THE ULTIMATE LONDON WALKING TOUR: SEE EVERYTHING IN ONE DAY

The best way to explore and experience a new destination is by walking, and London is no exception. Although the city is huge, most of its famous landmarks are within a walking distance from each other. If you ever wondered if you can see Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and Tower Bridge in one walk, the answer is –  absolutely!

Read more >>> BEST FREE THINGS TO DO IN LONDON

If you’re in London for a day trip this walking guide is going to be perfect for you, and if you have several days in the UK’s biggest city, feel free to add additional stops to this already very packed walking tour!

This blog post is going to cover the main landmarks you must see, what you can do or see at each of them, and how long it would take to get from one landmark to another. If that interests you, this article is exactly what you need, so keep reading!

LONDON WALKING TOUR

London is really walkable and I truly think the best way to explore it is by walking through it. Mind you, this particular walking tour is not easy. We spent 3 days in London and hiked over 60 kilometers, so we don’t take walking lightly!

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This tour consists of four and a half hours of walking without stopping, and we have some museums on the list, which require an additional hour or two.

However, if you make a break for lunch and dinner to relax and give your feet a bit of a break, your one-day walking tour shouldn’t be too hard on you. Of course, if you’re not able to walk for that duration of time, feel free to drop some things off this list!

START: YOUR HOTEL (POINT A KENSINGTON OLYMPIA HOTEL)

The starting point of this walking tour is the hotel we stayed at – Point a Kensington Olympia Hotel, and if you’re staying somewhere else feel free to adapt this walking tour to yourself. Discover the closest landmark to you and start from there!

This walking tour has 15 stops which you cannot miss if you come to London, so let’s get going!

Read more >>> THE ULTIMATE 4-DAY LONDON ITINERARY

1. NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

FROM POINT A KENSINGTON OLYMPIA HOTEL TO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM – 20 minutes

If there’s one museum you cannot miss in London, it’s the Natural History Museum. The Museum, situated in Kensington on Cromwell Road, was founded in 1881 and today it’s one of the most well-known museums in the whole world.

Natural History Museum is home to many different fields of science like zoology, paleontology, botany, and many more. It will be especially interesting for children as the Museum has many dinosaur-related exhibitions.

Read more >>> THE BEST FREE LONDON MUSEUMS

The entrance is free. If you book a time slot on their website you can enter at that specific time, but if you have time you can just come at queue in order to enter. The last time we did not book a time slot and we had to wait around 20 minutes to enter.

2. HYDE PARK

FROM NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM TO HYDE PARK – 10 minutes

Hyde Park is a green oasis you must visit. As one of eight Royal Parks in London, Hyde Park is very well-loved by the locals, as well as tourists. The Park is perfect for anyone who wants to unwind away from the concrete jungle of London, and it offers various activities such as running tracks, horse riding, tennis, playgrounds for kids, as well as cafes. The royal park is so big you’ll need an hour just to walk from one side to the other, but it’s absolutely worth it.

Hyde Park is especially famous for its Speaker’s corner – an event which happens every Sunday morning where anyone can take a stand and speak of their own views and beliefs, without anyone being allowed to stop them.

3. BUCKINGHAM PALACE

FROM HYDE PARK TO BUCKINGHAM PALACE – 15 minutes

Only 15 minutes away from Hyde Park is the King’s main residence. The massive building created in 1703 is one of the biggest landmarks in London, and it always draws in many tourists. Make sure to take a look if the flag is flying on the flag pole because that means the King is at home!

At certain times during summer, you can even enter the Palace and see a few rooms in which the King spends his time and entertains guests. The Palace consists of 775 rooms, but only 17 are open for visits.

One especially famous part of the Palace is the Royal balcony. Whenever there is a special occasion within the Royal family, their gatherings are held on the balcony from which they can be observed by their citizens. The most famous occasions were the weddings of Prince Willam and Kate Middleton, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

4. BIG BEN

FROM BUCKINGHAM PALACE TO BIG BEN – 15 minutes

Big Ben is a major symbol of London, and for many people, it’s the number one sight they wish to see when coming to London. A couple of minutes away from the Palace, you can find Big Ben. The tower is newly renovated and it looks stunning!

5. LONDON EYE

FROM BIG BEN TO LONDON EYE – 10 minutes

Only 10 minutes away from Big Ben is the most famous Ferris Wheel in the world – London Eye! The magnificent, 135 meters tall wheel gets around 3.5 million visitors every year, isn’t that amazing?

Although the Eye can take up to 800 people per ride, it’s still a real challenge to snatch a ticket for this 30-minute ride. If you feel like spending 25-30 pounds for this ride – feel free, but also keep reading this post for a place with an amazing view that is completely free!

6. SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE

LONDON EYE TO SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE – 20 minutes

If you ever wondered where the incredible William Shakespeare came from, you can find out right here! Shakespeare and his men built a theatre right there on the banks of river Thames over 400 years ago.

The real theatre, unfortunately, got destroyed in a fire, but in 1997 the City of London built a very similar replica only a couple of meters off its original place.

