Dateline Discovery

Find yourself shaken, not stirred, in one of the world’s oldest cities.

Known for its style and elegance, the charming British capital serves as the perfect entry point to Europe — but it’s so much more than that.

DAY ONE

A significant number of transatlantic flights land in London by 8 a.m., so once you’ve got your feet on the ground again — take your time. You’ll be exhausted and battling morning rush hour on the trains into the city. (Skip the roads: Cabs will be pricey and rideshare services get stuck in traffic, too.) Those landing at Heathrow will have the option of the Heathrow Express to Paddington or the London Underground, known as the Tube. At Gatwick, the Gatwick Express shuttles passengers into Victoria; the local line, Southern Railway, does the same. The express trains can be costly, so choose wisely.

Once you’ve dropped your bags at your lodgings of choice, the most important thing in terms of adjusting to the time change is to stay awake. (That’s why flying to London overnight is ideal.) What better way is there to fight off the malaise than by seeing the sights? Start off by making your way to the nearest Tube stop and make your way to Westminster, which is on the District, Circle and Jubilee lines. Once you emerge, crane your necks skyward: Voila! Behind all that scaffolding, which is slowly starting to come down after five years, is the Elizabeth Tower, known to most as Big Ben. It’s connected to the Palace of Westminster, the meeting place of the houses of Parliament. If you’ve done your homework correctly, you’ll be arriving just as your guided tour begins.

What To Know
Airport location: The two main gateway airports are each about an hour by train from central London — Heathrow to the west, Gatwick to the south.
Walkability: 3/10. Not only is it a sprawling city, but the sidewalks and roads are always crowded and traffic drives on the left.
English: Native, obviously, but you might not think that upon hearing some accents.
Must-See Attraction: The stroll down The Mall to Buckingham Palace is quintessentially British.
Traveler’s tip: The London black cab is a cultural staple, but it’s best taken short distances only; fares are costly.

From there, take delight in a touristy 1.5-mile walk around the area that will serve as an introduction to London. Stop by Westminster Abbey, just behind the Palace of Westminster, where all coronations of English and British monarchs have taken place since 1066. Dart back across the green and take a left, walking toward St. James’s Park, and take a left on Horse Guards Road. One block down is the Churchill War Rooms, a highly recommended museum that preserves the British command center during World War II, and another block farther is Downing Street, where, at No. 10, behind all those guards, walls and fences is the home of the Prime Minister.

Once you reach the Horse Guards parade ground, where celebrations for the Queen’s birthday take place every year, head left and enter St. James’s Park. You’ll find the Blue Bridge, offering a tree-lined view of Buckingham Palace, midway through the park. Then, of course, carry on to the palace, the London residence of the queen since 1837. (If you’re visiting in the summer, when the Queen is in Scotland, the state rooms are open for touring; in any case, try to catch the changing of the guard.) Heading back east down The Mall, the main promenade toward Buckingham Palace, you’ll walk through Admiralty Arch and into Trafalgar Square. The site of New Year’s celebrations and political demonstrations over the years, it’s home to the National Gallery, an art museum that is home to Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers,” Bosch’s “Christ Crowned with Thorns,” Turner’s “The Fighting Temeraire” and works by da Vinci, Goya, Monet, Degas, Cezanne, Renoir, among many others. The gallery, or outside it, is a great place to grab lunch since you’re probably dragging a bit. Plus, you can enjoy the people-watching.

After visiting Trafalgar Square, give your feet more rest. Catch one of London’s famous double-decker buses — the No. 15 to Blackwall would work just fine — and hop off at Great Tower Street. That leaves you in front of the Tower of London, a thousand-year-old castle that has served as a royal residence, a foreboding prison and government offices. A guided tour with a Yeoman Warder is a must for any visitor.

You’ll have noticed Tower Bridge (not London Bridge, which is the crossing directly upstream) over the Thames, and it, too, can be visited and toured. Visit the South Bank of the Thames if you’d like, but don’t stay there — we’ll be doing that the next day. Instead, catch the District or Circle lines at Tower Hill and head toward Embankment, where you’ll change and catch the Northern Line to Tottenham Court Road.

