One Day in London Itinerary
Ready, Set, Go for the Temple Church!
1. Double-decker sightseeing
2. British Museum
3. Temple Church Knights and Magna Carta
4. London musical
Setting out in the morning from Stansted Airport, we are eager to make the most of London! We have a one-day itinerary – corresponding to 12 hours of cultural experiences in London city ahead of us – and we already know that our day will include a museum visit, the Temple Church and a musical! The Stansted Express takes us fast and conveniently to Liverpool Street Station, where we continue by tube to Oxford Street – for some tempting shopping.
A couple of hours later, we impulsively jump on a double-decker bus, an excellent way to do a bit of sightseeing. Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden, St Paul’s Cathedral, Oxford Circus, Oxford Street, Bond Street, Marble Arch, Hyde Park – we end up covering many of the major sights from the top deck. This is the fastest way to do some iconic London sightseeing, in a short time.
Piccadilly Circus | Photo: Travel In Culture
Afterwards, in a tiny park near the British Museum, we improvise a picnic, with sandwiches from the nearest Sainsbury’s. It is a lovely day, and the small area is filled with tourists, students and others who enjoy the surprising tranquillity amid the otherwise busy metropolis.
A young man recites from his notes while walking back and forth on the lawn between sunbathing and chatting with groups of students, unaffected by the surroundings. It is a real gem of a city oasis!
Picnic on a green spot in central London | Photo: Travel In Culture
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The British Museum is next. Surrounded by ruins of magnificent palaces, animal friezes, delicate mummies and ‘The Lewis Chessmen’ with the medieval chess pieces of walrus tusks originating from Norway and found on the Outer Hebrides, we immerse ourselves in intriguing antique cultures at the museum.
The British Museum
The British Museum | Photo: Harry Burgess / Pixabay
The Rosetta Stone fascinates us with its significance for deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs. It originates from Memphis in Egypt, dates back to 196 BC, and was discovered by a soldier in the Nile Delta in 1799 during the Napoleon campaign in Egypt. As it has three versions of a decree inscribed, versions using hieroglyphic and demotic scripts and ancient Greek, the two others were used as a key to understanding the hieroglyphs.
The old Round Church is in a secluded courtyard | Photo: Travel In Culture
The hidden gem near Fleet Street is the old Temple Church, rich in Knights Templar history. From the Temple Underground Station, twisting through the intricate net of streets and paths, we pass the Middle Temple, the Lamb Building, the Cloisters, the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, and the Hare Court Chambers before we finally reach the very Temple Church, tucked away in a secluded courtyard. The finest temple gardens flank the paths towards the church.
The Temple Church consists of an original round church and a later chancel. It was built here in London by the Knights Templar, an order of monks who protected pilgrims on their way to and from Jerusalem. The crusading monks built churches and monasteries on their way all across Europe.
Templars rest inside the Temple Church | Photo: Travel In Culture
At the entrance, an adorable, elderly lady receives us and shows us in, and we enter the historic church, which has been the focal point of the Templars for centuries.
Numerous knights of the Crusades are buried inside the church, with stone statues above the tombs on the church floor. The Temple Church was King John’s headquarters in 1214-1215, where the knights protected him.
The church was built by the Knights Templar which was an order of crusading monks | Photo: Travel In Culture
There is a special Magna Carta exhibition in the Round Church. It is a charter of rights from 1215, agreed to by King John of England. He renounced part of his rights, the first step towards England’s state law.
The Temple Church is an 800-year-old church in London | Photo: Travel In Culture
William Marshall was the driving force behind the Magna Carta and has an honourable place inside the church.
Late afternoon, we enter Nicholson’s The Wellington on the Strand, and with delicious fish & chips, we are now ready for quite a different, modern cultural experience. The Lyceum Theatre is just around the corner, and the musical The Lion King is on tonight!
It is time for a glass of beer outside The Wellington | Photo: Travel In Culture
People gather on the street in front of the pub with a glass of beer or wine in hand. It is a lovely, mild May evening.
With high expectations for the musical, we find our seats on the balcony. It is all amazing! An outstanding and original choreography of dancing animal characters impresses us. It is tremendously imaginative and full of surprising effects – unquestionably a top performance!
The Lyceum Theatre performs The Lion King | Photo: Travel In Culture
12 hours after arriving at Liverpool Street Station in London in the first place, we now find ourselves in the reverse direction, heading back to Stansted Airport again after a most cultural and inspiring day! It feels like we have been in London for a whole weekend and not just for a modest 12 hours!
Would you like to find the best area to stay in London? Then you may want to check out The 9 Best London Areas to Stay
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12 Hours – One Day in London Itinerary – Ready, Set, Go for the Temple Church
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12 Hours in London Itinerary – Ready, Set, Go for the Temple Church:
Travel In Culture
Ready, Set, Go for the Temple Church London
