There is a LOT to do in London, so how do you narrow things down? In this post, you’ll pick up a few ideas on what to see in London in three days based on my personal itinerary.
So why London in the first place?
Well, the short answer is because we could. The long answer is a bit more whimsical. It all started when I was looking for places to go that would be under $2,000 for a quick extended weekend trip for my birthday in September. My hun and I looked into going to Berlin and I began my preliminary research for that trip. At the same time my sister received a nice bonus from work and was looking for some place to go. Naturally, I thought “Hun and I are going to Berlin, so why don’t my sister and I go to London!” She was down for the idea, but then my hun threw a curve ball. “London?! Oh that’s cool…I want to go, too!” he exclaimed. I thought he wanted to go back to Germany but I guess he was ready for something new. We are a recently married couple and I knew this would be a tough decision. In the end, my sister didn’t want to be a third wheel so off to London we went! Planning a trip to London was going to be sooo much fun!
After researching the best things to do in London in the fall (September, to be exact) and how to get around London on a budget using public transportation, here’s the best of what to see in London in 3 days.
Day 1
- Morning. Go on a short Kensington walking tour to see idyllic London row houses. Although we didn’t stop by Kensington Palace, the home of Prince Williams and Princess Kate, we knew we had our hands full with the TONS of FREE museums. London has great public museums, such as the: Natural History, Science, and Victoria & Albert (V&A design. As if walking through museums weren’t enough, there’s also shopping at the world-famous Harrods. We ended up grabbing lunch at turkish restaurant then popping in to see the British Museum, home of the Rosetta Stone, Assyrian lion hunt reliefs, and real-life mummies.
- Afternoon. Sleep, but not too long. Afterwards, partake in the classic British tradition of afternoon-tea. We chose an afternoon science tea at the Ampersand Hotel, home of the best themed tea of 2018.
- Evening. Evening Bike Tour to see: tower bridge, the tower of London, London eye, shakespeare’s globe, river Thames, big ben, Tate modern art, borough market. We took a brief hiatus to try beer and ales at a pub and see Leaden Hall market, one of the filming locations for Harry Potter & the Philosophers Stone.
Day 2
- Morning. Tower of London tour to see the crown jewels and other such curiosities like an animal shelter and torture chamber, anyone?
- Afternoon. Hun is a huge James Bond fan so we took a trip to the London Film Museum to see the Bond in Motion exhibit. Any car buff would approve
- Evening. London Eye, Piccadilly Circus, and Indian food at Veerswamy, the oldest Indian restaurant in London that also happens to have one Michelin star.
Day 3 – My Birthday 🎂
- Morning/Afternoon. English breakfast and Royal Day Out by the Royal Collection Trust. It’s only open late July – Sept but grants access to visit the queens art gallery, royal mews, Buckingham palace state rooms, and garden.
- Evening. London Food Tour. Now we know London isn’t known for being a foodie capital of the world, but when in London…try classic London cuisine like fish n’ chips, Cumberland sausage, cheese, all kinds of deserts, and other London delicacies.
Day 4
- Morning/Afternoon. Day trip to Bath, Windsor, and Stonehenge. It’s only about two hours away plus a private coach will carry us around.
- Evening. Last supper at Bumpkin, partaking in a proper Sunday roast.
There we have it along with a list of more things to do in London! This is my list of what to see in London in three days, but what about yours? Have you ever been to London? What do you recommend? Share your best London itinerary ideas below.