Summer in the city: a sunny 3-day London sightseeing itinerary

Let’s kick off our three-day London sightseeing itinerary in Westminster. Look up to admire Big Ben. A symbol among symbols in a city of symbols, it sticks up from the Palace of Westminster like a thoughtful, interruptive index finger, primed to make a salient political point about something or other. Of course, Big Ben is actually the name of the bell, not the tower. But everyone calls the Elizabeth Tower Big Ben anyway. Still, it’s good to know the facts. Tell your travelling companion. If travelling alone, tell a complete stranger. They might not thank you for it, but they will pass it off as their own fact sooner or later. 

Next, head into Westminster Abbey, entry to which is included with The London Pass. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Westminster Abbey has been the traditional coronation church of the British monarchy since the 11th Century. It was also used as the venue for Kate and William’s wedding – how the other half live, eh? Learn the history of the abbey using the multimedia guide, and get to know the life and works of the legions of famous Brits commemorated there, among them Charleses Dickens and Darwin, plus Chaucer, Shakespeare, Jane Austen and many more. It’s best to go early in the morning, as it can get pretty crowded later on. It also closes relatively early, at 3.30PM most days.

Read our cheat’s guide to the history of Westminster Abbey.

It’s summer, so we need to cool off. A boat cruise on the River Thames may seem like the kind of treat only accessible to the super rich, but not so. Your London Pass unlocks 24 hours of unlimited travel on City Cruises’ Thames River Boat. That means you can head up and down the Thames as often as you like on your first day in town. We’re going to hop on at Westminster Pier, and head east along the river, trying to catch some breeze if we can. The breeze may not be a certainty, but catching sight after sight of London’s biggest landmarks is. Ahoy there, London Eye! Hello, Tate Modern! Lovely to meet you, St Paul’s Cathedral. Greetings, Tower Bridge. And yes, entry to all of these is also included with your London Pass, if you can make the time to squeeze ‘em all in. In the meantime, let’s hop off here at Tower Pier.

Just as you’re getting your legs adjusted to being back on dry land, we’re here. The Tower of London. London’s most famous fortress. London’s most popular prison. It was even a zoo for a period. Now it’s one of London’s top attractions. It houses a museum that covers every stage of its history, and has an impressive number of gates, rooms and towers open to the public. We used to only be allowed in the prison bit. See the famous resident ravens, get jealous looking at the Crown Jewels and say hello to the Beefeaters. You could spend much of your day here. But we need some food, we need some sun, we need to keep moving. We’ve only got about 75% off this 3-day London itinerary left.

Why not follow our favorite route around the Tower of London?

Cross over magnificent Tower Bridge and stroll along the south bank of the River Thames. What can we see from here? HMS Belfast. That’s included with The London Pass too, so pop on there to see Britain’s most famous WWII ship still in existence. Or log its position to come back to later. It’s a busy old business this 3-day London sightseeing malarkey. Follow your nose along the south bank of the Thames to Borough Market, one of the oldest and largest food markets in the capital. Whip around the stalls selling speciality food products, seasonal veg, fresh meat and other local produce. Grab some street food from one of the many superb vendors. Gujarati Rasoi is popular year-round for their veggie (and often vegan) Indian dishes. In summer, they set up their kulfi cart, selling lemon, pistachio, chai and mango flavored Indian ice creams. If you fancy a sit-down meal, head over to Padella, a popular pasta joint known for its scarily long queue, and the fact that it’s definitely worth the wait.

And here we are at the end of our day one wanderings. The Wooden O. Shakespeare’s spiritual home in the capital. Join the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Tour at the Guided Tours entrance. They run every half hour and transport you back to the Elizabethan era, when Shakespeare was riding high in the charts and this spot on the South Bank saw the debuts of plays that would change the course of English literature, the English language and the National Curriculum forever. It’s summer season at Shakespeare’s Globe, so Shakespeare classics are played out on the outdoor stage every day. Grab yourself a ticket for standing (requires some degree of stamina) or sitting (requires only the usual amount of stamina one uses during a Shakespeare production) and let the magic in. Head back to your hotel reciting your favourite lines, speaking in iambic pentameter, satisfied. Treat yourself to a glass of wine and some food close to where you’re staying. Then get some rest. We’ve got a busy day tomorrow.

