How Many Days In London Is Enough In 2024?

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London is a city packed with tourist attractions.

How many days in London is enough?

It can be hard to decide how long to spend in the English capital, particularly as there are so many things to do.

As a full-time traveller and someone who has visited London multiple times, I feel confident to provide an answer to this burning question.

How many days in London is enough?

In my opinion, the perfect amount of time to spend in London is 3 days.

Spending 3 days in London means you will have enough time to see the main tourist attractions without rushing (though it is possible to see most of London in a day) as well as some time to see some of the less popular sights.

Of course, you can spend more time in London and still have a great time. Some people recommend spending at least one week, but I don’t think this is necessary. You can have a great time staying in London for a week, but I don’t believe you need at least 1 week.

A picture of me looking into the distance where you can see the London Eye towering over some smaller buildings.

If you are short on time, it’s definitely possible to see all of London’s main attractions in 1 day or 2. Taking a London in a day walking tour allows you to tick everything off in the space of a day. But spending 3 days allows you to see more than just the tourist sights.

That being said, there is no correct answer to “how many days in London is enough?” as everyone prefers to travel differently. You may wish to spend a month in London and really soak in the city, or you may wish to only spend one day. It’s entirely up to you.

But 3 days is enough time to do all of the main things to see and do, as well as allowing some time to explore and also time to relax. London is amazing and no matter how long you spend there, you’ll have a wonderful trip.

And one last thing, there are never too many days in London, just more than enough.

What to see in London

30 million people visit London each year and for good reason, there are so many things to see. It’s a city packed with tourist spots. So here are 10 of the top things to see in London. It may help you decide how many days in London are enough for you.

1) Big Ben: One of the most iconic things to see in London is Big Ben. It’s a beautiful golden clock (although the name “Big Ben” technically just refers to the bell). The pictures you can take of Big Ben are extraordinary, it’s impossible to snap a bad pic.

2) Houses of Parliament: Connected to Big Ben are the Houses of Parliament. This is another beautiful building to see in London, and an important one too, as it is home to the British Government.

3) Westminster Abbey: Across the road from the Houses of Parliament is Westminster Abbey, one of the most famous churches in the world. It’s the church used by the British Royal Family for special occasions like weddings, and sadly most recently, Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.

A picture of an information board for Westminster Abbey, with Westminster Abbey in the background.

4) The London Eye: One of the most famous sights in London is of course the London Eye. The observation wheel is beautiful to look at, and if you can work a picture of both the London Eye and Big Ben, you’re onto a winner!

5) Buckingham Palace: Buckingham Palace is a breathtakingly beautiful building and seeing it for yourself is an absolute must when visiting London, regardless of how many days you spend in London. It’s the official London residence of the British Monarch, King Charles III.

6) COVID-19 Memorial Wall: One of the newer sights to see in London is the COVID Memorial Wall. It’s a wall near Big Ben where there are red hearts painted on the wall, each representing a loved one lost during the pandemic. You can find an empty heart and write someone’s name if you wish. It’s a really touching sight.

A picture of a plaque on the COVID Memorial Wall.

7) 10 Downing Street: The home of the British Prime Minister, 10 Downing Street is a must-see in London, but you won’t get more than a glimpse. You aren’t allowed down the actual street and can only look from behind the barrier in front of the gate. Still cool to see though.

8) Piccadilly Circus: This iconic spot in London is known for its electronic screen advertising board. It’s awesome to see it for yourself and I spent around 10 minutes simply watching the screen. Piccadilly Circus is a great place to people-watch too!

9) Trafalgar Square: Home of the famous lions and fountain, Trafalgar Square is somewhere you have to see in London. You can’t not. You can also see the smallest police station in the world.

A picture of the smallest police station in the world, found in Hyde Park. You can visit during your 3 days in London, which is how many days in London is enough.
The smallest police station in the world, Trafalgar Square.

10) Tower Bridge: Tower Bridge is also something essential to see in London. It’s a really impressive bridge, beautiful to look at. Taking a photo here is guaranteed to produce something postcard-worthy.

Things to do in London

As well as many great things to see in London, there are endless great things to do. Here are 10 things to do in London. Again, this might help you to find your own personal answer to “how many days in London” is right for you.

1) Go up the London Eye: If you think the London Eye is nice to look at, imagine the view from the top! You can take a “panoramic flight” and have a go on the wheel. It’s definitely worth doing and you can book skip-the-line tickets, to avoid waiting in HUGE queues.

