London in 4 Days: A Practical Route from Big Ben to the British Museum

Why Four Days Suits London So Well

London's sights are spread out across the whole city, so once you sit down to plan, the list keeps growing—Big Ben, the British Museum, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace—until it feels overwhelming. On top of that, each attraction is large enough that half a day can slip by in a single spot.

Four days is a comfortable length for covering London's core areas without rushing. A steady structure is to spend day one arriving and sightseeing nearby, days two and three fully out in the city, and the final morning wrapping up before heading to the airport. The key to London is tackling one area at a time, and fortunately the main sights cluster into a few groups along the river and the Tube lines, so building a route isn't hard.

This guide is organised around practical day-by-day routes grouped by area. It works whether you fly into Heathrow or Gatwick.

Day 1: Arrival and Westminster

It depends on your arrival time, but assuming you land in the afternoon, a good first day is hotel check-in → a light loop around Westminster. The landmarks that first make London feel real are gathered in this area.

From the airport to the city

• Heathrow: The Piccadilly line reaches central London in about 50 minutes to an hour. The Heathrow Express is faster—around 15 minutes to Paddington—but the fare difference is significant.
• Gatwick: The Gatwick Express or a regular train reaches Victoria station in about 30–45 minutes.

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament

Rising above the Thames, Big Ben (the Elizabeth Tower) and the Houses of Parliament are the face of London. From Westminster Bridge you can frame the clock tower, the river, and the London Eye together, which makes it a great spot for a first-day photo.

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey, where royal coronations and ceremonies take place, is just a few minutes' walk away. The interior is a paid visit, but if your first day is tight, admiring the exterior and the surroundings is plenty.

The London Eye

Across the river stands the London Eye, a giant observation wheel. One full rotation takes about 30 minutes, and riding around sunset lets you see the Thames and the Westminster skyline lit up, which is why it's so popular. A gentle riverside stroll makes a nice way to close out the first evening.

Day 2: Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, and Soho

On day two, walk a single connected line: Buckingham Palace → St James's Park → Trafalgar Square → Soho and Covent Garden. These are all within walking distance of one another, making it a classic in-town route you can cover comfortably in a day.

Morning: Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guard

The official residence of the British royal family, Buckingham Palace is famous for the Changing of the Guard in the forecourt. The ceremony doesn't happen every day and the schedule varies by day and season, so check the official calendar before you go and arrive with time to spare to claim a good spot.

St James's Park

Right beside Buckingham Palace, St James's Park is a royal park blending a lake with lawns. It's a good place to escape the Changing of the Guard crowds for a moment, and walking across the park leads you naturally toward Trafalgar Square.

Afternoon: Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery

With Nelson's Column at its centre, Trafalgar Square is London's central plaza. Facing the square, the National Gallery offers free admission to its permanent collection, so you can enjoy works by masters like Van Gogh and Monet without pressure. Seeing everything would take more than a day, so it helps to pick a few works you want to see in advance and plan around them.

Evening: Soho and Covent Garden

Walking north from Trafalgar brings you to Soho, packed with theatres and restaurants, and Covent Garden, known for its street performances. Round off the evening here with pub fare or cuisine from around the world, and if you have the time, add a West End musical to the mix.

• Getting around: Most of this day connects on foot. The walking distances add up, so comfortable shoes are a must.

Day 3: The City, Tower Bridge, and St Paul's

Day three covers the City of London, where the city's history is concentrated. The route runs along the river in the order St Paul's Cathedral → Millennium Bridge → the Tower of London → Tower Bridge, so you're unlikely to get lost even with just a map.

Morning: St Paul's Cathedral

With its striking dome, St Paul's Cathedral is one of the buildings that define London's skyline. The interior and the dome viewing gallery are paid, but the panorama of central London from the top of the climb is superb. Crossing the Millennium Bridge from in front of the cathedral leads you toward the Tate Modern.

Midday: Along the river to the Tower of London

Walking east from St Paul's along the north bank of the Thames brings you to the Tower of London. A fortress holding the Crown Jewels and centuries of history, it deserves a couple of hours to see properly. Joining a guided tour led by the red-uniformed Yeoman Warders deepens your understanding considerably.

Afternoon: Tower Bridge

Right next to the Tower of London, Tower Bridge is the bascule bridge that symbolises London. Walking across the bridge itself is free, while the upper exhibition with its glass-floored walkway is paid. If you want to catch the bridge opening as a ship passes through, check the lift schedule in advance.

Day 4: The British Museum and Departure

The final day wraps up with a visit to the British Museum before heading to the airport. To match your flight time, avoid hauling heavy luggage far and plan around spots close to your hotel and the airport route.

The British Museum

One of the world's largest museums, the British Museum is free to enter. It's packed with artefacts you've seen in textbooks—the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies, the Parthenon sculptures—so even with little time, it's best to cherry-pick the highlights. Seeing everything takes more than a day, so deciding which galleries you want to see and planning your route in advance is the key.

• Signature artefacts: The Rosetta Stone, the Egyptian mummy gallery, and the Parthenon gallery are hard to pass up.
• Viewing tip: It's relatively quiet right after opening. Using the morning of your last day helps you avoid the crowds.

Getting to the airport in time

For international flights, arriving 2–3 hours before departure is safe. Tax refunds, checking your bags, and security take more time than you'd expect, so leave yourself a buffer. You can reach Heathrow by Tube, but the journey takes around an hour, so calculate generous time from the museum to the airport.

London Transport and Budget Guide

The first thing a London traveller needs to sort out is transport. The Underground (the Tube) and buses form a dense network, so most sights are within easy reach by public transport.

Travel cards

• Oyster card: A rechargeable travel card that works on the Tube, buses, and some trains—the most straightforward option. A daily cap applies once you've spent a certain amount in a day, so multiple journeys stay affordable.
• Contactless payment card: You can also tap a credit or debit card that works abroad, or a smartphone wallet, straight on the gate. A daily cap often applies in the same way as with Oyster, which is convenient for travellers who'd rather not buy a separate card.

The London Underground map looks complex with its many branching lines, but if you enter your start and destination in a maps app, it'll guide you through transfers and travel time, so there's little to worry about.

Rough four-day budget (per person)

• Flights: Prices swing widely by season. They climb considerably in peak season, so it pays to look early.
• Accommodation: London tends to be expensive, so prices vary a lot by location and class. Staying near a Tube station makes getting around easier.
• Food: Daily spending shifts a great deal depending on whether you rely on pubs, supermarkets, or restaurants.
• Admission fees: Making good use of free sights like the British Museum and the National Gallery keeps sightseeing costs down. For paid places (the Tower of London, the Tower Bridge exhibition, and the like), pick them out in advance and budget accordingly.

Since the exchange rate affects how much things feel like they cost, it's worth checking the pound rate before you leave and budgeting accordingly. If you want to gather scattered attraction details into one plan, start with creating a London trip itinerary in myTravel. Enter your destinations and dates to get a draft organised day by day, then tune it against the route in this article—and adjust the details with AI if you need to.