London Itinerary 5 Days – The Ultimate Guide For Beginners

This is my 5 Day London Itinerary! I had a wonderful holiday in this beautiful city, which is home to charming European architecture, world famous attractions, great shopping destinations, and many awesome eateries.

Table of Contents

• Day 1: Westminster, Covent Garden, Soho
• Day 2: St James’s, Mayfair
• Day 3: City of London, Southwark
• Day 4: Notting Hill, South Kensington
• Day 5: Windsor Castle, Camden Market
• Map of London
• Day Trips From London
• Conclusion

Day 1

Westminster

Photo of Palace of Westminster taken from Westminster Bridge

Westminster is a charming district home to many historic government buildings and traditional European architecture. It is one of the most beautiful places in London.

This area is well known for its famous tourist attractions like Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, London Eye, Palace of Westminster, Westminster Bridge, Parliament Square, and Buckingham Palace.

Unfortunately, Big Ben was covered in scaffolding during my visit.

Covent Garden

Covent Garden is the famous shopping and theatre district of London. It is also one of the most popular places to stay in London for tourists.

This vibrant district is home to many retail shops and luxury boutiques such as Zara, Kate Spade, Burberry, Chanel, MAC, etc.

For more unique items, check out the historic Covent Garden Market which is home to artisan shops selling handmade crafts and goods.

One of the most prominent spots in Covent Garden is Leicester Square, a vibrant public square surrounded by cinemas, theatres, restaurants, casinos, clubs, and retail shops.

And of course, Covent Garden is famous for its theatre shows, ranging from indie plays to world-renowned West End Musicals such as Matilda the Musical and The Lion King.

If you have time, drop by Somerset House, a famous working arts centre. The beautiful neoclassical architecture makes for a great photo opportunity.

Soho

From Covent Garden, head over to the adjacent Soho, another vibrant district known for its shopping, theatre, and nightlife scene.

The area is home to many pubs and nightclubs. There are many gay bars and clubs too.

Similar to Covent Garden, Soho is famous for its theatre scene. Popular shows include Thriller and Les Misérables.

I enjoyed strolling around the bustling Chinatown, which has plenty of delicious food options. The Chinatown Gate is a nice photo opportunity.

Day 2

St James’s

Trafalgar Square

St James’s is a historic district home to various art galleries, fine dining restaurants, and classy bars. St James’s Park is located here too.

The most famous attraction in this neighbourhood is Trafalgar Square, a famous public square that commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

I visited this square in the late morning and it was packed with tourists! Therefore, if you want to take good pictures I suggest going in the early morning or late evening.

National Gallery is located in Trafalgar Square. I enjoyed walking around this world class museum to admire the masterpieces by great artists like Michelangelo, Caravaggio, and Leonardo da Vinci. Admission is free.

If you prefer contemporary art, you can check out the nearby Thomas Dane Gallery.

Mayfair

Bond Street

Mayfair is the upscale district of London. It is home to charming Georgian architecture, luxury boutiques, popular retail shops, and fancy restaurants.

The most iconic landmark in Mayfair is the Marble Arch, a white marble triumphal arch originally designed to be the entrance of Buckingham Palace. Today, it is a popular photo opportunity for tourists.

But Mayfair is probably best known for its three major shopping streets of London: Bond Street, Oxford Street, and Regent Street.

Bond Street is is THE place to shop for high-end brands like Miu Miu, Hermes, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Prada, etc.

Oxford Street is lined with hundreds of popular retail stores like Foot Locker, Topshop, H&M, Uniqlo, Zara, and many more. It is also home to Selfridges (high-end department store), Primark and TK Maxx (bargain fashion stores).

Regent Street is a beautiful shopping destination home to a number of mid-market and luxury brands like Canada Goose, H&M, Longchamp, Furla, and Tory Burch.

Piccadilly Circus

After the wife was done with her shopping, we continued walking along Regent Street towards Piccadilly Circus.

This famous road junction is known for its bright neon signs and large digital screens, similar to Times Square in New York.

The Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain, a fountain with the statue of Antero, is located here. The statue is often mistaken to be Eros instead.

Day 3

City of London

Tower Bridge

City of London is the financial district of London. It is a quiet area home to some of London’s most iconic attractions: St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower of London, and Tower Bridge.

St Paul’s Cathedral is a majestic English Baroque church with the second highest dome in the world. I really enjoyed touring the church interior, which boasts beautiful decorations, charming sculptures, and some of the most spectacular ceiling artwork I’ve ever seen.

Tower of London is a historic castle located by the River Thames. It is open to tours by the public.

