Passar três dias em Londres é uma perspectiva emocionante para qualquer pessoa com a sorte de visitar a cidade. Mas escolher o que ver e fazer é um desafio quando se considera a quantidade de atrações incríveis que Londres tem a oferecer. Por um lado, há uma variedade impressionante de pontos turísticos essenciais, como o Big Ben, o Palácio de Buckingham e a Torre de Londres. Por outro, há diversão sem fim nas ruas da cidade, repletas de restaurantes deliciosos, museus imperdíveis e teatros de classe mundial. Também há muitas maravilhas escondidas para descobrir e explorar, desde parques tranquilos até casarões históricos. Poderia levar uma vida inteira para conhecer tudo. Mas para quem tem apenas três dias à disposição, não se preocupe. Nós cuidamos de tudo com o nosso guia prático para o roteiro de três dias perfeito.
3 dias em Londres - nossos pontos turísticos imperdíveis:
Dia 1 – marcos históricos de Londres
Houses of ParliamentSua primeira parada deve ser o imponente Palácio de Westminster, um edifício instantaneamente reconhecível que vai te deixar sem fôlego. Big Ben, sua suntuosa torre de relógio gótica é talvez sua característica mais famosa, melhor visualizada sob a suave luz da manhã a partir do mirante panorâmico da Westminster Bridge. Se você tiver sorte, verá o monumento em um dia ensolarado e sem nuvens, onde poderá tirar fotos dignas de cartão-postal enquanto o sol o banha em um tom suave de amarelo-ouro. Perfeito para aquela foto digna de Instagram! Buckingham Palace e Banqueting HouseA partir da Westminster Bridge, siga pela Birdcage Walk com o St James’s Park à sua direita e você será recompensado com vistas do Buckingham Palace — uma fachada magnífica com imponentes colunas neoclássicas. Os opulentos State Rooms também estão abertos a visitantes por 10 semanas a cada verão, então não deixe de conferi-los se puder. Perto dali, em Whitehall, não perca a Banqueting House, outra joia arquitetônica extravagante que apresenta um espetacular teto pintado a óleo com figuras reais sendo levadas ao céu.
Dia 2 – no rio
Thames River CruiseApós este dia repleto de atividades, você precisará de um descanso merecido e o Rio Tâmisa oferece o refúgio perfeito. Um Hop-On Hop-Off Thames River Cruise é uma ótima maneira de apreciar os pontos turísticos às margens do rio enquanto viaja em um ritmo mais tranquilo. Se você embarcar no píer de Westminster, poderá navegar pelo rio passando por marcos mundialmente conhecidos como a Tower Bridge, uma obra-prima vitoriana, e a famosa fortaleza Tower of London. Desembarque no Tower Pier para explorar essas atrações ou continue até o Greenwich Pier para um descanso bem-vindo do agito do centro de Londres. Greenwich ObservatoryAo desembarcar em Greenwich, você será instantaneamente seduzido por uma vibração comparativamente tranquila. Explore as áreas verdes impecáveis no pacato Greenwich Park ou tome um café em uma das charmosas cafeterias independentes no pitoresco, porém movimentado, Greenwich Market. Em seguida, vá ao Royal Observatory Greenwich, a casa do Greenwich Mean Time, onde a astronomia e a ciência ganham vida por meio de exposições permanentes neste local histórico. Saiba como o tempo foi padronizado, como o primeiro telescópio foi criado e como a ciência e a astronomia mudaram ao longo dos tempos. Enquanto estiver na área, você também deve passar pelo Cutty Sark, um veleiro cliper de chá do século XIX incrivelmente bem preservado, construído para transportar chá da China até a Inglaterra. Embarque no navio e visite os alojamentos dos marinheiros enquanto aprecia belas vistas do Tâmisa — a maneira perfeita de encerrar um dia relaxante à beira do rio.
Dia 3 – atrações alternativas
Use o seu último dia como uma chance de conhecer algumas das atrações menos exploradas de Londres, que nem sempre fazem parte do roteiro turístico padrão. Amplie seus horizontes visitando locais nos arredores da cidade, como o Hampton Court Palace e o Kew Gardens, ambos com entrada gratuita com o seu passe Go City®. Royal Botanic Gardens, KewEste incomum Patrimônio Mundial da UNESCO no sudoeste de Londres é uma alegria absoluta de explorar. Descubra um paraíso exótico de plantas de todo o mundo em 121 hectares de jardins paisagísticos. A estufa Palm House, construída em 1884, é um verdadeiro destaque. Com uma abundância diversificada de espécies de plantas tropicais, incluindo orquídeas, cacau e seringueiras, você se sentirá como se tivesse entrado nas profundezas da Amazônia. Você pode precisar se refrescar depois, então vá ao Pavilion Bar and Grill para tomar bebidas revigorantes com uma bela vista – localizado no coração do Arboretum de Kew, você pode se sentar ao ar livre entre as árvores enquanto aprecia a fantástica Great Pagoda do jardim ao fundo.
