What to do in London in under 24 hours

I needed to know what to visit in London. It’s because of London becoming the designated meeting place for a group of friends travelling from as far as Ljubljana in Slovenia. For me, the trip meant a couple of hours on the train. I had to keep costs down and squeeze as much into a small timespan as I could.

The result was 24 hours in London, with as much sightseeing as I could fit in. That also included spending some time to get food and drink with my friends. To put things into perspective, the whole trip cost less than £100. You can only imagine how lightly I travelled.

To start things off, I got the train to London Euston. By booking in advance I saved significantly. Even with an off-peak ticket I still saved over £25 by getting in early.

When looking at what to visit in London I was considerate of where I’d be staying. With accommodation too far from the city centre I’d end up spending more to travel around. That said, rooms in the centre of London are generally more expensive, which made for quite the balancing act.

I had to ask myself “What is the most popular attraction in London?” because things are popular for a reason and I wanted to see the most popular attractions first. It turns out the British Museum is the answer, but I had to skip out due to my time constraints.

I managed to book a cheap room at the Travelodge in Kings Cross and took the liberty of walking the short distance from Euston station. The room itself was ideal. It meant I was relatively central to everything, and I’d be meeting friends at Kings Cross Station. It was clean, comfortable and cheap. Exactly what I needed.

Shortly after checking in I left to meet up with my friends. We grabbed a bite to eat, had a few drinks and I called it a night. Not worth getting into the nitty-gritty, but let’s say we spent some time exploring a few London pubs. Oh, and we had a jolly old time at the Christmas Market on the South Bank of the Thames.

The next morning is where it starts to get interesting. I’ve looked at what to visit in London and I’m trying to fit everything in before my train home just after midday. Dragging myself out of a warm, comfortable bed was difficult, but I managed. I set off around London with my camera in hand.

To begin with, I sought out some of the most iconic parts of London. The London Eye, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben featuring on my list of what to do in London. I didn’t have time to queue up and get on the ride, and it would’ve pushed my spending up significantly anyway. Tickets for the London Eye cost £27 if bought in advance, and more still if you buy on the day.

From this picture I moved to cross the bridge, getting up close to Westminster and the famous clock tower. Heading around the back of the palace I came to Westminster Abbey. 

Continuing, I headed towards Buckingham Palace. It turns out to be a much more enjoyable and picturesque walk than I had imagined. On a cold winter’s morning, it wasn’t too busy either. 

Unfortunately, I’d missed the changing of the guard which usually takes place around 11:00 am. I did, however, manage to get a photo of this poor chap. He must’ve been freezing considering the temperature outside. At least he has what looks like a warmer uniform!

From Buckingham Palace I left to squeeze in one last stop before I had to make my way back to Euston to catch the train home. I’d already decided where I was going – Trafalgar Square.

You’ll need to excuse the lack of Nelson’s Column in my picture of Trafalgar Square. Given the height, I couldn’t quite get a shot that I was happy with. Next time?

And there you have it, everything I managed to fit into a few hours that passed quickly.

It’s surprising how close to each other the majority of London’s landmarks are. Once you account for the tube, it’s very easy to get around and see everything.

There’s another trip on the cards, but I’ll need more than 24 hours to see and do everything I want to do. If you’ve got a trip planned but don’t know what to do in London, Google has different itineraries depending on the duration of your stay. 

You’ll also plenty of free things to do in London that I’ve not already covered. 

I’ve got a few ideas of things to include in my next trip. If you’ve got any ideas or inside knowledge of anything I’m not aware of, please do share in the comments.