2 Days in London: A Complete Itinerary from Someone Who Lived There

I lived in central London for a couple of years, and Jess and I have been back more times than I can count since. If you handed me a pen right now and told me to sketch out two days in London for a first-time visitor, I’d have it drafted before the kettle boiled.

That’s what this itinerary is. It’s what I send friends who ask what to do when they land on a Friday and fly out on Sunday. It hits the sights you’ve seen on postcards (Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, views from up high) in a walking-friendly order that won’t have you criss-crossing the city on the Tube. London is surprisingly compact once you know which bits sit next to each other, and this route makes the most of that.

One warning before we start: this isn’t a hidden gems list. Save those for trip two. Two days is the landmarks-and-icons itinerary, with a few food stops and pint opportunities built in, because walking past Borough Market without eating there should probably be a criminal offence.

I’ve also included a detailed breakdown of the London Pass and whether it’s worth buying for this particular itinerary. Short answer: probably, but not always. The maths is below.

If London is the start of a bigger trip, take a look at our two week UK itinerary, our one week UK road trip, or our two week Europe itinerary for ideas on what comes next.

Is 2 Days Enough in London?

Two days is enough to see London’s headline attractions and get a real feel for the place. You won’t see everything (you could live here a decade and not manage that), but you’ll cover the Tower of London, Westminster, the South Bank, Buckingham Palace, and Kensington comfortably. That’s a solid first visit by anyone’s standards.

If you can stretch to three days, you’ll have room to slow down and add Greenwich, Camden, or the East End without rushing. But two days, well planned, gives you a proper introduction. This itinerary is designed to make every hour count without leaving you collapsed on a bench by lunchtime.

2 Day London Itinerary at a Glance

• Day 1 (City and South Bank): Tower of London → Tower Bridge → Borough Market lunch → South Bank walk (Shakespeare’s Globe, Tate Modern) → St Paul’s Cathedral → View from the Shard at sunset, OR dinner at Sky Garden.
• Day 2 (Royal London and Westminster): The Mall → Buckingham Palace → Changing of the Guard (on the right day) → Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens → Kensington Palace → Westminster Abbey → Big Ben and Westminster Bridge at dusk.

A rough time budget: around 9 hours of sightseeing each day, starting at 9am on Day 1 and 8:30am on Day 2. You can slow this down, and I’ve included swap options at the end of each day for cutting or substituting stops depending on your interests.

 

A Note Before You Start: Check Which Days You’re Visiting

A few things on this itinerary depend on the day of the week, and getting the order right will save you a lot of faff.

The big one is Changing of the Guard, which runs on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday at 11am at Buckingham Palace (there’s also a less dramatic Captain’s Inspection at 3pm on the other days, but it’s not the ceremony people fly to London for). If your Day 2 falls on a Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday, either swap your days around so Day 2 lands on one of the ceremony days, or skip the ceremony and head straight into Kensington Gardens.

Westminster Abbey is open Monday to Saturday with last entry at 2:30pm on weekdays and 2pm on Saturdays. It’s closed to sightseers on Sundays (though you can attend a service for free). Book your timed slot for around 2:30pm.

Buckingham Palace State Rooms only open for summer visitors between 9 July and 27 September. If you’re here outside those dates you won’t be going inside, so plan to admire the exterior only.

Tower of London opens at 9am Tuesday to Saturday, and 10am on Sunday and Monday. An hour’s difference doesn’t sound like much, but arriving at opening time is the single best thing you can do to avoid the Crown Jewels queue, so factor it in. We always arrive at opening when we visit.

One more thing to flag: the Middle Tower at the Tower of London is closed for conservation until mid-June 2026, and the Shard’s open-air Skydeck on Level 72 is closed for maintenance until 11 June 2026 (ticket prices are reduced to compensate, which is nice). Neither is a dealbreaker, but worth knowing before you book.

