What should you do as a tourist with one day in London?

Question

What is the must-see based on our limited timescale?

Answer 1

Get on one of the open-top tour buses. You'll then get to see all the major sights in one go.

Answer 2

Well, it's a very very limited time scale, so you can cramp a lot in one day but bear in mind that is not even remotely close to really experiencing London.

My suggestion would be to start bright and early at Wterloo station, and head for the south bank. From there, walk towards the London Eye (though unless you're in luck and it's not busy, it would be a waste to wait to go up on it). That's also the way toward Westminiter, so you'll see the Big Ben.
Cross the Bridge and head over to the Cabinet War Rooms. You can get museums in other places, but nothing, nowhere, will be as capturing as this. You can have a walk at St. James's park, and then walk towards Trafalgar Square:

There you can feed the pigeons, take great pictures - and step inside the National Gallery.
If you fall on the right day of the week, round 1pm you can enjoy a free recital at St. Martin in the Fields, which is located in Trafalgar Square as well.

Then you can take a tube to Bond Street and walk into Selfridges, as well as up and down Oxford street for some shopping. It would be worthwhile to book a ticket for a westend show, so a little while before that you can walk around the west end and Leicster Sq.

That way in one day you cram sights, history, arts, park, pigeon feeding, shopping, and theatre. If you treat yourself to a nice meal you'll know that although you've only seen the tiniest fraction of London - you had a blast of a day.

Whatever you do, hope you have fun!

Answer 3

The tour bus is your best bet, it'll stop at all the major sites and your ticket lasts for 24hours, so you can get off at any spot you want and get back on the next bus (they come by about every 30 minutes) That way you get to see/photograph all the obvious places of interest and choose which ones you actually wander around.

http://www.bigbustours.com/uk/html/uk_stops.html

check out this website to decide before you get here what you'd like to explore further - if anything - I know time is limited!

http://www.visitlondon.com/

When the bus passes the Tower of London, get off and take the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) at Tower hill all the way to Greenwich,

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/dlr/network/index.shtml

this is a monorail that will take you through the highrise financial district built around the old dock yards of London, from Greenwich you can take a riverboat back up to the Tower.

http://www.citycruises.com/

Allow about 1hr.30mins for this journet alone, although you may choose to have a quick look around Greenwich.

http://www.greenwichwhs.org.uk/places/index.asp

It'll be a tiring day but this way you'll see almost all of the famous sights of London. You may find the bus company offers a discount on a river cruise!

You'll have a great day, see everything and hopefully NOT walk your legs off with buses, boats and trains taking the strain!

Answer 4

One day huh! so much to do so little time

Try going up the Monument (Monument Tube) monument to fire of London. the height is the same as the distance from the Monument to Pudding Lane where it stated - only cost you about $5 to go up real history.

Also recommend Tower Of London (Beefeaters etc) (expensive check ut price first if cash is tight) and Tower Bridge, these are all close together say half a day. Also Parliament Sq (Big Ben) and the Houses of Parliament. (all together) walk up Whitehall to Trafalger Square then down the Mall to Buckingham Palace. You might also like to try some of the shops nearby on Piccadilly and the Bond Street and Burlington arcades (if you like shopping but v.expensive)

Black Cabs are good for getting around but expensive if you are on your own, the Tube is fine (if a little crowded) watchout for pickpockets (but its not as bad as most places I've been) and unless travelling late after 11pm say in central London is very safe. Buy a day ticket about $8 its valid on buses aswell.

I'm proud of London, and I come from "up North", but work there a couple of days a week If you want to know anything else let me know

Manonemillion-UK

Answer 5

Put your money and valuables in a Locker at the Station. take 50-100lbs with you and passport. Go to the river, get a boatride,you will see more from that angle that you could ever see on a bus. Get off the boat when she is about to turn around and get a bus or walk around, go to a pub, order a beer or a soda pop or tea, enjiy the moment, get the next bus that takes you back to the station.

Answer 6

Big ben, tower bridge etc . . . you can get all the common sites in one go if you go on the guided tour. Personally i recomend the tate modern, its a brilliant, beautiful place, not really one for a limited timescale i suppose.

Answer 7

Parliament sq, Oxford Street/Piccadilly Circus, Camden market, The Embankment, Hyde Park. That's about a days worth. Get stuck in as we say.

Answer 8

Do NOT do the London Eye - total waste of time. Take a boat along The Thames instead x

Answer 9

So much to do, so little time! Best answer is plan! Check out http://www.londonvacationguide.com and get some good info on planning a day out in London. Great resourse! Good Luck

Answer 10

My suggestion is to go with a list of the places you want to go and the people you want to see. You can see a heck of a lot of London in a day if you know where you want to go. Visit http://www.visitlondon.com/ for events that are happening around the time of your visit.

Answer 11

Get to the West End Theatre.
Fit your sightseeing around that.
There are plenty of sights within a radius of Leicester Square.