London has been one of my dream destinations for a while. And no, it is not the colonial hangover talking.
London has managed to be relevant for more than 2000 years. It is not only a financial hub but a big melting pot with different cultures. People from all over the world have made London their home. There is so much to do in London, something for everyone. And since there is so much to do, I am preparing this 4-day London itinerary to see as much as possible. Buckle up! We are going on a ride!
I have designed this itinerary to make the most of your four days in London, I have tried to optimize the attractions based on their location and minimal use of public transportation, and having good walks around the city. You can of course decide to take public transportation whenever needed.
In this itinerary, each day is independent of the others. I have clubbed the nearby attractions in a day to reduce the traveling time within a day. Feel free to shuffle around the days. For example, you can start from day 2, then day 4, day 1, and end on day 3. If you have more days, split the itinerary and divide the nearby attractions. Have less time? Skip attractions you are not interested in.
Another recommendation I have for you is: get the tickets online to avoid the national sport of England, queuing.
Like most of my articles, this one is also full of fun facts about all the tourist attractions. So, let’s dig into our 4-day London itinerary
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Table of Contents
Day 1 of the 4-day itinerary
St. Paul’s Cathedral
St. Paul’s cathedral is an architectural masterpiece and England’s place of national celebration. But I remember it as the place where Prince Charles and Diana got married. That over-the-top crumpled wedding dress, bright eyes, and of course a marriage that changed the royalty forever in the UK. This is where we start our first day on the London itinerary.
Over the years, many important services and ceremonies were held at St Paul’s like the funerals of Admiral Nelson, Winston Churchill, and Margaret Thatcher; jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria; peace services marking the end of the First and Second World Wars; and the thanksgiving services for the Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilees and the 80th and 90th birthdays of Queen Elizabeth II.
The cathedral is one of the most famous and recognizable sights in London. Its dome has dominated the skyline for over 300 years. At 365 feet (111 m) high, it was the tallest building in London from 1710 to 1963. And the dome is still among the highest in the world. That means you will get the best panoramic views of London from the dome.
To avoid the queues, buy the entrance ticket to St Paul’s Cathedral online.
The cathedral is modernized and features many interactive digital multimedia guides, which makes it fun for the whole family. Additionally, you can get a 15-20 minutes introductory tour of the history and architecture of the Cathedral, included in the ticket price.
You can also take a 90-minute guided tour of the unique features of the cathedral-like its floor, crypt, geometric staircase, Chapel of St Michael & St George, and the Quire. These tours take place a few times a day and you can reserve a place on the tour at the guiding desk when you arrive. They are first-come-first-served basis so please register on arrival.
Leadenhall market
The next stop on our itinerary is the Leadenhall market. It is one of the oldest markets in London, dating from the 14th century, and is located in the historic center of the financial district. But the reason I am interested in it is the Harry Potter feature! Yes, this market appeared in the first movie of the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. This covered market was the area of London near the Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Alley in the film.
The scene where Harry Potter and Hagrid go shopping for wands (and where Hagrid buys Hedwig as a late birthday gift for Harry) is one of the most memorable scenes in the first Harry Potter film…and it all happened outside Leadenhall Market.
And not only was Leadenhall Market used to represent the one area of London that secretly leads magical folk to Diagon Alley (in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone), Potterheads should be able to immediately recognize the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron at 42 Bull’s Head Passage (which is now an opticians office), as its blue door was used to film scenes in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as well.
Fancy a Harry Potter-themed walking tour around London? Book it here!
Not just limited to Harry Potter, Leadenhall Market has also been used as a filming location for a handful of other movies over the years, such as Hereafter, Love Aaj Kal, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
Fun fact: But during the early 1800s, there was one clever little goose who managed to escape his fate of being killed along with 34,000 other geese, after he somehow managed to escape capture not just once, but multiple times over the next few days.
The market workers eventually gave up and decided to let the goose (who was eventually named Old Tom) live a life of peace and happiness inside the market, and he soon became one of Leadenhall’s most beloved residents.
Old Tom managed to live to the ripe old age of 38, was even featured in the obituary section of a local newspaper, and was even given the proper burial he deserved inside the market.
Tower of London
Oh, where do I start? The Tower of London is one of the most scandalous places, not just in London but in the world. A total of 22 executions took place within the tower.
To begin with, The Tower of London is not its official name. It is Her Majesty’s Royal Palace And Fortress, The Tower of London. It was initially made as a fortress for defense and security purposes to keep the residents safe. Soon enough people realized that it also works for keeping people inside and was then used as a prison and an execution site.
The last person to be executed at the Tower of London was a German spy Josef Jakobs on August 15th, 1941 after being caught parachuting into England.
