London in 2 days

• Fixed visits go in different halves of the day, so a late start on one does not break the other.
• Day 1 follows the river on foot; day 2 needs one Tube leg between the City and Bloomsbury, so you do not cross the city repeatedly.
• Evenings are left free for a meal and a walk.
• Free galleries are the flexible fallback if the weather turns.

1. 1Morning: Westminster Abbey on a booked slot, with the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben outside.
2. 2Late morning: walk over Westminster Bridge to the South Bank and the London Eye.
3. 3Midday: follow the river east to Tate Modern, whose collection is free.
4. 4Afternoon: continue past Shakespeare's Globe to Borough Market for a late lunch; the market is closed on Mondays, so on a Monday eat along the South Bank instead.
5. 5Evening: walk to Tower Bridge, or stay by the river.

The Abbey's official site recommends booking in advance; it is open on Sundays for services, so check what a Sunday visit means, and bags larger than cabin-bag size (55 x 40 x 20 cm) are not allowed inside. Tate's official site says entry to the Tate Modern collection is free, while exhibitions are charged and booking is recommended.

1. 1Morning: the Tower of London, with Tower Bridge beside it; the Tower itself suggests allowing at least three hours.
2. 2Midday: take the Tube to Bloomsbury and eat around Covent Garden.
3. 3Afternoon: the British Museum on a free timed ticket; Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery are close by to the south if you want a second stop.
4. 4Evening: dinner in Covent Garden or Soho; leave the last stop out if the day has been long.

The Tower's official FAQ recommends booking online in advance, and there is no fast-track entry, so expect some queuing; there is no bag storage, and suitcases and large bags are not allowed inside. The British Museum's official visit page says entry is free and recommends booking a free timed ticket in advance; wheeled suitcases and larger bags are not permitted there either. The National Gallery's official site says general admission is free, with a free ticket for fast-track entry and walk-up entry also available; some rooms are closed for building work, so check the floorplan if you want a specific painting.

• Art first: add the National Gallery to day 2 and give Tate Modern more time on day 1; skip the Tower.
• History first: add St Paul's Cathedral between the Tower and Bloomsbury; its official site says sightseeing is Monday to Saturday and needs a ticket, and bags above 45 x 30 x 25 cm are not allowed (there is no cloakroom).
• Museum day or travelling with children: swap the Tower for South Kensington, where the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum stand close together, with Hyde Park next door.
• Short on energy: drop the last stop of each day.

• Day 1: keep the booked Abbey visit and spend more of the day at Tate Modern; the river walk can wait for a drier hour.
• Day 2: take the British Museum first and keep the Tower for the driest part of the day, or swap in South Kensington's museums, which are indoors.
• Check the forecast the evening before and read the change terms at booking, because reserved tickets may not be flexible.

London's Tube, buses and other services take contactless cards. Transport for London says you can pay as you go with contactless or Oyster on the Tube, buses and most other TfL services, with a daily cap in Zones 1-9; with Oyster, touch in and out on yellow readers, but only touch in on buses and trams. Use one card or device. Day 1 is mostly on foot; on day 2 take one Tube leg from the Tower area to Bloomsbury, and check fares on the TfL site.

If you land at London City Airport, our route page shows how to reach the centre; keep day 1 light if you arrive in the afternoon. The Abbey, the Tower, the British Museum and St Paul's all limit bags, so leave suitcases at your hotel or in luggage storage; our luggage storage page covers leaving bags.

• Westminster Abbey: book the day and slot first, then build day 1 around it.
• The Tower of London: book online in advance, and build the morning around it.
• The British Museum: book a free timed ticket in advance.
• Guided tours: read who runs it and the cancellation terms before paying.

• Putting two timed visits on the same morning.
• Walking across the city instead of taking one Tube leg.
• Missing the last Tube when dining out; check late service on TfL.
• Arriving at a museum with little time left.
• Arriving at the Abbey, the Tower or the British Museum with a suitcase or large bag; all three restrict bags.