Sharing quick logistics for my 3 days in London (February 14-16, 2026). For what I actually did with the weekend (theatre, markets, the British Museum miss, 42,000 steps), read my solo trip to London trip report. This post is the day-by-day plan, bookings, transit, and what I’d do differently.
I flew in from Helsinki after a work trip in Finland and had three days before heading home to Seattle.
More on alyssaoutside:
- Solo trip to London (narrative companion, same trip)
- 12 Hours in Tokyo on a Layover
- Narita layover logistics
- How to Plan a Trip to the San Juan Islands
Weekend checklist
- Book timed entries: British Museum, Churchill War Rooms, Globe tour, Savoy tea, theatre
- Pick a home base (South Bank vs central) and commit to Tube or walking
- Download the free Rick Steves Westminster Walk audio before Saturday
- Screenshot every confirmation email (learned this the hard way)
At a glance
| When | Feb 14-16, 2026 (Valentine’s / Presidents’ Day weekend) |
| Trip length | 3 days (Sat arrival, Mon departure) |
| From Seattle | ~9 hr direct; I came via Helsinki on Finnair |
| Home base | Sea Containers London (South Bank / Bankside) |
| Vibe | Museums, West End theatre, food markets, walking |
| Book ahead | Globe tour, afternoon tea, theatre, Churchill War Rooms |
| Big pivot | British Museum: no ticket; swapped to Buckingham Palace + National Gallery |
Getting there: Heathrow to Sea Containers
Goal: LHR to Blackfriars without the Heathrow Express upcharge.
Cost: ~£13.30 with contactless (Apple Pay / Google Pay). No paper ticket.
- Follow purple “Elizabeth Line” signs at arrivals. Not Heathrow Express, not Piccadilly.
- Tap contactless at the barrier.
- Board any train toward Shenfield or Abbey Wood (~45 min).
- Get off at Farringdon.
- Transfer to Thameslink inside the station (don’t exit the barriers). Take a southbound train toward Brighton, Gatwick, or Three Bridges.
- Get off at London Blackfriars (2 stops, ~4 min).
- Exit toward South Bank / South Exit. Not the north/main exit or you’re on the wrong side of the river.
- Turn left on the river path. Sea Containers is the big ship-like building ~2 minutes away.
I landed around 9:00 AM, cleared customs, dropped bags at the hotel by late morning, and was at Borough Market for lunch.
Where I stayed
Sea Containers London, South Bank, right on the Thames.
Pros: 12-minute walk to Borough Market. 5-minute walk to Shakespeare’s Globe and Tate Modern. Hotel cinema (Curzon) and rooftop bar (12th Knot) in the building. Thameslink + Elizabeth Line at Blackfriars.
Cons: Not central for Westminster or the West End. I crossed the river a lot. On Saturday I hit ~42,000 steps partly because I kept walking back to the hotel instead of taking the Tube when I was tired.
If I ran this London weekend itinerary again, I’d either stay more central (Covent Garden / Soho side) or commit to the Jubilee line and stop treating the hotel as a midday pit stop.
First time booking a nice hotel solo. AMEX Platinum FHR credit helped with the room and on-property dining.
What I booked in advance
| Booking | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shakespeare’s Globe tour | Sun 10:00 AM | Friend rec; worth it even in rain (open-air replica) |
| The Savoy, Prestige Afternoon Tea | Sun ~4:00 PM | OpenTable; plan ~90 min |
| Lyaness (Sea Containers bar) | Sun ~6:45 PM | Pre-movie drinks; bar seats, not river-view table |
| Curzon Sea Containers, Wuthering Heights | Sun 8:20 PM | Seat 7-3; basement cinema in the hotel |
| Phoenix Theatre, Stranger Things: The First Shadow | Sat evening | Solo seat; book early for good location |
| Churchill War Rooms | Mon morning | Timed entry; do before airport |
What I thought I booked but didn’t: British Museum timed entry. I had almost booked it, couldn’t find the confirmation email, and on a school-break Sunday the museum was packed with no walk-in slots. Book the British Museum online and screenshot the confirmation.
