The ultimate London landmarks walking route with kids

Trying to see all of London’s highlights on foot might not seem an easy task, but all you need are comfy shoes and this London landmarks walking route to tick off the key places.

contains affiliate links*

I’ve designed this self-guided London walking tour so it’s easy to do in sections if you don’t fancy a seven-mile walk around London with kids, plus there are plenty of places to stop, whether you want to discover the city’s family attractions in more detail or just to rest any weary legs.

Along the way, you can see everything from Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, to name just a few spots on my London walking route with kids. Best foot forward!

Part 1: London landmarks walk map

If you’re looking for a shorter version of the walk for your first time in London, you can skip the first few stops and begin by Buckingham Palace – Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus are all easy to combine at another time.

Just jump to stop 7 to cut out the first 1.5 miles or so of the London walk. Of course, unlike other guided London walking tours, you can take this one at your own pace, and split the route into as many sections as you want.

Otherwise you can view the sightseeing map for the first section of the walk below (or click the link). This covers around 2.5 miles and takes you from the Covent Garden Piazza to St James’s Park, ready to start the next section at Horseguards Parade.

Stop 1: Covent Garden

Covent Garden was home to the first public square in the country, and the Piazza is still a great place to explore.

The old market building is now packed with shops and cafes, although you can still browse the stalls of the new Covent Garden market nearby.

There are regularly pop-up events taking place for families at Covent Garden too, so it’s always worth checking out what’s on. It’s also home to the London Transport Museum to see all the ways Londoners have travelled around their city over the centuries.

After you’ve looked around, head along Henrietta Street and Chandos Place (or any other route you prefer) towards Trafalgar Square.

Stop 2: Trafalgar Square

The official heart of London, all distances are measured from this point – from the statue of Charles I astride his horse if you want to know the precise location.

The square itself is home to the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery, a series of statues and public art on the fourth plinth, as well as the famous Nelson’s column with four 7-ton lions guarding the base.

Explore more of the highlights of Trafalgar Square with a Treasure Map Trail, one of several trails covering central London – plus 10% off using code MUMMYTRAVELS

Behind their surprisingly relaxed exterior, there are some unexpected stories too. Legend has it that if Big Ben ever chimes 13 times, the lions will awake… What’s certainly true is that the big cats were sculpted from bronze cannon captured at the Battle of Trafalgar, where Nelson met his end.

Sir Edwin Landseer was given the commission (after much wrangling and delays by the committee in charge), despite being more famous for his painting than as a sculptor.

He also hadn’t had much experience of lions, so after a lot of time hanging around London Zoo, he finally persuaded the zoo to let him have a dead lion as his model (following a wait of two years until the animal died of natural causes).

When he eventually got started, he worked so slowly that the real lion had decomposed too much to be used, so the paws are supposedly modelled on an ordinary house cat! If you want to compare one to the lions currently in the zoo, you’ll discover that their backs are also the wrong shape.

From here, stroll back up Charing Cross Road and Irving Street to bring you to Leicester Square

Stop 3: Leicester Square and Chinatown

Right in the heart of tourist London, Leicester Square is always busy but worth a stop for those interested in the city’s movie and theatre history. Plus, the huge Lego store and M&M stores here are always a big hit with kids.

Want to skip Leicester Square? You can go direct from Trafalgar Square to Piccadilly Circus via Whitcomb Street and Coventry Street.

Dodge the crowds and spot some of the Scenes in the Square statues, of various characters from film and TV including Harry Potter, Mr Bean and Paddington.

You can also listen to the Swiss glockenspiel chime, grab discount theatre tickets and splash in the fountains during summer.

For more things to do in Leicester Square with kids, as well as the surrounding area, check out my top tips

From here, you could take a short detour to Lisle Street and Gerrard Street to wander around Chinatown. Otherwise, head along Coventry Street towards Piccadilly Circus.

Stop 4: Piccadilly Circus

Famous for its brightly illuminated adverts all around the busy junction, the neon signs are now a lot more high-tech than the original bulbs in the electric billboards.

At the centre of Piccadilly Circus, you’ll spot the Shaftesbury Memorial statue – usually known as Eros. Whether it’s actually Eros depicted here is something no-one seems quite sure of: it’s also said to be a depiction of the angel of Christian charity or of Eros’s brother Anteros.

The sculptor himself, Albert Gilbert, told people different things at different times, so maybe even he didn’t know. Either way, if you ask someone to meet you by the statue of Eros, everyone knows where you mean.

