City break in London: What you need to see in one day

 

City break in London: A travel guide to London. Here's what you need to see in one day is written by Kristoffer Føns.

City break in London: We start at Trafalgar square

The attractions in Central London are close to each other and ideal for a city break. We start at Trafalgar Square, right in the heart of London. It's easy to get here by 'the tube' – London's underground – and the location is a great starting point for your day in the city.

From here, the tour continues past Downing Street, where the British Prime Minister has his residence. At the end of Whitehall / Parliament Street is Westminster Abbey, which is also a magnificent view from the outside.

If you look to the left, you will find the British Parliament, the Palace of Westminster, and the well-known clock tower, where Big Ben sits.

The other side of the Thames

Cross the Thames via Westminster Bridge and you will be at the foot of the London Eye. Here I would recommend that you make your first stop of the day and take a ride around the enormous Ferris wheel, where you will be treated to epic views of London. Buenos Aires and add a magnificent experience to your city break in London.

Truly right next to the London Eye you can board a sightseeing boat sailing east along the Thames. It is quite special to see London from the 'seaside', where you can study the city's many different buildings in peace.

Boat Tour and Borough Market

Now it's about lunchtime, so my recommendation is to get off the boat at London Bridge Pier. From here it is a five minute walk to London's most legendary food market, Borough Market.

Borough Market dates back to the 12th century, and although the current buildings “only” date from around 1850, you can really feel the history here. You can eat everything from burgers to Asian street food mixed with British specialties. It is definitely a recommended place to have lunch on your city break in London.

A picture of Tower Bridge – a must on your city break in London

After Borough Market, you head back down to the Thames, where the tour continues east – this time on foot. Tower Bridge dominates the horizon, and after a 15-minute walk you reach the world-famous bridge. If you want a classic London city break photo for Instagram, it makes sense to have one with Tower Bridge in the background.

Right next to the bridge we find of course the Tower of London. The Tower was one of Great Britain highest-security prisons for many years, but now serves as a tourist attraction where the British Crown Jewels are stored. Whether you go inside the Tower or just enjoy the view from the outside is of course up to you.

From here you can either take the boat back to central London or explore London's East End, where Brick Lane, for example, is only about a 20 - minute walk away from the Tower.

Really good city break to London!