We have spent 24 hours in London multiple times over the last 5 years on our way to Gatwick airport to go back to St Kitts after visiting family and friends.
Our first few visits we did all the touristy things, and we always try and watch a show whenever we go so this post is everything we have discovered about the best way to spend one day in London. This itinerary assumes you will be arriving in London in the morning but feel free to change it around to suit your timetable.
First depending on what time you arrive in London you will want to plan your meals, there are so many areas in London that planning where you will eat breakfast, lunch and dinner will save you heaps of precious time. I’ve added a couple of recommendations in but feel free to explore Trip Advisor.
Table of Contents
Is 24 hours in London enough?
If this is your first visit to London you will want to visit the main attractions in London, just be aware that 24 hours is certainly NOT enough time to see everything in London in a day. You will need to pick and choose what attractions and activities you want to see but I have included a few options so you can customise the itinerary according to what you enjoy doing.
24 hours in London itinerary
How to spend the perfect morning for one day in London
Breakfast in London
Start your day at 8am by grabbing breakfast at Regency Café in Westminster for a traditional full English breakfast no frills dining experience. It’s highly recommended on Trip Advisor as the “best breakfast in London”.
After breakfast choose your morning activity tour, the options I recommend are either Big Ben, Palace of Westminster or Westminster Abbey.
Once you have chosen your preferred activity you should aim to book your tour in advance.
If you choose the most expensive activities and the hop-on hop-off bus tour then you should definitely consider getting the London Pass for £84 per person, which includes access to all the top attractions in one ticket that you can download to your phone. Book your London Pass in advance here.
You will certainly have to time to admire the other landmarks from outside and take pictures but you won’t have enough time to do all 3 tours in 24 hours in London (unless that is all you want to do for the day).
Big Ben
The most iconic clock tower in the world (probably). The name Big Ben actually refers to the largest of the 5 bells inside the tower but has been adopted at the name of the building as whole which is formally known as Elizabeth Tower after the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The Great Clock is known for its accuracy and illuminated clock face. You can choose to admire the building from outside or take a guided tour which takes approximately 90 minutes and costs £30 for adults.
UK residents can request a free tour of Big Ben from their local MP.
Palace of Westminster
Also known as the Houses of Parliament, if history and politics are your thing then this is the tour you won’t want to miss. You can have a fully guided tour which costs £33 for adults or a self-guided audio tour which costs £25 and can also include a free child ticket. Both take approximately 90 mins.
Westminster Abbey
This beautiful landmark is the wedding and funeral venue for British Royalty and has been the venue for every royal coronation since 1066 and I think it’s well worth a visit. If I had to choose a tour this would be my first option. It costs £29 for adults and you should aim to spend around 90-120 minutes exploring.
Westminster Abbeys opens at 9:30am daily and you should aim to get here in the morning before the crowds to fully enjoy the experience.
Book your entrance ticket with audio tour here to beat the line.
Buckingham Palace
Have you even been to London if you haven’t been to Buckingham Palace? I think not! One of the best things to do in London in one day and not to be missed is a visit to watch the changing of the guards: see the schedule here.
The iconic changing of the guards ceremony usually takes place at 11am and you should arrive early to get a good spot, the changing of the guard’s ceremony lasts for approximately 45 minutes.
You don’t need a ticket to watch the changing of the guards but some walking tours and tour packages include this as part of a wider Westminster Abbey tour.
London Eye
Next head on over to the London eye for spectacular views over the city and the River Thames. The full experience only takes 30 minutes so it’s perfect to squeeze in before lunch.
Afternoon itinerary for a day in London
Lunch spots in London
I would take around 45 minutes to have lunch in Borough market which you can get to easily on the hop-on hop-off bus on the way from the London Eye to our first stop of the afternoon.
Borough Market is the oldest market in London and has market stalls selling fresh produce and everything from spices to cheese and fish to vegetables. It also has a great selection of food stalls so you can grab a bite on the go or find a spot in the seating area and do some people watching.
Tower Bridge
The iconic Tower Bridge is one of the most famous landmarks in the UK and tourists often mistake it for London Bridge, which is far less impressive and slightly further along the River Thames. When visiting Tower Bridge you should allow 60-90minutes to explore the towers, the engine rooms and learn the history of the Victorian suspension bridge mechanics. If you are lucky you may see the bridge in operation. Check the timetable here.
You will not want to miss the glass bottom walkway between the two towers especially if a boat is passing through, it was a highlight for us on one of our recent trips. Make sure to stop at the top of the towers so you can enjoy uninterrupted views of the city including London Bridge and the HMS Belfast.
Next up you will want to choose your afternoon activity option from either Tower of London, British Museum or Covent Garden.
Tower of London
The Tower of London is really close to Tower Bridge so less travelling between activities. Inside you can see the crown jewels including the imperial state crown which was most recently used during the coronation of King Charles III in May 2023.
Explore the dark history of the tower and it’s many uses over the years from a royal prison and execution site to an observatory and part of the royal mint.
It costs £33.60 for adults to visit and it is recommended to spend around 3 hours to see everything inside.
Book your tickets here to get a free one hour guided tour with one of the Beefeater guards.
