasons.

Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries

A brand new experience has recently opened at Westminster Abbey – The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries – which in essence is a secret space storing hundreds of years of treasures. It is located above the main floor of the abbey. You will need to pay an additional £5 (not covered by the London Pass) and purchased on the day but tickets are extremely limited so don’t have too high hopes of getting it on the day.

Alternative option to Greenwich

The next few sub sections of this third day London spring itinerary takes you to Greenwich where you can stand on the Prime Meridian line at the Royal Observatory, view the ‘British Sistine Chapel’ at the Old Royal Naval College and/or explore the last surviving Victorian tea-clipper Cutty Sark.

However, if you are keen to spend more time in Central London instead, you can make use of the hop-on-hop-off bus that comes with your London Pass to take a leisurely ride around the city. You can then hop on and off the bus whenever you see something that interests you.

There are several different hop-on-hop-off bus operators in London, but the specific operator covered by the London Pass is Big Bus Tour.

Uber Boat to Greenwich

After that, head to Westminster Pier which is just under 10 minutes walk away from Westminster Abbey. Along the way, you’ll also be able to see the Big Ben and the London Eye.

Take either the RB1 or RB6 service that heads eastwards to the Greenwich stop. To make sure, eastwards will be to your left when facing River Thames. These services should terminate at North Greenwich or Barking Riverside – so do not board any that terminates at Canary Wharf because that is before the Greenwich stop. Refer to the boat route for a better idea.

Once aboard, enjoy the city views from the boat – that’d include of course St Paul’s Cathedral, the London city skyline, the Tower Bridge and HMS Belfast.

Greenwich Market / Cutty Sark Street Food Market (optional)

For lunch, you can either head to Greenwich Market (open all days except Christmas Day and the first 6 Mondays of the year) or the Cutty Sark Street Food Market (open Fridays to Sundays). At the same time, you can also shop for Arts and Crafts (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun) or Antiques and Collectibles (Tues, Thurs, Fri) during your visit.

In case you prefer a nice sit-down lunch, there are also several restaurants, cafes and pubs that you can pick.

Old Royal Naval College or Cutty Sark

You are most likely to only have time for one of either the Old Royal Naval College or the Cutty Sark, if you are also intending to visit the Royal Observatory.

Old Royal Naval College

As the name suggests, the Old Royal Naval College used to serve as a training college for the Royal Navy. It has also served a number of various other roles, including that as a hospital for sailors. Today, it is partly used as a campus for the University of Greenwich.

Open to public visitors are the Painted Hall as well as the Chapel. Specifically for the Painted Hall (which is covered by the London Pass), it features 3,700 square metres of Baroque walls and ceilings. So beautiful, that some people nickname it ‘Britain’s Sistine Chapel’.

Do check their website for any closures due to private events.

It generally takes around an hour or more to visit the Old Royal Naval College.

Cutty Sark

The Cutty Sark is a 19th-century Victorian tea clipper that was built to transport tea from China to England. It is in fact the last surviving tea clipper in the world and is now restored as a tourist attraction.

Visitors to the Cutty Sark can now go onboard and view the interior of the ship, together with exhibits of its history, life on board and its voyages through a number of interactive displays. It generally takes over an hour to visit the attraction.

Royal Observatory

Then, head to Greenwich Park where the Royal Observatory is located. Right next to the Royal Observatory, there is an impressive view of Canary Wharf as well as the Greenwich region.

The Royal Observatory is the home to the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and the Prime Meredian on the 0° longitude. The astronomical museum also includes exhibits such as the Great Equatorial Telescope (one of the largest telescopes in the UK), information and demonstrations on astronomy, as well as a planetarium show. It also has a number of hands-on exhibits great especially for kids to understand more about the solar system and geography.

Make sure to also stand on the Prime Meridian Line where you get to be right in the middle of the western and eastern hemispheres.

Most people generally spend about 2 hours at the Royal Observatory.

Greenwich Park

After that, make sure to take a leisurely walk around Greenwich Park. In case you are there during mid April to end May, you may be able to see a very pretty row of cherry blossoms in front of Ranger’s House. (See more information about Greenwich Park above on Day 1).

