Planning a trip to London and want to know what you should see? London is a popular destination—and for good reason! This city has so much history, culture, and excitement to offer.But if you’re visiting London for the first time, it can be difficult to know what to choose to do…especially if you only have two days to explore.
When I lived nearby in Oxford for university, I was a frequent visitor to London and loved getting to explore the touristy and more local sides of this city. And now I’m happy to share my perfect 2 days in London itinerary with you!
This itinerary is excellent for first-time visitors to London, as it will help you explore what I believe are the most iconic sights that any visitor should see. If you have extra time, you can easily add in other fun places, but by following this itinerary you’ll cover all the most essential spots you must visit!
Planning on doing lots of sightseeing in London and following this 2 day itinerary? Purchase a London Pass now to save on sightseeing costs!
Day 1: Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Sky Garden, British Museum
Stop 1: See the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben
What’s a more iconic “London” sight than Big Ben? That’s a trick question. There’s really nothing more iconic. But unfortunately, Big Ben is currently under construction and covered in scaffolding, likely until 2021 if all goes according to schedule. But the Houses of Parliament attached to Big Ben are still worth stopping by to see!
The Houses of Parliament (more formally known as the Palace of Westminster) is home to the meeting place for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, which are the two houses of the Parliament of the UK. If you’re interested in politics or UK history, you may wish to pay to enter the building and take a guided tour of the Houses of Parliament. Or, if you prefer, you could attend a debate inside for free!
Otherwise, it’s enough to simply enjoy the gorgeous exterior and walk along the Thames here (and it will be even better when the construction on Big Ben is finally finished!)
Stop 2: Visit Westminster Abbey
You’ll find your next stop, Westminster Abbey, practically right next to the Houses of Parliament. Westminster Abbey is one of the most notable of the religious buildings in London, as it is the traditional place of coronation for the kings and queens of England as well as serving as a wedding venue and burial site for British monarchs/the royal family (including most recently the wedding of Prince William and Kate).
If that alone doesn’t have you jumping at the chance to visit Westminster Abbey, then you should know that it’s a gorgeous building filled with impressive architecture and stunning stained glass. There is a pretty hefty entrance fee, but if you plan to follow this sightseeing itinerary for 2 days in London then you may wish to save money overall by purchasing a London Pass, which includes entrance to Westminster Abbey and many other London sights in its cost.
But if you don’t want to pay for entrance to Westminster Abbey, or if you simply want to experience a taste of London’s religious history from across the years, then you may wish to attend a choral evensong service in this church. The music is simply gorgeous to listen to and it’s definitely worth experiencing at least once while you’re in England…plus, if you attend the service you also get a peek inside the abbey for free!
Stop 3: Walk Across the Tower Bridge
After leaving Westminster Abbey, you can take the tube to Tower Bridge to get there quickest or if you prefer you could take a river cruise to see the sights along the way. Tower Bridge makes the list of things to see in London in 2 days because it’s another of the most iconic sights in the city, which you’ll realize as soon as you see its almost castle-like towers. Of course, you’ll want to take some photos of this iconic sight (it’s an especially popular Instagram spot in London) and you’ll want to walk across the bridge…but you may also wish to explore the exhibition inside the bridge.
This Tower Bridge Exhibition offers insight into the history and construction of the bridge, but even better is the amazing glass floor approximately 138 feet above the Thames, which you can walk on while exploring the exhibition! This gives you an excellent birds-eye view of the people and traffic in the city below, which is quite a sight. You can purchase tickets to the Tower Bridge Exhibition on their own, or you’ll find it included with the cost of the London Pass.
Stop 4: Explore the Tower of London
Just a short walk from Tower Bridge, you’ll find the Tower of London which has a long and varied history throughout the years…from its early use as a royal residence, to its use as a fortress, to its most well-known use as a prison and execution site. It’s an interesting place to visit, especially for first-time visitors to London.
Some notable names of prisoners here include Queen Elizabeth I (before she became queen), Sir Walter Raleigh, and Anne Boleyn (who was executed here). While visiting, you can learn all about the history of these imprisonments and executions and plenty of others, as well as visiting the rooms where countless prisoners carved their names, initials, and messages into the stone walls.
On a more happy note, the Tower of London is also home to the crown jewels of England, which you can also see on a visit here! Because of the crown jewels and the Tower’s history, this is a very popular place to visit while in London.
