♥ Surprise Me
Home / Modern Cities / 5 Days in London: Royals, the River & the West End
Tower Bridge and the River Thames, London
Modern Cities Global Capital 5 Days

5 Days in London: Royals, the River & the West End

Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, the British Museum and a West End show, with afternoon tea and a wander through Notting Hill and Camden.

Ideal SeasonApr – Jun, Sep
Est. Budget$1,000-1,400
Duration5 Days
PaceActive
How many days do you have?
Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) and the Houses of Parliament, London
Morning
West front of Westminster Abbey, London

Westminster Abbey & the Houses of Parliament

Arrive right at opening to beat the tour groups inside the Abbey, then walk the perimeter of the Houses of Parliament to see Big Ben's Elizabeth Tower up close.

🚇 Westminster station 💵 ~£30 Abbey entry 🕐 From 9:30 AM
Afternoon
Changing the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace, London

Buckingham Palace & the Changing of the Guard

Walk up The Mall to catch the Changing of the Guard (check the day's published schedule first, it doesn't run every day), then cut through St James's Park.

🚶 20 min walk from Westminster 💵 Free to watch 🕐 ~11 AM, alternate days
Evening
The London Eye on the South Bank of the Thames in the evening

South Bank walk & the London Eye at sunset

Cross Westminster Bridge to the South Bank and follow the river as the London Eye lights up, one of the best golden-hour views in the city, with or without a ride.

🚶 flat riverside path 💵 ~£35 London Eye (optional) 🕐 Sunset
The Tower of London viewed from the River Thames
Morning
One of the ravens kept at the Tower of London

Tower of London & the Crown Jewels

Book a timed-entry ticket, join a free Yeoman Warder tour, and see the Crown Jewels before the mid-morning crowds build up. Don't miss the ravens on the lawn.

🚇 Tower Hill station 💵 ~£35 entry 🕐 Before 10 AM
Afternoon
Borough Market entrance with The Shard in the background, London

Tower Bridge & Borough Market lunch

Walk across Tower Bridge (the glass-floor walkway is worth the small extra fee), then follow the river to Borough Market for lunch among the food stalls.

🚶 15 min riverside walk 💵 ~£15-20 lunch 🕐 Closes early Sunday
Evening
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre on the South Bank, London

Shakespeare's Globe & a riverside pub dinner

Pass the reconstructed Globe Theatre on the South Bank, then settle into a riverside pub for dinner with the City skyline lit up across the water.

🚶 South Bank promenade 💵 ~£25-30 dinner 🕐 Evening
The glass roof of the Great Court at the British Museum, London
Morning
The Rosetta Stone on display at the British Museum

The British Museum

Spend the morning with the Rosetta Stone and the Parthenon Marbles under the glass-roofed Great Court. Don't try to see it all, pick two or three galleries and go deep.

🚇 Russell Square or Holborn 💵 Free entry (donations welcome) 🕐 Opens 10 AM
Afternoon
Covent Garden Market building, London

Covent Garden

Wander the Piazza's covered market stalls, watch a street performer under the portico, and browse the boutiques around Neal's Yard and Seven Dials.

🚇 Covent Garden station 💵 Free to browse 🕐 Afternoon
Evening
Shaftesbury Avenue in London's West End theatre district

A West End show

Book ahead for a specific show, or line up at the TKTS booth in Leicester Square for same-day discounted tickets to whatever's on.

🚶 Theatreland, Shaftesbury Ave 💵 ~£50-90 🕐 7:30 PM curtain
Colourful houses on Lancaster Road, Notting Hill, London
Morning
Alice's antiques shop on Portobello Road, Notting Hill

Portobello Road & Notting Hill

Browse the antique stalls and vintage shops along Portobello Road (liveliest on a Friday or Saturday), then wander the pastel-coloured streets nearby.

🚇 Notting Hill Gate 💵 Free to browse 🕐 Best Fri-Sat morning
Afternoon
Traditional afternoon tea with scones, cream and jam

Traditional afternoon tea

Sit down for a proper afternoon tea, finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, and a tiered stand of pastries, at a hotel or dedicated tearoom.

🍽️ book ahead 💵 ~£45-65/person 🕐 3-4 PM sitting
Evening
Camden Lock Market alongside Regent's Canal, London

Camden Market & the canal at golden hour

Head north to Camden for street-food stalls and live-music pubs, then walk the towpath along Regent's Canal as the lock-side stalls light up for the evening.

🚇 Camden Town station 💵 ~£10-15 street food 🕐 Evening
The Cutty Sark tea clipper at Greenwich, London
Morning
Tourists photographing the Prime Meridian line at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich

Greenwich, Cutty Sark & the Prime Meridian

Take the boat or DLR to Greenwich, walk up to the Royal Observatory to stand on the Prime Meridian line, then explore the historic tea clipper Cutty Sark.

⛴️ Thames Clipper, ~1 hr 💵 ~£20 Observatory entry 🕐 Morning, before crowds
Afternoon
View of the Shard from the Sky Garden viewing gallery, London

Sky Garden's free skyline view

Book a free timed slot at the Sky Garden for one of London's best skyline views, no entry fee, just reserve online a few days ahead.

