How to see London in 2 days

By Jasmine Slade.

While London wasn’t built in a day, you can see it in two. I’m mixing my metaphors, but this guide to experiencing the best that London has to offer in only two days will be clear and precise.  

DAY ONE 

This guide assumes you will arrive into Central London in the morning of Day One, in order to make full use of your two days of London fun. We will be starting the morning strong with the famous British Museum, where you can ‘discover two million years of human history and culture’. Many would consider this a fundamental London staple, but if it’s not your English cup of tea, take the time instead to stroll through the vibrant Soho and Covent Garden instead. And for lunch, because all of that learning and sight-seeing works up an appetite, the Seven Dials Market is a ten–minute walk away and boasts a food hall crammed with diverse street food.  

After lunch, walk 15 minutes down towards the Embankment Ferry Terminal, and catch a River Boat (RB1 or RB6) to London Bridge City Pier. Trust me, the inclusion of the river boat in your day will be transformative. This journey will take around 15 minutes along the River Thames, and you will go under both Millennium Bridge (the twisty bridge from the sixth Harry Potter film) and London Bridge, with the boat pulling up at your final stop right in front of the HMS Belfast, a huge naval ship. From here, it’s a ten–minute walk to Tower Bridge, where you can catch the bridge split in two to make way for an incoming vessel. It only happens twice a day, but often in the afternoon, so check ahead to calculate your visit with the timetable.  

If you can handle further cultural exposure after your morning at the British Museum, why not pop into the nearby Tate Modern and view some of the most influential art pieces of all time? From Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock, to Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. Or if you prefer to wander outside, the Shard, Southwark Cathedral, and the Golden Hinde (another beautiful, historical boat) are all within a short walk. 

Grab your dinner from Borough Market, and have a pick of not just English dishes, but also Greek, Italian, Levantine, Taiwanese, Persian, and French. And more importantly, this Market is only an eight–minute walk from your evening entertainment – a play at the legendary Shakespeare’s Globe. Forsooth! Don’t stress about splashing out, because you can buy tickets for £5-£10 and experience a Shakespeare play in the most authentic way possible : standing in the pit! My recommendation is to get there early so that you can snatch up a position at the very front, where you will find a barrier on which to lean.  

Enjoy hours of outstanding acting in a stunning open air Elizabethan playhouse, before heading back for the night. After all, Shakespeare’s Globe is only an approximate 35 minutes and one journey on the London Underground (District or Circle Line). 

What accommodation, you may ask? If you’re looking for budget-friendly accommodation in the very heart of London, look no further than Prince’s Gardens in South Kensington, where you can get a room from £85 per night with 25% off when you subscribe to our mailing list. En suite, complimentary Wi-Fi, tea- and coffee-making facilities, toiletries, towels, and a warm, welcoming reception team, all at an affordable price. Settle into your fresh sheets and relax your hard-working feet for the night. 

TLDR : In the morning, the British Museum and/or Soho/Covent Garden. Lunch in the Seven Dials Market. Catch a river boat from Embankment to London Bridge City Pier. See Tower Bridge, the Tate Modern, and the Shard. Head over to the nearby Borough Market for dinner, and finish the evening off at the renowned Shakespeare’s Globe. Finally, travel the short journey back to our recommended and budget-friendly accommodation… Prince’s Gardens, South Kensington. 

DAY TWO 

Good morning. Sleep well? At Prince’s Gardens, you can pre-book breakfast, which is served in the Senior Common Room on Imperial’s university campus, a short three-minute walk from your accommodation Don’t worry about dragging yourself back to the London Underground at this bright hour. Instead, for your next cultural excursion, walk three minutes from your accommodation and find three of London’s most popular and treasured museums on Exhibition Road – The Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A).  

Do you like dinosaurs? No need to answer, because everyone likes dinosaurs. Find them at the Natural History Museum. Do you like space rockets? Look up at the Science Museum and see two suspended from the ceiling. How about football? Crocs? Pottery? Jewellery? Fashion? Taylor Swift? Just good old–fashioned history? As the slogan goes, if you’re into it, it’s in the V&A. 

The best thing about all of these museums? They are all free entry! (Any temporary exhibitions may cost entry).  

On any ordinary day, it would be good practice to spend an entire day exploring between these three iconic museums, but this is How to see London in Two Days. It is a competitive sport. Are you up for accepting the challenge?  

All three open at 10am, so here are my recommendations. The Speed-Run: to leave yourself three hours and spend an hour in each. Believe me, I’ve done three in three before so I know it is possible. Remember, they are all free, so no money will be wasted. The Picky-Eater: decide which museum is most important on your agenda and prioritise your time accordingly. Both are respectable options. 

