London in 3 days, on foot

This 3-day self-guided walking plan for London covers 41 narrated sights in an easy day-by-day order. Each day is split into a morning and an afternoon loop, and every stop has a two to three minute audio story in the Gingerguide app.

You set the pace: this is a suggested order, not a schedule. Walk it in 3 days, or stretch it out. Reorder freely; London rewards a detour.

The London route at a glance

1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041Day 1Day 2Day 31 km
Stops in route order, one colour per day. A diagram of shape and distance, not a street map; the app has the live map.

Day 1

Day 1 covers 14 stops over about 20 km as the crow flies, from Piccadilly Circus to Cutty Sark. ≈ 20 km between stops, straight line

Morning

  1. Piccadilly Circus: London's iconic junction known for its dazzling neon billboards, the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain, and its status as the heart of the West End. 0.8 km to the next stop
  2. Oxford Street: Europe's busiest shopping street with over 300 shops stretching 1.5 miles from Marble Arch to Tottenham Court Road. 1.2 km to the next stop
  3. Madame Tussauds: The world-famous wax museum founded in 1835, home to lifelike figures of celebrities, world leaders, and cultural icons. 1.9 km to the next stop
  4. Abbey Road: The world's most famous zebra crossing, immortalised on the cover of The Beatles' 1969 album "Abbey Road." 1.4 km to the next stop
  5. Regent's Park: An elegant Royal Park in central London, home to London Zoo, the Open Air Theatre, Queen Mary's Gardens, and stunning Nash terraces. 1.3 km to the next stop
  6. Camden Market: London's eclectic, colourful market district beside Regent's Canal, famous for street food, vintage fashion, and alternative culture. 1.9 km to the next stop
  7. Platform 9¾ (King's Cross): The iconic Harry Potter photo spot at King's Cross station, where a trolley appears to vanish through the wall to the Hogwarts Express. 1.4 km to the next stop

Afternoon

  1. British Museum: One of the world's greatest museums, home to the Rosetta Stone, the Elgin Marbles, and eight million artefacts spanning human history. 2.1 km to the next stop
  2. St. Paul's Cathedral: Sir Christopher Wren's baroque masterpiece, crowned by one of the largest cathedral domes in the world. 1.1 km to the next stop
  3. Sky Garden: London's highest public garden, a stunning three-storey indoor garden at the top of the "Walkie-Talkie" building with free panoramic views. 0.5 km to the next stop
  4. HMS Belfast: A WWII-era Royal Navy light cruiser permanently moored on the Thames, now a floating museum ship. 0.4 km to the next stop
  5. Tower of London: A 1,000-year-old castle on the Thames that has served as a royal palace, prison, and home of the Crown Jewels. 0.3 km to the next stop
  6. Tower Bridge: London's iconic Victorian bascule bridge, with glass-floored walkways 42 metres above the Thames. 5.2 km to the next stop
  7. Cutty Sark: The world's sole surviving tea clipper, beautifully preserved in dry dock at Greenwich as a museum of maritime history.

Day 2

Day 2 covers 14 stops over about 13 km as the crow flies, from Royal Observatory Greenwich to Tate Britain. ≈ 13 km between stops, straight line

Morning

  1. Royal Observatory Greenwich: The home of Greenwich Mean Time and the Prime Meridian, where you can stand with one foot in the Eastern Hemisphere and one in the Western. 6.7 km to the next stop
  2. The Shard: Western Europe's tallest building at 310 metres, with a public viewing gallery offering 360-degree views stretching up to 40 miles. 0.3 km to the next stop
  3. Borough Market: London's oldest and most celebrated food market, trading since the 13th century beneath the railway arches of London Bridge. 0.5 km to the next stop
  4. Shakespeare's Globe: A faithful reconstruction of the Elizabethan playhouse where Shakespeare's plays were first performed, on the original South Bank site. 0.2 km to the next stop
  5. Millennium Bridge: A sleek steel pedestrian bridge linking St Paul's Cathedral to Tate Modern, famously nicknamed the "Wobbly Bridge" after swaying on opening day. 0.2 km to the next stop
  6. Tate Modern: Britain's national gallery of modern and contemporary art, housed in the iconic former Bankside Power Station on the South Bank. 1.1 km to the next stop
  7. South Bank: London's vibrant cultural riverside strip, home to the Royal Festival Hall, the National Theatre, street performers, and riverside dining. 0.9 km to the next stop

