CargandoCargandoLondon is expensive at almost everything except the part people come for: the great museums are free, and they're among the best anywhere. The money goes on transport and dinner, not tickets. And the planning mistake isn't fitting in too little, it's crossing the city three times in one day — this is grouped by area so that doesn't happen.
London in three daysWestminster and Buckingham on day one — the Changing of the Guard is not daily and lasts three quarters of an hour — the Tower and the river on day two, and on the third the British Museum, which is free, and Camden.3 days· 9 stops
London in five daysThe first three days are the big things; the fourth, Greenwich by boat along the Thames and back with a foot either side of the meridian; the fifth, Portobello in the morning and the Sky Garden at dusk, which is free but must be booked.5 days· 12 stopsMonumentBig Ben and Westminster
MonumentBuckingham Palace
MarketsBorough Market
PromenadeThe South Bank walk
NeighbourhoodCamden Town
NeighbourhoodGreenwich and the meridian hill
MonumentTower Bridge
MonumentTower of London
MuseumBritish Museum
MarketsPortobello Road
ViewpointSky Garden
ParkHyde Park and the Serpentine
💡Pay for the Tube with your bank card, buy nothing
You need no Oyster and no travelcard: tap your contactless card or your phone and it stops charging once you hit the daily cap. One card per person, though — sharing one across the group doesn't work.
💡London is more walking than it looks
Two Tube stops can be five minutes on foot and fifteen going down and back up stairs. Check the map before you dive in: comfortable shoes, and a rain jacket in the bag all year round.
💡The big museums are free, and the donation is voluntary
British Museum, National Gallery, Tate, Natural History, Victoria and Albert: free entry. By the door there is a donation desk that looks like a ticket office; it isn't. Temporary exhibitions do cost.
💡West End theatre can be done cheap
Day seats go on sale in the morning on each theatre's own website, and there is a discount booth in Leicester Square. Take a seat high up and to the side: you see fine and pay half.
💡In a pub you order at the bar, and the kitchen shuts early
Nobody is coming to take your order: you order and pay at the bar, giving your table number. The kitchen usually closes around nine, so dinner at ten — the way you do it at home — doesn't work here.
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