What to See in London in 4 Days
The four places in the world I hear questions about most often as far as what to see and do there are the subjects of four blog posts that felt the most daunting for me to write; Paris, London, Rome and New York. There’s SO MUCH to cover in each of these cities! In this post I’m going to go over London as best I can. I haven’t seen and done EVERYTHING this city has to offer. But based on what I HAVE seen and experienced, these are my recommendations for what to see in London in 4 days.
Houses of Parliament
The bell tower that houses Big Ben is quite possibly the most well known icon in all of London. But the building which this bell tower is a part of is called the Houses of Parliament and it’s the highest legislative authority in the UK. I haven’t done it myself (though it’s on my list) but you can take a tour of Parliament if you’d like an inside look.
Westminster Abbey
Visit this well known and historical church located right across from the Houses of Parliament. It’s where Queen Elizabeth was married, William and Kate were married, Diana’s funeral was held, and notable figures such as Isaac Newton and Charles Dickens are buried.
Tower of London
Check out this royal palace and fortress known for its former use as a prison and for housing the crown jewels. (You’re not allowed to take pictures of the crown jewls but they’re definitely a sight to see!)
Tower Bridge
Take a little stroll across the most iconic bridge in London (which is not to be confused with the London Bridge.) 😉 *You learn quite a bit about Tower Bridge at the Tower of London.*
British Museum
This museum is an absolute MUST when you visit London. It’s where you’ll find the Rosetta Stone, Elgin Marbles, Egyptian mummies, artifacts from Mesopotamia, and the list goes on! It’s also worth noting that entrance into the museum is FREE.
St. Paul’s Cathedral
This is another well known and historical church you should definitely visit. It’s where Winston Churchill’s funeral was held, Diana and Charles were married, and the church Julie Andrews is singing about as Mary Poppins during “Feed The Birds.” “Early each day to the steps of Saint Paul’s, the little old bird woman comes…” Ring a bell? 😉
Tate Modern
If you enjoy modern art then Tate Modern is the (FREE) museum for you. Be sure to check out the art by Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol while you’re there.
Buckingham Palace
Swing by the queen’s residence while you’re in town! I’d recommend planning your visit around a changing of the guard ceremony so you can see that while you’re there as well.
Hyde Park
Go for a stroll through this beautiful and well known park in London. You may recognize parts of it from various movie scenes.
Kensington Palace
Take in the views of this royal residence located right on the edge of Hyde Park. Princess Diana lived here (you may recall seeing piles of flowers in front of these gates when she passed away) and it’s where William and Harry were raised.
Trafalgar Square
Check out this iconic public square. You may recognize the lion statues situated around the space.
British Library
Stop for a look at this beautiful library and the free little museum inside. It’s where you’ll find artifacts such as the Magna Carta, Shakespeare’s first Folio, and the desk where Jane Austen wrote her books!
West End Performance
You know I couldn’t NOT recommend seeing a show in the West End… 😄 It’s the Broadway of London and you HAVE to experience it!
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre
See a performance and/or take a tour of this famous theatre! The original Globe Theatre of Shakespeare’s time was unfortunately burned down. But I can attest to the fact that this rebuilt version of the Globe is magical.
Find tickets on the website or purchase them at the box office before the show. If the performance is sold out, about an hour before show time wait outside the box office in the designated area (they’ll tell you where to go) and see if any tickets become available from people who didn’t come to claim them. Note that tickets for the “Yard” at the Globe are standing room only. But they’re just £7! If you’re up for the experience of standing for a few hours to watch a Shakespeare play at the Globe Theatre like the “groundlings” (those not of nobility) did in Shakespeare’s time, I *highly* recommend it!
Lastly, make sure to swing by the location where the original Globe Theatre stood. It’s marked with a plaque and you can find it at Anchor Terrace, 125 Park St, London SE1 9EW, United Kingdom.
Bourough Market
Come hungry to this outdoor little market where you’ll find fresh grocery type items as well as local and international eats.
Harry Potter Sites
If you’re a Harry Potter fan then no trip to London is complete without a visit to some of the most magical places in the city! Check out my post London for Harry Potter Fans for details on all the Harry Potter related places to see here.
Bonuses:
Sherlock Holmes Museum
The address of Sherlock Holmes was turned into a museum! I’ve never been inside it myself, but I’ve swung by to see it from the outside a few times and I’d say it looks like a pretty cool place. 🙂
Free Walking Tour
My most favorite recommendation to make for popular European cities is to take the free walking tour through Sandeman’s New Europe. The way it works is that a guide takes a group of visitors on a tour of the city and at the end of the tour the visitors tip the guide based on how good they felt the tour was. It’s as easy as that!
The Sandeman’s website will tell you the time and place to meet your guide and also to look for the red umbrellas. (The guides hold up red umbrellas at the meeting point so you can’t miss them.) The website also says you can book the tour in advance but it’s really not necessary. If you show up at the meeting point without a booking they’ll still be happy to have you. 🙂 Sandeman’s offers numerous other (paid) tours and though I haven’t done ALL of them, the tours I HAVE done through the company have been fabulous. 🙂
Getting Around
All (or at least most) of Europe is SO easily accessible by public transportation and London is no exception. The Tube (train) and bus systems are easy to use and will get you to all of the places I’ve mentioned above.
And that’s all I’ve got! For those that have been to London how do you think I did? If there’s anything missing from this list of what to see in London in 4 Days (or if it was helpful for you on your trip) let me know! 😊
Safe travels everyone.
CE
