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3 Days in London Itinerary – Hidden Gems, Landmarks & Food

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best things to do in 3 days in london itinerary - best landmarks in london aesthetic - best hidden gems in london

A fun and complete itinerary to spend 3 days in London, from hidden gems to food spots and some of the best landmarks in London!

For a first visit, three days in London seem like a good place to start.

It gives you time to enjoy some of the most famous landmarks, get a taste of secret food spots, and even walk around neighborhoods lost in time, like Smithfield and Spitalfields.

Having lived in London for five years, both full-time and part of the year, I have to admit to enjoying secret sights more than crowded landmarks.

However, if you’re planning your first trip to London, there are some landmarks, like Big Ben and the London Eye that you can’t miss.

I mean, the trip wouldn’t feel complete without seeing them at least once.

I have, however, chosen to blend in this itinerary to 3 days in London, a few more unusual places, with neighborhoods and streets that a first-time tourist wouldn’t think of visiting.

3 Days in London Itinerary – Hidden Gems, Landmarks & Food

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Of course, we’ll talk about amazing free museums in this guide.

In addition to these, I want to share some tucked-away spots like Chalcot Square in Primrose Hill, or Camden Passage, a historic alley in North London.

If you are interested in other types of visits, check out all my Themed Itineraries in London.

From a fashion itinerary to Italian places in London and even Dark Academia places, you’ll have the chance to discover another side of London.

3 Days in London Itinerary: DAY 1

Breakfast in Goodge Street, Fitzrovia

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Photo: LDG

We will start the first of our 3 days in London in the gorgeous Fitzrovia neighborhood.

You can easily access it from the Warren Street station on the Victoria and Northern Line.

There, plenty of coffee shops and bakeries await, my favorite being an Italian cafe, Caffè Napoli on Goodge Street, which offers delicious ginseng coffee and proper cornetti alla crema.

Read: How to Spend 24 Hours in London: A Full Itinerary

A Walk Through Tottenham Court Road

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Photo: DBSJ

When you are done having breakfast, which you can also take away to get to the rest of the day quicker, catch Tottenham Court Road and walk down this huge avenue.

Closer to Tottenham Court Road station, around the middle of the street, you will find Timothy Oulton on the left.

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Photo: DBSJ

One of the most unique shops in London, it is well-worth a visit if only for the space capsule, colorful towers made of books, and the vintage vibe.

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Photo: Fitzrovia News

Somewhere on the right, you will also find a huge mural towering over a local garden, one of Tottenham Court Road’s hidden gems.

Read: The Curious Traveler’s Guide to Liverpool Street, East London

British Museum

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Take a left where Tottenham Court Road crosses Oxford Street, and walk down the road until you find the British Museum.

It is completely free to enter and, if you’re visiting London in the summer, the earlier you visit, the more chances you have of avoiding the crowds.

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The Egyptian sarcophagi, along with Assyrian art and Greek and Roman sculptures are all worth a visit.

Read: The Curious Traveler’s Guide to Bethnal Green, East London

Bloomsbury and Sir John Soane’s Museum

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Once you’re done at the British Museum, walk down Museum Street to find some really hidden, colorful houses, of the kind you usually expect to see in Notting Hill or Chelsea.

We’re in the Bloomsbury area, a historic neighborhood filled with hidden courtyards like Wardrobe Place, and one that leads to Holborn, another significant area in London’s history.

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Photo: Sir John Soane’s Museum

Walk to Lincoln’s Inn Fields, and you will be able to enjoy a peaceful side of London, especially at the free Sir John Soane’s Museum, the former architect’s home.

It is a place filled with countless artifacts, from Egyptian to Greek, with such a rich decor that it would be a shame to miss it.

Read: The Curious Traveler’s Guide to Fleet Street, City of London

Covent Garden and Chinatown

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Photo: Chinatown

It’s soon going to be lunchtime, provided you’ve started the day early – and what better places to chew on some cheap eats that Covent Garden and Chinatown?

From the Sir John Soane’s Museum, you can easily reach Covent Garden by walking past the Holborn Station and down Long Acre, one of London’s best shopping streets.

