London in 3 days

The city that invented the long weekend walk, the pub lunch, and the 4pm museum rush. Best time to visit: April-June and September-October. Average daily budget: $140 to $240 USD.

Day 1, Get oriented

Base: Shoreditch & Hackney, Street art, vintage markets, the city's best coffee and nightlife.

Morning: Borough Market lunch (Thursday-Saturday). The best food market in the UK. Go before noon.

Afternoon: Explore Shoreditch & Hackney, Street art, vintage markets, the city's best coffee and nightlife.

Evening: British Museum on a Friday evening. Open late, half the crowds, the Rosetta Stone almost to yourself.

Eat: Fish and chips at The Fryer's Delight (Holborn)

Day 2, Go deeper

Base: Soho & Fitzrovia, Theatreland, old pubs, Chinatown, the centre of London energy.

Morning: Walk the South Bank from Tower Bridge to Westminster. 2.5 miles, street performers, the Tate Modern, the best free afternoon in the city.

Afternoon: Explore Soho & Fitzrovia, Theatreland, old pubs, Chinatown, the centre of London energy.

Evening: Sunset from a free skyline view. Skip the Shard's ticket price. Book a free slot at the Sky Garden, or grab a pint on a South Bank rooftop, for the same sweeping Thames-and-skyline view at sunset.

Eat: Sunday roast at any historic pub - The Harwood Arms if you can book

Day 3, Hidden side

Base: South Kensington & Chelsea, Museums, galleries, the King's Road, elegant London.

Morning: Pub crawl: The Churchill Arms, The Spaniards Inn, The Mayflower. Three historic pubs, three centuries of London.

Afternoon: Explore South Kensington & Chelsea, Museums, galleries, the King's Road, elegant London.

Evening: Borough Market food crawl. London's best food market under railway arches by London Bridge. Graze, raclette, salt-beef bagels, oysters, doughnuts, then walk it off along the South Bank to Tate Modern. Go midweek to dodge the weekend crush.

Eat: Brick Lane beigel at 2am

Hidden gems

Leadenhall Market at 8am - Victorian beauty, no tourists.
Hampstead Heath ponds for a wild swim with the city skyline.
Dennis Severs' House in Spitalfields - a time-travel experience.
The Wallace Collection - free, empty, and full of Fragonard.

Getting around

Get an Oyster or use contactless on the tube and buses. The tube is fast but walkable within each zone. Santander Cycles (Boris Bikes) are great for short hops. Black cabs are expensive but the drivers know everything.

Safety

Very safe in central London. Standard big-city awareness on the tube late at night. Solo travellers, including women, are comfortable in most neighbourhoods. Avoid unlit parks after dark.

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