8 Very Best London Walks for Tourists (and locals): From Landmarks to Hidden Gems

London is an amazing city to visit (and live, for that matter). It’s got heaps of amazing things to do, with all the stunning London palaces to visit, some of the most amazing areas to explore and, of course, heaps of places you have to see in Central London. It’s such a great city to explore, and, in my opinion, even better on foot! This is why I wanted to share the very best London walks for tourists that take in some of the capital’s best places and unique spots. 

Over the years, we’ve walked so many routes in London, and there is nothing better than strolling the city, relaxing along the way and stopping off for a bite to eat or a tipple or two. 

So, to help you get the most out of your walks in London, I’m sharing our very top London walks that we think you’ll love. Have the best time! 

1.) Hand Luggage Only’s London Landmark Route

London has a heap of incredible walks to see the capital’s top sights. That being said, this route, which I devised, takes in some of London’s most iconic sights to see – all in one walk. We created a Google Maps list with all the spots, and it’s totally free to use. Now, please don’t feel obligated to do every part of this walk. I guarantee your legs will be hurting if you do it all in one go. That being said, you can easily tackle sections of the walk, depending on what area of London you’re visiting. 

Starting in West London, you’ll visit Kensington Palace, one of London’s best palaces to visit. From here, you’ll take a short stroll through Hyde Park to the Albert Memorial and the Royal Albert Hall. Within the Royal Albert Hall, you can either book a tour (in advance) or plan your visit around a performance. It’s one heck of a venue in London and one of the city’s most iconic places to see a show.

Afterwards, stroll to the nearby Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Both are about a 5-minute stroll from the Royal Albert Hall. One note: you can end up spending all day in these two museums alone. They are vast!  

Then, stroll further east towards the iconic Harrods department store in Knightsbridge before heading towards the Wellington Arch. Now, if it were me, I would take this as one section and continue the rest on another day.

The next day, continue the London Landmark Route and stroll from the Wellington Arch to Buckingham Palace. From here, you can either head inside on a tour or just view the place from the Mall as you walk towards Trafalgar Square. 

After reaching Trafalgar Square, head to the National Portrait Gallery, which is free to enter (as all museums are in the UK). From here, head past Leicester Square, Chinatown and Regent Street. The latter is one of London’s iconic shopping streets. 

From here, head through Oxford Street towards the British Museum. Again, you can easily spend a whole day in the British Museum, so plan accordingly. Afterwards, walk south to the neighbourhood of Covent Garden. This walk will take around 50 minutes, so get those comfy walking shoes on! 

Once you’ve strolled around Covent Garden, head back down past Trafalgar Square to Whitehall, where you will see Horse Guards Parade and Downing Street. Then, it’s straight over to the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. 

Afterwards, you will stroll over the River Thames and head to the London Eye and follow the Southbank route to visit the Tate Modern, Borough Market, Shakespeare’s Globe and finish your tour at Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. 

As I said, this is a very long walk, and you won’t be able to complete it in one day. It’s probably best to choose bite-sized sections based on where you are visiting in London. If you did want to complete it all, maybe give yourself 5 days to stroll it at your leisure. Alternatively, if you’re short on time, hop on the tube or bus between key sights. This way, you can cram in as many London landmarks as possible. 

To make things easier, I have pinned all the key spots on this free Google Maps list I have created. This way, you’ll be able to follow each spot with ease. 

Read more: Best places to visit in Central London

2.) Hand Luggage Only’s Regents Canal Walk

The Regents Canal Walk is a great walking route in London that takes in a diversity of neighbourhoods. Starting off at King’s Cross and heading west, all the way to Little Venice. Now, again, this is a pretty hefty walking route and will take all day. So, if you’re short on time, be sure just to choose the sections you like most.

That being said, it’s one of the best London walks for tourists and, unlike our London Landmark Route, there are many more leafy, countryside-feeling elements to enjoy. This means it’s perfect if you want some time away from the streets of London and want to follow a quieter walking route in the city. 

We always suggest starting (or ending) at Granary Square, which is just behind King’s Cross Station. Here, you’ll find a wealth of restaurants, shops, and art, which is perfect for fueling up before your walk. Afterwards, follow the Regent’s Canal west, towards Camden. This is your next big stop. It’s also a great area of London to visit, with cool markets and edgy stores that are so amazing to browse around.

After taking a look around Camden, head further west towards London Zoo and Regent’s Park. These are both on the south side of the canal (which you follow) and are a great place to visit with the family – especially on a sunny day. 

Finally, keep following the Regent’s Canal and head further west through the leafy suburbs and mansion-lined canal route towards Little Venice. Here, you will find heaps of little restaurants and cafes (stop off at Cafe Laville). It’s the loveliest spot for a relaxing day in London. 

We’ve plotted the walking route on Google Maps to make it easier for you. Add this map we created for free, and you’ll be able to explore this route with ease. 

Read more: Best areas in London to visit

3.) Hand Luggage Only’s Central London Circular Walk

If you want to see a heap of key places in Central London, then you’ll want to follow this Central London Circular Walk that we created. It’s one of the very best London walks for tourists that takes in some of the city’s iconic sites. Best of all, you can join the walk at any point that’s convenient to you. There’s no start or end! 