During the spring, the park gradually closes later as we head into summer. This will be about 7pm in March, to 9pm in May.

Greenwich Foot Tunnel (optional)

While you wait for your return Uber Boat to Central London, why not have a peek into the Greenwich Foot Tunnel, used to connect the south bank to the north bank under the River Thames?

This tunnel was built in 1902, measures 370m in length under the river and was  considered to be an engineering feat at that time. It takes about 10 minutes to walk across to the opposite side where you can have a view of the Greenwich area.

Return Uber Boat

When you are ready to leave Greenwich, you should board either services RB1 or RB6 westwards back to Central London. This should be in the direction to your left when facing the river, with ending destinations Putney, Battersea Power Station or London Eye (Waterloo).

If you intend to follow the suggestions for the rest of this itinerary, then you should take the boat to the Tower Millennium Pier next to Tower Bridge.

Dinner or a night tour

Thereupon your return to Central London, you can choose to either have a nice dinner, or take a night tour.

One popular place for a dinner with a view is Duck and Waffles, where their most famous dish is literally, a duck confit served with waffles and topped with a fried egg and maple syrup. I found it an interesting combination and is worth a try, but yet another highlight is the views of the city from the restaurant! This restaurant is about a 20-minute walk from Tower Millennium Pier.

A table reservation is essential and be sure to book early too, because the tables can get booked up weeks in advance!

If not, then you can also take a Jack the Ripper tour – many of them starting at 5.30pm or 7.30pm. However, take note that the Jack the Ripper tour that is covered by the London Pass begins at 5pm at Whitechapel, outside Aldgate Underground station. If you intend to take this tour, then you may have to skip an attraction in Greenwich to do so. View more information about the Jack the Ripper tour covered by the London Pass and operated by See The Sights Tours.

Otherwise, you can also check out Get Your Guide* for some other Jack the Ripper tours or other night tours.

Breakfast options

The fourth day begins at London Eye, with the nearest tube station at Waterloo. Similar to day 3, you can consider budget options such as Pret A Manger and Cafe Nero. Or you can also head to The Lion and the Unicorn Wetherspoons near the Waterloo station for a full English breakfast.

The Black Penny Brunch, Giraffe and GAIL Bakery are also some options nearby that you can choose from.

Once you’d had your fill, head past Jubilee Gardens towards River Thames to arrive at the London Eye.

London Eye

Launched in the year 2000, the London Eye is a 135 m (443 ft) permanent ferris wheel fixture that is located by the River Thames. Each complete rotation takes 30 minutes and can hold up to 25 people in each of the 32 capsules. When on board the London Eye, you can get good views of the surrounding Westminster area, as well as St Paul’s Cathedral, the Shard and Tower Bridge.

I do highly recommend that you pre-book your tickets on the London Eye. Not only will it be cheaper, but you will also enjoy a much shorter and quicker queue. Yes, you should still expect to queue for about 30-45 minutes even if you have pre-booked tickets. It is important to note that the ticket prices get more expensive as you approach nearer the date.

If you have the London Pass Plus, you are still required to make a booking.

Memorial Wall

Following your 30-minute ride on the London Eye, head south along the River Thames until you arrive at the Westminster Bridge. Before you cross the Westminster Bridge to the Big Ben, walk further south over to the National Covid Memorial Wall.

This is a public mural wall to commemorate each of the 245,000 Covid deaths during the pandemic. Each heart on the wall represents one death – and that is to say, there are over 245,000 hearts on the wall measuring 540 metres in length.

It is also here, that I personally think has the best views of the Big Ben and the Parliament Houses.

Big Ben and Parliament Houses

Enjoy the views as you cross the Westminster Bridge towards the Big Ben. The Big Ben, in fact actually refers to the bell in the clock of the Elizabeth Tower.

It is possible to climb the Elizabeth Tower on a special guided tour – however, tickets are extremely limited and are snapped up almost as soon as they are released. For more information, refer to the Big Ben Tours website.

