London Itinerary: How To Spend 2 Perfect Days

Are you traveling to London (England) for the first time? Here is your ultimate London itinerary with all the best things to do that fit into a 2 days schedule. The best landmarks and places to visit for an epic first-time trip!

Traveling to London but only have 2 days to spend there? Wondering what are the best places to visit and sights not to miss during your trip? Look no further!

I’ve created this 2 days London travel itinerary, especially for you, so you can make the most of your time and have the most amazing experiences!

So if you only have 2 days to spend in London, let’s say you’re there for a weekend getaway with your partner or on a girls’ trip, this is the itinerary you’d want to follow.

It is actually more or less what my boyfriend and I did during our recent weekend trip (it was his first time in London).

The itinerary covers the main touristy attractions (who doesn’t want a selfie with Big Ben or the red phone booth) but also includes some exciting adventures and a few cultural events too. A complete itinerary in London, perfect for couples.

(just before getting into all the details, you’d definitely want to check out this blog post first: Top 30 Bucket List Things To Do In London. Here I go over in more detail of which are the top attractions and experiences not to be missed during your first visit to London).

How To Maximize 2 Days In London: Best Itinerary For Couples

london itinerary couples — Perfect 2 days London itinerary for couples

We had our romantic London weekend getaway this May, so we spent precisely 2 full days in the city.

These are all the things we did and which I can totally recommend for the first trip to London. The itinerary is pretty complete, yet it also leaves time for some relaxation (picture a cocktail on a sunny afternoon on a roof-top bar for example). 😉

So let’s get right to it! Here’s what you’d want to do and see during your first day in London:

Day 1 in London

Start off at Westminster Bridge with a great view of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Then walk over the bridge and left towards Westminster Abbey. You will reach it in about 5 minutes.

walk along the Thames and get some nice selfies with London Eye, then head over to 10 Downing Street and White Hall

From White Hall, walk to Trafalgar Square and Picadilly Circus. You will see, most of these tourist attractions are closely located to each other so it won’t take you more than a few minutes to walk from one to the other. Just make sure to wear comfy shoes and you’ll be walking a lot 😉 This is actually one of the best ways to discover a city.

then take a bus or subway and head over to St. Paul’s Cathedral. Have a tour around it and then walk over the Millenium bridge. Don’t forget to look back from the bridge, for some great views of the cathedral.

At the end of the bridge, you will find Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

for lunch, dinner or simply a shopping session, Covent Garden is a great area to explore.

Get a good night’s sleep, recover that energy, cause you’re gonna need it for your day 2 in London:

London Itinerary: Day 2

start your day with a visit to the Shard. Keep in mind that you need to book upfront. I would account for at least one hour (or even longer) for a relaxed visit, zipping champagne on the 72nd floor.

after leaving the Shard, walk for 10 minutes to reach Tower Bridge. Take some selfies here and then walk over the bridge to the Tower of London. We did not go inside, but if you’d like to visit the castle, make sure to plan for extra time (30 min to 1 hour I would say, but that depends on your preferred pace).

next, pay a visit to the Queen at Buckingham Palace and then head over to the British Museum OR

OR you can opt for a shopping session at Harrods, Regent Street, or Oxford Street instead.

end the day in style, head over to the H10 Waterloo Sky Bar for a cocktail with an impressive view

remember, you can take the hop-on-hop-off bus or any double-decker to visit any of the other sights you might have missed or simply to get around faster through the city

Final thoughts

London is a wonderful city and 2 days is definitely not enough to see it all. But I am sure that the itinerary I’ve created for you will show you the most important sights and best experiences to have for your first visit. And remember, you can always plan to come back, right?

I hope you found this article and my London itinerary helpful and that you’ll have a great time there!

Don’t forget to PIN it for later! 😉

Hello! I'm Olga

London Itinerary: How To Spend 2 Perfect Days