Sponsored Article: Spend a Weekend in London: A 48-Hour Itinerary

Morning: Iconic Landmarks & Riverside Walks

London has many really beautiful and interesting places and they can be seen by traveling by public transport and then adventuring on foot across the city. Take a stroll along the River Thames as it winds its way through the city and enjoy visiting many of the major attractions on the riverbank or close by.

Buckingham Palace:

This is where the British monarch lives when the royal family are in London. It’s the venue for official banquets and state visits. But guess what? In the summer, us normal people can take a snoop inside the palace and see the stunning interiors, soak up the history and take a sneak peek at the impressive gardens.

Westminster:

Many of London’s most famous attractions lie in Westminster, which is the seat of power for the country, as you’ll find 10 Downing Street here – where the Prime Minister lives. The UK government is based in this area too, in the Houses of Parliament. The striking building sits along the River Thames. You’ll also find Westminster Abbey in this area, where royal weddings and important religious ceremonies have taken place for centuries. From Royal Parks full of green space to the many pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants of the West End, this is definitely the area to prioritise during a weekend in London.

Big Ben:

Big Ben is another of London’s top attractions, another of the iconic sites that should be visited. Of course there’s no way that tourists will leave London without taking a look at the world-famous clock. It is the scene of well-known New Year’s Eve celebrations, but is a great place to visit any time of the year.

Fun Facts about Big Ben:

• Each dial contains 312 glass panes.
• A special light is shown on the clock for sessions of Parliament.
• The clock runs continuously.
• Uses a stack of coins for timekeeping.

Each year around 700,000 people go to visit Big Ben so tickets for the attraction can sell out very quickly. Big Ben tickets are released for sale three months in advance, each month on the second Wednesday at 10am. 

London Eye:

You can get a jaw-dropping view from one of the pods that rotates round the observation wheel that sits on the South Bank of the River Thames. They say you can see for up to 40km, so you get a real bird’s eye view. The Eye’s slow and steep 30 minute rotation is a true highlight of any visit to London.

Afternoon: Street Food Markets

One of the best ways to experience a new city with all your senses is to eat its local food. And London has plenty of markets that serve incredible street food, which truly represents the international population of the capital. Whatever type of food you like, there’s going to be something to satisfy your craving. Much of the food will be made in front of you so you can see exactly how it’s being prepared and how fresh it is. 

All of the incredible markets listed below serve up a huge variety of flavours, and have colorful stalls to explore, and each one really has a unique vibe. Find a market or two to explore for a fun and delicious bite to make the most of your afternoon. We list the markets by area, to help you find the ones closest to you.

Borough Market:

When it comes to London’s street food scene, Borough Market is the beating heart of it all. History aside, this is the place to come and sample a selection of the world’s favourite foods. With so many options to choose from, there’s always going to be something to take your fancy, and with the smells of amazing food wafting through the air, your stomach will always be happy.

Camden Market:

From burgers to banh mi to sandwiches, you can find a global favourite here. There are many different cultures to explore through the markets here and there is a really modern feel to it all.

Covent Garden:

Covent Garden as a wider area has a theatrical vibe, with many theatres, high end shops and restaurants. You can find Covent Garden Market here as well as the home of the Royal Ballet and Opera and the London Transport Museum. Even if you are not looking to shop or dine, it is worth a visit to look around the famous Piazza. There are many other hidden gems around the area, such as Neal’s Yard and the famous St Paul’s Church. You’re right by Soho and Leicester Square too, where there’s amazing nightlife to explore. 

Top highlights include:

• The Piazza & Market
• Culture and Entertainment, i.e. Royal Opera House, the London Transport Museum.
• Hidden gems, i.e., Neal’s Yard, St Paul’s Church
• Dining and shopping

Evening: West End or River Dining

Evening in the West End will include high-end eateries to stop off in after shopping, dinner cruises, theatre shows and live music venues. There are lots of different restaurants, bars and hotels in the West End to choose from, all within walking distance. 

Things to do in the West End:

West End theatre shows:

Do you love musical theatre? How about a comedy? Or is it a play that entertains you? Want an evening of opera? Love dance performances? You’ll find all this and more in the West End, London’s renowned theatre district that visitors flock to from around the world to watch shows that have been running for years.

Booking dinner cruises:

Planning to propel? What better way to create a memory that lasts than a romantic boat cruise on the River Thames? Or do you enjoy music? Then you can book a music river cruise. Love fine dining? Pick a river cruise that offers exceptional food. 

Rooftop restaurants:

Another suggestion for your evening would be to look for rooftop restaurants to have dinner in. These restaurants serve the best food as well as give you the most inspiring views and therefore are best to book for private meetings, small gatherings of friends and family as well as for solo dates. If you are looking for the best rooftop restaurants in West End, then The Green Room, Miradora Rooftop, Hayward Gallery, Kitty Hawk are a few of the top restaurants. 

River Dining:

Enjoy a wonderful dinner on a River Cruise. Restaurants on River Cruises serve delicious food for dinner. The best river dinner cruises in London on the River Thames include the Thames Dinner Cruise with stunning views of famous Landmarks and Iconic places. Not only will you enjoy the good food, fabulous atmosphere and nice dinner setting, but you can also be mesmerised by the live performances of various artists and get dancing afterwards to after-dinner music.