If you are into the UK political scene, you can also choose to join a tour to the parliament house.

At this point, if you haven’t been to Westminster Abbey yet (featured the day before in this London spring itinerary), then you should make your way there. Otherwise, continue on this itinerary.

Churchill War Rooms

Walk past the Big Ben to the Parliament Square Gardens where you can see a number of statues of world leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Abraham Lincoln. But the important statue you shouldn’t miss before heading to the Churchill War Rooms is of course, the statue of Winston Churchill himself!

From here, you might be wondering why there is a long line of people across the street, queuing in front of a red telephone box. Yes, that is a line of tourists trying to capture a nice picture of the red telephone box together with the Big Ben. This is marked as the ‘K2 Telephone Box‘ on Google Maps – so if you want a perfect Instagram photo of London, this is where you need to be.

My family wasn’t interested to queue, but we did a photo nearby of the Big Ben.

Then, continue round the corner to Churchill War Rooms. This is a secret underground complex where the British government directed WWII operations. Explore the map room, the cabinet room and even Churchill’s bedroom! Understand what happened in here during the WWII years, as well as details about Winston Churchill’s life.

A visit to the Churchill War Rooms generally takes around 2 hours. Following which, you can have lunch. Food options are quite limited in the area, but you can consider one of the following two just down the street from Churchill War Rooms. They are either The Red Lion (featuring politician portraits) or St Stephens Tavern (said to usually serve pints to politicians). I’d recommend to make a reservation in case you wish to have lunch at either place.

10 Downing Street

Once you’ve had your fill, head northwards along Parliament Street and on the left of the road. Along Parliament Street, you will see a number of memorials such as the Cenotaph and the Women of WWII memorial.

But the main thing to see here, is of course the Prime Minister’s office – 10 Downing Street. Not surprisingly, this is a gated area so the best you can do is to take a peep through the gates to see the famous door that the Prime Minister walks in and out from.

Royal Horse Guards

Continuing the walk along Parliament Street, you will shortly arrive at the Royal Horse Guards. The Horse Guards are on duty only from 10am to 4pm and if you were to walk past during this time, you can catch a look and picture of them.

This was the official ceremonial entrance to Buckingham Palace, which explains what and why the guards are located here, some distance away from Buckingham Palace itself.

Trafalgar Square

Walking on further along Parliament Street, you will soon arrive at the impressive Trafalgar Square. This is a prime public open space often used to host various festivals, celebrations and even public protests.

The name takes after the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 and commemorates the British naval victory against the combined troops of France and Spain. Therefore, in the middle of the square is the Nelson Column to commemorate Admiral Nelson, who led in the battle to a British victory.

Get into the atmosphere of the square and its surroundings before heading to the building that dominates the views of the square. This is the National Gallery.

National Gallery

This is an art museum located at Trafalgar Square, featuring 2,300 different Western European paintings from the late 13th century to early 20th century and including artworks from artists such as Van Gogh and da Vinci. You can either queue on the spot when you get there, or pre-book your entry time in advance – both for free.

Generally, you can expect to spend around 2 hours, by which time you should look to have an early dinner before catching a musical.

Dinner

Allow yourself some time between your visit to the National Gallery and your musical for some dinner. Take note that most musicals and plays begin at 7.30pm (and earlier on Sundays), so you should plan the dinner location and time accordingly. Most theatres are located within walking distance from the National Gallery so you can either make restaurant reservations or plan to take very quick bites in the area.

Watch a play or musical

And of course, you can’t miss watching a play or musical in London. While the US has got the New York Broadway, the UK has got the London West End. Dotted all around Leicester Square and Covent Garden areas, are numerous different theatres featuring plays and musicals of all genres.

Which musical or play to pick? 

You are definitely spoilt for choice in terms of what plays or musicals to pick. You can browse the available current options at the London Theatre Direct website before making your choice.

There are the long term classics such as ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ and ‘Les Miserables’, children-friendly ones such as ‘The Lion King’, modern classics such as ‘Mamma Mia’ or even adult-themed ones such as ‘The Book of Mormons’. You will definitely be able to find one that suits your taste!