Now, like all our walking routes in London, they are long. We don’t advise doing this whole walking route in one day. Choose sections and really slow down along the route. 

Starting off at St Paul’s Cathedral, you will head east to Bank and the Royal Exchange. Here, you can stop off for a bite to eat in the Royal Exchange and continue on to Leadenhall Market. From here, walk to one of London’s best free viewpoints at the Sky Garden. Just be sure to book these free tickets before arriving. Spaces fill up fast.

Afterwards, stroll on over to the Tower of London and see the Crown Jewels inside. Once you’re done here, you can then walk over the iconic Tower Bridge towards Borough Market. It’s another great spot for snacks or lunch as you continue your walk west along the River Thames. Afterwards, stop off for a tour of Shakespeare’s Globe, or even catch an afternoon show. Then, it’s straight over to the  Tate Modern, one of London’s most popular art galleries (which is free to enter, by the way).

Next up, you’ll head further west to the London Eye and over Westminster Bridge towards Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. From here, you can stroll a few minutes to Westminster Abbey, and then it’s a 20-minute walk to Downing Street.

As you pass Downing Street, you’ll then enter St James’s Park, which will bring you right out at the gates of Buckingham Palace. After greeting the king, head on over to Wellington Arch and turn east towards the iconic Ritz Hotel. Here, you can book in for one of London’s best afternoon teas.

After filling up on cucumber sandwiches and scones, walk east toward Piccadilly Circus and then head over to Chinatown and nearby Covent Garden, which is perfect to explore. Finally, from Covent Garden, head down The Strand back towards St Paul’s Cathedral. 

As I said, you can’t do this walk in a day, but you can easily choose sections and plan your trip accordingly. Download our free Google Maps list of all the places and routes to follow. 

4.) The Thames Path 

The Thames Path is long! In fact, it stretches 185 miles. It stretches all the way from the source of the River Thames, in the Cotswolds, to Woolwich in East London. You can see the full details on the Walk’s Website, here. 

Now, for us, we love following the Thames Path from Greenwich, one of our favourite areas of London to visit. From here, you’ll be able to visit the Royal Naval College, the Cutty Sark, see the Painted Hall and visit Greenwich Park (to see the deer) before heading further east.

Along the route, you’ll find spots like the Mayflower Pub, where the Mayflower boat actually left from. 

Also, along the way, you’ll reach places further west, like Tower Bridge, Borough Market, Tate Modern, and the London Eye, all before heading even further east towards Battersea Power Station, which has been transformed into an area of restaurants, shops and more. The route from Greenwich to Battersea will take around 8 hours to walk casually, so make sure to keep that in mind before you start off on your walk. 

Read more: Best things to do in Greenwich

5.) The Line Art Walk

The Line Art Walk is one of the best London walks for tourists if you’re already in Greenwich, and specifically, around the O2. Now, the Line Art Walk is much smaller than some of the other London walks, but don’t let that put you off; it’s a great way to explore some of the art installations dotted around North Greenwich and the shoreline of the River Thames. 

Starting off in Stratford, East London, you’ll get to explore the AcelorMittal Orbit (and even take a slide down it), then you’ll follow the route and see spots like The Hatchling, Liberty Grip, a Bullet from a Shooting Star, and so much more!

Not only that, you’ll be able to explore one of London’s newer museums, the V&A East Storehouse, before setting off on your walk. Here, you’ll be able to head into the vaults of the V&A and explore some of their prized possessions. All for free! It’s such a cool concept, as it’s a working space where you can see restorations happening right in front of you. 

It’s a great way to explore more of East London and is well worth taking a stroll if you’re staying away from Central London itself. To make things easier, download this free PDF of the route and key art installations to spot along the way. 

Read more: Best places to visit in East London

6.) Capital Ring Walk

First off, the Capital Ring Walk cannot be completed in a day! It’s a whopping 78 miles long and takes in some of the suburbs of London itself. It’s one of the best London walks for tourists if you want to see more of London’s quieter areas, away from Central London’s most iconic sights. 

Now, TfL (Transport for London) have created a sectioned Capital Ring Walk route that you can easily follow. This way, you can join the Capital Ring Walk at any point, closest to where you are staying in London. The route itself takes in places like the Olympic Park, the Thames Barrier, and Crystal Palace – to name just a few! 

You can download each route at TfL here. 

7.) Green Link Walk

The Green Link Walk is a walking route in London that stretches through the greener areas of London, from Epping Forest to Peckham. Along the way, you’ll pass through areas like the London Fields, Tate Modern, St Paul’s Cathedral and Burgess Park in South London.

The route itself is pretty long, so don’t expect to complete the whole walk in one day. Choose sections which interest you most and follow the route you like best. It’s one of the best London walks for tourists if you want to walk from north to south London. You can download the full route here. 

Read more: Best places to see in South London

8.) Jubilee Walkway

The Jubilee Walkway is one of the best walks in London for tourists interested in the city’s royal history. You see, it’s a loop walkway that takes in some of the city’s most iconic spots, from the Tower of London, Houses of Parliament, St James’s Park, and so much more. 

The route itself is around 15 miles in length, so best explored over 2-3 days. This way, you can spend lots of time seeing all of Central London’s best places. You can follow the full route (and sections) right here.

Read more: Best places to visit in Central London

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