What to see in 4 days in London? The definitive guide

If you're thinking about going on a trip to London and you aren't sure how to work out seeing everything in 4 days, if you follow this guide, you'll be sure not to miss a thing in London!

Let's face it, we've all dreamed off one day getting to go to the UK capital and being stunned by Big Ben, enjoying the view of London from the London Eye (and being able to conquer your fear of heights while you're at it) and going shopping on Oxford Street. Well let's stop making excuses, get our your wallet, book a flight and get ready, because, in this four day guide, you'll find everything you need to see there!

Day 1: Westminster, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and Chinatown

It's the first day and your body is ready for it. So today, put on your most comfortable shoes, because I've prepared you a route bursting with amazing monuments. Don't forget to charge your camera, you're going to be the envy of everyone on Instagram!

Before you get going, if you're going on a trip to London and you don't want to spend too much, here's some advice to bear in mind: pick up an Oyster card; it'll save you some money when it comes to getting around London.

Morning

The first and most important thing is to charge your batteries as much as you can, so we'll start the day off with a good English breakfast. It's a nice way to soak up the British culture, believe me. Wetherspoon's is one of the best places to go for breakfast in the whole of London and there's one on pretty much every corner.

Now that you've charged your batteries (as well as your camera's batteries), we're going to start our 4 day tour of London in Westminster. This will be our first stop: the world famous Westminster Abbey, which is open every single day of the year. To see the Abbey as well as all of the other monuments and tourist attractions in London, you'd do well to get a London Pass; with which you'll get free entry into the museums and you can use the money that you'll save to invest in some souvenirs! But if you don't end up buying the pass, bear in mind that entry to the Abbey costs £20.

Once you've visited the Abbey, you only have to go down Victoria Street and you'll get to Westminster, believe me, it's worth seeing. It's nothing like what the picture of a cathedral you have in your head right now.

Once you've finished there, we'll pay a quick visit to Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace, where we'll be able to see the acclaimed Changing of the Guard and to tale photos of the Victoria Memorial. But don't think that she'll be coming out to greet you, it's enough to see the Queen's house from the outside. With the backdrop of the landscapes of St James's Park, it's a beautiful sight.

Go into the park and find a nice spot to sit, because it's time to have a lovely picnic in this oasis of calm and tranquility, loved by foreigners and Londoners alike.

Afternoon

When you've finished eating and playing with the squirrels that come down from the trees to welcome you to their city, we'll pick back up where we left off on our route from the park to the Houses of Parliament, by going down Great George Street. You're wondering where you can take a good photo from, right? Well, from Westminster Bridge, you have the perfect angle to take a photo of the famous bell and its huge clock that are so emblematic of the city. After that, you can say that you've been to see Big Ben.

Now that you've got a good profile picture, go down Whitehall to Trafalgar Square. As everything is so nearby, in only 10 minutes you'll be surrounded by people in the most busy, cosmopolitan square in London. Enjoy the view and the atmosphere before you go on to our next stop: the National Gallery. In this art gallery, you'll be able to admire the works of art by world famous artists, which are featured in permanent exhibitions, as well as in temporary ones.

Evening

Now it's getting late and the sun is beginning to set, we have to keep on our route. Since we're in Soho, it's time for us to move onto our next stop: Chinatown. You'll immediately come across the gate to the Chinese quarter of London, because it's really hard to miss it. There, you'll find hundreds of Asian restaurants, such as Eat Tokyo or Bigbe Chicken, as well as shops that will make you feel like you're in China itself.

And to top off the day, what better place than Piccadilly Circus to let of some of that adrenaline built up from travelling? It'll only take you a few minutes to go on this detour from Trafalgar Square and Chinatown. You'll find everything in Piccadilly, from restaurants, cinemas and theatres, to the most fashionable shops, bars and pubs. Here it's up to you to choose whatever catches your eye!

Day 2: Covent Garden, museums and Camden Town

The second day in London and there's still so much left to see. Put an alarm on so you don't waste time sleeping, every second counts, especially when you'll be losing a lot of time to queueing to get into museums! Plan your time well so you don't end up going to the museums at peak times, so you won't have to queue so much.

Morning

Starting where we left off yesterday, now it's time to go to Covent Garden. Although you have to be careful, because its picturesque streets and its eye-catching shop windows will make you want to get your purse out more times than you can count. It's best to save yourself for the Covent Garden market, where you'll find artisanal stalls and products for a much better price, make the most of it and buy something to eat afterwards!

