The ultimate London walking route for all the major sights

What makes this the ultimate London walking route? You’ll be hitting most of the major attractions in London and can easily do it on one day. This was the route that Ben took me on the first time I visited London and I absolutely loved it.

Having been to London now numerous times (and in some cases a couple of times a year), I don’t think I could ever get old of this route. Every time I’m back now I do some sort of route in this area.

Ready to see the best of London with this walking route? Read on!

The London walking route

You can start this walking tour from your designated accommodation. For the sake of this post I’ll bring you from the exact spot and on the exact route I took during my stay.

We were staying at the the Go Native Apartments but if you’re looking for other options there are a ton of hotels in London.

Booking.com

The Shard

Coming from Tower Bridge, make your way to one of the newest attractions in London, The Shard. I would recommend spending the extra money to go up in the building, the view from the top is stunning.

Feeling fancy? You can try the Champagne experience in The Shard. I’m not classy enough (or ever have enough money) to do this but one day I definitely will!

The London Eye

Walking towards The London Eye you will pass Shakespeare’s Globe and Tate Modern Museum. If I’m being honest, the Shakespeare’s Globe probably isn’t worth going inside but you can have afternoon Tea at Swan, Shakespeare’s Globe. The food is delicious and the room is stunning!

I’ve now done the London Eye 3 times and it seriously never gets old. The lineups can be pretty long so I would highly recommend buying your tickets online before you go. You can also purchase a fast pass, which in my opinion is worth it.

Once you get into the pods, make your way all the way to the back. That way as you travel up you can get first dibs at some of the best shots of the London skyline.

Big Ben & Westminster Abbey

Coming from the London Eye, you will find yourself along a bridge that will give you one of the most iconic shots of London. The view of Big Ben is incredible as you walk along. Albeit, the structure will be under construction for the next couple of years.

I’ve never been inside Westminster Abbey but at the very least you should walk around and take shots of the building from the gate. If you have time absolutely go inside. Short on time? Do the drive by tour like I normally do!

Parliament Square

I feel like this is the most underrated spot on this London walking route. Well, only if you’re lucky and catch it on a nice day. The large grassy-space is a great spot to sit and eat your lunch or snack and people watch.

Sitting in the middle of the square you’ll see the four major pillars of the British government. The Church (Westminster Abbey), The State (Westminster Palace), The Law (the court system) and The People (civil service). You will also see tons of statues of famous individuals. Try a game and name all of the different people honoured in the square!

Buckingham Palace

I mean really, does this building even need any introduction? Obviously this is going to be one of the busiest spots on you London walking route because it’s one of the most famous. Every time I’ve gone it’s been filled with tourists milling about at every turn.

If you plan on watching the changing of the guard, I would suggest arriving early because it can get super busy. If there’s anything you need to plan your London walking route around it would be this.

As you walk around the grounds of Buckingham Palace, make sure to take a picture in front of the gates of Canada! It’s pretty unique so see the gates of all of the different commonwealth countries.

The National Gallery

Continuing along The Mall, you will find yourself eventually at the National Gallery. Take your time walking though, The Mall is one of the most famous streets in the world. Did you know that it also acts as a runway for emergency landings for small planes? I know, pretty cool!

As you get to the National Gallery, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to take photos of the infamous guards. If you’re feeling up to adding a few steps to your London walking route, stroll past 10 Downing street. You won’t get much closer than the front gate but it’s still cool to say you’ve passed it!

St. Paul’s Cathedral &
Millennium Bridge

As you walk along the Thames River just in front of the National Gallery you’ll find yourself at the Millennium Bridge. This is by far my favourite part of the London walking tour.

If you catch it at the right moment when it’s not too busy, you can get the best photos of St. Paul’s Cathedral. As you walk closer and closer, the building gets larger and larger taking your breathe away. Make sure to stop halfway along the bridge to get a great shot of the Tower Bridge.

Keeping walking straight until you come to the bottom of St. Paul’s. If you’re patient you’ll have tons of the iconic red buses passing by. It makes for a great shot if you can get one! Admittedly I’ve never actually been inside of St. Paul’s (perhaps that’s something to put on my list for my next visit). If you’re short on time just keep walking on to the next destination!

Tower of London

Last but not least on this walking tour is the Tower of London. As you walk in through the walls after purchasing your entrance ticket, you can’t help but feel as if you’ve been transported back in time.

As you walk through the tower you are almost making your way back in time because the original structure was expanded on over centuries. There are a number of plaques throughout the Tower that will tell you when the walls were built.

There’s something for everyone at the tower. Animal lovers will adore listening to the history of the wildlife at the tower. Historians will adore learning about the different torture routines. Celebrity mongers will love visiting the crown jewels!

What’s next?

Of course, there are so many other places to see in London that didn’t make the list; Oxford Circus, Hyde Park, Kensington Palace, Harrod’s and a few others. However, after a busy day, you’ll feel good knowing you hit some of the major sights on your London walking tour.

Rest up and get ready for another exciting day venturing around my favourite city!

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