One of the best ways to get an overview of London is to walk the Jubilee Walkway. This is a self-guided walking route created in 1977 to mark Queen Elizabeth II 25th anniversary on the throne.
The 14-mile (23km) route connects all the main places of interest in central London from Buckingham Palace to the Tower of London.
Circular silver plaques set in the pavement, guide you in the right direction. Information panels along the route describe the buildings in the area.
It takes a long day to walk the whole Jubilee Walkway. If you’re not a keen walker, the route can be divided into five sections which take between 1 and 4 hours to walk.
We recommend the Jubilee Loop and the Western Loop sections for first-time visitors. If you do both, you’ll see the most important sights in central London.
Jubilee Loop Walk – 1 hour walk
This is the section to walk if you’re short of time. The 2 mile (3km) anti-clockwise circular route passes some of London’s main sights: Buckingham Palace, St James’s Park, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Horse Guards Parade.
The walk starts and ends in Trafalgar Square (Charing Cross, Embankment, Leicester Square or Piccadilly tube stations).
Jubilee Loop Walk description (pdf)
View Jubilee Loop Walk in a larger map
Western Loop Walk – 4 hour walk
The 6 mile (9.5km) Western Loop is the best walking route to see London’s historic sites and main tourist attractions. The route passes Trafalgar Square, St James’s Park, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the river Thames, the South Bank, Millennium Bridge, Tate Modern, St Paul’s Cathedral, Lincoln’s Inn Fields and back towards the West End via Covent Garden.
This one starts and finishes in Leicester Square. If you’ve already done the Jubilee Loop and don’t want to walk through St James’s Park again, start at Westminster tube station.
Western Loop Walk description (pdf).
Take the circular 3.4 mile (5.5km) Eastern Loop Walk if you want to continue walking along the Thames towards Tower Bridge and the Tower of London and back towards St Paul’s Cathedral.
View Western Loop Walk in a larger map
Last checked: 13 February 2023