A weekend in London

Free world-class museums, royal pageantry and a Sunday roast: London in two or three days.

Checked 10 October 2026

The Thames, Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament from above

London gives a weekend visitor more for free than almost any capital: the British Museum, the National Gallery, Tate Modern and the South Kensington museums cost nothing, and the Tube is capped at £8.90 a day. The planning facts that matter: Westminster Abbey and St Paul's are closed for sightseeing on Sundays, the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace is on set days only, not daily, and the Sky Garden and the Science Museum need a free booking.

London is a city of villages stitched together by the Thames and the Tube. Westminster has the Abbey, Parliament and the palaces; the City, the old Roman square mile, has St Paul's, the Tower and glass towers with free roof gardens; the South Bank runs from the London Eye past Tate Modern to Borough Market; and the East End around Spitalfields, Brick Lane and Columbia Road is where Londoners spend their Sunday mornings.

The great surprise for visitors is how much is free. The national museums charge only for special exhibitions, so you can drop into the National Gallery for one painting or spend a rainy afternoon among the dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum without counting the cost. What is expensive is the royal and historic set-pieces (the Tower of London is £38, Westminster Abbey £32) and above all the hotels.

A weekend works best if you plan around a few fixed points: the Changing of the Guard days, Sunday closures at the Abbey and St Paul's, the Sunday-only Columbia Road flower market and Borough Market's Monday closure. Fill the gaps with walking: most of the big sights are within an hour's walk of each other along the river.

London in two or three days: a plan

Saturday is Westminster and the West End while the churches are open for sightseeing; Sunday starts at the East End markets, then the Tower and the South Bank. The third day is for the British Museum and Bloomsbury, or a trip to Windsor or Hampton Court.

  1. Day 1: Westminster Abbey, the Horse Guards, the National Gallery and Covent Garden

    • Morning

      Be at Westminster Abbey for opening (Saturday 9:00; on some Saturdays it closes at 13:00, so check the calendar). Buy online at tickets.westminster-abbey.org. Then walk up Whitehall to Horse Guards Parade for the duty officer's inspection of the King's Life Guard at 11:00 (Saturday and Sunday), through St James's Park to the front of Buckingham Palace.

    • Afternoon

      Walk along The Mall to Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery (free; enter by the Sainsbury Wing). Allow two hours. From there it is ten minutes to Covent Garden.

    • Evening

      Dinner at Dishoom Covent Garden (walk in; small groups can't book after 18:00) or, for an occasion, Rules on Maiden Lane, London's oldest restaurant. Alternatively book a free Sky Garden slot for sunset (weekends open to 21:00).

  2. Day 2: Columbia Road, the Tower, the South Bank and a Sunday roast

    • Morning

      Columbia Road flower market from 8:00, then a salt beef bagel at Beigel Bake on Brick Lane. Take the Tube to Tower Hill for the Tower of London (Sunday from 10:00; timed ticket from hrp.org.uk). Go to the Crown Jewels first, then join a Yeoman Warder tour.

      Full guide on Sightsale →

    • Afternoon

      Cross Tower Bridge and walk the river path west to Borough Market (Sunday 10:00–16:00, so lunch there by 15:00). Carry on past Shakespeare's Globe to Tate Modern (free), then over the Millennium Bridge to St Paul's: on Sundays only the dome is open (until 25 October 2026), or sit in for the free Evensong.

      Full guide on Sightsale →

    • Evening

      A Sunday roast, served all day at the Harwood Arms in Fulham, London's Michelin-starred pub (book weeks ahead), or fish and chips at Poppies in Spitalfields.

  3. With a third day (Friday or Monday): the British Museum, Sir John Soane's and afternoon tea

    • Morning

      The British Museum at 10:00 (free; book a free timed ticket at weekends). Room 4 for the Rosetta Stone and the Parthenon galleries first, before the groups.

      Full guide on Sightsale →

    • Afternoon

      On a Friday, walk ten minutes to Sir John Soane's Museum on Lincoln's Inn Fields (free; open Wednesday–Sunday, so not on a Monday), or take the train to Hampton Court (35 minutes from Waterloo; closed Monday and Tuesday outside school holidays). On a Monday, go for afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly, or out to Windsor Castle (open Thursday to Monday).

