Self-Guided Walking Tour in London

A self-guided route from the Tower of London west to Buckingham Palace, 12 stops along the Thames and through the West End. This page gives you the map, the walking time for every leg, real opening hours and admission prices, and two shorter versions if you only have half a day.

12 Stops11.7 km~4 hours walking7–8 hours with stops
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London Walking Tour at a Glance

This route is built for anyone who wants to see central London on foot instead of from a stuck tour bus. It links 12 of the city's landmarks in one logical line, and every interior is optional: you can walk the whole thing for free and pay only for the two or three insides that genuinely interest you. You set the pace and skip what you like.

StartTower of London
FinishBuckingham Palace
Route typeA point-to-point walk running broadly east to west, tracing the Thames from the Tower and crossing the river three times (south over Tower Bridge, north over the Millennium Bridge, and again by Westminster). There is very little backtracking: you keep moving toward Westminster the whole way.
Realistic timeAbout 4 to 5 hours of pure walking for the 11.7 km. Add the outdoor stops and photo pauses and it becomes a 5 to 6 hour day; with the major interiors like St. Paul's and Westminster Abbey, plan a full 7 to 8 hours.
DifficultyEasy underfoot and almost entirely flat, following paved riverside path and city pavements the whole way. The only real effort is the total distance of nearly 12 km, so comfortable, cushioned shoes matter more than fitness here.
Cost to followThe outdoor route costs nothing: every square, bridge, and street on it is free, and the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace can both be admired from outside at no charge. Paid interiors are St. Paul's Cathedral at £20, Westminster Abbey at £23, and the London Eye at £30.
Best for:

First-time visitors who want the headline sights of London in one walkable line, and returning travellers who would rather cover ground on foot than lose half a day to traffic on a hop-on bus.

The Route

Free Walking Tour Map of London

12 stops11.7 kmabout 4 hours
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The 12 stops along this route

  1. Tower of London in London, stop 1 on the self-guided walking tour
    1Tower of London
  2. Tower Bridge in London, stop 2 on the self-guided walking tour
    2Tower Bridge
  3. Borough Market in London, stop 3 on the self-guided walking tour
    3Borough Market
  4. Millennium Bridge in London, stop 4 on the self-guided walking tour
    4Millennium Bridge
  5. St Paul's Cathedral in London, stop 5 on the self-guided walking tour
    5St Paul's Cathedral
  6. Royal Opera House in London, stop 6 on the self-guided walking tour
    6Royal Opera House
  7. Piccadilly Circus in London, stop 7 on the self-guided walking tour
    7Piccadilly Circus
  8. Trafalgar Square in London, stop 8 on the self-guided walking tour
    8Trafalgar Square
  9. London Eye in London, stop 9 on the self-guided walking tour
    9London Eye
  10. Palace of Westminster in London, stop 10 on the self-guided walking tour
    10Palace of Westminster
  11. Westminster Abbey in London, stop 11 on the self-guided walking tour
    11Westminster Abbey
  12. Buckingham Palace in London, stop 12 on the self-guided walking tour
    12Buckingham Palace
  13. That's the complete route.

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Your London Walking Tour, Stop by Stop

  1. 1

    Tower of London

    Tower of London in London, stop 1 on the self-guided walking tour

    William the Conqueror began this fortress in 1066, and it has served continuously as a royal residence, prison, armory, and treasury ever since. The Crown Jewels are housed in the Jewel House vault, and the line moves faster than you would expect because visitors walk past the cases on a moving walkway. Tradition dictates that at least six ravens must remain on the grounds at all times to prevent the kingdom from falling. The Yeoman Warders (Beefeaters) lead free tours from the main entrance every 30 minutes and are genuinely entertaining. Admission is free. Open Monday 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Tuesday through Saturday 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Sunday 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Budget at least 90 minutes. Arrive when doors open to see the Crown Jewels before the crowds thicken. From the main exit, Tower Bridge is directly in front of you.