British museum
Alternatively, you will want to get on the hop-on hop-off bus and make the trip across to the British Museum which is free to visit but it is recommended to pre-book a ticket for your chosen date and time to avoid disappointment at busy times. The British museum is huge, and it is recommended to spend between 3-4 hours exploring the exhibitions.
Covent Garden
If you’d rather stretch your legs a bit, then spend a few of hours wandering Covent Garden. In this area of London, you can discover the market, find the colourful and instagrammable Neals Yard, grab a drink at Rules which is the oldest restaurant in London, have a picture with iconic row of K2 red telephone boxes on Broad Court or shop till you drop at any of the boutique shops in the area. I’d recommend spending between 2-3 hours to wander and explore.
Trafalgar Square
Pop on over to Trafalgar Square and spend 30 minutes admiring the architecture of the buildings surrounding the square and the statues and fountains contained within it. Nelson’s Column is the standout feature of Trafalgar Square built to commemorate the death of Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
Fun Fact: Lord Nelson spent a lot of time in St Kitts and Nevis, where we lived for 5 years, and even married a local woman there!
The towering column is flanked by 4 bronze lions and the centre of the square features two impressive fountains with statues of their own and four other statues around the edge of the square. There is also the quirky attraction that is London’s smallest police station.
24 hours in London: Best evening activities
Dinner in London
If you are making dinner reservations you will want to book an early sitting and aim to spend around 90 minutes eating. For a luxury dining experience then book a table at Clos Maggiore and get the pre-theatre menu for £39.50 for 3 courses and a glass of prosecco or if you really want to splash out choose from the a la Carte menu.
Alternatively, if you want to have a quicker meal or something more budget friendly you are sure to find plenty of delicious food in nearby China Town.
Be cautious of the start time for your chosen show if you are planning a fancy dinner as most shows start between 7-8pm.
Also, most restaurants won’t be open for food after shows finish because last orders are usually around 9:30pm. If you don’t manage to make it for dinner before the show however there will be ample options for take aways, fast food and maybe even late pub food.
Watch a show
One of our absolute favourite things to do in London is watch a show in the West End. The atmosphere and the excitement of going to the theatre is something we have missed living in St Kitts for the last 5 years.
Some of my personal recommendations for shows to watch in the west end are: Back to the Future, Mamma Mia, Dirty Dancing and Hamilton. I’ve seen all of these in the last few years, and they are all equally fantastic.
Of course, there’s plenty of shows to choose from and I would recommend booking in advance where possible to get the best prices.
Back to the hotel to sleep
If your 24 hours in London includes an overnight stay then we recommend staying in a central location near to a tube station for ease of transportation.
- Budget hotel recommendation: Travel Lodge King’s Cross Road from £56/night. Book your stay here.
- Mid-range hotel recommendation Strand Palace Hotel from £200/night. Book your stay here.
- Luxury hotel recommendation 41 Hotel from £364/night. Book your stay here.
For a Unique Romantic Break in London book a stay onboard the Sunborn Luxury Yacht. from £154/night. Book your stay here.
If you are continuing your journey without staying overnight then you will want to make your way to Kings Cross or St Pancras train station and get a train out of the city either to the airport or to explore more of the UK. Book your train tickets here.
Getting around in London in one day
Usually the best way to get around London is the underground tube system, however I am going to suggest for your 24 hours in London that you pay a little more to enjoy the hop-on hop-off bus.
Hop-on Hop-off Bus
The hop-on hop-off bus serves 2 purposes, it gives you a guided tour of London and allows you to be transported to the most famous places in London easily while enjoying views of the city. There are 3 routes you can take and for this whistle-stop tour of London I suggest the red route as it stops next to most of the famous attractions in London.
If you want to stay on the bus for the full tour allow around 2 hours 30 mins for this otherwise, I recommend getting on and off at your chosen activities.
Tickets cost £37 and are valid from 9.30am-6pm.
Book your hop-on hop-off bus tour here.
London Underground
If you do want to take the underground be prepared for quite a lot of walking between stations and attractions and make sure you check the underground website for any closures or disruptions to travel. Also be aware of the closing times of tube stations at night if you are planning to stay out late.
Underground travel costs £15.20 for a day ticket or you can use the pay as you go method where you use a contactless payment device to tap in and out of each station. This is capped at £9.60 per day so if you are on a budget this would be the better transport option for a day in London. The day pass can also be used on many London buses.
How much does it cost to spend 24 hours in London?
Here is a breakdown of the cost of this exact itinerary including the cheapest and most expensive options for activities.
- Breakfast= £6.95
- Morning activities= £29-£32
- Hop-on hop-off bus= £37
- Lunch= £5-15 (depending on where you go)
- Afternoon activities= £0-£33.60
- Dinner= £20-£39.50
- Evening show= £50 (average ticket price)
- Additional transport= £9.60
- Overnight hotel= £70-£400
Total cost of 24 hours in London per person= £190-£624
The total cost for one day in London will vary depending on food, transport and hotel choices. If you are not staying overnight and you choose budget friendly meal options, this could easily be reduced to less than £100.
Of course, there is so much more to do and see than on this one day in London itinerary and if you have longer than a day you will want to see some other famous attractions. Whatever you choose to do in 24 hours in London you are sure to have a wonderful time exploring and enjoying everything this amazing city has to offer.
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