    • Evening

      On a Friday the V&A stays open to 22:00 and the British Museum to 20:30. Otherwise, or afterwards, Chinatown for dinner and a West End show.

If it rains

Spend it in South Kensington: the Natural History Museum, the V&A and the Science Museum (book its free ticket) sit side by side and are all free. The British Museum and Tate Modern fill up fastest on rainy days, so go at opening.

With children

The Natural History Museum's dinosaurs, the Science Museum's Wonderlab (paid), the Tower's ravens and the London Eye. Under-16s travel free on the Heathrow Express, and on Thames Clipper boats a family ticket covers two adults and three children.

The Millennium Bridge and St Paul’s Cathedral across the Thames at blue hour
The Millennium Bridge and St Paul’s Cathedral across the Thames at blue hour

What to see in London

The big sights

  • Museum

    British Museum

    A museum of the whole world, free: the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures, the Egyptian mummies, the Sutton Hoo treasure. Two to three hours for the highlights.

    Tip: Book the free timed ticket for weekends to use the priority entry; walk-ups are let in when there is room. Friday evenings (open to 20:30) are the quietest time. The Bayeux Tapestry (from 10 September 2026) is sold out until 31 December 2026.

    Price
    Free; special exhibitions from £18(€21)
    Book ahead
    Free ticket optional, useful at weekends

    Full guide on Sightsale →Official siteas of October 2026

  • Church

    Westminster Abbey

    The coronation church since 1066: the Coronation Chair, the royal tombs, Poets' Corner, the Cosmati pavement and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries high in the triforium. About two hours.

    Tip: Sightseeing Monday–Saturday only (weekdays 9:30–16:30, Saturday from 9:00, on some Saturdays only until 13:00); Sundays are for services. Evensong is the way to hear the choir in the building. The 2-for-1 Days Out Guide offer works only on walk-up tickets with a National Rail ticket.

    Price
    £32 adult; £29 over-65s and students; £14 ages 6–17; under 6 free(€38 · €34 · €17)
    Book ahead
    A day or two ahead at weekends and in summer

    Official siteas of October 2026

  • Landmark

    Houses of Parliament

    The Palace of Westminster: Westminster Hall, the Commons and Lords chambers. A 90-minute guided tour in English, or a self-guided audio tour in ten languages. Watching debates from the public galleries is free when the Houses sit.

    Tip: Book online at tickets.parliament.uk: on the day costs £3 more. Tours run only on set dates, so check the booking calendar for your weekend before planning around it. The Big Ben tour (£55, age 11+, 300+ steps) is the one that sells out.

    Price
    Guided tour £40 (£43 on the day); audio tour £31 with one child free; 16–24 £30 / £24(€47 · €51 · €37 · €36)
    Book ahead
    Yes, a week or more for Saturdays

    Official siteas of October 2026

  • Palace

    Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guard

    The King's London residence. The ceremony in the forecourt starts at 10:45 and lasts about 45 minutes; the State Rooms (19 rooms, the Throne Room, the Picture Gallery) open in summer only (9 July–27 September in 2026; 2027 dates not yet announced).

    Tip: The King's Guard changes at 11:00 on set days, usually Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with Sunday parades on some dates (18 and 25 October in 2026). The days change from month to month and the ceremony can be cancelled in wet weather, so check the Household Division calendar before you go. At Horse Guards Parade the King's Life Guard changes at 11:00 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and is inspected at 11:00 at weekends.

    Price
    Ceremony free. State Rooms summer 2026: £33 adult, £21.50 ages 18–24, £16.50 children. Winter: East Wing guided tour £100 (6 November 2026–31 January 2027)(€39 · €25 · €20 · €120)
    Book ahead
    State Rooms: book when summer 2027 dates go on sale; ceremony: arrive by 10:15

    Official siteas of October 2026

  • Museum

    National Gallery

    Western painting from Giotto to Van Gogh on Trafalgar Square: Van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait, Turner, Constable's Hay Wain, Van Gogh's Sunflowers. Two hours for the highlights.

