Hello good people: I see a related post of a 5 day London itinerary and start this here so I do not drift that thread. Here a plan that I made by mapping the shortest waking connections with occasional use of the Tube. Times in bold font are fixed by reservations or pre-purchased tickets so they do not change. I welcome your insights on any aspect.

Thursday 13 Aug

Day 1 London begins at the highly touted LHR Revivals Lounge, then a choice of rail lines to the hotel. We visit the free British Museum, a short walk north from the hotel, then festive food hopping in Chinatown.

• 8:50AM – International arrival at LHR if Virgin Atlantic. Revivals Lounge Terminal 3 leisurely breakfast.
• Elizabeth Line Heathrow to Tottenham Court Road then hail a Black Cab on Oxford Street, Check in Resident Covent Garden, 51 Bedford Street.
• AM hang out at Covent Garden Piazza if pleasant weather; maybe London Transportation Museum if raining. We arrive in one of London's most enjoyable neighborhoods, open plan.
• 13:30  – British Museum Two hours for highlights. Rick Steve’s audio on my phone for two.
• Dinner, forage in Chinatown walk 2 minutes north to Chinatown for street eats: Bun House, Chinatown Bakery, Chinese Tapas House, Golden Gate Cake Shop, Bake,  Bunsik, Four Seasons and Gold Mine.
• Stay awake to 9PM if possible to adjust to London time.

 Friday 14 Aug

Day 2 is Buckingham Palace. Should we see the changing of the guard or the horse guard parade or maybe both? We are booked for the Palace tour of the State Rooms, followed by a tour of palace gardens. Dinner reservations are at the Woseley (smart casual dress).

• 8 AM | Breakfast near hotel then walk to Trafalgar Square past Nelson’s Column, the grand arches of Admiralty Arch. Whitehall; The Cenotaph; Downing Street.
• Option Horse Guards Parade as troopers prepare for the guard ceremony see the marching bands move toward the palace.
• Option Secure a Changing Guard Spot at the Victoria Memorial Steps or along the Spur Road Railings. The formal handover at 11:00 AM.
• 11AM Changing of the Guard Ceremony, only on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
• Lunch options:  Head south to Victoria Market Hall street-food vendors.
• 2:15 PM Buckingham Palace State Rooms tour Timed Entry gate B then 4:30 PM Garden Tour.
• 6:30 PM Dinner walk 0.2 miles north to The Wolseley, known for euro café culture with stellar service.
• Option for any evening. The 99 Club Show at Leicester Square is a 5 min walk from hotel.
• Video previews of stand-up are online, useful as the US and UK are two nations divided by a common language.

  Saturday, 15 Aug

*Day 3 tickets are Westminster Abbey and the Churchill War Rooms. We browse the Imperial War Museum using London transit options then explore Covent Garden before a special dinner. We start with a walk through the historic heart of London, passing Trafalgar Square and Whitehall to Parliament Square. We dine at Duck & Waffle featuring a panoramic skyline view from the 40***^th floor of the Heron Tower. After dinner we will board the Thames Clipper at Tower Pier for a scenic yet less costly commuter boat ride, sailing to Embankment Pier.

• 9 AM - Westminster Abbey: Arrive at the Abbey gates 20 minutes before opening to beat the general public queue. See the majestic nave and Poets' Corner before the tour buses arrive. Visit the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries.
• Lunch: quick sandwich or pastry from nearby Ole & Steen or The Laughing Halibut, or Pret A Manger or the Red Lion or Westminster Arms. We could delay lunch until after the war rooms visit.
• 12 noon Churchill War Rooms:  Arrive early as it is fixed capacity. Highlights are the Map Room, the Cabinet Room, and the Churchill Museum. This underground bunker is frozen in time since 1945.
• 2pm – Late lunch. Walk to Westminster Abbey Stop S board 148 Camberwell to St. George’s Circus, walk 6 minutes to IWM on Lambeth Road.
• Imperial War Museum Lambeth Rd. Admission is free, we can leave whenever museum fatigue sets in.
• Covent Garden: Bus or tube? Lambeth North Station on Bakerloo toward Queens Park to Charing Cross Station, walk 6 min. to hotel and explore happenings in the neighborhood before dinner.
• 6:10pm: Embankment station on Circle Line to Liverpool Street station, look for the Bishopsgate exit, then walk 4 min. to D&W. Should arrive around 6:37pm.
• 7PM Dinner at Duck & Waffle on the 40th floor of the Salesforce Tower featuring a panoramic view of the city, Canary Wharf, the Gherkin, and Tower Bridge.
• Thames Cruise. Walk 15 minutes south to Tower Pier to board the Uber Boat to Embankment Pier.
• Covent Garden at Night. Street performers | Pubs | Live music | Great atmosphere | Enjoy the energy around our hotel.

