London is a city of layers—Roman origins, medieval fortresses, palaces and parliaments, and contemporary neighborhoods buzzing with art, food, and fashion. From Big Ben to Brick Lane, each district carries its own accent, flavors, and stories. Six days let you savor royal heritage, riverside scenery, and modern culture at a comfortable pace.

Expect blockbuster sights—the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral—alongside free world-class museums, leafy parks, and markets piled high with cheese, curries, and sourdough. London’s food scene spans Sri Lankan hoppers, Spanish tapas, and British classics like fish and chips and the Sunday roast.

Practical notes: ride the Tube and buses using contactless or an Oyster card; zones 1–2 daily cap is roughly £8–10. Heathrow to central London takes ~50–60 minutes by Tube; Gatwick is ~30 minutes by express train. Book popular restaurants and West End shows in advance, and carry a brolly—sun and drizzle often share the same hour.

London

Few cities reward curiosity like London. Trace kings and queens in Westminster, befriend Beefeaters at the Tower, and follow the Thames to theaters, bridges, and skyline viewpoints. Then graze your way through markets, bakeries, and neighborhood pubs that locals adore.

• Essential sights: Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Changing of the Guard, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Tower of London, St Paul’s, Tate Modern, National Gallery.
• Neighborhoods to wander: South Bank for river walks, Covent Garden for pre-theatre dining, Notting Hill’s pastel terraces, Shoreditch for street art and indie coffee, Greenwich for maritime history.
• Eat & drink highlights: Borough Market’s cheese toasties (Kappacasein), Sri Lankan at Hoppers, Spanish at Barrafina, hand-rolled pasta at Padella, pre-theatre plates at Bancone, old-school pints at The Harp and Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese.
• Fun facts: “Big Ben” is the bell, not the clock; ravens are royal residents at the Tower; London’s museums are often free—perfect for drizzle days.

Getting there and around

• Flights (Europe): Compare fares and routes with Omio flights. Typical short-hauls: Paris–London ~1h15 nonstop; Rome–London ~2h40.
• Flights (non‑Europe): Search long-haul options on Trip.com.
• Trains in Europe: Eurostar to St Pancras (Paris–London ~2h20; Brussels–London ~2h). Check times and prices on Omio trains. Buses and ferries are also on Omio buses and Omio ferries.
• Airport transfers: Heathrow–central by Tube Piccadilly Line (~£6; 50–60 min); Gatwick Express to Victoria (~30 min; ~£20); taxis are ~£60–100 depending on traffic.

Where to stay

• Search all stays: Hotels.com: London | VRBO: London apartments
• Classic luxury: The Savoy (Art Deco elegance, storied American Bar) or Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London (pool, spa, postcard views of Big Ben). Alternate link for Park Plaza: Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London.
• Great midrange: Novotel London Tower Bridge (steps from the Tower) or Premier Inn London County Hall (on the South Bank, ideal for first-timers).
• Excellent value: Point A Hotel London Kings Cross – St Pancras (easy Eurostar access) or YHA London Central (clean, social, near Oxford Circus). For budget near St Pancras: YHA London St Pancras.

Day 1: Arrival, South Bank Stroll, and River Views

Afternoon: Arrive, check in, and shake off jet lag with a flat walk along the South Bank. Start near Westminster Bridge for views of Big Ben and the London Eye, then amble past the National Theatre and Shakespeare’s Globe toward Tate Modern.

Evening: Dinner near London Bridge. Try Padella (hand-rolled pici cacio e pepe; expect a queue but fast-moving), Flat Iron London Bridge (great-value steaks and creamed spinach), or Wright Brothers Borough Market’s sibling venues for oysters and fish. For a classic riverside pint, the wood-paneled Anchor Bankside is a local favorite with terrace views.

Night: Time your return walk for golden hour—the skyline from Millennium Bridge is magic. If you want a gentle orientation, consider a hop-on river view tomorrow; tonight, sleep early to sync your body clock.

Day 2: Royal Westminster, Pageantry, and Soho Dining

Morning: Join a guided royal walk to decode London’s most storied square mile. Book Guided Tour of London Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Buckingham for priority access and context on Britain’s coronations and intrigues.

Afternoon: St James’s Park is your green interlude—pelicans, flowerbeds, and postcard palace views. For lunch, The Cinnamon Club serves refined Indian dishes in a former Victorian library; for casual counter-service, The Laughing Halibut does crisp, no-nonsense fish and chips. If you love wartime history, the Churchill War Rooms are a riveting, well-curated time capsule (allow 90–120 minutes).

Evening: Soho for dinner and drinks. Reserve at Kiln (Thai grill; smoky clay-pot glass noodles with pork and brown crab), Barrafina (no-res tapas: tortilla and gambas al ajillo), or Hoppers (lacey hoppers with black pork curry and sambols). Cocktails at Swift (elite martinis) or a playful nightcap at subterranean, 1940s-themed Cahoots.