Afternoon

  1. Covent Garden: A lively piazza with street performers, boutique shops, and restaurants, centred around the historic covered market building. 0.5 km to the next stop
  2. National Gallery: One of the world's great art museums, housing over 2,300 Western European paintings from the 13th to the 20th century, free to enter. 0.1 km to the next stop
  3. Trafalgar Square: London's grand central square, dominated by Nelson's Column and flanked by the National Gallery. 0.8 km to the next stop
  4. London Eye: Europe's tallest cantilevered observation wheel, offering breathtaking 360-degree views over London from 135 metres. 0.5 km to the next stop
  5. Big Ben & Elizabeth Tower: The iconic clock tower at the north end of the Palace of Westminster, and one of the most recognisable symbols of London. 0.1 km to the next stop
  6. Houses of Parliament: The seat of the UK Parliament, a spectacular neo-Gothic palace on the banks of the Thames housing the House of Commons and House of Lords. 1 km to the next stop
  7. Tate Britain: Home to the world's greatest collection of British art from 1500 to the present day, including masterworks by Turner, Constable, and Hockney.

Day 3

Day 3 covers 13 stops over about 41 km as the crow flies, from Westminster Abbey to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London. ≈ 41 km between stops, straight line

Morning

  1. Westminster Abbey: The coronation church of English and British monarchs since 1066 and final resting place of kings, queens, poets, and scientists. 0.3 km to the next stop
  2. Churchill War Rooms: The underground bunker where Winston Churchill directed Britain's war effort during WWII, preserved exactly as it was left in 1945. 0.3 km to the next stop
  3. St. James's Park: The oldest Royal Park in London, offering iconic views of Buckingham Palace across the lake and a home to resident pelicans since 1664. 0.6 km to the next stop
  4. Buckingham Palace: The official London residence of the British monarch, famous for the Changing of the Guard ceremony. 1.5 km to the next stop
  5. Harrods: The world's most famous luxury department store, occupying an entire block in Knightsbridge with 330 departments across seven floors. 0.7 km to the next stop
  6. Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A): The world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, with 2.3 million objects spanning 5,000 years of creativity. 0.3 km to the next stop
  7. Natural History Museum: A stunning Romanesque cathedral of science housing 80 million specimens, from dinosaur skeletons to the world's largest collection of meteorites. 0.2 km to the next stop

Afternoon

  1. Science Museum: A world-class museum exploring human scientific achievement, from Stephenson's Rocket to the Apollo 10 command module. 1.2 km to the next stop
  2. Hyde Park: One of London's eight Royal Parks, spanning 142 hectares of green space with the Serpentine lake and Speakers' Corner. 1.5 km to the next stop
  3. Kensington Palace: A royal residence in Kensington Gardens that has been home to members of the Royal Family since the 17th century. 1.6 km to the next stop
  4. Notting Hill & Portobello Road: A charming neighbourhood of pastel-coloured houses and the famous Portobello Road Market, the world's largest antiques market. 7.5 km to the next stop
  5. Kew Gardens: A UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world's largest collection of living plants, spanning 326 acres of stunning gardens and glasshouses. 25 km to the next stop
  6. Warner Bros. Studio Tour London: A walk-through behind-the-scenes attraction at Leavesden Studios where the Harry Potter films were made, featuring original sets, costumes, props, and the spectacular 1:24 scale Hogwarts Castle.

Distances are straight-line between stops; streets add a little.

Where the route eats

Food and market stops on the London tour, each with its own story in the app:

  • Borough Market: London's oldest and most celebrated food market, trading since the 13th century beneath the railway arches of London Bridge.
  • Camden Market: London's eclectic, colourful market district beside Regent's Canal, famous for street food, vintage fashion, and alternative culture.
  • Notting Hill & Portobello Road: A charming neighbourhood of pastel-coloured houses and the famous Portobello Road Market, the world's largest antiques market.

Getting around London

Transport for London runs the Underground, buses, the Elizabeth line, the DLR and the Overground; the Tube, buses and the Elizabeth line cover the centre.

Tickets: An adult pay-as-you-go Zone 1 Tube fare is 3.10 GBP at peak and 3.00 GBP off-peak, with a Zone 1 daily cap of 8.90 GBP (from March 2026).

From the airport: From Heathrow, the Elizabeth line reaches Zone 1 in under 45 minutes (13.90 to 15.50 GBP), the Heathrow Express reaches Paddington in 15 minutes (from 10.00 GBP booked ahead, 26.00 GBP walk-up), and the Piccadilly line takes under an hour from 5.50 GBP.

On foot: TfL’s own walking map shows many central stations only a few minutes apart on foot; the centre is compact.

Sources for the practical notes

Make it easy on your feet

Turn the radar on in the app and keep your phone in your pocket; it taps you on the shoulder when a London story is close, so you never miss a stop.

Updated:

Full London guide and all stops → · Other itineraries: 2 days

Walk London with the stories on

Preview all 41 London stops free in the Gingerguide app.

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