    Tip: Enter by the Sainsbury Wing. Some rooms are closed and paintings moved during building work, so check the floorplan for the painting you came for. Friday evenings to 21:00 are calmer.

    Price
    Free; some exhibitions charged
    Book ahead
    Not needed; a free ticket is optional

    Official siteas of October 2026

  • Castle

    Tower of London

    The Crown Jewels, the White Tower, the ravens and the Yeoman Warders' free tours inside a 950-year-old fortress. Three hours.

    Tip: Go to the Jewel House first thing, before the tour groups. The Opening Ceremony ticket (£62, until 1 November 2026) gets you in before opening and first to the Jewels. Tower Bridge's walkways and glass floor are next door (£18).

    Price
    £38 adult; £19 ages 5–17; £30.30 students and over-65s(€45 · €22 · €36)
    Book ahead
    A day or two ahead; timed tickets, no refunds

    Full guide on Sightsale →Official siteas of October 2026

  • Church

    St Paul's Cathedral

    Wren's domed cathedral: the Whispering Gallery, the Stone and Golden Galleries for the view over the City, and Nelson and Wellington in the crypt. Two to three hours with the climb.

    Tip: Sightseeing Monday–Saturday 8:30–16:30. On Sundays only the dome can be climbed (£13.50, until 25 October 2026); the daily sung Evensong is free.

    Price
    £27 adult; £24 over-65s and students; £10.50 ages 6–17(€32 · €28 · €12)
    Book ahead
    Not usually; tickets are non-refundable

    Full guide on Sightsale →Official siteas of October 2026

  • Museum

    South Kensington museums

    Three free museums on Exhibition Road and Cromwell Road: the Natural History Museum (dinosaurs, the blue whale), the V&A (art and design, fashion, the cast courts) and the Science Museum. Pick one or two; each is a half-day.

    Tip: The Science Museum asks everyone to pre-book a free ticket. A free Natural History Museum ticket guarantees entry when there is a queue in school holidays. The V&A is open to 22:00 on Fridays.

    Price
    Free; V&A Schiaparelli exhibition £28–30 (until 15 November 2026)(€33–36)
    Book ahead
    Science Museum: free ticket required; others optional

    Official siteas of October 2026

  • Viewpoint

    Sky Garden and the London Eye

    Two ways to see London from above. The Sky Garden is a free indoor garden at the top of 20 Fenchurch Street in the City; the London Eye is the 30-minute wheel on the South Bank.

    Tip: Sky Garden tickets are released three weeks ahead and are valid for one hour from your slot; bring photo ID, and no walk-ins after 17:00 on weekdays. The Eye's online price changes with demand, so book early and skip the walk-up price.

    Price
    Sky Garden free (weekdays 10:00–18:00, weekends 11:00–21:00). London Eye online from £29, walk-up £39; flexi ticket £49(€34 · €46 · €58)
    Book ahead
    Sky Garden: up to three weeks ahead

    Official siteas of October 2026

Hidden gems

  • Museum

    Sir John Soane's Museum

    Hidden gem

    The architect's own house on Lincoln's Inn Fields, left as it was when he died in 1837 and crammed with antiquities, models and paintings, including Hogarth's A Rake's Progress, shown on hinged panels in the Picture Room. About an hour.

    Tip: Free, no booking: you queue on the pavement when it is full. Free volunteer tours of the Private Apartments (Wednesday, Friday, Sunday at 14:00) and the Drawing Office (Thursday, Saturday 14:30) take six to eight people: ask in the room on arrival.

    Price
    Free
    Book ahead
    No

    Official siteas of October 2026

  • Museum

    Dennis Severs' House

    Hidden gem

    18 Folgate Street in Spitalfields: a Georgian house dressed as if its 18th-century residents have just left the room, with ticking clocks, candlelight and the scent of perfume and cloves. An experience rather than a museum.

    Tip: Book a slot on the calendar. The Silent Night visit by candlelight (£25) is the one to do; the Christmas season runs 20 November 2026 to 10 January 2027.