Day 1: The City of London and the South Bank

9:00am: Tower of London (2.5 to 3 hours)

What better place to start your London itinerary than with the Tower of London, which has served as a royal palace, a prison, a menagerie (yes, really), and the home of the English Crown Jewels at various points in its thousand-year life. It’s also where an impressive number of people got themselves executed for the crime of being inconvenient to whoever was in charge.

Arrive at opening (9am Tue-Sat, 10am Sun-Mon) and head straight to the Crown Jewels. By mid-morning the queue for the Jewel House can be 45 minutes long; first thing in the morning, it’s practically empty. I also use this time to run around and get all my photos with fewer people in.

After the jewels, pick up the next Yeoman Warder tour, which you’ll find at the main entrance. The tours start every half hour or so, last about an hour, and are included in your ticket. Don’t skip them: the Beefeaters are funny, knowledgeable, and will tell you things about Anne Boleyn that your school textbook definitely didn’t.

Once you’ve done the Jewels and the tour, there’s still plenty to explore: the White Tower at the centre of the keep, the ravens (the Tower falls if they ever leave, apparently), the Medieval Palace, and the Battlement Walk. I’d budget at least 2.5 hours here. Some people spend four.

Entry is £37 for adults. If you’re using the London Pass, the Tower is included. If you’re not, buy a ticket in advance on GetYourGuide. Either way, book ahead. Walk-up tickets can sell out entirely during peak season, and even in quieter periods you’ll queue for half an hour at the ticket window.

Also worth knowing: the Middle Tower is closed for conservation until mid-June 2026, so the main visitor entrance during that period is the Middle Drawbridge instead. The site is well signed, so it’s not really an issue, just slightly different.

 

11:45am: Tower Bridge (30-45 minutes)

A five-minute walk from the Tower brings you to Tower Bridge, which is the bridge everyone thinks is London Bridge. London Bridge itself is the bland grey bridge just upriver. Not many people know this and even fewer care, but now you do.

You can walk across the bridge for free, which is probably the best way to appreciate it. If you’ve got time and interest, the Tower Bridge Exhibition takes you inside the bridge itself, with a glass-floored walkway 42 metres above the Thames that does an excellent job of testing your relationship with heights. It takes about 30-45 minutes and is included on the London Pass.

If you’re short on time, skip the interior and just walk across for the photos. The view back toward the Tower is one of the best in the city.

 

12:30pm: Borough Market (Lunch, 60 minutes)

Cross the bridge and walk ten minutes west along the south bank of the Thames and you’ll arrive at Borough Market, which has been selling food in this patch of Southwark for roughly a thousand years. The modern market is a cavern of produce stalls, butchers, cheesemongers, and (most importantly for lunch) ready-to-eat stalls selling everything from salt beef sandwiches to paella the size of a kiddie pool.

My usual move here is Hobb’s Meat Roast, which does a proper British roast dinner slathered in gravy and stuffed into a bun. Other reliable picks: Bread Ahead for doughnuts, Kappacasein for the famous cheese toastie (the queue is real but fast-moving), Padella round the corner if you fancy sitting down for fresh pasta. Dishoom on Borough High Street is our favourite for Indian food, but expect a short wait even off-peak.

If you’re visiting on a Sunday, note that Borough Market is closed to trading (though a handful of food stalls and all the cafés stay open). Monday is a quieter “limited” trading day. Tuesday through Saturday is when the market is at full tilt.

 

1:30pm: South Bank Walk (90 minutes)

This is one of my favourite walks in London, and I never get bored of it.  I even used to roller blade along here, back when that was a thing people did.

The route is easy. From Borough Market, head west along the Thames path. You’ll pass Southwark Cathedral (free and worth a ten-minute wander), the replica of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, and the Golden Hinde, Sir Francis Drake’s ship (also a replica, before anyone emails me).

Keep walking and you’ll hit the Tate Modern, a free contemporary art museum housed in a decommissioned power station. Even if you’re not mad for modern art, the Turbine Hall is worth a ten-minute detour just to appreciate the scale.

Opposite Tate Modern is the Millennium Bridge, which points straight at St Paul’s Cathedral on the north bank. That’s your next stop.