Day 3: Tower of London, Borough Market, St Paul’s, and the West End

Morning: Go deep on crowns, corgis, and conspiracies with the Tower of London: Guided Tour with Thames River Cruise. You’ll meet Yeoman Warders, see the Crown Jewels, and cruise the Thames for a storyteller’s view of the city.

Afternoon: Lunch at Borough Market: Kappacasein (legendary toasted cheese sandwich), Arabica (Middle Eastern mezze and lamb kofta), or Mei Mei (Singaporean chicken rice and kaya toast). Walk the Millennium Bridge to St Paul’s; climb the dome for sweeping city views, then drift to Tate Modern for modern art and Turbine Hall installations.

Evening: Pre-theatre dinner in Covent Garden: Dishoom (black daal and roomali roti), Bancone (silk handkerchief pasta with walnut butter), or Frenchie (duck leg confit, polished service). Catch a West End classic or a buzzy new musical, then toast at The Lamb & Flag (a Dickens-era pub) or, for a splurge, the American Bar at The Savoy.

Day 4: Notting Hill Morning and Harry Potter Afternoon

Morning: Wander Notting Hill’s pastel terraces. If it’s Friday or Saturday, dip into Portobello Road’s antiques and produce stalls. Brunch at Farm Girl (Aussie-style bowls and pancakes) or grab excellent coffee at Kuro or Cable Co. Browse bookshops and mews lanes before your studio departure.

Afternoon–Evening: Dive behind the scenes of the wizarding world with the Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour with Transport from London. Sets, props, the Great Hall, and Butterbeer—transport is included, so it’s low-fuss.

Dinner back in town: Marylebone has cozy choices—Fischer’s (Viennese schnitzel and strudel), the Coach Makers Arms (smart pub with seasonal British plates), or Homeslice for shareable 20-inch pizzas. For dessert, Chin Chin ice cream’s torched marshmallow hot chocolate is decadent.

Day 5: Full-Day Countryside Escape — Stonehenge, Windsor, Bath

Trade city streets for rolling hills and royal castles on this excellent full-day out: Stonehenge, Windsor Castle and Bath with Pub Lunch in Lacock. You’ll explore Windsor’s State Apartments and St George’s Chapel (subject to royal events), puzzle over Stonehenge’s prehistoric engineering, pause for a traditional pub lunch in Lacock’s film-set-pretty village, then admire Georgian crescents and Roman Baths in UNESCO-listed Bath. It’s a long, rewarding day that covers a lot of English history without you having to juggle logistics.

Day 6: East London Markets, Street Art, and Farewell

Morning: Choose your market based on the day. Sunday: Columbia Road Flower Market for blooms and buskers, then coffee at Ozone in Shoreditch. Saturday: Broadway Market (London Fields) for pastries from E5 Bakehouse and small-batch roasters. Weekday: Old Spitalfields Market for design stalls, plus Brick Lane’s bagels (salt beef at Beigel Bake) and Shoreditch street art murals.

Afternoon (departure day): If time allows, ascend to Sky Garden (free, timed entry) for a last panorama of the City, or walk across Tower Bridge and tour its high-level walkways. Grab a quick lunch near your hotel—Pret for a speedy baguette, or St JOHN Bread & Wine (Spitalfields) for Welsh rarebit—then head to your airport or rail station.

Optional additions if you have extra time: British Museum (Rosetta Stone), Victoria & Albert Museum (design and fashion), National Gallery (Turner, Van Gogh), Greenwich by boat for the Prime Meridian and the Cutty Sark, or a Thames dinner cruise for illuminated landmarks at night.

Alternate/Bonus Viator Picks (if you want to swap a day)

• Westminster to Greenwich Sightseeing Thames Cruise for a relaxed river morning.
• Big Bus London Hop-On Hop-Off Tour if you prefer flexible, narrated sightseeing.

Dining short list by vibe

• Breakfast/coffee: Monmouth Coffee (filter purists), Kaffeine (Aussie-leaning espresso), Prufrock (barista training HQ), Bread Ahead (doughnuts).
• Casual gems: Padella (pasta), Bancone (pasta), Bao (Taiwanese buns), Flat Iron (steaks), Gunpowder (Indian small plates near Tower Bridge).
• Smart nights: Brat (wood fire, whole turbot), The Palomar (modern Jerusalem plates), The Wolseley (grand café; ideal for afternoon tea).
• Pubs worth a pint: The Harp (real ale near Trafalgar Square), The Churchill Arms (Thai food and floral façade), Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese (rebuilt after the Great Fire).

With royal pageantry, riverside rambles, storied pubs, and a countryside day trip, this six-day London itinerary balances icons and discoveries. You’ll depart with photos of palaces and skyline bridges—and a list of places to return to on your next visit.