Stories · United Kingdom
3 days in London
Told the way I’d tell a friend, step by step.
I always tell London through its parks and pubs more than its monuments: it is a city where you walk in the rain smiling, because there is always a door to push. The icons are there, of course, and they deserve the visit. But what you keep is a Sunday on Columbia Road, a pie in a Southwark pub, the Tube taking you to the end of the Harry Potter story.
Day 1 · Fresh air
Early in the morning, I make my way to Greenwich Park. The boat from Westminster, the meridian under your feet, and the view over Canary Wharf from the Observatory: a half day that feels like a journey. Travellers give it 4.8 out of 5 (51,023 reviews) and I won’t argue with them. To get organised: here is the route by public transport; skip-the-line get your tickets in advance, otherwise also check Tiqets.
Around noon, head to Up at The O2. You’ve seen it a hundred times in pictures; in person it is bigger, closer, more alive. 4.7 out of 5 across 2,944 reviews: few places are this unanimous. Practical: the public-transport route, and if you’d rather skip the queue, book your visit or go through Tiqets.
At lunchtime, stay around SE10 8QY: a noisy room, a dish of the day, and you’ve understood everything.
Later, it’s London Museum Docklands. I always pick two or three rooms rather than seeing everything. You walk out light. 4.6 out of 5 across 8,354 reviews: few places are this unanimous. To get organised: how to get there; skip-the-line book your tickets, otherwise compare on Tiqets.
Keep the evening free. London is a city that tells itself better at night.
Day 2 · Museums and culture
To start, meet me at Victoria and Albert Museum. Give it a good two hours, and leave before you are full: that is the secret to wanting to come back. Unmissable, and for good reason. 4.8 out of 5 across 69,000 reviews: few places are this unanimous. To get organised: the public-transport route; skip-the-line book your tickets, otherwise also check Tiqets.
Late morning, head to The British Museum. The Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon friezes, the great glass court. Two hours, no more, and out through Bloomsbury for a coffee. 4.5 out of 5 across 3,700 reviews: few places are this unanimous. Practical: the public-transport route · what visitors say.
For lunch, trust the rooms full of locals rather than the menus translated into six languages.
In the afternoon, meet me at Borough Market. The market I take everyone to: cheeses, oysters, curries, and a beer on the river afterwards. Go at lunchtime, on an empty stomach. 4.6 out of 5 across 132,000 reviews: few places are this unanimous. Getting there: how to get there. To get a feel for it: travellers’ reviews.
To end the day, A West End musical: A night at the theatre is part of the trip. The Lion King, Wicked, Les Misérables: take whatever has seats, you won’t be disappointed. Practical: the public-transport route, and if you’d rather skip the queue, book your visit or also check Tiqets.
Day 3 · Day trip
In the morning, it’s Warner Bros. Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter. From Euston, a direct train to Watford Junction (about twenty minutes), then the studio-branded shuttle outside the station. Book weeks ahead: the Great Hall, Diagon Alley and the Hogwarts model mark adults as much as children. Practical: the public-transport route, and if you’d rather skip the queue, book your tickets or go through Tiqets.
If you’re still hungry
I still have a few up my sleeve: The National Gallery, St James's Park, Tower of London, Big Ben, Tower Bridge and Hyde Park. Your call.
My advice
A contactless bank card is enough for the Tube and buses: no need for an Oyster.
The big museums are free: step in for twenty minutes when it rains, that is the London luxury.
Choose the pub by its noise: if it spills onto the pavement at six, it is the right one.
There. The rest is yours: the detours, the encounters, the café that becomes your own.
A Triovol story · written by someone who would go back tomorrow
Opening hours, prices and closures change: a quick look at the venue’s website before you go avoids bad surprises.