 

3:00pm: St Paul’s Cathedral (30-60 minutes)

Cross the Millennium Bridge for the classic head-on approach to Christopher Wren’s masterpiece. St Paul’s is one of the great cathedrals of Europe and has hosted the funerals of Nelson and Churchill, the wedding of Charles and Diana, and the Silver, Gold, and Diamond Jubilees of Elizabeth II.

If you’ve got energy left, going inside is worth it: the Whispering Gallery (where a whisper travels across the dome to the other side), the Stone Gallery, and, for the properly determined, the 528-step climb to the Golden Gallery for a view over the City. Entry is around £27 for adults, and it’s included on the London Pass.

If you’re feeling the miles by this point, a photo from the Millennium Bridge and a circle of the exterior is a reasonable substitute. You can always come back on trip two.

 

4:15pm: Evening Option A: The View from The Shard

You have a choice of iconic London viewpoints for the end of the day, and I’d suggest picking one rather than doing both. They’re very similar experiences and you don’t need two.

The Shard is London’s tallest building, and the View from the Shard puts you on levels 68, 69, and (when open) 72 for 360-degree views across the city. It’s reliably bookable, tickets are timed, and there’s generally no question about whether you’ll get in. The paid option is the path of least resistance, and the views are spectacular. I’ve been multiple times and never regretted it.

Pricing is currently reduced (from £19 adult during maintenance, down from normal pricing of around £32) because of maintenance work running until 11 June 2026. The open-air Skydeck on Level 72 is closed during this period, and Saturday pass-holder access is suspended. Once maintenance wraps up, prices return to standard. If you’re visiting in summer 2026 and want the full experience, wait until after the maintenance period; if you just want the view from the top, the indoor galleries on 68 and 69 are still open and still brilliant.

You can book tickets in advance either on the official site, or here on Tiqets. The View from the Shard is also included on the London Pass, so if you have one of those, it’s definitely worth using here.

Head back down to ground level for dinner, either back to Borough Market or at one of the Bankside pubs (the Anchor Bankside is the classic choice, and does sit right by the river).

 

Evening Option B: Sky Garden Dinner

The alternative, which Jess and I have done and loved, is Sky Garden. It sits on top of the “Walkie Talkie” building at 20 Fenchurch Street and offers some of the best free views in London, plus a handful of bars and restaurants at the top. General admission is free but tickets disappear three weeks in advance almost instantly, so most people end up at Sky Garden for a meal or a drink, which requires a restaurant booking but guarantees you get in.

We had dinner at Darwin Brasserie up there on a clear summer evening and the view of the Shard lit up across the river was something else. It’s not cheap, but you’re paying for the view as much as the food, and the food is very good.

The important thing is this: you don’t need both the Shard and Sky Garden on the same trip. Pick one. The Shard is easier (just book a ticket), Sky Garden is more atmospheric (but requires either fast fingers for free tickets or a restaurant reservation). Both deliver the view.

 

Day 1 Swap Options

Here’s where you can swap things in and out without breaking the day:

If you want to add Churchill War Rooms, drop Tower Bridge Exhibition and St Paul’s interior. Slot the War Rooms in at 4pm instead of the Shard/Sky Garden and visit a viewpoint on Day 2 evening instead.

If you love ships or military history, HMS Belfast is a permanently-moored WWII light cruiser you can tour. It’s on the south bank close to Tower Bridge. Add it between Tower Bridge and Borough Market (45 minutes to an hour).

If you’re travelling with Harry Potter fans, you’ll already visit the Borough Market and the Millennium Bridge on your way to St. Paul’s (both of which are filming locations). For more, I suggest adding Leadenhall Market (Diagon Alley in the first film, a few minutes’ walk from Monument Tube). See our Harry Potter in London guide for more.

If the weather is miserable, skip the South Bank walk and take the Jubilee line from London Bridge to Westminster (one stop, 5 minutes). Spend the extra time inside Tate Modern or St Paul’s instead of walking in the rain.

