London, a city brimming with iconic landmarks, can be overwhelming to explore, especially if you’re short on time. But what if you could see all the famous sights in just one walk? Whether you’re visiting for the first time or just have a short stay here, this walk around London is perfect for anyone eager to make the most of just one day in this magnificent city.
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Is London walkable?
The answer is: YES! Yes, you can walk a lot in London, and I’d recommend you walk as much as possible when visiting the city. Of course, you can’t just walk everywhere as London is huge, but so many parts of the city are best to explore on foot. Otherwise, you will miss out on so much if your just hopping on the tube going from one main attraction to the other. So many main sights in the city center aren’t even that far from each other and by walking you can see parts of the London that you didn’t even know of before.
Start your walk around London at Oxford Circus
Take the tube to Oxford Circus, London’s famous shopping street and one of the busiest places in the city. From there you start walking along Regent Street to Piccadilly Circus. It’s impressive to walk between these tall buildings with London’s typical red buses and black taxis driving past you. If you are here during Christmas time you can admire the impressive angel shaped Christmas lights above your head. You can also do a small detour to Carnaby Street, which is right next to Regent’s Street to see even more of the famous Christmas lights.
From Piccadilly Circus to Covent Garden
Cross the busy Piccadilly Circus and make your way past Leicester Square and the Hippodrome Casino towards Covent Garden. Covent Garden is full of little shops, restaurants and other great food places. You can see the Royal Opera House as well und don’t forget to stop by colourful Neal’s Yard close by. Then continue your walk from Covent Garden down to Trafalgar Square.
Trafalgar Square to Buckingham Palace and St. Jame’s Park
Next to the Nelson’s Column and big fountains you can find the impressive building of the National Gallery right at Trafalgar Square. The entry to the museum is free, but it’s rather big, so do it on another day if you want to continue the walk. The smaller National Portrait Gallery with lots of portraits of the Royal Family is located here as well.
From Trafalgar Square you walk along The Mall towards Buckingham Palace. From there go back through one of London’s prettiest parks – St. Jame’s Park. You can even see pelicans there and the squirrels are friendly, so don’t forget to bring some unsalted nuts.
Westminster Abbey and Big Ben
When you are leaving St. Jame’s Park, go towards the Househould Cavalry Museum. From there you can go through a gate past the Royal Horse Cards to Parliament Street. Walking past Downing Street you will reach a crossing with Big Ben on the left and Westminster Abbey to your right. Visit Westminster Abbey first and then go back to Big Ben to cross Westminster Bridge.
London Eye and River Thames
On the other side of the river Thames, you will have great views on Big Ben and the Parliament Building. Enjoy your walk past the London Eye along the beautiful South Bank of the river. You will have a great view on the other side of the river and will come past Tate Modern Museum? until you reach the Shakespeare’s Globe and the Millennium Bridge, which is known from the Harry Potter movies.
Millenium Bridge and St. Paul’s Cathedral
Cross the bridge, which directly takes you to beautiful St. Paul’s Cathedral. There’s an entry fee if you want to go inside, except on Sundays, when it’s only open for prayers and services. Right next to the cathedral is the One New Change, a shopping center with a free roof terrasse, you shouldn’t miss out on.
Stay on this side of the river if you’re interested in the Monument to the Great Fire of London and more viewing platforms. If you want to keep walking along the river Thames or don’t have that much time left, go back to the south bank and walk towards Tower Bridge.
Different viewpoints on the way to the Tower of London
Continuing from St. Paul’s Cathedral, you can walk past the Bank of England and to the Monument. You’re at Bank now, right between all those tall skyscrapers like the Gherkin. Many people skip this part, but it’s worth exploring a little further than just going past it. What I really like about this part is that there’s a mix between old and modern buildings. Between the skyscrapers you can find some beautiful gems like the Leadenhall Market and the old ruins of St. Dunstan in the East.
You can also find more viewing platforms like the Rooftop Gardens at 21 Fenchurch Street or the famous Sky Garden. Walking back to the riverbank you will finally see the Tower of London with the Tower Bridge behind it.
Crossing Tower Bridge
Walking past the Tower of London you will reach Tower Bridge with views on The Shard on the south side of the river. Did you know that you can get on top of the Tower Bridge and walk over glass floors? If you’re lucky you can see the bridge opening to let bigger ships pass through. After crossing Tower Bridge, you can relax by the river and have a beautiful view on the bridge, the Tower of London and the London Skyscrapers on the north side.
Here’s where your long walk around London ends.
Tired now? Who wouldn’t be, but now you’ve seen a lot and done some exercise at the same time. And hopefully, you could fall in love with this vibrant city like I did years ago and are eager to explore even more, because what you’ve just seen, is just a small part of all that London has to offer.
I hope that you’ll enjoy walking around London as much as I did. Go check out more of my blogposts to get more travel tips and inspiration.