How do you travel London on a short time period and on a budget? Known for its famous sites, both historical and modern; its pub scene; and its museums covering a wide expanse of world history, London is a common travel destination that challenges the traveler to see it all. We spent our first day walking across most of London seeing the sights. We did not spend a lot of money viewing many places from the outside, finding free attractions, and asking about student discounts everywhere that we went.
1) Tower Bridge
London has a lot of bridges spread throughout the city. The Tower Bridge is distinct with its location on the River Thames and its Gothic style architecture. From the bridge, you can view the nearby Tower of London and the city skyline.
2) Tower of London
Within the streets of London, there lies this castle and World Heritage Site. Free tours by the iconic Yeoman Warders. You cannot miss the sizeable ravens that “guard” the tour. You used to be able to touch the Crown Jewels until some lady tried to rip them apart. Now, among the other glorified gold objects like a salt shaker you pass on a moving walkway, the Crown Jewels are behind a glass case and you cannot take pictures.
Tower of London Website: https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/#gs.9piq0b
3) St. Paul’s Cathedral
After walking along the riverside past cute shops and restaurants, we walked back into the city to St. Paul’s Cathedral. This is a functioning church that dates back to 1675, completed in 1710, with architecture by Sir Christopher Wren. Tours are available for 20 pounds and under to see this beautiful cathedral with high domed ceilings and many famous people buried throughout the church and in the crypts. All visitors are able to walk up various levels to get an incredible view of not only the church but also the city. Read more about one of my favorite views of the city here.
St. Paul's Website: https://www.stpauls.co.uk/
4) London Eye
After stopping for a snack break, we headed over to the London Eye. This was about a 30 minute walk that you could opt to take the Metro system instead. One of the best parts of the London Eye was being to able to see how much of the city that we already walked. We were there at the perfect time when the sun was setting. Read more about this moving view of the city here.
London Eye Website: https://www.londoneye.com/
5) Big Ben/Westminster Abbey
Unfortunately, Big Ben was under construction during our visit. It was only a 10 minute walk over the Westminster Bridge to get to this iconic area. Big Ben, Parliament, and Westminster Abbey. The Abbey is used for worship, a burial site, and ceremonies, including coronation. Tours are available to the public for 21 pounds for adults, 18 for students and seniors, and 9 pounds for kids between 6 and 16 years. My family attended a service as a free and involved option.
Big Ben Website: https://www.parliament.uk/bigben
Westminster Abbey Website: https://www.westminster-abbey.org/
6) Trafalgar Square
Up the street, you pass by a memorial to the women of World War II and 10 Downing Street, which is where the Prime Minister resides. The street curves until you hit Trafalgar Square, which is a commemoration of a British naval victory over France and Spain called the Battle of Trafalgar. The National Gallery is a part of the square as well as several nations’ embassies.
7) Buckingham Palace
As you can tell, we were quite tired by the time we walked to Buckingham Palace. However, you can see the famous changing of the guard at 11 AM most days. Be sure to get there early, if you want to be able to see. Check the changing of the guard schedule here. Whenever you visit, be sure to check out what flag is being flown. The Royal Standard flag means that the Queen is present. If you want to see another Royal Residence and have time, check out Windsor Castle. This is the castle that British kings and queens have called home for 1,000 plus years. It is a more private space, including places like St. George’s Chapel where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were recently married.
Buckingham Palace Website: https://www.royal.uk/search?tags%5B0%5D=Buckingham%20Palace
Windsor Castle Website: https://www.rct.uk/visit/windsorcastle
8) Piccadilly’s Circus
Called the Times Square of London, Piccadilly’s Circus is always lit up and bustling. It houses the theater district of London in the West End area. The word circus actually refers to the Latin for circle, which makes sense since the area surrounds the Shaftesbury Memorial wiht shops, shows, and lit up screens.
9) British Museum
This well-known museum filled with artifacts from all over the world is free and open daily from 10:00 AM-5:30 PM. The museum's collection boasts the Rosetta Stone, Easter Island Statue, and the Holy Thorn Reliquary. It is important to note that the museum has faced controversy about how it has acquired some of its collection through looting, particularly in the colonial era. You can read more about this controversy and concern, especially with the Elgin marbles from the Parthenon, items from the colonization in Australia where thousands of aboriginal people died, and the Benin bronzes where the British destroyed the city here. While it is important to be conscious of the history and the implications, the collection is quite impressive and showcases a variety of important artifacts. We were running low on time on this part of the tour. We took the 1 hour highlights tour, which was the perfect fit for our group.
British Museum Website: https://www.britishmuseum.org/
10) Platform 9 ¾
A very touristy destination for the Harry Potter fanatic. This free attraction is located within the King’s Cross station. There tends to be a line, but they will allow you to take photos on your phone. Besides pushing the trolley with your house scarf on, you can look in their overpriced merchandise shop that contains anything that the superfan may need.
11) Pubs
Be sure to check out some of the local cuisine at a pub. Read about London food recommendations here!
Tired just reading this list? We came straight off of our plane at 8 AM local time and toured all day long. London has a lot to see, so find what draws your attention the most. You never know, London may come calling again.
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