Day 2: Royal London and Westminster

8:30am: The Mall and Buckingham Palace (45 minutes)

Start Day 2 early to catch the Mall before the tour buses arrive. Walk from Trafalgar Square down the Mall toward Buckingham Palace (about fifteen minutes) and you’ll get one of the most cinematic approaches to the Palace: the Mall flanked by plane trees and Union flags, Buckingham Palace dead ahead.

At Buckingham Palace itself, you’ve got two main options depending on the time of year and the day of the week.

Between 9 July and 27 September, the State Rooms are open for summer visitors and you can book a 2-hour guided tour of the interior. Tickets sell out fast; book weeks in advance on the Royal Collection Trust website. We think they are worth it, the interiors are beautiful and it’s a real glimpse at a working set of State Rooms which have played host to some seriously important functions and dignitaries.

If you’re doing the State Rooms, everything else on Day 2 compresses: plan to do the Palace tour first thing, then skip Kensington Palace (you’ve seen one royal palace), and pick up the itinerary at Hyde Park.

Outside the summer opening, or if you’re not doing the interior, spend fifteen minutes taking exterior photos, then position yourself for Changing of the Guard.

 

10:15am: Changing of the Guard (on Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun)

If it’s Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Sunday, the full Changing of the Guard ceremony happens at 11am and is worth seeing. It’s free, it takes about 45 minutes, and it’s exactly as theatrical as you’d hope. Bands play, guards march, tourists fumble with their phones.

The best viewing spots are:

• The Victoria Memorial steps directly in front of the Palace, for the elevated view of the full forecourt.
• The Palace railings on the north side, for close-up action.
• The Mall or Spur Road, where you’ll see the guards and band march past.

Arrive by 10:15 at the latest if you want a good spot at the Palace forecourt. On a summer weekend the crowds get serious, and you’ll want to be there by 10am. If you don’t fancy the scrum, Wellington Barracks (where the New Guard forms up before marching over) is less crowded and gives you a great view of the band stepping off. It’s worth knowing that the ceremony can be cancelled in heavy rain, with the decision made as late as 10:45am on the day.

If you’re visiting on a Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday, there’s a less formal Captain’s Inspection at 3pm, but it’s not really worth rearranging your day for. Use that time instead to walk through Green Park toward Hyde Park, and pick up the itinerary from there.

 

11:45am: Walk to Kensington Palace (30 minutes)

From the Palace, head through Green Park (ten minutes), then through Hyde Park Corner and on into Hyde Park itself. This is one of the central Royal Parks and covers 350 acres, with the Serpentine lake cutting through the middle. On a nice day you’ll want to linger; on a grim February morning you’ll be crossing it with purpose.

Cut across toward Kensington Gardens (the western half of the park is technically Kensington Gardens, but the two merge into one) and aim for Kensington Palace at the far west end. It’s about a half-hour walk from Buckingham in total, all through parkland. You’ll pass the Serpentine, the Albert Memorial (hard to miss, it’s enormous and gold), and the back of the Royal Albert Hall.

 

12:15pm: Kensington Palace (90 minutes)

Kensington Palace is where Queen Victoria was born, where Princess Diana lived, and where the Prince and Princess of Wales have their London home today. You can’t see the private residences, but the State Rooms are open to the public (a tradition Victoria herself started in 1899) and take you through the Georgian palace at its imperial peak.

For 2026, the big exhibition is The Last Princesses of Punjab (running until 8 November 2026), focused on Sophia Duleep Singh and the five women who shaped her life. Alongside that, the Victoria: A Royal Childhood route takes you through the rooms where the future queen grew up. Ninety minutes does it comfortably; two if you want to linger.

One thing to note: the Queen’s State Apartments close from 15 June 2026 for major conservation work, so if you’re visiting after that date, the King’s State Apartments and exhibition routes are what’s open.

Entry is £20 for adults. It’s free on the London Pass, and pass holders get access to the priority queue.

