3 days in London 2026: The perfect itinerary with pass recommendation
Tower of London, London Eye, Westminster Abbey, a day trip to Windsor and all the other highlights - cleverly spread over 3 days and organised geographically. With individual prices, timing tips and an honest cost calculation of which sightseeing pass is really worthwhile for this plan.
The 3-day itinerary for London: day by day
This plan is made for first-time visitors who want to see the iconic highlights in 3 days without rushing across the city. Each day bundles attractions that are close together - so you don't waste time on the underground. 3 to 4 paid highlights are planned per day. All individual prices are from 2026.
Day 1: Tower, Tower Bridge and the Thames
The first day takes place entirely in the east of the City. Tower of London, Tower Bridge and the boat landing stage are just a few minutes' walk apart - ideal for the start. Start early, the Tower is London's most visited attraction.
- Morning - Tower of London (£37)
- Head straight to the opening at 9am to visit the Crown Jewels before the crowds. Allow 2.5 to 3 hours. A free Yeoman Warder tour is included with admission.
- Noon - Tower Bridge (£18)
- Only a 5-minute walk from the Tower. The glass plateau and the Victorian engine rooms can be reached in just over an hour.
- Afternoon - Thames boat trip (£24,95)
- Cruise along the Thames from Tower Pier with City Cruises. The 24-hour ticket lets you hop on and off at several piers - a relaxed way to see the skyline.
- Late afternoon - St Paul's Cathedral (£27)
- Accessible by boat or on foot via the Millennium Bridge. If you're fit, climb up to the Whispering Gallery and the dome for the view.
All four stops are on the north bank of the Thames and are connected on foot or by boat. You practically don't need the underground on this day.
Day 2: Westminster, London Eye and South Bank
The second day combines political London with the South Bank. Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and the London Eye are directly opposite each other on the Thames. Today you can take the hop-on hop-off bus as a convenient link between the stops.
- Morning - Westminster Abbey (£31)
- Coronation church of the British monarchy. It's worth coming early, the audio guide is included. Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament are right next door for photos.
- Noon - London Eye (£39)
- Over Westminster Bridge to the South Bank. A round trip takes around 30 minutes. Book a fixed time slot in advance to avoid the long queue.
- Afternoon - The View from The Shard (£19)
- Take the hop-on hop-off bus or the Jubilee Line towards London Bridge. On a clear day, you can see as far as Windsor from the tallest building in Western Europe.
- Optional - Madame Tussauds (£39)
- If you still have energy left, take the bus to Marylebone. Plan around 1.5 hours here - a highlight, especially with young people.
The 2-day hop-on hop-off bus (single price £55,99) connects all of today's stops and also takes you comfortably forward tomorrow. It is already included in the London Pass®.
Day 3: Day trip to Windsor Castle and Kensington
On the last day, we head out of the city to the oldest inhabited castle in the world. Windsor Castle is around 30 minutes west of London and is a half-day trip. In the afternoon, a royal highlight in the city centre rounds off the plan.
- Morning - Arrival in Windsor
- From Paddington or Waterloo station, you can reach Windsor in around 30 to 50 minutes. Set off early so that you reach the castle before the tour groups.
- Morning to midday - Windsor Castle (£36)
- State Apartments, Queen Mary's Doll's House and St George's Chapel. Allow 2.5 to 3 hours. The Changing of the Guard takes place on selected days in the morning.
- Afternoon - return journey and Kensington Palace (£24,70)
- Back in London to Kensington Palace, nestled in Kensington Gardens. The royal apartments and the fashion exhibitions can be seen in around 1.5 hours.
- Evening - Kensington Gardens and finish
- A walk through the park and along the Serpentine is a peaceful end to a busy trip to London - and it's free.
Windsor Castle is included in the London Pass®, but not in the Explorer Pass. If you are planning to include Windsor, the London Pass® is significantly cheaper.
How much does this 3-day plan cost - with and without a sightseeing pass?
The itinerary above includes 11 chargeable stops. We have added up all the individual prices from 2026 and compared them with the London Pass® for 3 days. The calculation is initially per person, below we show the total for 2 adults.
On londonpass.com you save with the code LONDONCP05LP additional 5 % on the London Pass®. For 2 adults, the pass price then drops to around £321 - the savings grow to over £380.
Pass recommendation for this 3-day plan: the London Pass®
With 11 highlights over 3 days - including Windsor Castle, the hop-on hop-off bus and the Thames boat trip - the London Pass® is clearly the cheapest and most convenient solution. It covers all the stops on this plan and even includes the bus and boat automatically.