    Price
    Relaxed or Silent Day visit £16; Silent Night £25 (plus £1.50 booking fee)(€19 · €30 · €2)
    Book ahead
    Yes

    Official siteas of October 2026

  • Market

    Columbia Road Flower Market

    Hidden gem

    A Victorian street in Bethnal Green that turns into a flower and plant market every Sunday, with small shops and cafés behind the stalls. Locals come for the market and stay for brunch.

    Tip: Sundays only, from 8:00 until about 15:00. Come before 9:30 to walk it without the crowd; the cheapest bunches go at closing time.

    Price
    Free
    Book ahead
    No

    Official siteas of October 2026

  • Market

    Leadenhall Market

    Hidden gem

    A covered Victorian market in the City with a painted glass and iron roof over cobbled lanes, on a site that has been a market since the 14th century. Ten minutes from the Sky Garden and the Tower.

    Tip: The public areas are open 24 hours, but the shops, pubs and restaurants keep their own hours, set for City office workers: come on a weekday lunchtime for the bustle, or at a quiet weekend hour for photos.

    Price
    Free
    Book ahead
    No

    Official siteas of October 2026

  • Neighbourhood

    Little Venice

    Hidden gem

    The pool where the Regent's Canal meets the Grand Union, behind Paddington, lined with narrowboats, floating cafés, a floating art gallery and day-trip boats; the poet Robert Browning is thought to have named it.

    Tip: Walk the towpath east along the Regent's Canal past Regent's Park towards Camden, or take a London Waterbus boat from the pool.

    Price
    Free
    Book ahead
    No

    Official siteas of October 2026

Day trips from London

  • Windsor

    Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world: the State Apartments, Queen Mary's Dolls' House and St George's Chapel, where ten monarchs including Henry VIII and Charles I are buried. Half a day for the castle, a full day with a walk in the Great Park or across the bridge to Eton.

    Getting there
    GWR from London Paddington, changing at Slough for the 6-minute branch line to Windsor & Eton Central: about 35 minutes (fastest 22), trains almost every 20 minutes. South Western Railway runs direct but slower trains from Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside (Anytime Day ticket from £13).
    Tip
    Book the castle online: £32 adult in advance against £36 on the day (young people 18–24 £21, children £16). The castle is open Thursday to Monday, and the guard changes at 11:00 on set days (see the Household Division calendar). Your ticket can be converted into a free one-year pass.

    rct.ukas of October 2026

  • Hampton Court Palace

    Henry VIII's palace on the Thames, with Wren's baroque wing, the Tudor kitchens, the gardens and the maze, all in one ticket with an audio guide. A half-day.

    Getting there
    Train from London Waterloo to Hampton Court station, about 35 minutes.
    Tip
    Outside school holidays it is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays (in October 2026 open Wednesday to Sunday, daily in half-term week): check the calendar for your date. Weekdays are £3 cheaper: £30 adult against £33 at weekends; no refunds.

    Full guide on Sightsale →hrp.org.ukas of October 2026

  • Greenwich

    Maritime Greenwich: the Cutty Sark tea clipper, the Royal Observatory and the Prime Meridian, the free National Maritime Museum and Queen's House, and the view from the top of Greenwich Park. Half a day to a day.

    Getting there
    Thames Clippers (Uber Boat) from Westminster, Embankment or London Bridge piers to Greenwich: touch in and out with contactless, Central & East zones £11.40 off-peak (£13.70 at peak), or £13.50 in the app. The DLR is quicker and inside the Tube cap.
    Tip
    Go by boat one way for the river view and back by DLR. Royal Observatory £24 adult and Cutty Sark £22 (both open daily 10:00–17:00); the museum and Queen's House are free.

    rmg.co.ukas of October 2026

A red double-decker bus passing the Houses of Parliament
A red double-decker bus passing the Houses of Parliament

Where to eat in London

London eats early by European standards: lunch from 12:00, dinner from 18:30, and pubs serve food from noon. The classics are a Sunday roast, fish and chips, a salt beef bagel and afternoon tea; the cheapest good meals are in the markets and in the curry houses and noodle bars. Popular walk-in places mean a queue at 19:00, so eat early or late.

  • Market

    £

    Borough Market

    Southwark / London Bridge

    London's best-known food market under the railway arches by London Bridge: street food, cheese, oysters, bakeries and produce. Graze rather than sit down.