 

1:45pm: Lunch in Kensington (45 minutes)

Kensington Palace has a pavilion café in the grounds that does decent sandwiches and coffee. If you want something more substantial, walk ten minutes up to Kensington High Street, which has everything from chain cafés to proper sit-down restaurants. Ottolenghi Kensington is a reliable splurge; Kensington Place for classic British done well; the Notting Hill Fish Shop does excellent fish and chips if you turn left instead of right at the park exit.

For a real Kensington deep-dive (museums, Harrods, restaurants, everything), see our separate guide to things to do in Kensington.

 

2:30pm: Tube to Westminster and Westminster Abbey (2 hours)

From Kensington High Street or South Kensington station, take the District or Circle line to Westminster. It’s about fifteen minutes including walking time. Aim to arrive at Westminster Abbey by 2:30pm, because last admission is 2:30pm on weekdays and 2pm on Saturdays. Book a timed slot for 2:30pm in advance; this is non-negotiable if you want to see the interior.

Westminster Abbey has been the coronation church for every English and British monarch since 1066. It’s also the burial site for a who’s who of British history: Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Chaucer, Stephen Hawking, and 3,300 others. Poets’ Corner alone is worth fifteen minutes. If you get buried in Westminster Abbey, you can finally say you’ve made it.

The included multimedia guide is narrated by Jeremy Irons, which feels approximately as dramatic as the subject matter deserves. Budget 90 minutes to 2 hours inside, depending on how much of a history nerd you are. (I am, which is why I’ve been three times and always find something new.)

Note that the Abbey is closed to sightseers on Sundays, though you can attend a free service. If your Day 2 is a Sunday, either visit the Abbey on Day 1 evening instead (adjust the itinerary accordingly), attend Evensong at 3pm (free, and remarkable), or skip the interior and just do the exterior on your walk past.

Entry is £31 for adults. It’s included on the London Pass. You can also book tickets online in advance here.

 

4:30pm: Big Ben, Parliament, and Westminster Bridge (45 minutes)

Just outside the Abbey is Parliament Square, with statues of Churchill, Mandela, and Gandhi watching over it. Ahead of you is the Palace of Westminster (the Houses of Parliament) and the Elizabeth Tower, home to Big Ben. You can go inside Parliament for a tour if you’ve planned ahead, but for most people, the exterior is the moment you came for.

Cross Westminster Bridge for the classic view back at Big Ben and the Palace. This is the postcard shot, and if you time it for around sunset, it’s properly beautiful. From the south side of the bridge you can also see the London Eye right there, if you want to end the day with a ride.

 

5:30pm: Evening: London Eye, Dinner, or West End Show

You’re now on the South Bank with plenty of options. The London Eye is right here, and a 30-minute ride at dusk is a lovely way to end the day. Book in advance for the best prices; see our London Eye guide for full details.

For dinner, the South Bank has plenty: the Oxo Tower has good food and river views, or walk five minutes east and you’re back at Borough Market for a casual pub dinner. For a West End show, it’s a ten-minute Tube hop from Westminster to Leicester Square or Covent Garden; tickets for long-running classics (Les Mis, Mamma Mia, The Mousetrap) are usually available day-of from the TKTS booth in Leicester Square.

 

Day 2 Swap Options

If you love museums, swap Kensington Palace for the Victoria and Albert Museum (free, enormous, one of the great museums in the world). It’s a ten-minute walk from Kensington Palace and two minutes from the Royal Albert Hall. I’d budget 90 minutes in the V&A; pick 2-3 galleries rather than trying to see the whole thing. The Fashion, Jewellery, and Cast Courts are the standout sections for a first visit.

If you’re into classical music or architecture, the Royal Albert Hall offers 1-hour guided tours that take you into the auditorium and the King’s private suites. Tours run limited times and need booking ahead. Check the Royal Albert Hall site for tour times. Swap it in after Kensington Palace, before lunch.

If you want the Natural History Museum (those Victorian halls, the central whale skeleton, the dinosaur gallery) it’s free and brilliant, and sits directly across from the V&A on Exhibition Road. Families with kids should swap Kensington Palace for this.

