{"id":2918,"date":"2015-12-23T01:23:11","date_gmt":"2015-12-22T17:23:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thegallivantpost.com\/?p=2918"},"modified":"2017-06-27T01:18:14","modified_gmt":"2017-06-26T17:18:14","slug":"16-places-to-visit-with-3-days-in-london","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thegallivantpost.com\/16-places-to-visit-with-3-days-in-london\/","title":{"rendered":"16 places to visit with 3 days in London"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a city packed with countless landmarks, it\u2019s hard to decide which to visit, especially when you\u2019re on a tight schedule. London is filled with historic sights (four of which are World Heritage Sites), iconic structures and holds claim to the oldest underground railway network in the world. With only three days in the city, it is possible to visit more than a dozen places you\u2019d recognize from the movies, if you plan your itinerary strategically.<\/p>\n

Before you begin visiting the attractions, whip out your map and mark out the attractions that are within walking distance from each other. That way, you save a lot of time.<\/p>\n

DAY 1<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Covent Garden\/ Leicester Square<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Covent
Covent Garden, where you can find plenty of quirky shops and cafes for a good meal.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There\u2019s a Covent Garden stop on the Piccadilly Line, where you can start your day with. The area is an upmarket shopping district with bars, pubs and specialty shops. If you\u2019re not one for shopping, it\u2019s still interesting to window shop, you may discover quirky finds in one of the craft shops or boutiques. Plus, you can always plonk yourself down at a bar for a drink and a quick bite.<\/p>\n

Then wander over to Leicester Square to soak in the site where most of British film premieres are held. There are plenty of bars here, but the most fascinating place I came across is the M&M\u2019s World. It\u2019s massive and even if you\u2019re not a chocolate fan, it\u2019s worth the while to waltz in for a shot spell.<\/p>\n

\"Leicester
There are lots of theaters in Leicester Square.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"M&M's
This gigantic M&M’s World isn’t just a store, it’s an attraction all by itself!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"M&M's
There are three storeys of M&M goodness here.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"M&M's<\/p>\n

\"M&M's
This is my favorite display in M&M’s World.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"M&M's<\/p>\n

While in the area, you might as well grab some lunch, depending on how long you spend shopping, you might have worked up an appetite already.<\/p>\n

\"Grabbing
When in London, you have to try Fish & Chips, or course.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After you\u2019re done, a short walk will bring you to Trafalgar Square.<\/p>\n

Trafalgar Square<\/strong><\/p>\n

This iconic public space has been used as backdrop for films such as Captain America, The Edge of Tomorrow and a few of Alfred Hitchcock\u2019s movies.<\/p>\n

\"Trafalgar
Finally, Trafalgar Square, we meet.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Trafalgar<\/p>\n

\"Trafalgar<\/p>\n

\"Trafalgar<\/p>\n

Trafalgar Square was named to honor the Battle of Trafalgar, a naval victory of the Napoleonic Wars by Britain over France and Spain on 21 October 1805 off the coast of Cape Trafalgar in Spain. It was almost named \u201cKing William the Fourth\u2019s Square, which thankfully didn\u2019t see the light of day, it would have been too narcissistic and self-indulgent. There are a handful of commemorative statues here, so it\u2019s worth some time to hang around and take some Instagram-worthy shots.<\/p>\n

\"Trafalgar
Can you see Big Ben in the distance?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Did you know:<\/em><\/strong> If you stand at a certain spot in the Square, you\u2019ll be able to take a picture of the Square\u2019s surroundings and capture the Big Ben in the distance.<\/p>\n

Tip:<\/em><\/strong> If you heading straight to Trafalgar Square, take note that there are two Underground Stations within the vicinity of the Square- Charring Cross and Bakerloo. Depending on which direction you\u2019re coming from, you can exit at either one of these stations and land on the Square.<\/p>\n

The walk from Trafalgar Square to the Westminster Abbey is a pleasant one, because you\u2019ll pass by more commemorative statues (in the middle of the road), those iconic British telephone booths , Horse Guards- the Household Calvary and the famous house on Downing Street- No 10, the official office to the British Prime Minister.<\/p>\n

\"artwork
I love this piece of artwork.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"British
I love these classic British telephone booths<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Horse Guards is the official ceremonial entrance to St James’s and Buckingham Palace and is the headquarters to the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment who provide troops for The Queen’s Life Guard.\u00a0 You can explore the grounds of the place here, and check out the area that the current guards train in for their ceremonial duties as the escorts on state occasions.<\/p>\n

\"Horse
The entrance to the Horse Guards- the Household Cavalry.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Horse
This guard takes his job very seriously.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Horse<\/p>\n

