London has reinvented itself across two millennia—from Roman Londinium to a medieval trading powerhouse, from the Great Fire to the Blitz, and now a global city. Its streets layer royal pageantry with street art, Georgian squares with glassy skyscrapers, and parks that feel like countryside. You’ll wander from Westminster’s Gothic spires to canals that once carried Victorian industry.

Fun fact: more than 300 languages are spoken in London, and eight Royal Parks stitch green ribbons through the city. Highlights like the Tower of London, British Museum, and the South Bank pair perfectly with markets in Notting Hill, Broadway Market in Hackney, and the vibrant lanes of Soho. By night, sample historic pubs, fringe theatres, and late-open museums.

Practical notes for 2025: most national museums are free; tap a contactless card or Oyster on the Tube and buses to enjoy daily/weekly fare caps; pack layers for fast-changing weather. London cuisine spans budget-friendly curries in Whitechapel, sourdough pizza, and excellent vegetarian options citywide—plus Britain’s classics from fish and chips to Sunday roast.

London

Getting there & around. Fly into Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, or Luton. For long-haul or multi-city flights, compare on Trip.com or Kiwi.com. For European trains and flights, use Omio (flights) and Omio (trains).

Airport to city: Elizabeth line from Heathrow to central London ~30 min (~£13–£15 peak), Piccadilly line ~50 min (~£5–£6 off-peak), Gatwick to London Bridge/Victoria 30–40 min (~£11–£21), Stansted Express 45–50 min (~£20–£25). In-town, buses and the Tube cap your fares—stay contactless for best value.

Where to stay (budget-first, with options). Browse broad deals on VRBO London and Hotels.com London. Budget favorites: YHA London Central (clean dorms/private rooms, near Oxford Circus) and YHA London St Pancras (across from the British Library). Value hotels: Point A Hotel London Kings Cross – St Pancras (compact, modern), Premier Inn London County Hall (big rooms beside the London Eye), and Novotel London Tower Bridge (great for Tower/City sights). Treat nights: Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London or the storied Savoy.

Days 1–4: Royal Westminster, South Bank, and an Epic Orientation Walk

Start where London’s story is writ largest: the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and the royal processional routes to Buckingham Palace. If the Changing of the Guard is on (usually late morning, alternate days in winter, most days in summer), arrive 45–60 minutes early for a view at The Mall or the Victoria Memorial.

Cross the Thames to the South Bank for street performers, book stalls under Waterloo Bridge, and views of St Paul’s. Continue to Borough Market for sensory overload: grilled cheese at Kappacasein, doughnuts at Bread Ahead, Ethiopian veggie plates, or paella to go.

• Do (guided, budget-conscious): London 30 Top Sights with Fun Local Guide — one ambitious day to map the city, ideal early in your trip.

  

• Free hits: National Gallery (Renaissance to Impressionism), Trafalgar Square, the pedestrian Golden Jubilee Bridges, and the riverside walk past the Oxo Tower to Tate Modern.
• Secret view: One New Change rooftop terrace opposite St Paul’s (free) at sunset.

• Coffee & breakfast: Monmouth Coffee (Covent Garden), Prufrock Coffee (latte-art pros), Regency Cafe (art deco, hearty fry-ups).
• Lunch: Borough Market picks (Kappacasein, Padella for fresh pasta—expect a queue), Franco Manca (sourdough pizza under £10–£12).
• Dinner: Dishoom (bacon naan at breakfast; black daal at night), Flat Iron (affordable steak; grab the free salted caramel soft-serve), Barrafina (Spanish tapas—stand and share a few plates).
• Pubs: The Harp (real ale near Covent Garden), The Blackfriar (Edwardian gem with mosaics), Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese (rebuilt after the Great Fire, low-ceilinged and atmospheric).

