A Perfect 4 Days: London Itinerary Featuring Accessible Tourism Tips
Tower Bridge and Thames River
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London Itinerary: 4 Days with Accessible Travel Tips
This 4-day London itinerary is geared towards making the absolute most of your 4 days in London. It’s ideal for seeing all the major attractions London has to offer, from the most famous landmarks in the UK like The Tower of London to The National Gallery, one of the best free museums in London. It even includes some bonus day trip options for those looking to explore outside the city. This itinerary also highlights accessible travel for various types of disabilities. Whether this is your first time visiting London, you’re just looking for some London travel tips, or you’re wondering about access for disabled travelers, I’ll give you everything you need to know when visiting London.
How Much Will It Cost To Visit London?
London can be pricey, but I suggest using a handy London budget calculator to plan for your trip.
Getting Around London
Accessibility in London for people with disabilities is quite good. It’s easy to find wheelchair-accessible accommodation, and when it comes to disabled access, London Underground ranks as one of the highest compared to other subway systems around the world, just one of the many interesting facts about London. Whether you have a disability or chronic pain, or you’re traveling with someone who does, these tips for visiting London should help you plan the perfect trip.
Before doing anything, I recommend buying an Oyster Card. It’s the cheapest way for getting around London and will allow you access to most London transport, including, the London Underground (aka The Tube), buses, Docklands Light Railway, South London Trams, London Overground, Thames Cable Car (Emirates Air Line), and most National Rail services. You’re able to add money to the card as needed and it will save you time and money on transport. It even works on transport to and from the city and Heathrow/ Gatwick Airports. Purchase in advance and have it mailed to your home to avoid waiting in those long lines at the airport.
If you’re visiting for 3-4 days, a £30 card should cover a return trip from Heathrow and all travel around Central London. Staying longer than 4 days? A £50 card gets you about a week’s worth of travel and airport transport.
I also highly recommend Big Bus Tours as a great way to see all of London’s iconic sites. Busses are accessible to both power and manual wheelchair users.
This 4-day itinerary for London is jam-packed with exciting things to see and do. So make sure you grab a good, solid breakfast to start the day. For help finding a great cup of coffee, a little afternoon tea, or an amazing brunch, check out this guide to London’s top independent coffee and brunch spots. The link also features a map of over 100 coffee shops in London, so you’ll never be far from a much-needed caffeine boost.
DAY 1 - Westminster Abbey, Parliament, Big Ben, A Thames River Cruise, and London Eye
Westminster Abbey
Start your first full day in London by visiting Westminster Abbey. It’s a stunning Gothic church home to over ten centuries of British history. The Abbey has been Briton’s coronation church since 1066, home to many royal weddings, and the final resting place of more than 3,000 great Britons, including 30 kings and queens.
Inside, you can explore Westminster Abbey Poets Corner, a must-see for literature lovers. Poets Corner is the memorial site and final resting place of more than 100 world-famous poets and writers, like the Bronte Sisters, William Shakespeare, Rudyard Kipling, and Jane Austen.
If you’re interested in seeing even more famous Westminster Abbey burials, you can visit the graves of the following notable people in the Westminster Abbey tombs: Elizabeth I, Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens, Sir Isaac Newton, George Frederic Handel, Laurence Olivier, Stephen Hawking and more.
At the time of writing, the interior of the Abbey is closed to tourists. However, it remains open for daily eucharist services. Even if you’re unable to take the walking tour inside, it’s well worth making the trip to see the exterior of this magnificent gothic structure.
The North Door entrance to the Abbey is wheelchair accessible and offers a small ramped step. Some areas of the Abbey are inaccessible to wheelchair users and those with reduced mobility. The Abbey offers free admission to these visitors and their caregivers. The Abbey also offers wheelchairs for visitor’s use. Just ask an Abbey Marshal upon arrival. Accessible restrooms are located in the Cloisters.
The Abbey offers an audio tour for visually impaired guests. Service dogs are also welcome. For visitors with hearing difficulties, the Abbey is equipped with a hearing loop system that covers the entire main building. A British sign language version of the multimedia tour is also available along with transcripts of the tour which are printed in 14 languages.
The Abbey is easily reached via the Tube (Jubille, District & Circle Lines)
If you’d like to take a guided tour, I recommend the Wheelchair-Accessible London Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey Tour.
Westminster Abbey
From here, it’s a 7-minute walk to Parliament Square on flat ground. Alternatively, it’s a 3-minute ride via taxi. The good news is should you require an accessible taxi, 100% of London black cabs are wheelchair accessible!
