This 2 day London itinerary is for the travellers who are short on time. It features the essential must-see sights of London and tips on how to get the most out of your limited time in the city.
London is not only one of the most popular travel destinations, it is a major transport hub for connecting flights throughout Europe. Travellers from outside Europe are probably going to find themselves in London at some point because the cheapest flights to the continent usually land in London.
While London is one of those cities you could spend weeks in without getting bored, you might only have a layover or a couple of days spare to explore the city before heading off to your actual destination. In that case, this is the post for you!
*Some of the links included in this post may be affiliate. I may receive a small commission from purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products and services that I 100% trust and believe in*
When to Visit
London is a great city to explore at any time of year. However, the busiest travel periods are during summer (June-August) and Christmas. If you are travelling during these times of year, make sure that you are pre-booking your flight and accommodation well in advance to get the best price.
How to Get There
I also like to use Google Flights to track flight prices over a couple months; they send you an email when the flight is the absolute cheapest it’s going to get!
Where to Stay
$ Hostel $
Onefam Notting Hill
63 Prince’s Square, London, England.
Honestly, London just doesn’t do hostels well. For the most part, they’re not much more than over-priced dungeons. I love Onefam Notting Hill because it is social and vibrant, with outdoor space to hang out, clean bathrooms and a variety of dorm room options. They run social events every single night. I love that it’s located near Hyde Park (love me a park) and Portobello Markets. It’s 7 minutes walk to Bayswater station, which is part of the Circle tube line. Check availability or see other options.
$$ Hotel $$
Kensington Gardens Hotel
9 Kensington Gardens Square, Westminster Borough, London, W2 4BH, United Kingdom.
This hotel is also located in the Notting Hill area, 5 minutes walk from Bayswater tube station. It has simple but clean furnishings and overlooks the gorgeous Kensington Square Gardens. This hotel is adults-only, perfect for a romantic weekend getaway. Check availability or see other options.
How to Get Cheap Accommodation
- Peak time to travel to York is in summer (June-August) and around Christmas. Accommodation is the most expensive during this time. To get the best deal, travel during the off season, when beds can be as low as £20 (as of May 2024). Off season includes January to early May, and September to early December.
- Book in advance, especially during the peak seasons.
- Booking via the official hostel website can sometimes (not always) get you a better deal than booking via third-party websites. However, third party websites do sometimes provide more flexibility for cancellation or changes.
How to Get Around
London is a HUGE city, spanning 1,500 square kilometres across 32 different boroughs. Lucky London has such a great public transport system: an underground train system, extensive bus services and taxis. Transport for London makes it easy to plan your journeys and figure out which service, station and ticket you need.
Using the taxi service is unnecessary and expensive, I would recommend only taking a taxi if you have a large group to split the cost, it is an emergency, or it is very late at night.
Read my blog post to learn how to use the London tube like a pro, including how to get to and from the airport for cheap!
Day 1: London Bus Tour
BigBus London tour
Play at Shakespeare’s Globe
On your first day of your 2 day London itinerary we are diving right into it, as there is no time to muck about. Make sure you get yourself a big English breakfast, because you’re going to need your energy!
A great way to see a lot of a city in a short amount of time is to make use of bus tours. London has a huge variety of tours available (just type ‘bus tour London’ into Google), but one of the most popular includes Big Bus London. They offer three different routes; the red route, the blue route and the green link. The red is the most popular.
Tickets start at £48, and if you’ve opted to get the London CityPass, then BigBus London is one of the attractions you can use it for.
The tours run from 8am to 6pm, and you can begin your tour from any stop that is closest to you. The route from start to end takes approximately 2.5 hours, not including the time you spend at each attraction. The tour provides you with a complimentary audio guide through earphones so you can get to know each sight you stop at. The tour also includes a river cruise along the Thames.
The London City Pass gives you up to 50% off sights and activities! If you want to visit several of the major sights in a short period of time, check if this Pass will save you some money.
Some of the highlights include:
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace is the home of King Charles II and every previous monarch for the past 300-ish years. Get a picture of this stately building from Victoria’s Monument, the statue in the middle of the square. If you’re here at 11am you can witness the changing of the guard; when the soldiers on duty in front of the palace are relieved of their post and replaced with the next shift of soldiers. The changing of the guard usually takes 45 minutes, starting from 10:45, but, be warned, it tends to get SUPER busy around the palace in preparation for it.
Hyde Park and Kensington Palace
Hyde Park is one of my favourite places on Earth.
Initially established as a hunting ground for King Henry IV, the huge 350 acre park has become an iconic place for Londoners to come hang out and exercise, especially in summer.