But it was not the most controversial execution at the tower. Two queens have graced the beheading site. Too much for marrying the prince charming. Well, as they say, in the game of thrones, you either win or die. But if you can’t produce a male heir or cheat on your King husband, you are beheaded. Amongst many other things, King Henry VIII is famous for marrying multiple times, for one reason or another. Two of Henry VIII’s wives, Anne Boleyn (second wife) and Katherine Howard (fifth wife), were both imprisoned and later executed.
There is a rhyme reflecting the fate of his six wives: rhyme to help them remember the fate of each wife: “Divorced, Beheaded, Died: Divorced, Beheaded, Survived”.
The tower is supposed to be haunted. Some of the deceased visitors include Anne Boleyn, Henry VI, Lady Jane Grey, Margaret Pole, the Princes in the Tower – and a grizzly bear! Given the history of the place, I am not even surprised.
Fun fact: At least 6 ravens are kept at the Tower of London at all times, for a superstitious reason that is ‘If the ravens leave the Tower the Kingdom will fall…’
If you think this is too dark, don’t worry, there are some shiny Crown Jewels at the tower to brighten up your day. You can visit the tower and the jewels inside the Tower of London, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Tower bridge
Just next to the Tower of London is the namesake, Tower bridge, one of the most famous bridges in the world. In fact, over the years, it has become the visual representation of London. In movies, songs, and shows, an image from this bridge means they are talking about London.
This is why I screwed up! Yes, I blame it on the bridge. Well, I was supposed to meet a friend on the London bridge. We both reached the decided location but couldn’t find each other. Several phone calls and embarrassing questions later I realized that this bridge, which is a cinematic symbol for London, is not actually the London bridge. This is Tower bridge. London Bridge is further ahead.
Fun fact: Did you know that the original color of the bridge was chocolate brown, but in 1977 it was painted in red, blue, and silver for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee. It is hard for me to imagine it in any other color.
You can combine your visit to the Tower of London and Tower bridge with a VIP entrance tour.
Borough Market
The market is said to be over 1,000 years old. This area was not even in London at that time since London was limited to the London city.
There is a bell in the market that used to be rung to announce the start and the end of the day’s trading. It is not used anymore. Last time it was rung by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall to officially reopen the market after some reconstruction.
The market has also appeared in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, in the scene in which the Knight Bus drops Harry off at the Leaky Cauldron pub. I promise I am not planning to make this a Harry Potter-themed itinerary, but it is hard to not point it out when such prominent London attractions are used in the movie. But if you are a Harry Potter fan like me, do not forget to book this highly rated walking tour that takes you through the most iconic locations from the Harry Potter world.
Recently the market also made its appearance in Bridget Jones’s Baby movie, in which Renee Zellweger’s lives in the flat above the market’s Globe Tavern.
Tate Modern
Just crossing the millennium bridge, you can find the Tate Modern, one of the coolest modern art galleries in the UK. I have had a hit-and-miss relationship with modern art. I loved some of them, like the ones in Munich, Nice, and Paris but didn’t care for some others.
In case you can’t travel to London at the moment, you can scroll through some of the online displays. I really like Feminism and media and the walk through British art.
This famous art gallery has a free entrance. What is better than a cool museum with a free entrance? A cool museum with a free entrance AND spectacular views over the London skyline. The top floor has a viewing terrace which itself is worth a visit. And yes, the view of St. Paul’s cathedral is impeccable!
Fun fact: Tate Modern is located in the Bankside Power Station area. The architect of this power station was Giles Gilbert Scott, the same artist who designed the iconic red telephone boxes.
Millennium Bridge
This day is not the official Harry Potter attraction day, but the next location also gets its best cinema action in another Harry Potter movie. You will remember it from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. It has featured in many other movies as well like Guardians of the Galaxy, Run Fat Boy Run, and Namaste London.
Another reason to visit this bridge is its perfect alignment with the south facade of St Paul’s Cathedral, making it a perfect Instagram spot!
Fun fact: Londoners called this bridge the “Wobbly Bridge” after pedestrians experienced an alarming swaying motion on its opening day. The bridge was closed later that day for almost two years so that modifications and repairs could be made to keep the bridge stable and stop the swaying motion. It reopened in February 2002. That’s a bit scary for a project that cost £18.2 million.
Woh! We covered a lot on Day 1. Chill out. Have a nice relaxed evening. We have a royal Day 2 waiting for us!
Day 2 of the 4-day itinerary
Buckingham Palace
I mean obviously! You didn’t think we would go to London and not have a look at Buckingham Palace.
Second to none, this royal residence is one of the most famous attractions in London. Its first official resident was Queen Victoria, who moved in here in 1837 and it has been the official royal residence since then.
