London & Scotland 10 Day Itinerary - The Traveling Tour Guide

Our London & Scotland 10 day itinerary comes from our trip to the UK in June 2016. We spent the majority of our time in London but flew to Edinburgh, Scotland for two days and then returned to England. Enjoy our London & Scotland 10 day itinerary!

Table of Contents

Day 1: Arrival, Wallace Collection, & British Museum

Getting to London from Heathrow

After arriving at Heathrow Airport, take the Heathrow Express to Paddington Station. The Heathrow Express only takes about fifteen minutes and ticket prices range from £22 to £32 depending if it is “peak” times or not. It is very easy to use and a convenient way to get into the city from Heathrow.

Hotel

Once in Paddington Station, we recommend taxiing or walking to your hotel (depending on where you are staying). We stayed at the Marylebone Hotel in the Marylebone area of London, and so we hailed a taxi.

Tip: Taxis and the Underground are the best way to get around London. Both methods are fairly priced, and London taxi drivers have expert knowledge of the city!

The Wallace Collection

Address: Hertford House, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN, United Kingdom

Our first stop for our London & Scotland 10 day itinerary was a nearby museum known as the Wallace Collection. The Wallace Collection has free admission and is typically open 10am-5pm.

Oxford Street

Next, we left the Wallace Collection and walked down Oxford Street. The street is known for its shopping and includes famous department stores like Selfridges and the flagship Marks and Spencer. We were staying near here and would return later, so we briefly window shopped as we walked to our next stop.

The British Museum

Address: Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG, UK

The British Museum is a must-see while in London and it has FREE admission. Originally founded in 1753, the British Museum holds treasures like the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon Marbles, mummies, samurai armor, Sutton Hoo excavation finds, and more! There is so much to see! In fact, we visited twice during our trip to see it all. It is typically open 10am to 5:30pm and is open late on Fridays until 8:30pm.

Day 2: Westminster, St. James’s, and the London Eye

We like to get an early start to the day, so we woke up and breakfasted around 8am. There was cute shop and cafe near our hotel in Marylebone, the Bonne Bouche, that we ate at several times. After eating, we walked to the Bond Street Tube and took the Jubilee Line to the Westminster Stop.

Westminster Abbey

Address: Westminster Abbey, 20 Dean’s Yard, London SW1P 3PA

We purchased our tickets for Westiminster Abbey in advance. It opens at 9:30am and we decided to visit as soon as it opened. All visitors receive an audio guide. Many British monarchs were crowned at the Abbey and some are buried there. Expect your visit to take about 1 hour- 1.5 hours.

Tip: Purchase the “fast track” online ticket (£20 at our time of visiting). There is a long line at Westminster Abbey and the “Fast track” online ticket will allow you to enter through a separate line that is much faster.

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament

Then we took a short walk to see Big Ben, the famous clock tower, and the outside of the Houses of Parliament. If you want, you can take a guided tour of Parliament on Saturdays and weekdays when Parliament is not in session. If you are short on time, you can just view the outside like we did.

No. 10 Downing Street and Trafalgar Square

After viewing Parliament, we began walking down Parliament St/Whitehall. There are many attractions and sites along this street that you may want to stop at. We paused to look at No. 10 Downing Street where the Prime Minister lives and then continued onto Trafalgar Square.

Buckingham Palace and St. James’s Park

Next, we walked down the mall toward Buckingham Palace, the home of the British monarch. When we visited, it was close to Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday and they were rehearsing a parade to celebrate, so we stopped and watched the rehearsal. The palace wasn’t open for tours when we visited, but certain times of the year, you can tour Buckingham. Whether you tour it or simply see the exterior, this is a must-see for our London & Scotland 10 day itinerary.

After that, we walked through St. James’s Park, and strolled past the lake. In June, much of it was in bloom and it was lovely. We then walked back down the Mall and towards Whitehall; then ate lunch at a pub off Trafalgar Square.

The National Gallery

Address: Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN

Following lunch, we headed to the National Gallery, located in Trafalgar Square. Admission is free and the art museum houses pieces from famous artists like Vermeer, Titian, Monet, van Gogh, Michelangelo, and more. It is typically open 10am to 6pm, and on Fridays, it is open until 9pm.

