This is How to Plan the Best 2 Days in London Itinerary
This 2 days in London itinerary helps you maximize your sightseeing on a weekend trip to the city.
So you only have 2 days in London for your visit? Don’t worry, there’s plenty you can pack into a quick city break or weekend in London if you plan ahead.
This London itinerary for two days is perfect for first-timers, full of bucket-list landmarks, incredible skyline views, top-rated museums and so much more! It’ll help you figure out just what to do and see in London in two days, whether that’s historic castles and palaces, art and theater, or shopping.
I’ve outlined a day-by-day agenda below based on my own experiences on weekend trips to London and recommended schedules to keep things on track while allowing enough time to soak up each sight. There are also a few alternate options for each day so you can pick and choose from what interests you the most. You’ll be exploring by zone, walking between nearby attractions so you don’t waste too much time waiting for buses and hopping from one end of the city to the other.
Be sure to scroll to the bottom for tips on how to maximize two days in London, and if you have longer in the city, check out our itinerary for four days in London and favorite day trips from London.
2 Days in London Itinerary
Use this London 2 day itinerary to figure out how many museums, palaces and shopping trips you can pack into your short visit to the city. I’ve included options for different interests so you can find the perfect activities for your travel crew.
Day 1 — Westminster Walking Tour and London Landmarks
This first of 2 days in London is all about bucket-list sights, cool historic landmarks, and cultural gems. You likely won’t have time for a proper tour of every single attraction listed, but you can at least snap photos from the outside and pick which ones you want to dive into. The schedule at the bottom will present options for utilizing your time. Charge up the camera and get an early start to squeeze in as much as possible!
Buckingham Palace
The official home of the monarch in London, Buckingham Palace is the perfect start to a tour of the city. Neighboring St. James Park and Green Park are ideal for a morning stroll with a cup of coffee, offering a bit of respite from the London bustle.
During a few weeks in summer, the 1703 palace opens the State Rooms and gardens to tourists. You’ll have time for either an interior tour, a walk through the Queen’s Gallery, or a visit to the Royal Mews, where the carriages and horses reside. Or, just take a selfie in front of the iron-gated landmark from the outside and move on to other activities.
Churchill War Rooms
This underground bunker served as a meeting spot and refuge zone for Winston Churchill and other leaders during World War II. Touring the war rooms and a museum about the former prime minister takes at least 90 minutes, so pick between this or Buckingham Palace for a morning visit.
Changing of the Guard
The Changing of the Guard ceremony in front of Buckingham Palace takes place about every other day and includes marching, inspections and musical performances. The most popular place to watch the activity in front of Buckingham is from the gates or the Victoria Memorial.
As a top London activity for first-timers, it can get a bit crowded, so folks typically gather an hour-plus early for the 11 a.m. ceremony. Since this takes up a good chunk of the day, we recommend skipping it for a short visit or just watching a few minutes from the outskirts where the guards move in and out from the Wellington Barracks. At the beginning and end, you can also catch them moving along The Mall path to and from St. James Palace as well.
With only 2 days in London, you may want to skip this activity unless it’s high on your bucket list.
Westminster Abbey
With a legacy dating back more than a thousand years, Westminster Abbey’s legacy includes coronations and royal weddings. The present Gothic-style church went up in the 13th century, and a host of famed figured and monarchs are buried or memorialized within its grounds.
Allow at least 90 minutes to tour the inside with an audio guide. The abbey closes by 3 p.m. most days but offers later hours on Wednesdays (for a reduced price). Services and a choral evensong also take place throughout the day.
I definitely recommend checking out Westminster Abbey on your first trip to the city, even if you only have 2 days in London.
Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament
London’s famous clock tower sits at the end of the Palace of Westminster, home to the Houses of Parliament. Tours inside the parliament building are available and you can also watch the debates in the House of Commons and House of Lords. For the best photos of Big Ben, walk across the Westminster Bridge just outside or cross the river to the South Bank.
London Eye
Trafalgar Square
Recognizable for its towering column monument, fountains and lion statues, Trafalgar Square’s central location near museums and shopping makes it perfect for a quick break. Snap a few photos, watch the street performers, and chow down on a sandwich before moving on to one of the nearby museums for the rest of the afternoon.
Read Next: This is How to Spend 4 Days in Paris
National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery
This neighboring pair of art museums at Trafalgar Square offers free entry, so you can pop in for a quick look around while in the area. The National Gallery features the likes of Michelangelo and Monet, with works dating back to the 1200s, while the National Portrait Gallery displays paintings and sculptures of monarchs and other famed Brits through the centuries.
British Museum
If you only have time for one museum in London, make it this one. Filled with millions of antiquities, the British Museum displays collections from ancient Greece, the Middle East, and beyond. Allow at least a couple of hours to wander the multiple levels and admire the Rosetta Stone, Parthenon sculptures, Easter Island statue and Egyptian mummies. Admission is free.
West End
The perfect spot to end the day and start the evening, London’s West End is known for its performance scene and buzzing retail and dining districts. Soho packs in tons of shopping along Oxford, Regent and Carnaby streets, while Covent Garden’s entertainment and pubs surround a pedestrian piazza.
Many of the top London theaters line the roads branching off from neon-lit Piccadilly Circus. Pop by the TKTS counter at Leicester Square a couple blocks away to grab reduced tickets for a show.
Day 2 — City of London History and Kensington Gardens and Museums
For the second part of your 2 days in London, split time between the historic City of London and Southwark just across the river, and the Hyde Park and South Kensington area. There are several options to pick from today, including a pair of viewing platforms and a handful of museums. The hour-by-hour agenda at the end will help you figure out what you have time for in the districts you’ll be visiting.