Today, it’s called Shakespeare’s Globe. If you’re a Shakespeare fan, make sure to check out Shakespeare’s Globe as it is a theatre and an education center.

7. MILLENNIUM BRIDGE

FROM SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE TO MILLENNIUM BRIDGE – 2 minutes

Immediately next to Shakespeare’s Globe, you can find the famous pedestrian bridge in London – Millennium Bridge.

Fun fact, the steel suspension bridge got the nickname Wobbly Bridge from the Londoners, as the first time it got opened, it swayed as the people were crossing it. They closed it down and it took them another 2 years to open it again.

Today, it’s perfectly stable and one of the most popular bridges in London. The Millennium Bridge also gives you a wonderful view of St. Paul’s Cathedral which you have to see!

8. TOWER BRIDGE

FROM MILLENNIUM BRIDGE TO TOWER BRIDGE – 23 minutes

This next location is my absolute favorite, and that’s Tower Bridge. This bridge is truly one of a kind. With its towers and the magnificent pop of blue, the old landmark will leave you speechless!

The bridge isn’t only a beautiful tourist attraction but also one of the most important traffic routes for both vehicles and pedestrians of London. If you’re interested, you can even enter the towers and see The Tower Bridge Exhibition, although this one is not free and you must pay a fee of 10.60 GBP!

9. THE TOWER OF LONDON

FROM TOWER BRIDGE TO TOWER OF LONDON – 6 minutes

The Tower of London is another one of the Queen’s residences and it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old castle can be found in central London, right next to Tower Bridge. The fortress was built in 1078 and at one point in history, it was a prison as well.

The Tower of London has many roles, one of them being the home to Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom – a collection of royal ceremonial objects owned by many different Kings and Queens from the past. The entrance fee for adults is 30 pounds and I would definitely recommend visiting!

10. SKY GARDEN

FROM TOWER OF LONDON TO SKY GARDEN – 9 minutes

One of the more modern and newer London attractions is Sky Garden – a jungle on the 35th floor of a London skyscraper. The Sky Garden is spread over three floors – 35th, 36th, and 37th, and it includes three bars and two restaurants.

 

The most important part of Sky Garden is the incredible viewpoint from which you can see Tower Bridge, Tower of London, The Shard, and many more iconic London landmarks.

Admission to Sky Garden is free, but you have to book a time slot online to be able to enter. Similarly, you need to book a table for the bars and restaurants, which are also quite expensive.

11. ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL

FROM SKY GARDEN TO ST. PAUL’S – 15 minutes

St. Paul’s Cathedral is one of the most impressive churches you will ever see, along with a few Italian ones. At one point, St. Paul’s Cathedral was one of the highest buildings in London, but that was a long time ago. The Cathedral’s dome is still one of the highest in the world.

The church is extremely important for England and its citizens, as it was used for many important events such as the funerals of  Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher, the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, as well as for many of the Queen’s significant birthdays.

Near the church, there is a shopping center with a free open terrace which offers incredible views of the St. Paul’s dome and you can take amazing pictures of it!

12. COVENT GARDEN

FROM ST. PAUL’S TO COVENT GARDEN – 25 minutes

If you’re wondering where to go to experience culture and have some really tasty meals, Covent Garden is the right place for you. The famous Covent Garden is a place with loads to do, the most iconic place being the Apple Market. The Market offers various goods – from unique handmade products to handbags and food. 

Another place in Covent Garden you must visit is Neal’s Yard. Not only is it one of the most beautiful streets in London, but you can also get almost anything there – coffee, brunch, or skincare, it doesn’t matter!

13. TRAFALGAR SQUARE

FROM COVENT GARDEN TO TRAFALGAR SQUARE – 7 minutes

Trafalgar is one of the most well-known squares in London. Although Trafalgar Square is not the most popular landmark in London, it’s still worthy of your time. The iconic Nelson Column with the four lions situated in the center of the square always draws the attention of the tourists.

Trafalgar Square is also home to the National Gallery, which is like most of London’s Museums, completely free!

14. PICCADILLY CIRCUS

FROM TRAFALGAR SQUARE TO PICCADILLY CIRCUS – 17 minutes

Trafalgar’s spot of the most popular square was stolen by Piccadilly Circus. Piccadilly is often seen as London’s version of New York’s Times Square, mainly for its bright and colorful displays mounted on the buildings.

Piccadilly Circus is incredibly lively at any point of the day, but especially during the night. The square and the nearby streets are home to various cinemas, theaters, restaurants, and pubs.

15. VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM

FROM PICCADILLY CIRCUS TO V&A MUSEUM – 40 minutes (including the walk back through Hyde Park)

If you’re a fan of art and design, you can’t miss Victoria and Albert Museum. The museum hosts more than 2.3 MILLION objects ranging from painting, sculptures, ceramics to architecture, jewelry, and more. The admission is free, but like for the Natural History Museum, you must book your ticket at a particular time of the day to be able to enter.

I hope you got inspired to spice up your London trip with this walking tour, and if you want to come back to this post pin it for later!