Once we finished with the National Gallery, we walked to the Charing Cross Underground Station to take the Bakerloo line to the Waterloo Underground Station.

The London Eye

Address: The London Eye, Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7PB

Once at the Waterloo Underground Station, it was a five minute walk to the London Eye. The Eye has become a famous icon of London and is Europe’s tallest cantilevered observation wheel. It has great views of the city and it is the MOST popular paid tourist attraction in the UK.

Tip: Since the London Eye is so popular, we highly recommend buying tickets in advance. As of October 2019, standard tickets are £27 for an adult, but there is also a “Fast track” ticket that has a separate line and costs £10 more. If you are tight on time and have it in the budget, you may want to purchase the “Fast track” ticket. No matter what, we recommend buying tickets in advance online!

After our London Eye ride, we walked around the Queen’s Walk, a boardwalk area, and the Jubilee Gardens.

Day 3: City of London and the Tower

The next morning, we woke up early to walk to Bond Street Underground Station. We took the Jubilee Line to the London Bridge Station to explore the “original”/old city of London. We arrived at the London Bridge Station and crossed the Thames River via the London Bridge.

Monument to the Great Fire of London

Address: Fish St Hill, London EC3R 8AH, UK

We began walking towards the Tower of London area, but made sure to stop by the Monument to the Great Fire of London. The fire occurred in 1666 during the Charles II’s reign and destroyed a large portion of the city, leading to a massive rebuild, headed up by architect Christopher Wren. The 202 foot monument is open to visitors and you can pay to climb its 311 stairs to reach a public viewing platform for some great city views. We stopped by before it opened and so merely saw it and moved on.

Next, we headed to the entrance of the Tower of London and stopped in a cafe for a quick breakfast before the site opened.

Tower of London

Address: Tower of London, London, EC3N 4AB

The Tower of London was a favorite attraction of ours! We booked our tickets online and in advance, and we also paid for the audio tour. The Tower of London served as a fortress, royal palace, and prison. When we visited, we spent the majority of our day there and even ate lunch in one of its restaurants. You can learn about its main famous prisoners, like Sir Walter Raleigh, the many animals that lived there (from polar bears to the omnipresent ravens), and see the English crown jewels!

Fun Fact: If the six resident ravens ever leave the Tower, legend has it that the Kingdom will fall. So you will always see ravens living at the Tower of London and there is the position of “Ravenmaster.”

Museum of London

Address: Museum of London, 150 London Wall, EC2Y 5HN

Another amazing, free museum is the Museum of London. It is about a 30 minute walk from the Tower of London. This amazing museum exhibits London’s history from pre-historic days and the early Romans to modern day. We really enjoyed learning about the different areas of London and how it changed and expanded.

Day 4: St. Paul’s Cathedral, Southwark, & London Zoo

Again, we awoke early, ate, and walked to the nearest Underground stop, Bond Street. We took the Epping Line to the St. Paul’s Station.

St. Paul’s Cathedral

Address: St. Paul’s Churchyard, London EC4M 8AD, UK

Our first stop of the day was St. Paul’s Cathedral. Built by Christopher Wren, this church is the site of many famous memorial services and funerals, such as Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher. Admission (£18) includes entry to the Cathedral floor, crypt and the three galleries in the dome; it also includes multimedia guides and guided tours (for individuals and family visitors, subject to guide availability on the day). We received an audio guide, and also choose to walk to the top of Dome, amazing views!

Millennium Bridge and Shakespeare’s Globe

Next, we walked from St. Paul’s over the Thames via Millennium Bridge. Millennium Bridge is a pedestrian bridge that opened in 2000, and is also known for its use in scenes from Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and other films. We then walked past Shakespeare’s Globe. If time permits, you can tour it or see a play. We didn’t have time and so saw it and then continued walking.

Borough Market

Address: 8 Southwark St, London SE1 1TL, UK

We came upon Borough Market and decided to stroll through it. The market is located on a site that has been a marketplace since the 1100s and is one of the oldest and largest in London with baked goods, fresh produce, cheeses, and more. Two scenes of Harry Potter were filmed in Borough Market; it was used for the Leaky Cauldron when Harry gets off the Knight Bus in Prisoner of Azkaban and Third Hand Emporium in Chamber of Secrets.

