You’ve booked your tickets and now you’re looking for the best possible way to maximise your time in London town? This suggested itinerary covers the best of what London has to offer in 6 days! From pleasing culture buffs and bargain hunters to entertaining families and satisfying the tummies of hard core foodies, London has something for everyone.
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Traveling from Heathrow to your hotel
Heathrow International Airport provides great access to the city, whether you’re prioritizing time or a budget. Choose from the Heathrow Express, the Underground Tube, Rail, bus or taxi, with more information here. There are also plenty of Uber drivers that will take you at just about any time of day (which may be your only option on the rare occasion when all transport services are closed).
#HHWT Tip: Choose to stay in Zone 1 as no matter where you stay, it will have great access to the Tube and bus lines as well as the main attractions. Expect to pay a slight premium but save greatly on transport costs as you may be able to walk to loads of places for much of your stay.
Day 1
Start with seeing the sights on a river cruise (1 – 1.5 hours)
♪♫♪ We’re on a boat ♪♫♪ passing under Tower Bridge
- Take a circular cruise starting at the Westminster Pier and find yourself sandwiched between two of London’s most iconic structures which sits on opposite ends of the River Thames: the house of Parliament and the Big ben on the north bank and the London Eye on the South Bank.
- Cruise past Cleopatra’s Needle, the Millennium Bridge, Bridge, St Paul’s Cathedral, Tate Modern, the City and Tower of London, the Shard, HMS Belfast and Somerset House.
Explore Westminster (1.5 hours)
- Hop off at Westminster Pier and walk to Buckingham Palace 10 minutes away to witness the Changing of the Guard that happens at 11.30am every day in April – July and alternate dates otherwise.
- Like the big furry black hats worn by the British Foot Guards? Learn about the five regiments stationed at the Guards Museum (and the Bearskins they wear!)
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Be sure to check the timing of Changing of the Guard so you don’t end up like our friend, Mr Travolta here 
Grab a sandwich and have lunch at St James Park (1 hour)
- Take away sandwiches and puff pastries from the Buckingham Coffee Lounge or any nearby sandwich bars (some in this area carry halal sandwiches).
- Have lunch by the Blue Bridge in St James Park with stunning views of the Duck Island and Horse Guards.
Eastern View from the Blue Bridge in St James Park in the Summer.
Credit: Neil Howard
Soak in a little WWII history (2 hours) – Optional
- Visit the Cabinet War Rooms which was the original bunker used by Churchill during WWII.
- Delve into the life and legacy of Britain’s wartime leader at the Churchill Museum.
Churchill War Room
Credit: Sightseeing Tours
See some of the sights up close (1.5 hours)
- Walk to the House of Parliament and take selfies with Big Ben.
- Stroll over to Westminster Abbey where the royal British coronations and burials are held. William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens and Geoffrey Chaucer are also buried here.
The intricate detail of the Westminster Abbey is breath-taking!
- Have dinner at Mango Tree for some contemporary Thai cuisine, just a 10-minute walk away. All meats are certified halal except for the duck.
Day 2
Window shop in the heart of London’s shopping district (3 hours)
If you come in December, Regent Street is illuminated with a beautiful light display.
Credit: By aurélien. [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
- Start at the Marble Arch which marks the beginning of Oxford Street famous for its large department stores and cheap brand names like Primark and H&M
- Veer off into Bond Street for the classic designer labels and then on to Regent Street which houses the world’s largest toy store Hamley’s
- Have lunch at Tinseltown on Great Portland Street or Bayswater.
Hang out with the Egyptian mummies at the British Museum (2 hours)
The grand stone carvings that make up the stunning interior.
Credit: Advisor Travel Guide
- Walk off the heavy lunch to the British Museum 15 minutes away.
- Revel in its stunning architecture and their extensive historic artefacts (think the Rosetta Stone, paintings and art from the different ages and old clocks).
Explore Camden (2 hours)
Colourful, hip and grunge.
Credit: Easy Roommate
- Hop on a bus and get off at Camden Town.
- Get your souvenirs here with great bargains for English Tea in inventive London-inspired biscuit tins.
- See the Camden Lock street market for independent designer stalls selling anything from handmade clothes, photographs, art and jewellery.
- Get some mouth-watering organic salted caramel fudge at the Global Food Kitchen!
- And before you go, have dinner at the nearby chippie Poppies.
Take a slow, sunset walk through Little Venice back home (1 hour)
Little Venice lights up through the night.
Credit: Zoltan Gabor
- Stroll along the romantic Regent’s Canal, with moored houseboats and the peaceful quiet to wind down the busy day.
Day 3
See the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London (1.5 hours)
See the Koh-i-Noor, the controversial diamond in the Queen Mother’s crown.
- Be blown away by the giant fortress surrounding the Tower of London which officially serves as The Queen’s Royal Palace.
- See a spectacular display of the magnificent crown jewels, a few still regularly used by the Queen including some of the most extraordinary diamonds in the world.
Explore the Tower Bridge up close (1.5 hours)
An exceptional vantage point of the Tower Bridge.
Credit: Guide and Go
- Enjoy stunning views of London 42 meters above the Thames.
- Experience an interactive exhibition with films and hands on displays.
- Gawk at the impressive Victorian engine rooms that operate the drawbridge.
Breathe in the local flavour of Borough Market (1 hour)
Variety of desserts to choose from.
Credit: By Diliff (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons
- Take a short walk to visit one of London’s best markets to view the local traders in action.
- From fishmongers to butchers, florists and bakers, be spoilt for choice on what to have for lunch.
View some amazing contemporary art at Tate Modern (2 hours)
The Empty Lot sculpture in the Turbine Hall explores unpredictability and hope.
