🗺️ What to fit in London in 3 days: itinerary, tickets and free museums

Three days in London go by faster than you expect. The Tube, queues, and galleries closed on Mondays eat up hours if you don't have a plan ready in advance.

We've put together a day-by-day itinerary. On day one you cover Westminster and the free museums of South Kensington, on day two you go up to viewing platforms and head to Greenwich, on day three you hit the markets and Oxford Street. Each stop is tied to a Tube station, and we checked tickets and opening hours on September 13, 2026 on the official websites of museums and transport operators.

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What to fit into 3 days in London

💡 In short:

Day one: hop-on hop-off bus tour, the British Museum, and the South Kensington museums.
Day two: the London Eye, St Paul's Cathedral, a free viewing platform, a Thames boat ride, and Greenwich.
Day three: Borough Market, Portobello Road, Oxford Street, and Chinatown.
Tickets and museum opening hours: 09/2026, verified on the official London Museum website.

London is easier to split by Tube lines than by areas on the map. The South Kensington museums sit in the same block, Westminster and Tate Modern are linked by one line, and the day-three markets lie along the Central line. That way you spend less time traveling and leave more time for the sights themselves.

Take two major stops per half-day. Some galleries are closed on specific days, and viewing platform tickets are cheaper online than at the ticket office. Below you'll find a ready-made itinerary and practical details for each day.

How to get from the airport to the center

Spacious hall of Heathrow Airport Terminal 2

London has five airports, and the busiest of them, Heathrow, sits to the west of the city. You can reach the center by Tube on the Piccadilly line, which is the cheapest option. The Heathrow Express gets you to Paddington faster, but the ticket costs several times more than the Tube.

National Express and Terravision buses arrive at Victoria Coach Station. This is a convenient option for those flying through Gatwick, Luton, or Stansted: buy return tickets in advance on the carriers' websites, then the price is lower. From London City Airport, the Docklands Light Railway runs to the center.

Want to get from the terminal to your hotel without transfers? You can book a Kiwitaxi transfer in advance, and the driver will meet you in the arrivals hall.

Buy your travel pass before you start traveling. For three days, a Travelcard for zones 1-2 or a contactless bank card works well: it functions like an Oyster card and automatically calculates the daily cap. Tap your card on entry and exit, otherwise the maximum fare will be charged.

Holders of a paper Travelcard bought from a National Rail ticket office can use the 2FOR1 offer: two tickets for the price of one at the London Eye, the Tower of London, and Madame Tussauds. Print the vouchers from the official offer website and show them together with your travel pass on the day of your visit.

Where to stay in London

The most budget-friendly options include bed and breakfasts, hostels, and private apartments. Look for a hotel near a Tube station: that way you save time traveling between itinerary stops and get back later in the evening.

For a three-day itinerary, zones 1-2 are convenient. London hotels on Trip.com show options by area with guest reviews. Book in advance, as the choice gets smaller closer to your dates.

Tickets and opening hours: what to book in advance

Attraction	Ticket	Hours	Source
London Eye	from £29 online	daily	londoneye.com
St Paul's Cathedral	£27 for an adult	8:30-16:30	stpauls.co.uk
Tower of London	around £37	daily	hrp.org.uk
British Museum	free	10:00-17:00	britishmuseum.org
South Kensington museums	free	from 10:00, closing 17:45-18:00	sciencemuseum.org.uk

As of 09/2026. If you plan to visit three or more paid attractions, the London Pass covering dozens of museums can pay for itself by the second day. Without a pass, buy tickets online individually: at the ticket office they cost more and take longer.

Check the day of the week before heading out. Westminster Abbey and some galleries close to visitors during services and private events, so check the schedule the day before.

Day 1: Westminster and free museums

Today you get to know the city on the Thames. Put on comfortable shoes and charge your phone: there are many miles of walking and dozens of photos ahead. You won't cover all the museums in one day, so pick two for each half of the day.