    Booking: No booking. Closed Mondays; Tuesday–Friday 10:00–17:00, Saturday 9:00–17:00, Sunday 10:00–16:00. Saturday midday is very crowded.

    boroughmarket.org.ukas of October 2026

  • Restaurant (pasta bar)

    £

    Padella

    Borough Market (also Soho, Shoreditch)

    Fresh pasta made in front of you, at prices that are rare in central London: pappardelle with an eight-hour beef shin ragù or tagliarini with Dorset crab, £15–16.50.

    Booking: Small reservations online; otherwise join the walk-in queue.

    padella.coas of October 2026

  • Restaurant (Bombay café)

    ££

    Dishoom Covent Garden

    Covent Garden

    A Bombay-style café open all day, every day: a bacon naan roll at breakfast, small plates and chai in the afternoon, curries and grills at dinner.

    Booking: Mostly walk-in: anyone can book before 18:00; after 18:00 only groups of six or more. Expect a queue in the evening.

    dishoom.comas of October 2026

  • Restaurant (classic)

    £££

    Rules

    Covent Garden

    London's oldest restaurant, opened by Thomas Rule in 1798 on Maiden Lane and still serving traditional British food, with its own cocktail bar.

    Booking: Book a few days ahead for dinner; easier at lunch.

    rules.co.ukas of October 2026

  • Pub (Michelin-starred, Sunday roast)

    £££

    Harwood Arms

    Fulham

    Calls itself London's only Michelin-starred pub: British produce, game and wild food, and a Sunday roast served all day (12:00–20:15). Set menus £64 for two courses, £79 for three.

    Booking: Book weeks ahead, especially for Sunday.

    harwoodarms.comas of October 2026

  • Fish and chips

    ££

    Poppies

    Spitalfields (also Soho, Camden, Portobello)

    An East End fish and chip shop started in 1952: cod or haddock with chips, mushy peas and homemade tartare sauce. Regular cod £21.99.

    Booking: Walk in; tables can be booked online.

    poppiesfishandchips.co.ukas of October 2026

  • Bakery

    £

    Beigel Bake

    Brick Lane, Shoreditch

    Open 24 hours a day at 159 Brick Lane: hot salt beef piled into a bagel with mustard and pickle, about £7 in a March 2024 review, so expect a little more now. The queue moves fast, so know your order.

    Booking: No booking; queue.

    thenudge.comas of October 2026

  • Neighbourhood (Chinese and East Asian)

    £

    Chinatown

    Gerrard Street, Soho

    A few pedestrian streets off Leicester Square packed with Cantonese roast-meat shops, dim sum, noodle bars and bakeries. Good for a cheap dinner before a West End show.

    Booking: Mostly walk-in; browse the restaurant list on the official Chinatown site.

    chinatown.co.ukas of October 2026

  • Afternoon tea

    £££

    Fortnum & Mason, Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon

    Piccadilly

    Afternoon tea in the tea salon on the fourth floor of the Piccadilly store: sandwiches, scones and cakes with Fortnum's own teas. From £84 a head.

    Booking: Book online, a few days ahead; weekends go first.

    fortnumandmason.comas of October 2026

  • Afternoon tea

    ££££

    The Ritz London

    Piccadilly

    The most famous afternoon tea in London, with live music, served at 11:30, 13:30, 15:30, 17:30 and 19:30 with continuous refills. From £95 for adults, £73 for children; the hotel's restaurant has two Michelin stars.

    Booking: Book weeks ahead. Jacket and tie for men; no jeans or sportswear (not required for under-16s).

    theritzlondon.comas of October 2026

Where to stay in London for a weekend

Stay inside zones 1–2 near a Tube line that reaches the sights directly: Covent Garden and Soho to walk everywhere, King's Cross for trains, the City and Southwark for the river. Prices for the same room can double on a busy weekend, so compare a Friday with a Sunday night.

The best areas

  • Covent Garden and Soho

    For first-timers who want to walk: the National Gallery, theatres, Chinatown and Westminster are all within 20 minutes on foot. Noisy at night and the most expensive area.

