How To Get A Glimpse Of London In Only 24 Hours

How To Get A Glimpse Of London In Only 24 Hours
Tania
Tania 
Published
| 3 min read

London is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and it offers a wide range of things to do and experience. But what happens when you have no time to see or do all of them, and your stay in London is limited to 24 hours? Here are the top 5 things that are absolutely a must-see for every visitor, ideal for a quick walking tour of the city.

1. Piccadilly Circus is a shoppers’ delight

Piccadilly Circus
Source: Photo by user Chris Bennett used under CC BY 2.0

Let’s start our tour from the West End, in one of the most famous places in London: the road junction of Piccadilly Circus! You can’t go to London without walking by the big neon signs and video displays and take at least a picture there! Piccadilly Circus is also well known for the shopping streets it connects to, so it’s ideal if you want to buy some souvenirs to take home, like London’s tea cups or paintings. Regent’s street, which is close by, is no doubt one of the most beautiful shopping ways in London, thanks to its magnificent white palaces and it is easily connected to Oxford Street, which is famous worldwide for all its shops and amenities, such as cinemas and events locations.

2. A surprise may await you at Trafalgar Square

how to get a glimpse of london in only 24 hours | a surprise may await you at trafalgar square

After a little bit of shopping and taking some pictures, let’s continue our walking tour down Haymarket Street, till we arrive at the magnificent Trafalgar Square! Here we can admire Nelson’s Column, guarded by four lion statues at its base. It is a monument to commemorate Nelson’s death at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The square takes its name from the victory of the same battle at Trafalgar, when the British navy won over France and Spain in the Napoleonic Wars. The battle was probably the most incisive on the entire war, so it is very important for British history. The square is famous among Londoners for political demonstrations and big cultural events.You never know what you’ll find the next time you walk by Trafalgar Square! Be ready to end up in the middle of some ethnic festival, music concert, or students event!

3. Parliament Square: enjoy London's most important landmarks all at once!

how to get a glimpse of london in only 24 hours | parliament square: enjoy london's most important landmarks all at once!

From Trafalgar Square, walking down Whitehall, the street filled with ministries and departments, our journey goes on with Parliament Square, where all at once we can admire The Houses of Parliament (also called The Palace of Westminster, since it is located in the city of Westminster), Big Ben and Westminster Abbey, famous for the many royal coronations and weddings. This is absolutely the best place to see the attractions in London. Within a short distance, you can enjoy the real London, feeling all her history and magic.

4. Take a ride on the Coca-Cola London Eye

how to get a glimpse of london in only 24 hours | take a ride on the coca-cola london eye

From Parliament Square, we take a walk to the South Bank at the other side of the Thames. There you will find the Coca-Cola London Eye, the giant ferris wheel, which is also known as the Millennium Wheel. Take some pictures of it and go for a ride and enjoy London’s beauty from up in the air! It only lasts around 30 minutes, so it won’t take up too much of your time! The cost of the attraction, before taking into account the possible discounts, is approximately 19 GBP (around 28 USD).

London Tour Guide

Robert Woolf

Robert Woolf

I am a London tour guide and my tours include talking about people who have shaped the city plus the many connected places such as Hampton Court Palace, The Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, the commercial centre of the city: the City of London, and London’s world class museums and galleries. I have been guiding for 12 years. I am a licenced London Blue Badge Tour Guide, a City of London Guide, and a Westminster Guide. The reviews I receive from clients speak of their enjoyment from the local knowledge and the humour I bring to my tours. Born within sight of Hampton Court Palace, I am a Londoner and apart from 2 years in the Middle East, I have worked in this capital city all my business and tour guiding careers. I have travelled widely and I appreciate what appeals to visitors coming to London. I can tailor my tours to interest children. I guide couples, families and larger tour groups. I particularly enjoy visits to Westminster Abbey, where I also volunteer guiding students and children through its wonderful interior – on my tours you will hear about monarchs, why scientists and poets are remembered, the architecture and religious history. The Abbey is the story of England. Come on an engaging and fun tour with me. There is so much to show you !

Tours by Robert

5. Feel the presence of royalty at Buckingham Palace

how to get a glimpse of london in only 24 hours | feel the presence of royalty at buckingham palace

Now that you have enjoyed the panorama along the River Thames, it’s time to go and say hi to the Queen! Walk through the beautiful and relaxing St. James’s Park, and finally arrive at Buckingham Palace! If you are lucky enough, you will arrive just in time to witness the changing of the guard. This usually happens in the late mornings around 11.00am, so if you really want to see it, change the order of your itinerary and start with Buckingham Palace instead of Piccadilly Circus. The order provided here lets you walk easily from place to place without losing time or getting lost in areas far away from the main locations.

Something you might find interesting about Buckingham Palace is the story behind its roof flags. In fact, the flags vary according to the movements of the court. There is a different flag to show the presence of the Queen in the palace, and one saying nobody’s home at the moment. So, go check out if the royals are close by when you visit Buckingham Palace.

A fruitful walk around London for travellers in a hurry

We’ve reached the last stage of our day tour of London’s top 5 attractions, hoping that you have enjoyed your day, taking home with you some good memories of London!

Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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