Afterwards, we walked to the London Bridge Underground Station back to Bond Street and our hotel for a brief respite. From there, we took a 10-15 minute taxi ride to the London Zoo.

London Zoo

Address: ZSL London Zoo, Regent’s Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK

The London Zoo is the oldest scientific zoo in the world and is home to many creatures, including penguins, lemurs, and giraffes. If possible, we like to visit zoos whenever we travel (Alex is a big fan). I wanted to go to the London Zoo because part of the first Harry Potter film was shot there! The Reptile House was used in the scene where Harry releases a snake and his cousin, Dudley, falls into exhibit.

Day 5: Kensington, King’s Cross, & the British Library

Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens

The next day, we awoke early and explored Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. Hyde Park is a large, 350 acre park located between Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace and contains a memorial fountain to Princess Diana, along with other memorials, statues, and water features. Kensington Gardens used to be part of Hyde Park, but is now considered its own separate park; it offers contemporary art and architecture along with other classic London monuments like the Albert Memorial.

Kensington Palace

Address: Kensington Palace, Kensington Gardens, London W8 4PX

Kensington Palace, located adjacent to Kensington Gardens, is currently the home to Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (William and Kate), and their children. It was also the site of Queen Victoria’s birth. You can tour the King’s State rooms, Victoria’s re-imagined childhood rooms, and its famous sunken garden.

Natural History Museum

Address: The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD

Following the Palace, we walked about fifteen minutes to the Natural History Museum, also in the Kensington area. We ate lunch at the restaurant there and then explored the museum. Admission is free. Located near the Science Museum, it is on “Exhibition Road” alongside the Victoria and Albert Museum as well. If natural history isn’t your thing, we recommend visiting either of those!

After the museum, we took a roughly 25 minute taxi ride across town to King’s Cross Station.

King’s Cross Station and Platform 9 3/4

Address: Euston Rd, Kings Cross, London N1 9AL, UK

Our London & Scotland 10 day itinerary has several Harry Potter related stops and that includes King’s Cross Station. It is the site where Harry Potter famously boards the Hogwarts Express via Platform 9 3/4. Being a huge Potter fan, I insisted that we visit the station and the Platform 9 3/4 store that sells gifts and also offers a photo opportunity of you pushing a trolley through the wall and “into” the magical Platform 9 3/4. There was a long line for photos but I waited and paid for the professional photo they take, and bought some Potter souvenirs as well.

Following King’s Cross, we walked about six minutes to the British Library.

The British Library

Address: 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB

The British Library is a national treasure! It has free admission and offers rotating exhibits and the exhibit “Treasures of the British Library.” Its highlights include a Gutenberg Bible, Jane Austen’s notebooks, the Magna Carta, Handel’s Messiah sheet music, lyrics of the Beetles, and more! It is a must-visit for your London & Scotland 10 day itinerary!

Day 6: Overnight Trip to Edinburgh, Part 1

Getting to Stansted Airport

The next day, we flew to Edinburgh, Scotland. We compared taking the train to flying, but flying was cheaper and faster! Our flight left from Stansted Airport, so we took a taxi to London Liverpool Station. Then we took the Stansted Express from there; we got on the 6:10am train from Liverpool Station to Standsted. The train to the airport took about an hour and cost less than £10.

Flight

We flew on Ryanair. Our flight departed around 8:55am and we arrived at Edinburgh Airport around 10:15am, so roughly an hour and twenty minute flight.

Getting from Edinburgh Airport into the city

Once, we landed in Edinburgh, we utilized the tram to get into the city. We boarded at the airport, going in the direction of York Station. The train departs about every 7 minutes and takes roughly 35 minutes to get into town. It was simple to purchase tickets at a kiosk and cost about £6 for single ride or £8.50 for a return trip. We got off at the Princes Street station, walked with our luggage past the Scott Monument and into the Old Town to our hotel.

Tip: You can also taxi or take a bus into the city, but we thought that the tram was easy and quick!