  • Bloomsbury and King's Cross

    Quieter Georgian squares next to the British Museum, with good-value hotels and the Eurostar, Piccadilly line to Heathrow and trains to Cambridge on the doorstep.

  • South Bank and Southwark

    On the river by Tate Modern and Borough Market, a walk from the London Eye and over the bridges to St Paul's and the City. Good for evening strolls along the Thames.

  • The City and Shoreditch

    For the Tower, the Sunday markets and the East End's bars. The City empties at weekends, so weekend rates there can be lower.

Hotels with character

  • Strand

    ££££

    The Savoy

    Opened in 1889 on the Strand, one of the few London hotels with true river views (Monet painted the same outlook), with Edwardian or Art Deco rooms and afternoon tea under the glass dome of The Gallery.

    from £903 a night (double, November)(€1,070)

    thesavoylondon.comas of October 2026

  • Soho

    ££££

    Hazlitt's

    A Georgian townhouse hotel in the middle of Soho, named after the essayist William Hazlitt, with period rooms on a side street away from the traffic but a short walk from the theatres and Covent Garden.

    from about £500 a night midweek, £700 at weekends (double, November)(€590 · €830)

    hazlittshotel.comas of October 2026

  • King's Cross

    £££

    St Pancras London, Autograph Collection

    The Gothic Revival Midland Grand Hotel of 1873 above St Pancras International, with its grand staircase and the Booking Office 1869 bar in the old ticket hall. Ideal before or after the Eurostar.

    from £344 a night (double, November)(€405)

    stpancraslondon.comas of October 2026

  • Holborn

    £££

    The Hoxton, Holborn

    A relaxed design hotel ten minutes from the British Museum, with a busy lobby bar and small but well-planned rooms; the cheapest 'Snug' rooms are compact.

    from £299 a night (Snug double, November)(€355)

    thehoxton.comas of October 2026

  • City of London / Thames

    ££

    Locke at Broken Wharf

    A design apartment-hotel on the river below St Paul's, a short walk over the Millennium Bridge to Tate Modern and Borough Market.

    from £152 a night (studio, November)(€180)

    lockeliving.comas of October 2026

  • Bloomsbury / King's Cross

    £

    Generator London

    A big, lively hostel in Bloomsbury with dorms, private rooms and a bar; basic (guest scores are middling), but a short walk from the British Museum and King's Cross.

    from £82 a night midweek, £140 at weekends (private room for two, November)(€97 · €165)

    staygenerator.comas of October 2026

Staying for months?Renting a home in LondonRentlet covers rents, where to search and the scams to avoid.

London passes, free days and deals

The bottom line

For most weekends no pass pays off: the biggest museums are free and the Tube is capped. The London Pass only saves money if you pack three or four paid sights into each day; otherwise buy the two or three tickets you want and use the Days Out Guide 2-for-1 offers if you arrive by National Rail.

  • Go City London Pass

    All-Inclusive: 1 day £105, 2 days £155, 3 days £199, covering more than 110 attractions including the Tower, Westminster Abbey, St Paul's, Tower Bridge and the London Eye. Explorer: 2 attractions £65, 3 for £89. The Tower (£38), Abbey (£32), St Paul's (£27) and Tower Bridge (£18) come to £115, so a two-day pass only wins with five or more paid sights. With the pass you can't pre-book the Tower or Hampton Court: you take the next free slot. Unused passes are refundable for 90 days.

    gocity.com · as of October 2026

  • Days Out Guide 2-for-1

    National Rail's offer. At Westminster Abbey, two full-price adult tickets for the price of one, plus a free child with each adult: show the e-voucher from the Days Out Guide on your phone and your National Rail tickets at the ticket office. Door tickets only, not pre-booked ones, and subject to capacity. Tower Bridge also lists National Rail 2-for-1 tickets. Which rail tickets count is set out in the Days Out Guide's FAQs.

    westminster-abbey.org · as of October 2026

  • Free museums

    The British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern, V&A, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, National Maritime Museum and Sir John Soane's Museum are all free; you pay only for special exhibitions. The Science Museum needs a free booking; for the others a free ticket only helps at busy times.