\"Horse
This is where the guards train.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As for No. 10 Downing Street, you don\u2019t have to try too hard to look for it. You\u2019ll see crowds hovering outside the place before you even reach it. There\u2019s really nothing to see here, because the gate is up and there are Police standing guard outside.<\/p>\n

\"No.
No. 10 Downing Street. You can’t see it in this picture, but there’s a huge crowd standing outside the gates.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In no time, you\u2019ll hit the Westminster Abbey.<\/p>\n

The Westminster Abbey\/ Palace of Westminster\/ Big Ben<\/strong><\/p>\n

If Trafalgar Square looks familiar to you, then the Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Westminster must seem like places you\u2019ve visited before.<\/p>\n

A predominantly Gothic church, the Westminster Abbey<\/strong> lies just west of the Palace of Westminster. It\u2019s the most famous church in the UK and the de facto place for coronation and serves as a burial site for the British monarchs.<\/p>\n

The Palace of Westminster<\/strong>, also known as the Houses of Parliament is the Parliament seat in the UK. Originally built in the 11th<\/sup> century, it had to undergo renovations in the 19th<\/sup> century after a fire, and the current building is primarily of Victorian- neo-Gothic style. While it looks grand from a distance, it\u2019s a sight to behold up close, with intricate details carved on each section of its fa\u00e7ade.<\/p>\n

\"The
The Westminster Abbey, one of the most iconic structures in London<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the corner of the Palace is the Elizabeth Tower, or more widely known as the \u201cBig Ben<\/strong>\u201d. One of London\u2019s most recognisable landmarks, the clock tower has the second largest four-faced chiming clock in the world. You cannot leave here without taking the perfect shot and I know just the spot for your picture.<\/p>\n

\"The
The famous Big Ben!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The
Up close view of the intricate Victorian Neo-Gothic style structure.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cross the street to the opposite side where you see an Underground sign, then tilt your camera upwards so that you can capture the Underground sign with Big Ben in the background. What can be a better shot than having two of London\u2019s most recognizable icons in one picture?<\/p>\n

\"London
This is the money shot you NEED to take when visiting the Big Ben!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

After you\u2019re done gawking at the clock, you\u2019d be able to gaze upon the River Thames<\/strong>. This river runs through London, and is the longest river in England. Sadly, I only saw murky waters. Cross the London Bridge to the opposite side and you take a 15-minute walk to the London Eye.<\/p>\n

\"River
The brilliant blue sky (a rarity!) is a stark contrast to the dreary waters of the Thames.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

London Eye<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"London
Don’t visit the Eye in the morning, where everywhere is misty or dreary.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"London
Each capsule can hold up to 30 people. Pretty spacious.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you want to get a Bird\u2019s eye view of the city, there\u2019s nowhere better to see it than from the Eye. I\u2019d recommend going in the afternoon instead of the morning, so you are more likely to avoid misty sights. Morning London weather can get a little dreary, while afternoon skies are likely to clear. Read about my experience from the London Eye<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"View
I’m glad I went on it. The views are uh-mazing!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After the London Eye, it\u2019s about time to call it a day, dusk would have fallen by now and it\u2019s also time to grab a bite.<\/p>\n

Tip:<\/strong><\/em> London weather is mostly dreary, and rain can be expected, so bring along a brolly or a poncho. If you don\u2019t like the inconvenience of the two, wear a jacket that has a hoodie to cover up when it does rain.<\/p>\n

DAY TWO<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Abbey Road Crossing<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Abbey
Look! At 9am, there’s no traffic and hardly anyone crossing!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is arguably the most famous crossing in the world, so it\u2019s best you visit the first thing in the morning. The St John\u2019s Wood Underground station is the nearest to the crossing. It takes you five minutes to get to the Abbey Road Crossing. If you\u2019re here early enough, you can take your time to take pictures of yourself crossing the road (if you have a travel companion of course). Otherwise, apart from battling traffic, you have to fall into an unofficial queue to cross the road to get that perfect Beatles shot. I went at nine in the morning, and there was only one other sheepish looking guy taking pictures of the crossing. We took turns, politely acknowledging each other and nodding when we\u2019re done for the other party to go ahead. Before long, groups start to mushroom and half hour later, we were taking turns with over ten groups of people.<\/p>\n