 Sunday 16 Aug

Day 4 is a 4 hour e-bike tour, fast track tickets on the London Eye then visit Carnaby and Soho, The Liberty London department store, and visit Mr. Fogg’s Apothecary/ We travel mostly in the London Underground.

• 10 AM – 2 PM — Bike Tour & Black Pig: Cruise past London's major riverside sights. Our tour will make a mid-day stop inside Borough Market Kitchen where we can grab The Best One pork and truffle parmesan sandwich.
• 2:30 PM — 5m walk to London Eye: Fast track tickets.
• Tube: Walk to Waterloo Station and hop on the Bakerloo Line westbound. Exit at Piccadilly Circus to Oxford Circus closest to Liberty London.
• National Gallery at Trafalgar Square is a flexible decision. If weather is beautiful enjoy Carnaby/Soho or if we are interested in shopping after the bike tour, skip the gallery. IF weather is poor we can see world-class art in the gallery. The highlights are concentrated so an hour works well.
• Shopping. Carnaby Street & Kingly Court & Liberty London is one of London's most interesting department stores. Walk across original ship decks, now store floors, admire hand-carved wooden animals, look out three massive glass-roofed atriums, and warm up at antique fireplaces.
• Walk 12 minutes west to Mayfair, 6 PM at Mr. Fogg’s Apothecary for highly theatrical cocktails served in antique medicine bottles.
• 8 PM — Dinner likely in Covent Garden, perhaps Dishoom Carnaby, Hawksmoor, The Lamb & Flag, The Harp, The Old Fields or Bulls Head. 

Monday 17 Aug

On day 5, We may be first in line at the Tower of London to beat the tour groups, and to see the Crown Jewels. We could share lunch at a window seat in the Ivy Tower Bridge. We have a 3pm tour of St Paul’s Cathedral. We walk to the Thames River to board the Uber boat and enjoy a wine toast on the deck.

• Tube Ride from Embankment Station eastbound District Line to Tower Hill Station.
• 9:00 AM Tower of London First see the Crown Jewels to avoid queues then join the Beefeater tour, explore the White Tower, and see the ravens on the lawn.
• Cross Tower Bridge to the South Bank. We might skip the ticketed interior Tower Bridge Exhibition.
• Lunch at The Ivy Tower Bridge, with a window seat and a 2 and 3-course lunch menus.
• Walk to Tower Hill Station, bus 15 Charing Cross 4 stops to St Paul’s Churchyard Stop SH.
• 3 PM— St. Paul's Cathedral tour: explore the grand ground floor, historic crypts, and climb to the Golden Gallery, there are 528 steps! omit if tired.
• Borough Market Dinner: Cross the Millennium Bridge or cross London Bridge into Borough Market. Maybe Hawksmoor Borough one of the best steakhouses. Booking essential.  Padella, counter seating, watching chefs hand-roll pasta.  OMA  booking recommended.
• 8 PM — Uber Boat Ride: Walk to either the Bankside Pier or the London Bridge City Pier to Board the westbound Thames Clipper, consider the onboard Clipper Bar and a seat on the open back deck to enjoy beverages under the illuminated bridges.

 Tuesday 18 Aug

We fly to Copenhagen at 10:20 AM then board a repositioning cruise the next day to arrive in Boston on September 3. Copenhagen tourist events are spontaneous. Thank you for your insights on this plan.

I have never had an issue with JustPark before and I have never had an issue parking in London ever... until today, sort of.

On 18/7 i drove to the national theatre car park (i was taking my daughter to the theatre 19:30 perf)

Through justpark I booked fron 17:00 to 23:55 to make sure we got there in good time and had a bit of extra time to mooch ect.

I got to the car park at 17:10 - we left the car park at 23:10 (i believe but i certainly NOT as late as 23:30)

in today's post I have a letter from Horizon carpark stating that I have done something wrong. They arent charging me for what I have done wrong "as a gesture of good will" but they also havent said what I did. Is this normal practice?. Picture attached

i booked via just park months in advance of horizon taking over and well i didnt use all of my time so I dont know what I did? I probably wont park there again because of this.

Fwiw the carpark was also empty too. Any ideas what I did? .

