⏱️🌍 Greenwich: The Ideal First Day
We arrived in London at the end of our Viking Norway and Scotland cruise — not by motorcoach or train but sailing up the Thames and docking at Greenwich.
That’s one of the quiet advantages of small-ship cruising. Most large cruise ships cannot make that journey upriver. Ours could — and it made for a memorable arrival.
We docked early at the Greenwich wharf. Because that day was still technically part of the cruise itinerary, we stayed local — which turned out to be the perfect introduction to London.
Greenwich Arrival, Salisbury, the West End, and London’s Must-See Highlights
If you arrive via small ship at Greenwich, you’re in a remarkably walkable and historic area. Right at the dock sits the Cutty Sark, the iconic 19th-century tea clipper ship. We chose not to tour it, but it’s worth seeing even from the outside.
Just up the hill is the Royal Observatory Greenwich, home of the Prime Meridian — the line dividing the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
We toured the observatory and spent time in the clock exhibits, which were excellent. The displays explain how critical accurate timekeeping was to celestial navigation — and how difficult that becomes when your “desk” is a ship rolling at sea.
We also visited the National Maritime Museum, which is exceptional. One could easily spend a full day there.
The weather was rainy, but that hardly mattered. We had lunch at an outdoor café under an umbrella and made the best of it. London in the rain still feels like London.
🏨📍 Where We Stayed: Club Quarters Trafalgar Square
For our three nights in London, we stayed at Club Quarters Hotel Trafalgar Square — a very solid choice.
The location is difficult to beat. Just steps from Trafalgar Square and within walking distance of Westminster, the Thames, and the West End, it allowed us to maximize time and minimize transportation stress.
The hotel was comfortable, friendly, and efficient — not flashy, but exactly what we needed.
One evening, admittedly out of laziness after a long day, we had dinner in the hotel restaurant rather than heading back out. We split a beef bourguignon, and it was excellent. Service was attentive and relaxed.
On the morning of our departure back to Tampa, we had breakfast there as well. The buffet was organized, fresh, and handled very well — a smooth start to a travel day. For travelers wanting central London without unnecessary fuss, Club Quarters was a good choice.
🚤🌙 An Evening Thames River Cruise
Earlier in the trip, we booked a dinner Thames River cruise departing near our hotel.
We spent roughly two and a half hours on the river.
You don’t book a cruise like this for fine dining. The food was good — within expectations — but the perspective is what makes it worthwhile.
We passed Tower Bridge, London Bridge, and large stretches of the evolving skyline. Seeing historic and modern London from the water provides context you don’t get at street level.
I absolutely recommend it.
⛪🎖️ Westminster Abbey & Churchill’s War Rooms
We spent one full day in central London, beginning with Westminster Abbey.
It is impressive. Historic. Grand. Crowded.
Buy tickets in advance.
For those deeply immersed in British and European history, it may be breathtaking throughout. For us, after considerable walking, it became more impressive than fascinating — but still well worth seeing.
That afternoon, we visited the Churchill War Rooms, which was a highlight.
The museum does an outstanding job of presenting both the flawed human and the extraordinary leader. It is immersive, balanced, and compelling.
If time is limited and you must choose, the Churchill War Rooms may have the stronger emotional impact.
🚆🏰 A Day Trip to Salisbury & Stonehenge
On our third day, we took the train to Salisbury.
The train was comfortable, reasonably priced, and easy to navigate. It’s an efficient way to see more of England beyond London.
Salisbury Cathedral dominates the skyline and the experience. We took a guided tour that focused on architecture and history — excellent and informative.
After lunch, we split up briefly. I explored Salisbury and wandered into a small three-story shop looking for a quality English or Scottish cashmere sweater. The staff was incredibly helpful, even FaceTiming our daughter so she could select one as well. They included wool socks as a gift.
Sometimes small retail experiences create the most lasting travel memories.
Marilyn took a taxi to Stonehenge. A caution: getting a return taxi proved more difficult than expected. Build in extra time if visiting independently.
🎭🍽️ West End Evenings
That evening, we headed to dinner and our first West End show.
We used Bolt (like Uber). Note: ride-share services in London may cancel rides if a better fare becomes available. It happened to us more than once. Plan buffer time. High Speed Uber boats are also available on the rivers.
The first show was enjoyable but not a blockbuster. We ended the evening with ice cream on the walk back.
On our final night, we dined at Sketch — energetic, stylish, and memorable. Service was impeccable. The food was eclectic and very good.
After dinner, we saw Hamilton in the West End.
It was superb.
The theater was larger, the crowd electric, and the production outstanding. If you go, sit within 10–20 rows of the stage. It’s worth the extra cost.
The Tower of London and the London Eye
On our final full day, we visited the Tower of London.
Plan for two to three hours. The Crown Jewels line looks long but moves quickly thanks to an efficient system inside.
After lunch, we headed to the London Eye.
We purchased tickets in advance. The rotation takes about 45 minutes and provides sweeping views of Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Parliament, and the Thames.
Touristy? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely.
Earlier in the trip, we also used a hop-on hop-off double-decker bus tour to gain broad orientation around the city — a smart strategy if time is limited.
✈️🧳Departure Day and Virgin Atlantic
We asked the hotel to arrange a taxi to Heathrow.
Leave plenty of time. The drive from Trafalgar Square to Heathrow can be long and traffic heavy.
We flew Virgin Atlantic in Economy Delight, which provided significant extra legroom and notably friendly service. The food was great!!! It was a very pleasant surprise.
I’ve since booked additional flights with them.
📌 Practical Travel Tips for Three Days in London
Stay central. Trafalgar Square worked very well.
• Buy major attraction tickets in advance.
• Allow extra time for Heathrow transfers.
• Build buffer time when using ride-share services.
• Consider a Thames cruise early in your stay.
• Spend the extra money for good West End seats.
Three days works. Four would be better. Five would be ideal.
🌟 Final Thoughts
London is layered, historic, energetic, and filled with options.
The West End rivaled anything we remember from Broadway. The museums are exceptional. The transportation works — with patience.
Three days gave us a strong introduction.
It did not feel like enough.
And that may be the best reason to return.
Our Three Days in London was a perfect culmination to Cruise Into the Midnight Sun Viking Cruise. We covered so much ground from Bergen then North to Scotland, everyday brought us new experiences, cultures and so much history. I’ll never forget my scuba dive experience under the arctic circle in Lofoten. Our Thanks to the crew and captain of the Viking Jupiter, who as always did provided an outstanding experience.
London Photo Gallery
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