7 Days in London — Solo Travel

Check In & Drop Bags

Get settled at your accommodation and freshen up before heading out. Aim for somewhere central — Southwark, Waterloo, or the City are ideal bases for this itinerary.

Walk the South Bank

Stroll west along the Thames from London Bridge toward the Tate Modern, taking in the riverside atmosphere, street performers, and views across to St Paul's. In late May this stretch is alive with people and natural light until 9 PM.

Tate Modern

Spend an hour or two in the permanent collection — it's free and genuinely excellent. The Turbine Hall installation alone is worth the detour, and the top-floor viewing platform has killer views of the Thames and St Paul's.

Cross Millennium Bridge to St Paul's

Walk across the pedestrian Millennium Bridge for one of London's best photo moments — St Paul's Cathedral directly in front of you, the river behind. Don't rush it.

Evening Wander: Borough Market Area

Head back south and explore the streets around Borough Market, even if the market itself has closed for the day. Bermondsey Street nearby is worth a poke around for independent shops and bars.

Buckingham Palace & St James's Park

Walk through St James's Park early before the crowds arrive — the pelicans are fed around 2:30 PM but the park is beautiful all morning. The view of Buckingham Palace from the bridge in the middle of the lake is the best in London.

Westminster Abbey

Book tickets in advance online — this one genuinely sells out. Budget 1.5–2 hours inside. The Poets' Corner, Coronation Chair, and the tomb of Elizabeth I are highlights. Audio guide is included and actually good.

Houses of Parliament & Big Ben

Walk along the Thames Embankment for exterior views of the Palace of Westminster — Big Ben's tower (Elizabeth Tower) is fully restored and photogenic. You can book interior tours but exterior views are free and frankly excellent.

Churchill War Rooms

One of London's most underrated attractions — the underground bunker where Churchill ran the war effort is eerily intact. Book ahead; allow 2 hours. The Churchill Museum within it is surprisingly moving.

Trafalgar Square & National Portrait Gallery

Walk north past Downing Street to Trafalgar Square. The National Portrait Gallery just reopened after major refurbishment — it's free, and the Tudor portraits upstairs (including Holbein's Henry VIII) are genuinely stunning.

Covent Garden Evening Wander

Head into Covent Garden for the street performers and atmosphere. The covered market is buzzing in the early evening and makes for great people-watching.

British Museum — Morning Session

Arrive when doors open at 10 AM (queue at 9:45 to beat school groups). Hit the Rosetta Stone, Elgin Marbles, Egyptian mummies, and the Lewis Chessmen — you cannot see it all, so pick a wing and go deep. The Great Court itself is architecturally stunning.

Bloomsbury Wander

Walk the quiet Georgian squares around the museum — Bedford Square, Russell Square, and the streets around Senate House are beautiful and almost tourist-free. This is Virginia Woolf and Charles Dickens territory.

Shoreditch Street Art & Brick Lane

Take the Tube east to Shoreditch High Street and walk the Shoreditch street art corridor — Rivington Street, Shoreditch High Street, and the alleys off it are covered in world-class murals. Brick Lane is a 10-minute walk south.

Spitalfields Market

Old Spitalfields Market has independent designers, vintage stalls, and food vendors every day of the week. Late May means decent weather — the outdoor terraces get busy and there's a good energy.

Columbia Road or Boxpark

Columbia Road is worth a quick detour for its independent shops even outside flower market days. Alternatively, Boxpark Shoreditch is a five-minute walk and good for a drink or early evening snack.

Train from Euston to Watford Junction

Take the Avanti West Coast or London Northwestern train from London Euston to Watford Junction — it takes about 20 minutes and runs frequently. From Watford Junction, a dedicated shuttle bus runs directly to the studio (£3 return, runs every 20 min).

Warner Bros. Studio Tour — The Making of Harry Potter

Book your timed entry slot months in advance — this sells out consistently. Slots open at 9 AM and you'll want the first or second session. Budget a full 4–5 hours; there's far more here than you'd expect including the Great Hall, Diagon Alley, the Forbidden Forest, actual props, and Butterbeer.

Return to London

Shuttle back to Watford Junction and train back to Euston. You'll be back in central London by mid-afternoon with energy left for the evening.