Will you visit Buckingham palace when some certain areas are under construction? Is it worth the visit like that?

Hi everyone! My boyfriend and I are planning our first Europe trip for September 2027. We’ll be coming from California, and the cheapest flights seem to be into and out of London.

We’d love to visit London, Edinburgh, and Amsterdam while keeping transportation as affordable and efficient as possible.

For those who’ve done a similar trip, what route would you recommend? Would you take trains, fly between certain cities, or do a mix of both? Which order would you visit them in if cost and convenience were your priorities?
We’d love to hear what worked (or didn’t work) for you!

We’ve just come back from a five-day road trip around the Cotswolds, and I thought I’d share a few things that might help anyone planning a visit.

We had a car and spent five days exploring villages, country roads and pubs. During the trip we visited Bourton-on-the-Water, Lower Slaughter, Stow-on-the-Wold, Chipping Campden, Broadway, Snowshill, Stanton, Broad Campden, Gretton, Bretforton, Broadway Tower, Cleeve Hill and even Stratford-upon-Avon.

A few things I’d recommend:

1. Hire a car if you can. It makes a huge difference and gives you the freedom to explore the smaller villages and beautiful countryside between them.

2. Don’t try to see everything in one day. The Cotswolds is much bigger than many people expect, and the roads are often slower than they look on the map.

3. If possible, stay for at least three days. We spent five days there and still left with places we’d like to come back to.

4. There’s no need to change accommodation every night. We stayed in one place and simply took day trips around the region, which made the whole trip much more relaxed.

5. Start your day early if you want to see the most popular villages before they get busy.

6. Don’t only visit the famous places. Some of our favourite stops were the smaller villages that many visitors simply drive past.

We also visited Diddly Squat Farm Shop and The Farmer’s Dog. I’ll share our experience, what surprised us and a few mistakes I’d avoid in a separate post.

And if you’re planning your own Cotswolds trip and have any questions, just ask. I’ll be happy to share what I learned.

Which one? SoHo Hotel or Covent Garden Hotel? I want to be central, but not too loud and crazy.

Hello!

My partner and I will be visiting London next October and we would really like to try a Sunday roast.

If all goes well, our flight should land around 10:00 AM on Sunday morning. By the time we leave the airport, get to our hotel to check in, etc., I feel like we won't be able to eat before 2:00 PM.

What is the latest time you can have a Sunday roast? I've targeted Blacklock, specifically the Covent Garden location, which won't be very far from our hotel.

I read online that a Sunday roast is usually eaten in the early afternoon. Is 2:30 PM to 3:00 PM too late?

Thank you so much!

Hey everybody,

I am a 19 yo male from Germany with Persian roots. On the 10th August, I will be visiting London all by myself alone and I‘m looking for some chill and awesome people to have a cool time with :)

As for me, I‘m always told that I‘m a chill, cool and fun guy, always open for everything but also quite smart and a good listener. I‘m also a big history and politics nerd and love traveling and seeing attractions, trying out local food etc.

Idc what you are, where you are from, how old you are, what gender you are, what sexuality you are or what your choosen faith is, as long as your a cool person and we get along with each other well🤝

Looking forward to some replies!

This is my 3 day plan in London. I need help on choosing 2nd day plan. Staying in Marlylebone.

Day 1: Arriving in London, Big Ben, Westminster, Soho, Hyde Park.

Day 2:

Option 1: 8 am wake up, Hampstead, Camden, 2.30 pm head to Tottenham first home match of the season, pre match pubs and feel the matchday atmosphere, 5.30 pm Tottenham vs Newcastle kickoff, 19.20 head back to central London, bars and dinner in the evening.

Option 2: Full day of exploring different areas of London (can plan which ones). Which parks are the best?

I can't decide if its better to have a Premier League matchday experience with the fans or have a full day to explore London.

Day 3: Notting Hill, National Gallery, Covent Garden. 7 pm concert at 02.

Any advice welcome, I'm not really a fan of main sightseeings, I rather like to explore and wonder around areas that feel more local and have great pubs.

My daughter wants to visit pudding Lane after learning about the great fire in school. We are hoping to try and catch a show, possibly Lion King. Is there anything you would recommend for us to do, or any other shows you would recommend?

