There are so many reasons travelers might find themselves passing through London. Perhaps you have a long layover or can arrange a stopover. Maybe you are sailing out of South Hampton on a cruise. You might even be visiting a nearby country and want to pop over to Great Britain. With just a little planning, you can hit the highlights of London along the way!
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6-8 Hour Layover
Long layovers aren’t uncommon when transiting through London Heathrow airport. If you find yourself with at least six hours between your flights, you definitely should leave the airport and explore!
Layover Option 1
The village of Windsor is a 15 minute drive from London Heathrow Airport and a great destination for a layover. Windsor is the home of Windsor Castle where the British Monarchy has lived for 1,000 years. There are also plenty of shops and restaurants near the castle.
Layover Option 2
If you are fascinated by the history of London, focus your long layover on the Tower of London. This complex includes the 11th century White Tower, Royal Armoires Collection, Crown Jewels, Tower Green where many famous people were executed, and a Medieval Palace. Yeoman Warders, commonly called Beefeaters, give free tours which are highly engaging and humorous.
If you still have time after touring the Tower, walk over to nearby Tower Bridge. You can go inside the bridge to see a exhibit on how the drawbridge works and walk on the elevated glass walkways for a nice view of the city.
Layover Option 3
Another option on a long layover is to take a city tour. There are many great options. Free Tours by Foot offers great options such as this Westminster tour which takes you by all the major sites in the area. Another great option is a bike tour by Fat Tire Tours.
If you want to avoid exercise, there’s also a hop-on/hop-off bus tour. If you are willing to spend a bit more, this bus tour with afternoon tea is a great option to experience a British tradition! Another non-cardio option is a Thames riverboat tour for great views of London from the water.
If you can’t make the timing of a guided tour work in your schedule, download the GPSMYCITY app. This app has many self-guided walking tour options. The London Introduction Tour is great for first-time visitors. There are many other options available as well: Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Jack the Ripper, Charles Dickens, the Beatles, and more!
Layover Logistics
You can take public transportation from London Heathrow Airport to Windsor or London city center. But with limited time, I recommend calling an Uber or Bolt rideshare. This will cost $25ish to get to Windsor and $50ish to get to London city central. London Heathrow has luggage storage available, so there’s no need to lug your heavy carry-on bags around!
Arrival Day
If you have longer than one day to spend in London, you can take a different approach. Many flights from the U.S. into London arrive in the morning. So you are likely to have almost a full day to explore London on arrival day. Make your way to your hotel with public transportation or ride share. I recommend the Premier Inn London County Hall Hotel. It’s very affordable and the location across the bridge from Parliament and adjacent to the London Eye can’t be beat!
Once you’ve dropped off your luggage at your hotel, you have the rest of the day to explore. Since timing is always iffy on arrival day, start with a GPSMYCITY app walking tour. The London Introduction Tour is a great choice as it will take you by all of the famous buildings and places in London such as Parliament, Big Ben, Number 10 Downing Street, Trafalgar Square, and Buckingham Palace. If you are lucky, you may catch the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace or Changing of the Horse Guard.
Book tickets for Westminster Abbey in the late afternoon of your arrival day. This beautiful 13th century church is where many of the kings and queens were crowned and later buried. Later, take in the wonders of London from above from one of the many great viewpoints in the city. Choose from the London Eye, View from the Shard, or Sky Garden.
Day 2
Morning
Today you will get up early to be first in line to visit the Tower of London. Pre-book your tickets and arrive at least 15 minutes before it opens. As soon as you enter, go directly to the Crown Jewels exhibit. Lines get very long here as the day goes on, so you will save time if you go here first. After this, make your way to the moat for the first Yeoman Warder’s tour of the day. It’s free and will give you a great overview and history of the tower. Finally, walk through the White Tower, Bloody Tower, and Medieval Palace. Most people can visit the entire complex in 3-4 hours.
Afternoon
Make a reservation for afternoon tea at the Swan around 1 p.m. Located by Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, this restaurant’s dining room has views of St. Paul’s Cathedral and the River Thames. Then take a tour of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Opened in 1997, the Globe is a faithful representation of the structure that burned in 1613. Your tour guide will regale you with tales about how attending a 17th century Shakespeare production would have been like.
