2-day London itinerary is the city that charges you £7 for a coffee and then makes you fall in love anyway. i’ve done the “see everything in 48 hours” sprint three times now and finally cracked the code without wanting to yeet myself into the thames. here’s the itinerary i wish someone had handed me instead of the 47-tab google doc that made me cry at 3 a.m.
Day 0: Arrival & Survival 2-day london itinerary
land, cry in the heathrow express bathroom, buy an oyster card, check in, immediately find the nearest pret and inhale a croissant. you are not a functioning human yet. that’s fine.
Day 1 – Westminster to Covent Garden (the “iconic” day)
- 8am: westminster tube → big ben + houses of parliament at sunrise (way less crowded, golden light slaps)
- 8:30am: westminster abbey (go early or buy skip-the-line, trust me)
- 9:30am: stroll through st james’s park (squirrels and pelicans will steal your soul)
- 10:30am: buckingham palace (changing of the guard if it’s on, otherwise just stare at the gates like a peasant)
- 12pm: quick lunch at a pret or borough market if you’re near london bridge already
- 2pm: tate modern (free, toilets, and the turbine hall is cool even if you hate art)
- cross the millennium bridge → st paul’s cathedral (climb the dome if your legs hate you)
- 5pm: covent garden for street performers and overpriced gelato
- dinner: dishroom (butter chicken or bust) or seven dials market
pro tip: walk the thames path at sunset. big ben lights up and you’ll ugly-cry from beauty and exhaustion.
Day 2 – Notting Hill to Shoreditch (the “cool” day)
- 9am: notting hill (portobello road on saturday if you can swing it, otherwise just the colorful houses)
- brunch at farm girl or granger & co (avocado toast tax is real)
- 11am: hyde park → speakers’ corner if people are yelling
- 1pm: tube to shoreditch → brick lane for curry or bagels (beigel bake 24h = life)
- wander the street art, cry at the truman brewery vintage market
- 4pm: columbia road flower market if sunday (loud british people selling plants = peak content)
- 6pm: rooftop bar at boundary or just drink a pint somewhere cute
- dinner: wherever you smell good (or dishroom again, no judgment)
Real Talk Tips 2-day London itinerary
- get the citymapper app or perish
- oyster card + walk when you can (tube is £2.80 a ride otherwise)
- book tower of london or london eye in advance if you actually care
- skip the shard unless someone else is paying
- pret a manger is your new personality (coffee subscription £30/month if you’re there longer)
What I Skipped (And Don’t Regret)
- madame tussauds (creepy wax hell)
- london dungeon (unless you’re 14)
- the overpriced tourist bus
2-day london itinerary is basically a fever dream but this itinerary got me all the photos, zero food, and only one minor meltdown in the Piccadilly line at rush hour.
what’s your london non-negotiable? drop it below because i’m going back in march and my google doc is already judging me.
now excuse me while i google “how many pret coffees is too many before heart explodes.” send crisps and a red phone booth.
