London, the capital of the UK, is famous for its pubs, lively atmosphere, immaculate architecture, and many iconic attractions. You’re probably reading this because you’re planning a 5 day London itinerary. This will be the best comprehensive and complete guide to help plan your 5 day London trip whether it’s your first time in London or you’re visiting again. Save this post or share it with those you’re traveling to London with to use as inspiration for what to do in London in 5 days!
Day 1 of 5 Day London Itinerary
PRO TIP: On the first day of your 5 days in London itinerary, be sure to stop by one of the train stations to get an Oyster card. It’s essentially a train pass that costs 5 euros and allows you to ride the metro at a discounted rate. Not to mention, you can skip the line and hassle to line up every time to purchase a single-fare ticket. There’s also a daily cap on the amount you get charged everyday – so if you go above the number, the rest of your rides for the day will be free.
Borough Market
Borough Market is a must-visit on this 5 day London itinerary because it’s one of the oldest and largest food markets in London. It’s a food lover’s heaven – they have such a large variety of good food from all types of cuisines. A few popular things you can find here are Spanish Paella, French cheeses, Asian curries, Fish and Chips, English Pies, and the list goes on. Make sure to come hungry and you’ll have a good time.
Covent Garden
Next stop on our 5 day London itinerary is to visit Covent Garden. It’s a modern and bustling outdoor shopping area with luxury fashion stores, beauty brands, restaurants, and lots more shops of all kinds.
There are two sections in Covent Garden. The first is a semi-outdoor area with shops and food stalls (pictured). The second part is an outdoor area with many shops. Extravagant pop-up shops or events are hosted here so that really adds to the liveliness of this plaza. To get here from Borough Market, take the metro from London Bridge station to Covent Garden station.
Hyde Park
Hyde Park is the largest royal park in London. It’s worth a visit if you like to enjoy nature, greenery, and a relaxing atmosphere. Swing by Speaker’s Corner where anyone can air their opinions at the soapbox. At The Italian Gardens, you can see elegant statues and fountains. If you’ll be in London around mid-November to the beginning of January, definitely go because Hyde Park will turn into a festive Winter Wonderland park.
Buckingham Palace
About a 15 minute walk away from Hyde Park will take you Buckingham Palace. This place is known for the London residence and administrative headquarters of the monarch of the UK. It’s a popular tourist destination and if time allows, visit Buckingham Palace both during the day and night to get views of both. The Victoria Memorial is also another popular attraction. It’s a statue located in front of the Buckingham Palace and commemorates the death of Queen Victoria in 1901.
Day 2 of 5 Day London Itinerary
Big Bus Tour
Since London is a pretty big city, it’s hard to see everything on foot. One of the most appealing parts of London is the incredible architecture so the best way to get good views and see more in a short amount of time is to take a Big Bus Tour. If you want to cover a lot of ground in your five days in London itinerary, Big Bus Tours will be a convenient and good option for you.
Essentially, you pay a fee and hop on and off the Big Bus whenever you want. At the top of the bus, it opens up so you can see the stunning views of London.
Some places the Big Bus takes you to include Abbey Road Crossing, Piccadilly Circus, St. James’ Park, Big Ben, The Shard, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and much more.
Click here to get 10% off Big Bus Tours.
Public transportation is quite convenient in London with its easy metro station and double-decker buses. But the Big Bus Tour can take you to the exact attraction you’d like to see.
St. James Park
This is the second park on our London itinerary for 5 days and definitely worth a visit.
It’s also one of the stops you can hop off using Big Bus Tours is St. James Park. The place is a 23-hectare royal park and you can spot amazing views of the lake from St. James Cafe. There’s lots of greenery and a great place to walk around and relax. St. James Park opens from 5am to midnight all year round.
Trafalgar Square
Along the path of Big Bus Tours, you’ll pass by Trafalgar Square, a public square commemorating the victory of the Battle of Trafalgar. This was a war fought between the British Royal Navy and combined fleets of Spain and France during the Napoleonic War. Inside this square, you can see lots of water fountains and sculptures. It’s a really lively place and is always filled with both locals and tourists. Definitely worth hopping off the bus to see this place.