I visited here on my first trip to London years ago, and while I don’t feel compelled to visit it again anytime soon, it is an interesting place to visit at least once in your life and deserves a place on this two days in London itinerary. You can purchase a ticket for the Tower of London on its own, or you’ll find it included with the London Pass.
Stop 5: See London’s Skyline from the Sky Garden or The Shard
After exploring the Tower of London, I recommend taking about a 10 minute walk over to a skyscraper known as the Walkie Talkie. This skyscraper is home to one of my favorite places from which to see London from above—the Sky Garden!
As the name suggests, the Sky Garden is quite literally a garden in the sky. This unique space offers an indoor garden across three levels at the top of the skyscraper, where you can enjoy 360° views over the city. You can wander the gardens, explore the observation decks, and enjoy the open-air terrace. If you like, you can also purchase a drink or enjoy a meal from one of the restaurants or bars located here.
While the views are impressive, one of the things that makes this even better is that entrance to the Sky Garden is free! However, space is limited and you do have to pre-book your free ticket for a specific time block. These tickets are snatched up quick, so you’ll want to book as far in advance as possible to secure the time slot you want.
One of the reasons I love the Sky Garden is because you can see all the most iconic buildings of London from this vantage point, including The Shard. However, some people prefer to instead go up The Shard for their view of London because it is the tallest building in the city. The views are definitely impressive from the top of this skyscraper! So if you feel you want to see the view from The Shard, then you can easily book a ticket to go up or you’ll find the entrance fee included with the price of the London Pass.
Both the Sky Garden and The Shard are located on this side of London, so this point in your itinerary is a perfect place to visit one or both of them as you choose.
Stop 6: Wander Through The British Museum
Last on your first day in London itinerary is a visit to the British Museum, so you’ll want to hop on the tube to make it to this next sightseeing stop. This museum is filled with all things relating to human history, culture, and art and is one of the largest and most comprehensive museums in existence. And entrance is free, so you’d be a fool not to stop by during your time in London!
There are tons of amazing exhibits to see here, but the Rosetta Stone, the Elgin Marbles, and the Egyptian mummies are the exhibits that make sure this museum belongs on any list of what to see in London in 2 days. And if you have extra time, there are plenty of other impressive exhibits to get lost in while you explore! Wrapping up your sightseeing here is the perfect way to end the first day of your 2 days in London.
Day 2: Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, Harrods, Royal Albert Hall, Natural History Museum, West End Musical
Stop 1: Visit Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is a popular sightseeing stop for visitors to London, and is a pretty little public square that you might as well stop by during your 2 days in London. Like most places in London, it has plenty of historic significance and it was named after the Battle of Trafalgar (a British naval victory in the Napoleonic Wars).
However, the main reason to visit (in my opinion) is to enjoy the nearby fountain, marvel at Nelson’s Column (named after an admiral who died in the Battle of Trafalgar), and see the four lions guarding the column. This is such an iconic London spot that the city of Lake Havasu in Arizona even copied it for their mini-London town where the original London Bridge now resides!
Stop 2: See the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace
After enjoying a stop by the iconic Trafalgar Square, it’s time to move on to an even more iconic London spot—Buckingham Palace. You can walk around 20 minutes to Buckingham from Trafalgar or take the tube, whichever you prefer. But as the official London residence of the monarch, this is a popular spot and a must-see while in London! (Want to know if the Queen’s actually there while you are? Look to see if the flag flying is the royal standard)
Buckingham Palace is huge with 775 rooms, including 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 78 bathrooms, and more! If that doesn’t impress you, I don’t know what will…except perhaps getting to explore some of these rooms for yourself. While Buckingham Palace isn’t usually open to the public, for 10 weeks each summer the state rooms are open for visits (late July to October). Be sure to book your tickets early if you want to go inside!
But even more popular is the fun (and free!) Changing of the Guard ceremony that happens here year round at 11am. During the winter months, you can view it on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays while in the summer it happens every day. But be sure to check the official schedule to make sure it is actually happening the day you want to go!
If you plan to watch the Changing of the Guard, you’ll want to show up early to get a good spot. Or if you prefer to learn a bit about the history of Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guard while having someone guide you to the best places to view the different parts of the ceremony, then you can book a Changing of the Guard tour.
