There are endless debates on whether the London pass is worth purchasing and if doing everything individually will be more cost efficient. I am not here to tell you if you should or should not purchase the London pass but I will show you how to get your money worth in a 2 day itinerary. If you enjoy the things I do, the London Pass could be a good solution for you.
Firstly, you can purchase the London Pass online here on the official London Pass website and have them deliver to you at your home address. Do note that the London Pass delivery comes with a fee of £8 for worldwide standard shipping. You can also collect it at the London Pass office at Charing Cross Road. For those who wish to purchase on site, you can purchase them at hotel reservation counter at the Heathrow airport. I have read many reviews that the mobile version of the pass does not work well so I have not tried it myself. For those looking for a discount, you can also try out Klook.
I bought the 2 day London pass from the hotel reservation counter at Heathrow for £94 and the pass is activated from the first site that you visit and valid for 2 consecutive days.
DAY ONE – Start Early
- St Paul Cathedral – Online ticket £16 with fast past
St Paul’s, with its world-famous dome, is an iconic feature of the London skyline. Step inside and you can enjoy the Cathedral’s awe-inspiring interior, and uncover fascinating stories about its history.
St Paul’s Cathedral has been here for over 1,400 years. It has been built and rebuilt five times. One of the most famous wedding held here is the Royal Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. The dome is among the highest in the world. St Paul’s is the second-largest church building in area in the United Kingdom after Liverpool Cathedral. The entire cathedral has a huge courtyard where you can stroll and take in the architecture of the building.
The cathedral is a working church and is closed on Saturday afternoon and Sundays for service. The tickets allows you entry to the main cathedral floor, dungeon crypt and 3 galleries in the dome. No photos are allowed in the cathedral at all so this was an illegal picture. In the main floor, you can see intricate details of the interior wall and pillars. You can walk down the exact hallway Prince Charles and Lady Diana walked on.
In the dungeon crypt, you can see the tomb and memorial of many fallen great people from either of the world wars or even just famous poets or governors. The most interesting visit of the cathedral will be the dome.
St Paul’s is built in the shape of a cross, with a large dome crowning the intersection of its arms. Climb 259 steps up the dome and you will find The Whispering Gallery, which runs around the interior of the Dome. It gets its name from a charming quirk in its construction, which makes a whisper against its walls audible on the opposite side. The Stone Gallery is the first of two galleries above the Whispering Gallery that encircle the outside of the dome. The Stone Gallery stands at 173 ft (53.4 metres) from ground-level and can be reached by 378 steps. The Golden Gallery is the smallest of the galleries and runs around the highest point of the outer dome, 280ft (85.4 metres) Visitors who climb the 528 steps to this gallery will be treated to panoramic views of London that take in the River Thames, Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre
Nearest Station: St Paul Station on the Central Line
Opening hours: 8.30 am to 4.40 pm
- Westminster Abbey – Online ticket £20
London church that is the site of coronations and other ceremonies of national significance. It stands just west of the Houses of Parliament in the Greater London borough of Westminster. In 1987 Westminster Abbey, St. Margaret’s Church, and the Houses of Parliament were collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.
One of the famous weddings that took place here includes The Royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011. The Abbey has been the coronation church since 1066, and is the final resting place of 17 monarchs. Like the St Paul Cathedral, it is closed on Saturday afternoon and Sunday for service.
Some of the interesting sites to see in the abbey includes the coronation chair, the cloisters pillar at the yard, the royal tombs, the lady’s chapel with it’s intricate ceiling and colourful flags and more. There are many more areas converted into museums with information for the public.
Nearest Station: Westminster Station on Circle.District and Jubilee line.
Opening hours: 9.30 am to 3.30 pm
- Photo taking of Big Ben and Parliament Houses – Free
From the Westminster Abbey, you can take a stroll to look at the Parliament Houses and Big Ben which is all within 5 mins walking distance. While it is not usually open for visitation, it is still view to look at the buildings and take picture of the great view.
- Photo taking of the eye – Free
From the Big Ben, you can cross the bridge where tourist board the River boats to get a fantastic photo view of the London Eye.
- One day hop on and off bus – £33.30
From the spot where you take the picture of the London eye, you can hop onto one of these hop on and off buses which shows you around the entire London City. There are a few routes you can choose from depending on your preference. The interesting part of the tour is the commentary provided where new insights and even some historic information is provided.
With the vantage of height from the open top double deck bus, you can take many pictures of the sights as you go along. The Red bus of the Big Bus tour covers major London sights such as Trafalgar Square, the Coca-Cola London Eye, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Covent Garden, the Tower of London, Hyde Park Corner and more. You can choose where and when you want to hop off just with the show of your London Pass.
- Tower Bridge – £8.70 online price
The tower bridge has always been mistaken as the London Bridge and only when you have been to London, you will realise that this iconic bridge is not the London bridge but the tower bridge. Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London built between 1886 and 1894. The bridge crosses the River Thames close to the Tower of London and has become an iconic symbol of London
The tour allows you to discover some very interesting facts and history of the bridge, from the engineering of the bridge and even some stories from the people who work within the bridge. You can also cross between the 2 towers and see how it feels to be standing on top of the moving traffic from the glass pathway of the bridge. You can also see the engine room of the bridge to see the old machinery use to move the bridge.
Nearest Station: Tower Hill Station on Circle line
Opening hours: 9.30 am to 5.00 pm
- The Shard – £22.40 super advance booking online(14days before)
At the top of London’s tallest building, set beside the River Thames, The View from The Shard is a multi-sensory experience; combining awe-inspiring 360 degree views of the city in a unique setting – an escape from the hustle and bustle of the streets below. Many locals as well as tourist visit The Shard just for the fabulous view so be prepared to queue up even if you have a pre-booked ticket. A fast pass will cost you an additional £10 per person on site.
The attraction offers visitors views from the skyscraper, with two viewing platforms inside the building: the first is a triple level indoor gallery on Level 69, and the second is a partially outdoor gallery on Level 72. The lift will bring you up to the level 68 and from there, you will need to climb the stairs.
You can see the whole city of London light up at night and even as far as the Tower bridge. As the 72 floor is partially open air, it can get quite chilly. There are also some tables and sofas offering customers champagne who those who purchase the champagne option with the tickets.
Nearest Station: London Bridge Station on Jubilee line
Opening hours: 10 am to 10 pm
Total of Day 1 – £100.40
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