Wondering what to do and see in London? I’ve put together the perfect three-day, must-see, first-time-in-London tour guide itinerary. You will fall in love with the English capital during your first visit to London. This day-by-day guide is good for couples, families, or even solo travelers. If you want to see all this incredible city and surrounding area has to offer, this London guide is for you!
There is simply so much to do in London, and it could get overwhelming, so included in this blog are the top historic, must-visit landmarks and sites you don’t want to miss. We used Viator Travel to book our one ½ day tour and one full day tour. Our guides Danny and Liliana were incredible, and I highly recommend booking their experiences! Be prepared to walk a lot, that is the best way to explore any new city, especially in Europe.
Day 1: Top London must-see landmarks tour
½ day 4-hour city tour, mostly walking with a private driver & tour guide (yes, all 6 of us fit comfortably in the hip taxi)
Big Ben
Parliament Square
Photos in the iconic red telephone booths
Piccadilly Circus
St Bartholomew Church
St Paul’s Cathedral from a roof top view
Tower of London
The Tower Bridge
After the tour we finished off our first day with a casual Italian dinner, an evening stroll along the south bank river and a 30-minute ride on the London Eye.
Day 2: Outside London Tour: Stonehenge, Oxford and Windsor Castle
Full day 11-hour tour, I highly recommend it! Most tourists don’t explore out of London properly but if this is a once in a lifetime trip, do it!
1 hour drive to Windsor Castle with a 2-hour private interior & exterior tour
Lunch at local pub
1 hour drive to Stonehenge – if you don’t know of it, click the link, it is a blog in itself!
45-minute drive to Oxford to walk the city, weave your way through incredible architecture, the city square and explore Oxford University. Spectacular, incredible, and worth it.
We dined downtown Oxford and it was almost a 2 hour return drive to London.
Day 3: London Tour: More must-see London sites – changing of the guard, St James’s Square, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Chelsea and Harrods.
Now that we feel like we have the lay of the land, we walked across the Westminster bridge to St James Square to catch the Changing of the Guard that happens every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10:40am. To witness the tradition, the Irish bagpipes, the cavalry from St James Square and walk along side with the Palace Guards for the quarter mile to Buckingham Palace was a must! On day three here is how we finished off our last day in London.
Changing of the Guard
Buckingham Palace
Walked back to Westminster Abby and toured it ourselves.
Hopped in a taxi to Chelsea and strolled around shopping.
Walked up Sloan Street and window gazed up to finish our evening and enjoyed dinner at Harrods. (Harrods is at the end of Sloan Steet). The dining hall had something for everyone, and you can’t beat all the best shopping in one location.
We covered a lot in three days, and I wouldn’t change a thing. It didn’t feel rushed or exhausting. Take time enjoying dinner and relaxing, wondering around, or getting lost in the beauty and excitement of London!
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