    Hours
    Mon: 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM | Tue-Sat: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM | Sun: 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
    Price
    Free
  2. 2

    Tower Bridge

    Tower Bridge in London, stop 2 on the self-guided walking tour

    Completed in 1894, this 244-meter bascule bridge still opens approximately 800 times per year for river traffic. The Victorian Gothic towers are purely decorative, hiding the steel frame underneath. The glass-floored walkway 42 meters above the Thames is included in the exhibition ticket and gives you a straight-down view of the river and any boats passing below. The bridge itself is free to cross on foot. The exhibition is open daily 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM. You can check the bridge lift schedule online and time your visit to watch the roadway split open, which takes about five minutes. Cross to the south bank side. From here, you walk west along the riverside path toward Borough Market, one of the best stretches of the Thames Path.

    Hours
    Daily: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
    Price
    Free
  3. 3

    Borough Market

    Borough Market in London, stop 3 on the self-guided walking tour

    A food market has operated on this site since at least 1014, making it the oldest food trading hub in London. The current Victorian iron and glass structure sits under the railway arches of London Bridge station. Open Tuesday through Friday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Saturday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Sunday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, closed Monday. Admission is free. The market is at its best on Saturday mornings when the full roster of traders is present. Kappacasein does raclette and grilled cheese that draws a permanent queue. Neal's Yard Dairy has an extraordinary selection of British farmhouse cheeses. Eat as you walk. Budget 30 to 45 minutes to browse and grab something. From the market's western exit, follow the riverbank path toward the Millennium Bridge.

    Hours
    Mon: Closed | Tue-Fri: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Sat: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Sun: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
    Price
    Free
  4. 4

    Millennium Bridge

    Millennium Bridge in London, stop 4 on the self-guided walking tour

    This 325-meter pedestrian bridge opened in 2000 and had to be shut down just two days later because it swayed dangerously under the weight of pedestrians. Engineers installed 91 fluid-viscous dampers to fix the wobble, and it reopened in 2002 without the lateral sway. The bridge is completely free and always open. It gives you the most photogenic approach to St. Paul's Cathedral: the dome fills the entire northern sightline as you cross. The flat steel structure also frames the Tate Modern behind you on the south bank. Walk slowly across and stop at the midpoint for photographs in both directions. At the north end, the bridge deposits you directly at the foot of St. Paul's.

    Hours
    Always open
    Price
    Free
  5. 5

    St Paul's Cathedral

    St Paul's Cathedral in London, stop 5 on the self-guided walking tour

    Christopher Wren designed this cathedral between 1675 and 1710, topping it with a dome that reaches 111 meters. The Whispering Gallery inside the dome is the main draw: whisper against the wall on one side and someone 34 meters away on the opposite side can hear you clearly. Climbing to the Stone Gallery and then the Golden Gallery at the very top requires 528 steps but rewards you with a 360-degree panorama of the city. Admission is £20. Open Monday and Tuesday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Wednesday 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Thursday through Saturday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Sunday is for worship services only. Budget 60 to 90 minutes if you climb to the top. From St. Paul's, head west through the narrow streets of the City toward Fleet Street and then on to Covent Garden.

    Hours
    Mon-Tue: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM | Wed: 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM | Thu-Sat: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM | Sun: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
    Price
    £20
  6. 6

    Royal Opera House

    Royal Opera House in London, stop 6 on the self-guided walking tour

    Once a wholesale fruit and vegetable market, Covent Garden is now a retail and entertainment district centered on the covered market hall. It remains the only area in London where street performers are officially licensed and auditioned. The acts in the main piazza are genuinely good: acrobats, magicians, opera singers performing to crowds of 200 people. The Royal Opera House anchors the eastern side. The covered market is open daily 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Admission is free. Skip the chain restaurants on the main piazza and head to the smaller stalls inside the Apple Market for independent crafts. For food, Neal's Yard is a hidden courtyard one block north with colorful buildings and small independent restaurants. From Covent Garden, walk south and west toward Piccadilly Circus.

    Hours
    Daily: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
    Price
    Free
  7. 7

    Piccadilly Circus

    Piccadilly Circus in London, stop 7 on the self-guided walking tour

    This junction has been a meeting point since 1819 and has featured electric advertisements since 1908, when the first Perrier sign went up. The curved LED screens on the northern building are the modern version of over a century of neon. The central fountain is widely associated with Eros, but the aluminum figure actually represents the Angel of Christian Charity, a memorial to the philanthropist Lord Shaftesbury. The circus is open 24/7 and free. It is loud, crowded, and unapologetically commercial. Stand on the steps of the Eros fountain for the best view of the illuminated signs at dusk. The side streets leading toward Soho (north) and Jermyn Street (south) are where the interesting shops and restaurants hide. From here, walk southeast to Trafalgar Square.