Days 5–8: The City, Tower of London, Thames by Boat, and Maritime Greenwich

Step into 1,000 years of intrigue at the Tower of London: Norman might, royal prisoners, and the Crown Jewels gleaming like starlight. Pair it with Tower Bridge’s glass-floor walkways and a ramble through St Katharine Docks, a peaceful marina ringed with cafes.

Then go nautical: cruise the Thames to Greenwich to explore the Cutty Sark, the Royal Observatory, and the Prime Meridian. Greenwich Park’s hill offers one of London’s grandest panoramas.

• Must-see: Tower of London and Crown Jewels Exhibition Ticket — go early; look for a Yeoman Warder talk for gripping tales.

  

• On the water: Westminster to Greenwich Sightseeing Thames Cruise — entertaining live commentary and city-to-maritime time travel in one ride.

  

• Bites by the Tower: Emilia’s Crafted Pasta (silky ribbons, fair prices), Bravas Tapas (shareable plates in St Katharine Docks), The Liberty Bounds (cask ales, City views).
• Greenwich eats: Greenwich Market (global street food), Heap’s Sausages (house-made bangers in a bun), Goddards at Greenwich (classic pie, mash, and liquor).
• Sweet stop: Bread & Truffle at Greenwich Market for pistachio tiramisu or Sicilian cannoli.

Days 9–12: Museum Mile, Kensington Gardens, Notting Hill, and Market Hopping

Dedicate time to South Kensington’s free trio: the V&A (decorative arts and design), Natural History Museum (dinosaurs to gemstones), and the Science Museum (interactive galleries—great on rainy days). Catch fresh air in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens; look for the Peter Pan statue and the Italian Gardens.

Head west to Notting Hill for candy-colored terraces, the Saturday bustle of Portobello Road Market, and cinema with velvet armchairs at the Electric. Holland Park’s Kyoto Garden is a tranquil detour when the crowds swell.

• Breakfast & coffee: Kaffeine (Aussie-style coffee), WatchHouse (South Bank or Marylebone branches), Farm Girl (Notting Hill—healthy bowls and pancakes).
• Lunch: Ceru South Kensington (Levantine small plates), Honest Burgers (beef or plant-based; rosemary chips), Ottolenghi Notting Hill (vibrant salads and pastries).
• Dinner: Gold Notting Hill (wood-fired plates to share), The Churchill Arms (Thai food in a Victorian pub smothered in flowers), The Ledbury for a celebratory splurge if budget allows.
• Evening idea: West End day seats/lotteries for shows—arrive early or try same-day offers for value.

Days 13–16: East London Adventure—Shoreditch Street Art, Brick Lane, and Canal Walks

Trace creativity in Shoreditch: murals off Redchurch Street, the Old Truman Brewery’s pop-ups, and the curry houses of Brick Lane. On Sundays, Columbia Road Flower Market perfumes the Victorian terraces, while Broadway Market hums with coffee carts and small-batch bakers on Saturdays.

Walk the Regent’s Canal from Haggerston to Victoria Park, or continue to Hackney Wick’s graffiti-daubed warehouses and craft breweries. By night, join a spine-tingling walk through Victorian true crime in Whitechapel.

• After dark: The Original Jack the Ripper: Guided Tour — atmospheric, historical, and properly eerie in the old East End lanes.

  

• Street art DIY: Hunt for works by Ben Eine and Stik; explore Leake Street’s legal graffiti tunnel under Waterloo later in the week.

• Coffee: Ozone Coffee Roasters (roastery brunch), Climpson & Sons (Broadway Market icon), Origin Coffee (Shoreditch roaster).
• Lunch: Beigel Bake (salt beef bagel 24/7), Padella Shoreditch (cacio e pepe, under £15), Tayer + Elementary’s kitchen pop-ups for inventive bites.
• Dinner: Tayyabs (Punjabi grills—book or go early), Mangal 2 (modern Turkish), E Pellicci (classic East End cafe—go for the fry-up or lasagna).
• Pints with history: The Ten Bells (Spitalfields), The Princess Louise (Victorian gin palace in Holborn), The Old Blue Last (Shoreditch music pub).

