The Ultimate Guide to exploring London with London Pass

Are you visiting London and having only limited time to explore this big city? Get the London Pass, and we will show you how to effectively use the London Pass and explore London in 2 days. Read our guide below…

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Exploring London using London Pass

London is a city that every traveller should experience.  The city’s multicultural vibe and historic connection makes it a compelling destination for many travel enthusiasts. You ask me what I like about London, I would say “there’s always something new to see/do/eat there”!

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That’s one city we’ve travelled many times (we’ve lost count, actually!), but still we look forward to go and explore many new things – it could be the striking street art in Brick Lane or trying the organic green juice in Borough Market.

Or perhaps hopping over with deers in Richmond Park or walking along serene Little Venice. Or probably sinking in the history at one of the museums. Such is the beauty of this city. It certainly has the right mix of history, culture, cosmopoliton, gastronomy and nature.

Seeing London for the first time can be a bit overwhelming because there are too many attractions to see, and they are all scattered across the city.

If you simply want to scratch the surface as “Been There, Done That” style, you can take a bus tour. Bus Tours are perfect at taking you through the history of London, and stopping over at all the main tourist attractions.  

However, if you prefer to soak into the history, stand in one of those stadiums, or historic monuments, I certainly recommend you taking London Pass.

What is London Pass?

Simply put, it is your passport to exploring all the great attractions in London, economically.  There are over 90 tourist attractions ranging from museums to stadiums, historic and heritage attractions to gardens and cruises.  

Plus the pass provides you fast track entry to many attractions,  discounted rates at wide range of gift shops and cafe, a hop on hop off tour and a very detailed guide book of all these attractions.

Do note that this does not include Oyster Travel card. We recommend a 2 day adult pass that comes with a free London guide book along with London map (covering central London) and Tube map for transport directions.

Things to do in London – Day 1 Itinerary

It’s impossible to see all these 80 attractions given that the opening time is 9am and closing time 6pm.  But with a good planning, you can maximise the use of the card.  We’ve put together a little guide and tips that might help you decipher London Pass and optimise your visit.

Tower of London

Start your day early, and be sure to reach the attraction at 9.00am. Tower of London is a historic castle and Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress in Central London.  Discover the majestic White Tower that features Royal Armories collections. And marvel at the world famous Crown Jewels including the Imperial Crown with Koh-i-noor diamond.

Tower Bridge

One of the iconic symbol and an engineering marvel of English Heritage, Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge built 120 years ago. Get to know the history of the bridge and its existence. Explore the panoramic views from the high-level walkways and new glass floor and be awed seeing the Victorian Engine rooms.

HMS Belfast

Unfold the history of surviving Second World War Royal Navy warship – HMS Belfast. Explore their nine decks and hear the stories about Arctic Convoys, D-Day, Cold War, Korea and beyond.

The London Bridge Experience and Tombs

This is not a museum or exhibition.  The tour tells you the 2000 year old history of London Bridge through an interactive yet scary experience.  But it’s not really horrifying experience altogether, although the scare maze was good.

NOTE: We wouldn’t recommend this unless you have London Pass.  The attraction is highly overrated and there’s a waiting time to enter the tour (even for London pass holders).

Shakespeare’s Globe Exhibition and Theatre Tour

A reconstructed theatre and an open air playhouse, this is where William Shakespeare originally worked and wrote many of his plays. This is a great place to tick if you are Shakespeare’s fan just like us. After visiting Stratford-Upon-Avon, we knew we would never want to miss visiting this place.

Monument

The Monument is a symbol of historic importance, and reminds people of the Great Fire of London and how the city rose from ashes. This imposing column was built by Sir Christopher Wren  and Dr.Robert Hooke in 1677.  Climb 311 steps on the spiral staircase, you will be floored by the panoramic view of London.

Day 2 Itinerary

Stadium Tour

Are you a sports enthusiast like us? Do you enjoy Cricket, Tennis, Rugby or Football?  You should then check out one of the stadium tours that London Pass offers.  

We have seen both Wimbledon and Lords Cricket Stadium tours and it was such a gratifying experience.  We wanted to see Arsenal or Chelsea FC Tour, but had to skip due to other personal plans, but we totally recommend taking one of these tours.

Also note that most of these stadium tours are located slightly away from the touristy part of London.  So we recommend you go there first, and then continue your trail within the central London. 