    Hours
    Open 24/7
    Price
    Free
  8. 8

    Trafalgar Square

    Trafalgar Square in London, stop 8 on the self-guided walking tour

    Completed in 1844, this public square commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar with Nelson's Column rising 51.6 meters at its center. Four massive bronze lions designed by Edwin Landseer guard the column's base, cast from metal salvaged from French and Spanish warships. The National Gallery fills the entire northern side of the square, with free admission to one of the world's finest painting collections. The Fourth Plinth in the northwest corner displays rotating contemporary art commissions, changing every one to two years. The square is free and open 24/7. The fountain steps are a popular place to sit and people-watch. From the south side, walk down Whitehall toward the river and Westminster.

    Hours
    Open 24/7
    Price
    Free
  9. 9

    London Eye

    London Eye in London, stop 9 on the self-guided walking tour

    This 135-meter observation wheel on the South Bank rotates once every 30 minutes, giving you a slow, steady panorama that covers up to 40 km on clear days. Each of the 32 capsules holds up to 25 people. Despite having 32 capsules representing London's boroughs, they are numbered 1 through 33, skipping 13 to avoid superstition. Tickets cost £30 if booked in advance online. Open daily 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with extended hours in summer. The queue for walk-up tickets can reach 45 minutes on weekends. Book a timed slot online to skip the worst of it. The best time to ride is about 30 minutes before sunset, when daylight fades to city lights during your rotation. From the Eye, cross Westminster Bridge back to the north bank.

    Hours
    Daily: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
    Price
    30 GBP
  10. 10

    Palace of Westminster

    Palace of Westminster in London, stop 10 on the self-guided walking tour

    The Houses of Parliament were rebuilt between 1840 and 1870 in Gothic Revival style after a fire destroyed the medieval original. The Elizabeth Tower (commonly called Big Ben, though that name technically refers to the 13.7-tonne bell inside) features clock faces 7 meters in diameter. Recent surveys show the tower is slowly tilting, currently leaning about 0.26 degrees to the northwest. You can see the Palace exterior freely from the riverside path and Westminster Bridge. Guided tours are available Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, but are limited and should be booked well in advance. Even without going inside, the exterior is one of the most recognizable silhouettes in the world. Westminster Abbey is just across the road.

    Hours
    Mon-Fri: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM (limited tours)
    Price
    Free
  11. 11

    Westminster Abbey

    Westminster Abbey in London, stop 11 on the self-guided walking tour

    Every English and British monarch since William the Conqueror in 1066 has been crowned in this Gothic abbey. It also serves as the final resting place for over 3,300 notable figures, including Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and Geoffrey Chaucer. The Poets' Corner in the south transept has memorials to Shakespeare, Dickens, and Austen. Admission is £23. Open Monday through Friday 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Saturday 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM, closed Sunday to visitors. Budget 60 to 90 minutes to walk the full circuit. The Chapter House with its original 13th-century tile floor and the hidden College Garden, one of the oldest cultivated gardens in England, are worth seeking out. From the abbey, walk through St. James's Park toward Buckingham Palace.

    Hours
    Mon-Fri: 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM | Sat: 9:00 AM – 2:30 PM | Sun: Closed
    Price
    23 GBP
  12. 12

    Buckingham Palace

    Buckingham Palace in London, stop 12 on the self-guided walking tour

    Queen Victoria established this 775-room building as the official royal residence in 1837, and it continues to host the ceremonial Changing of the Guard. The ceremony takes place at 11:00 AM and lasts about 45 minutes. It runs daily from April through July and on alternate days the rest of the year. Check the schedule before planning around it. The palace exterior and the Victoria Memorial in front of it are free to view from the gates. The State Rooms open to visitors during summer months (late July to September), 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Even without going inside, the palace forecourt and the long approach down The Mall from Trafalgar Square make for a fitting end to this London walk. St. James's Park, directly east, has benches, a lake, and pelicans if you want to rest your feet.