If your Day 2 is a Sunday, Westminster Abbey is closed to sightseers. Move the Abbey to Day 1 (slotting it in before or after St Paul’s) and use your afternoon for Churchill War Rooms instead, which are open seven days a week.

If you want to skip Buckingham Palace queues entirely, there’s nothing wrong with just walking past, taking your photos, and heading straight through Green Park toward Kensington. You’ll save 45 minutes and the Changing of the Guard isn’t for everyone.

 

2 Day London Itinerary Map

To help you visualise all the above, we’ve put together a map so you can see where all the sights are and plan your accommodation and public transport appropriately. You can see this on Google Maps here.

Is the London Pass Worth It for This Itinerary?

London’s paid attractions are not cheap. Add up the entry fees for the main stops on this itinerary and you’re looking at around £125-£150 per person before you’ve bought a coffee.

The London Pass is the standard way to manage those costs. It’s a digital sightseeing pass that gives you entry to 100+ London attractions for a set number of consecutive days. You just scan the Go City app at each attraction and walk in.

For this two-day itinerary, a 2-day London Pass covers the Tower of London, Tower Bridge Exhibition, the Shard, Westminster Abbey, Kensington Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral, and the London Eye, plus a 2-day hop-on hop-off bus tour and a 1-day Thames river boat pass.

We’ve used the London Pass on multiple trips and keep coming back to it because it usually saves us money. Here’s the breakdown for this itinerary at April 2026 prices.

London Pass Savings for This Itinerary

Below are individual ticket prices for the main attractions on this itinerary. Prices are standard adult admission as of April 2026 and can vary, so always check the latest prices.

Attraction	Standard Adult Price
Tower of London	£37.00
Tower Bridge Exhibition	£18
The View from The Shard	£19.00 (maintenance price, returns to ~£32 after 11 June 2026)
Westminster Abbey	£31.00
Kensington Palace	£20.00
St Paul’s Cathedral (optional interior)	£27.00
Total for one adult (core stops)	£125 – £152
Total for two adults	£250 to £304

A 2-day London Pass currently costs £139 per adult at full price. That’s £278 for two people, compared to £250 if you bought every ticket individually at current Shard maintenance prices, or £304 if you add St Paul’s interior access.

The real answer: during the Shard maintenance window through 11 June 2026, with Shard tickets down to £19, the pass costs £14 more per adult than buying the core five stops individually. It’s marginal. The moment you add St Paul’s interior access, or the London Eye (£29 online, more at the gate), or a hop-on hop-off bus tour, the pass pulls ahead. For two adults, even the narrow £14 gap closes to nothing once you add a single paid extra between you.

After 11 June, when the Shard returns to full pricing, the pass wins outright on the core stops alone.

For most visitors, the pass still makes sense, because most people add at least one extra. But if you’re planning to do only the exact core attractions above, and you’re travelling during the Shard maintenance window, it’s close enough that you could reasonably buy tickets individually instead. Not a bad problem to have.

You can buy the London Pass in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 10-day options. For the full rundown on how it works, what’s included, and tips for getting the most out of it, read Jess’s detailed London Pass review.

Check the latest London Pass prices and buy yours here.

If You Don’t Get a London Pass

If you’d rather not commit to the pass, still book tickets in advance online for each attraction. Advance prices are usually cheaper than the door price, and for popular attractions with timed entry (the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, the Shard), you’ll save a lot of queuing.

We generally use GetYourGuide for individual attraction tickets. Prices are usually the same as or close to the official sites, and most tickets come with free cancellation up to 24 hours before the visit.

Direct booking links for the main attractions on this itinerary:

• Tower of London – book tickets here
• Tower Bridge Exhibition – book tickets here
• The Shard – book tickets here
• London Eye – book tickets here
• Westminster Abbey – book tickets here
• Kensington Palace – book tickets here
• Buckingham Palace State Rooms (summer only) – book tickets here

 

Getting Around London

London has an excellent public transport network and is wonderfully walkable, as this itinerary hopefully makes clear. You’ll use a few short Tube hops over the two days but mostly you’ll be on foot.