Hampton Court PalaceSe mansões suntuosas fazem mais o seu estilo, o Hampton Court Palace será a escolha ideal. Também localizada no sudoeste de Londres, esta magnífica mansão Tudor transportará você para os tempos medievais do rei Henrique VIII. Este palácio era o refúgio real favorito do rei e você entenderá o porquê ao fazer um tour pelos interiores deslumbrantes, repletos de pinturas valiosas, tapeçarias finas e ouro por quase todos os lados. Você também pode conhecer os jardins primorosamente projetados enquanto se perde no labirinto de arbustos do palácio, mundialmente famoso. Curzon SohoToda essa aventura pode deixar você um pouco exausto. Mas o cinema Curzon Soho, no West End de Londres, é o lugar perfeito para encerrar o dia com estilo. Este cinema de vanguarda tem uma vibe excêntrica e informal, perfeita para um fim de dia tranquilo após um longo roteiro de passeios. Assista a um filme independente em uma de suas três salas de cinema, relaxe no bar subterrâneo arejado ou no café descolado, onde você pode saborear doces artesanais ou deliciosos petiscos. É realmente o refúgio ideal para completar seu agitado tour de três dias por Londres. Economize em atrações de Londres o ano todoSempre que planejar sua viagem para Londres, certifique-se de levar um passe Go City® com você. Economize no ingresso para as melhores atrações da cidade. Com opções perfeitas para qualquer época do ano, temos certeza de que você aproveitará ao máximo este passe econômico.
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Day one: London’s historic center
Day one: London’s historic center
Morning
Start your three-day London adventure as you mean to go on: by eye-balling one of the most historic buildings in town. Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the British monarch. You know, the one where they all wave from the balcony after royal weddings, birthdays and the like. You can get pretty much as close as you like (give or take a 12-foot wrought-iron fence), but you’ll get some of the most Instagrammable views from leafy St James’s Park, particularly from the Blue Bridge. Be sure to say hey to the resident pelicans while you’re there. The pomp and ceremony of the Changing of the Guard ceremony can be seen most mornings at 11AM and the palace’s opulent state rooms are open to visitors for a few weeks each summer, so be sure to check these out if you get the chance.
Next, head along Birdcage Walk and onto Parliament Square, where picture-postcard views of some of the UK’s most recognisable buildings emerge. We’re talking the Palace of Westminster (aka the Houses of Parliament) and Big Ben, as well as the soaring Gothic drama of Westminster Abbey, with its centuries of royal hatches, matches and dispatches, plus eye-popping interiors, vibrant stained glass and memorials to Chaucer, Darwin, Dickens and many more in Poets’ Corner.
Head full of history, step blinking back into the light and across Westminster Bridge to the South Bank and our next stop.
Afternoon
That big spinny thing right in front of you? That’d be the London Eye. Step aboard to soar a whopping 443 feet over the Thames, taking in stellar views of all the places you’ve just been, as well as revealing more – much more – of the London skyline. You can easily spot major landmarks including Wembley Stadium, The Shard and the great dome of St Paul’s from up here but, for something a little more challenging, see if you can pick out Nelson’s Column, Cleopatra’s Needle and the Monument to the Great Fire of London.
Back on terra firma, stroll east along the riverbank to the Royal Festival Hall, dodging the countless jugglers, conjurers and human statues en route. It’s here, by this brutalist stalwart of the cultural hub that is the Southbank Centre, that you’ll finally pause for lunch. Pick from any number of popular restaurants, or grab global street eats from the Southbank Centre Food Market for the win.
Suitably fortified, we’re off to St Paul’s Cathedral to explore its vast crypt, climb up inside the iconic dome and whisper sweet nothings across the acoustic marvel that is the Whispering Gallery. Sir Christopher Wren’s masterpiece isn’t hard to find – just keep your eyes on the dome as you wander down the South Bank, crossing at Blackfriars or the Millennium Bridge.
Evening
We’re heading back close to where we started, where dinner options abound in and around Covent Garden and Soho. It’s worth pausing for a look at Trafalgar Square, home of Nelson’s Column and his attendant stone lions before seeking out an early dinner in the network of streets that weave around London’s celebrated theatre district. Because you couldn’t very well come to London without taking in a West End show, right? And there are plenty to choose from, too – think Wicked, Matilda, The Mousetrap and so many more. When the show’s over, continue your evening amid the lanterns and neon lights of Chinatown and Soho, where late-night eats and a colorful club culture could well find you staying out until dawn.
Day two: riverside jewels
Day two: riverside jewels
Morning
Late night? Grab a strong de-fogging coffee and make straight for Westminster Pier, where a morning cruise along the Thames to the Tower of London, cool breeze against your skin, is all the hangover cure you could possibly need. Not just a means of getting from A to B, the cruise is a sightseeing extravaganza in its own right. En route, you’ll get new riverside perspectives on landmarks including Big Ben, the London Eye, St Paul’s, Shakespeare’s Globe, The Shard and more. Be sure to snap Tower Bridge in all its Gothic grandeur as you approach your next stop at Tower Pier and the Tower of London.
