How To Spend The Best 24 Hours In London

So you have 24 hours in London. What do you do? London’s small enough that you can easily take the tube and walk – if it’s nice out, to see all the main attractions in one day.

I was actually in London for over a week, and my partner met me for the last two days I was there. He ended up having to work one of the days, so that meant it was up to me to give him an abridged tour of London England with the time we had left. 

So I know from first-hand experience that it’s possible to see all the main sights with only one day in London. We were even able to see a play at night! 

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

24 Hours In London Itinerary

With only one day in London, you need to get an early and quick start to your day. I recommend booking a place with breakfast, or just heading to a cafe to pick up something quick.

Optional Start To Your Day – Visit Portobello Road

If you’ve always wanted to see the colourful homes along Portobello Road, I suggest doing so first thing in the morning. Otherwise, it’s very much out of the way to get to.

The market only opens at 9:00 A.M., so if you came here for some shopping, make sure not to come before then. 

Stop #1: Hyde Park & Kensington Palace

We skipped Portobello Road and went straight to Hyde Park in the morning. I recommend getting off at Queensway station. This brings you to the back of Hyde Park, but it’ll let you walk past Princess Diana’s memorial and Kensington Palace.

There’s an exhibit at Kensington Palace where you can see the Kings State Rooms and recreations of the kind of clothes its resident royalty would wear. I actually really liked it if this is something you’re interested in.  

Then you can stroll through the park, enjoying the greenery and visiting the swans of the Serpentine Lake along the way. I’ll admit, this is a lengthy walk. It takes about 30 minutes to get through the park itself, and then it’s another 10 minutes to Buckingham Palace (our next stop!). Alternatively, you can take the tube back to Buckingham (Green Park Tube), which is our next stop on the list.

Stop #2: Buckingham Palace & The Mall

You’ll want to plan to be at Buckingham Palace for 10:45 A.M. – this is when the changing of the guard happens. The whole changing of the guard event can last up to 45 minutes, so don’t worry if you’re late.  

Once you make it to Buckingham, take it all in. Snap a pic at the front gates. Try to catch a glimpse of a guard. But most importantly, sit on the steps in front of the palace to take a break – especially if you walked all the way here…

Take the necessary time for a break because you’re about to walk a bit more. And this time there’s no tube alternative. When you’re ready to leave Buckingham, head East on the left side of the Mall (this is what they call the long red road leading to and from Buckingham).

While walking along the Mall, you’ll pass by Lancaster House, a former royal palace turned foreign and Commonwealth offices. And then a bit further down, turn left on Marlborough road and you’ll reach St. James Palace.

St. James Palace is the oldest palace in the United Kingdom. It used to be the home to the monarch before Buckingham. Now, relatives of the royal family live here. It’s also used for meetings of the accession council (to discuss the heir to the throne).

En Route: St. James Park

After visiting the palace, cross the Mall to visit your next stop on your London itinerary – St James Park. You should be able to catch a glimpse of the London Eye through the trees from here. If you walk straight across the park to the other side, you’ll end up at Westminster Abbey.

Stop #3: Westminster Abbey & Big Ben

Ah, Westminster Abbey! The prime location for royal weddings and communions. You can buy tickets to go inside, but there was a pretty long line when I was there (not very convenient if you only have 24 hours in London!). But if this is a must see for you, book tickets in advance here (and check to make sure they’re open for visits on the day you want).  

Once you’re done admiring the Abbey, go around the corner and you’ll see Big Ben. Big Ben is actually the name of the bell inside the tower. Head over onto Westminster Bridge for some great photo opportunities of the tower, and the Palace of Westminster (home to the UK’s Parliament).

You’ll be able to see the London Eye from here too.  At this point, you can cross the bridge to ride the London Eye (about a 30-minute ride). Or you can go straight to the next stop on this list…

Stop #4 24 Hours London: Covent Garden

I imagine that at this point you might be getting a bit hungry. So it’s off to Covent Garden for some food and shopping. There isn’t a convenient tube line to take you there, but you can bus, or you can walk there in about 20-minutes.  

There, you’ll find an elegant square with a daily market, as well as a vast array of commercial shops. It’s a great spot to find the perfect souvenir! They even have a shake shack, if you’re in the mood. I stopped for some tea and scones at Whittard of Chelsea.

Stop #5: Leicester Square

When you get the shopping bug out of your system, head to Leicester Square. Don’t worry, it’s only a 7-minute walk this time (and there’s still some shopping on the way, just in case to break up the walk if necessary!). 

Leicester square is a pedestrianized area. It has a lot of tourist shops, and it’s where you’ll buy last-minute discounted theatre tickets for that night.

Stop #6: Trafalgar Square & The National Gallery

If you’re not interested in seeing a play, you can still walk up and down the street. Or you can head straight to Trafalgar Square. Here you’ll see the statue of Admiral Nelson.  

But the real draw is The National Gallery, home to Van Goh’s famous Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers. And there’s plenty of other art to admire while you’re there too! Just remember, we still have a lot more to see before the end of our one day in London.

Stop #7: London England Tower Bridge

If you’ve walked everywhere up until this point, it’s time to take the tube. Get on at Embankment Station and take it all the way to Tower Hill. From there, it’s then another 7-minute walk to Tower Bridge. On the way, you’ll pass by the Tower of London which used to be the city’s Prison.  

If you’re interested, there’s a Tower Bridge tour you can take. It lets you walk across the top of the bridge, with a great view. Plus, they have glass floors that you can walk on. Or you can continue to the south side of the river for some other afternoon activities.

South Side Of The River Options

After crossing over the bridge, you’ll wind up on the south side of the River Thames. Now you have a few options for what to do next on your London itinerary. 

Borough Market

If you’re getting hungry again, you can head to Borough Market if it’s still open. It’s another great local market, but keep in mind it’s closed on Sundays. 

The Shard

You can’t miss the Shard! It’s the tallest building on the south side. You can go to the top here for a great view of the city. Order a drink and relax. 

Tate Modern Museum

The Tate Modern museum is exactly what it sounds like – a museum for modern art. This wil lbe very different vibes from what you’ll see at the National Gallery. But, even if you aren’t in to modern art, you might want to head here for another reason during your 24 hours in London…

There’s a rooftop view of the city and it’s all completely free!

Globe Theatre

Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre is also on this side. Of course, it’s not the original as that’s burned down many years ago. They do offer tours during the day, but if you’ve missed those it’s still fun to walk by and see the outside. Or you can also opt to see a play there at night.  

The Globe Theater is also very close to the Millennium Suspension Bridge. If you’re a keen-eyed Harry Potter fan you’ll recognize it from the opening scene of the 6th movie.

Looking For A Place To Stay The Night in London?

I’ve stayed at two hostels in London England that I’d recommend – both in very good but two very different locations.

SoHo Hostel has it all – breakfast included, clean rooms, private bathrooms – I barely felt as though I was staying in a hostel! It’s located a block away from the hottest shopping street in London and there’s also a tube station to get you anywhere else you need to go! See room rates & availability on Booking.com.

Wombat City Hostel is in Southbank near Tower Bridge so staying here gives you closer accessibility to a whole other set of main attractions in London. If you’re looking for more of a party hostel, this is the place to book! See room rates & availability on Booking.com.

If you’re interested in a more conventional hotel stay at Hux Hotel near Hyde Park. I love the fun trendy vibes of the rooms! Plus you’re still in a great location near all the popular London museums. See room rates & availability on Booking.com

See more accommodation options in London on Booking.com. If you’re interested in the top 3% of home rentals, see Plum Guide.

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