What if you only have one day off in London? Many tourists still prefer to explore London as part of an excursion. But what if you prefer to explore the city on your own? From where to start? And if it is enough 1 day to see all the iconic places of London?

One day tour in London

Start your London one-day tour from Westminster Abbey, the closest tube station to which is Westminster.

Westminster Abbey is one of the most iconic landmarks in England, where most of England’s kings and queens have been crowned. The Abbey opens at 9:30 in the morning – the perfect time to look around before the flow of tourist crowds.

The Houses of Parliament & Big Ben is another national symbol, just a 5-minute walk from the Westminster Abbey. The official name of the famous Big Ben clock Tower is Elizabeth Tower. Enjoy the grandeur of the neo-Gothic building and continue down Whitehall Street to adjacent Downing Street.

Downing Street 10 is the official residence of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. There is a guard at the gate, so you cannot approach the front door, so just look from afar and continue to walk along Whitehall Street until its very end until Trafalgar Square appears.

Trafalgar Square. The most famous square in all of Britain, with a 44 m high Nelson’s Column in the middle and, of course, the National Gallery – the pride of the Kingdom, which has a rich collection of more than 2,000 works of art from the 13th to 20th centuries.

Take a look at the National Gallery a little later, and now continue walking through the Admiralty Arch and further along the Mall to the residence of the British monarchs – Buckingham Palace.

Buckingham Palace. When Queen Elizabeth II is in the palace, the royal flag flies over its roof. Buckingham Palace is the residence of British monarchs in London. Today Elizabeth II lives and works there. The palace is guarded by guardsmen – their bright red outfits are visible from afar.

St. James’s Park is to the left of Buckingham Palace. This is London’s oldest and most elegant park will take you back to Trafalgar Square, where you finally can take a look at the National Gallery.

National Gallery. The entrance here is free, at the entrance, you can rent for a while or buy a museum card in any language.

Continue north along Charing Cross Road and then turn left towards Leicester Square.

Leicester Square. In the evening, Leicester Square is perhaps the busiest square in London, because is a kind of center of London show business. Here at the box office, you can buy a ticket with a tempting discount (often at half price) to one of today’s evening performances.

Covent Garden is a popular shopping destination, where you can also dine in one of the many cafes, restaurants, or English pubs. Stop for a minute to watch the fun street performance in the square and move on.

If you’re not tired, walk 2 km past the famous Savoy Hotel and further along the north bank of the River Thames, called the Embankment, to the majestic St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Then take the metro: on the blue Picadilly line, from Covent Garden station, you need to take one stop to Holborn station, then change to the red Central line and go 2 more stations to St. Paul’s.

St. Paul’s Cathedral. The residence of the Bishop of London and simply the world-famous cathedral is located at the highest point of London, so, after overcoming 300 steps, climb to the observation deck to enjoy a beautiful view of the city.

Millennium Bridge and Tate Modern are located to the south of St. Paul’s Cathedral and further, along the futuristic Millennium footbridge, built in honor of the onset of the third millennium, continue walking to the southern side of the River Thames, called the South Bank.

If you love contemporary art, and, most importantly, time is running out, you can go to the Tate Modern gallery. Admission is free, just like the National Gallery, except for certain exhibitions, for which fees may apply.

To the left of the Tate Modern gallery is a striking reconstruction of Shakespeare’s Globe Theater.

Then walk along the south bank of the Thames, enjoying the views, pass by the London Bridge and the skyscraper The Shard built in 2012 – the tallest building in London and the second largest in Europe. There is an observation deck on the top floor of the skyscraper.

Tower Bridge and Tower of London. Cross the most picturesque Tower Bridge, which is also a symbol of London, and then go to the Tower of London.

The Tower of London, built already in 1078, carries a rich history. It was a fortress, a palace, a prison, and even a zoo, and now it is one of the main attractions of Great Britain and its most important museum.

Performance in one of the theaters in London. Depending on which theater you bought your tickets for the evening, from the closest tube station to the Tower of London – Tower Hill, go to the station where your theater is located. Shows generally start at 19:30 – 19:45, so you still have time to grab a bite before the show and a pint of real English ale.