Stop 3: Picnic in Hyde Park
Just a short jaunt from Buckingham, you’ll find Hyde Park—one of the most famous parks in London and a lovely place to take a break from all the hectic sightseeing. The Serpentine is beautiful to see, and if you like you could also visit Speakers’ Corner (which has been a point of free speech and debate since 1872).
If you’re visiting Hyde Park around lunchtime and the weather is nice, then this is also the perfect place to picnic. You can easily pick up sandwiches or lunch fixings from a nearby store like Tesco or Sainsbury’s (both offer “meal deal” options for a really good price!) and bring them to the park. But whether you come here for a stroll, for a break for your weary feet, or to eat lunch, Hyde Park is an excellent stop during any 2 days in London.
Stop 4: Shop (Or Window Shop) at Harrods
When you visit London in 2 days, you’re bound to miss out on many parts of the city that you just don’t have time to see. One aspect you likely won’t have time to fully explore is all the shopping options. However, even on the most cursory of London trips you still simply must stop by Harrods!
Why? Well, Harrods encompasses 1.1 million square feet of retail space…making it the largest department store in Europe! There are all sorts of departments to visit within, but I highly recommend wandering the food halls as well as visiting the vast toy department.
On a visit to Harrods, you’ll also want to be sure to stop by the Egyptian escalators to enjoy the decorations (interestingly enough, Harrods installed the first escalator in the UK…and this invention unnerved some visitors so much that Harrods had employees stand at the escalators to gift customers with free smelling salts and cognac to steady their nerves after taking a ride).
But whether you’re here to shop or just to window shop, a visit to Harrods is something you will never forget!
Stop 5: Afternoon Tea at Royal Albert Hall
After Harrods, your next stop is the Royal Albert Hall (approximately a 20-minute walk from the department store). Royal Albert Hall is a distinctive concert hall that was opened by Queen Victoria in 1871. Since its opening day, it has held classical, rock, and pop concerts as well as operas and ballets and many more events. This is an impressive building to see!
You can purchase a ticket to tour the hall (or use your London Pass) and once you’re done you may wish to indulge in the traditional English Afternoon Tea. Afternoon teas are offered across London, from afternoon tea at fancy hotels, at Harrods, at Grosvenor House, on a river cruise, or even on a bus! With only two days in London, the Royal Albert Hall Afternoon Tea may be your best bet time-wise, but if one of the others takes your fancy and you have the time then that is perfect too.
Stop 6: Explore the Natural History Museum (Or the V&A or Science Museums)
Next up is a visit to some amazing museums in London, which are less than a 10 minute walk from the Royal Albert Hall. Depending on the time you have left in your day, you may only have time to visit one museum. For me, I would emphatically choose the Natural History Museum if I had to choose just one…but the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum and the Science Museum are right nearby and may be a better choice for you, depending on what you are interested in.
The Natural History Museum has all sorts of amazing natural specimens to see, including the nearly 83-foot long blue whale skeleton hanging in a place of honor in the spectacular Hintze Hall, while the V&A offers all sorts of intricate items belonging to the art and design fields. Meanwhile, the Science Museum is perfect for those interested in how things work and in inventions across the ages! All three museums are free to enter, so you can feel free to spend as little or as much time as you want in each.
Stop 7: See a Musical in the West End
To cap off your extraordinary 2 days in London, you simply must spend the evening enjoying a musical in the West End! The West End is essentially the Broadway of London…which makes it a perfect choice for evening entertainment.
There are all sorts of old and new plays and musicals happening here all the time, but if you’re looking for a staple then you could always enjoy a show like Wicked, The Lion King, or Les Misèrables. West End draws the best of the best performers, so you are sure to enjoy any show you decide to see!
London Itinerary – 2 Days Map
This map is to help you locate all the sites in this 2 days in London itinerary. You’ll find the stops for day 1 in ruby while the stops for day 2 are in blue. Enjoy!