Buckingham Palace<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are three Underground stations that have access to the Buckingham Palace, depending on where you come from- Victoria, St. James Park and Green Park. If you happen to visit on the right day, you\u2019ll be able to catch the changing of the guards\u00a0 which typically takes place at around 11:30am. After your Abbey Road trip, you should have ample time to arrive at the Palace, which I did. Alas though, because the ceremony happens on alternate days, I didn\u2019t get a chance to catch it. There\u2019s nothing much to do here if there isn\u2019t the Changing of the Guard ceremony to view. All we did was to stand around on tiptoes to look over the shoulders of lines of people trying to take a peek at the Palace. I suggest to take some pictures\/ selfies in front of the palace and move on. There\u2019s no need to linger around, because no activity is likely to happen.<\/p>\n

\"Buckingham
Of course it had to rain. After 10 minutes of staring at the building, I was questioning my decision to visit.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Buckingham
Just look at the crowds, doing nothing but stare at the building, as though they were hypnotized.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Buckingham<\/p>\n

Tip:<\/strong><\/em> the lesson learnt here is to check in advance when the Changing of the Guards ceremony<\/a> takes place before visit, if you\u2019re into that sort of thing. Otherwise, it\u2019s quite a bummer.<\/p>\n

Piccadilly Circus<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hop onto the Underground again to the Piccadilly Circus to grab some lunch and bask in the atmosphere of this busy junction.<\/p>\n

\"Piccadilly
Here we go, Piccadilly Circus!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu moment is gonna hit you the moment that you come out of the station, because it\u2019s the top film location in London. Movies filmed here include American Werewolf in London, Fast & Furious 6,\u00a0 Austin Powers and of course, Harry Potter. There are many food joints, souvenir shops and fashion outlets here to keep you occupied for a few hours.<\/p>\n

\"Piccadilly
Oh yeah, this place is crowded with people hanging out, or people watching.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Piccadilly
Plenty of shops lined the streets of Piccadilly Circus. So shop away!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

London Tower Bridge\/ Tower of London<\/strong><\/p>\n

The nearest Underground station to the Bridge and Tower is the London Bridge Underground station. It takes around eight minutes to get to the bridge. The Tower Bridge<\/strong> is unique because it\u2019s both a bascule (movable) bridge and a suspension bridge. It can be lifted to allow boats to cross on the Thames river below it. The bridge\u2019s two towers are its highlight, both sporting identical intricate designs that gives the bridge a majestic feel. There\u2019s a pedestrian path on the bridge, which you can use to cross over to the other side and head to the Tower of London.<\/p>\n

\"London
I’m pretty thankful it was a bright and sunny day when I visited.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"London<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"London
London Tower Bridge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tip:<\/strong><\/em> the best place to take pictures of the bridge is not on it, but somewhere further down along the river so that you can capture its grandness.<\/p>\n

The Tower of London<\/strong> is a historic castle also known as Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress. It costs 18.40 pounds for adults (8.40 pounds for kids) to enter the Tower, a little steep, but you can spend hours and hours here. The compound stretches over 12 acres with different structures sprawled all over, grab a map before you begin, so you can keep track of the buildings you\u2019ve visited. The White Tower is the most striking, it was deemed as \u00a0“the most complete eleventh-century palace in Europe”.<\/p>\n

\"Tower
This is it! Tower of London.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Tower
It gets crazy crowded in the afternoons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Tower
The famous White Tower in the Tower of London compound.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Tower
I like how these structures are exposed so we get a feel of its history.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Tower
\n\"Tower<\/p>\n

\"Tower
You really can spend hours here, and because of its expansive grounds, remember to get a map!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Tower
This tower is where the crown jewels were kept, the queue is estimated to be two hours long at this point!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Tower
It’s like a little village within the Tower grounds.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Tower<\/p>\n

\"Tower
Besides touring and admiring the physical structure of the Tower, it also serves as a museum, and this is the armory exhibit.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Tower
\nTip:<\/strong><\/em> wear comfortable shoes, because you\u2019ll be doing a lot of walking in this cobbled-stone medieval styled compound.<\/p>\n

Do visit the various towers to experience how it was like to stand guard at the castle, or be one of the occupants living in the castle. You get to take the narrow winding stairs up the tower and explore the cold, tiny rooms people in those days contend with. There\u2019s even a prison tower for you to explore. There are also numerous exhibits on display here, from crown jewels to medieval armor and ancient weapons of that era. After the visit, you really get a good sense of life in those days.<\/p>\n

DAY 3<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Harry Potter Studio Tour<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Harry
Visit in the morning for the best Harry Potter experience<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Any Harry Potter fan should make this pilgrimage to the Harry Potter Warner Brothers Studio Tour in Leavesden, Hertferdshire. You can either join a tour that includes transport there plus admission tickets, or you can find your way there by train and grab tickets separately. Whichever you pick, do so early. Tickets to the studios sell like hotcakes. I did some research and decided on Golden Tours, which offers a wide range of timings and convenient pick-up locations, at 50 pounds. I\u2019ve read about the popularity of the studio tours, so I picked the earliest tour time slot of 9am. The bus journey takes an hour, so I had to be at my selected pick-up location at 7:15am. Golden Tours offers pick up at either Buckingham Palace Road or Dorset Square, near the Baker Street Underground Station. I picked the latter. The bus was a fashionably 10 minutes late, and you can\u2019t miss it- it\u2019s a Harry Potter themed bus.<\/p>\n