A six-minute walk will lead you to Dishoom (12 Upper St. Martin’s Lane), a popular Indian restaurant in the West End, London’s home to the theatre and performing arts. If you’re lucky enough to score tickets to a play, this is likely where you’ll end your night. If you’re still up for a little bit of sightseeing before retiring to your hotel, take a five-minute walk down Shaftesbury Avenue to Piccadilly Circus, with video boards and neon signs that serve as London’s answer to Times Square.

DAY TWO

We’ll imagine you’d have slept in after a whirlwind 24 hours, and that’s OK — you’ve already experienced much of what London has to offer. Grab coffee and a croissant at the local chain cafe of your choice and make your way back toward the Tube stop at Embankment or nearby Charing Cross. Once you exit the Tube, head toward the riverside and Embankment Pier, where you can catch the RB6 commuter boat for a leisurely 25-minute trip to Greenwich Pier.

When you’re back on land, follow the signs for the mile-long walk up to the Royal Observatory — and be forewarned, it is a bit of an incline. The observatory, which was founded in the late 1600s, has significant geographical significance as the “home” of the Prime Meridian. Learn about the history of astronomy and navigation, and don’t forget to straddle the eastern and western hemispheres so you can claim you’ve been in two places at once!

Following your tour, make your way back down the hill toward the Greenwich Market and grab lunch, and if you’re interested in learning more about British seafaring, stop by the nearby National Maritime Museum and visit the Cutty Sark, the last surviving British tea clipper ship. Nearby, you can hop on a train at Greenwich station and take a 10-minute ride up to London Bridge, where you’ll emerge across the Thames from where you were yesterday.

If you’re up for heights, The Shard is a 1,106-foot tower that is the tallest in the UK and the seventh-tallest in Europe. It’ll be just outside the station; consider visiting Gong, a cocktail bar on the 52nd floor, rather than visiting the observation deck on the 72nd floor because tickets are expensive. If you’d like to visit another market, you can weave through Borough Market, among London’s oldest retail and food halls, or you can stay alongside the river and pass the HMS Belfast, a World War II cruiser, moored on the right. Shakespeare’s Globe, an approximate reconstruction of the Globe Theatre built in 1997, will be about a half-mile ahead.

Head over the Millennium Bridge — the newest crossing of the Thames after it opened in 2000 — and carry on north to St. Paul’s Cathedral. Countless occasions have been marked here, including the funerals of Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher, the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana and the jubilee celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II. A half-mile down Cheapside, through the financial district known as the City of London, is the Tube stop known as Bank.

Ride the Northern Line for 20 minutes and exit in Camden Town, a neighborhood known for its alternative culture. The home to Amy Winehouse — she has a statue on the north end of High Street — Camden is one of the most unique areas to visit in London. Pop into Camden Lock Market across the canal and choose from any one of the vendors offering a variety of food stalls (perhaps some fish and chips?) before heading back to the waterside to sit, eat and relax. As for the rest of your night, spend time at the Hawley Arms or any one of the other pubs that double as a music venue, grab a pint of whatever’s on tap or maybe something shaken, not stirred, and decompress after a long day.

DAY THREE

As is the case in many cities, you’re likely to leave London believing you saw the sights but that there’s still much to do. And you did! You’ve crammed a lot into a small window.

If you have time before you leave and don’t find a need to return to something you stormed past, consider your options. The Tate Modern, a contemporary art gallery, and the British Museum, home to the Rosetta Stone, are a pleasant way to spend a morning. But no trip to London is complete without a visit to Windsor Castle.

The primary residence of Queen Elizabeth II, who spends her weekends there, Windsor Castle is located about an hour by train west of the city. It was constructed in the 11th century and has been rebuilt and reconfigured many times — including after the fire in 1992 that caused significant damage. Give yourself about two hours for a tour, don’t miss St. George’s Chapel (which is closed on Sundays) and, if you’re feeling hungry before carrying on, the area is home to countless pubs and restaurants to get you through the rest of your journey.

Verdict: Sprawling cities are impossible to explore in two days, so the goal is always to mix the most popular sights with the feeling that you understand the culture and the history. London offers a lot of that — and the opportunity to return again and again whenever you end up passing through Europe.

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