Londoner Reveals the Ultimate 1 Day Itinerary to See it All
Only have one day in London? This local has you covered with exactly what to see, what to skip, and how to make the most of your time.
Choose one of the following one day London itineraries based on what you’re interested in: seeing it all, history, art, royals, food, shopping, kid-friendly London sights, or fascinating history.
Here’s exactly how to spend one day in London for whatever you’re into!
London One Day Itinerary: General Tips
London is so big and has so much to offer, that in order to make your perfect day, you’ll need to narrow it down to what you’re interested in.
If you only have one day in London, you’ll need to:
- ✅ Calculate distances. I’ve done this for you in the itineraries below, but be mindful of how long it take to get from place to place. Citymapper is the best app for London, but Google Maps works, too.
- ✅ Group attractions by neighborhood. London is massive, and you need to make this one day as efficient as possible.
- ✅ Narrow it down. You can’t see all of London in one day, but you can see the things that are most appealing to you.
- ✅ Use public transport to your advantage. The tube and bus system is amazingly efficient. If you use taxis or Ubers, your whole day will take longer. (Here’s how to use the tube, and here’s how to use the bus).
Jump to:
One Day London Itineraries
Here’s 7 of the most popular themes of what visitors want to see if they only have one day in London. Pick just one, or combine two or three, picking the most interesting pieces of each.
Let’s start with the basic one day itinerary that I recommend for people who haven’t been to London before and want to see the most significant sights.
1. The See it All in 1 Day Itinerary
If you want to have all the perfect Instagram photos and be able to say, “I’ve been there!” then this is the itinerary for you.
Follow the map below for easy navigation from one stop to the next, or use Google Maps or Citymapper to navigate.
One Day London Itineraries: Interactive Map for the Major Sights
Use the map above to navigate live & read more details about each attraction.
You can walk the whole thing if you don’t have mobility issues and brought the right shoes! But it’s not cheating to take a bus or the tube in between stops.
The map includes 11 of the most iconic and well-known sights in London, with optional sights noted in the map points along the way.
To be really efficient, book ahead for the paid attractions to save time and money.
- The Tower of London (book ahead here)
- Monument to the Great Fire
- Borough Market
- Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre
- The London Eye
- Big Ben & Houses of Parliament
- Westminster Abbey (book ahead here)
- Royal Horse Guards
- The Mall
- Buckingham Palace
- Hyde Park
Now let’s look at some one day London itineraries for people who have been to London before, aren’t interested in the major sights, or want to go a little off the beaten path.
2. The History Lovers Itinerary
London in one day for history buffs and historical obsessives? This is the one for you.
Here are my favorite historic sites in London to dive deep into London history, but still get it done in one day.
- The Tower of London (MUST SEE: book ahead here)
- Monument/Great Fire
- Westminster Abbey (book ahead)
- Roman London Walk
- Pick a Museum: British Museum or Natural History are my favorite for history buffs.
- Use my dark history map along the way to all the interesting things along the way and find hidden historical gems.
3. The Royal Sightseeing Itinerary
Royal obsessed? You can do this London in one day itinerary to see all the most important royal sights.
- Tower of London. Allot at least two hours; the Crown Jewels can get crowded during peak times.
- Westminster Abbey (book ahead here)
- Royal Horse Guards/Changing of the Guards
- Buckingham Palace (interior tours only available in summer when the King isn’t in residence. (Book ahead)
- The Queen’s Gallery (at Buckingham Palace).
- Royal Mews (Buckingham Palace)
- Kensington Palace: see the sunken gardens, which were Diana’s favorite.
- Hyde Park: The Princess Diana Memorial Fountain is so pretty, but the whole park is, too.
- Whitehall & the Banqueting House where Charles II was executed (interior only open on specific days; book ahead).
3. The Art Lovers’ Itinerary
London has some incredible free art galleries. My favorites are below, but there’s so much to choose from. For more urban and street art, try a street art tour where you can see original Banksy works and more.
- The National Gallery
- Tate Modern and/or Tate Britain (they are not close together; plan for extra time if you want to see both)
- V&A Museum
- The Wallace Collection
- Street Art Tour
4. The 1-Day Food Itinerary
Foodies, this one’s for you. Here’s a great one day London itinerary to hit up all the important eating spots.
- Explore Borough Market
- Book an Afternoon Tea
- Seven Dials Food Hall in Covent Garden
- Explore Historic Pubs
- Visit the iconic gourmet food heaven Fortnum & Mason
- Book a food tour or a guided pub crawl
5. The 1-Day Shopping Itinerary
London is a great place to shop til you drop. Here’s a London in one day itinerary to hit up the very best shopping destinations.
- Visit the iconic department stores: Harrods, Selfridges, and Liberty.
- Shop Oxford and Regent Streets
- Visit Carnaby Street
- See the bespoke tailors of Savile Row
- Stroll the street markets (almost every neighborhood has one)
- Scour for bargains at a flea market or go charity shopping to score epic bargains.
- Check out my list of the best things to buy in London (and what to avoid).
6. The Kids Itinerary
London with kids can be draining. Here are some suggestions for the best one day London itineraries for kids. Pick a few of these things, and when you need a break, curl up in a cosy pub for a meal and a reset.
- Visit Hamley’s iconic toy store, where kids can actually play with everything.
- Do the London Transport Museum. This is my favorite museum for kids–there is so much hands-on stuff to do, and very cool for adults, too.
- Princess Diana Memorial Playground in Hyde Park, and the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain (if the weather is nice) for water play.
- Visit the Science Museum or the Museum of Natural History (free, and ask for the free kids guides or treasure hunts at the front desk)
- Have a cosy pub meal. Most pubs are great for kids!
- Book a kid-friendly Afternoon Tea (look for cool themes like Alice in Wonderland), or combine afternoon tea with a relaxing Thames cruise.
- Ride a pretty bus route, a great affordable way to sightsee. If you can score the front seats on the top, you’ve got it made.
7. The Dark History Itinerary
This is my specialty. Use my London Dark History Map (on my sister site London Dark Tourist) to find all of the hidden and spooky things near you, but especially don’t miss:
- The Tower of London (book ahead for best price)
- The Old Operating Theatre Museum
- The Clink Prison Museum
- Historic Pubs
- Plague Pits
- Execution Sites
- Postman’s Park
- Cemeteries (Highgate is my favorite, but if you’re in Central London, try Lincoln’s Inn or Brompton)
One Day London Itineraries: Mix n Match
24 hours may not be enough time to see everything in London, but if you follow any one of my itineraries above, you’ll definitely make the most of your time here. Or pick pieces from each and combine them into a cool custom experience.
What are you most looking forward to seeing in London?
Happy (speedy) travels!
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