Harry Potter fans will also enjoy spotting one of the locations from the films – one of the most complicated scenes to shoot, featuring over 300 extras, filming starting at dawn as it was the only time the area could be closed to traffic.

It’s also famous for its crowds, as around half a million people pass through here every day. There’s no circus here, incidentally, and never has been: the word comes from the Latin for circle.

Next, head on down Piccadilly itself

Stop 5: Piccadilly (Fortnum & Mason/The Ritz)

This street has been the home of Queen Elizabeth II, who lived at 145 Piccadilly after her birth in 1926 – although you can’t see the house itself any more as it was later destroyed in the Second World War.

These days, there are a string of shops and hotels stretching along its length, as well as the Royal Academy of Arts.

Fortnum & Mason is one of the most famous – if you’re looking for a very indulgent place to stop for a drink, head to The Parlour for ice cream or afternoon tea – but look out for the Burlington Arcade as well, a historic covered arcade dating back to 1819.

There are plenty of more everyday shops too, including a huge Waterstones with a fantastic children’s book department – perfect for finding some great books about London for kids.

Make your way along the street and eventually you’ll get to The Ritz, on the edge of Green Park: if you’re planning to stop for afternoon tea here, be prepared to book well ahead and to dress up!

If you’re wondering where the word Piccadilly even comes from, it’s a particular type of collar known as a piccadill. One tailor specialising in the design owned a house called Piccadilly Hall, which then gave its name to the area.

Continue past The Ritz and take any gate into Green Park

Stop 6: Green Park

One of eight Royal Parks in London, it’s also the smallest – but while the park isn’t as famous as some of the others such as Hyde Park, it’s a relaxing short-cut away from the crowds as you make your way down to Buckingham Palace.

Unless you visit in Spring, when the daffodils are in bloom, you might notice that there are none of the formal flowerbeds of the other parks.

So the story goes, King Charles II’s wife demanded that all flowers be removed from the park after she caught him picking a bouquet for another woman – true or not, the tradition continues.

It is a good place to spot squirrels, so bring some nuts to feed them as you go.

Follow the path through the park to Constitution Hill on the south side.

Stop 7: Buckingham Palace

As you emerge from Green Park, you’ll see the Victoria memorial at the centre of the road and the black and gold railings separating the public from Buckingham Palace.

One of the most famous stops on the whole London landmarks walking route, you can get a glimpse of the exterior of Buckingham Palace year-round, but you only get the chance to go indoors for a few months of the year.

The State Rooms are usually open from July to October, although you can visit the Royal Mews and The King’s Gallery outside these months as well. Check out my tips for visiting Buckingham Palace with kids.

Take a look at the flagpole to find out whether the monarch is staying there during your visit: if it’s the Royal Standard, that means the King is in residence, but if it’s the Union Flag, he is residing elsewhere. There’s always more chance of seeing the Royal Standard flying on a weekday rather than a weekend.

For more royal places in London with kids, check out my top tips

After you’ve taken a look at the monarch’s official residence, turn around and head down The Mall before taking one of the entrances into St James’s Park.

Stop 8: St James’s Park

The oldest of the royal parks (and the second smallest), St James’s Park is another lovely green haven – and here you’ve got the chance to spot the park’s most famous residents, the pelicans.

There have been pelicans living here since the 17th century when Charles II was given a pair and they even have their own island in the lake. There isn’t currently an official feeding time, but you can still spot the birds swimming on the lake and preening.

Make time for a stop on the Blue Bridge over the lake for views back to Buckingham Palace and out towards Horse Guards Parade and the London Eye in the other direction.

There’s also a playground in the south-west corner, not far from Buckingham Palace, as well as a cafe and toilets on the opposite side towards Horse Guards Parade.

You’ll find plenty of squirrels to feed here too, as well as some of the stops on the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Walk.

Cross the road to Horse Guards Parade to begin section 2 of the London landmarks walking route

Part 2: London landmarks walk map

This part covers almost four miles, and takes almost twice as long as the first section – see the route below or click here for the map.

Stop 9: Horse Guards Parade

If you arrive here before 11am on a weekday (10am on Sundays), you can see the King’s Life Guard Change – less busy than the main changing of the guard, which runs from St James’s Palace along The Mall and from Wellington Barracks.