Covent Garden is filled with hidden gems, too, and whether you’re looking for beautiful bookshops, aesthetic streets or makeup stores, you’ll find them all there.

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After checking out colorful places such as Neal’s Yard or St Martin’s Courtyard, pop by TK Maxx on Long Acre.

It’s one of the biggest in town, with anything from cheap makeup to discounted Yankee Candles.

Let’s then cross Charing Cross Road and reach Chinatown; this lively area offers plenty of opportunities for affordable food, in places like Chinese Tapas House and Chinatown Bakery.

Read: The Curious Traveler’s Guide to London’s Instagrammable Places

Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus

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The border of Chinatown elbows Leicester Square, and that’s our next stop.

One of the most bustling places in London, Leicester Square is famous for its cinema premieres and its shops.

Three in particular are must-visits; the huge M&Ms store, the Lego Store with its Harry Potter sculptures, and the Twinings tea shop.

The Leicester Square Sculpture Trail is, in addition, a really cool activity to do in London with kids or solo.

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Walking around the square, you will find statues of Mary Poppins, Harry Potter, Batman, Bugs Bunny, and more!

Then, a three-minute walk will bring us to the world-famous Piccadilly Circus.

It is an especially amazing place to admire the sunset in London, but also great for architecture, and home to the Hard Rock Cafe and the Lillywhites department store.

Read: The Curious Traveler’s Guide to Multicolor Places in London

Regent Street & Oxford Street

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One side of Piccadilly Circus leads straight into Regent Street and its gorgeous Neoclassical buildings – there, many awesome clothing shops await!

From Hollister to Nespresso and Penhaligons, one of London’s best perfume shops, Regent Street is a shopping haven for mid-range to luxury fashion.

Walk up the road, and at some point, on the right, you will see Carnaby Street.

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A short stop there to see the area’s hidden gems, including the Liberty department store, will not take long, and walking up Carnaby Street and Argyll Street, you will then reach Oxford Street.

Now, I can’t promise you won’t feel like stopping in many of Oxford Street’s shops, but even if you don’t feel like shopping, they provide great inside into London’s fashion scene.

Read: The Curious Traveler’s Guide to London’s Best Restaurants

Dinner in the Soho Neighborhood

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Photo: Rudy’s

As you walk down Oxford Street in the direction of Tottenham Court Road station, you will be able to reach the Soho area from several streets: Poland Street, Berwick Street and Wardour Street are three great places to discover in Soho.

This area is perfect to discover street art and new restaurants, and I would recommend that to end the day beautifully, you try one of the famous Neapolitan pizza spots there: Franco Manca, Pizza Pilgrims, or Rudy’s Neapolitan pizza.

Read: How to Live in London on a Budget

3 Days in London Itinerary: DAY 3

St Katharine Docks and Tower Bridge

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Our second day starts, filled with opportunities and what better way to properly wake up than by spending some time by the water?

We’re not going to have breakfast just yet (although, if you want, you will find many cafes in London Bridge to do so).

Rather, we will start by discovering St Katharine Docks, a quiet marina near Tower Bridge.

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After discovering the engraved benches made from rocks and admiring the view on the City of London, we will slowly walk to Tower Bridge.

From there, you also have a neat view of Canary Wharf in front of you, and St Saviour’s Dock on the right.

Read: How to Eat in London on a Budget

A Walk Through More London to The Shard

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Take the stairs to go down Tower Bridge: one side leads you to Shad Thames, one of the prettiest photo spots in London, and the other one leads you to the City Hall and More London.

We will take More London, and as we get closer to London Bridge station, by looking up, we will see the two Stephen Balkenhol’s wooden sculptures of a male and a female.

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Continuing right and walking up the street, we will reach a road and across said road, we can already see the medieval Southwark Cathedral and Borough Market, which is where we will have breakfast.

Read: How to Move to London – and Survive as an Expat

Visiting Borough Market, Southwark Cathedral and Medieval Sites

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Photo: Borough Market

If Borough Market is one of the best markets in London, there’s a reason why: from fresh fruit to fudge, strong coffee and bakeries, there’s everything you might need to fill your stomach there.

