London is certainly one of the most iconic cities in England and throughout all of Europe for that matter. The history of London dates back many centuries, so you will find a lot of historical sites and monuments to see and explore in this capital city. If you have never been to London before, you might wonder what you should do first. Well, there really is no set itinerary, but you should store your luggage for the day and visit as many landmarks as you can. How can you go to London without doing that?
Below are the top 5 best places to visit in London in a day.
Big Ben and Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster is the official meeting location of English lawmakers from each of the Houses of Parliament. These would be the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The Palace does have tours open to the public and foreign tourists. This will give you the chance to see where English laws have been passed for centuries. You will also get to see the famous Great Bell known as Big Ben. It is actually a clock tower that located at the northern area of the palace. You can easily see the tower from the surrounding environment on the outside. It has truly become an icon of London.
The Tower of London
The Tower of London is a historic castle in the city which served as a prison for nearly 850 years. Early on, the tower was the residence of the royal family as there are many walls and buildings which surround it. Many kings had expanded the tower throughout the centuries. Now it is a prominent tourist attraction in the city which really illustrates the true history of England. On a side note, if you are a fan of the television series Game of Thrones, then you will notice a lot of familiar settings when you visit the tower.
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace is a huge fortress and the Queen of England’s official residence. Fortunately, every summer, she is kind enough to allow public tours inside the palace. You will typically have from the end of July to the end of September to visit the palace each year. This will give you a chance to see the royal State Rooms up close along with other valued treasures which belong to the royal family. Some of the best things to see there are the Rembrandt paintings, Canova sculptures, and some of the best crafted English furniture that you have ever seen. If you are lucky, you may even get to spot Charles, Prince of Wales or the Queen herself, although it is rare.
London Eye
There is no better way to see London than to take the huge Ferris wheel known as the London Eye. It is located right along the River Thames and it will give you breathtaking views of London’s most iconic landmarks from up above. During your 30-minutes on the Ferris wheel, you will see gorgeous panoramic views of Big Ben, Palace of Westminster, River Thames, Buckingham Palace, St. James Park, and more. So, even if you don’t have time to visit all those sites individually, you can simply take the London Eye and see them all at the same time. It is a truly unique experience that all tourists should take advantage of when they are in London.
Warner Bros. Studio Tour
There are special London tour packages available that will take you to Warner Bros. Studio. The luxury coach bus picks you up in London and then drives about an hour away to Watford where the tour is located. It is a tour that is dedicated to the Harry Potter series as you will get to see where a lot of the movie was filmed. If you are a fan of the franchise, then you will definitely want to check out this tour when you are in London.
This one-day itinerary of London takes travellers to the main tourist attractions and includes food stops. Readers can use it to see the best of “the big smoke” in just one day. Or they can use it as guidelines to help plan out their London exploration.