After spending many days wandering around London as both a tourist and my short stint living as a ‘local’, I’ve compiled my list of favorite experiences that can be bucketed together to check off your London bucket list.
Each experience includes the closest tube stop and what you’ll glean to gain from the experience, such as art, history, food, landmarks, and people-watching – to name a few. There is no better way to experience London than to get out and walk like a local, stop in for a pint or tea when feeling parched, and absorb the history and culture that oozes all over town with each step.
TravelingKT – London Guide for a printout / screenshot version of this guide for easy reference during your travels.
- St. James Park + Buckingham Palace + Churchill War Rooms
- Grab a coffee and walk through St. James Park, formerly a private park for the Royals, to Buckingham Palace for the daily Changing of the Guard.
- Explore the Churchill War Rooms, located in Churchill’s top-secret underground bunker during WW2. Enter the museum portion of the experience underneath the neon lights of a Churchill quote, “We are all worms, but I do believe that I am a glow-worm.” Book ahead!
- Tube Stop: St. James Park or Green Park
- Experience: History, Royals, Sightseeing
- Trafalgar Square + National Gallery
- Walk the steps of the National Gallery and take in the sweeping views of Big Ben in the distance and the bustling Trafalgar Square’s traffic circle.
- Impressionist galore, compare to The Met! Admission is free.
- Tube Stop: Charring Cross
- Experience: Art, History, Sightseeing
- Parliament Square + Big Ben + Westminster Abbey
- A short walk from Trafalgar Square to Elizabeth Tower and its famed Big Ben clock, the most iconic landmark in London.
- Check out Westminster Abbey, on the other side of the square, the site of coronations, royal weddings, and the resting place of many famous Brits.
- Tube Stop: Westminster
- Experience: History, Landmarks, Royals, Sightseeing
- Thames Walk + London Eye + Borough Market
- Start your walk at Big Ben and map to Borough Market (2 miles) – stick to walking the path along the river to feel like you are in the center of the local + tourist bustle. You can do this walk in reverse by starting at Borough.
- If you’d like to ride a large ferris wheel with sweeping city views, check out the London Eye along this walk. Book ahead!
- Admire the vista of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and the Millennium Bridge (featured in Harry Potter movies)
- Stop by the various cafes + bars + shops + stalls along the way – enjoy the people-watching. Save room for lunch at the food stalls of Borough Market!
- After lunch, you can continue another mile to the iconic Tower Bridge and Tower of London. Book ahead for tickets to tour the castle and crown jewels.
- Tube Stop: Westminster for the full walk experience, London Bridge or Borough for a shortcut to start at Borough Market.
- Experience: People Watching, Sightseeing, Walking
- British Museum + Covent Garden
- Start your morning by getting lost at the British Museum (free admission and WiFi).
- Walk to Covent Garden for lunch at Franco Manca (pizza), The Ivy (British), Dishoom (Indian), or Ladurée (Afternoon Tea).
- An afternoon of shopping + people watching in Apple Market.
- Tube Stop: Holborn for the museum, Covent Garden for the market.
- Experience: Eating, History, Shopping
- Oxford Circus + Carnaby Street + Afternoon Tea
- Start your day at Liberty and then enjoy shopping along Oxford Street.
- Walk toward Carnaby Street, a pedestrian-only shopping area, and have lunch al fresco in the iconic Kingly Court at Darjeeling Express (Indian, from Netflix Chef’s Table), Dirty Bones (BBQ), or any of the various foodie options.
- Alternatively, skip lunch and enjoy a decadent afternoon tea and bubbly at Instagram-worthy sketch. Book ahead!
- Tube Stop: Oxford Circus
- Experience: Eating, Shopping, Walking
- Dinner + West End Theatre + Pub Drinks
- Start your evening with one of the many musicals or plays in London’s West End – compare to NYC’s Broadway but at a fraction of the cost.
- Find the available shows and their theatre on 3rd party websites, but do not book! Instead, book directly on the theatre’s website for minimal fees and the best seat selection. For last-minute cheap tickets, visit the theatre box office directly in the hours leading into the show.
- Restaurants around the West End, such as 1-Michelin Star Wild Honey St. James, will offer Pre-Theatre tasting menus at a fraction of the cost of a regular tasting menu experience.
- After the show, venture to The Coach & Horses pub for a nightcap/pint or walk through the chaos and bright billboards of Piccadilly Circus – compare to Times Square (yes, there’s even an M&M’s World).
- Tube Stop: Charring Cross, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus
- Experience: Art, Culture, People Watching
- Imperial War Museum + Mercato Metropolitano
- Britain has a long, prickly history, to say the least, with imperialism and engaging in global wars, and has multiple Imperial War Museums located across the UK that highlight these conflicts.
- This digestible museum covers the history from World War I to the present day.
- If you are interested in World War I and World War II – this museum cannot be missed.
- After the museum, walk over to Elephant & Castle’s Mercato Metropolitano, an open-air food hall and beer garden with winding garden paths and nooks to enjoy a delicious + expansive selection of bites and sips. Free WiFi.
- Tube Stop: Elephant & Castle
- Experience: Food, History, People Watching
Keep me posted with any questions or need any additional travel advice, reach out @ travelguideKT@gmail.com
Traveling KT 