London in 2 Days

Wander lakeside paths past pelicans and ducks, with Buckingham Palace rising at the far end of the water. Green calm and royal grandeur sit side by side in one easy stroll.

Stand at the railings as red-tunicked guards march in step, bearskin hats high, with a band playing and the stamp of boots carrying across the forecourt. It's full-dress pageantry you feel as much as you see.

Walk the same stone floors where 40 monarchs were crowned and trace royal tombs and poets' memorials under soaring Gothic vaults. Step inside for a slow hour of history that the rain can't spoil.

Tilt your head back beneath the clock tower at Westminster and wait for the Great Bell to strike. Its chimes roll out over the Palace of Westminster, and you'll feel each hour in your chest.

Rise slowly above the Thames in a glass capsule and watch London spread out in every direction. Pick the champagne option and toast the view as the light fades over the river.

Trace two rings of walls and a moat around a fortress begun in 1066, then stand beneath the White Tower that gives it its name. Then see the Crown Jewels glittering behind glass.

Stand on the bridge above the Thames and watch the river slide past the Tower of London's walls. Gothic towers and Victorian steel make every crossing feel like a small adventure.

Step inside a former power station on the Thames and wander through the UK's national collection of modern and contemporary art. Give yourself a long afternoon, because the rooms reward slow, curious looking.

Cross the steel span linking Bankside and the City, with the Thames wide and glinting beneath your feet. Pause mid-bridge and let the river light change around you.