Credit: Standard UK
- Hailed as the second most popular museum after the Louvre, find common ground with the contemporary art on display at Tate Modern.
- If you’re a fan, look out for talks or lectures, music or performances and courses and workshops that you might be able to attend while you’re visiting.
Spend hours getting lost in the history of the Imperial War Museum (2 hours)
The atrium of the Imperial War Museum
Credit: All About London
- Explore one of my favourite museums in London, the Imperial War Museum, which welcomes you with two 15-inch naval guns, the newest, largest and most powerful used on the Royal Navy battleships.
- Immerse yourself in this multi-story museum which is woven with real life stories, historically accurate accounts on what it looked like on the front-lines as well as at home, poetry and original clips of the war. It begins with World War I on the ground floor and ends with the British involvement in today’s battles abroad on the top floor.
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- On the way home, stop by Tortilla for some of the best tortillas on the Southbank. Skip the mediocre tacos for tortillas or burritos and be sure to add the guacamole. Please note that only the chicken is certified halal.
Day 4
Start your day at the famous Trafalgar Square (1 hour)
#HHWT Tip: Be prepared for the fickle London weather! Always bring umbrellas!
- Visit the Trafalgar Square which was once famous for its pigeon flocks and the site for the Nelson’s Column, a monument commemorating the fallen hero.
- See the famous bronze lions at the base of the column and fountain with statues of mermaids, dolphins and tritons. Secret fact: there are also sharks in the fountain – see if you can spot them!
Show your appreciation for art at the National Gallery (1 – 1.5 hours)
The interior of the National Gallery.
- See one of the world’s greatest collection of paintings, dating back from the 1300s.
- Observe the work of some of history’s most celebrated artists like Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Gainsborough, Turner, Renoir, Cezanne and Van Gogh.
Explore Covent Garden (3-4 hours)
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- Take a 7-minute walk to Dishoom for lunch, with vegetarian food so popular, it’s nearly impossible to get a table unless you call ahead to book.
- Go around trendy Covent Garden on the West End to soak in all the history and culture.
- See the Royal Opera House, independent designer stores, Jubilee and Apple Market and pay a few pounds to see some very talented street performers.
Be impressed by London’s history of transport at the Transport Museum (2 hours)
Vintage buses of the ages.
Credit: London Town
- If you’ve been taking the bus or tube to get around in the city, you’d truly be able appreciate the historical progression of how Londoners got around back in the day.
- With miniature models of the city, voice recordings and even a replica of an underground tunnel, get on old buses and trains, fiddle with the interactive displays and marvel at what London has planned for its next generation of transport.
- If you’re with toddlers, they’d love to run around the Under-5 play area and indulge in their love for things that go.
Scrumptious steak dinner.
Credit: Halal Gems
- Treat yourself to dinner at Christopher’s Grill (you’ll love the gorgeous spiral staircase) which serves up modern American fit for those with finer taste. Go for the hamburger with cheese made out of Wagyu beef and gooey cheddar with a side of truffle fries. Note: Call 48 hours in advance to request halal meat.
Day 5
Get star-struck at the World-Famous Wax Museum, Madame Tussauds (2.5 hours)
Visiting the Royal Family!
- Lay on the cheese and have a blast posing with wax figures of people you’d never get to see in real life!
- Find out if there are special exhibitions going on – there was a Star Wars and an Avengers special going on in December, which I loved!
Summon your inner detective and pay homage to the famous Sherlock Holmes in Baker Street (2.5 hours)
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- If you’re hungry, have a hearty lunch at Burgista Bros on Baker Street that serves up some really good halal burgers.
- Then visit the Sherlock Holmes Museum on 221b Baker Street which models the Victorian setting portrayed in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original books.
Spend the rest of the afternoon hitting up some major museums (3 hours)
The gorgeous façade of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Credit: e-architect
- Take a 20-minute Tube ride to South Kensington, switching at Green Park to get to the Albertopolis – the informal term for the museum-academic complex on Exhibition Road.
- Choose between the Natural History Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum or the Science Museum depending on your interest.
The Royal Albert Hall, a concert hall of world-class performances and home of the BBC Proms.
Credit: Prestigious Venues
- Take a walk through Kensington Gardens passing by the Albert Memorial and exiting Bayswater Road to get to Tukdin for a tastes-just-like-home Malaysian dinner.
Day 6
Spend the morning in South Bank along the Thames (3-4 hours)
The Southbank Book Market beneath the Waterloo Bridge.
- Take a ride on the London Eye for breath-taking views of beautiful London city.
- Check out what’s on at Southbank Centre, one of Europe’s largest centre of the arts with plenty of free performances to check out every day.
- Stop by one of London’s best kept secrets: the Southbank Book Market to pick up some modern fiction for your plane ride home.
- Have lunch at Chilli Chutney, an Indian eatery with European fare in equal parts and portions.
Stroll along the Southbank (3 hours)
The Tube stations aren’t the only place for a display of talent!
Credit: Secret London
- Take a leisurely walk along the Southbank to see buskers and boats.
- Check out the Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret, which is an unusual museum showcasing surgical history, including one of the oldest surviving operating theatres.
- Visit Shakespeare’s Globe, the reconstruction of the Elizabethan-age Globe Theatre showing Shakespeare plays in open air.
Cross the Thames to see St Paul’s cathedral (1.5 hours)
The stunning gilded interior of St Paul’s cathedral.
Credit: The Association of English Cathedrals
- Take a walk along the Millennium Bridge and cross the Thames on an amazing steel suspension
- Visit the magnificent St Paul’s cathedral, the Anglican Baroque Church seating the Bishop of London.
- Finish with a some contemporary Middle-Eastern cuisine at a CERU pop-up on Cannon Street.
The Brits sure do know how to arrive in style. Now how do you plan to make your grand entrance?