St. Paul’s Cathedral
With roots to the 7th century, St. Paul’s Cathedral is an institution in the old City of London. The present-day church was built in the 1600s after the Great Fire of London destroyed the previous version.
Inside, ornate designs splashed with gold adorn the sanctuary and dome. With a ticket, you can enter to see the crypt and galleries. The church opens earlier than many attractions at 8:30 a.m., so early risers should have time for a quick interior visit. Otherwise, just stop by to see the steps where Mary Poppins sang to the birds in the famous movie.
Evensong choral services are a chance for a glimpse outside of regular visiting hours if you land here at the end of the day instead. Though you won’t be able to tour the facility, the melodies echoing through the grand hall add a little something to the ambiance. Visiting for part of a choral service is a great way to maximize your 2 days in London.
Tower of London
The storied Tower of London weaves through nearly 1,000 years of British history. It’s housed royals and prisoners and seen many an execution.
Tickets to the tower include access to the Crown Jewels display and the Royal Armouries, as well as educational and humorous tours given by Yeoman Warders or Beefeaters, the castle’s guardians.
Plan for two to three hours here if you want to tour with a Beefeater and see all the highlights.
Tower Bridge
The twin turrets of Tower Bridge make it easy to spot the iconic structure stretching over the River Thames next to the Tower of London. You can stroll across the late 1800s suspension structure to get from one bank to the next, but touring the inside engine rooms or walking on an elevated glass floor feature requires a ticket. Be sure to look out on the water to spot the HMS Belfast, a WWII warship turned museum.
The Shard and Sky Garden
For elevated outlooks of the city, it’s hard to beat the views from these two buildings on opposite sides of the Thames. With just 2 days in London, you may only have time for one of these lookouts.
Sky Garden’s glass dome sits atop a skyscraper in the old city, offering 360-degree vistas as well as eateries and terraces. Designed as a public space, it’s filled with lush plants and perennial blooms. Free tickets are available to book online for timed slots.
Read Next: These are the Best Views and Landmarks in Paris
Borough Market
Located in the Southwark district, Borough Market is the perfect spot to grab a quick lunch. With a legacy spanning 1,000 years or so, this retail food venue features everything from cheese and deli vendors to fresh flower and artisan chocolate stands to global cuisine served up hot.
Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens
A massive green space in the midst of the city, Hyde Park packs in walking and biking paths, outdoor sports like tennis and lawn bowling, a lake with rowboats, and historic sites like the Marble Arch and numerous memorials and monuments.
On the west end is Kensington Gardens, home to the huge Albert Memorial dedicated to Queen Victoria’s husband, the Diana Memorial Playground for kids, and the Serpentine Gallery, one of a pair of art exhibits on either side of the Serpentine lake.
Kensington Palace
This home to young royals for the past few centuries sits on the west side of Kensington Gardens. Built in 1605, Kensington Palace opens its doors for tours of the staterooms and special exhibits centered around regal former residents like Queen Victoria and monarch couple William and Mary, who first acquired the property.
The Kensington Palace Gardens outside doesn’t require a ticket to access the sunken floral display and greenery-covered walking tunnels.
Exhibition Road Museums
Just a couple of blocks from Hyde Park, a few complimentary museums sit along Exhibition Road in South Kensington.
The Victoria and Albert Museum features an art and design theme, with photography, ceramics, decor, textile and fashion displays. Free tours center around topics like performance art or the Renaissance.
At the interactive Natural History Museum, you can examine dinosaur and whale bones as well as geology exhibits and a Mars rock. Outdoors, a Wildlife Garden features native fauna and flora.
The Science Museum is all about invention, engineering, technology and space in a hands-on environment that caters to families. Tickets are required for extras like an IMAX theater and a flight simulator.
Tips for Seeing London in 2 Days
1. Maximize daytime hours. Many attractions only open from 9 or 10 in the morning to 5 or 6 in the afternoon, so save anything available beyond those hours for the evening (e.g. shopping, sit-down meals, shows and entertainment).
Some museums in the city stay open as late as 9 or 10 p.m. weekly or monthly, so check the hours to see if you can squeeze in an extra visit. (Ex. British Museum and National Gallery every Friday, Natural History Museum and V&A monthly Fridays, Science Museum monthly Wednesdays).
Westminster Abbey opens late on Wednesdays from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at a discounted price.
2. Eat quick meals. Especially for breakfast and lunch, don’t sit down for an hour-plus dining experience. Instead, look for counter service and food markets that get you in and out fast. Pret A Manger stores are everywhere and easy for grabbing a ready-made sandwich or wrap and crisps.
3. Book tickets ahead of time. If you already know which attractions you want to visit, book your tickets ahead to save time waiting in line the day of.
4. Get an Oyster card. Using public transit in London is the best way to get around the city and Oyster cards are your ticket to hop on board. You can buy the plastic cards from ticket machines at the airport and rail and underground stations, just make a £5 deposit and add however much you want to prepay on top. When you’re ready to ride the tube or bus, you can just tap your card to pay. At the end of your stay, stick the card back in a ticket machine to get your balance and deposit back.
6. Book a hotel near a tube station. Unless you want to splurge, you might not be able to afford a hotel with a palace or castle view. But that doesn’t mean you have to waste a lot of time traveling each day, either. Just search for accommodations that are close to a tube station so you can hop a ride toward your sightseeing zone each morning. This rail and tube map can help you plan out your routes ahead of time.
Best Places to Stay in London
What to Pack for London
At a minimum, your London packing list should include comfortable shoes, seasonal outfits and layers, a rain jacket or umbrella, and a day pack for sightseeing. I also recommend picking up a guidebook like the one linked on the picture below to delve further into London’s history and culture before your trip.
