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5 Days in London: A Journey Through History and Culture

Leslie Murillo

11 Nov 2023

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Experience the best of London's iconic landmarks, world-class museums, and vibrant markets in this 5-day itinerary. Explore the Tower Bridge, visit the British Museum, and immerse yourself in the rich history of Shakespeare's Globe. Indulge in the beauty of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, and marvel at the grandeur of Buckingham Palace. Get ready for an unforgettable adventure in the heart of the United Kingdom!

Trip to London

Tours & Activities

Viator Tours

Day 1

+

$120

·

$ 64

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Bridges, wildland & play parks weaving a latticework around London's 2012 Olympic venues.

8:00 AM - 11:00 AM

•

Free

16 - 20 min

~

Directions

Columbia Road Flower Market

Flower market (open Sundays only) surrounded by independent fashion, antique and homeware stores.

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

•

Free

10 - 12 min

~

Directions

Whitechapel Gallery

Extensive exhibition and creative space showcasing mould-breaking contemporary art with workshops.

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

•

Free

7 - 9 min

~

Directions

Tower Bridge

Panoramic views from high-level walkways and behind-the-scenes access to original lifting machinery.

3:00 PM - 4:30 PM

•

$45

15 - 22 min

~

Directions

Monument to the Great Fire of London

Sir Christopher Wren-designed column commemorating London's Great Fire, with a viewing platform.

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

•

Free

13 - 20 min

~

Directions

Shakespeare's Globe

Oak-&-thatch replica of the original Elizabethan theatre, showing Shakespeare plays in the open air.

6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

•

$75

15 - 18 min

~

Directions

Sir John Soane's Museum

Eccentric 19th-century collector's home, packed with classical sculpture, paintings and curiosities.

9:00 PM - 10:30 PM

•

Free

8 - 11 min

~

Directions

Royal Opera House

Performances by Royal Opera and Royal Ballet companies in stately Covent Garden theatre.

11:00 PM - 1:00 AM

•

Free

7 - 10 min

~

Directions

National Portrait Gallery

Paintings and photographs of aristocratic and famous figures throughout British history.

1:30 AM - 3:30 AM

•

Free

9 - 11 min

~

Directions

Wellcome Collection

Rotating exhibits connecting medicine & art, plus a library, reading room & shop.

4:00 AM - 5:30 AM

•

Free

8 - 11 min

~

Directions

The British Library

Library containing the Magna Carta and handwritten Beatles lyrics on some 400 miles of shelves.

6:00 AM - 8:00 AM

•

Free

21 - 26 min

~

Directions

Kenwood House

A 17th-century country house within Hampstead Heath with restored interiors and notable artworks.

8:30 AM - 10:30 AM

•

Free

Day 2

+

$469

·

$ 43

Museum of the Home

Re-created domestic interiors from 1600 to the present, with a walled herb garden.

8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

•

Free

17 - 21 min

~

Directions

Tower of London

Centuries of bloody history around a medieval castle, home to Crown Jewels and iconic Beefeaters.

10:30 AM - 12:30 PM

•

$113

16 - 24 min

~

Directions

The Shard

87-floor glass skyscraper with a jagged peak, with restaurants, offices, hotel & a viewing platform.

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

•

$150

12 - 18 min

~

Directions

Tate Modern

Modern-art gallery with international works on display, plus a cafe with panoramic river views.

3:30 PM - 6:30 PM

•

Free

12 - 17 min

~

Directions

St. Paul's Cathedral

17th-century cathedral featuring a 365ft-high dome, recitals & a churchyard, plus a crypt.

7:00 PM - 10:00 PM

•

$75

10 - 12 min

~

Directions

The British Museum

Huge showcase for global antiquities, including Egyptian mummies and ancient Greek sculptures.

10:30 PM - 2:30 AM

•

Free

13 - 16 min

~

Directions

Madame Tussauds London

Museum chain for life-size wax replicas of famous celebrities & historic icons in themed galleries.

3:00 AM - 5:00 AM

•

$131

11 - 14 min

~

Directions

Camden Market

Eclectic market with youthful vibe and stalls/shops selling fashion and accessories, music and more.

5:30 AM - 7:30 AM

•

Free

Day 3

+

$113

·

$ 74

London Zoo

Major city zoo and research centre helping to conserve numerous species in naturalistic habitats.

8:00 AM - 11:00 AM

•

$113

10 - 12 min

~

Directions

The Wallace Collection

Museum of world-sourced antiques, sculpture, artworks and armour, set within a palatial townhouse.

11:30 AM - 1:30 PM

•

Free

12 - 15 min

~

Directions

Hyde Park

Huge green space, home to Diana Memorial Fountain, with boating and swimming in the Serpentine lake.

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

•

Free

17 - 21 min

~

Directions

Royal Academy of Arts

Palladian mansion hosting world-class art exhibitions and a legendary open-submission summer show.

4:30 PM - 6:30 PM

•

Free

11 - 14 min

~

Directions

Big Ben

16-storey Gothic clocktower and national symbol at the Eastern end of the Houses of Parliament.

