How to see the most of London in 3 days? – don’t go to sleep! I’m just kidding of course but this is absolutely possible if you have a very precise schedule. So we made it up for you – me and the London guru – Miss Bebe Elle (@missbebeelle), who in my opinion knows all the best places in London because she has been there more times that you can count!
It’s pretty clear that London has a lot to offer and you’ll need more than 3 days to visit all the landmarks and go to all the famous restaurants and bars, but we’ve selected for you the very best – in order to experience the London’s spirit and fall in love with it for good!
If you’re a London first-timer go straight ahead to The London Eye – the symbol of the city. If you don’t have enough time, skip the ride – just admire the view from the river Thames footpath. Take some pictures and continue walking towards Big Ben. There are some renovations going on there now but anyway it’s one of the most famous landmarks in the city and even in the world, so it’s a must!
Next is Tower Bridge – another super popular site, always on river Thames!
Covent Garden – an old market in London, nowadays turned into an art space – there’s always some art installation – for example this year there was an incredible ice skate ring of Tiffany&Co – it was magical and completely free! You can find some nice restaurants and of course a lot of shops! We recommend Closs Maggiore and Petersham Nurseries. Don’t miss taking some pictures of the lovely decorations of The Ivy restaurant!
China town is situated nearby Covent Garden, so it’s a good idea to visit them both in one day! When you see the huge Chinese gate on the entrance, you will have the feeling that you’re actually in China! There are also many nice traditional restaurants, so if you’re a fan of the Chinese cuisine, you should definitely try some!
Another must visit is Harrods! The building itself is gorgeous, especially at night and there’s no need to tell you that it’s one of the best shopping destinations in London! There’s even a whole floor where you can buy teddy bear souvenirs! How cute is that? Also, you can find a great spot for Afternoon tea (a must when you’re in London)!
If you want to have some pink latte or to taste the most pinkish-instagramable-cakes-ever – the famous Elan café is right across the street! Wanna know the best part? There’s a huge pink unicorn inside and you can take a picture of yourself sitting on it!!!
Another super instagramable place is The Knot Churros in Chelsea! The simplest churros are made to look like a super fancy meal. It’s also very delicious. I recommend the Candy floss Latte – thank me later!
New Bond street – the shopping heaven! A lot of luxurious high-end brands to choose from and there’s also a huge Victoria’s secret store where you are left speechless and you just can’t go out empty-handed! The windows of the shops are spectacular, believe me! Especially during the Christmas period!
Another great shopping destination is The Selfridges. Also you can find there some great restaurants, one of them is Aubaine – a very instagramable place, offering nice food and usually there’s a very small queue in front – you’ll be seated in no time!
Regent street – in my opinion – the prettiest Christmas decorations in the city! Those huge sparkling angels were incredible! Also there are many great shops there (for example the pop-up shop of L’Occitane x Elan café )
We had the chance to be there just before Christmas so we had the opportunity to enjoy all of the incredible decorations! They are out of this world! We decided to spend some more time shopping for presents but if this is not your case you can visit the Natural History Museum – incredible building and the entrance is free! You’ll be amazed, we guarantee!
Kew gardens – a bit far away from the city center but it’s worth it! There is situated the oldest and largest Victorian greenhouse!
If you wonder where to have a dinner and you haven’t booked a table anywhere, some of The Ivy restaurants are a good choice! The most famous one is in Chelsea, where they even make private events with celebrities sometimes! Its facade is always perfectly decorated! This time we had dinner at The Ivy Victoria – the ambiance is really nice and they have the most gorgeous powder room ever!
Don’t miss the legendary Saint Paul’s Cathedral. Every Mary Poppins fan have heard of it – it’s one of London’ symbols! There are many red phone boots all around which makes it very picturesque! Another great idea for perfect shot is the near shopping center – there’s a great view of the Cathedral between the buildings!
Quick DOs and DONTs
- It’s more expensive but use the underground to travel around. The cute red buses are often stuck in huge trffic jams and you don’t want to waste time travelling!
- If you don’t have much time – skip the Madame Tussot museum. It’s not such a big deal and it’s very crowded. But if you have your children with you, then go – they probably will enjoy it a lot!
- Hyde park is a nice place for a walk but in spring/summer time only! Otherwise if you are not a fan of typical English gardens just skip it! There’s not much to see…
- If you intend to travel a lot – buy an Oyster card for the public transport. The other option is daily pass – the price is around 13£ but it depends of the zone you choose.
- Pick a hotel near an underground station, it saves a lot of time!
- Use a train to get to the airport on your way back – it happens very often that the buses are delayed or don’t show up at all even if you bought a ticket in advance!!! We had a very unpleasant experience waiting the National express bus at Paddington station, it was 20 min late!