London’s a grand old town that’s well-worth a visit, regardless of how long you’ve got. Imagine it, you’re connecting flights and have a whole bunch of time in London before you zoom off to your next destination – it’s the perfect excuse to get out of the airport and explore!
If you’ve got a layover of 8-10 hours, you can easily pop into the city itself and enjoy approximately 6 hours, all arriving back into one of London’s main airports before your scheduled departure.
Take a look below at some of the best ways to experience London’s best spots and famous landmarks… all within an action packed 6 hours!
Grab a coffee in an old Grave robbers guard-house! (45 minutes)
There’s no doubt that layovers can be tiring, so the first port-of-call should be to grab a fresh cup of coffee from one of London’s many independent coffee shops.
One place you’ve definitely got to visit is Watch House Coffee, Bermondsey Street. This old Victorian ‘watch house’ (where police used to guard affluent graves from grave robbers) is now a stunning little coffee shop that brews one of the best coffees in all of London.
Love Coffee? Take a sip at in 1 of these 12 independent coffee houses in London. One is even in a Victorian lavatory! and don’t forget to check out the coffee guru that is Double Skinny Macchiato!
Top tip: Make sure to check out the art on the walls, all of which are for sale and created by local artists.
See a local London glassblowers (45 Minutes)
A few minutes walk up Bermondsey Street is one of London’s coolest glassblowers. Take a look at some of the impressive installations, the glassblowers at work – or even plan a little class for yourself (though the latter will take all day and set you back a pretty penny… £450 to be exact!).
Top tip: If you’re feeling flush, the London Glassblowers is the perfect place to grab a unique London souvenir.
Appreciate art at the Tate Modern (90 minutes)
For a little contemporary art, make sure you take a trip to the Tate Modern, right on the banks of the River Thames. Spot some of the world’s most famous art, from Van Gough, Picasso and Damien Hirst… seasonal exhibitions are also here and a great place to discover a new and established artists.
Top tip to remember: Entry is free, though you might need to pre-book certain (paid for exhibitions) that are sometimes held inside.
Gorge at Borough Market (45 minutes)
Surely it’s lunch-time by now I hear you cry…
…Well, only 12 minutes walk from the Tate Modern is Borough Market, Grab a hearty bite to eat at one of the many delicious stalls and discover some of London’s tastiest street food.
If you enjoy street food markets, make sure to include these 14 delicious markets that are all based in London, right here.
Top tip: Don’t forget to grab a cake, or two, from the many bakers stalls inside… Resistance is futile! 😉
Walk the Thames (30 minutes)
After filling your boots in Borough Market, make sure to head to the riverbank for a stroll across the river, eastbound to Tower Bridge for a little sightseeing. Make sure to walk through ‘Me London’, where you can grab so great perspectives of old and new London.
Top tip: Pack an umbrella, London’s weather is notoriously unpredictable.
Enjoy a boat tour of London (60 Minutes)
There’s a really easy way to get a reasonably cheap boat tour of London by boat, onboard the Thames Clipper.
On board, you can use your Oyster Card to ride and it’ll take you as far north as Greenwich, Canary Wharf and all the way back toward the Houses of Parliament.
After your tour east and back down the coast, make sure to op-off at the London Eye.
Top tip: Use your Oystercard or Contactless credit/debit card for discounted fares.
See the Houses Of Parliament from the London Eye (45 minutes)
By this point, you’ll have just under 1 hour left to enjoy the city. Pre-book your tickets for the London Eye and discover the city from the air. Here you’ll spend roughly 30 minutes to complete your flight and will get to see many of London’s famous Landmarks… A perfect way to end a whistle-stop tour of London.
Top tip: Book tickets in advance and avoid the queues!
Staying Longer? Then check out our 24 hour stopover guide by clicking here.
Staying in London for even longer? Then check out our 48-hour guide, right here. 
Check Out The Very Best Of Great Britain!
