It should not have taken us this long to visit London!

Visiting London was always on the list but it kept getting pushed farther and farther down the list. We decided to break up the flight from Seattle to Cairo and London was the main layover that was offered. So we booked a three night stay and after a vacation that didn’t have as much walking around the city as we had thought, we ended up being in heaven. This is the perfect city to do a walking tour, even with its sporadic rainy weather. We decided to do it self guided and we had an absolute blast. 2 days of course is never enough, but here is our itinerary of must see highlights during a walking tour of London.

Where should you stay in London?

Let’s start with where you will want to stay if seeing as much as possible in a short amount of time is the goal. There are so many options and so many posts and articles about each area in London. In the end it doesn’t really specifically help you because they are all great. I opt to give you one location and for very specific reasons. I would stay in Covent Gardens for three reasons. 1. Easy access to and from the airport by the Underground tube. 2. It’s proximity to all the major attractions in London. 3. The amount of restaurants, bars, coffee shops and theaters within easy walking distance. After our stay, I am so happy that we stayed in Covent Gardens. It was the best home base we could have asked for during our time in London and I would stay in the area the next time we are in London!

If you are only in London for 1 night I suggest the Sofitel Heathrow Hotel which is connected to Terminal 5. You don’t even have to leave the airport to get to it and it was a very nice hotel. Other than the convenience and then the ease to get to city center and back, it was SO quiet. You couldn’t hear a single airplane overhead, which made for a great nights sleep! * If you arrive in Terminal 2 or 3, there is a free train to Terminal 5. London Heathrow Airport can be a doozy to get through. Make sure to read our tips and tricks below to making it as easy as possible.

Day 1 itinerary to Explore London!

Our first day in London had us visiting some of the biggest attractions in London!

Westminster

We arrived the weekend before Easter and so when we got to Westminster Abbey, they were already preparing it for Easter service. Rumor had it that the King was to attend and so extra work was being done to prepare it so you couldn’t get a great picture, nor could you go inside.

Big Ben

Close by is Big Ben. Cross the bridge that was in the movie Sprectre and you will have the best view of one of the most beautiful buildings in London!

The Eye

The Eye. Europes tallest observation ferris wheel and London’s most popular paid tourist attraction. You can find out more about pricing and when it is open HERE.

Hungerford Bridge and the Golden Jubilee Bridges

Walking over any of the amazing bridges is fun. Yes, it’s just a bridge, but I love when there are pedestrian only bridges! You will want to cross here to start heading towards The Tower of London. This will be a decent walk but you can do most of it along the water and then some of it takes you past old and new buildings.

The Tower Bridge

The observation area is right next to The Tower of London. It doesn’t look like it from right here, but it was SO busy. Wait in line to see it and then take a picture. Keep watching to see the bridge lift or sign up early and take a tour.

The Tower of London

We didn’t get here in time for a tour but I would have LOVED to. I have always been intrigued by the history here and then after watching the tv show The Tudors, I became more interested in The Tower of London and its significance. It seems amazing that it is still here today with the modern city growing around it. You can walk around the entire grounds and even see where there would have been secret entrances by boat.

Covent Garden Market

Then on your way back to the Covent Garden area, stop at the market to watch any one of the many street artists, grab a bite to eat and shop a little.

Day 2 itinerary to Explore London!

National Portrait Gallery

We didn’t end up going to the Gallery, but we walked by and wished we did. It is a beautiful building and it has FREE admission! There are a few exhibitions that might have a fee, but at large it is free! We would have loved to compare it to the portrait gallery we went to in D.C.

Sculptures and Architecture

In between the many attractions make sure to just take in the architecture and sculptures all over the city.

St. James Park

As you past the National Portrait Gallery and the sculpture of Oscar Wilde, you come to St. James Park. If you are a runner or biker, this part of the day will make you very happy! St. James Park is a royal park and was used as a deer park for Henry VIII. This didn’t make it in The Tudors. This royal park takes you right to Buckingham Palace.

*Tip, the Underground Tube has a St. James Park stop, just in case you want to rest your legs getting from area to area.

Buckingham Palace

You will reach Buckingham Palace after a short distance. The Royal Standard flag is flown if the king is there. If you see Union Jack, then he isn’t there. Of course, if he is there, there is more security. We were not so lucky but lucky enough that it wasn’t crowded. Get there early if you want a view without a lot of people. The monument for Queen Victoria close by is very popular as well.