Chinatown
Another stop along the Big Bus Tours is Chinatown. Most Chinatowns around the world are dirty, old, and not too attractive but the London Chinatown is completely different. All the buildings look incredibly modern, the streets are clean, and there’s a huge variety of authentic Chinese foods including rice dishes, noodle dishes, roast duck, roast pork, Chinese desserts, Chinese drinks, and more. Definitely recommend adding Chinatown to your 5 Day London Itinerary.
Thames River Cruise
On your 5 days in London itinerary, riding a river cruise is a must. There are several types of river cruises in London that shows you the entire London skyline and famous attractions surrounding it. It’s even more beautiful at nighttime when all the buildings are lit up. Here are a few of the most popular Thames River Cruises:
Westminster to Greenwich River Thames Cruise: This cruise is around 1 hour long and takes you through Westminster Pier, Embankment Pier, Festival Pier, Bankside Pier, Tower Bridge, and Greenwich Pier. There’s also a live tour guide on the boat.
River Thames Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Cruise: One ticket on this cruise lets you hop on and hop off for 24 hours. It’ll stop by Westminster Pier, London Eye Pier, Tower Pier, and Greenwich Pier. This cruise is great if you want to hop off to exploring more.
River Thames Dinner Cruise: This is a 3-hour cruise ride from Westminster to the Thames Barrier and includes a 4-course dinner, a live singer, and a welcome glass of sparkling wine upon arrival. Great for those who want to spend more time on the boat and enjoy a beautiful dinner.
Day 3 of 5 Day London Itinerary
St. Paul’s Cathedral
St. Paul’s Cathedral serves as the Anglican Episcopal and has been the place for religious and cultural events. The marriage of Princess Diana and Prince Charles were married at St Paul’s Cathedral. The funeral of Winston Churchill and Lord Nelson also took place here. The interior architecture is so intricate and beautiful.
There is a fee to enter St. Paul’s Cathedral. You can purchase tickets ahead of time to get in quicker.
Click here to get tickets to St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey is a London church and like St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey frequently hosts events and ceremonies with national significance. The wedding of William and Catherine from the royal family took place in Westminster Abbey. There’s a fee to enter and you can purchase it ahead of time to get in quicker.
St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey are the two most popular churches in London and a must to add to your 5 Day London itinerary.
Click here to get Westminster Abbey tickets.
get tickets to westminster abbey
London Eye
Ferris Wheels are all over the world but the London Eye is probably the most famous of them all. It’s Europe’s tallest observation wheel and is the most popular paid tourist attraction in the UK. The London Eye attracts over 3 million visitors annually. It’s a 30 minute ride and it’s a good spot to see views of the London skyline and popular London attractions from the top of the London Eye. Add this to your London Itinerary 5 days!
To skip the line, click here to purchase London Eye tickets.
Abbey Rd.
This crosswalk may seem familiar to you if you’re a Beatles fan. The popular picture of the 4 member band crossing the street was taken on Abbey Road. It’s in a quiet neighborhood in London located in St. John’s Wood. You can get there by taking the metro to St. John’s Wood Tube Station.
Piccadilly Circus
PHOTO: PICADILLY CIRCUS BY JIMMY BAIKOVICIUS (CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE)
Piccadilly Circus is like New York Times Square. There are huge bold neon billboard signs and is always packed with people. It’s a popular meeting point for locals since it sits right at the center of London. The wide streets are filled with stores, bright red London buses, cars, and so much goes on. To get here by metro, get off at Piccadilly Circus station. During your 5 days in London, you might even visit Piccadilly Circus multiple times since it’s at the center of everything.
Soho
Next to Piccadilly Circus is Soho, another popular area in the center of London. It’s less busy than Piccadilly Circus and is more focused on dining, bars, and nightlife. Walk through the narrow alleyways to explore a variety of boutique shops.
Day 4 of 5 Day London Itinerary
Cambridge University
PHOTO: CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY BY ALEX BROWN (CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE)
Cambridge is located north of London and is around a 1-hour train ride. Even though Cambridge is a bit far from London, it’s 100% worth visiting. This will probably likely be a half-day trip so it won’t take up too much time in your 5 day London itinerary. Cambridge is essentially a university city and contains 31 colleges with Cambridge University being the most prestigious and well-known. It feels like a college town with small shops and lots of university buildings.
To get to Cambridge from London, go to King’s Cross train station.