Not to forget, if you are a Harry Potter fan, then the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child play is one that you shouldn’t miss.

How long are the musicals? 

Including a short interval, the musicals and plays should normally last around 2.5 hours and end around 10pm.

How do I get tickets? 

Tickets can be purchased online either from their respective official online websites or via a third party distributor website (such as London Theatre Direct, West End Theatre or TKTS). They can also be purchased physically in person at the respective theatres or a third party distributor (sometimes at discounted prices). One example of this third party is TKTS, located at a booth at Leicester Square.

I normally first look at the musical’s official website before then checking out the third party websites. The seat availability across these multiple booking channels is usually quite in sync, so I would normally book from the cheaper website for the same seats I’m looking for.

Otherwise, if you are watching alone or with just one other person, you can sometimes get discounted tickets on the day itself when you book physically at the theatres or at the TKTS counter at Leicester Square. If you are in a larger group, then there is a risk that you won’t be able to get tickets for all, or that you all have to sit separately.

The options for this day

Since it is the spring season, flower lovers will enjoy visits to some of the parks and flower festivals during this period. If you are one of those flower-lovers, then you can explore the option of visiting one of the following. Generally, you can take from half a day to a full day for each of them.

After that, head back to London for some shopping, eating and street performances at night at Leicester Square and Covent Garden, or Oxford Street and Soho.

Option 1: Kew Gardens

The Kew Gardens, or the Royal Botanic Gardens, is located in southwest London and houses one of the largest and diverse botanical collections. It is also one of the four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in London and home to 50,000 plant species from around the world.

With a ticket to Kew Gardens (£24 in spring), you can visit the various attractions within the park. For example, visit Kew Palace (the royal residence of George III with many of the original furniture), walk the Treetop walkway, climb the Great Pagoda and visit the iconic glasshouses and conservatories.

Cherry blossoms are also dotted all around Kew Gardens, including the Rose Gardens near Palm House and near the King William’s Temple.

A visit to Kew Gardens can easily take a full day and can be reached via the Kew Gardens station. The entrance fee is also covered under the London Pass. Depending on the number of days you are already purchasing for the London Pass, it may or may not be cost-effective to purchase a longer duration. Make sure to do your math before purchasing. Otherwise, you should book your tickets online.

Option 2: Chelsea Flower Show

The Chelsea Flower Show will run from 19th to 23rd May in 2026 and is held annually at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. In essence, it is one of the most prestigious horticultural events featuring stunning displays of plants and flowers, showcasing rare plants and introducing new plants and gardening techniques.

As this is a highly prestigious and international event, expect tickets to cost around £100 per person. Tickets must be booked in advance, so make sure to do so if you are a huge horticultural fan!

Option 3: Hampton Court Palace Tulip Festival

This annual festival happens in April of each year, featuring over 100,000 planted tulips in the Hampton Court Palace compounds. It is in fact the UK’s largest display of tulips. The festival typically runs from mid April to early May, depending on the blooming of the tulips, so make sure to check back their website for specific dates.

While you are there to enjoy the tulips in its gardens and courtyards, you can also visit the palace, which was the residence of Henry VIII.

You can reach Hampton Court Palace by a 40-minute direct South Western Railway train from London Waterloo station to the Hampton Court train station.

The other option: Explore West London

In case you are not a big fan of flowers or gardens, you can stay in London and watch a change of guard parade, have an afternoon tea and visit a west London museum.

Breakfast options

If you prefer not to spend an entire day with flowers, then begin the fifth and last day at Buckingham Palace. The nearest tube stations are at Green Park, St James’ Park as well as Victoria. If you are arriving via Green Park station, you can consider The Wolseley, Queens of Mayfair or 45 Jermyn St for some slightly more upmarket choices but still affordable. They have on menu various different types of breakfast, and of course not forgetting English Breakfast.

Once you’d had your fill, walk through Green Park to arrive at Buckingham Palace.