    nationalgallery.org.uk · as of October 2026

  • Contactless daily cap

    Touching in with one contactless card or phone caps Tube, Elizabeth line, DLR and Overground travel at £8.90 a day in zones 1–2 (£16.30 for zones 1–6, which covers Heathrow by Tube). Buses are £1.75 with unlimited changes within an hour, capped at £5.25 a day. A Day Travelcard costs £16.60, so it only pays off if you need a rail ticket for the 2-for-1 offers (check the Days Out Guide's FAQs for which tickets count).

    tfl.gov.uk · as of October 2026

Tower Bridge over the Thames
Tower Bridge over the Thames

Getting around London

  • From Heathrow: the Elizabeth line runs six trains an hour to central London (about 28 minutes to Paddington, then on to Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road and Liverpool Street), about £15.50 to zone 1 since the March 2026 fare rise (as announced; TfL's single fare finder has the exact fare). The Piccadilly line is about £5.90 but slower. The Heathrow Express to Paddington takes 15 minutes, every 15 minutes: from £10 booked in advance, £26 for a standard single, under-16s free.
  • Tube and rail: touch in and out with a contactless bank card or phone (the same one all weekend) and the daily cap of £8.90 in zones 1–2 applies automatically; an Oyster card works the same way. A zone 1 Tube journey costs about £3.10 at peak and £3.00 off-peak and at weekends (2026 fares as announced).
  • Buses: £1.75 a ride with the Hopper fare (unlimited bus changes within an hour), capped at £5.25 a day. Sit upstairs at the front for a sightseeing ride at bus prices.
  • Thames Clippers (Uber Boat): river buses between Westminster, the South Bank, the Tower and Greenwich, paid by contactless (Central zone £9.90 off-peak) or in the app. A one-day hop-on hop-off ticket costs £29.30 online.
  • Walking: Westminster to Covent Garden is 20 minutes, St Paul's to Tate Modern 10 minutes over the Millennium Bridge, the Tower to Borough Market 25 minutes along the river. Use licensed black cabs or app-booked minicabs, never a minicab touting on the street.

Tips and tricks

Gathered from travel forums, locals and the sight’s own advice, rewritten in our own words. What worked for others, not a guarantee.

  1. Use one contactless card for everything

    The daily cap only works if every journey, Tube and bus, goes on the same card or phone. Many foreign bank cards work at the gates as long as they are contactless; a journey planner app helps with the routes.

    From Rick Steves England forum, 2025

  2. Book only the few things that sell out

    Regular visitors say most London sights don't need advance booking. The ones that do: the Churchill War Rooms (well ahead), afternoon tea (at least a day or two), the Houses of Parliament tours, special exhibitions and the Sky Garden. Westminster Abbey can usually be booked the day before.

    From Rick Steves England forum, 2025

  3. Plan the Guard around the calendar, not the guidebook

    The Buckingham Palace ceremony isn't daily: it runs on set days that change from month to month, and it can be cancelled in wet weather as late as 10:45. Check the Household Division schedule the evening before, and arrive by 10:15 for a spot at the railings.

    From Household Division, October 2026 schedule

  4. Skip the hop-on hop-off bus

    Forum regulars point out the tour buses can't use bus lanes and spend a long time in traffic. A regular red bus on a central route, from the front seats on the top deck, shows you the same streets for £1.75.

    From Rick Steves England forum, 2026

  5. Do Westminster and St Paul's on a weekday or Saturday

    Both are closed for sightseeing on Sundays (St Paul's lets you climb the dome only, until 25 October 2026). On Sunday go to a service instead: Evensong is free and you hear the choirs in the building.

    From Westminster Abbey and St Paul's websites, 2026

  6. Eat at Borough Market before the lunch rush

    On Saturdays the market is shoulder to shoulder from noon. Come at 9:00–10:30 on Saturday or on a weekday, and remember it is closed on Mondays and closes at 16:00 on Sundays.

    From Borough Market opening times, 2026

  7. Use the Days Out Guide only if you arrive by train

    The 2-for-1 offers need a National Rail ticket, shown with the e-voucher at the door, and they only apply to full-price tickets bought on the door. Worth it at Westminster Abbey (saves £32 for two) if you are coming in from outside London.

