London in a Day: How to Spend a Layover in the City

Notting Hill: Notting Hill is as charming in real life as it was in the movies. You’ll be completely charmed as you wander into so many bookshops, past lovely cafes, and down through the residential streets where the townhomes looked like something out of a magazine. Stop in the charming old shops along the way as you make your way north to Portobello Road Market.

Portobello Road Market: Everyday this famous street market sets up in Notting Hill. It’s a great place to find a unique souvenir! Even if you don’t buy a thing, wandering the market is the perfect way to immerse yourself in the city at the start of your day.

Hit the big sights: Even with one day, you can squeeze in some quick sightseeing! From Notting Hill, you are a short metro ride away from Buckingham Palace. Go there—get a glimpse of the famous guards, and then take a stroll through the adjacent St. Jame’s Park. This lovely park provides a beautiful walk, a brief relief from the tourist crowds, and swans! It is a small but beautiful park, plus on the other side of the park sit Westminster Abby and Big Ben.

Borough Market: Visiting a food hall is the perfect way to try lots of different local foods when you have a short time in a city. Borough Market is much more than just a cool food hall, however. You will find many local vendors, shops, and restaurants here hawking their delicious wares. The coolest part of Borough Market is its history. Borough Market is the oldest continuously operating market in London, claiming a thousand years of history.

Trafalgar Square: Trafalgar Square is one of those places in a city that feels like a gathering space, a communal living room for the whole city. You must spend some time here, even if it’s just a few minutes! Maybe you’ll see people dancing, or writing poetry for passersby on the spot, or playing a guitar, or meeting colleagues after work. You’ll definitely see other tourists, but you’ll see a lot of London life play out too, and it’s located conveniently near other must-sees.

National Gallery: Near Trafalgar Square, there are lots of art museums and galleries, many of them excellent choices for how to spend the next hour or so. I recommend the National Gallery, especially if you only have one day in London. The painting collection is massive, varied, and quite breathtaking. You’ll see many famous paintings. The best part? Entry is free.

West End: Cap off your one day in London with an iconic activity, beloved by locals and tourists alike. See a play in the West End! The theater scene in London is world famous. There are so many options and types of shows to see here, and you can grab last-minute tickets online for a bargain.

The Buttery: A charming little cafe, centrally located near the Victoria Train Station. The Buttery is decorated like an English country cottage with a secret garden in the back. The Full English Breakfast here is excellent, and they have a vegetarian option!

Cheeky Scone: The perfect stop in Notting Hill for a delicious snack. This little bakery is crafting an English classic, the scone, to amazing standards. Their coffee is good, too!

Ottolenghi Marylebone: Incredible little cafe. If you’re looking for a fresh lunch in a charming neighborhood, you can’t beat Ottolenghi’s cafe in Marylebone!

Another Brother: A beautiful specialty coffee shop with a modern take on the Full English breakfast. Located out of the way, you’ll rub elbows with lots of locals here.

Hobson’s Fish and Chips: An iconic choice when in London. Grab a quick lunch or dinner at the Charing Cross location.

The Dove, Hammersmith: The perfect cozy, British pub! End the day with dinner here. If it’s a Sunday, you can get a delicious Sunday roast here.

Lady of the Grapes: A small natural wine bar centrally located in Covent Garden. Lady of the Grapes carries natural wines from all over, focusing on wines produced by women winemakers. It’s a charming little wine bar that feels like a French wine bar meets London pub and offers excellent outdoor seating on a charming little cobblestone street. The food menu is excellent here, too: you’ll find a small menu in the style of a French bistro focused on local ingredients. Oysters from Maldon, lamb from Yorkshire—everything on the menu is a tribute to English food history.