3 days in London- what to see & do! My post for Trip Expert Awards-2017

London is a perfect tourist destination and considering the number of sightseeing attractions it boasts of, it is difficult to cover all in just 3 days. So why am I writing this, you ask? I have been nominated by Simran from Tripscam for ‘Trip Expert Awards-2017’ and asked to take up the challenge of drafting a 3-day London itinerary. Thank you Tripscam, it is an honour to be nominated. Just the kind of encouragement bloggers like me need!

So, here is my 3-day itinerary of one of my favourite places on the planet and trust me, if you follow my guide, you might just feel that 72 hours in London can be truly made worth their while!

Day 1

First and foremost, get yourself an oyster card. Oyster card is a quick and convenient one-stop solution to travelling in London. The prepaid card which can be topped up on a daily basis allows access to the Tube, buses and even River bus service. Secondly, wear comfy shoes as sightseeing around London requires a lot of walking.

Start your trip after breakfast by visiting the most iconic structure in London, the Big Ben! Lying in the heart of the city, this is one of the most famous sites of the capital. Although people call the tower Big Ben, it is actually the name of the largest bell at the top of the tall tower! The tower has four clock faces, one on each side and the time on them can be seen from many a places in the city! Click pictures to your heart’s content and then head towards the Westminster Abbey.

Built more than 90 decades ago, Westminster Abbey is one of the oldest buildings in London and is the site of coronation of many kings and queens. It is also the place where many of them got married and even buried later on. It is open to visitors from Monday to Saturday, throughout the year. The Houses of the Parliament are right next to it in the Palace of Westminster which is an architectural marvel in itself.

Across from the Big Ben and Westminster Abbey is London Eye, one of the largest Ferris wheels in the worlds. Also known as the Millenium Wheel as it was built to commemorate the year 2000, the ride on one of the 32 capsules takes about half an hour and offers unparalleled views of the city. Whether you choose to ride during daytime or after sundown, the views are breathtaking. Buy the tickets and then grab a bite at one of the many restaurants in the vicinity.

If you are travelling with kids, you can choose to visit Shrek’s adventure and/or Sea Life Aquarium that lie next to London Eye.

More than enough for a day. Return to your place of stay and sleep well for another fun-filled day ahead!

Day 2

Begin the second day of the tour with Tower of London. Once a royal palace, the building has been transformed a number of times over the decades, serving as a prison, money mint, a weapon store and even a zoo! At present, it is the place where the Queen’s jewels are kept and guarded. The Tower of London has an eerie element to it as it is believed that it is haunted by the ghost of Anne Boleyn, the wife of King Henry VII, who had her decapitated and now she wanders the corridors, headless!

Right next to it is the Tower Bridge, named so as it is held up between two towers. When the lower half of the tower rises, boats can pass through the bridge. Take a leisurely stroll on the top of the bridge and peep at the traffic below through the glass walkway.

You will be hungry after the walk. Take a lunch break at one of the eateries around. There are varied choices available but I would suggest you to taste the popular Friday dish of Londoners- fish and chips at Wetherspoons.

Head towards Trafalgar Square by taking a RedBus and enjoy the streets of London from a high seat in one of these double deckers. The public square is the site of various demonstrations and rallies. It showcases beautiful fountains and statues. If you are lucky, you might even spot a street artist performing.

If you have time and an urge to shop, you may go to Oxford Street which is the shopping capital of the city. Have dinner at one of the diners there and call it a night!

Day 3

A trip to London cannot be complete without a visit to the Queen’s Palace. Start your trip after breakfast by heading to the Buckingham Palace. Although the access to the Palace is limited to lucky ‘few’, even the sight of the marvellous architecture from the East Front is ample reason to visit. Buckingham Palace is the main residential home of the Queen and also her administrative office. If you see the Queen’s flag flying over the palace, it means the Queen is in!

After this, head over to Downing Street. You can take a cab which is the fastest mode to travel the 1.3 kilometre distance or you may walk if you are up for it. You cannot visit 10 Downing Street but you can visit Horse Guards Whitehall that lies quite nearby.  The Household Cavalry Museum here exhibits a dazzling display of armour, weaponry and uniforms. You can see horse mounted guards here. Get a picture clicked with them if you dare!

From here, you can go to The British Museum, a museum dedicated to human arts and culture. The museum is huge and the collection extensive, so you do need a couple of hours to see the main sections. If you are not much of an art lover, you may choose to skip this and head to Madam Tussads straightaway.

Madam Tussads is bound to spellbound just about anyone. The lifelike wax statues will not amaze you but will also help you collect priceless clicks with your favourite stars and superheroes. Do not miss the toy train ride towards the end of the tour of the museum as it brings the history of London come alive in front of your eyes.

Dine at one of the popular restaurants nearby, choose Opso for Greek cuisine, Rajdoot for Indian or Burgista Bros for gourmet burgers(yes, that is a thing!) and give your 3-day trip to London a befitting end.

My nominations for Trip Expert 2017 Awards

Passing the baton to you guys:

• Krishnandu of Travel With Krish for a 3-day trip to Sikkim
• Swati Sinha of recipe4travel for a 3-day trip to Hampi
• Shoma Abhyankar of Astonishing India for a 3-day trip to New York

Here is what you have to do:

Read the Rules for Trip Expert 2017 Award

Accept the nomination and publish a post on planning the trip.

P.S. In case I do not win(fingers crossed I do!), I sure hope that one of you wins the first prize(25k) and I get the 5k worth  ‘King Maker Award’ for the nomination!!