Experiences
A Perfect 2 Days in London
Two unhurried days in London, plotted by area so you walk more than you queue. Borough Market and the Tate on day one, the great galleries and a Savoy nightcap on day two, with a nose-to-tail dinner in between.
In short: our top picks are Borough Market, Tate Modern and St John. 6 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
Most two-day London plans try to do everything and end up doing nothing well, marching you from the Tower to Westminster to Camden until your feet give out and the city blurs. This is the opposite. We have kept it to two neighbourhoods you can mostly walk, one on each side of the river, so the day flows rather than lurches. Day one stays south and on the City fringe: a market lunch, an afternoon of art with the best free view in town, then an early dinner that tells you everything about how Londoners actually eat now. Day two is the West End proper, the grand galleries in the morning and a small, strange house of a museum after, finishing with a cocktail in the room that more or less invented the London cocktail. Book the dinner well ahead and the rest falls into place. You will not see all of London. You will, for once, properly see some of it.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Borough Market | Southwark | |
| Tate Modern | Bankside | |
| St John | Smithfield | £££ |
| National Gallery | Trafalgar Square | |
| Sir John Soane's Museum | Holborn | |
| American Bar at The Savoy | Strand | ££££ |
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Editor’s choice
Borough Market
Why we pick itStart here, ideally around eleven before the lunch crush thickens. Graze rather than commit: a toastie from Kappacasein, an oyster, something from the cheese stalls, and you have lunch and a sense of the city's appetite in one go. It sits right by London Bridge, which sets up the rest of the day neatly. Closed Mondays, and Saturday is the fullest and most fun if you do not mind elbows.
Day one, late morning. Historic food market
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Tate Modern
Why we pick itA ten-minute riverside stroll west from the market along the Thames Path. The collection is free and you can take it at whatever pace suits, but the real reason it earns the slot is Level 10 of the Blavatnik Building, where the viewing level gives you St Paul's, the river and the City for nothing at all. Go up before you tire of the galleries, when the light is still good. Open late on Fridays and Saturdays if you want a quieter, lamplit version.
Day one, afternoon. Modern art gallery with free viewing level
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St John
Why we pick itFergus Henderson's whitewashed dining room near Smithfield has shaped how Britain cooks for thirty years, and an early supper here is the proper end to day one. Order the roast bone marrow with parsley salad, follow with whatever's gutsy and seasonal, and finish with the Eccles cake and Lancashire cheese. It is a short walk or quick hop up from Bankside. Book ahead; this is the meal the whole plan is built around, so treat it that way.
Day one, evening. Nose-to-tail British restaurant
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National Gallery
Why we pick itBegin day two in the West End with the big hitters: Van Eyck, Turner, the Wilton Diptych, Velázquez. Entry is free and you do not need long, an hour or two of the rooms you actually want rather than a death march through all of them. Reserve a timed slot first thing online so you walk past the queue. From the steps you get Trafalgar Square and a clear sense of which way the rest of the day runs.
Day two, morning. National art collection
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Sir John Soane's Museum
Why we pick itA short walk east into Holborn brings you to the strangest, best-kept house in London: the architect Soane's own home, left exactly as he arranged it, crammed with antiquities, a sarcophagus in the basement and mirrors that play tricks with the light. It is free and gloriously low-key after the grandeur of the morning. Space is tight so they let people in a few at a time; arrive with a little patience and go on the early side. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Day two, early afternoon. Historic house museum
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American Bar at The Savoy
Why we pick itEnd where London cocktails more or less began. Open since 1893, the American Bar still does the classics beautifully, with a pianist most evenings and a martini worth the price of admission. It takes no bookings, so come before seven if you want a seat rather than a stand. It is a five-minute walk down towards the river from the West End, a fitting last note that feels grown-up rather than gaudy. Dress the part and take your time over one good drink.
Day two, evening. Landmark hotel cocktail bar
Before you book
Reserve St John as far ahead as you can; lunch is often easier to get than dinner and the set-up is the same. The National Gallery and Sir John Soane’s are both free, but the Gallery’s timed slots go quickly and Soane’s holds only a handful of people at once, so go on the early side and expect a short wait. Borough Market is closed Mondays, and Soane’s shuts Monday and Tuesday, so build your two days from Wednesday to Sunday if you can. Most of each day is walkable; keep a contactless card or phone for the odd Tube hop between the two halves. The American Bar takes no bookings, so arrive before seven for a seat.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
Borough Market is our editor's choice: Start here, ideally around eleven before the lunch crush thickens. Graze rather than commit: a toastie from Kappacasein, an oyster, something from the cheese stalls, and you have lunch and a sense of the city's appetite in one go. It sits right by London Bridge, which sets up the rest of the day neatly. Closed Mondays, and Saturday is the fullest and most fun if you do not mind elbows. Borough Market, Tate Modern and St John lead the guide, with 6 places in total, all chosen on merit.
How does Lamplit London choose its recommendations?
Every place is chosen on merit, after first-hand visits where possible, with no pay-for-placement. Read our full method at https://www.lamplitlondon.com/how-we-choose/.
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