    From Westminster Abbey website, 2026

  8. Look for the free view

    The Sky Garden costs nothing but needs a booking up to three weeks ahead; if it is full, the free roof terrace at One New Change next to St Paul's has a close-up view of the dome.

    From Sky Garden booking page, 2026

Scams and problems to watch for

  • The cup-and-ball game on Westminster Bridge

    Groups play a shell game on a cardboard box between Westminster and the London Eye, with planted 'winners' to draw you in. You can't win, and pickpockets work the crowd watching. Walk past.

  • Rickshaw (pedicab) overcharging

    Pedicabs around the West End have charged tourists hundreds of pounds for a few minutes' ride. TfL plans to license drivers and cap fares from 30 October 2026, at up to £5 plus up to £1 a minute (plus up to £3 per extra passenger), subject to final approval. Until then, agree the total before you get in; once licensing starts, check the driver's licence.

  • Phone snatching from bikes and e-scooters

    Thieves on bikes and e-scooters grab phones from people using them at the kerb, in busy tourist areas and outside stations. Step back from the road or into a doorway to check your map, and hold your phone with both hands.

  • Fake and resold tickets

    Touts outside the Tower, the London Eye and theatres sell 'skip-the-line' or resold tickets. Timed tickets in someone else's name may be refused (the British Museum checks ID for the Bayeux Tapestry). Buy on the official site or at the box office.

  • Unlicensed minicabs

    Drivers who approach you outside clubs, stations or the airport offering a cab are not licensed: minicabs must be booked through a licensed operator or app. Take a black cab from a rank or hail one with the yellow TAXI light on.

Questions people ask about a weekend in London

What is there to do in London in a weekend?

See Westminster (the Abbey, Parliament, Buckingham Palace and the Horse Guards) and the National Gallery on day one; the East End markets, the Tower of London, Borough Market and Tate Modern along the river on day two. Add the British Museum or a free South Kensington museum if you have time, and end with a Sunday roast in a pub.

Is 2 days enough for London?

Two days is enough for the main sights in Westminster, the City and the South Bank if you plan around the closures: Westminster Abbey and St Paul's are closed for sightseeing on Sundays, Borough Market on Mondays. A third day lets you add the British Museum and the South Kensington museums or a trip to Windsor or Hampton Court.

Which museums are free in London?

The British Museum, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, Tate Modern, the V&A, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the National Maritime Museum and Sir John Soane's Museum are free; you pay only for special exhibitions. The Science Museum asks you to book a free ticket.

Is the London Pass worth it?

Usually not for a weekend. The 2-day All-Inclusive pass costs £155, and you need five or more paid sights such as the Tower (£38), Westminster Abbey (£32), St Paul's (£27) and Tower Bridge (£18) in those two days to come out ahead. Many of London's great museums are free anyway.

When is the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace?

At 11:00 on set days, usually Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with the bands marching in from about 10:30; some Sundays have a parade at 10:00. The days change from month to month and the ceremony is cancelled in heavy rain, so check the Household Division calendar. At Horse Guards Parade the King's Life Guard changes at 11:00 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and is inspected at 11:00 at weekends.

What is the best day trip from London?

Windsor Castle is the easiest: 35 minutes from Paddington via Slough, castle tickets £32 in advance. Hampton Court Palace is 35 minutes from Waterloo, and Greenwich is a river-boat ride away. Oxford is about an hour from Paddington. Stonehenge is a longer day: about 1h30 by train to Salisbury, then a bus.

Where should I stay in London for a weekend?

Covent Garden or Soho if you want to walk to most sights and the theatres; Bloomsbury or King's Cross for better value near the British Museum and the Eurostar; the South Bank or the City for the river. Stay in zones 1–2 so the £8.90 daily cap covers your travel.

How do I get from Heathrow to central London?

The Elizabeth line balances speed and price: 28 minutes to Paddington and on to the West End and the City, about £15.50 with contactless. The Piccadilly line is cheapest at about £5.90 but slow, and the Heathrow Express is fastest (15 minutes to Paddington) at £26 or from £10 booked ahead.

More sights in London