After you've lighten your purse a bit, it's time to go to one of the most famous museums in London, the British Museum. There you'll find different rooms with countless exhibitions. You have things ranging from exhibitions on Ancient Egypt to collections dedicated to the Greek Parthenon; I can guarantee that you'll love it, that's a sure thing.

When you're finished at the museum, go to one of the loveliest and most impressive parks in the city, Regent's Park. It has a lake where you can rent a little boat and go for a little trip, then have a nice picnic in the fresh air. If you're going with kids I would recommend coming here, they will love being able to run around in Regent's Park and its gardens. And don't be surprised to see people lying around in the grass when the weather is good, people come out and make the most the day, until the sun goes down.

Afternoon

When you've finished your food break, I'd recommend going and visiting Madame Tussauds, the most realistic wax museum I've ever seen. Take some photos with your idols and pose together with some of the most famous people in history. Although you should try and get there early so you won't have to queue for too long.

Evening

And now, get ready, because it's time to go to Camden Town. It's market is one of the most highly acclaimed tourist destinations in the city; you'll understand why when you see its extravagant facades and the amount of alternative shops that flood the streets. You'll find a lot of street stalls offering food from all over the world, they're great, make the most of them and choose yourself something to eat; but the best thing to do is to see how the street vendors guess your nationality just by looking at you, don't be surprised to hear them speaking your language! Although, if you want some advice, try and haggle a bit when you see something you like, you can get it for a lot cheaper that way.

Day 3: London Eye, Tower Bridge, Tower of London and Soho

Today's route will go again the river Thames, which divides the city in two. This time, the theme will be based on a few of the most popular tourist monuments in London, so pay attention, you mustn't miss a single one!

Morning

To start with, you could take the tube to Westminster station. When you get there, I would recommend you have a walk around that area, because there's a monument dedicated to the women on the Second World War, which will leave you speechless.

When you get to Westminster Bridge, you'll be able to see the famous London Eye popping into view. From the top of this 135m high Ferris wheel, you'll be able to see the entire city. If its your first time visiting London, I would recommend you go for a ride on the London Eye, because the views of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben are breathtaking.

Keep walking along the riverbank until one of the restaurants there catches your eye; there's nothing better than being able to replenish your strengths with lovely views of the Thames.

Afternoon

Enjoy the landscapes while you're walking, until you get to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. They are two of the main tourist destinations in London and they really live up to their reputation. The walls of the Tower of London hold more history than you might think, since they haven't only welcomed kings, but also prisoners who committed crimes against the crown. Besides, you can also go inside to see the room that holds the British Crown Jewels. It's a huge privilege to be able to see such a thing.

And to put a nice end to the afternoon, have a walk to St Paul's Cathedral. It's a work of art in its own right; it's as if every element of the cathedral was perfectly placed, down to the millimetre, I promise it'll leave you open-mouthed.

Evening

To finish the day, I would definitely recommend you go to Soho. Any Londoner would agree with me saying that Soho is the best area to head for the evening (be it for a hamburger, a plate of fish & chips or a good beer).

Day 4: the Natural History Museum, Hyde Park and Harrod's

It's the last day of our definitive guide to London, so we're going for a big finish. The fourth day of this guide is dedicated, especially, to those who want to see London with children; they will be amazed by the dinosaurs, they'll be able to wear themselves out in the park and, to end with, they'll be stunned by the colours in Harrod's, with all of the toys and things they have there, they're going to love it!

Morning

We'll finish our itinerary off with the best museum in the British capital, the Natural History Museum. To get here, you'll have to get off at the South Kensington tube stop. Discover hundreds and thousands of years of history in this great natural history museum.

When you have been through the museum from top to bottom, go to Hyde Park. It's just a few minutes from the Natural History Museum and our next stop, Harrod's. If by chance you plan to travel to London for Christmas, you can not miss Winter Wonderland; It's the most famous and most anticipated Christmas event in the entire capital, so take a tour of its Christmas market and enjoy the ice skating shows.

Afternoon

Last, but not least, nearby the Natural History Museum you'll find Harrod's. Before you go home, go in and go crazy in this mythical department store in Knightsbridge; time flies while you're inside.

I hope that this post has made you keen to pack your things and fly to see this great city. Don't let your dreams be dreams!

Don't forget!

Firstly, if you're looking to rent a flat in London and don't know where to start, read our article about how to rent in London.

Then move to our accommodation portal to check there: Erasmusu has a huge variety of accommodation options. Whether you're looking for a room in a shared flat, a space at a university residence, a studio apartment or a whole house, the Erasmusu has something for everybody!

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