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The one particular place I always recommend is Bread Ahead Bakery with its huge, deliciousness-filled doughnuts.

Grab one or two with coffee, and walk to the Southwark Cathedral.

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Few people know that in addition to being a medieval site, it is also a bookish place to visit with its Shakespeare statue in the churchyard.

Read: The Prettiest Places for Nature in London

Walking Up Southbank to the Tate Modern, Millenium Bridge and the London Eye

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When you are done at the cathedral (really a must-visit; it’s one of the most beautiful churches in London!), we’re going to make our way to Southbank.

This will make us walk through a historic street, Golden Hind, where you will find the replica of a boat, the ruins of Winchester Palace, and the Clink Museum.

Southbank is a favorite of mine.

On the borders of the Thames River, as you walk up to reach the London Eye, you will see an under-bridge market with second hand books.

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Photo: Tate

In addition, you’ll come across a secret food and shopping area at Gabriel’s Wharf (the Vendula shop is amazing for quirky British handbags!), and a famous skatepark.

The Tate Modern on Southbank is a great museum to visit for contemporary art, with a permanent free exhibition and a recently reopened free rooftop.

Don’t miss the Millenium Bridge close to the museum; Harry Potter fans should definitely take a look at this landmark, which makes for a great photo spot with St Paul’s Cathedral in the distance.

Read: The Best Christmas Decorations in London

Crossing Westminster Bridge to Big Ben, Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey

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Walking from Borough Market to Big Ben takes about 30/35 minutes, and will probably take you a little bit longer if you’re checking out the shops and the book market.

However, as you pass by the London Eye (overrated attraction!), you will already see the Westminster Bridge and Big Ben on the right.

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Walk up the stairs, and follow the bridge to reach Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. If, in addition, you are interested in historical sites, the Jewel Tower is another medieval spot which you can admire (there is a fee to enter).

Read: The Cutest Pink Places in London

Walk Down Victoria Embankment to Charing Cross Station and Trafalgar Square

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Now that we’ve popped by Big Ben and Westminster Abbey, we are going to follow the Thames again, this time, on the North Bank.

Walking down Victoria Embankment, we will see an Egyptian hidden gem; Cleopatra’s Needle, with the two sphinxes around it.

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Keep going until you see the Embankment Station, and once you’re there, go through it to reach Villiers Street.

If it’s not too late, I would recommend having a sushi slash fried chicken roll at Crispy Rolls – it’s cheap and absolutely tasty.

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If, however, you want to wait for dinner, no problem.

At the end of Villiers Street, you will find Charing Cross Road station and its beautiful architecture, and, at the far left of The Strand, which passes by the station, we are finding ourselves on Trafalgar Square.

Trafalgar Square at night is a place I love visiting because of the colors illuminating the fountains.

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In addition, if you’re visiting London during Christmas, the Christmas market there is nothing short of amazing for hot chocolate and crepes.

And now that the second of our 3 days in London comes to a close, if you’re into Italian food as much as I am (and I, for once, never turn down pizza), 50 Kalo di Ciro is located about 5 minutes away from Trafalgar Square.

If you would like to eat something else, then why not take a short walk and dine at Beijing Dumpling in Chinatown or Viet Soho for some of the city’s best Vietnamese pho?

Read: The Prettiest Streets in London

3 Days in London Itinerary: DAY 3

See the Colorful Houses at Chalcot Square, Primrose Hill

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Photo: Savills

The third day starts in one of the prettiest places in London: Primrose Hill, in North London.

Our third day will be focused on more hidden gems, still with some landmarks, but like the first day, I want to show you some secret places that you don’t usually see on itineraries.

Primrose Hill is a posh neighborhood, and along Chalcot Crescent, right off Chalcot Square, you will recognize the colorful houses used in the Paddington movie.

This place is also great to visit if you’d like to follow a cinema-themed itinerary in London – quiet, soothing and very instagrammable.