Fun fact: A teenager named Edward Jones, also known as Boy Jones, managed to break into Buckingham palace and got caught, at least 3-4 times. He was seemingly obsessed with young Queen Victoria during his teenage years. In 1838, he snuck into Buckingham Palace and stole many of Queen Victoria’s belongings, including a few pairs of her underwear. He stole food and claimed to have sat on the throne. He was eventually sent overseas, though he temporarily returned to the United Kingdom as an adult. Talk about royal crushes, eh?
And yes, another uninvited visitor visited Queen Elizabeth II. The Netflix series Crown also included this in season 4, the episode titled Fagan.
Buckingham Palace is a functioning royal residence so it is not always open to the public. But when the Queen heads off for the summer holidays, Staterooms are open for visitors. State Rooms are used extensively by The Queen and members of the Royal Family to receive and entertain their guests on State, ceremonial, and official occasions. And this way, you don’t have to intrude like a criminal.
The first US president to visit Buckingham Palace was President Woodrow Wilson and First Lady Edith Wilson visited the UK in December 1918. Yes, the same Wilson, on whose honor Bratislava was renamed to Wilson city for about a year.
If you don’t want to visit the Staterooms, you can always enjoy a changing of the guard ceremony outside the Palace.
St. James Palace and Park
It is the oldest royal palace in the whole of the United Kingdom. Aside from being the most senior palace, St. James’s Palace is still an official working palace and the Royal Court is still formally based there.
Fun fact: Its north gatehouse and the state apartment fireplaces still have the initials ‘H.A.’ engraved, which stands for Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Yes, the same wife he later ordered to be beheaded.
Apart from killing his wives, Henry VIII was also known for killing the game. Since St James’s Park wasn’t quite big enough for his hunting needs, it was used to breed young deer till they were old enough and then they were shipped off to Hyde Park and Regent’s Park. That is where he used to go hunting.
You can take a three-hour guided walking tour of the city of Westminster that takes you around Buckingham palace, James park, James palace, Victoria memorial and many other London attractions.
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey is one of the United Kingdom’s most notable religious buildings and the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English and, later, British monarchs. It has been the coronation church since 1066 and is the resting place of more than 3,000 great Britons.
This includes seventeen British monarchs including King Henry V and all the Tudors except for Henry VIII. Yes, except Henry VIII, who is resting at the George chapel in Windsor with the only life he ever ‘loved’, Jane Seymor. The only wife who bore him a son and died doing so.
Other notable people buried at Westminster Abbey include Isaac Newton, Edward the Confessor, and Charles Dickens.
It is this prime location where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge got married in April 2011. But they were certainly not the first ones. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, her father, her sister got married here. You probably remember the scenes from The Crown.
Inside the Abbey is the Coronation Chair, where monarchs are crowned. It is said to be “one of the most precious and famous pieces of furniture in the world”.
Fun fact: Well, this precious and famous furniture is actually covered in graffiti. It is not known for sure who did it but it is thought to be the work of visiting school kids from the 1700 and 1800s! Well, Graffiti as an art form goes long back, longer than I thought. Next time when a monarch is being crowned and it is telecasted all over the world, this is all I will be thinking about. One even carved “P. Abbott slept in this chair 5-6 July 1800” on the seat!
To see the Abbey in person without getting into the long queues, get the entrance ticket to Abbey online. The abbey is also open for virtual tours.
Big Ben
Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the striking clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London. The official name of the tower in which Big Ben is located was originally the Clock Tower, but it was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II.
While this neo-Gothic style tower is named after Queen Elizabeth II, the Latin words under the clockface read Domine Salvam Fac Reginam Nostram Victoriam Primam, which means “O Lord, keep safe our Queen Victoria the First”.
Fun fact: The tower leans. It has an inclination of about 1/250 (0.04 degrees). It is not as leaning as the leaning tower of Pisa but still.
The Tower is also a famous location for film and television shows. It has featured in 28 Days Later, V for Vendetta, Lost, Doctor Who, and Mary Poppins, amongst many others.
London Eye
London eye, one of the most visited paid London attractions, shouldn’t even be here. Yes, the London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel, was supposed to be temporary. It was built to celebrate the ‘Millennial’, but in 2002, it got a permanent license. Considering how much money it brings to the economy, it is not surprising.
Over the years, the London eye has had different official names, courtesy of its various owners, and sponsors. From British Airways London Eye, the Merlin Entertainments London Eye, the EDF Energy London Eye, and now the Coca-Cola London Eye.
One ride is 30 minutes and gives you enough time to seep in the views of London landmarks including Buckingham Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral, and the Tower of London. On a clear day, you can see up to 40 kilometers in all directions, all the way up to Windsor Castle. The wheel is 443 feet tall, which is equal to 64 red telephone booths stacked vertically. That’s the most British fact I have ever read.