Hop-on hop-off bus tour

Red double-decker Routemaster on a London street

A red double-decker bus gives you an at-a-glance view of the city from the top deck. You can get off and back on at any stop, and the ticket is valid for 24 hours. If English isn't your first language, choose a route with an audio guide. A red double-decker bus tour costs less online than from the driver. Ticket holders also get access to a museum bus tour, a river cruise, and a guided walking tour.

Lunch at a Wetherspoon pub

Wetherspoon pub room in London with a wooden gallery

Wetherspoon runs a chain of pubs with low prices for the city center and long opening hours. The pubs are all over the city; find the one closest to your route on the map. The menu is the same at every location, so ordering won't take long.

London Museum

Construction work and signs at the new Museum of London

The former museum on London Wall is closed, and the collection is moving to Smithfield. The new London Museum opens its doors on November 28, 2026, with free admission to the permanent galleries (as of 09/2026, official website). If you're traveling before that date, swap in the British Museum and the Natural History Museum instead. The exhibition tells the story of how the city has changed since the Roman Empire.

British Museum

The country's main museum is free to enter every day, from 10:00 to 17:00 (as of 09/2026, hours and admission). Here you'll see the Rosetta Stone, the Egyptian galleries, and the Greek marbles. Address: Great Russell Street, WC1B 3DG. The nearest Tube stations are Holborn and Tottenham Court Road.

Victoria and Albert Museum

The museum's collection includes more than 4.5 million objects, from sculpture to fashion and jewelry. Admission is free, and the doors are open daily from 10:00 to 17:45, with late opening on Fridays (as of 09/2026, vam.ac.uk). Address: Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL, South Kensington Tube station. You don't need a ticket for the permanent exhibitions; you only pay for temporary shows.

Science Museum

The Science Museum is interesting for both adults and children: interactive galleries, an IMAX cinema, and hands-on experiments. General admission is free, and the museum is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00 (as of 09/2026, free admission and hours). Address: Exhibition Road, SW7 2DD, South Kensington tube station. It's best to book free tickets online so you don't have to queue at the entrance in the morning.

Natural History Museum

The neighboring Natural History Museum displays a dinosaur skeleton, a blue whale replica, and a giant squid. Admission is free, and the museum is open daily from 10:00 to 17:50 (as of 09/2026, nhm.ac.uk). Address: Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD. The queue at the main entrance is shorter if you walk around the building on the right along Exhibition Road: there's a visitor entrance there too. Children aged ten and up can join a free guided tour.

Tate Modern

Tate Modern occupies a former power station on the south bank of the Thames. Admission to the main collection is free, and gallery staff lead tours several times a day; check times at the information desk (as of 09/2026, tate.org.uk). Address: Bankside, SE1 9TG. The gallery is best scheduled for day two, right after St Paul's Cathedral. From the cathedral you can walk here across the Millennium Bridge pedestrian bridge in ten minutes.

Westminster Abbey

Fan vault and stained glass of the abbey chapter house

Westminster Abbey remains a working church. Evening services on weekdays and Sunday worship are open to all: you can hear the choir and see the interior without a paid ticket (as of 09/2026, westminster-abbey.org). Check the exact service schedule on the abbey's website; tourist areas are closed during services. Address: 20 Deans Yard, SW1P 3PA.

Things to do in the evening in London

Evening cocktail stand on the South Bank in London

For a relaxed evening, try Paradise by Way of Kensal Green (19 Kilburn Lane, W10 4AE): it's quiet early in the evening and gets livelier later.

West End musical tickets are cheaper at the Half Price Ticket Booth on Leicester Square. The sale opens a couple of hours before showtime, so arrive early and pick seats for the evening.

Day 2: viewing platforms and Greenwich

Today you'll see the city from above. Start with the observation wheel in the center, and in the evening head up to a free viewing platform.

London Eye

A ticket for the London Eye costs from £29 when purchased online and around £39 at the ticket office (as of 09/2026, fares and time slots on the official website). Book a slot in advance: in summer the line can stretch to an hour. You can get a London Eye ticket with specific time slots. The wheel stands near Waterloo and Westminster stations; you need exit 1.

