3 Days in London: The Ultimate Itinerary

Start at Westminster Bridge (exit Westminster Tube station). The view — Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, the Thames — is the one you came for. At 8:30 AM you will have it largely to yourself. Cross to the South Bank side and look back for the photograph everyone goes home with.

Walk south along Parliament Square to Westminster Abbey. Every British monarch since 1066 was crowned here. The exterior Gothic towers are best from the west entrance on Broad Sanctuary. If going inside (GBP 29), book online — the Abbey opens 9:30 AM Monday through Saturday. The Cloisters and College Garden are included and considerably quieter than the nave.

Walk through St James's Park towards Buckingham Palace. The view from the bridge over the lake looks back towards Westminster and forward towards Buckingham Palace simultaneously — it is one of the great London views and most people miss it. Arrive at Buckingham Palace by 10:45 AM if the Changing of the Guard is scheduled (11:00 AM most days — check online).

Take the Tube from Westminster or walk south via the Hungerford Bridge (scenic route) to Borough Market. London's oldest food market — established on this site since 1014 — is your Day 1 lunch. Try the grilled cheese toasties from Kappacasein, the steak sandwich from Roast, or graze freely. Budget GBP 12–18. Open Wednesday through Saturday at full capacity.

Walk west along the South Bank to the Tate Modern (free permanent collection). The Turbine Hall is spectacular even if you have zero interest in modern art. After 90 minutes, walk across the Millennium Bridge: when you emerge from the bridge, St Paul's Cathedral is directly ahead — this is the most photographed view in the City of London and it earns it.

Walk back west along the South Bank to the London Eye for an evening slot (GBP 34, book online). A 30-minute rotation gives you 360-degree views as London's lights come on. The evening slots are the most atmospheric. Prefer to save the money? Waterloo Bridge at sunset is London's best free view — looking east to St Paul's and west to Parliament simultaneously.

Book the first entry slot at Tower Hill Tube station. The Tower of London is 2,000 years of English history on one site: the Crown Jewels, the White Tower (built 1078), the Yeoman Warders, and the ravens. Allow 2–3 hours. The Crown Jewels queue moves fastest at opening time.

Cross Tower Bridge to the glass-floored walkway 42 metres above the Thames (GBP 12, separate ticket). The views upstream towards the City and downstream to Canary Wharf are extraordinary. Access includes the Victorian engine rooms below the bridge — don't skip them.

One Tube stop from Tower Hill (Circle/District line). Wren's cathedral is one of the great buildings in the world. Entry is GBP 21 (book online). Climb to the Whispering Gallery, Stone Gallery, and Golden Gallery (528 steps total) for a City panorama that rivals the Eye at a fraction of the cost. Or enjoy the extraordinary exterior and free crypt without paying entry.

Tube to Liverpool Street and walk east into Shoreditch — London's creative heartland. The streets around Shoreditch High Street, Great Eastern Street, and Redchurch Street are London's outdoor art gallery: large-scale murals, paste-ups, and works by internationally recognised artists. Brick Lane is the Bangladeshi corridor heading south: curry houses, vintage shops, and the 24-hour Beigel Bake (the salt beef bagel is GBP 4 and outstanding).

Shoreditch has some of London's best eating. Dishoom on Commercial Street for Bombay-inspired sharing plates. Bleecker Street Burger on Old Street for London's most discussed smash burger. Brat on Redchurch Street for wood-fire cooking. Or Boxpark Shoreditch for casual street food across a dozen kitchens. Drinks after: Callooh Callay on Rivington Street, Nightjar on City Road, or Satan's Whiskers on Cambridge Heath Road.

Notting Hill Gate Tube station. The full Portobello Road Market only runs on Saturdays (antiques, vintage, food, flowers, everything). Other days you get fruit and veg stalls and the permanent vintage shops that line the street. The market runs north from the station along Portobello Road — antiques at the south end, food stalls further north. The street itself, flanked by painted Victorian townhouses, is one of London's most photogenic.

Walk or Tube (Notting Hill Gate to South Kensington, one stop). Entry is free. The cathedral-like Romanesque building is extraordinary from the outside. Inside: a blue whale skeleton in the Central Hall, the dinosaur gallery, the Darwin Centre. Allow 1.5–2 hours. The V&A (Victoria and Albert Museum) is directly across the road: free, and the decorative arts and fashion collections are world-class.

Hyde Park connects directly to the Natural History Museum area. 350 acres of Royal Park — free to enter, free to wander. The Serpentine Gallery (modern art, free) sits on the boundary between Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. The Albert Memorial is a 10-minute walk into Kensington Gardens. The Lido Cafe on the Serpentine lake does good sandwiches and coffee if you want to eat in the park.

Tube from High Street Kensington (Circle line to King's Cross, then Northern line to Camden Town — about 25 minutes). Camden Market is an assault on the senses: street food from 40 countries, vintage clothing, record shops, and Victorian canalside warehouses. The Stables Market is the largest section and most worth exploring. Lock 17 has a good views over the canal. The Hawley Arms and the Roundhouse are nearby for a classic Camden pub experience.

Tube from Camden Town to Leicester Square (Northern line, 15 minutes). Soho is the best neighbourhood in London for an evening: Old Compton Street, Dean Street, and Frith Street all within 5 minutes of each other. Dinner options: Bocca di Lupo (Italian, noisy, excellent), J Sheekey (seafood, old-school London), or Xu (Taiwanese, brilliant). Drinks after: Bar Termini on Old Compton Street has the best Negroni in London, standing room only, cash preferred.