7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

•

Free

12 - 15 min

~

Directions

London Transport Museum

World's leading museum of urban transport with galleries of vintage London trams, trains & buses.

8:30 PM - 10:00 PM

•

Free

7 - 10 min

~

Directions

Somerset House

Neoclassical riverside palace hosting courtyard events, a winter ice rink and the Courtauld Gallery.

10:30 PM - 12:30 AM

•

Free

9 - 14 min

~

Directions

Hayward Gallery

Expansive art gallery hosting a dynamic programme of major temporary exhibitions.

1:00 AM - 3:00 AM

•

Free

3 - 4 min

~

Directions

National Theatre

Home to prominent theatre company presenting new plays, classic drama and Shakespeare productions.

3:30 AM - 5:30 AM

•

Free

18 - 22 min

~

Directions

Barbican Centre

Cultural venue with concert hall, theatres, cinema, galleries and home of London Symphony Orchestra.

6:00 AM - 8:00 AM

•

Free

22 - 27 min

~

Directions

Sky Garden

Known as the walkie talkie due to its unique shape, this skyscraper features a top-floor restaurant.

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM

•

Free

Day 4

+

$75

·

$ 53

Museum of London Docklands

Georgian sugar warehouse, now home to a museum chronicling London's history as a trading port.

8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

•

Free

27 - 33 min

~

Directions

Cutty Sark

Museum arranged around the eponymous ship that used to speed tea from Asia to Victorian Britain.

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

•

$75

4 - 6 min

~

Directions

Old Royal Naval College

Elegant riverside complex designed chiefly by Sir Christopher Wren & housing a maritime museum.

12:30 PM - 2:30 PM

•

Free

5 - 8 min

~

Directions

Queen's House

16th century mansion now used to display items from the National Maritime Museum's collection.

3:00 PM - 4:30 PM

•

Free

12 - 17 min

~

Directions

Greenwich Park

Large park with expansive views, home to the Royal Observatory, Maritime Museum & Meridian Line.

5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

•

Free

26 - 32 min

~

Directions

Horniman Museum and Gardens

Museum with aquarium, stuffed animal and musical instrument collections, set in landscaped gardens.

7:30 PM - 10:30 PM

•

Free

8 - 10 min

~

Directions

Dulwich Picture Gallery

Significant collection of 17th- & 18th-century European Old Masters in a building by Sir John Soane.

11:00 PM - 1:00 AM

•

Free

26 - 32 min

~

Directions

Palace of Westminster

Neo-Gothic masterpiece & seat of the UK government. Guided tours on Saturdays & in the summer.

1:30 AM - 3:30 AM

•

Free

17 - 21 min

~

Directions

Serpentine Gallery

Free-entry art galleries hosting world-renowned temporary exhibitions on either side of the lake.

4:00 AM - 5:30 AM

•

Free

8 - 12 min

~

Directions

Royal Albert Hall

One of Britain's great Victorian splendours, most famous for the Proms classical music festival.

6:00 AM - 8:00 AM

•

Free

9 - 14 min

~

Directions

Kensington Gardens

Expansive park containing Kensington Palace & the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground.

8:30 AM - 10:30 AM

•

Free

Day 5

+

$282

·

$ 32

Hampton Court Palace

Famous seat of Henry VIII and his many wives, this palace received elegant Stuart-era modernisation.

8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

•

$94

52 - 63 min

~

Directions

Science Museum

A vast treasury of science & invention, famous for its state-of-the-art interactive exhibits.

12:30 PM - 3:30 PM

•

Free

11 - 16 min

~

Directions

Victoria and Albert Museum

Blockbuster exhibitions and permanent decorative arts collection, with design shop and ornate cafe.

4:00 PM - 7:00 PM

•

Free

9 - 11 min

~

Directions

Saatchi Gallery

Up-and-coming and established contemporary art exhibited in 19th-century Duke of York headquarters.

7:30 PM - 9:30 PM

•

Free

11 - 14 min

~

Directions

Buckingham Palace

Visitors can tour the palace's opulent private and state rooms or watch the changing of the guard.

10:00 PM - 11:30 PM

•

Free

11 - 16 min

~

Directions

Churchill War Rooms

Secret underground headquarters where Prime Minister Winston Churchill lived and worked during WWII.

12:00 AM - 2:00 AM

•

$94

6 - 9 min

~

Directions

Westminster Abbey

Protestant abbey hosting daily services and every English and British coronation since 1066.

2:30 AM - 4:00 AM

•

$94

14 - 21 min

~

Directions

Tate Britain

Imposing gallery with historic and contemporary British art, notable for its JMW Turner collection.

4:30 AM - 7:30 AM

•

Free

12 - 17 min

~

Directions

Garden Museum

Charming church-turned museum featuring horticultural exhibits & an elegant cafe.

8:00 AM - 9:30 AM

•

Free

Budget breakdown: $1322 In total

Activities & Food:$1058

Transport:$264