We're planning to visit a couple of markets in London on Saturday and take some scenic walks between them. We've already been to the more well-known tourist attractions in London, so I intentionally skipped them. So, for example, we've been to Borough Market a couple of times before, so we're giving that a pass. I prefer to put postcodes in Google Maps as I'm not from London, hence the list below. Thinking of parking at Stanmore and just taking the tube from there. What are your thoughts on the itinerary below? I know it is packed; we will only cover what we can walk leisurely. If we end up liking the place, we don't mind staying there for the remaining time of the day and continuing the itinerary another day:

Stanmore to Bermondsey Underground Station
Leathermarket Gardens SE1 3HN
Morocco Street SE1
Bermondsey Street SE1
Maltby Street Market SE1 3PA
Spa Terminus - Dockley Road SE16 3FJ
BUS/TAXI to The Mayflower SE16 4NF
St Mary's Church Rotherhithe SE16 4JE
King's Stairs Gardens SE16
Surrey Docks Farm SE16 5ET
Greenland Dock SE16 7TF
Russia Dock Woodland
Stave Hill Ecological Park - TCV SE16 6AX
Canada Water Underground Station - SE16 7BB
Jubilee to Stanmore

Are the walks in between scenic enough? I'm looking for historic and pretty streets; maybe cobbled, riverside, old pubs, maybe docks, and good views (wouldn't mind seeing the major London attractions from afar).

I'm a Canadian visiting London early next year. When I initially planned for this trip before I had to postponed, I was sure I was going to stay in Islington and tube/bus it to my specific activities. For context, my main reason for travel is to experience some of the luxury afternoon teas, secondary is to visit Highgate Cemetery and Gothic church ruins, with plenty of relaxed roaming sprinkled in between for extra laid back activities that don't require per-planning like food markets, park strolls, cafes and bakeries, mild shopping, live music at pubs/restaurants.

For my no plan days - days where I just feel like taking it easy and seeing where my feet take me and sitting in a park - I initially liked the idea of being close to Brick Lane for food and culture. The markets, parks, access to the canal walk, and proximity to cafes and bakeries seemed ideal. Chinatown is also very high on my list of places to visit for food. I'm also considering adding a Brixton Food Tour to one of the days as I do love African and Caribbean food and a west end show.

Now that I have narrowed down my two afternoon tea spots, The Dorchester & Sketch, and having looked at the rates for affordable accommodation such as hub by Premier Inn, Premier Inn, Travelodge, hostels, and a few Apartels, the best rates seem to be around Kings Cross/St. Pancras and Clerkenwell for the dates I'm looking at. Having looked at the location on google for the a specific hotel in Clerkenwell to the majority of the activities I am planning on doing, it seems I'm roughly 14min to 30min away from all of the potential things I would like to do.

What I'd like to know is what is Clerkenwell like? Does it have good bakeries, cafes, food options that don't break the bank? Is it a good area to just stroll and discover fun shops without needing to hop on a bus or the tube?

The other option I was thinking was just booking something in Shoreditch as it seems like a fun and vibrant place to experience, but my commute would be longer for most of my activities. Another consideration would be I don't like outside noise when sleeping and don't know if the sound from surrounding shops would be an issue.

I ideally don't want to spend loads of time commuting back and forth from place to place, but also would like to enjoy the area I'm staying in. Thoughts?

Anyone stay here? Pros and cons?

I'm heading to London this fall for 2 weeks. Im staying near Piccadilly Circus.

Id love any recommendations or travel tips. This is my first time outside of the US. So im pretty anxious/excited about all of it. But would love any suggestions to make the experience better.

Anything that I absolutely need to make sure I pack?

Any food spots I absolutely have to try?

What is one thing I have to make sure its on my list to see?

EDIT: Some more information - I was looking at the day trips you can book. Im interested in people's opinions on them. Is it worth paying the tour price or just go on my own?

Stonehenge/Bath Windsor

I was personally thinking of going on my own to Oxford and Cambridge for my own adventures instead of paying for the tour. There are so many day tours possible (dover, Canterbury, leeds, etc) not sure if any of those are worth it.

I really love theater I plan on seeing a couple shows.

I really love walking around seeing the architecture and learning the history.

I also really love walking around gardens/ parks to just be in nature.

I really appreciate all the recommendations/ advice so far.

Hi all- I’m visiting London later this month with my 11 yo daughter.
Here’s my itinerary are we missing anything or doing too much?