Read: The Prettiest East London Neighborhoods

Visit Camden Market and Go Vintage Shopping

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To reach Camden Town from Primrose Hill, you can either walk or take the bus – I would choose the latter, as I’m trying to fit as many activities and places into my day.

There are plenty of things to do in Camden Town:

  • Visiting, of course, all the artisan, vintage and budget shops in Camden Town
  • Popping by the Stables Market for incredible street food (Uh K Dogs ‘n Juicy is a favorite of mine for halal Korean corn dogs) for lunch
  • Enjoying the view from the bridge at Camden Lock
  • And seeing the Amy Winehouse sculpture
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If you want to spend some more time in Camden Town, walk down the high street and you will find many charity shops to get second hand clothes, accessories and books.

I find that some of the best things to buy in London are in charity shops; souvenirs that don’t necessarily carry the usual meaning of what a souvenir should be, but something dear to your heart.

Read: The Most Colorful Streets in Camden

Pop by Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross and Platform 9 3/4

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Photos: Coal Drops Yard

Let’s hop on the bus once more and, very soon, we will reach King’s Cross station.

After a short visit to Platform 9 3/4, leave the station and lose yourself in Pancras Square, one of Central London’s most secret gardens, with its ponds and skyscrapers.

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As you reach the end of Pancras Square near Regent’s Canal, you will already see the industrial Coal Drops Yard: it’s one of my favorite shopping centers in London, and precisely where I get my jewelry, at Maya Magal.

Read: Where to See Autumn Colors in London?

Visit Islington High Street and Historic Camden Passage

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Photos: Camden Passage

The bus or the Tube will take you from Coal Drops Yard to Angel in a heartbeat – pretty cool, since we need to digest that gorgeous food we’ve eaten at Camden Market.

There are namely two places that I consider must-visits in the area:

  • The Redemption Roasters coffee shop, with its secret white basement covered in Greek-inspired sculptures
  • Camden Passage with its upscale grocery shops, antiques and vintage shops
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Photos: Camden Passage

Camden Passage also offers a great opportunity to try some of the city’s best cinnamon buns at Buns from Home, as well as a few street art pieces and a complete village atmosphere.

Read here my review of Redemption Roasters, Islington, to discover its secret basement, its atmosphere, and my thoughts about the coffee and cake.

Make Your Way to the Historic Smithfield Neighborhood and the City of London

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For the last historical sites of our 3 days in London, we will either walk or take the bus to Smithfield and the City of London.

The Smithfield neighborhood was once the heart of London, along with the City of London.

That’s where you will find secret churches, including the St Bartholomew the Great church and its picturesque gate.

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Once you’ve gotten a feel of this historic neighborhood, you’re a ten minutes’ walk from St Paul’s Cathedral, which is great to admire from the free rooftop at One New Change.

The City of London offers great insight into Neoclassical and Italianate architecture, with so many old streets and hidden alleys that it deserves a full day.

Still, since we’re here, do catch a glimpse of the area!

Read: St Dunstan in the East Church Ruins, A Must Visit in London

Dinner in Shoreditch or Brick Lane

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Photo: Pizza East
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Photo: Beigel Bake Brick Lane

From St Paul’s station on the Central Line, we will end our day with a filling, not-too-expensive dinner, and there are so many options I could recommend.

However, I will start with these two, which are both great restaurants in East London:

  • Pizza East in Shoreditch, which faces Boxpark. If you’re tired of Italian food (I live in Rome part of the year – I never am tired of Italian food), Boxpark has plenty of street food spots at the top
  • Beigel Bake Brick Lane, for some of the cheapest and best bagels in London: this place is open 24/7, so you can pretty much pop by whenever you want

Read: The Best Hidden Gems in Brick Lane

3 Days in London Itinerary – Hidden Gems, Landmarks & Food

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Our 3 days in London touch to a close, and you’ll hopefully have found lots of inspiration to discover the city with fresh, new eyes.

You can either follow it step by step, or use these ideas to craft your own bucket list.

And if you are interested in finding out more about the city, when you have more time, don’t forget to discover those more secret and historic neighborhoods that helped make London what it is today!