Days 17–19: North London Greens—Camden, Primrose Hill, Hampstead Heath

Navigate Camden’s market maze and then stroll the Regent’s Canal to Little Venice—barges, weeping willows, and a gentler pace. Climb Primrose Hill for a skyline sweep that locals swear is the best free view in the city.

In Hampstead, trade lanes for leafy paths: the Heath’s wild swimming ponds (seasonal), Kenwood House art, and the fairytale arches of the Hampstead Hill Garden & Pergola. Highgate Cemetery’s guided tours reveal Victorian funerary art and notable residents.

• Brunch & coffee: The Coffee Jar (Camden), Sunday (Islington—worth the queue), Gail’s (reliable sourdough and bakes).
• Lunch: Camden Market’s KERB-style stalls (bao, Venezuelan arepas, Korean corn dogs), The Cheese Bar (British cheese toasties and boards).
• Dinner: Poppies Fish & Chips (retro diner vibe), Roti King (Malaysian roti canai—short Tube to Euston), Honey & Co (Middle Eastern comfort food).
• Pubs: The Spaniards Inn (400-year-old coaching inn by the Heath), The Southampton Arms (cider and ale specialists).

Days 20–22: Day Trips, Final Finds, and Farewell Views

Use these last days to chase a coastal breeze or collegiate spires. Trains via Omio (trains) make day trips straightforward: London to Brighton ~1h (£15–£30 advance), to Oxford ~1h (£20–£35), to Cambridge 50–70 min (£20–£35), to Windsor 30–50 min via Slough (~£12–£20). For buses (often cheaper, slower), check Omio (buses).

• Brighton: Wander the Lanes, the pebbly beach, and the Royal Pavilion’s exotic domes. Grab fish and chips and watch the sunset from the Palace Pier.
• Oxford or Cambridge: Collegiate quads, river punting, and honey-stone lanes. Pack a picnic from a local market and punt under willows.
• Windsor: Castle views and a Thames path amble to Eton’s red-brick college.

Back in London, seal the trip with two classics: a free-ticketed slot at Sky Garden (book ahead) or a paid spin on the riverside wheel. For a gentle finale, take afternoon tea on the Thames or catch a golden-hour boat west.

• Views and river treats: If you prefer a paid, relaxed cruise with scones and sandwiches, consider the Afternoon Tea River Cruise on the Thames (optional indulgence).

Bonus: Budget + Transport Hacks

• Fares: Tap the same contactless card/phone for all rides to trigger daily/weekly caps—no need to buy paper Travelcards.
• Free culture: British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern/Tate Britain, Wallace Collection, Sir John Soane’s Museum, Imperial War Museum, Museum of London Docklands.
• Markets by day: Saturday Broadway Market (coffee and pastries), Saturday Portobello (antiques to street food), Sunday Columbia Road (flowers), weekend Maltby Street Ropewalk (artisan eats).
• 2-for-1 deals: If you arrive with National Rail paper tickets, look for “2-for-1” attraction offers around town.
• Walks with wow: Thames Path (Battersea to Tower), Regent’s Canal (Little Venice to Camden), Richmond Park (wild deer, easy trails).

Optional London Activities (great fits for this itinerary)

• Tower of London and Crown Jewels Exhibition Ticket

  

• The Original Jack the Ripper: Guided Tour

  

• Westminster to Greenwich Sightseeing Thames Cruise

  

• London 30 Top Sights with Fun Local Guide

  

Final travel note: If you’re connecting to/from Europe before or after London, compare fares and times on Omio (trains) and Omio (flights), or use Trip.com / Kiwi.com for long-haul options.

This 22-day London itinerary blends royal icons with backstreet surprises, canal ambles with crowd-pleasing markets, and free world-class museums with affordable eats. With savvy transport tips and budget-friendly stays, you’ll see far more than the postcards—at your pace, with just the right dash of adventure.