Explore London in 48 hours
London is such a fantastic city, packed with amazing tourist attractions, cultural sites and shopping opportunities. In fact, there’s so much to do that it can sometimes be difficult to pack everything into your trip, but it’s much easier if you have a comfortable and convenient base like the London Backpackers hostel. From our location in the heart of London you can explore everything the city has to offer, taking advantage of facilities like free Wi-Fi, breakfast and our own travel guide to plan the perfect trip, even if you’re only staying for a period such as 48 hours. These are just a few examples of the amazing experiences you can pack in a 48 hour stay:
Explore Around the London Eye
Riding on the London Eye is fairly expensive, and has to be booked well in advance, but the area around the Eye, on the banks of the Thames, offers lots to explore on foot once you’ve taken the tube train there. The Royal Festival Hall and London Dungeon are within easy reach, and the opposite side of the river is home to the ornate splendour of the Houses of Parliament. Just a short walk away you’ll find Westminster Abbey, which is free to enter and explore and is one of the architectural and historical wonders of the city.
Visit Buckingham Palace
You can’t just turn up at the home of the Queen and have a good look around, but by walking from Westminster and the Houses of Parliament you can get to the Palace, which hosts the ceremonial changing of the guard on most days at 10.45. This is a timeless example of the kind of military pomp that the British Army has always excelled at, and if you want to avoid the crowds which inevitably flock to see it, you should get there as early as possible.
The Best Museums
London is home to some of the best museums in the world, and the good news is that many of them are completely free to enter. In addition to this, if you hop on a tube to the Kensington area of London you can pay a visit to three fantastic museums which are all located within a short distance of each other. This is known as the Museum Triangle, and is home to the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum along with Victoria and Albert Museum. The truth is that each of these museums is huge and dazzling enough to be worth spending an entire day exploring it, but the chance to dip in and out of each is simply not to be missed.
Market Time
London is packed with markets of virtually every type, from antique markets to food halls and those which specialise in art and crafts. If you’re looking for a delicious but affordable lunch then pay a visit to Borough market, which sells ingredients to cook your own meals and is also a home to numerous street food stalls selling delicious cuisine from all over the world.
Take a Cruise
One of the best and most unusual ways to see a city like London is from the Thames River, and the good news is that there are lots of opportunities for you to take a cruise down the river and gain a whole new perspective on the city. There are numerous different options you can take when it comes to exploring the water. These range from exclusive dinner cruises, high speed powerboat cruises to boats which you can simply hop on and off to explore different stretches of the water.
A Bird’s Eye View
Another option which enables you to gain a fantastic new perspective on the city is to take a trip toward the clouds and enjoy a bird’s eye view. Places such as the London Eye and the Shard offer luxury packages which are fantastic and cost a lot of money, but there is an option which is completely free. The building at 20 Fenchurch Street is commonly known as the Walkie Talkie, and floors 35, 36 and 37 are home to a fantastic interior garden. If you book in advance you can travel up there and explore the gardens at your leisure, as well as take advantage of the spectacular views of the rest of the city.
