How to spend the most perfect 24 hours in London

If you’re planning a flying visit to London, then you’re probably already aware that there’s no way you’ll be able to explore everything the city has to offer. Having said that I’ve put together a handy guide to help make sure that you see as much of the city as possible with some of the best attractions on offer just incase you’re planning a quick stop-over in London for twenty-four hours.

London is huge and full of gems and experiences, this guide only helps with that chance when you are in London for 24hrs. For travel and exploring purposes i strongly suggest a minimum of 7 days for London.

Westminster and Southbank

In the political centre of the city, you’re surrounded by some of the capital’s main attractions. Wonder at the amazing Big Ben as you walk across London Bridge, which also offers one of the best Tower Bridge vantage points. Pop by 10 Downing Street, which is heavily guarded by police, and stroll past the Houses of Parliament to Westminster Abbey, a historical church that is used for formal ceremonies by the British Royal Family. 

The Abbey is one of the must see London attractions, it’s also included with the London Pass a great way to save money on your trip to London. The Abbey is open from 9:30-15:30 Monday to Sunday.

Then, head over to Southbank and don’t miss out on a ride on the London Eye, which offers some of the best panoramic views of the capital and takes its first rotation at 10am. Here, you can also find the London Dungeon, which is open from 10:00-19:00 daily in the summer excluding Thursdays, when it opens at 11:00. 

After a busy morning, head down to The Strand for lunch at one of the many restaurants and cafes. If you have the time, make the ten minute walk to Buckingham Palace, where you can see the Changing of the Guard if you time it right.

London Museums

During your twenty-four hours in London, there are a plethora of museums to choose from for anybody looking to learn more about the history and heritage of the city. The British Museum, for example, is one of the most famous museums in the UK and is located close by to a number of tube stations, including Tottenham Court Road, Russell Square, Goodge Street and Holborn. The British Museum is open daily from 10:00-17:30.

Along with this, there is a range of further museums and exhibitions in the city that you might want to include in your visit, such as the London Transport Museum, the Tower Bridge Exhibition, HMS Belfast, Churchill War Rooms, the Science Museum IMAX, the Queen’s Gallery, the Household Cavalry Museum, Charles Dickens Museum, the Cartoon Museum, and the Jewish Museum London to name just a few that are included with the London Pass.

Other Historic Sites

During your flying visit to London, there are certainly going to be a range of historic sites that you’ll want to visit. The Tower of London, for example, is a very popular attraction in the city where you can gain fast-tracked entry with a London Pass. The historic royal palace is open from 9:00-17:30 Tuesday to Saturday, and from 10:00-17:30 on Sunday and Monday. 

Then, hop on the Underground to St. Paul’s, where you’ll see the famous cathedral from the moment you walk out of the station. This historic Anglican cathedral is open to the public from 8:30-16:30, with many different parts of the building to explore from the underground Crypt to the Golden Gallery, which you can climb to enjoy views of the city from over one hundred meters above.

The West End

Once you’ve taken in some of the most popular attractions in the capital city, it’s time to have some fun. If you are looking for entertainment, then the best place to head to is the West End, where you can find a plethora of different things going on. With more than forty theatres located here, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to picking which musical or theatre performance you’d like to see.

It’s impossible to see everything in London in as little as twenty-four hours, but there’s nothing stopping you from seeing some of the most popular attractions and sights. How do you plan to spend your next twenty-four hours in London? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

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Thank you for stopping by, see you with my next.

Love

Chichi