Buckingham Palace

The Buckingham Palace is the administrative office as well as the London residence of King Charles III. It is therefore not surprising that it is a well guarded palace. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 11am (and Sunday at 10am), a formal military ceremony takes place for the changing of the guards. This is when the current guards handover their duty to a new group of guards. Whenever this happens, the band would proceed on to play a series of familiar pop, classics or movie soundtracks.

Check the official website for the schedules as they may be subject to changes.

However, this is ceremony is extremely popular with tourists. So if you want to have a good view of the ceremony, you should plan to arrive very early, probably up to an hour or so earlier. And although the ceremony starts officially at 11am, the troops will be marching in around 15-30 minutes before time.

The experience

I personally think that the huge crowds make the whole experience not so enjoyable. Because you often don’t get to see much. Especially with the ceremony taking place within the gated compounds of the palace. However, having said that, I have to say that I really enjoy the band performance. They are really good I have to say.

There was once when they played a series of songs from the Mamma Mia soundtracks, then on another occasion they were playing some James Bond theme songs. And then when Taylor Swift was having her series of concerts in London, the band was playing a series of her songs! The band also usually give the songs a brand new life and chirpy feel! So, let the band surprise you!

The King’s Presence

While you are at the Buckingham Palace, pay close attention to the flag flying at the top of the building. If it is the flag of the Union Jack, then that indicates that the King is not in residence. But if it is the Royal Standard flag (dominated by yellow and red), that indicates his presence in the Palace.

I have been in the area probably over 10 times now, and I have only seen the Royal Standard flag flying once.

East Wing Exclusive Guided Tour

In case you are interested, the only way you can enter Buckingham Palace during the spring season is to take the East Wing Exclusive Guided Tour. However, due to the exclusivity of this tour, it costs a whopping £100 per person to be on it.  Despite this, the tour tends to sell out quickly. The East Wing of Buckingham Palace is where the facade and balcony is.

Alternative

In case you are not keen with crowds or the band, or if you are visiting on a day without the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace, you can also choose to witness the Changing of the Horse Guards. This takes place at the Horse Guards at 11am on weekdays and Saturdays, and 10am on Sundays.

Afternoon tea

You can’t say you’ve experienced the British culture until you’ve experienced an afternoon tea. This generally includes a range of sandwiches, pastries, and of course scones with clotted cream and jam, and lots and lots of tea! Most of the time, you are allowed to eat all you want, so be prepared to be really full after that!

There are many places that offer afternoon tea, but those that provide the full experience normally cost close to and around £100. Below are a few that you can consider:

• Claridges
• Fortnum and Mason – supplies the Royal household
• The Lanesborough – Bridgerton themed
• The Ritz – formal dress code mandatory
• The Worseley – budget option

I have been to the afternoon teas at Claridges as well as Fortnum and Mason. While I enjoyed the food and the experience at Claridges more, I enjoyed the teas and intricacies in the food presentation more at Fortnum and Mason.

Take note as well, that afternoon tea is only served at specific times of the day at some places. Check their respective websites to make sure they fit your itinerary.

Fortnum and Mason, The Lanesborough, The Ritz as well as The Worseley are all within easy reach from Buckingham Palace and will fit nicely to the sequence of attractions on this day.

A West London Museum

After what should be a fairly heavy meal, take a tube ride down to South Kensington where three West London museums are located. They are specifically the Natural History Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Science Museum. Entry to all three museums are free of charge but you may need to spend some time queuing if you don’t pre-book your free tickets. Take a pick from one of these three to spend the afternoon.

Natural History Museum

As the name suggests, this museum features the history of nature and boasts over 80 million different specimens covering millions of years. This includes exhibits such as a large blue whale skeleton in the main hall, dinosaur fossils, as well as information about geographic formations. It is also a great place for children to learn more about animals and the planet Earth through interactive exhibits. Pre-book your tickets here.

Victoria & Albert Museum

The Victoria & Albert (V&A) Museum houses an impressive collection of all things art, with 2.8 million art pieces over 5,000 years all around the world. Whether it’s paintings, furniture and ceramics, or textiles, costumes and jewellery, you name it and have it. It is no wonder the world’s largest museum of applied arts! Pre-booking tickets is not necessary.