Hyde Park

After you get your picture of Buckingham Palace, continue on and past the palace and you will come to Hyde Park. The largest of the royal parks at 350 acres of green it was established by King Henry VIII. In 1689 King William III had a road laid for his use only from Kensington Palace. It is believed that this road is the first lit road at night. Horse riders use it today.

It would have been a fun run along the grounds. Expect it to be busy as locals and tourists both enjoy this amazing park. I loved all the birds. I am not much of a birder, but when there are babies and swans, I get pulled in. There are a few places to get a drink or snack but bathrooms are few and far between within the park.

Food in London

You will work up an appetite, no doubt. When you are back in Covent Garden, here were a couple of our favorite places!

Pilgrims pizza

All I can say is WOW. We randomly tried this place because it had a queue (love that they use that). We rarely stand in line but thought it meant something good. We LOVED their Neapolitan style pizza. Extra pepperoni with hot honey! I didn’t realize I liked hot honey until this pizza and now I am pretty much obsessed. I think I am late the the party. P.s we may have gone here twice! Oh, and they have mocktails!

Clos Maggiore

Kevin found this during his search for a more fine dining experience. Then someone we met on the river cruise mentioned that they went here as well so we decided to make a reservation. It was right around the corner from our hotel. We loved the decor and the food was impeccable. The service was amazing as well. If you want a table cloth experience with a creative menu and thoughtfully curated wine list, then this is your place. It won’t break the bank either as they have 2 and 3 course lunch tasting menus. I absolutely loved their dining room!

Leicester Square

Step out of your hotel or the train station and the streets are lined with noodle shops, Thai restaurants and sushi restaurants. After a long travel morning we randomly walked into a ramen shop and were so happy.

This city has something for everyone. EVERYONE. There is a pub on every block, along with a coffee shop and market. You can’t go hungry or thirsty.

Getting around London & to and from Heathrow Airport

We learned very quickly that it was very easy to get from London Heathrow Terminal 5 (or 2 and 3) to city center, or in our case Covent Gardens. Follow the signs to the Underground. Once you get to the ticket kiosks, there is always someone to help. We had a different agenda but when we asked the attendant he pointed us in the fastest, easiest and cheapest way. No train transfers. It was so nice not having to think about how to get to our hotel after so much travel. From Terminal 5 directly to Leicester Square. Or whichever stop is closest to your hotel as there are a few options in Covent Garden. Then on your way back, you get off on Hatton Cross to get to Terminal 5. To get to Terminal 2 and 3, or 4 you stay on the train. As mentioned above there is a free train from Terminal 5 to Terminal 2 and 3. You must get a ticket, but they are free. Make sure to keep your ticket until you exit the train as you will need it to get out.

A city with some of the best transportation it can feel very very busy if you are traveling during rush hour. Otherwise, train, bus, taxi or uber are all very available and make it easy if you cannot do as much walking. Or if you need just a little help getting back to the hotel.

The Best Tips to Getting Through Heathrow Airport

You will want to follow some general rules to getting through Heathrow Airport without stress. Here is what we learned going through Heathrow airport multiple times.

1. Have all your liquids in a clear plastic bag, ready to pull out at a moments notice. They are serious about this and will pull you aside to have you put them all in a plastic bag before you even get to the security line to get to screening.
2. There are two security lines that you have to get through. The first security line is just identification to make sure you are flying. Make sure you are there with plenty of time. It might be a given, but they will not let you through security if you arrive 30 minutes or less before your flight. We actually say quite a few people getting turned away to go rebook their flights.
3. Depending on the day before you get to the first security line they will ask you where you are flying. Domestic and short flights will get pulled aside to check bags. You will only be allowed to walk through with one carry on. They will check your bag during the busiest possible moment and not let you through if you don’t. So have your bags organized. This is even if you know your flight is not full. They will not let you through security without checking your bag. It happens when they get the call that the flights are full.
4. The second security is the normal security where you have to remove everything from your bag, and you do. Computers, electronics, liquids. You have to take off your shoes, belts, jackets and even your watch. We always travel with shoes that can slip on or off easily and leave a pouch on the outside of our carry on empty to quickly put in the small items that have to go through.
5. Once you get through security, your gate might not even be announced yet. You have to get there so early just to get through security to sit and wait for your gate to be announced. They conveniently put a cafe right there for people and a large sitting area. You can also find a lounge if you have a pass to any of the numerous lounges available. About an hour before your flight the gate will be announced if it hasn’t already. You will have plenty of time to get there.

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