Big Ben
If you’ve ever seen National Lampoon’s European Vacation, you’re probably well aware that Big Ben is Immediately next door to Parliament. “Look, kids! Big Ben! Parliament!” And if you’ve ever been to London you’ve probably heard multiple people tell you Big Ben is not actually the name of the bell tower, but rather the 13-ton bell inside the tower. The entire structure is called Elizabeth Tower. When I visited, the tower was under construction and completely covered in scaffolding. But if you looked closely with a pair of binoculars, you could still see the beautiful ornate details covering the exterior of the clock tower.
Elizabeth Tower, home of Big Ben
It’s free to check out the tower, but if you want a more in-depth experience you’ll need to sign up for a tour of the houses of Parliament. Big Ben tickets are included in this tour, which runs about $34 USD for adults. All tours are accessible for wheelchair users, as well as visitors who are visually impaired, deaf, or hard of hearing.
From the Parliament website:
“We are committed to promoting equality and improving accessibility to everybody, across each of the protected characteristics as defined in the Equality Act 2010. Part of this commitment is ensuring that our buildings are accessible to visitors with autism and that our staff has been trained to welcome them.”
It’s incredible to see destinations like this educating their staff on accessibility and autism. If you’re a traveler with autism or sensory overload issues, I highly recommend Cassie Bailey’s post: “How to Cope With Sensory Overload On the Road - My Top Tips As A Neurodivergent Traveler.”
Houses of Parliament, aka Palace of Westminster
Both the House of Commons and the House of Lords have public viewing galleries. There are free ways to tour the inside if you’re a British resident, but if you’re an American visiting London, you’ll want to purchase tickets. There is airport-style security upon entering the Palace of Westminster. Be prepared to remove everything from your pockets and send your worldly possessions through the scanner.
As you go through the doorway, you’ll enter Westminster Hall. And if you’re like me, you’ll quickly get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of things bearing the name Westminster. But Westminster Hall in the Palace of Westminster, Westminster, London is the oldest part of the palace complex, dating back to 1099. Admire the timber roof, while learning the beams provided an excellent hiding spot for shuttlecocks dating back to Henry VIII’s time. From here, you can make your way through St Steven’s Hall, an area lined with portraits of Kings, Queens, and noteworthy parliamentarians. From here, you’ll go through the Central Lobby to Commons on the left or Lords on the right.
Don’t be intimidated by the number of stairs leading to the Commons public gallery. There is an elevator available. Please note, you must hand over your bag before entering the Commons public gallery. You’re allowed to take your phone inside, but it must be on silent and you cannot take photos.
To see the Lords public gallery in action, you will need to visit after 3 pm. If you turn up before, you’ll be waiting in line forever until the debates kick-off. If you’d like to see debates in action, check out What’s On Parliament for a full schedule. You don’t need to visit while parliament is in session, but it certainly makes it more exciting. It’s well worth seeing the gorgeous architecture in the Palace of Westminster without attending debates, but if you’re a history buff or a political junky, you’ll probably want to see Parliament in action.
London Thames River Cruise
Cruise the River Thames and see many of London’s attractions from the comfort of a boat. Your London River tour includes sites such as Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, The London Eye gondola Ferris wheel, The Tower of London, Tate Modern, Southbank Centre, Somerset House, Big Ben, and Tower Bridge. The London Thames River 1-Day Hop-On-Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour is Wheelchair-Accessible.
A Thames boat tour is an excellent way to break up the day, have a seat, and relax. Some boats even offer tea service or a meal depending on the time of day. As someone traveling with back pain, I really appreciated having 90 minutes to just sit back, relax, and take in the view.
London Eye aka MILLENNIUM Wheel
No trip to London is complete without visiting Europe’s tallest cantilevered observation wheel. Just how tall is the London Eye? The structure is 443 feet (135 meters) tall and the wheel has a diameter of 394 feet (120 meters).
Wheelchair bookings are oddly only taken at night, but that’s actually the best time of day to view. This is also the reason The London Eye comes last on my Day 1 itinerary.
Click here for Wheelchair-Accessible London Eye Tickets.
A foggy London morning looking out at St. Paul’s Cathedral
Day 2 - Visiting St. Paul’s Cathedral, The Tower of London, and Tower Bridge
St. Paul’s Cathedral
Day 2 begins with a visit to one of the most famous buildings in London, St. Paul’s Cathedral. Services held at St. Pauls have included the funerals of Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher, jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria, peace services at the end of World Wars I and II, the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana, as well as diamond jubilees and both the 80th and 90th birthdays of Queen Elizabeth II.
St. Paul’s Cathedral, London
St. Paul’s Cathedral London Hours: Monday - Saturday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Click Here for Tickets to St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Disabled visitors are granted complimentary entry along with their accompanying carer or necessary companion. While there are currently renovations underway to make the north side of the building more accessible, the south side remains the recommended entrance for people with mobility issues. The south churchyard entrance is step-free and has elevator access to the cathedral floor and crypt. The quire and sacrarium on the cathedral floor have a small user-operated chair lift. Cathedral wheelchairs are available upon request.