St Paul's Cathedral

Climbing to the dome of St Paul's Cathedral takes 528 steps, and the gallery beneath the dome houses the "Whispering Gallery": a word spoken at one wall can be heard at the opposite one. An adult ticket costs £27, a child ticket £10.50 (as of 09/2026, tickets and opening hours). An online ticket is cheaper than at the ticket office and is valid for the selected time. Gauge your stamina in advance: the climb is steep and there is no elevator. After the cathedral, cross Millennium Bridge to Tate Modern.

Free viewing platforms

People in the Sky Garden glass garden with city views

You don't have to pay for a view. You get a great panorama from Waterloo Bridge: in the evening, the best shots of the city come from here. Parliament Hill near Hampstead tube station and the Alexandra Palace complex (Ally Pally) also offer free views. Both are in the north of the city, so they don't fit into the same day as Greenwich. Come an hour before sunset: the light is softer and the shadows longer at that time.

Thames boat trip

Galaxy Clipper catamaran with passengers on the Thames

A boat from Westminster Pier goes to Greenwich along the main embankments. Buy tickets online so you don't stand in line at the ticket office. Westminster Pier is located at the tube station of the same name; the boats you need depart from there. The journey by water takes longer than the tube, but you see the city from the river.

Greenwich

If you want to avoid the crowds on the boat, take the tube to Canning Town instead and walk through Thames Barrier Park by the Thames Barrier. From there, take the DLR train to Greenwich station; it is not a tube line.

For lunch, stop by the Trafalgar Tavern pub: the establishment has been open since 1837, and the windows look out onto the Thames. After lunch, walk up to Greenwich Park to the Royal Observatory, where you can take a photo on the prime meridian. Get there before closing time (5:00 PM), otherwise you won't get onto the platform.

On the waterfront stands the clipper Cutty Sark, which carried tea from China and wool from Australia. Then go down into the pedestrian tunnel under the Thames: look for the entrance near the pier. In the evening, blues lovers head back to the center: the bar Aint Nothing But is in Soho, and live music often plays there.

Day 3: markets, Oxford Street and Chinatown

Today you're going shopping and eating. Bring cash: not all market vendors accept cards.

Portobello Road

Portobello Road Market in Notting Hill takes up an entire street: antiques, vintage, souvenirs and street food. Street stalls operate on weekends, while antique shops are open on weekdays too. Fans of the film "Notting Hill" will recognize 142, where the bookshop stood in the story.

Borough Market

Lunch today is at Borough Market near London Bridge station. Here you'll find fresh bread, meat sandwiches, pies, cheeses and fruit at prices below restaurant levels. Check the market's website for exact opening hours before your trip. Address: 8 Southwark Street, SE1 1TL.

Oxford Street

On Oxford Street, hundreds of shops stand one after another, from mass market to brand flagships. Get off at Oxford Circus station. For affordable items, head to Primark (499 Oxford Street); for original t-shirts, try Lazy Oaf (19 Fouberts Place). Walk the street to the end on foot so you don't miss the shop you need. It gets crowded at the end of the week, so arrive at opening time.

Chinatown

After shopping, stop by Chinatown near Leicester Square. Near Macclesfield Street there's an art installation made of many photographs of the area; from a distance it looks like a huge bowl of rice. You can have dinner at Leong's Legend restaurant on the same street. You can end the evening at Ministry of Sound club: entry here costs more than at most clubs in the city.

3-Day London itinerary on the map

Below is an interactive map with points for all three days. Open it on your smartphone and plan your day in whatever order suits you.

