3 Days in London Itinerary (Day 2)
Waking up in London? An actual dream. I could not sleep at night (despite being severely jetlagged) as I was too excited for all of the things we had planned for this second day. There’s so much to do in London- so here’s a narrowed-down list of exactly how you can fill your day with fun, tradition, and history during your time in London.
We started the morning by grabbing breakfast at our hotel (Ibis Canning Town). They had a great selection of food (included in your stay)- hashbrowns, cooked tomatoes, beans, and sausages (because English breakfast,right?) to fresh cheeses, yogurts, fruits, cereals and grains. They even had an awesome espresso machine in which you could make macchiatos, lattes, cappuccinos, and more.
After a few macchiatos, we headed out for the first activity of the day- a guided walking tour of London. We met our tour guide on Tower Hill and began our tour from there. I learned so much about London and its long history- the gruesome tortures and famous executions in the Tower of London, how St. Paul’s Cathedral (miraculously) survived the Blitz in World War II, and even about London’s Roman origins. We saw everything from Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and tons more. I highly recommend doing a walking tour on your first day in London (or really any city you’re traveling to for the first time) as it really helps you get familiar with everything- directions, history, and sights to see and things to do. The tour ended in Trafalgar Square and we decided to pop into Waterstones to check out some books and grab a cappuccino and a snack- they even had something called the Queen Vic cake (which as a history-obsessed girl, you know I HAD to get- it was so good!)
Next up on the list is a somewhat controversial yet iconic tourist attraction- the London Eye. Many people write it off as a tourist trap, but honestly I don’t see anything wrong with doing the so-called ‘touristy’ things. Traveling is all about doing what you want to do and having fun. Anyways, we hopped on the London Eye for a 30 minute ride with amazing views of the London skyline. I didn’t think I’d enjoy it due to the tourist-trap reputation, but I loved how much of London I could see at once and I’m so glad I tried it.
Next on the London itinerary was one of my favorite things I did there: afternoon tea on the Thames. For this we went with City Cruises and boarded our boat right next to the Tower of London. We each had an assigned table with the classic afternoon tea set of sandwiches, scones, and mini desserts. You can order whichever tea you want- it comes in a cute personal teapot! I ordered the English breakfast tea and it was delicious. Whilst you’re enjoying your tea and treats, you can watch the city and the Thames pass you by and listen to a live commentary all about London. When you’re done, you can even head upstairs to an open-top to see the city more clearly and feel a nice breeze off the river. I loved this experience so much and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good option for afternoon tea in London.
Afterwards, you can head over to Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, and Regent Street for some entertainment, food, and shopping. I will say- Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square are probably some of the most touristy places in London, so beware of any scammers and understand that most food and shopping in this area is going to be severely overpriced (and potentially just not good). A good option for food is Punch and Judy in Covent Garden- a historic and fun pub. We headed over to Wahaca for some fresh Mexican-inspired food and it was delicious (we even witnessed a fight while we were there for some extra drama).
Overall, London is such an exciting city with an endless amount of things to do- I highly recommend checking out some of these activities! Got any London recommendations? Let us know in the comments below!
