Three is a magic number: the perfect 3-day stay in London

To get the absolute most out of a three-night stay in the UK capital, you really should come prepared – and, yes, that means drawing up an itinerary of attractions you’re going to pack in. Here’s a good example…

Day 1

Kick things off by strolling from nearby Hyde Park hotel to explore the park. There’s so much to discover here – and head to Wellington Arch, from which you’ll enter Green Park, which in turn takes you to Buckingham Palace. And here, around 11:30 am, you can witness the world-renowned ceremony that’s the Changing the Guard. From here, take a route through St. James’s Park to Westminster – and, specifically, to Westminster Abbey. A hugely significant and worth-of-a-visit site, for sure.

In the afternoon, make for the River Thames, passing the neo-Gothic majesty of Westminster Palace and Big Ben. Now, across Westminster Bridge, you’ll reach the London Eye, an attraction that affords visitors some of the finest London views of the city.

Finally, on your back to your hotel now, stop at the Knightsbridge Tube station for the great Harrods and Harvey Nichols department stores, before supping in the Piccadilly area and then back to your accommodation.

Day 2

Start you second day at the city’s oldest extant building of note, the Tower of London. A building of such historic import, your time here’s likely to take up all the morning. So, afterwards, cross Tower Bridge (by all means taking in the fascinating exhibition if you feel like it) and walk up the other bank – heading westwards – for the World War Two warship HMS Belfast. Passing here, you’ll quickly reach the London Bridge Tube station, from where you can catch a Northern line train up to Camden Town, which is resplendent with irresistible alt-culture glamour and grubbiness, especially in its terrific markets.

After this, hop back on the Tube Goodge Street for the British Museum; simply one of the world’s greatest museums. Here, you must check out the Rosetta stone, the Nereid Monument and the section dedicated to Ancient Egypt. And, if all that history and culture’s too much, drop out of the exhaustive (and exhausting!) museum before closing time and head ‘up West’ for retail therapy in Oxford Street, Bond Street and Regent Street. After which, you may fancy dining in China Town or – if you’re shattered, which you may be – at your accommodation (the Park Grand London Hyde Park?)

Day 3

Open your last day with a visit to the sublime St. Paul’s Cathedral – and be sure to visit this hub of medieval London’s crypt and climb its dome. Both are definitely worth the effort! After this, head St. Paul’s Tube station and take the Northern line to Charing Cross station for Trafalgar Square, one of London’s most distinguished and glorious piazzas. Saunter about here taking photos, selfies and videos if it’s sunny, then pop into the awesome National Gallery – it holds more than 2,300 paintings – or its equally as awesome sister site next-door, the National Portrait Gallery.

Following this, head north-east on foot till for the beguiling tourist-trap of a square that’s Covent Garden; its area is full of charming boutiques, market stalls, theatres and restaurants, at one of the latter of which you can dine away to your heart’s before heading back to your hotel fresh for you journey home the following morning.