London in 3 days

Places on the map

Heathrow Airport The city's busiest airport, the Piccadilly line and Heathrow Express run to the center
London Museum The collection is moving to Smithfield, the new museum opens on 28 November 2026, free entry
British Museum Free from 10:00 to 17:00, the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian halls and Greek marbles
Victoria and Albert Museum Over 4.5 million objects, free entry, galleries stay open late on Fridays
Science Museum Interactive galleries and an IMAX cinema, free entry from 10:00 to 18:00
Natural History Museum A dinosaur skeleton, a blue whale replica, free entry until 17:50
Tate Modern A former power station on the south bank of the Thames, the main collection is free
Westminster Abbey A working church, free entry to services, tourist areas are closed at that time
Heaven Free Popcorn party on Mondays with a coupon from the club's website
Paradise by Way of Kensal Green Restaurant on Kilburn Lane, quiet early evening, gets livelier later
London Eye Ferris wheel from 29 pounds online and about 39 at the box office, book a slot in advance
St Paul's Cathedral 528 steps up to the dome and the Whispering Gallery, adult ticket 27 pounds
Parliament Hill Free panorama of the city near Hampstead station
Waterloo Bridge In the evening this is where the best shots of the city are taken
Alexandra Palace Entertainment complex in the north of the city with a free viewing platform
Westminster Pier Boats to Greenwich depart from here along the main embankments
Thames Barrier Park A walk from Canning Town station, fewer tourists here
Greenwich District in the southeast with a park, an observatory and the Cutty Sark clipper
Trafalgar Tavern The pub has been running since 1837, the Thames is visible from the windows
Royal Observatory The prime meridian in Greenwich Park, get there before closing at 17:00
Cutty Sark Museum ship on the embankment, carried tea from China and wool from Australia
Greenwich Foot Tunnel Passage under the Thames, entrance next to the pier
Portobello Market Notting Hill, antiques and vintage, street stalls run on weekends
Borough Market By London Bridge station, bread, cheeses and pies cheaper than restaurants, closed on Sunday
Oxford Street Hundreds of shops from mass market to flagships, exit at Oxford Circus station
Primark on Oxford Street Budget items at 499 Oxford Street
Lazy Oaf Original T-shirts on Fouberts Place
Chinatown Near Leicester Square, an art installation made of photographs by Macclesfield Street
Ministry of Sound A club to end the evening, entry pricier than most clubs in the city

According to the map, the first day covers roughly six kilometers on foot, the second day includes a trip to Greenwich, and the third day stays in the center and takes about four kilometers. The first and third days are easier to do on foot, and for longer stretches take the tube.

If you want to gather tickets and tours in one place ahead of time, check out the ready-made options below.

Tours and tickets in London

Guided tours, skip-the-line tickets and activities — most offers can be cancelled free of charge.

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⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need for London?

Three days is enough for the main sights: Westminster, the British Museum, the South Kensington museums and Greenwich. Plan two major stops per half-day, otherwise the day turns into a race between tube stations. If you want to add Windsor or Warner Bros. Studio, set aside a fourth day.

How much does entry to the main museums cost?

The British Museum, the South Kensington museums and Tate Modern are free. Prices for the London Eye, St Paul's Cathedral and the Tower are listed in the table above. At most museums you only pay for temporary exhibitions.

What's the cheapest way to get around London?

Get a Travelcard for zones 1-2 or pay with a contactless card. Card payment rules are described above, in the section on getting from the airport.

Is it worth buying the London Pass?

London Pass pays off if you plan to visit three or more paid attractions. Compare the pass's list of attractions with your itinerary: free museums are not included and don't affect the payback.

What days are the markets open?

Portobello Road street stalls operate on weekends, while antique shops are open daily. Check the Borough Market website for exact hours. On weekdays there are fewer people, but the selection of stalls is smaller.

In short: what's worth booking

If it's your first visit, book a double-decker bus ticket and a London Eye time slot in advance. If you're traveling with kids, put the South Kensington museums on your first day: entry is free and the exhibits are interactive. If you want to save money, combine the 2FOR1 offer with train tickets and don't pay for free museums.

A short trip benefits from booking in advance: online tickets are cheaper, and time slots for the wheel and the cathedral sell out on weekends. Put together your London tours and tickets ahead of time and don't waste your first day in queues: London tours and tickets on GetYourGuide.

London in 3 days on your own: day by day itinerary and what to book in advance