The park is HUGE, spanning 350 acres it is impossible to explore completely on foot.
I highly recommend renting a bike at the Santander Cycle stands found at several of the entrances. Santander Cycles provides both regular bicycles and e-bikes. To access them, you will need to download the Santander Cycles app.
Regular Push Bikes: £1.65 every 30 minutes.
E-bikes: £3.30 every 30 minutes.
Kensington Palace is the offical royal residence of the Duke and Duchess of Wales, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, The Duke and Duchess of Kent and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. It’s open to the public and tickets are £24.
The Best and Most Perfect 4 Day London Itinerary!
London Travel Essentials
SIM cards: Airalo offers eSIMS for over 200 countries which you can install BEFORE travelling, saving you the stress of running around to find a store or from being ripped off by local vendors. This is perfect for backpackers who are travelling to multiple destinations in a short period of time.
Insurance: You should NOT go overseas without getting travel insurance. Travel insurance protects you in case you get injured or your plans change or are cancelled. I always use Covermore, because the cover is comprehensive and they were easy to work with when I needed to make a claim.
Banking: When travelling and saving for travel I use Up Bank, an online Australian bank, that allows fee-free overseas transactions, unlimited savings ‘pools’ and easy transfers. If you join Up with my invite code we both get $13!
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey has been the location of royal coronations since 1066, the year of the Norman invasion and establishment of the monarchy as we know it. It houses memorials and tombs of great royals and famous people.
Ticket prices are currently £29 for adults but if you are on a budget, a great way to experience the atmosphere of the church is by attending prayer or evensong for free.
The Magic of the Harry Potter Studio Tour London
The National Gallery
The National Gallery contains over 2,300 works, with fan favourites including Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan Van Eyck, and Doge Leonardo Loredan by Giovanni Bellini.
Right next door to the National Gallery is the newly re-opened National Portrait Gallery. Their website says the gallery features over 220,000 portraits (!!) in a variety of styles and mediums.
Both galleries are FREE and definite must sees on your London itinerary.
How to Use The London Tube Like a PRO!
St Paul’s Cathedral
St Paul’s Cathedral is a national icon. Originally founded in AD604, the church has been renovated many times since then, most notably, after the Great Fire of London.
Fun Fact: In the Elizabethan Era, the central nave or corridor of the church was known as ‘Paul’s Walk’ because people would walk up and down in search of the latest news. Newspapers weren’t invented yet!
Even if you do not pay the fee (£25) to enter this great church, just admiring its exterior is breathtaking as is.
Avebury Stones: The UNDERRATED and FREE version of Stonehenge!
Tower of London
The Tower of London is one of London’s most iconic historical sites. Founded in 1066 by William the Conquer, the castle has served as a royal residence, treasury, and occasionally a prison.
I admit that the ticket price is a little hefty (£34.80 for adults) BUT if you’re into English history or you’re looking for an activity to fill up half a day, then visiting the Tower of London is a great option.
Even if you don’t want to enter the Tower of London, it is still worthwhile to walk around the area and absorb some of London’s atmosphere and history.
Not sure if it’s worth it? READ: The Tower of London: What to Expect and is it Worth it?
Oh, and make sure to squeeze lunch in here somewhere! Soho has tons of great little restaurants to choose from, and Soho Square Gardens is a great place to have a picnic if you’re on a budget.
Globe Theatre
Grab dinner in the London Bridge/Southbank area, because tonight, you’re seeing a Shakespeare play at the Globe Theatre. The Globe has regular performances with a range of ticket options, the cheapest being the standing ticket for £5!
Performances usually begin at 7:30pm and end around 10pm, with seated tickets starting at £25.
I saw A Midsummer Night’s Dream with a standing ticket, and yes your feet do get a bit tired, but I enjoyed it for the experience. I felt like I was a medieval peasant, spending my last penny to heckle the actors with the other groundlings!
After the performance I walked to the Blackfriars tube station to get back to my hostel. I didn’t feel unsafe as there were other performance goers around, but you could totally take a taxi instead.
How to Spend 2 Days in York + 2 Great Day Trip Ideas
Day 2: London Markets, Museums, and Mischief
Portobello Road Market
Shopping in Oxford Street OR relaxing in the Regents Gardens.
British Museum
Chinatown for dinner
Theatre show OR pub
Portobello Road Market
On the second and final day of your 2 day London itinerary, catch a bus or take the tube to Notting Hill Gate station via the central, circle or district lines. I hope you had a good night’s sleep last night because the second day of your 2 day London itinerary is jam-packed! You are spending this morning exploring the famous Portobello Road Markets! The market is open 8am to 7pm every day, and there are a variety of stalls selling food, bags, clothing, souvenirs, antiques, jewellery and pretty much anything else you’re looking for.