2) Tour the Houses of Parliament: The Houses of Parliament are cool to see from the outside, but going inside and seeing the rooms shown worldwide where the politicians debate and make laws is even cooler. You can find out more here.

3) Feed the parrots in St. James’s Park: In St. James’s Park, the park in which Buckingham Palace is found, there are these beautiful green wild parakeets. You can hold out some food (an apple, bird seed, peanut, etc.) and the parrots will fly down and eat from your hands! It’s also completely free which is great if you are visiting London on a budget.

A picture of me holding a green parakeet in St. James's Park during my 3 days in London which is how many days in London is enough

4) Go to a musical in the West End: The West End is famous for its musicals and there are always tons of great options at any time throughout the year. Around Leicester Square and beyond, there are many great theatres where you can watch musicals. It’s a great way to spend an evening in London.

5) Pose by a telephone box: London’s telephone boxes are infamous for their beautiful red design. There are hundreds scattered throughout the city where you can pose to take photos. I suggest finding one a bit quieter (they’re everywhere) rather than queueing for the few opposite Westminster Abbey.

6) See the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London: The Tower of London is an amazing place to visit in London. You can easily spend a few hours touring the palace (it’s not really much of a tower) and you can see the Crown Jewels. You can book your tickets here.

A picture of the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London

7) Take a Thames tour: The River Thames runs right through the heart of London and from the river you can see many of the city’s sights. Taking a Thames tour offers a unique perspective and you can see some of the less popular but still beautiful sights such as the Gherkin or the Shard. Book your River Thames tour well in advance as they often sell out.

8) Have a picnic in Hyde Park: Hype Park is a beautiful park in the centre of London. Hyde Park makes for a lovely spot for a picnic on a sunny day. If you visit in winter when the weather’s not so great, Hyde Park turns into a Winter Wonderland in December which is unreal amounts of fun (and yes, it does snow in London).

9) Visit the British Museum: The British Museum is a great place to visit on any trip to London. There is so much to see, read and learn and you could easily spend a full day here. It’s fascinating and one of the best things to do in London for sure.

A picture of the outside of the British Museum.

10) Take a ride on London’s famous red buses: London’s red buses are famous all over the world. They’re so picturesque and it feels quite surreal to take a journey on them. You simply tap your credit/debit card and get on. It’s easy and definitely worth doing once or twice!

How to spend 3 days in London

As the answer to “how many days in London is enough” is 3 days, you may be wondering how to spend 3 days in London. For your convenience, I have created a quick overview of the best way to spend your 3 days in the British Capital.

Day 1: Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, COVID Memorial, London Eye, Downing Street, and watch a musical in the West End

As many of the attractions in London are close together, your first day seems quite jam-packed, but in reality, it’s actually very relaxed and slow-paced. Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, the COVID Memorial and the London Eye are all within 5 minutes walk from each other.

I put Big Ben first on the list as it’s probably the thing you will see first. The tall tower beautifully standing tall and high in the London skyline is an incredible sight and one that I suggest you spend time simply taking in.

The bridge between Big Ben and the London Eye is always extremely busy, so it may take some time to get nice photos without anyone in the way. Nonetheless, it’s nice to just take in the sights rather than see something and immediately move on.

A picture of me in front of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament during my 3 days in London. How many days in London is enough? 3

From Big Ben, you can simply turn around and you will see the London Eye. Beautiful in its own way and another class photo opportunity. It’s up to you what order you do everything in but I personally would go and have a look inside the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey before going on the London Eye.

Afterwards, walk down Parliament Street/Whitehall and you will reach Downing Street, kind of. You can look in through the barrier and gate that prevents the public from entering. Note: there is armed security at the gate.

And what better way to end the day than by watching a musical in the West End? The perfect end to a first day in London.

Day 2: Thames Tour, Buckingham Palace and St. James’s Park, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus and Hyde Park picnic

Begin your second day by taking a tour of the River Thames. This will allow you to see some of the iconic buildings of the London skyline such as the Gherkin or the Shard, as well as the main attractions like the London Eye or Big Ben.

After the tour, head to Buckingham Palace and take in the beauty. It’s a magnificent and spectacular building. If you prefer, you can be at Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guards. It’s one of the most impressive and special things you can see in London.