If you’re visiting outside those times, you can still spot the horse guards on Whitehall, with two on guard here in the sentry boxes – cross the parade ground and head through the buildings to exit onto Whitehall where you can find them approximately opposite Banqueting House (though they’re hard to miss!)

The Household Cavalry Museum is also within these buildings, for a chance to learn more about the guards and to spot the horses in the stables.

Then walk along Whitehall towards Parliament Square, passing the memorial to the Women of World War II and the Cenotaph, as well as the statues in Parliament Square before turning into Broad Sanctuary

Stop 10: Westminster Abbey

Unmissable if your kids are interested in British history – you can take a look at the outside or head inside to explore properly.

Over 3,300 people have been buried or commemorated at Westminster Abbey, including 16 separate British monarchs (or 17, if you believe the bones thought to be the Princes in the Tower include those of Edward V) plus many of their consorts.

You can see the tombs of Henry V and all the Tudors except Henry VIII, alongside early kings such as Edward the Confessor, who died a week after the abbey was consecrated, Plantagenet Kings and other monarchs including Elizabeth I, right up to George II.

The abbey has also seen 16 royal weddings, from Henry I in 1100 to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2011. And every king or queen of England has been crowned here, except two – Edward V, who was deposed and presumed murdered before his coronation, and Edward VIII who abdicated before his could take place.

There are tours and a free family trail. Prebooking is recommended: get discounted tickets if you book through my link using code MUMMYTRAVELS6.

Walk back to Parliament Square

Stop 11: The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben

Another of the iconic sights of London, the Elizabeth Tower – which houses Big Ben – has been under scaffolding for the past couple of years during a long restoration project, but has been unveiled in all its glory once more.

The 96m tall clocktower dates back to 1859 and with London traffic (and lots of visitors climbing the stairs inside as part of the Big Ben tours), the renovations were the first for around 40 years.

Now unveiled once more, the clock face is visible and tours are starting again, with limited numbers – only suitable for children aged 11+.

The 13.7 tonne Great Bell, as Big Ben is officially known, was silenced during the facelift, but the famous ‘booooong’ is ringing again, striking the hour and sounding the quarter chimes, so you’ll be able to hear it sound.

If you’ve always fancied seeing inside the Houses of Parliament there are various tours you can take to explore inside.

There are multimedia tours, if you prefer to go at your own pace – including an audio guide for kids – or you can take one of the guided tours, to discover more about the history and traditions of Parliament and its home.

As well as the 90-minute guided tour available for all visitors, there’s also a 75-minute free option for UK residents.

UK residents can also get a free ticket to see a debate, either in the House of Commons or the House of Lords – worth doing if you fancy taking in one of the more popular debates. You’ll need ID, there’s airport-style security and it’s a good plan to dress reasonably smartly too.

Contact your MP in advance, otherwise you can chance your luck on the day and queue to get in to see the House in session – recess quite often coincides with school holidays if you’re visiting with kids though.

Cross Westminster Bridge to the South Bank

Stop 12: The South Bank

The London Eye is probably the best known place to get a bird’s eye view of the capital (although certainly not the only option – check out my tips for some other great London views with kids)

Towering high above the South Bank and looking out across the Thames, you can get some spectacular panoramas, or just enjoy watching it turn slowly.

Prebooking is strongly advised, with discounts if you buy your tickets online in advance. There are also fast-track tickets available to skip the queues, which is ideal with kids, especially in peak season.

From here, you’ll pass a string of other family attractions as you wander along the Thames past Waterloo Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge, before reaching Bankside.

Check out my post on the best things to do on the South Bank with kids for more tips

Along the way, you can visit the Sea Life Aquarium, Shrek’s Adventure and the London Dungeon, see street art, pass a skate park, enjoy views along the water, including a great point to take a photo near Gabriel’s Wharf, before reaching the Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe, where you can take a tour behind the scenes.

If you want to detour slightly away from the riverside, it’s only a short walk from Tate Modern to Borough Market to pick up something to eat.

Head over the Millennium Bridge back to the north bank of the Thames

Stop 13: St Paul’s Cathedral

Famously built from the ashes of the Great Fire of London, today it’s hard to imagine London’s skyline without Christopher Wren’s famous dome.

Outside you can spot the outline of the former cathedral marked out on the ground, to get an idea of how it once looked.

And you can also head inside to explore St Paul’s Cathedral except on Sundays or when it’s closed for special services – click here to book discounted tickets using my code MUMMYTRAVELS6.