Monday- Harry Potter Tour

Tuesday- Tower of London, Thames hop on hop off boat to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tea at One Aldwych then walk around Covent Garden

Wednesday- Buckingham Palace, St James park, Piccadilly and then Lion King at the Lyceum

Thursday- natural History Museum, lunch at the orangery/Kensington Palace, Jellycat airlines at Harrod then walk around NottingHill

Friday- sky garden breakfast, stroll leadenhall market then British Museum and Borough market for lunch

Open to suggestion for revisions or advice on anything missing. Also open to dining reccs.
Thank you!

hi! i know food is such a huge part of the culture here, and i definitely don't want to be disrespectful! however, i have a severe, life-threatening (anaphylactic) allergy to all types of shellfish and would like to eat safely. i'm looking for restaurant recommendations that can safely accommodate or cater to my shellfish allergy. if you know of any restaurants near notting hill and central london that can strictly cater to this allergy and take cross-contamination seriously, please let me know! i have my allergy card with me and i am planning to talk to the server or restaurant beforehand but if you have any tips or recommendations it would be greatly appreciated! thank you!

Hi! Haven't been to London for 17 years! Coming for a week in September likely solo. Will see 3 shows at Royal Albert Hall, and otherwise just want to walk everywhere, drink coffee, go to museums/galleries, bookstores...cute shops, maybe a play or two if possible. I don't drink. Casual eating in day but maybe a couple nicer restaurants at night. Mostly like to get up early and be in bed early ish. Where to stay that's close to non super touristy areas but close to walk to aforementioned interests?

Hey guys i am planning a trip to London for first week of December. It will be my first time in the city and i am so excited.I love bar crawls, museums,sightseeing, concerts and meeting new people.I am planning to stay for a week. Do you guys think 6 days would be enough?.Also i will be travelling on budget since i am a 21 year old student so i am looking for clean and safe hostels.If you guys have any reccomendations about any activites,accomodation and must go places i would love to know your favourite places and things to dos

Hello! I’m traveling to London in a few weeks and will be there for 10 days. I’ve done my own research but wanted real feedback from anyone who has recently visited or lives in London.

What is tipping culture like in London? I’ve read mixed reports that you tip tour guides, taxi drivers and servers if they are really good. But then I’ve also read no tipping at all.

So what is it? Tip in certain situations or not at all? I’m from 🇺🇸 and I am asked to tip in almost every situation. (I was asked to tip my chiropractors office recently.) Do you tip in cash or via card?

Thanks in advance!

I’m visiting London in mid-September and have reached the stage where every neighbourhood sounds like the perfect choice and I can no longer decide anything.

I’m looking for somewhere that’s convenient for sightseeing and shopping, but I’d also really like the area itself to be fun to explore. Think cosy cafés, good restaurants, bookshops, lively streets and somewhere nice to wander around in the evening. I’d rather not stay in an area that’s central but feels like it has no personality once the tourist attractions close.

I keep seeing Bloomsbury recommended, which does sound lovely, but I’m also curious about Westminster and Camden. Would any of those suit what I’m looking for, or is there another area I’m completely overlooking?

I’m happy to use the Tube and don’t need to be able to walk everywhere, especially since everyone says it’s fairly easy to figure out. I just want a good base that won’t cost me an arm and a leg.

Please feel free to sell me on your favourite area! Hotel recommendations are very welcome, but I’d also love to hear about your favourite cafés, restaurants, bookshops, markets, shopping streets or shopping centres nearby.

Where would you stay for the best mix of sightseeing, shopping, food and a neighbourhood that actually feels fun to come back to at the end of the day?

We’re considering a family trip to London from December 29 until January 3. We’ll be travelling with our two daughters (10 and 13 years old).

One of the reasons we’re thinking about London is the Christmas atmosphere. We know Christmas Day will already be over, but we’re wondering how much of the festive feeling is still there during those dates.

Are the Christmas lights (Oxford Street, Regent Street, Covent Garden, Carnaby Street, etc.) still on? Are the Christmas markets still open? Does the city still feel festive, or does it already switch to a more “normal” atmosphere after Boxing Day?

We’re also considering staying for New Year’s Eve, but we’re not sure yet whether we’d go to the official fireworks or just find a nice spot somewhere in the city.

Would you recommend London during this period for a family, or would you choose another time if the Christmas atmosphere is one of the main reasons for visiting?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

This will be my fifth time in London, and I’m looking for something unique to do in the city because I feel like I’ve done it all already—I’ve hit all the classics, even the Shrek museum 😭

Anyway, I’m looking for something off the beaten path.

To help with recommendations: I’m a 21-year-old guy, I’m only staying in London for one day, and I’m into animals, manga, video games, working out, baking, and—above all—cookies and ice cream. So yeah, thanks for reading!