I will warn you; Portobello Road Market is a huge tourist hotspot so things tend to be slightly more expensive here than normal, and I found there to be several stalls selling the exact same thing. I recommend checking if there are any stalls selling the item you want at a cheaper price before going ahead with a purchase.
Make sure that you stop in at The Notting Hill Bookshop (majorly touristy but cute vibes) and check out the blue Notting Hill door that was used in the iconic Notting Hill movie featuring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. However, rather disappointingly, some company has gone and plastered an advertisement across the door.
If you happen to be visiting on a Saturday, continue up to the Acklam Village Market (open 11am to 7:30pm). This market features the same type of stalls but is a little less touristy and also has live music and more international food options.
If you find yourself hungry, there are tons of food stalls throughout the market, restaurants, and many pubs in the surrounding area including the Duke of Wellington, The Castle, and the Cock and Bottle.
10 FREE or CHEAP Things to do in London
Oxford Street Shopping
After lunch, take the bus or tube to Oxford Street.
Via tube, take the Circle (yellow) or Hammersmith line (pink) from Ladbroke Grove to Baker Street, then change onto the Bakerloo line (brown) and head to Oxford Circus.
Via bus, catch the number 7 service to Oxford Circus.
Oxford Street is THE shopping street of London. If there’s anything you want to buy, this is the time and place to do it. If shopping is not your thing then I recommend getting off at Baker Street and exploring Queen Mary’s Rose Gardens and the Regents Gardens.
You can hire Santander Cycles at most of the entrances as the park is HUGE; it also contains the London Zoo.
Santander Cycles provides both regular bicycles and e-bikes. To access them, you will need to download the Santander Cycles app.
Regular Push Bikes: £1.65 every 30 minutes.
E-bikes: £3.30 every 30 minutes.
British Museum
The British Museum is a must-see on your 2 day London itinerary. You can’t come to London and NOT go to the British Museum; it is basically a requirement.
They have collections from Egypt, China, the Americas, Ancient Rome and Greece, The Middle East, and Europe.
Most people spend 2-4 hours in the British Museum, but you could honestly spend a whole day (I almost did, I got lost).
Once you are museumed out, head to Chinatown for dinner. Gerrard Street is packed with restaurant options, and the low prices mean you can try a couple different places or try some of the area’s trending desserts. There is Bubblewrap’s lumpy waffle cones stuffed with ice cream and fruit, matcha ice cream (Tsujiri), bubble tea, mochi, and crepe cakes (Kova Patisserie) and many more options.
Theatre
Once you are stuffed with noodles and cake, head back to your accommodation to get all fancy for tonight’s entertainment.
Pre-book your tickets on London Theatre’s website.
Alternatively, if you’re feeling spontaneous, you can book last minute tickets at the TKTS booth, located in Leicester Square. It offers super cheap tickets on the day-of or up to a week in advance. Keep in mind that if you buy your tickets this way, the show you want to see may be sold out and you’ll have to just go to whatever one they’re offering!
Shows usually start at 7:30 and go for about 2 hours.
If you’ve still got some energy left in you after the show, head north a little into the Soho area; there are TONS of super cool bars on every corner.
Staying for longer? Read my 4 day London itinerary.
What are the best day trips from London?
Are you staying a little longer in London and wondering what else there is to do? Most day trip tours from London combine multiple sights in one, making it super easy to see the best of the surrounding countryside.
This tour takes you to see Windsor, Stonehenge, Bath and the Cotswolds all in one day! This tour takes you to see Oxford as well as Stonehenge and Windsor. And this tour is a complete exploration of the Cotswolds including the villages of Burford, Stow on the Wold and Chipping Campden.
There are tonnes and tonnes of day trip tours available.
That is my 2 day London itinerary! Two days is not enough to see everything London has to offer, but, with this itinerary, we have packed in most of the must-see sights and activities that were probably on your bucket list.
Pin it!
More from England…
Destinations
Check out my Pinterest for more travel ideas!
Latest Posts
- How to Spend 10 Days in Bali: Seminyak, Ubud & Nusa Penida!
- How to Spend 48 Perfect Hours in Seminyak, Bali!
- TOP 5 FREE Things to Do and See on Nusa Penida!
- How to Spend 4 Days on Nusa Penida: A Detailed Itinerary
- How to Spend 3 Days in Ubud, Bali!
Thanks for reading, I appreciate you!