Punt Tour Ride In Cambridge
One of the most peculiar things to do in Cambridge is to do a punt ride. You sit on a small boat and someone will lead you down the river and you can see views of the many colleges in Cambridge. It’s a really relaxing ride and the person will provide live commentary on different buildings, bridges, and other things you see along the river. It’s similar to a gondola ride in Venice, but of course, with very different scenery.
Click here to get tickets for a Guided Punting Tour.
Tower of London
PHOTO: TOWER OF LONDON BY BOB COLLOWAN (CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE)
The Tower of London is a historic castle built by William the Conqueror. This tower is incredible monument because took over 20 years to build and was built to protect William the Conqueror’s power and to assert his power.
There are three different parts of the visit. The first is Crown Jewels where you can see world famous collections of gemstones and crowns worn by members of the royal family. The second part is to see the ravens that live inside the Tower of London. There is 6-9 ravens today and Charles II is thought to be the one who said the crown and Tower will fall if the ravens left. The third part of the visit is to do Yeoman Warder Tour. They will explain the Tower’s history and tell past stories about prisoners in the Tower of London.
The combination of Tower of London’s rich history and interesting things to do inside makes it really worth putting on your 5 day London itinerary. To get here, get off at Tower Hill Underground Station.
Click here to get tickets to The Tower of London.
get tickets to tower of london
Tower Bridge
Other than the London Eye, Tower Bridge is probably the landmark that is most representative of London. It’s one of the most stunning bridges in the world and is one of the most sophisticated bascule bridges ever built. Its iconic light blue features on the side stand out. Make sure to take pictures of it from afar and up close to get both views of the bridge. The Big Bus Tour’s route will also pass by the Tower Bridge.
To get here, get off the London Bridge train station.
British Museum
The British Museum is known worldwide and is a public museum featuring history, art, culture, and human culture. The most famous artifacts in The British Museum are The Rosetta Stone, Sophilos Vase, The Parthenon Sculptures, and Crouching Venus. This is the perfect place to learn all about human history and art. It’s free to enter the British Museum.
To get here on the metro, get off at Holborn or Tottenham Court Road station.
Day 5 of 5 Day London Itinerary
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle. Many members of the royal family resided here for over 1,000 years including Queen Elizabeth II. It’s also a royal working palace today and is home to over 150 people. Inside, you can see historic rooms, chapel, semi-state rooms, Queen Mary’s doll house, and more. Even if you’re not into the royal family, it’s a fascinating experience to see how they lived back then. Windsor Castle is open to the public to visit with an entrance fee.
To get here, get off the Windsor Central Station.
Click here to get Windsor Castle tickets.
Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace is the official London residence of Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Catherine along with their children. It’s also the birthplace of Queen Victoria. It’s worth it to put on your 5 day London itinerary if you’re interested in discovering how monarchs lived in the past and to especially see how Queen Victoria lived back then. No ticket is needed to enter the Kensington Gardens but there is an entrance fee to enter the palace.
Click here to get Kensington Palace tickets.
get tickets to kensington palace
The View from The Shard
The Shard is a 72-story skyscraper designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano. Inside the building, there are offices, restaurants, and hotel rooms. It’s one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. At the top, you can see spectacular views of the entire city of London. Go up to the top during sunset through the night to get views of the day and night.
To get here, get off at the London Bridge Underground Station,
Click here to get tickets to The Shard.
And there you have it – a London 5 day itinerary packed with visiting the most popular attractions and learning about the history of London! This is a relatively light agenda so go ahead and add more to it if you’d like to pack in more places to visit in London.
Read more: Now we have our 5 day London itinerary set, check out what to wear in Europe!
Is 5 days enough for London?
Yes, definitely. 5 days is a good amount of time to see the main parts of London including the most popular churches, castles, towers, and shopping areas. To see more during your 5 days in London, you can ride the Big Bus Tours to easily hop on and off the bus to get to more places quicker. This 5 day London itinerary covers a lot of the most visited and best places to visit in London.
What is the cheapest month to visit London?
Late October to late March (excluding December) is the cheapest months to visit London because kids are in school and overall less people are traveling. Plane tickets and hotel rates are usually the cheapest during those months.
Is it cheaper to use Oyster or buy a ticket?
It’s much cheaper to use the Oyster card than buying single-ride tickets. It’s only 5 euros to purchase an Oyster card and you can get discounted rates on every ride. The best thing is if you go above a certain amount, the rest of the fares for the day will be free.
