Heathrow Airport 1 hr 16
The Shard (33 min)
87-floor glass skyscraper with a jagged peak, with restaurants, offices, hotel and viewing platform. Royal Observatory Greenwich (15 min)
Wren's 18th-century astronomical observatory on the Prime Meridian, now a museum with a planetarium. Trafalgar Square (37 min)
Nelson's Column rises above this iconic square's LED-lit fountains, artworks and lion statues. Big Ben (36 min)
16-storey Gothic clocktower and national symbol at the Eastern end of the Houses of Parliament. Borough Market (34 min)
Huge market under the railway lines, for British-reared meat and artisanal baked and dairy goods. St. Paul's Cathedral (34 min)
Churchyard and gardens outside Saint Paul's cathedral, with a floor-plan of the original building. The British Museum (38 min)
Huge showcase for global antiquities, including Egyptian mummies and ancient Greek sculptures. Westminster Abbey (38 min)
Protestant abbey hosting daily services and every English and British coronation since 1066. lastminute.com London Eye (37 min)
Huge observation wheel giving passengers a privileged bird's-eye view of the city's landmarks. Palace of Westminster (37 min)
Neo-Gothic masterpiece and seat of the UK government. Guided tours on Saturdays and in summer. The National Gallery (38 min)
Trafalgar Square art museum whose masterworks trace the development of Western European painting. Tower Bridge (26 min)
Panoramic views from high level walkways and behind-the-scenes access to original lifting machinery. Hyde Park (44 min)
Huge green space, home to Diana Memorial Fountain, with boating and swimming in the Serpentine lake. Buckingham Palace (39 min)
Visitors can tour the palace's opulent private and state rooms or watch the changing of the guard. Tower of London (26 min)
Centuries of bloody history around a medieval castle, home to Crown Jewels and iconic Beefeaters. | 
