7 Day Itinerary in London

A week in London is barely enough to scratch the surface of this exciting international city. Each recommended day on this 7-day itinerary could easily expand to 2 or more days, but this selection will give you an overview and ideas for a return visit.

Day 1 - Seat of Government: Like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Big Ben has become a symbol for international travelers. It commands a prime location in central London as the timepiece for the Houses of Parliament from which its chimes can be heard throughout the day and night. For the best photo of Parliament and Big Ben, cross the river. When you return to the other side, walk through some of the "neighborhood" of government. You can stroll past the entrance to Downing Street where the Prime Minister resides at No. 10 (the street itself is off limits), tour Westminster Abbey directly across from Parliament, and visit the Cabinet War Rooms, an underground bunker from which Churchill led his wartime government. Visitors may arrange a visit to the Tower of London for the Ceremony of the Keys, the ceremony closing the Tower which has been conducted nightly for several hundred years. Permission to attend the ceremony must be given in advance and tickets are limited.

Day 2 - Royal Capital: Begin your exploration of royal London at the famous, and infamous, Tower of London where you can marvel at the Crown Jewels and shudder at the medieval power of Britain's royalty. Your next stops are across town at Buckingham Palace (open to visitors during a short 8-week period in August and September) and the Mall (created in the 19th century for royal parades and national celebrations). This thoroughfare takes you directly to the National Portrait Gallery by the way of Trafalgar Square where you can see reminders of many of the monarchs who have made these landmarks famous.

Day 3 - Kensington and Knightsbridge: The fashionable West End of London is worth a day's exploration. Don't miss the food hall and shopping at Harrods or the multicultural exhibits of the Victoria & Albert Museum. If you're more interested in science or have children with you, stops at the Natural History and Science Museums (right down the street from the V&A) should be on your itinerary. In the evening, check nearby Royal Albert Hall for entertainment.

Day 4 - Museums: Two museums which house enough artifacts for a full week's visit in themselves tell the story of Britain's contributions and conquests. The British Museum, located in Bloomsbury with its elegant domed reading room, displays the best of human civilization from ancient Egypt to the present. The British Library, about a mile north of the museum, houses original copies of documents that have made significant contribution to government, the arts, and exploration. Among the documents you will find the Magna Carta, a hand-written original of the book Alice in Wonderland , and 16th century maps.

Day 5 - Swinging 60s: For those old enough to remember, London was the place to be in the 1960s. For everyone else, visiting locations in Swinging London can evoke images of those times. The most famous 60s location is Abbey Road, where the easily recognized cover photo for the Beatles' album of the same name was staged, is in somewhat far-flung St. John's Wood in northwest London. On your way back into central London, stop at the Marleybone train station for an echo of the screaming fans that chased the Beatles in the opening frames of "A Hard Day's Night." Style conscious Carnaby Street is located in Soho between 2 other well-known shopping streets--Oxford and Piccadilly.

Day 6 - South Bank: Begin a visit to South Bank on the north bank of the Thames at Christopher Wren's masterpiece, St Paul's Cathedral, where Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer were married in 1981. The new Millennium Bridge will carry you to the South Bank's most impressive museum, the Tate Modern (aka the Battersea Power Station). Shakespeare's reconstructed Globe Theater is next to the Tate. During the summer you can attend a performance at the Globe, but tours of the theater are available any time of year. A stroll along the river from the Tate will guide you past open air book stalls to a collection of concert halls and on to the London Eye, a gigantic Ferris wheel installed for millennium celebrations.

Day 7 - What's Left? Answer:  A whole lot more to squeeze into your last day in London. Spend a morning browsing the funky shops in Covent Garden or exploring omnibuses and tubes at the London Transport Museum. Take in a matinee at one of the West End theaters or take a walk through Hyde Park, stopping at Speaker's Corner to hear an impromptu speech. Afterward, hop onto a tube going north up to Baker Street where the Sherlock Holmes Museum invites you to sit in Holmes' fireside chair while you ponder the clues in the latest Victorian mystery.

Don't forget that London has also become an international food destination, so think beyond the fish and chips (though they are good!) as you wander around the different neighborhoods of London.