    Hours
    Mon-Sun: 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM (summer, varies seasonally)
    Price
    Free
    Website
    rct.uk ↗

How Long Does This Walking Tour Really Take?

The 12 stops span 11.7 km, roughly 4 to 5 hours of walking on their own. Because the route is flat and hugs the river for long stretches, the walking is easy; the time really goes into the stops. A quick outdoor-only pass is a 5 to 6 hour day, while adding St. Paul's, Westminster Abbey, or a rotation on the London Eye pushes it to a full 7 to 8 hours.

The 12-stop route covers 11.7 km and takes about 4 to 5 hours of walking time. With museum visits and stops at Borough Market and Covent Garden, plan for a full day of 7 to 8 hours. The route is almost entirely flat, following the Thames for long stretches.

The natural break point is Borough Market or Covent Garden, both offering food and seating. For a sit-down lunch, the area around Neal's Yard in Covent Garden has small independent restaurants away from the tourist pricing of the main piazza. If you want to split the route over two days, break it after St. Paul's Cathedral, roughly the halfway point both geographically and chronologically.

Full Route, Shorter Walk or Two-Day Version?

You do not have to walk all 12 stops in one go. The route splits cleanly at St. Paul's Cathedral, which sits at both the geographical and the chronological midpoint, so here are three ways to run it depending on how much time you have.

Full route

The complete 12-stop walk

Stops 1 to 12, Tower of London to Buckingham Palace, 11.7 km, a full day of 7–8 hours with the main interiors

The whole chronological arc from the 11th-century Tower to the royal palaces of Westminster. Best done as a full day: start when the Tower opens and finish with the long approach down The Mall to Buckingham Palace in the late afternoon.

Half day

West End and Westminster core

Stops 5 to 12, St. Paul's Cathedral to Buckingham Palace, about 8 km, roughly 2.5 to 3 hours of walking

Skips the eastern riverside approach and starts at St. Paul's, then runs through Covent Garden, Piccadilly Circus, and Trafalgar Square down to Westminster and the palace. The right pick if you only have an afternoon but still want the cathedral, the West End, and the royal core.

Two days

Split at St. Paul's

Day 1: stops 1 to 5, Tower to St. Paul's, about 4 km. Day 2: stops 6 to 12, Covent Garden to Buckingham Palace, about 6 km

The relaxed version. Day one covers the medieval and riverside east, Tower, Tower Bridge, Borough Market, the Millennium Bridge, and St. Paul's. Day two picks up in the West End and finishes at Westminster, leaving room to go inside the abbey or ride the Eye without rushing.

You can walk it the other way, from Buckingham Palace back to the Tower, but the given direction is the better one. Running east to west traces London's history in order, from the 11th-century fortress to the Georgian palace, and lets you finish on the grand set piece of Westminster rather than in the busy City streets.

Is This London Walking Tour Right for You?

This is a long but genuinely easy central-London walk. Before you set off, here is who it suits best and how to bend it to your own day.

A good fit if you…

  • First-time visitors who want London's headline landmarks strung together in one clear route rather than scattered across a map
  • Walkers comfortable with nearly 12 km spread over a day, taken at their own pace with plenty of stops
  • Anyone who wants to choose their own interiors and skip the rest, paying only for St. Paul's, Westminster Abbey, or the London Eye if it appeals
  • Photographers, since the Millennium Bridge frames St. Paul's dome and the riverside gives open views across the Thames

Adapt the route if you…

  • Short on time: run the half-day version from St. Paul's to Buckingham Palace instead of the full 12 stops
  • Travelling with kids or tired legs: split it over two days at St. Paul's, the natural halfway point
  • Set on the Changing of the Guard: it starts around 11:00 AM at Buckingham Palace, so either begin at that end or split the route across two days
  • Visiting on a Monday: Borough Market is closed and some interiors keep shorter hours, so lean on the outdoor stops that day

Tickets & Skip-the-Line in London

Most of this walk is free open ground. A few stops charge admission or keep set hours, so here is where a pre-booked timed ticket or a glance at the opening times saves you a queue or a wasted detour.

