RunCity

London on foot: a self-guided walking route

This route takes you past 11 of London's best-known sights, including Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower) and more. It is about 10.5 km on foot, roughly 3.5 hours at an easy pace with short stops. Follow the list on your own, or play it as a free GPS checkpoint game with RunCity and race the clock on the London leaderboard.

  • 11Stops
  • about 10.5 kmDistance
  • 3.5 hoursWalking
  • about 85 minRunning
Play London in RunCity

Free during launch. Runs in your phone's browser; the app is in English, German and Hungarian.

London
Photo: Ilya Grigorik · CC BY-SA 3.0

This route takes in royal Westminster, the South Bank and the City of London, ending at Tower Bridge. You start at Buckingham Palace, walk past Westminster Abbey to Big Ben and cross the river for the London Eye, then come back over to Trafalgar Square and Nelson's Column. From there it is a long, easy stretch east to St Paul's Cathedral, and over the Millennium Bridge to Shakespeare's Globe on the south bank.

Borough Market is the place to eat halfway, under its railway arches. The bonus stop, Leadenhall Market, is a painted Victorian arcade back across the river in the City, and the last two stops are the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, best seen from the south bank. Check the Changing of the Guard times if you want to see it at Buckingham Palace, and use the Underground or a river bus if you want to save a leg; most stops are close to a Tube station.

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Download the route as GPX (for Komoot, Strava or a watch)

The stops

A suggested order. In the game you can visit them in any order.

  1. Buckingham Palace

    Buckingham Palace Photo

    The palace front seen from the Victoria Memorial.

    Photo: Julian Herzog (Website) · CC BY 4.0

  2. Westminster Abbey

    Westminster Abbey

    The twin western towers of the coronation church.

    Photo: Prioryman · CC BY-SA 4.0

  3. Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower)

    Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower) Photo

    The clock tower beside Westminster Bridge.

    Photo: Christian David · CC BY-SA 4.0

  4. London Eye

    London Eye Photo

    The giant wheel on the South Bank, seen from the riverside path.

    Photo: Khamtran · CC BY-SA 3.0

  5. Trafalgar Square

    Trafalgar Square

    The square with Nelson's Column and its fountains.

    Photo: Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0

  6. St Paul's Cathedral

    St Paul's Cathedral Photo

    The great dome seen from the front steps.

    Photo: Mark Fosh · CC BY 2.0

  7. Shakespeare's Globe

    Shakespeare's Globe

    The round thatched theatre on the river bank.

    Photo: Thomas Roessler · CC BY-SA 3.0

  8. Borough Market

    Borough Market

    The food market under its railway arches.

    Photo: Øyvind Holmstad · CC BY-SA 4.0

  9. Leadenhall Market

    Leadenhall Market Bonus

    The painted Victorian market arcade in the City.

    Photo: Diliff · CC BY 2.5

  10. Tower of London

    Tower of London

    The medieval fortress and its White Tower.

    Photo: SkyRose18 · CC0

  11. Tower Bridge

    Tower Bridge Photo

    The two towers of the bridge seen from the south bank.

    Photo: Fuzzypiggy · CC BY-SA 3.0

Play London in RunCity

Leaderboard

    Questions

    Can you see London on foot in one day?

    Yes. The 11 stops on this route add up to about 10.5 km, roughly 3.5 hours at an easy pace with short stops. Some stops are far apart, so you may want public transport for a leg.

    Is this self-guided walking tour free?

    Yes. The route and map on this page are free, and the RunCity game for London is free during launch.

    How does the RunCity game work in London?

    Open London in RunCity, walk to a stop and tap Validate: your phone's GPS confirms you are there. Some stops also ask for a photo. Timed runs go on the London leaderboard.

    Where does the route start?

    This page suggests starting at Buckingham Palace and finishing at Tower Bridge. In the game you can take the stops in any order.

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