Holidays never seem to offer enough time to really get to know a place well. Certainly a break in London can seem daunting, with such a staggering collection of things to see and do. However, you’d be surprised how many quintessential London experiences can be done in under half an hour. Book your London hotels and start exploring with our top 50 things to do in London, that take 30 minutes or less. Travel on the London Underground and listen out for the warning to “mind the gap”. Pick up some vintage finds from Spitalfields antiques market on Thursdays. Sample fresh cheeses, cakes and chutneys at Borough Market in Southwark. Watch the South Bank buskers compete for an audience beside Westminster Bridge. Try jellied eels at F. Cooke’s eel and pie shop on Columbia road.
See the actual Rosetta Stone, housed at the British Museum. Sit by the canal and watch a boat go through Camden lock. Buy some tea and jam from Fortnum & Mason; where the Queen gets her groceries. Pick a floor to browse in the world’s largest department store, Harrods. Go looking for the Peter Pan statue in Hyde Park. Find a classic novel at the used book market held underneath Waterloo bridge. Spend 30 minutes exploring London on two wheels with the Barclay’s bike hire scheme, and only pay 1.00. Pick up a classic tin of biscuits from Marks and Spencer. Find some famous graves in East Highgate Cemetery. Have a pre-dinner cocktail in the American bar of the Savoy. See London’s famous sights from the river with a scenic boat ride down the Thames. Explore the tiny but gory museum inside the old Clink Prison. Walk along Regent’s canal. Recreate the ultimate Beatles moment by crossing the road outside Abbey Road Studios. Feed the ducks in St James’ Park. Stand across two different time zones at the Greenwich observatory.
Smell the coffee beans at Monmouth Coffee, Borough Market. Wander down lively Brick Lane and let proprietors try and coax you in for a famous curry. Venture out of your budget hotels and go for a drink at one of the plushest of hotels, the Dorchester. Visit the ground floor hall of the Tate Modern to see their latest installation. Choose a blend of tea from the Twinings shop and sample a brew in their tasting room. Enjoy a pint at the Lamb & Flag, one of London’s oldest pubs. See the friendly farm animals at Spitalfields City Farm, in East London. Do some luxury shopping at Liberty. Visit the Sherlock Holmes Museum at Baker Street.
Climb to the top of The Monument, Sir Christopher Wren’s commemorative column to the Great Fire of London. Rummage the secondhand stalls at Portobello Market. See how the other half lives with a stroll around Mayfair. Watch Tower Bridge open up to let ships travel through (scheduled times available online). Peep through the Prime Minister’s front gate at Downing Street. Buy some fresh blooms from the Sunday flower market on Columbia Road. Try a crispy duck pancake in Chinatown. Stroll through Soho and do some people watching. Treat yourself to something luxurious from Selfridges Department Store. Listen to protests and debates in Speaker’s Corner, Hyde Park. Pay your respect to the people’s princess at the Diana Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park. Watch the skateboarders and BMX-riders try out some moves at the Southbank Skate Park.
Find your way through the maze of eclectic markets at Camden. Watch the fountain dance in the courtyard of Somerset House. Do some wishful browsing in Alexander McQueen’s flagship store in Old Bond Street. Sit and watch a busker perform in the piazza outside Covent Garden’s apple market. See original works by Leonardo da Vinci at the National Gallery. Walk the new pedestrian crossing at Oxford Circus. Ride the DLR to Canary Wharf and see the corporate skyscrapers. Wave to the Queen from outside Buckingham Palace.
Walk along Regent’s canal. Recreate the ultimate Beatles moment by crossing the road outside Abbey Road Studios. Feed the ducks in St James’ Park. Stand across two different time zones at the Greenwich observatory. Smell the coffee beans at Monmouth Coffee, Borough Market. Wander down lively Brick Lane and let proprietors try and coax you in for a famous curry. Venture out of your budget hotels and go for a drink at one of the plushest of hotels, the Dorchester. Visit the ground floor hall of the Tate Modern to see their latest installation. Choose a blend of tea from the Twinings shop and sample a brew in their tasting room. Enjoy a pint at the Lamb & Flag, one of London’s oldest pubs. See the friendly farm animals at Spitalfields City Farm, in East London. Do some luxury shopping at Liberty. Visit the Sherlock Holmes Museum at Baker Street.
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