How many days in London? A 4-day plan built around the free museums
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
London needs four days, and it is cheaper to fill them than people expect: the British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern, Natural History Museum and V&A are all free. The money goes on beds and the few paid icons: the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and St Paul's. Spread those across different days and use the free museums for the rainy hours.
Short answer
Three days covers Westminster, the Tower and one museum day. The fourth day buys a market, Greenwich or Notting Hill, and slack for the weather, which in London you will need.
The 4-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Westminster and the South Bank
Morning. Be at Westminster Abbey for opening (about £30, closed to sightseers on Sundays). Allow 90 minutes for the coronation chair and Poets' Corner. Cross the road to look at the Houses of Parliament and the Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben).
Afternoon. Walk 15 minutes through St James's Park to Buckingham Palace. The Changing of the Guard starts at 11:00 on scheduled days only, so check the calendar the day before. Then walk back to Westminster Bridge and along the South Bank past the London Eye.
Evening. Continue east along the river for 35 minutes to Tate Modern (free, open until 18:00) and cross the Millennium Bridge for the view of St Paul's lit up. Eat around Borough or Bankside; a pub dinner is £16-22 a main.
The London Eye is about £30-40 and the view is better from free spots: the Tate Modern viewing level and the Sky Garden (book a free slot a few weeks ahead).
Day 2: The City: the Tower, St Paul's and Borough Market
Morning. Tower of London at 9:00 (about £35). Go straight to the Crown Jewels before the queue builds, then join a free Yeoman Warder tour, which leaves every 30 minutes from the entrance. Allow 3 hours.
Afternoon. Walk across Tower Bridge (the glass-floor walkway costs extra) and 15 minutes along the river to Borough Market, best on weekday lunchtimes. Then walk back over London Bridge to St Paul's Cathedral (about £26), and climb 528 steps to the Golden Gallery.
Evening. Take the Central line or walk 25 minutes north to Shoreditch. Brick Lane Beigel Bake is open 24 hours and a salt beef bagel costs about £8. For a sit-down dinner, Dishoom Shoreditch takes walk-ins only for small groups; expect a 30-minute wait.
Book the Tower online for a small discount and guaranteed entry; in July and August the gate queue reaches an hour.
Day 3: South Kensington museums and Hyde Park
Morning. The Natural History Museum opens at 10:00 (free; book a timed slot in school holidays). The blue whale skeleton hangs in Hintze Hall. Next door, the V&A (also free) has the best design and fashion collections in Europe.
Afternoon. Walk 10 minutes north into Hyde Park past the Albert Memorial and around the Serpentine lake, then through Kensington Gardens to Kensington Palace. Or, on a rainy day, add the Science Museum next to the V&A.
Evening. Take the Piccadilly line 15 minutes to Leicester Square for Covent Garden and Soho. West End theatre tickets are cheapest on the day at the TKTS booth in Leicester Square; Soho has food for every budget along Old Compton Street and Dean Street.
Museums ask for a voluntary donation of around £5. You do not have to give it, but the booking sites push it hard.
Day 4: Bloomsbury and a market
Morning. British Museum at 10:00, free, with timed tickets recommended. Room 4 has the Rosetta Stone and Room 18 the Parthenon sculptures; three focused hours beat a full day of wandering.
Afternoon. On a Saturday, take the Central line to Notting Hill Gate and walk Portobello Road market (antiques at the top, food at the bottom). On other days, take the Northern line to Camden Market, 15 minutes away, for street food and the Regent's Canal towpath walk to Little Venice.
Evening. Finish at Sky Garden (free, booked) for sunset at 155 metres, or with a pint in Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street, a warren of dark rooms rebuilt in 1667 after the Great Fire.
If you have the Tower and Abbey booked, skip the London Pass: with this many free museums it rarely pays off.
Only have 3 days?
With 3 days, combine Day 3 and Day 4 into one museum day: the British Museum in the morning, the V&A in the afternoon, and Covent Garden at night. You lose the markets and Hyde Park.
Got extra days?
For a 5th day, take the Thames Clipper boat from Westminster to Greenwich (about 45 minutes) for the Cutty Sark, the Royal Observatory and the Prime Meridian line. Or take a 1-hour train from Paddington or Marylebone to Oxford.
Where to stay in London
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | King's Cross / Euston | Six Tube lines and the Eurostar, a short walk to the British Museum; budget chains are cheapest here. | £110-160 |
| Mid-range | South Bank / Southwark | Walk to the Tate, Borough Market, the Tower and Westminster along the river. | £170-260 |
| Mid-range | South Kensington | Three free museums and Hyde Park on the doorstep, Piccadilly line direct to Heathrow. | £180-280 |
| Comfort | Covent Garden / Soho | Theatres and restaurants outside the door, everything central within 20 minutes on foot. | £300-550 |
Getting around
Use a contactless card or phone on the Tube and buses: a single Zone 1 journey is about £2.90, and daily spending is capped at about £8.90 for Zones 1-2, so you never need an Oyster card. Buses are a flat £1.75 with unlimited transfers within an hour. Many sights are closer on foot than they look on the Tube map: Covent Garden to Leicester Square is a 4-minute walk. From Heathrow, the Elizabeth line reaches central London in 30-40 minutes for about £13; the Piccadilly line takes an hour and costs about half.
Best time to visit
May to September gives the longest days and highs of 18-24°C, with occasional heatwaves above 30°C. Rain is possible in every month, so pack a light waterproof whatever the season. November and January are the cheapest months for hotels; December has Christmas markets and lights but short, dark afternoons.
Month-by-month weather for London →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | £65 | £115 | £230 |
| Food & drink | £30 | £60 | £120 |
| Sights & tickets | £10 | £35 | £60 |
| Local transport | £8 | £9 | £25 |
| Total per person, per day | about £115 | about £220 | about £435 |
Approximate 2026 prices in pounds sterling. London does not charge a tourist tax at the time of writing; check if you are travelling in 2027, as a visitor levy has been discussed.
Before you go
Common questions
Is the London Pass worth it for 4 days?
Rarely. The biggest museums are free, and the pass only pays off if you visit three or more paid sights a day, which is not a pleasant way to see London. Buy the Tower, Abbey and St Paul's individually.
Do I need an Oyster card?
No. A contactless bank card or phone gets the same fares and the same daily cap. Use the same card for every journey, or the cap will not work.
Which day is best for markets?
Saturday for Portobello Road; weekday lunchtimes for Borough Market, which is packed on Saturdays. Columbia Road Flower Market is Sunday morning only, 8:00-15:00.
How far ahead should I book?
Book Sky Garden 2-3 weeks ahead and West End musicals as early as you can. Museums and the Tower can be booked a few days before, except in school holidays.
How this guide was made
Written by hand, without AI, from experience planning London trips. Prices are approximate for 2026; confirm on the official Tower of London (HRP), Westminster Abbey, St Paul's, TfL and museum websites before booking.
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