Walking Tours in London
If you would rather not navigate London’s sights on your own, or if you have a special interest (for instance, Harry Potter), then you may wish to change up your itinerary and add in a walking tour or two instead of something else on this 2 day itinerary. Here are some of the walking tours you may wish to consider, depending on your interests:
- London Top 30 Sights Walking Tour: This 6-hour walking tour offers you insight into the history and culture of London as you visit some of the top places in the city! On this tour, you’ll encounter sights like Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, Downing Street, Whitehall, Westminster Abbey, London Bridge, Square Mile, the HMS Belfast, and more! Plus, at the end of the tour you get a chance to take a ride on the London Eye and see this wonderful city from above. This is perfect for anyone who wants a guide to help them see the most iconic sights in London. Purchase tickets for the Top 30 Sights Walking Tour now!
- Secret London Tour by Bike: This 4-hour tour takes you cycling over Tower Bridge and to see the East End docks, Brick Lane, the original Stock Exchange building, and plenty more fascinating London sights. You’re sure to enjoy this cycling excursion while listening to the fun (and sometimes bizarre) tales of London through the years! Buy tickets for the Secret London Bike Tour now!
- Harry Potter Guided Walking Tour: If you’re a fan of Harry Potter, then you simply must take the time to explore all the Harry Potter sights in London! This 2.5 hour tour takes you to all sorts of sites that inspired J.K. Rowling as well as sites used in the films, including the fun (but touristy) Platform 9¾ picture spot. You’ll hear plenty of fun stories along the way and can even take part in a film trivia quiz to earn points for your house! This is a tour you won’t want to miss. Get your Harry Potter Walking Tour tickets now!
- Beatles Tour of London: Are you or someone you know a Beatles fan? If so, consider taking this Beatles tour of London to see over 30 Beatles-related sites around the city…including the famous sites featured in their album covers, the home of John, Paul, and Ringo, and the studios where they recorded their tracks. If this is up your alley, be sure to buy your Beatles Tour tickets now!
- London Rock ‘n’ Roll History Tour: Like the Beatles but also like other famous Rock ‘n’ Roll artists? Then this is the tour for you! London is filled to the brim with Rock ‘n’ Roll history, so you’ll have the chance to see sights relating to all sorts of artists including The Police, Rod Stewart, Elton John, The Clash, and more. Purchase tickets for the London Rock ‘n’ Roll History Tour now!
- Jack the Ripper Walking Tour: Fascinated by the Victorian times, by mysteries, or simply interested in this famous macabre bit of London history? If so, this Jack the Ripper tour should make your list of things to do in London in 2 days! You’ll learn all about the facts and the conspiracies around the identity of Jack the Ripper as you follow in the footsteps of his crimes. You’ll feel a little like you’ve been transported back to the Victorian times as you experience this darker side of London! Buy tickets for the Jack the Ripper Walking Tour now!
- London Chocolate Tour: If you love chocolate, then you may wish to take some time from your two days in London and discover some of the finest artisan chocolatiers in the city (or even in the world)! On this 3 hour tour, you’ll get to visit amazing chocolate shops and sample fine truffles and chocolates. What could be a better way to spend the day? Get your London Chocolate Tour tickets now!
How to Save Money on London Sightseeing
If you plan to follow this 2 day London itinerary or plan to see a lot of touristy attractions while you’re in London, then it is likely that purchasing a London Pass will help you save a ton of money (even if you only purchase it for the first day of this itinerary).
The London Pass offers access to 80+ London attractions for one cost and you can choose between 1, 2, 3, 6, or 10 day passes. So for two days in London, you can purchase a 2 day London Pass and not worry about paying for each attraction individually.
How much can you save? Well, that depends on how many attractions you want to try to fit in for each day of the pass.But to give you an idea, buying a London Pass for one day costs around $100 (or $130 for two days). And going to the Tower of London alone costs nearly $36 (£27.50)…so if you go to multiple places in a day that are included on the London Pass, then you really can start to save a lot of money very quickly! Be sure to check out the list of eligible attractions to make sure you are getting your money’s worth (you can find it under the “Full Description” heading).
Click here to purchase the London Pass now!
If you don’t wish to spend quite so much money, you may instead wish to limit your visits to popular and expensive London attractions and instead visit more free sights. One of the best things about London is that most of the museums and galleries are free to enter, so these are excellent choices when you’re visiting London on a budget.
Getting Around London – Transport Options
London is really quite an easy city as far as transportation options go. It’s quite walkable on the whole, but there’s also the London Underground and a myriad of buses that make it simple to get where you’re going.