St Paul’s Cathedral inside
For hearing-impaired visitors, the Cathedral has a hearing loop system covering the Cathedral floor and the OBE Chapel in the crypt. A British sign language tour with subtitles is also available.
Visually impaired visitors may wish to book a guided touch tour in advance or elect to use the Cathedral’s Audio Description Guides.
Service dogs are welcome!
Tower of London
Speaking of landmark buildings in London, no trip is complete without a tour of the bloody Tower of London. Pass through the walls to see this magnificent castle which has served as a secure fortress, royal palace, and infamous prison. For up-to-date hours check out: Tower of London Hours. The Tower of London night tour is supposed to be particularly spectacular.
The entire compound can take some time to explore, and there are a few things you need to know about The Tower of London. First, I highly recommend carving out several hours and picking up a Tower of London map at the welcome center to help plan out your path.
Most visitors head right for the Crown Jewels. The Tower of London’s Crown Jewels are the most visited objects not just in the Tower, but in all of Britain. Visitors can view crowns, robes, and other bejeweled ceremonial items up close. Since the 1600s the Crown Jewels have been protected here at The Tower. Other areas of interest include the Tower of London Dungeon, The Tower’s Mint, The Medieval Palace, and the Tower Menagerie which pays tribute to the many Tower of London animals once kept by royals.
The outdoor public areas surrounding the tower are wheelchair accessible, however, the Tower itself is a historic building with challenging stairs and hallways, so wheelchair access is limited. Wheelchair rentals are available on a first-come-first-serve basis. There is an elevator in the White Tower that takes visitors to the basement. Ramps can be found in The New Armouries Cafe and near the Raven shop.
Deaf or hard of hearing visitors will find induction loops throughout the Tower in these locations: Ticket boxes and the Welcome Center. Simply switch your hearing aid to the “T” setting to activate. Unfortunately, there is no Tower of London Audio Guide offered at this time.
Tower Bridge
Upon exiting the Tower complex you’ll find yourself right next to the Tower Bridge, the most famous bridge in London. Allow me to please weigh in on The Tower Bridge vs London bridge argument. The Tower Bridge was opened in 1894 and quickly became one of London’s defining landmarks. However, The London Bridge is an entirely different structure and in 1962, as the song famously states, The London Bridge was falling down. Not sound enough to support traffic, The London Bridge was sold to an entrepreneur in Lake Havasu City, Arizona who had the bridge dismantled and flown to AZ to be rebuilt.
The Tower Bridge, NOT The London Bridge
Tower Bridge Facts: The Bridge Deck is accessible to both vehicles and pedestrians. The Bridge’s twin towers, high-level walkways, and Victorian engine rooms do require ticketed admission. The history of The Tower Bridge dates back to 1886 when construction broke. 70,000 long tons of concrete and 11,000 long tons of steel later, the bridge finally opened in June of 1894.
No trip to London is complete without a few pictures of this gorgeous bridge and the iconic Tower of London.
Day 3 - Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, Trafalgar Square, The National Gallery
Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park
Any tour of London will have Buckingham Palace as one of the first stops. However, very few of them will drop you off at a time where you can view the actual changing of the guard. London group tours can be a great way to see as many things as humanly possible, as fast as humanly possible, but if you have the time, I highly recommend carving out a few hours to get a prime spot near the front gate to watch the changing of the guard.
You can check out the Buckingham Palace guard change schedule here. Since I was experiencing the effects of chronic pain pretty bad by Day 3, I checked out my changing of the guards’ schedule, whipped out my trusty travel cane, and arrived 90 minutes early to secure my space right up against the gate. Here I was able to lean and rest while waiting for the big event. I’ve seen several palace guard changes around the world, but the Buckingham Palace changing of the guard has a special cheekiness that could only be found in England. (See video below.)
During the summer months, you’re able to purchase tickets to tour the inside of Buckingham Palace and see The Throne Room, staterooms, the Grand Staircase, and some of the Royal Collection’s greatest treasures. For up-to-date info on tickets to view the Queen’s London residence head to The Royal Collection Trust. Tours last from 2 hours to 2 hours and 30 minutes.
If you need a little rest and relaxation before continuing on your trip, check out nearby Hyde Park, home to Speakers’ Corner and some of the largest free speech protests in history. The park is located just past the main entrance to Buckingham Palace.
National Gallery & Trafalgar Square London
If you’re up for a walk it’s a very pretty 20-minute walk from Buckingham Palace to the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery. Otherwise, it’s a quick bus or taxi ride. If you opt to walk, you’ll head down the mall along St. James Park, through Admiralty Arch, and into Trafalgar Square which is directly in front of The National Gallery. The National Gallery is a top British museum and one of many free museums in London. It houses some of the finest European art.