For Tube, bus, and river boat journeys, the simplest option is to tap in and out using a contactless bank card or Apple Pay / Google Pay. This gives you the best fares automatically (daily and weekly capping kicks in so you never overpay), and there’s no need to buy tickets. If you don’t have contactless, buy an Oyster Card, which works the same way but needs topping up in advance.

For a full breakdown, see our guide to London public transport and our comparison of Oyster vs contactless.

 

Walking Tours in London

If you’d rather be led around the sights by someone who knows the stories, a walking tour is a good addition to this itinerary, especially on Day 1. We recommend Take Walks, who run a London in a Day tour that covers many of the Day 1 stops plus the Changing of the Guard. Swap it in for Day 1 if you want a guided version.

For something shorter or more specialised, City Wonders offer a range of tours from introductory walks to specific themes. See our full guide to walking tours in London for more options, and our guide to the best food tours in London if your preference is walking and eating.

 

Where to Stay in London

London has accommodation at every price point, from hostels to serious luxury. For a 2-day trip, stay central: Zone 1 gives you walking access to half of this itinerary and short Tube rides to the rest.

Good areas for this itinerary: Westminster, Victoria, South Kensington, London Bridge, or Covent Garden. Stick to the area between Kensington in the west and Tower Bridge in the east and you’ll be well placed.

A few options at different price points:

• The Walrus Bar and Hostel: well-reviewed, centrally located hostel.
• The Z Hotel Shoreditch: good value in a lively part of London with great dining options.
• Point A Hotel Westminster: a 17-minute walk to Parliament Square. We’ve stayed here; rooms are tiny but clean. Solid budget option.
• Lime Tree Hotel: well-reviewed boutique hotel, nine minutes’ walk from Victoria.
• The Resident Victoria Hotel: centrally located, excellent value. We stayed here in a compact room with a small kitchenette. Larger rooms available.
• The Savoy: proper luxury, as close to the centre as it gets.

Our first choice for hotel searches is generally booking.com: easy to use, usually the best prices, and covers everything from hotels to hostels, guest-houses and apartments. Try them for London here.

For apartments, we recommend Plum Guide, who curate their listings to a high standard, or Vrbo for a bigger range. See our detailed Plum Guide review or our full guide to Airbnb alternatives for more options.

 

Practicalities for Visiting London

Power: The UK uses a 220v standard with a three-pin plug. Travellers from most of the rest of the world will need a travel adapter like this. US travellers should also check their equipment supports 220v (most phone chargers and laptops do; hair dryers usually don’t). See our guide to the best travel adapters for more.

Currency: The UK uses the British pound. Cards are accepted almost everywhere; cash is rarely needed. Make sure your card doesn’t charge foreign exchange fees.

Internet: An eSIM is the easiest option for data. We use Airalo, which lets you buy and install a data plan before you leave home. See our Airalo review for more. Free Wi-Fi is widely available in cafés, restaurants, and on the Tube at most stations.

Water: Tap water is safe to drink across the UK.

Safety: London is a safe city, though as with any major city keep your wits about you, your possessions in view, and your wallet or phone in a zipped front pocket. For taxis, use a licensed black cab or a reputable ride-hailing app.

Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting London in 2 Days

Is 2 days enough to see London?

Two days is enough to cover the major landmarks (Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, the South Bank, Kensington) without feeling rushed, as long as you plan your route. You won’t see everything; London rewards repeat visits. But for a first trip, two days gives you a proper introduction. If you can stretch to three days, you’ll have time to add Greenwich, Camden, or a proper museum afternoon.

How much does 2 days in London cost?

Budget roughly £150 to £250 per person per day for a mid-range trip, depending on accommodation and how many paid attractions you visit. Attraction entries add up fast (the Tower of London alone is £37), but the London Pass can bring that down. London’s best museums (the British Museum, the V&A, the Natural History Museum, Tate Modern) are all free, so you can build a day around free entries and still have a brilliant time.