Why the London Pass® fits this plan
- All 11 stops on the itinerary are covered - one ticket instead of eleven individual purchases
- Windsor Castle is included, the day trip on day 3 costs no extra charge
- Hop-on hop-off bus (2 days) and Thames boat trip (24 hours) are automatically included
- Savings compared to individual tickets: over £180 per person
- 90 days free cancellation as long as the Sightseeing Pass is not activated
What you should look out for
- The 3-day pass runs on consecutive days - plan the 3 sightseeing days in a row
- If you only want to see one highlight per day, you should check out the Explorer Pass
- An Oyster Card or public transport tickets are not included in the Sightseeing Pass
- If you skip Windsor and only want to see 4 to 5 city centre highlights, the Explorer Pass may be cheaper
If you're skipping Windsor and just want to visit 4 selected city centre highlights at a more relaxed pace, the Explorer Pass is worth considering. It costs from £109 for 4 freely selectable attractions. Important: Windsor Castle is not included in the Explorer Pass - for this 3-day plan with Windsor, the London Pass® remains the better choice.
Calculate your own plan or compare passes directly
Are you putting together a different programme or are you still unsure about your choice? These two pages will help you with an interactive calculator and a direct comparison.
Is the London Pass® worth it?
Select your own attractions and see in real time whether and how much you are saving. With break-even table and three honest example scenarios.
To the savings calculatorLondon Pass® vs Explorer Pass
The two most popular sightseeing passes side by side: prices, attractions, validity and which one suits which style of travelling.
To the direct comparisonAll prices are Go City reference prices from 2026 and are subject to change. Status of the data: 2026.
Frequently asked questions about 3 days in London
Yes, 3 days is plenty for the iconic top highlights. With 3 to 4 attractions per day you can see Tower of London, London Eye, Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge, a viewpoint and even a day trip to Windsor. If you want to explore London in more depth or include more museums, you will benefit from a 4th or 5th day - but you can easily cover the most important landmarks in 3 days.
Plan geographically, not according to importance. Bundle attractions that are close together in one day - that saves the most time. Our itinerary looks like this:
- Day 1 - City and Tower
- Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Thames boat trip, St Paul's Cathedral - all on the north bank of the Thames.
- Day 2 - Westminster and South Bank
- Westminster Abbey, London Eye, The Shard, optional Madame Tussauds - connected by hop-on hop-off bus.
- Day 3 - Windsor and Kensington
- Day trip Windsor Castle in the morning, Kensington Palace in the afternoon.
Yes, Windsor Castle is a worthwhile highlight and, with a journey of around 30 to 50 minutes, is easily doable as a half-day trip. It is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in the world and the official residence of the royal family. An important point when choosing a pass: Windsor Castle is included in the London Pass®, but not in the Explorer Pass. If you are planning to visit Windsor, you should therefore take the London Pass®.
On day 1, the stops are so close together that you can reach almost everything on foot or by Thames boat. On day 2, the hop-on hop-off bus is the most convenient link - it's included in the London Pass®. For day 3, take the train to Windsor. You should also have an Oyster card or a contactless bank card for the underground with you, as regular public transport is not included in any sightseeing pass.
For this itinerary with 11 highlights over 3 days, the London Pass® is most worthwhile. The individual tickets add up to £351,64 per person, the London Pass® for 3 days costs £169 - a saving of over £180 per person. The hop-on hop-off bus, Thames boat trip and Windsor Castle are also included. The Explorer Pass is only suitable if you skip Windsor and visit a few highlights at a relaxed pace.
Yes, the plan also works with children - plan a little more time per day and reduce to 3 instead of 4 stops if necessary. Madame Tussauds, the London Eye and Windsor Castle are particularly popular with children. Children under 5 are free on the London Pass®, and there is a reduced pass price for children aged 5 to 15. The 3-day pass for children costs £109.
With the London Pass®, the selected days run on consecutive calendar days from the first activation. Therefore, plan the 3 sightseeing days in one go, without a rest day in between. If you need flexible days with breaks, you are better off with the Explorer Pass - here you choose a fixed number of attractions and have 30 days from activation to redeem them. However, the continuous London Pass® is ideal for this compact 3-day plan.
Ready for your 3 days in London?
The London Pass® is the clear recommendation for this travel plan. If you're skipping Windsor and travelling in a more relaxed manner, the Explorer Pass is the perfect alternative.
The London Pass®
Covers all 11 stops on this 3-day plan. Windsor Castle, hop-on hop-off bus and Thames boat trip are included. Cancellable free of charge for 90 days.
- Single tickets cost £351,64, the London Pass® only £169
- Savings per person: over £180
- Save an additional 5 % with code LONDONCP05LP
London Explorer Pass
Choose from 2 to 7 attractions. Ideal if you are travelling in a relaxed manner and only want to see selected city centre highlights. 30-day redemption period from activation.
- From £109 for 4 freely selectable attractions
- Windsor Castle not included
- Save an additional 5 % with code LONDONCP05