We spent 3 days in London on our way to visit Turkey. Read Next: Experiencing Istanbul’s Rich Tapestry
It was Carolyn’s first time in London, and this 3-day itinerary was the perfect way to get a taste of this historical and enchanting city.
Day 1: Bustronome
We kicked things off with dinner aboard the Bustronome — a moving restaurant bus that takes you past London’s landmarks while you eat. Tip: bring headphones, since the audio tour is part of the experience and makes it feel a lot more immersive. Tickets have two pricing options, so you can skip the wine pairing if, like Carolyn, you don’t want to pay extra for alcohol you’re not going to drink.
Day 2: The Shard, London Bridge, and a Private Jack the Ripper Tour
We started at the Shard for the panoramic views — genuinely worth it, and their bar has a solid mocktail menu if you’re skipping alcohol like we were. From there, we walked across London Bridge, which is one of those spots where it’s hard not to think about how many people have crossed it over the centuries.
As it got dark, we did a tour on Jack the Ripper’s history, and we got incredibly lucky — it ended up being a completely private tour, just us and the guide. He was fantastic, and since it was just the two of us, we got to actually ask him question after question instead of rushing to keep up with a big group. [Link to the tour experience here.]
One of my favorite photos from the whole trip came from this stop. Standing by a piece of the old London Wall, you can capture three completely different eras of the city in one frame — that’s how casually London wears its history.
In this photo, we’re touching a stretch of the actual Roman wall, built around 200 AD. Directly behind us is the Tower of London, pushing 950 years old (construction started under William the Conqueror in 1078) and added onto over centuries — it’s been a royal palace, a prison, and is still home to the Crown Jewels today. We didn’t have time for a Tower of London tour this trip, but it’s high on the list for next time!
To the far right is The Shard, completed in 2012, a reminder that you’re still very much in a modern city. Three eras, one frame — it was honestly a great way to kick off the trip, since it gives you a sense of just how much London has to offer before you’ve even properly started exploring. We also passed through Whitechapel, where the Jack the Ripper murders happened back in 1888.
Day 3: Museums and Chasing Down a Piece of History
We spent day three at the Prince Albert Museum and the British Museum — both easily worth a half-day each if you’re into art and artifacts. Since I love history, I also went a little out of my way to track down something most visitors skip entirely: the original entrance to London Bridge. The bridge itself no longer exists, but the old entranceway is still there if you know where to look — right by St. Magnus the Martyr church. It’s a quiet, easy-to-miss spot, but standing there knowing what it used to connect to made it worth the small detour. If you’re a history person too, it’s worth looking up before your trip.
The Real MVP: Comfortable Shoes
We averaged about 20,000 steps a day exploring the city, so comfortable shoes were doing some serious work by day three. Personally, I don’t travel anywhere in cooler temps without these versatile Stuart Weitzman thigh-high boots; they aren’t just comfortable but also warm and stylish when the weather calls for something to keep your feet warm.
London rewards you for wandering. Every street seems to have a layer of history quietly beneath it, waiting for you to notice.
Book What We Booked
Wear What I Wore
We averaged about 20,000 steps a day exploring the city, so comfortable shoes were doing some serious work by day three. Personally, I love these versatile Stuart Weitzman thigh-high boots in the photo below — they’re perfect for traveling, not just comfortable but warm and stylish too, exactly what you want when the weather turns.
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Next Stop: Experiencing Istanbul’s Rich Tapestry
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