24 Hours In London – Here’s What You Simply Have To Do

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24 Hours In London - Here’s What You Simply Have To Do

London is a city that demands your time. With over 1500 square kilometres, 32 boroughs and countless unique districts, a day is never enough to fully get to grips with what the city can offer. You can, however, get a taste. Guests at the Piccadilly West End Hotel Spa are well situated to enjoy some of the best attractions in the city. 

From the heart of London’s West end, no borough is an island. In fact, many of the most exciting and well known landmarks are just a short walk away. If you’re a guest of the best hotels in West End London, then you’ll no doubt be able to fit a lot into just 24 hours in London. 

Whether you’re visiting the luxury hotels in London’s West End for friends, work or family, every first time visitor should cease the opportunity to drink in some of the spectacular parks and attractions that make London what it is today. This blog will explore some of the best first tastes of London, giving tips on landmarks, eateries, nightlife and green spaces to enjoy in just 24 hours.

How To Travel On Borrowed Time

The first thing to remember is that London is one of the largest cities in Europe, and you won’t be able to see and do everything you want in 24 hours. That being said, the London Underground runs daily until midnight and spans over 270 stations all across the city. Buying a day pass or Oyster card can save you a lot of money on travel and will mean that you can easily nip around the city. It’s worth remembering that between 7 am and 9.30 am and between 5 pm and 7 pm, the city will be operating at rush hour prices, meaning that you’ll pay up to a third more per tube journey for a very claustrophobic experience.

Buses

Buses

Another alternative for seeing the city in a short space of time is to utilise the bus services. With over 700 different buses, every journey can be a sightseeing tour, especially compared to the relatively limited views from the subterranean tube lines. Remember to utilise the city hopper fees, which allow you to travel on two buses within an hour of each other for the price of one!

Santander Cycles

Santander Cycles

Cycling is an even more freeing way to see the sights of London. Easy to rent from one of the many Santander Cycle docks across Westminster and the City of London, these bikes allow you to whizz between attractions and cost £2 per 30 minute journey, making it an incredibly attractive way of seeing landmarks whilst keeping active whilst you do.

Big Ben

Big Ben

Dating back to the 1850s, Big Ben, or Elizabeth Tower as it has been known since the 2012 diamond jubilee, is a large river facing clocktower that’s connected to the Houses of Parliament. One of the most iconic landmarks in London, visitors to the city with only 24 hours can easily fit in a sighting of Big Ben on a walk along the banks of the Thames. 

Walks that can be especially enriching for landmark ticking off include the walk along the South Bank from Waterloo to London Bridge, on which guests of the Piccadilly London West End special offers can see not only Big Ben stationed across the river, but the National Theatre, Tate Modern, London Bridge, the Globe Theatre and Golden Hinde. The walk should take no more than half an hour to 45 minutes and collates many of the best riverside views in one walk through London’s dynamic heart.

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey is another centrally located landmark acting as a one stop shop for British history. With 30 monarchs buried here as well as a range of other influential figures from throughout British history, this revered abbey in the heart of Westminster is a perfect place to learn about the city’s most powerful and country-defining leaders. Westminster Abbey is the perfect attraction for guests with a limited amount of time in the city on account of the fact that you can tour the whole Gothic spired building in under 2 hours.

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace

Though in the summer you can book tours of the state rooms, for the rest of the year Buckingham Palace must be admired from behind the gilded gates. This is perfect for a whistle stop tourist of London, who can catch the daily changing of the iconic palace guards at 11 am Monday to Saturday and 10 am on Sundays in June and July. Between August and May, the guard is traditionally changed on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at the same times.

Tower Bridge And The Tower Of London

Tower Bridge is the iconic suspension Bridge in the Tower Hill area of London. The bridge itself is open daily for tours, which boasts views from 61 metres above the Thames and will only take about 30 minutes to an hour to complete. 

Alternatively, you can simply walk the bridge to the Tower of London on the northern banks of the Thames. This fortress dates back to the 11th century and the Norman invasion of England. The tower was built as a bastion of Norman rule but shapeshifted over the years as kings and queens utilised it for different means. The tower today is still home to the crown jewels and visitors can learn much from the exhibits exploring the various uses of the tower. A visit to the Tower should take you about  3 to 4 hours, so if you pair the Tower of London with a trip to Tower Bridge, you can make a full day of these two beautiful landmarks. 

Lays Of The Land

From Greenwich Park to Primrose Hill, another fun way to see the city is to drink in its famous parks. With viewpoints situated across Regent’s Park, Greenwich Observatory and Parliament HIll in Hampstead Heath, you can learn much about this green city from its open spaces. Alternatively, visit the green lung of London, which is home to some of the most famous royal parks – Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, perfect for a springtime exploration.

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