London Science Museum

This museum features a huge variety of exhibits, ranging from historical items such as the first Apple computer and Watson & Crick’s DNA model, to significant scientific developments in medical, space and engineering fields.

It also features a Wonderlab (a hands-on science exhibit), Pattern Pod (an exhibit for children under 8), an IMAX theatre and even a flight simulator.

Although general entry is free, some of the special exhibits and experiences will require a fee.

Which museum to choose? 

Three of these museums are quite different in their subject, and so which museum to choose hugely depends on your interests. I always take higher interest in geographical and historical topics, some interest in relatable science topics but not so much in the arts field. Therefore for someone like me, the obvious choice is the Natural History Museum.

I personally think that especially if you have children with you, the Natural History Museum and Science Museum will appeal more to them with the various hands-on exhibits. These museums also help them with learning more about general knowledge and science.

You can generally expect to spend about 2 hours in each of these three museums.

Shopping at Harrods (optional)

Harrods is located at Knightsbridge, and is only about a 15 minute walk from the museums. If you are keen on luxury departmental store shopping then this is the place you want to be. It is home to over 3000 different luxury brands, designer fashion, food as well as furniture, arranged in a multi-floor building.

How long you spend here is hugely dependent on how much you are willing to spend. For an average tourist, the Lower Ground and Ground floors would normally be of interest – because these are where the Harrods Gift Shop, Bookshop and Food Halls are located.

Typical tourist buys include the Harrods teddy bear, tea and coffee as well as biscuits and chocolates. Head to the higher floors if you are interested in either luxury fashion, home needs or technology gadgets.

Oxford Street / Soho / Leicester Square / Covent Garden

After that, take the rest of the day or evening slow. You can explore the central areas of London at your own pace, have some food and also do some shopping. From the museums or Harrods, you can easily reach Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square and Covent Gardens in a few tube stops down Piccadilly line.

This area is characterised by vibrant nightlife, restaurants, pubs and interesting boutique shops so is definitely an area that is nice to roam and explore. The best way to enjoy these places is take a leisurely stroll, soak in the atmosphere and pop into a few shops that interest you.

If you are looking for a place for dinner, this region has it all. In fact, you can find nearly all the restaurants that I’ve highlighted in my England Travel Guide – Planning a trip to England here.

Oxford Street

Head down to Oxford Street if you are looking for some high street shopping of international brands. Stretching up to 2 km in length, Oxford Street is often considered to be Europe’s busiest shopping street, especially with over 300 shops and departmental stores lined on both sides.

Soho / Regent Street 

Running perpendicular to Oxford Street is Regent Street, also famous for high street shopping and connects to Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square. Here, the buildings are much grander looking and so are great for photos.

Along the street is the Soho region where you can find more boutique shopping in Liberty London and Carnaby Street, along with the Hamley Toy Shop.

Leicester Square / Covent Garden

Regent Street curves and connect to Piccadilly Circus and on to Leicester Square and then further on to Covent Garden.

Leicester Square

At Leicester Square, you’ll be able to see eight different statues of British film characters (Scenes in the Square) such as Mr Bean and Mary Poppins. See if you can spot all eight of them!

Stop for a moment also, to enjoy some street performances, the largest Lego store in the UK, as well as the four-storey M&M merchandise and interactive store!

Chinatown

Right next to Leicester Square is Chinatown, specifically made up of the three streets – Gerrard Street, Wardour Street and Lisle Street. Here, you can dine and shop in one of many restaurants and Asian supermarkets, as well as enjoy the Chinese decorations.

Covent Garden

Heading on further eastwards, you will arrive at even more shops, restaurants and street busking at Covent Garden and Seven Dials. The area is often bustling with activity and people, especially in the evenings and nights. If you are lucky, you can even get to enjoy some music and street performances in and around the market.

Once you’ve had some dinner, done some shopping and immersed yourself into the bustling atmosphere, it is time for a much needed rest to end off a busy 5-day visit to London.

Day 6 – Return

Until you commence your journey to the airport or a train station to other parts of the UK, you can spend some more time wandering around Central London, picking up more souvenir or enjoying a nice final meal in the capital city.