Saturday, Feb 14: Borough Market, Westminster walk, West End
Rough timeline of what I actually did.
| Time | What | Transit / notes |
|---|---|---|
| ~9:00 AM | Land LHR | Elizabeth Line → Farringdon → Thameslink → Blackfriars |
| ~11:00-11:30 | Bag drop Sea Containers | Room not ready; activated hotel dining credit |
| ~12:00 PM | Borough Market lunch | 12-min walk east along the river |
| The Black Pig: pork sandwich (“the best one”) | Long line; moves fast | |
| Humble Crumble: crumble + custard | Sweet stop | |
| Monmouth Coffee | Coffee to go; kept the deposit mug as a souvenir | |
| ~1:00 PM | Rick Steves Westminster Walk (free audio) | Tube: London Bridge → Westminster (Jubilee) |
| Route intent: Big Ben → Parliament → Whitehall → St James’s Park → Trafalgar / National Gallery | Detour: large protest near Downing Street; walked north toward Churchill War Rooms area | |
| Afternoon | Walked east from National Gallery area | People-watching, Lush on Oxford Street |
| Evening | Back to hotel, then West End | Uber when I was done walking |
| Phoenix Theatre, Stranger Things: The First Shadow | Charing Cross Road | |
| Bunsik (Leicester Square): Korean street food | Quick bite; not a sit-down dinner | |
| Late | 12th Knot rooftop | Sea Containers; room key skips the line |
| ~42,000 steps | South Bank base + Westminster loop + West End |
Skipped from the plan: River boat to Tower Pier, Seven Dials Market dinner. Weather was fine for walking. I chose theatre + grab-and-go food instead.
Rick Steves tip: Download the Westminster Walk before you go. Free, self-paced, no group. Start at Westminster Bridge.
Sunday, Feb 15: Globe, Tate, pivot, tea, bar, movie
Rain most of the day. Lighter breakfast. Lots of food booked later.
| Time | What | Transit / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | Coffee / pastry toward Globe | GAIL’s Bakery Neo Bankside (behind Tate Modern) |
| 10:00 AM | Shakespeare’s Globe guided tour | 5-min walk from hotel; open roof = rain inside |
| ~11:30 AM-12:30 PM | Tate Modern | ~1 hour; Afrofuturism exhibit (6th floor) |
| ~1:00 PM | Lunch en route to British Museum | Burgers + margarita |
| ~2:00 PM | British Museum: no entry | Forgot/lost timed ticket; school break crowds |
| Pivot | Double-decker bus to Buckingham Palace | Exterior + Victoria Memorial photos |
| ~3:00-3:30 PM | National Gallery | ~30 min; Van Gogh / highlight rooms (free) |
| ~4:00 PM | The Savoy, Prestige Afternoon Tea | OpenTable; classic tiered service |
| ~6:45 PM | Lyaness cocktails | Sea Containers ground floor |
| 8:20 PM | Curzon Sea Containers, Wuthering Heights | In-hotel cinema |
If the British Museum had worked: Rosetta Stone + Elgin Marbles via the free audio app. Plan 2+ hours.
Tea tip: Savoy afternoon tea is a sit-down event, not a 20-minute snack. Wear something you’re okay sitting in for ~90 minutes.
Monday, Feb 16: Churchill War Rooms, then airport
| Time | What | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | Churchill War Rooms | Timed ticket; WWII bunkers left as a time capsule |
| Midday | Transit to LHR | Elizabeth Line from Farringdon area; allow ~3 hours before international departure |
I skipped the planned Old Spitalfields Market stop. Prioritized the museum and getting steps in before a long flight home.
Food worth ordering (my picks)
- Borough Market: The Black Pig (pork sandwich), Humble Crumble (crumble)
- Monmouth Coffee, Borough Market location
- Bunsik, Leicester Square: fast Korean after theatre
- The Savoy, afternoon tea (book ahead)
- 12th Knot, rooftop drinks if you’re staying at Sea Containers
Theatre and solo seats
- Book West End shows early. I saw Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix Theatre.
- Solo travellers: single seats often show up. I booked ahead so I wasn’t scrambling day-of.
- Discount options: TKTS London (Leicester Square booth + online).
What I’d do differently
- British Museum: Book timed entry and screenshot the confirmation.
- Hotel location: South Bank is great for Globe + Tate + Borough. Pair it with aggressive Tube use, or stay north of the river for this exact 3 days in London plan.
- Saturday pacing: Leave the camera at the hotel once, or don’t walk back mid-day. I added miles for gear I didn’t need twice.
- Monday buffer: Churchill War Rooms + Elizabeth Line to Heathrow is straightforward. Don’t cut airport time short after a museum morning.
What I’d skip (for a short weekend)
- London Eye: long queue, price, view is fine not great
- Leicester Square sit-down restaurants: tourist pricing; grab-and-go (Bunsik) worked
- Changing of the Guard: fine if you’re already at the Palace; I wouldn’t build the day around it
