Are you planning a trip to London? Is it your first (or second) visit? In this post I share with you all my research with a 5 day London Itinerary. I had a blast, I hope you will too!
London, is the closest thing to New York City in Europe, and it is cleaner (not badmouthing my city, but let’s be real). The parallels extend beyond the language and go further into culture, walkability, etc. Besides almost killing myself as I cross the street a few times (which direction do I have to look at again before crossing?), there is so much to do, see and eat in London.
This blog post is a 5 day London Itinerary, so you don’t have to do the research. Just pack your bags and catch
your flight!
When to travel to London?
I am sure the weather gets even better during the high season months of June through August. Nothing wrong with traveling to London in May or September, in shoulder seasons, you could probably get away with spending less on your hotel stay and seeing less tourists. I visited in May and was lucky enough not to experience a drop of rain, though I needed a sweater or light jacket almost the entire time I was there.
How long to stay in London?
I searched this quite a bit before I booked my trip. The answer was 4-5 days. But I’m here to tell you that if this is your first trip to London, you probably need 6 days to truly enjoy what it has to offer. I stayed 5, but I would have liked not having jam packed days and being a little more relaxed.
Where to stay in London?
Consider staying in Bloomsbury, Soho, Mayfair, Covent Garden, or Holborn. These are the neighborhoods I recommend based on safety and proximity to activities in London. The hotel prices vary between neighborhoods, I prioritize cleanliness, safety and location whenever I travel and I look at reviews extensively online before I book.
Bloomsbury – Best neighborhood in my opinion. A beautiful area filled with townhouses, reminded me a bit of Boston. Filled with museums and universities. Not a big tourist trap. Prices are more reasonable.
Holborn – More central and adjacent to Bloomsbury. Beautiful happening neighborhood. Quite busy and a little noisier as you can imagine. Prices go a little up here.
Soho– A tourist heavy area, close to Chinatown. Lots of places to eat at whether it’s ice cream or dinner. Quite busy and noisy. Most theaters are located here. The district also has historic gay venues, if that is your cup of tea.
Mayfair – Affluent neighborhood, some of the most beautiful houses you will see. Adjacent to Soho, still very central. Great for shopping and good dinner spots.
Covent Garden – lots of tourists stay here. It is gorgeous everywhere you look, lots of options to eat, beautiful streets to walk on. Hotel prices are quite $$$. The famous Covent Garden Market is in the center, there is also quite a bit of live music and street performances.
Check out my graphics below so you can easily refer to the itinerary during your trip.
My 5-day London itinerary
Day 1
You’ve just arrived, you’re so jet lagged you need to nap a little or you’ve dropped your luggage in your hotel room and you’re good to go.
- First head to Portobello Market and enjoy the food and shopping. It says online that it is closed on Sundays – however some antique shops are open Sundays, plus all cafés and eateries.
- Then explore Notting Hill neighborhood: The beautiful pastel painted buildings, the Notting Hill Bookstore (obvi!), the thrift stores (Royal Trinity Hospice, Fara charity shop, Mary’s Living & Giving Shop For Save the Children, and the Oxfam Boutique), and other boutique stores in the neighborhood.
- Where to eat? E&O Pan Asian Restaurant, Sunday in Brooklyn (if you haven’t been to the one in Williamsburg), Gelateria 3Bis Portobello.
- Then head to Kensington Palace and Gardens.
- Where to eat? Akub restaurant, The Churchill Arms (unexpected Thai food in a historical location), The Ivy Kensington Brasserie (shepherd’s pie, fries & cocktails are a must here if you ask me), or CERU South Kensington.
- Then head to Westminster Abbey, the Big Ben and the London Eye.
- Go get some sleep, tomorrow’s a big day.
Day 2
- You make your way towards Bankside to go to the Tate Modern. Entrance is free, some of the exhibits have a fee. There is a box for collecting donations, 5 GBP recommended. There were 4 exhibits at the time, and I had seen them separately at different New York City Museums, so I skipped those.
- Make your way to the Borough Market with plenty of food options to choose from.
- Next, head to the London Bridge and walk by the river, make your way to Tower Bridge and cross it.
- Once on the other side, make your way to St Dunstan in the East Church Garden, a destroyed church now turned into garden. Beautiful and relaxing. Take a break.
