London is gorgeous in Autumn. Our boys' fall school breaks are usually the second week of October, which is a perfect time to visit. 

Here is a suggested itinerary to make the most of your time there if you only have 4-5 days.  
 
If you do have more time, I would recommend a day trip to Greenwich, or to Windsor if you are more of a Royalist.

Day 1 (Friday):
Overnight flight – arrive by 9am in London
Stay near Westminster or the Strand (our favorites are St. Ermin’s and the Savoy)
Queue for changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace – Changing of the Guard is generally at 10:45 (get there 30 minutes early for a good spot), but check the website for any updates.
Go to a proper British Pub for lunch (suggestions include: The Feathers, Buckingham Arms, or the Ship & Shovell )
Mid Afternoon: self-guided tour at Westminster Abbey.
Late afternoon: at Churchill’s Cabinet War Rooms
OR
Take the tube to Kensington for the V&A Museum
Dinner in Covent Garden at Mr. Foggs Tavern or SushiSamba

Day 2 (Saturday):
If it’s a Saturday, it’s great to start the day at the Portobello Road Market. Don’t miss the Notting Hill Jacket Company and the Notting Hill Tote Bag for souvenirs, for yourself and for others.

Follow that with lunch at the Instagram famous Churchill Arms near Notting Hill.
 




We are big football (soccer) fans, so we’ll try to grab a game it we can.  You'll want to try to arrange for those tickets as soon as you plan your trip. But if footie is not your jam, then I would suggest the British Rail & Postal Museum.
 
For dinner, I suggest either Ivy in the Park or Masala Zone.
 
And if you are a theatre person (and I definitely am!) then purchase your show tickets around the same time you book your airline tickets, and then head to the theatre after dinner.​

Day 3 (Sunday):
In Autumn, you want foliage. So to me that means two choices – either head to Hampstead Heath for the day, or to Richmond. For our most recent trip we chose Richmond.
 
Once in Richmond, be sure to stop and see the following:

• Paved Court (the Ted Lasso store is here, and the front door to his flat.)
•  Brewer's Lane
• Richmond Green 
• Richmond Park (deer)
• White Cross Pub (floods on each high tide, and has been there for 187 years!)

 
After spending the day in Richmond, we headed back to Paddington to pick up our reserved boat at GOBoats London and captained our own boat through the canals all the way to the London Zoo and back. No boating license is required, and each boat can hold up to 8 people. We loved the unique perspective on the city, seeing all the quintessential long boats, and the autumn water views. It was fantastic, and I highly recommend it.
 
For dinner, I recommend grabbing a bite in Chinatown.

East London:

6. If you are on the east side of the city and love some good history and pirate lore, then I recommend the Prospect of Whitby. The Prospect of Whitby dates back to 1520. It has had many names over the years including the Devil’s tavern because of the pirates and criminal would meet here in the shadows to make their plans.
 
Bankside:

7.  If you have spent the day on the South side of the river at Borough Market and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, then you should make time for Anchor Bankside. It was rebuilt after the Great Fire of London in 1676,  This pub is the sole survivor of the riverside inns that existed here in Shakespeare's time when this district was at the heart of the theatre district. It was frequented by many actors from the local playhouses, including the Globe, the Swan, and the Rose. It was frequented by Shakespeare, Dr Samuel Johnson, and diarist Samuel Pepys. who wrote about the Great Fire from this location. If that's not enough, it was also a favorite place for river pirates and smugglers. Over the centuries it has been used as a tavern, a brothel, a chapel, and a brewery.​

​It is amazing to think about the vast history in the very center of the financial district in London. The Romans called it Londinium, and there is still a lot of their history around for you to see. And it is all FREE!. So if you want to take a different look at the city on your next visit, I highly recommend this list I've put together. It's part scavenger hunt, part education, and you can stop into a Pret and get a tea or coffee anywhere along the way that you'd like. Enjoy! 
 
1. Roman Wall and Statue of Emperor Trajan (wall dates AD190-225)
Located just outside the Tower Undeground station - you can't miss it.
​
17 minute walk to:

2.  The London Stone
111 Canon Street (dates back to AD1100)
The London Stone was considered so important that laws were drawn up on top of it, and oaths were made over it. The myth is that if it were removed from the city, the city would collapse.

5 minute walk to:

3.  London Mithraeum: the Temple of Mithrae (free)
Located in the basement of the Bloomberg European HQ. This museum has fantastic reviews, and it is FREE!

8 minute walk to:

4.  Guildhall Art Gallery (free)
Built on top of a Roman Amphitheater you can see in the basement and there is a museum.

18 minute walk to:

5.  St. Bride's Church (free)
There's roman walls and pavement here that dates to 180AD, and there is a thorough museum in the crypt. Plus, the design of this church is what inspired the design of the modern wedding cake.


Optional:
20 minute walk from St. Bride's is

6.  Next to Monument Station - wooden part of the original Roman bridge from 2K years ago
where London Bridge now stands
(note: This is back towards the east, closer to Dunstan in the East)

and a 25 minute walk in that same direction is
 
7.  Leadenhall Market
In the basement of the Nicholason & Griffin hair salon is part of the Roman basilica it is built on top of, but you can only see it if the salon is open.