Extra days for your London spring itinerary

If you have more days to spare, you can consider splitting Day 2’s activities into two separate days for a more comfortable pace. Otherwise, you can also spend some time in the English countryside which is an experience I really enjoy. Below are some ideas that you can consider:

Outlet shopping at Bicester village

Especially if you are visiting from outside of Europe and would like to enjoy better prices for some of the European or UK brands, head to the Bicester Village outlet mall. You’ll be able to enjoy some good discounts for off-season shopping there!

You can either do a drive of about 2 hours, or take the approximately 80-minute train ride from Marylebone station to reach Bicester Village.

Harry Potter Studio Tour

If you are a big fan of the British movie series Harry Potter, then you can’t miss the Harry Potter Studio Tour. Take a tour around the impressive sets and also see the original props and costumes on display. You can also get a video taken of you flying on a broomstick and experience drinking butterbeer during your break.

Make sure to pre-book your tickets in advance because tickets sold on the spot depends on the day’s availability. Once it is sold out online, you are not likely to find tickets on the day. However, if you are unable to obtain any tickets for the day of choice, you can try booking through Get Your Guide *, though most of them come with a premium with transport provided.

If you booked your tickets through the official website, then a shuttle bus transport between Watford Junction station and the Harry Potter Studios is included with your entry. This shuttle bus journey takes 15 minutes and runs every 30 minutes from in front of Watford Junction station. You can reach Watford Junction by taking a West Midlands Railway train from Euston station.

There is a lot to see on this tour, so you should generally expect to spend around 4 hours at the studio. Including the travel time, this is expected to take almost a full day.

A day trip to an English town

You can’t experience the true English atmosphere without visiting at least one of the neighbouring English towns. There are numerous different towns that you can visit from London, many of which are just about 1-2 hours train ride or drive away.

You can choose from Cambridge, Oxford, Windsor, Cotswold, Dover or Brighton, just to list a few. If you ask me which are my top favourites, I’d say Cambridge, Windsor and Cotswold are great options having visited each of them at least three times now.

If you love nature, then consider one of the towns along the South Coast, such as Dover, Brighton, Eastbourne or Bournemouth. Particularly, I love hiking along the White Cliffs of Dover.

Reaching the towns

Most of these English towns are very well connected and easily reached by a direct train ride. I usually use Trainline to search for train tickets and it is useful especially when as a tourist you are not familiar with the different rail operators. But in case you wish to avoid the hassle of having to plan your train journeys and sights to visit, you can easily book a tour on Get Your Guide*. Have a browse through some of the day tours that are up on offer.

Do a stadium tour or watch a match

If you are a fan of any of the London football clubs (Arsenal, Brentford, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspurs or West Ham), then take the opportunity to do their stadium tours or even watch a match. Expect to spend over 4 hours should you plan to watch any matches.

Note that the stadium tours for Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspurs and West Ham are included in the London Pass.

Less days on your London spring itinerary

Conversely, if you don’t have 5 days on your hands for London, here are the following suggestions you can adopt. The following assumes that you have the entire day in your hands. (The London Pass is not necessary for the suggestions that follow unless you wish to modify them and include any other attractions of your interest).

2 Days London Spring itinerary 

Day 1:
Morning – Buckingham Palace
Early afternoon – Westminster Abbey and Big Ben (photo stop only)
Afternoon – British Museum
Night – Explore Leicester Square, Covent Garden and Soho

Day 2:
Morning – Sky Garden, Tower of London and Tower Bridge (photo stop only)
Afternoon – Borough Market, St Paul’s Cathedral, visit a park
Night – Watch a musical or have a nice dinner

3 Days London Spring itinerary 

Day 1 and Day 2: Days 2 and 4 of this 5-day London spring itinerary.
Day 3: Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, British Museum, followed by a visit to a park and then exploring the Soho, Leicester Square and Covent Garden areas.

4 Days London Spring itinerary 

Days 1, 2, 4 and 5 of this 5-day London winter itinerary, including Westminster Abbey on the first day.

Related posts