Nearby is the Tower Bridge, a suspension bridge that is an iconic symbol of London. I walked across the bridge from the north bank to the south bank, which was a pretty cool experience.

Southwark

Southwark is a historic district that is usually underrated as a tourist destination.

The most popular attraction here is Borough Market, a famous local market that offers plenty of delicious food.

However, please take good care of your belongings when walking around the market. I was almost pickpocket-ed here and it was quite an unnerving experience.

Other popular tourist attractions in Southwark include the Shard (London’s tallest building) and the beautiful Millennium Bridge.

Day 4

Notting Hill

Notting Hill is an idyllic district home to quaint pastel houses and cobblestone streets. It is arguably the most romantic neighbourhood in London.

After taking photos of the charming houses, I went to Portobello Market, a famous street market that sells antiques and collectibles.

The market operates every day, but the main market day is Saturday when you will see many antique stalls, street performers and street vendors.

South Kensington

Natural History Museum

South Kensington is an upscale neighbourhood lined with classy Victorian townhouses. It is also home to museums, high-end department stores, and luxury boutiques.

This is a good place to visit with your family because it is home to three free London public museums: Science Museum, Natural History Museum, and Victoria & Albert Museum.

There are also two famous public parks in the neighbourhood: Hyde Park (home to Wellington Arch) and Kensington Park (home to Kensington Palace).

For shopping, head over to Harrods (famous luxury department store), Harvey Nichols (British luxury department store), Sloane Street (high end shopping street), Topshop at Brompton Road, and Tommy Hilfiger’s Europe flagship store.

Day 5

Windsor Castle

The Long Walk

Windsor Castle is a majestic castle that serves as the royal residence of the Queen of England, though you probably won’t get to see her during your visit.

This popular tourist attraction is located 30 minutes away from central London by train.

The State Apartments is a must-visit in Windsor Castle. It is a lavish series of rooms and halls that were built under past monarchs.

The other famous attraction in the castle is St George’s Chapel, a majestic Gothic chapel built in the 15th and 16th centuries. It is also known for being the wedding venue of Prince Harry and Miss Meghan Markle.

If you have time, you can consider visiting The Long Walk, which offers a wonderful view of the castle down its beautiful tree-lined avenue.

Camden Market

Camden Market (also known as Camden Lock) is a huge street market home to many independent boutiques selling handcrafted goods, jewellery, books, furniture, and other eclectic items.

This is a good place to shop for trendy apparel, vintage goods, stylish handmade jewellery, and affordable souvenirs.

The market is also home to many food stalls and restaurants, including the famous Poppies fish and chips restaurant.

Map of London

This map marks down all the places listed in this itinerary (except for Windsor Castle because it is quite far from central London). Click to enlarge.

Day Trips From London

If you are able to spend more days in London, you can consider including the below day trips in your itinerary.

1. Bicester Village

Bicester Village is a famous luxury outlet mall located less than an hour from London by train. This large outdoor mall is home to over 160 fashion stores offering discounts of up to 60% off usual retail prices.

Some of the brands available include Coach, Jimmy Choo, Gucci, Burberry, Ferragamo, Michael Kors, Celine, and many more.

If you love shopping, I strongly recommend visiting Bicester Village because you will get to enjoy great discounts, especially on British luxury brands.

2. Bath and Stonehenge

Bath Abbey

The Bath and Stonehenge day tour is a popular activity for London tourists. It is not really possible to visit these two places using public transport, so most people will usually go on organised tours. I went with Evan Evans Tours.

The tour bus brought me to Bath first, a historic city known for its rich culture and beautiful Georgian architecture.

The most famous attractions here are the Roman Baths, Bath Abbey, and Pulteney Bridge. The city is home to many awesome eateries too.

After that, I went to Stonehenge. This world famous attraction consists of a circle of enormous stones. It is a masterpiece of prehistoric engineering, with a history that can be traced back to over 10,000 years ago.

3. Oxford

Oxford is a quaint city home to the prestigious University of Oxford. This beautiful campus is home to many stunning historic architecture, and was also the setting for many scenes in the Harry Potter movies.

To get to Oxford from London, you just need to take a one-hour train ride from Paddington Station to Oxford Station.

Conclusion

I hope you found my London itinerary useful! Note that this itinerary can be used for 2 day, 3 day or 4 day trips too. For example, if you can only do a London 3 day itinerary, you can just visit the neighbourhoods covered between day 1 and 3 (Westminster, Covent Garden, Soho, St James’s Mayfair, City of London, Southwark). If your London itinerary is for 6 days or 7 days, you can go on the day trips to Bicester Village, Oxford, Bath and Stonehenge.