In the Whispering gallery, a whisper on one side can be heard on the other – I remember doing this with my parents as a child, and it seems like magic that this should be possible.

The gallery has reopened after being closed to the public for a few years, plus there are two more galleries above with fabulous views if you’re happy to climb 528 steps.

You can also see tombs of famous Britons in the crypt, including Wren himself, Lord Wellington and Lord Nelson plus memorials to Florence Nightingale, Samuel Johnson and poet John Donne, the only one to have survived the fire.

Walk down Cannon Street in the direction of London Bridge (keep an eye out for the London Stone along the way). Turn onto King William Street and before you get to the bridge itself, turn down Monument Street towards The Monument.

Stop 14: The Monument

At the junction of Monument Street and Fish Street Hill, the Monument to the Great Fire of London (better known simply as the Monument) was also designed by Sir Christopher Wren and finished in 1677.

Standing 202 feet high, it’s 202 feet from the spot where the fire started on Pudding Lane – if you laid it down, it would reach right to the bakery.

For more Great Fire of London locations, check out this post

As well as reading the plaque at the bottom, you can also climb the 311 steps to the gallery at the top of the Monument to look out across the city.

Only 33 people are allowed inside at any time, with a free certificate for those which make the climb.

Before you head on to the next stop, you could make a quick detour to London Bridge – there’s been a bridge in around this spot since the Romans built Londinium, although the modern bridge is probably one of London’s dullest. You do get some great views of Tower Bridge and the Shard from here.

Then head to Lower Thames Street and follow it east towards the Tower of London – it’s not the most exciting section as you walk London, along a busy road, so you can take the tube from Monument station to Tower Hill if you prefer, or head up to Eastcheap to catch the number 15 bus (which also runs from St Paul’s Cathedral if you don’t mind missing Monument altogether)

Stop 15: The Tower of London

From the crown jewels to the famous ravens and beefeaters, a visit to the The Tower of London makes a great day out with kids in London.

You can get a look across the moat to some of its walls and fortifications if you don’t want to go inside, as well as seeing the river entrance to Traitor’s Gate from the path on the waterfront.

But it’s well worth making time to head inside. With almost 950 years of history within its walls, you can explore former royal apartments, decorated as they would have been when kings lived there, and discover the Tower’s grim history as a prison too, including a memorial to two of Henry VIII’s executed queens.

It also houses part of the Royal Armoury, a display on the Royal Mint, plus you’ll find displays on the Tower’s menagerie of animals, discover live performances during school holidays, and walk the walls.

Tickets can be bought on the day, although prebooking is recommended – there’s a discount if you book via tiqets using my code MUMMYTRAVELS6.

There’s also a new immersive experience near the Tower themed around the Gunpowder Plot, where you’ll be whisked back to 1605 to see if you can foil Guy Fawkes…

Walk around the Tower to get to Tower Bridge – there are steps up from the river level

Stop 16: Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge is easily the most famous of London’s bridges, and as well as getting a view of its famous blue and white paint, you can head inside to discover its history.

There’s a chance to stand on the glass walkway and look down to the views along the river, before heading into the engine rooms. You’ll find regular family activities taking place, for some added fun for kids, plus a Tower Bridge Trail for Little Explorers and family trail app. 

You can find tickets to Tower Bridge with free cancellation (or of course it’s free to walk across if you don’t want to go inside).

If you’d like a chance of seeing the bridge’s impressive opening as a bigger boat comes through, check the lift times.

Where next?

Congratulations! Your self guided London walks are at an end and you’ve ticked off some of the key London sightseeing spots along the way.

From here, there are plenty of things to do near Tower Bridge with kids if you’ve still got the energy – head over to the other side of the river to explore Bankside, see the HMS Belfast or Golden Hinde perhaps.

You could pick up a boat from Tower Pier or London Bridge City Pier to get another view of the city from the water.

Or if you didn’t visit Borough Market earlier in the day, you can reward all that walking with something delicious. Too tired to go that far? There’s a Crosstown Doughnuts truck at More London, around five minutes’ walk away, plus some more views of Tower Bridge.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links – any purchases you make are unaffected but I may receive a small commission

Images: St Pauls and Tower of London copyright MummyTravels, Leicester Square courtesy AdobeStock, Main image and all others courtesy of Depositphotos,

LIKED THIS? SIGN UP FOR MY EMAIL NEWSLETTER