This should take us roughly to 1pm, but the day is far from over. Did you know that Hyde Park is only a five–minute walk from your accommodation at Prince’s Gardens? After your museum-frenzied excursion, walk up Exhibition Road and straight into Hyde Park, one of the largest and greenest spaces in London. Here, you will find countless memorials (such as the Diana, Princess of Wales memorial fountain) and the Serpentine Lake, the subject of our next adventure. Before grabbing lunch, rent a pedalo or row boat for 30 minutes (cost : £10.20 for an adult) and sail around the idyllic Serpentine. This step is not necessarily an essential activity, but it both adds to the whimsy, and is relaxing London fun. Lunch can be acquired either at the restaurant overlooking the lake, Serpentine Bar & Kitchen, or the cheaper cafe to the side of the lake. 

If you’re feeling brave or if it’s a particularly sunny day, the walk from Hyde Park to your next destination, Westminster, is 35 minutes – alternatively, public transport takes 25 minutes, and you can rent an electric bike from almost any street corner to arrive in just 11 minutes. There’s a lot to see in Westminster, from the Houses of Parliament to Westminster Abbey, and most royally, Buckingham Palace. The recommended time to spend at Buckingham Palace is two hours, during which you can explore the State Rooms and witness London’s emblematic King’s Guard (the ones with the black fluffy hats and red uniforms). By the time you have experienced your royal fantasy, it should be the late afternoon, around 4pm or 5pm.  

From Buckingham Palace, it is an 18–minute walk to a must-see London structure: Big Ben. Now this is a secret, but Big Ben and the London Eye, despite being rival iconic city landmarks, are actually good friends. That’s what happens when you have spent several decades across the river from each other – that’s right, the two are only a nine–minute walk apart, meaning that two of London’s prize jewels can be seen without much huffing and puffing.  

If it’s in your budget, the London Eye is less busy in the evening, between 17.00 and 18.00. This ride to the very top and down again will last 30 minutes with a 360 degree view over the city. 

One of the most famous parts of London is the West End. Wicked, Les Miserables, Mamma Mia!, take your pick, but my suggestion for what to do with your last night in London is to see one of these revered musicals. The West End is a 20-minute walk from the London Eye, and most evening shows will start either at 19.00 or 19.30. You will also find yourself right next to China Town for a pre-theatre dinner, with its hanging lanterns and colourful restaurants. If you are of the vegan or vegetarian persuasion, I recommend Plum Valley for some excellent and delicious options. 

Now, settle into your seats and get comfortable. Enjoy the show. 

Once again, the location of your beloved Prince’s Gardens accommodation saves you a long and arduous journey back to your bed. Catch the Picadilly line from Leicester Square to South Kensington and find yourself safe and sound back at your comfortable room in a total journey of 25 minutes. Sweet dreams. 

TLDR: Wake up in your central London accommodation and hit the three museums of Exhibition Road, The Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Go to Hyde Park for boating and lunch. Then head to Westminster to visit Buckingham Palace. See the nearby Big Ben, and if it’s in your budget, hop onto the London Eye. Finish off your evening with dinner in China Town and a West-End musical.  

There. You did it! You saw London in two days. We’d all like more time to explore the city, but I understand not everyone has that luxury. The naysayers may tell you it’s impossible, but harness the indomitable human spirit and do it anyway. Consider this my proposition for a new Olympic sport.  

Above all, what matters most when visiting a city like London is staying in the right location. Where is the place you return to after a long day of travelling, or the place you set off from in the morning to start your day? Do not waste your precious hours in London travelling for hours into the centre  – instead, stay in accommodation which gives you immediate access to all the city has to offer! Book into Prince’s Gardens, South Kensington, and secure an affordable stay for unforgettable days in London.  

May your feet never tire and the weather stay bright.  

Top tips for Tourists: 

• Need the toilet? There’s nothing worse than exploring a city with very few public toilets, so if you are out and about and need desperately to go, look up the nearest “Wetherspoons”, a British pub chain, on your phone. Go straight in and use the toilet. They are all over London, you won’t need to buy anything, and no one will bother you. 
• Need water? Being a tourist is thirsty work, especially on a hot day in the city, and there aren’t many public water-filling stations. Whereas many cafes will just fill up your water bottle for you when you ask, if you would rather avoid the interaction, look up the nearest “Pret a Manger”, a British cafe chain. Go straight in and each one has a water filling station that you can use for free. Pictured below. As it says on their website, ‘if you’re passing by, pop in and fill up for free’. These will be on nearly every corner.