Camden Market

Camden Town is a short Tube ride from Euston on the Northern line — make good use of the afternoon by exploring Camden Market's food stalls, vintage shops, and chaotic energy. It's unlike anywhere else in London.

Primrose Hill Sunset

Walk 15 minutes from Camden up to Primrose Hill for a panoramic view of the London skyline at golden hour — one of the best free views in the city, especially in late May when it stays light until 9 PM.

Natural History Museum

Free and genuinely one of the best natural history museums in the world — the Romanesque building alone is worth seeing. The blue whale skeleton in Hintze Hall is the money shot. Arrive by 10 AM to beat coach groups.

Victoria and Albert Museum

Right next door and could easily consume an entire day — focus on the Fashion galleries, the Cast Courts (Victorian plaster casts of famous sculptures), and the Islamic art section. The building itself is spectacular.

Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens

Walk north through the park — in late May it's stunning. Head to the Serpentine Gallery (free, good contemporary art), row a boat on the Serpentine lake, and walk through Kensington Gardens to the Albert Memorial.

Kensington Palace

The public apartments are open and include good exhibits on Queen Victoria and Princess Diana. The gardens immediately surrounding it are some of the most beautiful in London and free to walk through.

Notting Hill Walk

Head west to Notting Hill — walk Portobello Road (less manic on a weekday), browse the pastel houses, and soak in the neighbourhood's charm. The streets around Ledbury Road and Westbourne Grove are particularly beautiful.

Train from Paddington

For Bath: GWR trains from Paddington run hourly, take about 90 minutes, and cost £25–£50 return if booked ahead. For Oxford: trains from Paddington take 55 minutes and cost £20–£35 return. Both are excellent — Bath is more compact and easier to cover in a day; Oxford requires more walking.

Bath: Roman Baths

Book ahead online — the Roman Baths are Bath's centerpiece and genuinely impressive, with authentic Roman engineering dating to 70 AD. The audio guide (voiced by Bill Bryson) is worth using. Budget 90 minutes.

Bath Abbey & Pulteney Bridge

Bath Abbey is magnificent Gothic architecture and free to enter (donation requested). Walk to Pulteney Bridge — one of only four bridges in the world with shops on both sides — and down to the Parade Gardens along the River Avon.

Royal Crescent & The Circus

Walk up to the Royal Crescent — the perfect Georgian sweep of 30 townhouses is one of the finest examples of architecture in Britain. The Circus nearby (designed by John Wood) is equally impressive and often missed by day trippers.

Return Train to London

Head back to Bath Spa station for the return journey, arriving back at Paddington by 5:30–6 PM — giving you a pleasant evening in London.

Evening in Marylebone or Soho

Decompress with a walk through Marylebone High Street (charming, independent shops) or head to Soho for the evening atmosphere — Carnaby Street, Berwick Street, and the surrounding area are great for an evening stroll.

Tower of London

Book online in advance and arrive early — the Crown Jewels queue builds fast. The Beefeater guided tours (free with entry, depart from the main gate every 30 min) are genuinely entertaining and historically rich. Budget 2.5 hours.

Tower Bridge Walkway

The glass-floor walkway across Tower Bridge is worth doing once — views up and down the Thames are excellent, and the Victorian engine rooms underneath show how the bascules are raised. Combine it with the Tower for a joint ticket saving.

Leadenhall Market & Lloyd's Building

Walk north into the heart of the City — Leadenhall Market is a stunning Victorian covered market (and partly the model for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter films). The Lloyd's Building and the Gherkin are two minutes' walk away.

Sky Garden

Book a free slot at Sky Garden (20 Fenchurch Street) in advance — it's the highest public garden in London, at the top of the 'Walkie Talkie' building, and the 360-degree views are exceptional. Slots go fast so book a week ahead.

Thames Path Walk: Butler's Wharf to London Bridge

Walk west along the South Bank from Butler's Wharf — stopping at Bermondsey Street for a final look, crossing London Bridge, and ending at Borough Market for a last wander. On a late May evening this stretch is close to perfect.

Sunset Drink at a Riverside Pub

The Anchor Bankside (historic pub, Samuel Pepys watched the Great Fire from here) or the Founders Arms (modern, great river view) are both ideal for a final pint while the sun sets over the Thames.