How to Spend a Weekend in London

London attracts over 30 million visitors each year, both international and domestic. It’s a convenient city break for many. It’s in Europe (although not in the European Union anymore…but visas can be as cheap as €20), it’s in an English-speaking country, and flights are oftentimes very cheap. I’m just back from a weekend city break to London with my friend, so here is how I would recommend spending two nights in England’s lovely capital city. 

Day 1

This is the day that you land in the city. This may be in Stansted, Gatwick, Heathrow, or any other of the six international airports London has to offer. Most of the time, you can get into the centre within an hour. Firstly, you should stop for a coffee to get some energy for the long day ahead.

Blank Street: This coffee chain has gained popularity over the last few years. If you're looking for a fun matcha or coffee for a reasonable price and a quick in-and-out experience, this is the place for you. They sell matcha and coffee both hot and cold, as well as cold brew and pastries. My personal favourite is the blondie matcha. The sweet cookie butter and caramelised brown sugar pair perfectly with the hint of savoury miso. There are lots of these all over London, so you will definitely run into one at some point during your trip. 

Nostos Coffee: This artisan café has two locations. Named after the Greek word ‘Nostos’, this is a beautiful café where you can’t help but have a seat and chat with your friends or read a book. They have an ‘Experience Brew Bar Menu’ which we didn’t get to try, but it is definitely on my list for the next time I visit. With lovely matcha and coffee, if you need a break from walking, I recommend visiting this café.

Aomori: If you’re craving a proper matcha, this place has it all. From matcha ice cream to matcha desserts to matcha lattes, you have all the choice in the world. Coffee is also sold here if you're not big on matcha. This place has a nice seating area and lots to choose from; you’ll have difficult decisions to make. 

After your coffee break, it’s time to visit some of the touristy places. Westminster is a must-see.

Go to Westminster Bridge and take a couple of photos in front of Big Ben (the Elizabeth Tower). Big Ben chimes on the hour every hour, and plays a 4-note melody every 15 minutes, so you will definitely hear the famous bell ring at some point. 

On the south end of the bridge, you can go down a couple of stairs for another photo op in front of Westminster, as well as having the opportunity to see the National Covid Memorial Wall. This is a 540-meter-long wall covered in hearts painted by volunteers back in 2021 in memory of the lives that Covid took. This is a beautiful memorial that really shows the impact Covid had in the early 2020s. 

From Westminster Bridge, you can see the London Eye. I personally don’t recommend going on the London Eye because it is quite overpriced. Instead, I’ll list some amazing viewing points later in this article (some of which are free!). 

After Westminster, head on to Buckingham Palace. Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, the guards change at the palace, and there is a 45-minute-long ceremony that is free to watch out the front of the palace. This is a fun ceremony to watch and happens often, so no matter what time of week you visit, you have the opportunity to see it. 

From here, you can walk through Mayfair to SoHo. In Mayfair, you can see the beautiful grand houses and spot some fancy supercars. SoHo has many popular shops, such as Brandy Melville, Hollister, Adidas, Subdued, and more. 

Right beside SoHo, you will find Chinatown. There are loads of restaurants and asian markets there to explore and find amazing food in. Bunsik is a Korean street food restaurant with tteokbokki, fried chicken, Korean corndogs, kimbap, and more. Every time I’m in London, I get a Korean corndog from here; it’s a must!

From here, you can easily get to Piccadilly Circus in just five minutes. This is the Times Square of London with big screens and tons of souvenir shops. There are often street performers here that you can watch from the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain. 

All this walking will take up a good bit of time, so to relax at the end of the day, a West End show is exactly what you need. You can find tickets for as low as £27 for some shows. I saw The Devil Wears Prada at the Dominion Theatre for €40 per ticket. The show went on for about two hours and was just the perfect way to end the day. The music was so good, and the acting was unbelievable. 100% recommend. 

If you’re looking for cheap drinks, Wetherspoons is an obvious place to recommend. You can order whatever you want to your table, and I personally think it’s a fun last stop for the day as you can debrief and have some drinks and snacks for cheap before going back to your hotel.

Day 2

Wake up! We’re going to Notting Hill! Make sure to get out early as the markets in Notting Hill get busy quickly. This market is full of jewellery, clothing, tote bags, souvenirs, and more. Browse and shop, haggle for the best prices, and get the full experience. While shopping, you can stop in one of the many coffee shops on the street and get your morning pick-me-up. 

After your successful shopping trip, it’s time for some breakfast.

Farm Girl: A cute little cafe with delicious breakfast options. It’s tucked away so even if you sit outside, you’re not right on the road with a bunch of cars driving past. It’s a quiet place, perfect for a slow start to your morning. 

Eggslut: From the name, you’ll guess that they do eggs, and lots of them. Here you have tons of options, and you have the option to sit in and take away, as they do easy-to-eat sandwiches, an efficient way to get your day started. 

Mike’s Cafe: Are you looking for a traditional English breakfast? Here’s a retro English cafe with breakfast and lunch options to choose from. As well as savoury meals, they offer sweet breakfasts such as pancakes and French toast. 

After breakfast, you can wander around and find the colourful buildings Notting Hill is known for. 

Back in the centre, go for a walk along the Jubilee Walkway and visit Tower Bridge. Especially during the summer, this is a nice place to sit down and take a break from all that walking you’re doing. You can walk across Tower Bridge and past the Tower of London. If you’re interested, you can book tickets for the Tower of London for £37. Your entry includes access to the Crown Jewels, the White Tower, and the world-famous Yeoman Warder guided tours.

From here, you can choose to visit one of the many viewing points (or more than one, why not!).

Some free options are:

• The Garden at 120

• Horizon 22

• Sky Garden

• The Lookout

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And some paid options are:

• The Shard

• Tower Bridge Exhibition 

• Lift 109

• IFS Cloud Cable Cars

Up for cocktails and a nice view? London Bridge Rooftop Bar is a reasonably priced restaurant with a good view of the Shard, the Tower of London, and lots more of the city. They do burgers, chicken wings, chicken tenders, and a wide selection of cocktails and drinks. 

Day 3

On the final day, you can chill out a bit; you’re probably exhausted from the previous two days exploring the city.

Go out to a cafe for some breakfast, or get a coffee and pastry and have a seat in Hyde Park. Hyde Park is massive, and a must-see when you visit London. To see a lot of it in a short amount of time, hire a Lime bike and take the bike path around the park. This is a fun little activity that doesn’t take up too much time. 

If you want to see some art for free, visit the Graffiti tunnel right beneath the platforms of Waterloo station. This is a 300-meter tunnel covered in bright and colourful graffiti. 

Here are some more ideas to fill in any gaps of time that you have:

• Borough Market

• Camden Market

• Millennium Bridge

• St. Paul's Cathedral

• Trafalgar Square

• Little Venice

• Platform 9¾ 

After this, you won’t want to get up from your bed. You will have seen a good bit of London and will be proud of yourself for getting so much done. There is so much more to London, but this is what you definitely should see, especially if it’s your first time visiting.