One Day in London England – 24 Hour Travel Guide
What to do if you only have one day in London? See my best tips and spots for your perfect day.
Top 12 Main Attractions Of London
To help you know what to expect when you visit London for the first time, here is a little overview of some of the main sights.
1. Tower of London
Medieval fortress and crown jewels.
2. Buckingham Palace
Seat of the British Queen and state rooms.
3. London Eye
Official residence of the British Queen in Scotland.
4. Westminster Abbey
Important Gothic church and coronation ceremonies.
5. Big Ben
Fundamental London clock and landmark.
6. Hyde Park
Public green space in central London.
7. British Museum
One of the largest and most important museums of cultural history in the world.
8. Victoria and Albert Museum
Largest collection of decorative arts and design in the world.
9. Saint Paul´s Cathedral
Famous churchyard and garden.
10. Palace of Westminster
Seat of the British government.
11. Borough Market
One of the oldest food markets in London.
12. Trafalgar Square
A central meeting place since the Middle Ages.
One Day Itinerary For London
Morning
Breakfast Option 1: Regency Cafe
If you want to start your day with a full English breakfast, the recency Cafe is the perfect spot for that! A British Art Deco style cafe first opened in 1946 and has been used for several film productions.
Breakfast Option 2: The Breakfast Club
Probably not the most conventional choice to recommend an American-style breakfast cafe chain to people who want to visit England, but I absolutely loved my experience there.
They serve a variety of breakfast items, mostly what you would expect from an American diner, but also the British Full English Breakfast classic (the greasy spoon). In my opinion, the food is absolutely delicious, if a bit pricey. They have several locations throughout London.
Depending on where you want to start/eat breakfast you can do following little walking tour the other way around:
Big Ben, Westminster Abbey & Palace of Westminster
First stop Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Palace of Westminster.
Big Ben (which is actually not called Big Ben), Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Westminster are probably the most famous sights in London, along with Buckingham Palace. They are all within a short walk of each other and definitely worth a visit, even if you just want to admire their architecture.
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace is the official London residence and administrative seat of the Queen.
You’ve probably seen it as the backdrop of various press reports. Time to visit it yourself!
Take a break at St. Jame's Park
If you need a little break after all that walking, I recommend St. James Park to relax. It’s a beautiful park where you can also see the London Eye from some places. If you want to stock up on some snacks beforehand, I recommend trying Millionaires Shortbread, it’s one of my favorites!
Picadilly Circus
Picadilly Circus is London’s Times Square. A lot of flashing LEDs and advertising on a busy street.
Covent Garden
If you still have some energy left and want to see more, you can also explore Neal’s Yard and Covent Garden before going to Trafalgar Square.
Neal’s Yard is a small colorful fun alley, the perfect place to take some photos. Covent Garden is a market, popular for shopping and popular with tourists.
This way you can also have a look at London’s China Town.
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is a lively public square in the middle of the city.
It is surrounded by museums, galleries, cultural spaces, historical monuments and buildings. Also a venue for many events.
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Afternoon
Lunch Option 1: The famous Fish and Chips
One of the dishes England is most known for is Fish and Chips. The name says it all. Except for that chips in England are called crisps and French fries are called chips.
It’s delicious, especially with malted vinegar. You can’t miss it if you haven’t tried it yet!
These are some places where you might want to try it:
- The Laughing Halibut
- Poppies Fish & Chips, Soho
- Golden Union
- Ben’s Traditional Fish & Chips
Lunch Option 2: Food Markets
Another great option is to visit a food market. Two of my favorites are Borough Market and Southbank Center Food Market.
Side note: If you don’t have the chicken restaurant Nando’s in your country, it’s definitely worth a try too.
To fill your day, I would recommend choosing one or two of the following activities.
Visit a Museum
London has a lot to offer and there is definitely no shortage of museums as well. Some museums you might want to visit are the British Museum, National Gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum and Natural History Museum.
I personally loved the Natural History Museum. Mainly because it gives me “Night at the Museum” vibes.
Explore Tower of London and Tower Bridge
The Tower of London is officially called Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London. It is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London and has played a prominent role in English history.
Visit Saint Paul’s Cathedral
St. Paul’s Cathedral is one of the largest in the world. Impressive architecture paired with an impressive history.
Go shopping
If you want to do some shopping, going to the world-famous Harrods or Oxford Street for some more casual shopping are two good options.
Something for the Potterheads
The Warner Bros. Studio Tour is a highlight for every Harry Potter Fan, but don’t forget to plan enough time for the visit and transportation!
If you don’t want to do the tour you can still see some Harry Potter locations in London.
At King’s Cross station, you will find platform 9 ¾.
You might also remember Leadenhall Market from the first Harry Potter movie.
Also, in the Reptile House where Harry first discovered his ability to be able to speak with snakes.
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Evening
London Eye
Take a ride on the London Eye and enjoy the view. A perfect way to complete your day of sightseeing.
Dinner (and drinks) in a typical pub
An experience not to be missed when visiting England is a visit to a typical British pub.
Here is a selection of pubs that you might enjoy:
Also, Soho is said to have a good night scene, if you want to have some cocktails after that. Or head to Bounce Farrington for some more active fun.
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