Itinerary · London
London 5-Day Itinerary
A realistic 5-day London itinerary: what to see each day, where to stay, how to move between areas and when to go.
Updated 2026-07-01
How this 5-day London plan works
Five days lets London breathe. The first three days follow the classic riverside, museum and East End sequence; days four and five add a proper day trip and the slower northern neighbourhoods most visitors never reach.
London deep-dive with a day trip
Where to base yourself for this plan
One central base for all five nights is simpler than moving. Bloomsbury or King's Cross works particularly well because the day-trip trains leave from your doorstep.
Day 1: The Thames spine
Focus: Westminster to the Tower
Morning
Westminster Abbey and Parliament.
Afternoon
South Bank walk to Tate Modern via Borough Market.
Evening
Tower Bridge at dusk.
Getting between them
On foot, about 6 km.
Day 2: Museums and royal parks
Focus: South Kensington and Hyde Park
Morning
V&A or Natural History Museum.
Afternoon
Hyde Park, Kensington Palace gardens and Mayfair.
Evening
Soho dinner and a West End show.
Getting between them
Piccadilly and District lines.
Day 3: East End and Greenwich
Focus: Shoreditch and Greenwich
Morning
Spitalfields and Brick Lane.
Afternoon
River bus to Greenwich for the Observatory and park view.
Evening
Return by river.
Getting between them
Overground and Thames Clipper.
Day 4: Day trip out of the city
Focus: Oxford, Bath, Windsor or Cambridge
Morning
Early train — Oxford is an hour from Paddington, Cambridge 50 minutes from King's Cross, Bath 90 minutes, Windsor 40.
Afternoon
Colleges, Roman baths or the castle, depending on where you went.
Evening
Back in London for dinner near your hotel.
Getting between them
Book advance rail tickets for a fraction of the walk-up fare; off-peak returns after 09:30 are cheaper still.
Day 5: North London and the City
Focus: Camden, Regent's Park, the City
Morning
Camden Market and the Regent's Canal walk to Little Venice.
Afternoon
St Paul's Cathedral, or the free Sky Garden slot for the City panorama if you booked ahead.
Evening
Last dinner somewhere local — Islington or Marylebone rather than the tourist centre.
Getting between them
Northern line north, then the canal path on foot.
Adapting this plan
Swap the day trip for Windsor if you are travelling with children — 40 minutes each way and a single castle beats three hours of trains. If you would rather stay in London, use day four for Kew Gardens or Hampton Court, both of which are reachable by rail or river and feel like leaving the city without the commitment.
Best time to run this itinerary
May–September delivers long days, rooftop bars and open-air festivals (14–24°C). December brings Christmas markets, ice-rinks and Oxford Street lights. November–February is quietest with the best hotel rates; expect rain year-round and pack layers.
Before you go
Tap in and out with any contactless card — a daily cap applies automatically.
Stand on the right on Tube escalators.
Museums are free — donations welcome; special exhibitions still ticketed.
London FAQs
What is the best day trip from London?
Oxford or Bath for architecture and walkability, Windsor if you have limited time or young children. All three are direct by train and easily done in a day.
How much should I budget per day in London?
Excluding the hotel, roughly £60–90 a day covers transport, one paid attraction and reasonable meals, since the major museums are free. Theatre tickets and the Tower of London are the two costs that push it higher.
Is five days too long in London?
No — London is one of the few cities where five days still leaves things undone. The extra days are best spent on neighbourhoods and a day trip rather than more central attractions.
Ready to book your London trip?
Everything in this guide is bookable through Marhaba's licensed partners.
