London: what to see in 1 day

At Westminster, Big Ben, the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster, and Westminster Abbey stand side by side. The Abbey is where British monarchs have been crowned since 1066 and where kings, scientists, and writers are buried: this is where you should arrive first.

Crossing St James's Park takes you to Buckingham Palace: late in the morning, you'll often catch the Changing of the Guard, a ceremony held on alternating days in front of the palace gates.

Heading back toward the river, Westminster Bridge leads to South Bank, where you'll find the London Eye, an observation wheel 135 metres high from which you can see the entire bend of the Thames in the heart of the city.

A walk along the river, past street artists and second-hand book stalls, leads to Shakespeare's Globe, a reconstruction of the original Elizabethan theatre, and to Borough Market, one of the city's oldest food markets and a good spot for a lunch break among its stalls.

The Millennium Bridge, the pedestrian bridge connecting Tate Modern to St Paul's Cathedral, finally leads to the cathedral designed by Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of 1666: its dome, for centuries London's tallest building, remains one of the City's most iconic skyline landmarks.

When the shops begin to close, the theatres and restaurants of Covent Garden, between the columned square and street artists, remain the most natural place to stop for dinner.

Traveling London along the Thames, from Westminster to South Bank all the way to St Paul's, means touching in a few hours its political, religious and cultural symbols, then closing among the theaters of Covent Garden.

Missing are the Tower of London, with the crown jewels, and the South Kensington museums like the British Museum: chapters that deserve a return with more time at your disposal. A day along the river, between Westminster and St Paul's, is nonetheless enough to get a clear idea of the British capital.