How to get the most of visiting London in less than a day.
If you only one day or less for sightseeing in London and want to see the most things you can in your limited time while getting a solid introduction to the city and main sights, then read on. We’ve got a 12 hour layover in London coming up (between flights at Heathrow Airport) and here’s our plan to make the most of it.
Image credit: Pixabay user 627389
PLANNING A HEATHROW LAYOVER – 12 HOURS IN LONDON
We have exactly 12 hours of layover at Heathrow airport on a Saturday, during an upcoming vacation on our way to Eastern Europe. The long layover was chosen intentionally, so that we could have the opportunity to get out of the airport and see a bit of the city while also stretching our legs between flights. If everything is on time, we arrive in London Heathrow airport at 7am in the morning and then fly out at 7pm that evening.
THE TRAVELERS
One first-timer to London, one person has visited London twice before. In my prior two visits to London I enjoyed discovering the city by a few different methods including; guided bike tour, guided walking tour, Hop-on / Hop-off bus, and museum visits.
THE CHALLENGE
There is SO MUCH that visitors can see and do in London! How to find your options and choose? One great resource to see the huge variety of tours offered and lists of the tops sights is London destination page on Get Your Guide.
OUR HEATHROW LONDON LAYOVER GOAL
Our goal is a reliable and easy way to see the most London sights in half day, even while jet-lagged, and with quick transportation between the airport and the city. We also want flexibility to participate in either a walking tour, boat tour or bus tour with guided Hop-on Hop-off because this way we can choose our own itinerary on what interests us most at the time. If jetlag creeps up on us, we can take a break by riding a boat or bus with a guide explaining the great London sights around us.
NOTE: MOST MUSEUMS ARE FREE IN LONDON
One important thing for London visitors to be aware of is that many of the museums are free admission, and easily accessed by the stops for hop-on hop-off bus tours.
OUR BEST PLAN FOR HEATHROW LAYOVER – SEE LONDON IN 1 DAY
So what is the best plan for a long layover in London to visit the city and see the main sights in a single day or a half day? After lots of research on London transportation and tours, we’ve settled on what looks like the perfect flexible option: A single pass with 6 different tour options, plus 15 minute express train transfers between London and Heathrow Airport.
An Ultimate 1 Day London Visitor Package with 6 Tour Options for US $81.
- Heathrow Express tickets – 15 minutes between Heathrow Airport and downtown London
(Express Saver Ticket with 14-day advance purchase, $37.36 round trip per person, July 2018 price) - 24 Hr ticket, “Original London” with 7 flexible options: 3 different Hop-on Hop-off bus routes, 1 boat cruise & 3 walking tours.
(July 2018 price; $43.33 per person)
ABOUT THE HEATHROW EXPRESS TRAIN
The Heathrow Express Train is the fastest way to get directly from Heathrow Airport to downtown London. The trip takes 15 minutes each way and tickets can be purchased at the platform area or in advance online. For our trip, we were able to take advantage of the 14-day advance purchase discount. Visit the Heathrow Express website for all ticket options and fares.
ABOUT THE HOP-ON HOP-OFF LONDON TOUR TICKET
INCLUDES
- Hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus tour (24-hour ticket)
- 3 bus routes (The Original Tour Yellow Route; The Royal Borough Tour; the British Museum Tour))
- River cruise pass (24-hour ticket hop-on hop-off river cruise pass between Westminster/Big Ben and Tower of London Piers)
- 3 walking tours (Changing of the Guard Walk, Rock ‘n’ Roll Walk, Jack the Ripper Walk)
- Free Wi-Fi on-board
- Free tour app download
Original London Sightseeing Hop-on Hop-off Bus Route:
Piccadilly Circus
Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guard
10 Downing Street
Southwark Cathedral
Statue of Eros
St. James’s Park
Horse Guards’ Parade
London Dungeon
The National Gallery
Westminster Abbey
St. Martin-in-the-Fields
HMS Belfast
Nelson’s Column
Big Ben and Parliament
Covent Garden
Tower Bridge
Trafalgar Square
Lambeth Palace
Fleet Street
Tower of London
St. James’s Palace
The London Eye
St. Paul’s Cathedral
Shakespeare’s Globe
Ritz Hotel
London Aquarium
Bank of England Museum
Tate Modern
Hyde Park
Westminster Pier
Monument
Speakers’ Corner
Wellington Museum
London Bridge
Are you looking for more vacation ideas for your trip to London?
Here are some more great London day tours to choose from!