Trafalgar Square Fountain
For up-to-date closure info please check out the National Gallery website.
Level access entry to The National Gallery is available at the Sainsbury Wing entrance. A limited number of wheelchairs are available to rent on a first-come, first-serve basis. Seating is available throughout the gallery. You are also welcome to bring a folding stool.
The museum facilities and events are in BSL for visitors who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Audio is available for blind and partially sighted visitors. For more info, check out their website above.
If you have energy left over, I also highly recommend the Natural History Museum and the nearby Covent Garden neighborhood which is filled with great shopping, dining, and entertainment options.
Day 4 - London Day Trips (and add-ons)
There are no shortage of day tours and road trips from London. But before you book that Paris day trip or look into Amsterdam day trips from London, let me just say that Europe is small, but it’s not that small. Commuting to other countries takes a significant amount of time and exploring a big city like Paris or Amsterdam in one day, is going to be a super rushed experience you probably won’t enjoy. If you only have four days in England, I recommend spending them in England. There’s so much to explore, it’s relatively easy to get around, plus the UK is one of the top 10 environmentally friendly countries in the world, so you can feel good about spending those tourist dollars.
You should also consider the time of year when visiting. If you visit in winter you may have to contend with snow and rough outdoor conditions which could make driving treacherous. But there are still plenty of amazing winter day trips from London.
For travelers looking to extend their trip to England, I highly recommend adding a few days to check out England’s Lake District.
But if you have limited time and choose to spend it all in London, I recommend the Stonehenge and Bath day trip from London. The trip to Stonehenge from London takes about 2 hours by tour bus. There are multiple accessible coach tours from London to Stonehenge and Bath and Stonehenge. The Stonehenge and Bath tour takes a full day. You will leave around 7 or 8 am depending on the tour company and return around 7 or 8 pm. A lot of this time is spent comfortably seated on a bus or lounging in a Bath cafe, but for some the long hours away from the hotel might be too much. If this is the case, you could also purchase tickets to tour Bath or Stonehenge individually.
My visit to Stonehenge
Visiting Stonehenge
Your Stonehenge ticket is included in the price of your tour. The Wheelchair-Accessible Windsor and Stonehenge Inner Circle Tour is a great way to tour this UNESCO world heritage site. The tour leaves the perfect amount of time for you to walk around the circle of ancient stones several times as you ponder various Stonehenge conspiracy theories.
Pro tip: It’s best to come prepared with an umbrella or poncho as Stonehenge weather is unpredictable. You don’t want your Stonehenge trip ruined by a passing storm. While the trams do shuttle back and forth between the ruins and the Stonehenge Visitors Center, once you are up at the site there are no other structures or shelter, so you could be stuck waiting ten or more minutes in inclement weather for a tram to arrive.
My Day trip from London to Stonehenge
The two photos above were taken minutes apart. By the time I secured my poncho, the torrential rain had passed and my Stonehenge visit was blessed with sun.
If you’re wondering, how close can you get to Stonehenge? There is a paved path to one side of the ruins suitable for wheelchair users. There is also a path through the grass. But in an effort to protect the site, you can no longer get up close enough to touch the ruins.
Bath
Bath, England is known for its famous resident Jane Austen, The Roman Baths, and some breathtaking Gregorian architecture. Most importantly, The Roman Baths, Bath England recently won the Visit England award for inclusive tourism! The Roman Baths Spa is one of the finest historic sites in Northern Europe. In 2011 the attraction underwent a major redevelopment which transformed its accessibility for over a million visitors per year. There are lifts and ramps throughout the site, audio tours, and clear signage. It really is a model for how historical sites can be made accessible to people with disabilities.
I recommend this Wheelchair-Accessible Stonehenge and Bath Day trip From London.
Outside the Roman Baths are plenty of small shops, street performers, pubs, and quaint bakeries offering delicious sweets and fudge. It’s quite easy to do Bath in a day, or half-day if you’re splitting time with Stonehenge, but if you have the time to stay longer you could easily spend a few days relaxing and taking in the gorgeous English countryside.
Bath Gregorian Architecture
Looking for more day trips from London? Check out Dovetail Stepping Stones in the Peak District as well as these 10 amazing day trips from London.
Hopefully these travel tips for a 4 days London itinerary will help in planning your next trip. I’ve left evenings open, so if you still have some energy left, you can always check out a hot new show in the West End, check out Covent Garden, Borough Market, Old Spitalfields Market, hit up Harrods for some shopping, or indulge in some amazing Indian food.
It’s also important to note that many of the historic landmarks I’ve linked to in this post offer virtual tours. So if you can’t get to London just yet, you could always take a virtual tour of The National Gallery, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and more. Cheers!