DAY 2: Modern London & Hidden Experiences

Morning: Museums or Hidden Gems

Spend the morning discovering some of the lesser known places to visit in London. There are plenty of hidden but great places that you wouldn’t finish exploring even if you spent a whole week in London. Or you could explore one of London’s incredible museums. With more than 200 museums in London, with over 200 million years of history to explore, there are plenty of free attractions to choose from. So here are a few atmospheric places to try out in the morning.

Natural History Museum:

You can see a vast collection of natural history specimens. The specimens on display are from all around the world and include a massive array of tiny creatures as well as impressive dinosaurs. The museum has an impressive array of galleries and the architecture of the Museum is stunning. The Museum is open daily from 10am to 5.30pm and it’s free to enter.

Tate Modern:

Innovative works from painters and artists like Picasso and more recent works from the likes of Yayoi Kusama are on display. There are many installations and galleries, sculptures and of course paintings, with contemporary art on display. The Tate Modern is free to visit, and does not require prior booking, open daily from 10am.

Afternoon: Shopping & Urban Culture

High-end boutiques, quirky independent shops, high-end luxury beauty stores and many department stores will provide the best of the urban culture and give you the best retail experiences to remember long after you have left London.

Oxford Street: 

A Siren Call for Fashionistas. Britain’s most popular shopping street, with some of the world’s most celebrated retailers and of course numerous stores offering all manner of really fantastic homewares and fashion, on this, the world’s best shopping street, all within walking distance of each other. This bustling stretch of road is, of course, the nerve centre of all things fashionable. Here you can indulge in a couple of hours of retail therapy and as a result have a fantastic afternoon.

This afternoon of shopping can also consist of other of London’s great shopping destinations for high-end and luxury retail, consisting of several of the world’s greatest and famous department stores. With so many styles to choose from, make sure to stop off for afternoon tea and other culinary treats in amongst your shopping adventures, to give yourself a chance to experience the full London shopping culture and great British way of retailing.

Shoreditch:

Shoreditch is a very creative area of London with loads of street art, lots of different theatres, live music venues, independent stores, lots of bars and clubs. We found the following sites of interest, places to eat and things to do while on a stroll around this trendy part of London.

• Wander around Spitalfields Market.
• Eat at Delamina East.
• Walk or go by bus to Victoria Park.
• Enjoy a curry on Brick Lane.
• Wander around the shops at BoxPark.

Vintage stores:

Vintage clothing stores – most of them cheap too. From Beyond Retro Soho to Brick Lane Vintage Market, to Atika London and even Alfies Antique Market on Haymarket and Blackout II on Kensington High Street, to Paper Dress Vintage in Shoreditch, there’s bound to be something that’ll make you go vintage lovingly.

Evening: London After Dark

Visit various sites of interest throughout the evening to explore them in more detail after dark. The sites and attractions of interest provide an array of unique experiences for you to enjoy in the evening. From world famous night clubs to rooftop bars providing spectacular views of London, enjoy a unique evening of live jazz or take a night time tour of London to explore all of the main sites of interest throughout the evening.

There is a special atmosphere of fun at famous landmarks such as the London Eye, Piccadilly and even Tower Bridge in the evening hours of London. And there are lots of special events and fun experiences to choose from in a 2 day trip in order to get the most out of your short time in this world class city.

Soho nightlife:

From clubs to pubs to bars to live music, Soho is definitely the best area to enjoy nightlife in London. A world famous club scene, the best food, post-theatre and live entertainment, Soho has got it all. Note that Soho is also at the heart of the English LGBTQ community and thus has a lot of gay and lesbian bars and even clubs. For pubs enthusiasts, check out Ronnie Scott’s Jazz, Be At One Piccadilly Circus, The Little Violet Door, Aint’ Nothing But, Antidote, etc.

Rooftop views:

If you have been to London before, a night-time experience of the city to remember could be a relaxed rooftop experience of London’s magnificent views of the unending skyline of London’s main landmarks while you can try an interesting dish to accompany your cocktails. 

Jazz bars:

This list of jazz bars and live music venues gives you an idea of where to go to enjoy late night jazz sessions. They host a wide range of live music including intimate evenings with jazz and blues singers. Some of the best London jazz clubs include Ronnie Scott’s, 606 Club, 58th Street, Vortex Jazz Club, Jazz Cafe, The Crazy Coqs, Quaglino’s, and Pizza Express Jazz Club.

Most jazz clubs in London fill up quickly, especially on weekends, so we advise to book in advance for evening performances. Sponsored: Book tickets online, and you can use payment platforms such as Neosurf tickets by Eneba.com, that use a safe and fast payment system.

Top tips to get the most out of your 48-Hour stay in London:

• Avoiding rush hour
• Using Citymapper and Google Maps
• Booking in advance using prepaid tickets
• Budgeting daily spending
• Mixing free and paid attractions
• Packing layers to contend with UK weather (it can be sunny, raining and windy all in one day!)

By planning ahead for your 48 hours in London, you will get a great and fulfilling experience of London within a short space of time, and not get exhausted in the process.

Finally returning back home after the fun weekend away to London will find you thinking that London is the kind of city that will keep drawing you back for more. It provides visitors with ever more exciting things to see and do every time they return for another visit, whether that return visit is after a few months, a few weeks or even just a few days. Hopefully these tips for your short trip to London have given you a great taste of what to see and do for your next visit.

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