- Next, head to the Sky Garden. You need timed tickets for this. Security check, brief elevator ride up and there it is – the view of the entire city. You can also make reservations for dinner there, if you do so, then you wouldn’t need timed tickets to step out in the balcony area to see the view.
- Walk over to One New Change mall, take the elevator to the roof terrace to enjoy views of St Paul’s Cathedral and a beautiful skyline. No timed tickets needed. You can stay here for drinks if you’re up for it, the place is called Madison.
- Then, you can walk over to St Paul’s Cathedral, if you wish to explore it up close.
- Recommended dinner plans in the more central part: Amazonico, Sexy Fish, Dishoom (there are a few of these in the city).
- Drinks on a rooftop: Coq D’argent, Savage Garden Rooftop Bar, Aviary, and Queen of Hoxton.
Day 3
- Columbia Road Flower Market.
- Walk down towards Old Spitalfields Market.
- Stop by Beigel Bake Brick Lane Bakery for a bite.
- Shop at vintage and thrift stores: Serotonin Vintage London, 194Local, and Atika.
- Walk on Brick Lane for some interesting graffiti.
- You can then take public transport and go to the Camden Market and the infamous Abbey Road. Or skip that as it might just be too many market visits.
- Finish off the day with some very special shopping at An elevated experience. Everything at Harrods is a little extra. Make sure to visit the basement floor for some Harrods goodies (skip tea shopping here).
- You might be able to squeeze in a little Boots haul here. There are plenty of Boots stores in the city, make sure you go to the one in Covent Garden. It has the largest variety of beauty and make up products.
- Walk through and eat in Soho and Chinatown on your way to the hotel, options: Dozo Soho, Berenjak Soho, Ceviche Soho, Tapas Brindisa.
- You can enjoy some drinks here: The Nest, Radio Rooftop or SUSHISAMBA.
Day 4
- National Gallery, timed tickets are recommended. This may change in the future. Entrance is also free as it is with all museums in London.
- Fortnum and Mason afternoon tea. You need reservations for this, make sure to book in advance (several weeks ahead). I highly suggest you skip breakfast on this day. They have refills on food and tea. It’s a lovely and quintessentially British experience. Skip hotels that offer afternoon tea, as they are upscale but not authentic. Dedicate some time for shopping afterwards, the tea selection is well worth the price.
- Walk through Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square.
- Make your way to Marble Arch and Hyde Park, take your book with you and just enjoy yourself.
- You might want to shop on Oxford Street and at Selfridges.
- Dinner options: 50 Kaló di Ciro Salvo Pizzeria, The Palomar, Santa Maria Pizzeria, Barrafina, Iberica, Din Tai Fung Covent Garden, or Masala Zone Piccadilly Circus.
- Drinks options: The Savoy, Be At One (all over London), many options to choose from along the South Bank.
Day 5
- Breakfast: Though a chain, Gail’s really was my favorite place to get scones. Especially the plain ones.
- Go to The British Museum, you can purchase your ticket online and make a donation if you want to, 5 GBP recommended.
- Walk around Covent Garden for some shopping at boutique and high-end stores with some beautiful greenery and gardens, if you already covered that area, you can head to Regent Street.
Other recommendations:
- Take a bus ride around town for some of the most scenic and beautiful parts of London on #11 or #24. Most of the buses have a USB charging port.
- At the beginning of your stay, take a walking tour of the city. It always helps build a connection and know your way around a little more.
- With a quick bus ride, you can go to the Primrose Hill or Parliament Hill for a beautiful view of London’s skyline.
- More Markets: Seven Dials Market for some indoor time, especially if the weather refuses to cooperate while you’re there.
- Endless list of museums to pick and choose from besides the ones I listed above: Victoria and Albert Museum, Natural History Museum, National Portrait Gallery, Science Museum, Design Museum, and Tate Britain.
- If you do have more time, you can also visit the Oxford campus or Cambridge. It is beautiful out there!
London is a beautiful city. Highly recommend you visit; you will not be disappointed. This 5 day London itinerary truly gave me a good feel for what London offers. If you have any questions or comments, please post them below.
As always, thank you for stopping by and reading.
See you next week,
Girl on the Upper East Side
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