🚇 Monument station 💵 Free (book ahead) 🕐 Book 2-3 days ahead
Evening
Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, a historic pub on Fleet Street, London

A traditional pub dinner & departure

End the trip with fish and chips or a Sunday roast at a proper old London pub before heading to the airport.

🚇 to Heathrow/Gatwick/Stansted 💵 ~£20-25 dinner 🕐 Evening

💵 Tipping Etiquette

  • Much lower than the US: many restaurants already add a 10-12.5% service charge, so check the bill before tipping more.
  • Rounding up is enough for taxis; no tip expected when ordering at a pub bar.
  • No tipping at fast-casual counters or coffee shops.

🚶 Queueing & Etiquette

  • Brits queue for everything and take it seriously, never cut in line.
  • Stand on the right on Underground escalators, keep left when walking through stations.
  • "Mind the gap" is a literal instruction on several Tube platforms, not just a slogan.

🚇 Transit Nuances

  • Tap a contactless card or phone directly at the gate (or use an Oyster card) for the Tube, buses, Overground, and DLR.
  • A daily fare cap applies automatically, so you'll never overpay for a heavy day of travel.
  • Buses don't accept cash at all, contactless or Oyster only.

⚠️ Safety Notes

  • Central London is generally safe for tourists, though standard city awareness applies.
  • Watch for pickpockets on crowded Tube lines and around busy tourist sights.
  • Keep bags zipped and close at markets like Camden and Portobello Road.

🗣️ Good to Know

  • English-speaking: no language barrier to plan around.
  • Oyster card: the reloadable tap-to-pay transit card (contactless bank cards work the same way).
  • The Tube: what Londoners call the Underground.

💳 Money & Payments

  • Cards and contactless accepted almost everywhere, minimal cash needed.
  • VAT is already included in listed prices, no surprise tax added at checkout like in the US.
  • ATMs are widely available, though bank-branded ones avoid extra withdrawal fees.
0 / 11 packed

👕 Clothing (Changeable weather, year-round)

🔌 Tech & Documents

🧴 Health & Toiletries

🎒 Gear & Extras

💰 Money-Saving Hacks

🖼️

Free national museums

The British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern, and Natural History Museum are all free to enter, donations are welcome but never required.

🎟️

TKTS booth

Same-day West End tickets at 20-50% off face value from the official booth in Leicester Square.

🚌

A regular bus as a sightseeing tour

Routes like the 11 or 15 pass major landmarks for the price of a single contactless fare, no open-top tour bus needed.

📸 Off-the-Beaten-Path Secrets

🌇

Sky Garden

Free skyline views that rival paid observation decks like the Shard, just book a timed slot online ahead of time.

🚶

Regent's Canal towpath

Walk from Camden toward Little Venice for a quieter, greener side of the city most visitors skip.

🕊️

Postman's Park

A small, hushed memorial garden near St Paul's that most tourists walk right past.

✈️ Flights

  • Five airports serve the city: Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, and City, so pick whichever has the best flight.
  • Heathrow connects most directly into central London via the Piccadilly line or the faster Heathrow Express.
  • Gatwick and Stansted both have direct express trains into central stations.

🚕 Taxis & Rideshare

  • Black cabs are metered, everywhere, and can be hailed straight off the street.
  • Uber and Bolt both work well here and are often cheaper than a black cab.
  • Traffic and the Congestion Charge zone make cabs slower and pricier than the Tube at peak times.

🚗 Rental Cars

  • Skip it entirely: the Congestion Charge, ULEZ fees, and scarce parking make a car a liability here.
  • Everything on this five-day plan is reachable by Tube, bus, on foot, or by the Thames Clipper.
  • Driving is also on the left, an added complication with no real upside in central London.

🏨 Hotels & Where to Stay

  • South Bank or Southwark: walkable to the Tower, Borough Market, and the river days.
  • Westminster or Victoria: closest to day one's sights and well connected by Tube.
  • Covent Garden or Bloomsbury: central for the British Museum and the West End theatre district.

⛴️ Boat Trips

  • The Thames Clipper riverboat to Greenwich is already built into day five, scenic and genuinely practical.
  • No other boat legs are needed, everything else on this itinerary is walkable or a Tube ride.
  • An Oyster card or contactless payment also works on the Clipper, no separate ticket required.

🧳 Other Essentials

  • Set up contactless payment or buy an Oyster card on arrival, no need to pre-book Tube fares.
  • Download a transit app like Citymapper for real-time Tube and bus routing.
  • Book Changing of the Guard timing, West End tickets, and the Sky Garden slot a few days ahead.

More city breaks worth the flight

Other trips worth planning next

Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline, New York City 48 Hours in New York City Edinburgh Castle perched on its volcanic rock outcrop 4 Days in Edinburgh: Castle, Old Town & the Scottish Highlands Edge Eiffel Tower, Paris A Perfect Long Weekend in Paris