Let’s begin day two of our three-day London itinerary nice and early. Head to Buckingham Palace for 9.30AM, having booked your tickets in advance. Tour the famous residence of the British monarchy, taking in the grandeur and history of the State Rooms and the palatial magnificence of the gardens. Buckingham Palace is only open to the public during summer, from July to September, so it’s a great summery thing to do during your visit. Next, join a guided tour for the 11AM Changing of the Guard. This traditional ceremony, when the Queen’s household guards swap in and out of their duties to protect the palace, is a must-see, and a guided tour will ensure you get some decent views, despite the summer crowds.

Afterwards, make your way up to Little Venice, where Jason’s Original Canal Boat Trip along historic Regent’s Canal is an old-school summer classic. The tour includes live commentary, and takes you past Regent’s Park, London Zoo and more. Heck, it’s hot out (probably), so live a little and grab yourself an expensive London ice cream before you board.

Camden Market is a great place to be in the summertime. Pop yourself down at a canal-side beer garden, go shopping for retro clothes, vintage vinyl records and other classic London souvenirs, and indulge in some of the best street food the city has to offer. Grab a ludicrously cheesy toasty from The Cheese Bar, enjoy a superlative stuffed pitta at Magic Falafel or, well, take your pick really.

Suitably fortified, we’re off to meet all the cute (and not so cute) critters at London Zoo, where you’ll find the residents keeping cool by way of frozen fish, giant ice cubes and water play. London Zoo is a treat whatever the weather, but it’s particularly enjoyable when the sun’s out. Once inside, it’s really down to you and the creatures that float your ark. Daily afternoon events include Penguin Beach Live and spectacular flying displays from some of the zoo’s birds of prey. Outside of these allotted events, just enjoy strolling in the sunshine and saying hey to the animals, like some latter-day Dr Doolittle.

As night draws in, seek out an al fresco cinema, a favourite activity of many a sun-starved Londoner keen not to spend another evening inside, alone, with nothing but Netflix for company. There’s a popular one in Merchant Square, not far from London Zoo, and the Everyman on the Canal season draws in a big crowd at King’s Cross too. Check out listings for other London outdoor cinemas to find the one that best suits your plans and tastes. The Luna Cinema, Pop-Up Screens and the Rooftop Cinema Club are among the best in town, with screens across the capital.

It’s the final day of your three-day London itinerary. So what have you missed? Well, we’re pretty sure there’s no better way to start a hot summer’s day than among the lush, naturally cooling foliage of Kew Gardens. Kew is London’s premier garden experience (though it should be noted that many other excellent gardens are available). Here, treetop walkways and a soaring 18th-century Chinoiserie pagoda provide access to sky-high summer breezes, and picnic spots abound beneath great oak canopies. So let’s start our final summertime day in London at Kew, soaking up the sunshine, getting the names of all the plants wrong, skipping on the grass. Dip into the onsite cafe for some seasonal lunch, or a sublimely refreshing cup of tea and a slice of cake. 

Let’s get back into Central London for a bus tour. It’s been a busy few days, we’ve seen a whole bunch of attractions, but there are still a few more to hoover up. Even if it’s just from the comfort of an open-top bus. A bus ride is lovely in the sunshine, and Hop-On, Hop-Off Big Bus Tours offer a wealth of alternative routes around the city, each ticking off multiple – and we mean multiple – big-ticket London attractions. And, as the name makes clear, you can get off and back on whenever you like. Just choose the right tour for you and the things you still want to see before you leave town. For instance: head up west for Harrods, the Natural History Museum, Kensington Palace, Notting Hill and Marble Arch. Or cruise east to Tower Bridge, passing St Paul’s Cathedral along the way (and maybe even popping in to whisper in the gallery if you have time). 

Hop aboard our complete guide to the Big Bus hop-on hop-off tours.

What we need now is a vantage point from which to look over everything we’ve done during our three-day London sojourn. And there’s no higher vantage point in the capital than The View from The Shard. Let’s head up the super fast lift, perhaps take a glass of something bubbly from the bar and admire the sun as it sets on this London vacation. 

Discover cool useful and not so useful facts about The Shard here.

Summer evenings in London can be hotter than the sun, steamier than a steam bath and sweatier than  satan’s armpit. What better time then to avail yourself of Covent Garden and Soho’s glut of great ice cream and gelato joints? Kick off your frozen odyssey at Greek Street’s Chin Chin Dessert Club, with its famous nitrogen ices. Feeling refreshed, head to Bake in Chinatown for Insta-perfect fish-shaped cones crammed with creamy soft-serve matcha. Down a swift banana and dragonfruit banana palate cleanser at Udderlicious on Seven Dials then wrap up with classic Italian gelato from Amorino in Covent Garden, accompanied by evening street entertainment on the piazza. The perfect end to your perfect three-day London sightseeing extravaganza.