| family rooms offer kitchens or pull-out sofas. check-in time: 2:00 pmcheck-out time: 10:30 am. bright, straightforward rooms have en suite, private or shared bathrooms and include free wi-fi, tvs, dvds, and tea and coffeemaking facilities. some add bunk beds. set in a residential area, this trendy pub with rooms is a 4-mile drive from the tower of london and a 6-mile drive from buckingham palace. the hip, vintage-vibe pub serves roasts and craft beer, and features a terrace and a jungle-themed children's playroom
Heathrow Airport 1 hr
The Shard (18 min)
87-floor glass skyscraper with a jagged peak, with restaurants, offices, hotel and viewing platform. Tower Bridge (17 min)
Panoramic views from high level walkways and behind-the-scenes access to original lifting machinery. Palace of Westminster (21 min)
Neo-Gothic masterpiece and seat of the UK government. Guided tours on Saturdays and in summer. Tower of London (18 min)
Centuries of bloody history around a medieval castle, home to Crown Jewels and iconic Beefeaters. Hyde Park (31 min)
Huge green space, home to Diana Memorial Fountain, with boating and swimming in the Serpentine lake. Trafalgar Square (24 min)
Nelson's Column rises above this iconic square's LED-lit fountains, artworks and lion statues. lastminute.com London Eye (21 min)
Huge observation wheel giving passengers a privileged bird's-eye view of the city's landmarks. Westminster Abbey (22 min)
Protestant abbey hosting daily services and every English and British coronation since 1066. Natural History Museum (32 min)
Landmark museum of animals and natural phenomena, with hands-on exhibits and animatronic dinosaurs. Big Ben (22 min)
16-storey Gothic clocktower and national symbol at the Eastern end of the Houses of Parliament. Buckingham Palace (25 min)
Visitors can tour the palace's opulent private and state rooms or watch the changing of the guard. The British Museum (27 min)
Huge showcase for global antiquities, including Egyptian mummies and ancient Greek sculptures. The National Gallery (26 min)
Trafalgar Square art museum whose masterworks trace the development of Western European painting. St. Paul's Cathedral (25 min)
Churchyard and gardens outside Saint Paul's cathedral, with a floor-plan of the original building. Borough Market (19 min)
Huge market under the railway lines, for British-reared meat and artisanal baked and dairy goods. | 