Tower of LondonAdmission is free. Open Monday and Sunday 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Tuesday to Saturday 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Arrive at opening and head straight to the Jewel House to see the Crown Jewels before the tour groups build up. official ticket site ↗
Tower BridgeCrossing the bridge on foot is free. The glass-floored walkway exhibition is a separate ticket and is open daily 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM; check the lift schedule online if you want to catch the roadway open. official ticket site ↗
Borough MarketFree to enter. Open Tuesday to Friday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Saturday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Sunday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and closed Monday, so do not build a Monday walk around it. official ticket site ↗
St Paul's CathedralAdmission is £20, best booked online for a timed entry. Open Monday and Tuesday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Wednesday 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Thursday to Saturday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM; Sunday is for services only. official ticket site ↗
London EyeTickets are £30 and cheaper booked in advance for a timed slot, which spares you a walk-up queue that can hit 45 minutes on weekends. Open daily 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with longer summer hours; aim for about 30 minutes before sunset. official ticket site ↗
Westminster AbbeyAdmission is £23, worth booking ahead. Open Monday to Friday 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM and Saturday 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM, and closed to visitors on Sunday, so plan the abbey interior for a weekday. official ticket site ↗
Everything elseThe Millennium Bridge, Covent Garden, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, the Palace of Westminster exterior, and the Buckingham Palace forecourt are all free open spaces with no ticket needed to enjoy them on foot.
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Tips for Walking in London

  • Start at the Tower of London when it opens (9:00 AM Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 AM Sunday and Monday). Head straight to the Jewel House for the Crown Jewels before the first tour groups arrive around 10:30 AM.
  • London's pavements are flat and well-maintained, but the distances add up. Wear comfortable walking shoes with cushioned soles. The Thames Path sections between Tower Bridge and Borough Market and along the South Bank are the most pleasant stretches.
  • Public restrooms are available at the Tower of London, Borough Market, Covent Garden (in the market building), and St. James's Park. Most large museums have free facilities. London's public toilets otherwise cost 20p to 50p.
  • For the best value food stop, hit Borough Market between 10:00 and 11:00 AM on a weekday when the stalls are less frantic. Kappacasein's raclette and the scotch eggs from Ginger Pig are standouts. Budget about £8 to £12 for a solid market meal.
  • The single best photograph on this route is from the midpoint of the Millennium Bridge looking north, with the dome of St. Paul's perfectly framed by the bridge cables. Late afternoon light is ideal when the sun is behind you and the dome glows golden.

Why Walk This Route?

London is enormous, but the historic core between the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace is surprisingly walkable. This route threads 12 stops across 11.7 km, roughly 4 to 5 hours of walking, following the Thames from the medieval fortress at the city's eastern edge through the Georgian squares and Victorian markets of the South Bank, across the river to St. Paul's and the West End, and finishing at the royal palaces of Westminster.

The route works because it traces London's chronology from east to west. You start at the 11th-century Tower, cross Tower Bridge, cut through Borough Market under its Victorian railway arches, and gradually move through the centuries until you reach the 18th-century pomp of Buckingham Palace. No guided bus tour covers this range without getting stuck in traffic for half the day. On foot, you set the pace, skip what does not interest you, and linger where it does.

Common Questions

Is London safe to walk around?

London is very safe for walking. The route stays in central tourist areas that are well-policed and busy at all hours. Standard city precautions apply: keep bags closed in crowded spots like Borough Market and on the Tube. Pickpockets work the busy tourist areas around Westminster and the South Bank, so use a crossbody bag or front pocket for your phone and wallet.

What if it rains during my London tour?

London averages 106 rainy days per year, so pack a compact umbrella regardless of the forecast. Borough Market is covered by Victorian iron and glass. The Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, and the National Gallery at Trafalgar Square are all fully indoor stops. The Thames Path has shelter under bridges. If a downpour hits while you are between stops, duck into any pub.

What's the best time of day for this walking tour?

Start at 9:00 AM at the Tower of London. This puts you at Borough Market around 10:30 AM when stalls are open but not yet packed, at St. Paul's around midday, and at the London Eye in late afternoon for pre-sunset views. If you want to see the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace (11:00 AM), you will need to adjust the order or split the route over two days.

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