The first thing you need to know is that you should purchase an Oyster Card for transport within London. These Oyster Cards are credit-card sized and you pre-load them with money before taking a journey on the tube, a bus, etc. When you want to take a journey, you use your card to tap in and then later tap out as you enter and leave the tube stations.
So why do you need one? Well, it’s cheaper to pay the going-rate for transport that locals pay instead of buying a single ticket or Day Travelcard. And with an Oyster Card your travel is capped at a certain amount, so once you reach that amount you won’t be charged more for additional journeys even if you travel more that day. This is great if you’re doing a lot of journeys by tube or by bus to get around to all of London’s sights quickly!
Now that you know what an Oyster Card is and why you want one, you have a couple of options: you can buy online or buy in person at one of the manned tube stations. Both ways you will pay a (refundable) fee of £5 for the card, but if you buy online you do have to pay postage too. For this reason, I recommend purchasing your Oyster Card when you arrive at an airport or train station for the beginning of your London trip instead of paying extra for postage.
A few other things to know: if you have a contactless credit card, you can skip buying an Oyster Card and just use this to tap in and out of tube journeys or tap in to a bus. You will want to check, however, that your bank will not charge foreign transaction fees when you use your card in London as this can quickly add a lot of unnecessary costs to your transport budget! There are also some discounts available for eligible parties (including children under 11 riding free with a fare-paying adult) so be sure to check out the discount possibilities to see if you qualify.
Note: if you’re worried about finding your way around London, I recommend using Google Maps to help you navigate. Simply enter your destination and choose the public transport option and it will tell you which tube stop you need to go to and which direction you should be going in. It’s like magic!
Should You Take the Hop On Hop Off Bus?
While the above itinerary will keep you busy for a full two days in London, if you arrive in the city the day before with a little time to spare then taking the Hop On Hop Off Bus can be an excellent way to learn some cool facts about London while getting an idea of the various London neighborhoods you might like to explore.
Essentially, the Hop On Hop Off Bus takes you on different routes around London and allows you to get on and off at various bus stops with interesting sights nearby. You can use this to get around the city, but I don’t recommend it for actual transportation as traveling above ground in London can be soooo slow at times and frustrating if you’re just trying to get from point A to point B. But I do recommend the Hop On Hop Off bus if you want to sit for a while and get an overview of the city before you explore it on foot!
You can purchase tickets for the Hop On Hop Off Bus on its own, or if you have the London Pass then it is included with your ticket.
Things to Bring for Your London 2 Day Trip
Now that you have your itinerary set, there are a few things you won’t want to forget to pack for your London adventure! While this isn’t a complete packing list, it does offer a few of the essentials you won’t be able to do without.
- Comfortable Walking Shoes: This list of what to do in London for 2 days has you taking the tube sometimes, but the remainder of the time you’ll be doing quite a lot of walking. As such, it’s important to have a comfortable pair of walking shoes. I love my Born sandals for the warmer months or Allbirds sneakers for general sightseeing, while riding boots are excellent for very rainy and cold weather.
- Umbrella: Pretty much any time of year, you’ll find it useful to have a quality umbrella on hand. You’ll thank me when you’re not having to duck out of the drizzle every two seconds!
- Portable Charger: There’s nothing like sightseeing, picture taking, and using Google Maps navigation to drain your cell phone’s battery. That’s why I always recommend bringing a portable charger with you on any travels. Incidentally, on my first time alone in London my cell phone battery died and I didn’t know how to get to my bus stop to get home and it was a little terrifying…so now I always carry this portable charger with me no matter where I’m going.
- Plug Adapter: If you’re visiting London from another country, it’s likely you’ll need a plug adapter to charge any of your devices. This is my favorite adapter as it adapts to nearly anywhere in the world!
2 Days in London – Where to Stay
Since you only have 2 days in London, I recommend staying somewhere central.This way you don’t waste time on public transport trying to get to all the best London sights from your hotel, and instead by staying close you can see more during your limited time in the city! Here are a few good options to consider for different budgets:
- The Savoy – Luxury and classic English elegance
- Hub by Premier Inn Westminster Abbey – Clean and nice budget stay
- Hilton or Marriott – Mid-range accommodation
- Shangri-La Hotel at The Shard – Luxury stay with the best views of London
Still looking for more accommodation options? Check out some of the best available places to stay in London!
Read next: 20 Epic Day Trips from London
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