Royal Greenwich Observatory and Cutty Sark

Don’t fancy sports? Take the river cruise to Greenwich and discover the Prime Meridian. See the oldest refracting telescope. Explore the wonders of astronomy here while enjoying the London Skyline. Cutty Sark is the last surviving tea clipper, the fastest and greatest of her time.

Thames River Cruise

You get an all day pass to hop-on and hop-off any of the 23 stops. If you opt to visit Greenwich, ideal choice is to utilise the river cruise and enjoy many vistas of London along the shores of River Thames.

Westminster Abbey

Hop down from the cruise at Westminster Pier, and head to Westminster Abbey. Not only this has been the wedding venue for Royals, but also been a coronation church of the British monarchy since 11th century. Westminster Abbey is a beautiful Gothic church, a UNESCO Heritage site, and a significant part of British history.  Visit the church to be amazed by the architecture, paintings, stained glass, sculptures and religious artifacts.

Royal Mews

The Royal Mews is home for stables, coaches, carriages and most recently a garage serving the British Royal Family. When you do a tour inside, you will understand it’s more than just a stable. It’s a living tradition of British Heritage.

Visitors can see the Glass Coach (used by Royal Brides), Australian State Coach, and the most impressive Gold State Coach (most recently refurbished during Queen’s Diamond Jubiliee Celebration). You can get a combination ticket and visit this along with Queen’s Gallery that houses about 60 collection of paintings/drawings, a place for art lovers, if you have time.

Churchill War Rooms

When I realize that I’ve walked the corridors of where Sir Winston Churchill has walked, it gives me goosebumps. We’ve had an opportunity to learn and discover the war rooms during the crucial times of world history. Furthermore, exploring the War Cabinet Room, Map rooms, Transatlantic Telephone room, Churchill room and the overall planning and execution of WWII. It definitely takes you back in time. This, by far is the most gratifying experience I’ve ever had.  The photos doesn’t do any justice at all.

NOTE: Standard Entrance Fee is the entrance ticket for those who do not have London Pass.  This could be different from group or online fee.

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Practical Information

1. Understand that you can only see the attractions between 9am to 6pm.  Your sightseeing itinerary for 2 days are going to be bit hectic, if you intend to maximise the pass. So start early, avoid travelling to different attractions that are scattered around the city.
2. Check the opening and closing time for all the attractions you intend to see.  They have seperate summer and winter timings.
3. Plan the day well, however keep in mind it’s not possible to see everything sometimes, especially if you are travelling with kids.
4. Use the guidebook and app to do your planning and understanding about the attractions
5. If you are really keen on getting the value for money, target the high priced attractions like Shard, Tower Bridge, Tower of London etc.
6. This itinerary is only an option and is drawn keeping in mind the distance between each of the attractions.  Seeing the attractions that are in and around same area saves travelling time, and you don’t need to use your oyster card. And the attractions on Day 1 (in this order) are within the walking distances.
7. You can also download #LondonPass app in your mobile for easy access.

Check out the Entry Ticket prices for London attractions

Is London Pass really worth the money?

The London Pass is outright worth for money.  If you take the standard entrance fee for the above attractions and compare it with the London Pass, you will be able to decide and clearly see how much cost effective London Pass is! And you get to beat the long waits and get on fast track entry on many attractions, which is a big advantage.

Is London Pass ideal for me?

Travelling with Kids √ Solo Traveller √ Interested in History/Heritage √ First time in London √ Offbeat travel √ Interested in Sports tours √ Museum and Art lovers X Slow Travellers X

London Pass is mostly suitable for all kinds of travellers – whether long term or short term visitors, families, couple and solo travellers and attracts a wide range of interest groups too.

Like those interested in History / architecture / sports / heritage etc. If you are travelling to London and have only a limited time, this is an ideal option to go for, to maximise your time and save money.

However, if you are a museum/art fan, this does not suit you. Given that most of the museums are free in London, you might not enjoy the London Pass. Also, those who want to do slow travel and savour London slowly at their own time, London Pass is not suitable.

Where to buy London Pass?

You can buy London Pass either directly from their website or through Get Your Guide or Viator websites. You can also download their app which has a wealth of information on the tourist attractions.

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Disclaimer:
We were given complimentary 2 day London Pass. We were not compensated or asked to write a positive review. As always, all the opinions are our own.

This article is now available as a mobile app. Go to GPSmyCity to download the app for GPS-assisted travel directions to the attractions featured in this article.