The changing of the guards is at 10.45am and lasts for 45 minutes, so you may wish to take a Thames tour after you watch the changing of the guards.

I always recommend taking a nice walk through St. James’s Park after visiting Buckingham Palace as the park itself is so peaceful, but the wildlife is outstanding. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of birds including ducks, geese, pelicans and parrots. Yes, parrots.

As I listed in the “things to do” section, there are wild, green parakeets in St. James’s Park that you can feed from your hands. If you have an apple you can hold it out. Otherwise, there are usually people selling and/or giving out peanuts or bird food. Pretty cool, right?

Another picture of me feeding the green parakeets in St. James's Park

Next up is Trafalgar Square and this is a great place to relax and sit down. You’ve had a busy start to the day after all. London involves a lot of walking! There are also some nice places to eat if you prefer, but a picnic in Hyde Park is on the itinerary.

From Trafalgar Square, you can head to Piccadilly Circus to see the screens for yourself. One of my favourite photos I have ever taken in London is from Piccadilly Circus. I captured one of London’s famous red buses with Piccadilly on the front going past the advert board.

A picture of a red London bus with "Piccadilly Circus 94" on the front going past the advertising screens in Piccadilly Circus.

Day 3: British Museum, Tower Bridge and Tower of London

Your final day in London is a very educational one, as you start your day at the British Museum. I’m a sucker for history so I could personally spend hours upon hours here, but I can appreciate it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.

Speaking of which, make sure you have a cup of tea in London. You can’t visit Britain and not have a cup of tea, right?

From the British Museum, head to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. Again, I could easily spend hours upon hours here.

A picture of the Tower of London.

If it’s not your thing, you can skip this day altogether. Or, you can pick and choose what you want to do and then allow yourself time to explore London for yourself.

Another thing you may consider doing, which I wish I had time for, is a tour of Wembley Stadium. As a huge football (soccer) fan, it would be great to see the behind-the-scenes of the iconic sporting venue.

Nonetheless, whatever way you choose to spend your third day, you will have a great time in London.

Day trips from London

If you spend more than 3 days in London, you may wish to take a day trip. While day trips aren’t as big of a thing in the UK as they are elsewhere in the world, it is possible to reach some nice destinations from the capital. The 3 best day trips to take are Cambridge, Stonehenge and Bath.

Cambridge

Cambridge is a beautiful and picturesque city just under 2 hours away from London by train, although it can be quicker depending on where the train stops. You can visit the world-renowned university, or explore the pretty streets of the city centre. If you spend more time in London, it’s definitely worth checking Cambridge out.

A picture of Cambridge University. If you spend more than 3 days (the answer to "how many days in London is enough?") in London, you may wish to take a day trip to Cambridge.

Stonehenge

Possibly the most popular day trip from London, Stonehenge is another great option. Visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site is on the bucket list for most people visiting the UK. Fortunately, you can Stonehenge within 2 hours from London. In fact, there are lots of tour companies which do London to Stonehenge tours as it’s so popular.

A picture of the rocks at Stonehenge.

Bath

A third option is to visit the beautiful town of Bath. The whole city is so pretty, it’s something straight out of a fairy tale and it’s a step back in time into olden day England. The main thing to do in Bath is to, of course, visit the Roman Baths found in the city. It makes for a great day trip from London and one definitely worth considering.

A picture of the Roman Baths in Bath, England.

How many days in London: FAQ

Is 3 days enough in London?

Yes, 3 days is enough time in London to see the main attractions and have some time to explore the city for yourself.

Is 4 days in London too long?

There’s never really “too long” in London, just “more than enough” and that’s how to describe 4 days. 3 days is the perfect amount of time to spend in the English capital.

Is 2 days enough to see London?

2 days is less than ideal but it’s definitely possible to see all of London’s main attractions in 2 days. It will just be a bit more rushed than if you had more time.

How many days in London and Paris?

London requires at least 3 days and you should spend about 2 days in Paris. So 5 days in total. You can get the Eurostar from London directly to Paris to avoid having to get a flight.

How many days in London: Conclusion

And there you have it, a complete guide to “how many days in London is enough?

In my opinion, the answer is 3 days. 3 days allows you to see the main attractions as well as have some time to yourself to do whatever you want.

You can certainly see London in less than 3 days, and you can certainly spend more time and have a great trip. It’s a personal preference.

Regardless of how long you choose to spend, I hope you have a wonderful trip 🙂