Perfect 3-Day London Itinerary: What to See Each Day

Start your first morning at Westminster Abbey, arriving early to beat the crowds. Walk across Parliament Square to see the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, then continue along the Thames to the London Eye for panoramic views of the city. After lunch at the South Bank Centre, cross Westminster Bridge and walk through St James's Park to Buckingham Palace for the Changing of the Guard (check timings, as it does not happen every day). End the afternoon at the Tower of London for the Crown Jewels and a Yeoman Warder tour. In the evening, take a Thames sightseeing cruise to see the city lit up.

Spend the morning at the British Museum, focusing on the Egyptian galleries, the Rosetta Stone, and the Parthenon Marbles. After lunch in Bloomsbury, head to the South Bank for the Tate Modern (free) or cross the Millennium Bridge to St Paul's Cathedral. In the afternoon, visit the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, which is free and could easily fill several hours. End the day with a West End show; book matinee tickets if you prefer an earlier finish. Leicester Square and Covent Garden are perfect for dinner before or after the theatre.

Start at Borough Market for breakfast, sampling fresh pastries, coffee, and whatever catches your eye from the food stalls. Join a food tour if you want a guided experience with tastings. After the market, walk to nearby Bermondsey Street for independent shops and galleries. In the afternoon, explore either Camden Town (alternative culture, street food, and canal walks) or Notting Hill (colourful houses, Portobello Road Market on Saturdays, and bookshops). Finish your trip with a Thames dinner cruise or an evening at a traditional London pub in Soho.

A well-planned 3-day London trip can cost between £150 and £400 per person excluding accommodation and flights. Transport runs about £15 to £20 per day using an Oyster card or contactless payment. Free museums save you a fortune compared to other capital cities. Budget around £30 to £50 per day for food if you mix market meals with one restaurant dinner. The Tower of London (£33), Westminster Abbey (£27), and London Eye (£35) are the main paid attractions on this itinerary. Booking online in advance typically saves 10 to 15% on ticket prices.

Get an Oyster card at any Tube station or use contactless payment (the daily cap means you never overpay). The Tube is fastest for longer distances, but walking is often quicker in central London where stations are close together. Bus route 11 from Liverpool Street to Fulham passes many landmarks and costs the same as the Tube. Thames Clippers are part of the TfL network and accept Oyster cards, making the river a practical (and scenic) transport option. Download the Citymapper app for real-time route planning that combines Tube, bus, walking, and river options.

If you have visited London before and want something different, swap Day 1 landmarks for Greenwich (Cutty Sark, Royal Observatory, and the Painted Hall). Replace Day 2 museums with Kew Gardens and Hampton Court Palace, both reachable by a scenic Thames boat ride. On Day 3, explore East London instead: Columbia Road Flower Market on Sunday, Brick Lane for street art and curry, and the Sky Garden for free panoramic views. The Churchill War Rooms and Kensington Palace are also excellent second-visit attractions that most first-timers miss.