Afterwards, cross the river and visit St. Paul’s Cathedral. This 17th century Baroque church has played a pivotal role in British history. It features a grand dome you can climb up. Then you can experience the Whispering Gallery, an acoustic effect where whispers on one side of the dome can be heard on the other side. Climb up even further to the Golden Gallery to experience great views of London.
Evening
Grab a quick dinner, and then see a theater production at the Globe Theater or in the West End theater district. London offers surprisingly affordable theater tickets for popular plays and musicals. If you aren’t very picky about what you see or your exact seats, you can purchase heavily discounted tickets on the same day of the show. There are several websites that offer tickets, such as TodayTix and Official London Theatre. You can also drop by the TKTS kiosk in Leicester Square where theater enthusiasts can help you pick a show and seats that are perfect.
Day 3
When you wake up on Day 3, you will wish you had even more days to spend in London. Today you will have to make some hard choices because there still so much to see and do! Here are some options to mix and match.
Option 1 – Half or Full Day Trips
Take a half or full day trip outside the city. Many options are available. But for first-timers, I recommend spending a half day going to Windsor Castle or Stonehenge. Or take a whole day and combine Windsor Castle and Stonehenge with Bath or Oxford.
If you are a Harry Potter fan, you can spend a half-day (or more) visiting Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter. Located in a suburb of London, the studio is easily accessible using public transportation. You can spend hours wandering through sets, seeing costumes and props, and learning more about the magic. There are terrific photo ops, interactive elements, great souvenirs, and even Butterbeer!
Option 2 – Attractions & Museums
London is chockfull of attractions and museums. You an easily spend a day visiting a variety of these that match your interests. My favorites are:
- Churchill War Rooms (2 hours) – experience what it might have been like to have been Winston Churchill in World War II. Tour his living quarters and operation center where he lead the country to victory over the Nazis.
- British Museum (3-4 hours) – this incredible museum houses two million years of history with artifacts from around the world and is best known for it’s Egyptian collection.
- Victoria & Albert Museum (2 hours) – the world’s largest collection of decorative arts and design featuring artifacts from various cultures and many time periods.
- National Portrait Gallery (1-2 hours) – see over 220,000 portraits of British citizens dating from the 8th century to present. I especially love seeing all of the Tudor family portraits
- Madame Tussauds (1-2 hours) – this collection of incredibly lifelike wax figures has been delighting visitors to London since Victorian times. Come face-to-face with the wax version of your favorite celebrity or historical figure.
- Sherlock Holmes Museum (1 hour) – immerse yourself into the fictional world of Sherlock Holmes at 221B Baker Street. Here you will see what Holmes’ home might have looked like when he lived there from 1881-1904. If he had been a real person, that is!
- London Dungeon (1-2 hours) – actors to lead you through the sometimes dark and spooky history of London. Expect some jump scares as you weave your way through the dark streets of London and learn everything from the Gunpowder Plot to Jack the Ripper to what it was like to be a plague doctor and more!
- Clink Prison Museum (1-2 hours) – established in 1144, the Clink Prison has a notorious history. Learn all about prison life, famous inmates, and even torture methods at this fascinating museum.
- Jack the Ripper Museum (1-2 hours) – this museum tells you all about the Jack the Ripper murders as well as what it was like to like to live in the east end of London in the 1880s.
- Mudlarking (2 hours) – take a guided tour along the banks of the Thames on a treasure hunt! You can find artifacts from London’s 2000 year history such as pottery shards, coins, clay pipes, glass beads, and more.
Option 3 – Shopping
If you are a shopper, you may want to dedicate a half day in London to the sport. As one of the most famous department stores in the world, Harrods is a must-see.
You will probably just window shop at Harrods. Visit Carnaby Street for your real shopping. Located in Soho, you will find the brands you recognize as well as unique one-of-a kind shops. Oxford Street is also a good option spanning 1.5 miles and offering almost 100 flagship stores and 500 restaurants.
You can also explore one of London’s famous markets. Foodies will love Borough Market, fashionistas will enjoy Spitalfields, antique lovers will adore Portobello Road, and there’s something for everyone at Camden Market.
How would you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in London?
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