Founded as a fortress by William the Conqueror nearly a thousand years ago, the Tower of London has been a prison, a zoo and a royal mint in its time. Now one of London’s top tourist attractions, it’s a treasure trove of history and, well, actual treasure. For it’s here that you can feast your peepers on the Crown Jewels, as well as hearing dark tales of murder and intrigue from the Beefeater guides and giving your regards to the resident ravens, without whose presence, it is said, the kingdom will fall. All very Game of Thrones, I’m sure.
Afternoon
It’s time to cross over actual Tower Bridge and follow our noses to the street-food mecca that is Borough Market, another London institution of nearly 1,000 years’ standing. Now tucked beneath the rumbling railway bridges that emanate from London Bridge station, the market is near-legendary for its smorgasbord of international flavors: South Indian dosa, oozy Swiss raclette, Middle Eastern mezze and pungent British cheeseboards are just some of the options available here. Visit this place once and we guarantee you’ll keep coming back to it every time you find yourself in London.
From foodie highs to sky-high, you’re just a hop and a skip from here to The Shard. Ascend 1,000 feet up the UK’s tallest building to the open-air 70th floor observation deck – aka The View from The Shard. On a clear day, you can see for around 50 miles from up here in the clouds. Eyes peeled for all your favorite London landmarks, including a fun aerial perspective on Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, plus the turrets of Windsor Castle, 25 some miles to the west and the distant Chiltern Hills and South Downs, pretty much as far away as the eye can see, to the north and south respectively.
Evening
If you have the legs for it, take a stroll west along the river to Waterloo. You’ll pass several more major London attractions on the way and, if you have time before dinner, it’s definitely worth trying to squeeze one of them in. Our money’s on a tour of Shakespeare’s lovingly reconstructed Globe Theatre or a quick scootch around the highlights of the Tate Modern’s galleries.
Back at the Southbank Centre, dinner options abound, and a drink at the Royal Festival Hall’s fifth-floor terrace bar, overlooking the Thames and London’s twilit skyline, is practically a London rite of passage. Afterwards, seek out entertainments here or in the neighboring Queen Elizabeth Hall, both of which host near-nightly live shows, or mosey to the nearby BFI IMAX or BFI Southbank cinemas for the latest blockbusters and foreign and independent features.
Day three: go west!
Day three: go west!
Morning
And now for something completely different, as we kick off the final morning of our 3-day London adventure at Baker Street, home of fictional detective Sherlock Holmes and non-fictional waxwork attraction Madame Tussauds. Step inside this weird and wonderful world to see some of your favorite (and perhaps least favorite) celebs, politicians, royals, sporting legends, superheroes and aliens. That’s right, as well as selfies with Harry Styles, Tay-Tay, Gaga, The Rock et al, you can also get up close and personal with King Charles III, Donald Trump, the Hulk, E.T. and Paddington Bear, to name just a few. It’s a rogues’ gallery and no mistake, and all the more fun for it.
Afternoon
Next we’re heading a little way south to Hyde Park and a stroll to the Serpentine Bar and Kitchen for lunch overlooking the lake. Afterwards continue your pilgrimage west past the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain and into Kensington Gardens. Eyes peeled for the Albert Memorial and Royal Albert Hall peeping through the foliage over to your left as you approach Kensington Palace, our next stop. This vision of Jacobean splendor, the birthplace of Queen Victoria, nestles magnificently among perfectly preened gardens. Step inside to explore ridiculously opulent state apartments and the collection of priceless bling once worn by Queen Vic herself. Meanwhile, you can pay further homage to Lady Di out in her beloved Sunken Garden, where she’s further memorialized, this time in statue form.
Evening
The legendary Portobello Market, just northwest of Hyde Park is open until 6 or 7PM most days (except Thursdays and Sundays) is a mecca for lovers of antique bric-a-brac, vintage fashions, fresh fruit and tacky souvenirs. Yep, there’s something for every type of bargain-hunter here among the area’s candy-colored townhouses, smashed avocado joints and hipper-than-though West London cocktail bars.
Look out for famous movie locations as you peruse the various stalls. This, after all, is where the movie ‘Notting Hill’ was filmed. You can even grab a selfie outside Mr Gruber’s toy emporium (aka Alice's Antiques) from the ‘Paddington’ films.
As dusk falls and the market winds down for another day, you won’t have to look far for somewhere good to eat (and drink) the night away. Notting Hill is full of great restaurants: try The Barbary, Canteen or Dorian for a delicious finale to your three-day London experience.
Enjoyed this? Indulge us as we wax lyrical in our ultimate guide to Madame Tussauds London and get the lowdown on cool things to do in Notting Hill.
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