Is the London Pass worth it for 2 days?

For most people, yes, provided you visit at least four of the included attractions on this itinerary (Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, the Shard, Kensington Palace, Tower Bridge Exhibition, London Eye). The 2-day pass costs £139 per adult.

During the Shard maintenance window through 11 June 2026 (when Shard tickets are reduced by about 40%), the pass costs around £14 more than buying the core five stops individually — marginal unless you add extras like St Paul’s interior access, the London Eye, or the hop-on hop-off bus. After 11 June, when Shard tickets return to full price, the pass comfortably pays for itself.

The pass also includes a hop-on hop-off bus tour and a Thames river boat day pass, which add further value. The Churchill War Rooms are the main exception: they require a separate ticket.

What is the best area to stay in London for 2 days?

For first-time visitors following this itinerary, stay central. Westminster, Victoria, South Kensington, London Bridge, and Covent Garden all put you within walking distance of several major sights, with short Tube rides to the rest.

If you’re on a tighter budget, King’s Cross or Paddington have good transport links and cheaper hotel options without being too far out. Check our guide to where to stay in London for detailed neighbourhood recommendations.

What is the best way to get around London in 2 days?

Walking plus the Tube. This itinerary is designed to be mostly walkable, with one or two short Tube journeys per day. Use a contactless bank card or Apple Pay / Google Pay to tap in and out on the Tube and buses; this gives you the best fares automatically with daily and weekly capping.

See our guide to London public transport and our comparison of Oyster vs contactless for the full breakdown.

What should I not miss in London in 2 days?

The Tower of London is the one attraction I’d put at the top of any first-timer’s list. Nearly a thousand years old, home to the Crown Jewels, and the Yeoman Warder tours are brilliant. Westminster Abbey is a close second, especially if you’re interested in British history. For views, pick one of the Shard (easy, reliable) or Sky Garden (free, atmospheric, but tickets are hard to get).

And don’t underestimate Borough Market. Not an attraction in the ticket-required sense, but it’s one of the best lunch spots in the city and a slice of real London life.

Can I see Changing of the Guard during my 2 days in London?

Yes, provided one of your days falls on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Sunday. The full ceremony runs at 11am at Buckingham Palace on those days. Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday only have a less formal Captain’s Inspection at 3pm. If your Day 2 falls on one of those days and you really want the ceremony, swap your days around.

Arrive by 10:15 at the latest for a decent viewing spot at the Palace, or head to Wellington Barracks for a less crowded view of the New Guard forming up.

How far in advance should I book tickets for a 2-day London trip?

For the big paid attractions (Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, the Shard, Kensington Palace), book at least a week ahead in off-season and 2-3 weeks ahead in summer. Westminster Abbey and the Shard sell out for the best time slots. Borough Market, free museums, and Changing of the Guard don’t require booking at all.

The London Pass itself can be bought right before your trip; activation happens when you first scan it at an attraction.

 

Further Reading For Your 2 Days In London

• 1 Day in London: a tighter version of this itinerary for short stopovers.
• 3 Days in London: what to add if you have a third day.
• Tower of London Guide: detailed guide to the key Day 1 stop.
• London Eye Guide: tips for the Day 2 evening option.
• Things to Do in Kensington: a deep dive on the Day 2 neighbourhood.
• Harry Potter in London: filming locations and themed stops.
• What to Pack for London: our detailed packing guide.
• Best Photography Locations in London: if you want to bring back more than phone snaps.
• London’s Best Military Museums and Memorials: including the Churchill War Rooms.
• Two Weeks in the UK: if London is just the start of a bigger adventure.
• How to get from London to Paris: for pairing London with a Paris trip.
• Rick Steves’ London: the best-selling UK travel guide, always a useful reference.

And that’s it for our two-day London itinerary. Got a favourite part of London we missed? Let us know in the comments below.