London - How to see all the TOP sites in a few hours
/Can you really see London major sites in less than a day?
Sure you can!! This guide will show you the best way to maximize your time and pocket book for a day trip to London.
Living close to a major city like London is great, but when people come to visit it’s the first place they want to see. I am here to share with you how I have mastered visiting London in less than a day. This route is not only child friendly, but cost effective if you are on a budget in London. While this does not include entry into any site, it does offer a true whistle stop tour through London without the hassle of queuing for public transit or sightseeing buses.
Your first stop is the parking garage right outside St. Katherine’s Dock. The parking is great, because it is outside the congestion charge area if you are visiting on a weekday. The great thing about this carpark is that due to it being underground there is plentiful parking for larger cars. The address to the carpark is City Quay Car Park, Thomas More St, London E1W 1YW. To enter the carpark you will insert your debit card for authentication. You will use your debit card to enter the carpark from the steps located on the back side of the Ivory House. Parking starts at £1.40 per hour. Let me assure you that the area is not full of crazy London traffic. So if you have a fear of driving in London it will be just fine.
This route even works from Liverpool Street Station or Victoria Coach Terminal.
Upon exit you will be near the Ivory House and you will see a wooden walkway. Now a 5 minute walk to the Tower of London and right under the Tower Bridge. 5 minutes in London and you have already covered two major sites. Once you have taken as many selfies as possible head down around the Tower of London to the pier right in front. There are a LOT of options to see London, but the most affordable and effective is the TRS Circular Cruise. You can use your Oyster Card or pay at the kiosk out front with your debit card. For this tour you will only need a one way ticket down to Westminster. At the time of writing the family ticket for 2 adults and 2 children is £28.50. Adults are £10 and children £5 if buying individually. While this is not a full sightseeing tour with headsets; the guide will offer some amusing and historical commentary along the Thames. There is food and bathrooms on board and the cruise takes around 30 minutes.
Pro Tip: Once on the boat head to the back of the boat on top. Once the boat pulls away from the Pier the view of Tower Bridge and Tower of London is the best.
Stay on the boat until you reach Westminster Pier. As you begin to approach the pier you can capture some good photos of Ben Big, Parliament and the London Eye. That’s 5 sites in under an hour already. Once you exit the boat make a right towards Big Ben. If you stay across the street you can capture the Red Phone booth shot with Big Ben in the distance. There will likely be a few people doing the same so be patient. After your photo opportunity you will then head down past the back of the houses of Parliament towards Westminster Abbey. If you have time to spare, you can make your way in for a quick visit.
Now you will need to make your way down Birdcage Walk to the gates of Buckingham Palace. This is about a mile walk down along a shaded pathway past old military barracks and armoury buildings. A few photos here and you will be on your way down The Mall to Trafalgar square. Stay on your left of The Mall as there will be an opportunity to see the famous Guards who watch over Buckingham Palace. They are usually set up in their booths along The Mall and you can take a photo with them. Another London bucket list item I am sure.
You have already seen 8 of the famous sites in London in just short of 3 hours, depending on your walking pace. Now you can stop your tour at Charings Cross and make your way back to Tower of London on the tube or you can follow the rest of the tour to St. Pauls Cathedral.
Upon entering Trafalgar Square you can see a great view of Big Ben from the front of the square near the Lions. You will continue along The Strand past the Somerset House and onwards to St. Pauls Cathedral which is about a mile up the road. You can jump on the tube at Embankment towards Mansion House if you are limited in mobility to reach the Cathedral. There is a lot of history from WW2 in the Cathedral so well worth the admission and visit. Once finished you will head over the Great Fire of London monument for a quick photo stop and back over to the Tower of London.
I hope you enjoyed your whistle stop tour of London. Please see links below for more information about car park, transport and river cruise.
http://www.skdocks.co.uk/location
http://www.thamesriverservices.co.uk/discount-boat-trips-greenwich.cfm
http://www.crownrivercruise.co.uk/bookings.cfm