Fun fact: The London Eye has 32 capsules, representing the 32 boroughs. But they are numbered 1 to 12 and 14 to 33 because you know how unlucky the number 13 is. Superstition is not only for the royalty it seems. The second passenger capsule was named the Coronation Capsule to mark the 60th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
To see London from above without getting in long queues, get the online ticket for fast-track admission.
Day 3 of the 4-day itinerary: Kensington
Victoria and Albert museum
Named after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, this museum is the biggest collection of design and applied arts in the world. I really liked this museum. It houses really interesting artifacts collected from all around the world. We took the daily introductory tour for free. Sadly, the tours are suspended at the moment due to covid restrictions but feel free to check out the virtual museum trail for a self-guided tour in the museum. Since the museum is grand, it is easy to get lost or prioritize what you want to see, so these tours are a great way to check out the highlights of the museums.
Fun fact: At the time of establishment, the museum was called The museum of manufacturers. But it was later renamed as Victoria and Albert museum, even though the queen really wanted to call it the Albert museum.
Kensington Palace and Garden
Remember the iconic dress Diana, Princess of Wales wore for her wedding? It is on display at Kensington Palace till January 2022 under the Royal style in making exhibition. Now that we covered the main highlight, let’s see what else Kensington Palace is known for.
Princess Diana and Prince Charles made Kensington Palace their home after their wedding in 1981. This is the place where they raised their kids: Prince Willian and Prince(?) Harry. For the same reason, the palace grounds were covered with an estimated 60 million flowers, stuffed animals, photos, and notes after the unfortunate death of Diana.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (everyone’s favorite William and Kate) have made this place their home. It is their official residence in London.
Another reason Kensington Palace holds such importance in history is that one of the most famous royals, Queen Victoria was born here. She spent her childhood in this house. It was here where she was announced to be the next queen. Here she saw Prince Albert for the first time and one of the most famous royal love stories started.
To see the lavish Palace, you can buy your ticket online.
Little Venice
One of the reasons London is unique is that there are so many amazing places and parks that it is easy to forget that you are in the middle of one of the biggest metropolitan cities. Little Venice is also one of those gems. Just north of Paddington, you will find yourself around the beautiful canals and waterways of Little Venice. Not just the canals, it is home to cute waterside cafes and restaurants.
I loved walking in this area. So central and yet so lush and peaceful. This long pretty walk all the way to Camden market is perfect if you want a peaceful relaxing moment outside the hustle-bustle of the city. You can also take the canal trip from one of the canal cruises or waterbuses. It takes about 45 minutes by canal cruise to reach Camden market.
Lord’s cricket ground
Lord’s is not any cricket ground. Cricket lovers know it as the home of cricket. It also houses the world’s oldest sporting museum.
An unrelated but equally fascinating fact is that Lord’s is committed to sustainability initiatives. It is powered most of the time by wind energy. Apart from that, it has launched reusable cups, banned plastic straws and has increased the number of water fountains to promote the use of reusable water bottles. You can find it quite close to Little Venice, before Camden Market.
Camden Market
Quirky and freestyle are the words that come to my mind when thinking about Camden Market. Amongst hundreds of attractions in London, Camden Market is the fourth most visited attraction with about 100,000 people visiting it each weekend. It is an outdoor market known for its food stalls, crafts, clothing, and bric-a-brac. If that’s your jam, stop by Camden Market after the long nice walk from Little Venice that probably built up an appetite.
Day 4 of the 4-day itinerary: Greenwich
Greenwich and royal observatory
So, we have reached the last day of our 4-day London itinerary. Greenwich is the home to the GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) line which is the line of longitude at 0 degrees. This is used as the global standard for time zones.
Fun fact: One of the most prominent royals, King Henry VIII, was born in Greenwich on 28 June 1491 at the Palace of Placentia that once stood on the site of the Old Royal Naval College. His daughters, Queen Mary I and Queen Elizabeth I, were also born in the area. This means three ruling kings and Queens were born in Greenwich!
Greenwich Park is also a nice site to visit. It is the oldest enclosed royal park and is home to the royal deers, all the way from King Henry VIII.
Fun fact: Shakespeare performed two comedies in front of Elizabeth I at Greenwich Palace, and it is believed that he rehearsed his plays in Greenwich.
Greenwich Royal Observatory is the exact site of the Prime Meridian. This line divides the Western and Eastern hemispheres of the globe. Another good reason to visit the observatory is the view!
The Greenwich market is also a nice place to hang out. To make the most of this visit to Greenwich, take a river cruise along the Thames, from Westminster to Greenwich!
What do you think about this London itinerary? Do you think you can manage this much in 4 days in London?
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