The Harry Potter tour is extensive, prepare to spend around 3 to 4 hours there. There are enormous movie sets like the Great Hall where meals take place, to set props like the Nimbus 2000 broom and the various costumes the cast wore on the show. Going early means the thin crowds would not be in the way of your photo-taking.<\/p>\n

\"The
The Great Hall set.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Griffyndor
There are lots of set pieces on display, such as this Gryffindor drawing room set.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Harry
There are also outdoor sets, like the House on Privet Drive.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"The
These pieces from the Harry Potter Creature shop are incredibly realistic.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Diagon
One of my favorite sets- Diagon Alley!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Miniature
The grand finale is this amazing model of Hogwarts.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Get an in-depth tour of my experience at the Harry Potter studio tour here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Visit Harrods<\/strong><\/p>\n

After you return, it\u2019ll be in the afternoon, so grab this chance to do some shopping, you can visit the famous Harrods and spend an idyllic afternoon there. The 5-acre department store has over 300 departments, making it the biggest departmental store in Europe. Don\u2019t forget to visit the Food Halls, it\u2019s one of the more popular departments here. It\u2019s literally your one-stop shop if you\u2019re pressed for time. Located at \u00a0Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, you can take the Underground and get off at the Kinghtsbridge stop along the Piccadilly line.<\/p>\n

\"Harrods
I’ve heard so much about these Food Halls, they’re my first stop!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Harrods<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Harrods\"
Harrods also has a pretty extensive Toy department too.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Harrods<\/p>\n

Tip:<\/strong><\/em> Don\u2019t forget to visit the memorial of the late Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed, at the base of the Egyptian Escalator.<\/p>\n

\"Harrods\"
This tribute makes me a little blue. She is gone, but definitely not forgotten.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

King\u2019s Cross Station<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you can squeeze in some time, make a visit to the King\u2019s Cross Railway Station. Linked from the \u00a0King’s Cross St. Pancras tube station, you get to witness the famous 9 and \u00be platform seen in the Harry Potter movies. Except it\u2019s not a real platform but a fixture at a wall in the massive railway terminus. Fans would crowd here to take a picture with a trolley that looks like it\u2019s halfway entering the magic platform.<\/p>\n

\"King's
The giant King’s Cross Station, now where is Platform 9 and 3\/4?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"King's
Oh there you are!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"King's
And this is what people do at Platform 9 and 3\/4.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"King's
And I do mean lots of people. The queue doesn’t end here actually. There’s another section at the side of the building where the queue continues. It’s broken up like this to avoid crowd collision during busy times.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Apart from all these above, one of the highlights in London is its Underground network. You have seen the words Mind the Gap and the famous Underground logo in movies, posters and magazines. Each Underground station is different. The newer ones have escalators, but the older ones don\u2019t, and the design for the stations differ as well.<\/p>\n

\"London
I love looking at how different each Underground station is from one another.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"London
An Underground map made from Lego pieces, how cool!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"London<\/p>\n

Tip:<\/em><\/strong> There are stations that service more than one lines, so it\u2019s important to have a map in order to navigate well. An incorrect turn might mean several flights of unnecessary stair-climbing.<\/p>\n

There you have it. It sounds like a lot, but if you plan in advance, you can achieve all these in just three days in London. Good luck and safe travels! Were there any major attraction I\u2019ve missed out?<\/p>\n

Compare London Hotel Reviews & Ratings. Find the Best Hotel Deals.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"London\"
So long, London!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

London is filled with historic sights , iconic structures and holds claim to the world’s oldest underground railway network. With only three days in the city, you can visit more than a dozen places you\u2019d recognize from the movies, if you plan strategically. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2944,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[201,8],"tags":[610,530,611,605,616,615,617,606,603,528,613,604,609,612,608,614,607],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thegallivantpost.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2918"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thegallivantpost.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thegallivantpost.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thegallivantpost.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thegallivantpost.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2918"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/thegallivantpost.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2918\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3662,"href":"https:\/\/thegallivantpost.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2918\/revisions\/3662"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thegallivantpost.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2944"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thegallivantpost.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2918"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thegallivantpost.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2918"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thegallivantpost.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2918"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}