Are you interested in taking a solo trip? That’s fantastic! I truly believe everyone should experience at least one solo journey in their lifetime. Whether it’s a local getaway for a night or a few days abroad, you’ll discover how to embrace your own company and find comfort in silence.

London is an amazing destination for your first solo trip. With multiple airports offering convenient direct flights, getting there is simple. The extensive metro system makes getting around easy, whether it is to and from the airport or around the city.

London was my very first solo trip and I can’t wait to do another solo trip there. I didn’t take any day trip and stayed in downtown London, walking everywhere (one day I had 36,000 steps) and taking the tube. I was very nervous to take the tube alone and navigating that seemed intimidating but I can safely say it is not as scary as it may seem and rather easy.

When to Go

When you take your solo trip is completely up to you. If you have a family or friend trip and can add on 2-3 days before or after that trip to use as your solo trip, that could work. Alternatively, if you are opting for a weekend getaway, pick the weekend that works best for you. If you are choosing London, I advise visiting in September or May for sunny days and fewer crowds. While the summer months often yield more sun, summer rainstorms can appear so do bring a rain coat even in the summer.

Is London Safe?

Overall, yes, London is safe. London is a large city though and you should always use caution and good judgement wherever you go, but I felt very safe in London on my own. Since my solo trip went so well, I have visited twice after that initial trip and felt safe each time I am there. I have a personal safety alarm called Birdie alarms that I recommend getting before you travel alone. I recommend keeping your phone concealed as phones are a desirable item to grab in very large cities.

Getting to the city or your hotel from the Airport

London Heathrow is most likely going to have the most variety in terms of arrival times, flights, and overall affordability.

Be sure to take advantage of the metro system. Follow the signs for baggage claim, go through Customs, and then follow the signs for “The Underground”. Have your phone ready to “pay by tap” to enter the station. You will look for the signs reading Eastbound as that will take you into the city center.

You will be required to tap in and out of the stations. Again, it is very easy to use your phone for this. I bought an Oyster card on my first trip to London thinking that was needed. It wasn’t, don’t waste your money. It only takes a few minutes to link your credit card to your Wallet. 

The ride on the tube from LHR to the city center is about 40 minutes depending on where you get off. It is truly so easy to use and much more affordable than a cab.

Using the Tube or Underground 

You can easily pay using your smartphone; simply link a credit card to your Wallet app and open the app up once you are at the terminal in the station. 

I highly recommend using CityMapper or Google Maps for the most updated and straightforward routes.

What to Do 

Check out my other blog post on things you can’t miss on your trip to London here!

Day 1: Notting Hill and Kensington

Explore Notting Hill

Enjoy breakfast or a brunch at Farm Girl and grab a pastry to go from Gails. After breakfast, walk along Westbourne Grove for some shopping. 

Stop by the famous Notting Hill Bookshop, Portobello Road Market. There are so many shops on the street you can spend hours roaming through.

Walk to the Church of Arms for a drink or lunch- this is a great photo spot!

Keep walking or take the tube to Kensington and walk around the streets and admire the beautiful homes.

Visit the Natural History Museum. The museum is free and a great rainy day activity too! 

Walk through Hyde Park and walk towards Kensington Palace. Stop for gelato at Oddono’s for the best pistachio gelato!

Day 2: Camden, Primrose Hill, Mayfair, Covent Garden, and Soho

Explore the Camden neighbordhood for its eclectic charm and traditional English archieticture.

Walk to Primrose Hill for beautiful view of London, especially on a sunny day, and stop by either Sweet Things Bakery for the most amazing cinnamon roll or visit It’s Bagels for a New York style bagel.

Stop by Camden market- while you are there I highly recommend a crepe at Creperie. I took the tube straight to Camden Tube station and walked from there. There were so many people doing the same thing that you could truly follow the crowd. 

Head back to the city center and walk around the neighborhoods of Mayfair, Covent Garden, and Soho by walking up and down each street. There are plenty of museums and a highly rated one is the British Museum. You can spend hours visit different museums, visiting the various shops, and exploring the neighborhoods by stopping in a pub or cafe. My best advice on your solo trip is to go with the flow and not be so rigid- walk around without a destination and see where you end up.

Day 3: Central London or a Day Trip

Day 3 you can choose to spend most of the day outside of London or stay in the city with the itinerary below. If you opt for the day trip, you can add the items below to day 1 and day 2.

Day trip to Windsor Castle: you can purchase a train ticket from the ticket office at London St. Pancras station and take the train to Windsor. The train ride out and back, coupled with the tour of Windsor, is about 4 hours which makes for a great day trip. See more information on trains at their website here. 

Day trip to the Cotswolds: Viator and Get Your Guide offer several options here.

Day trip to Bath: Tours are linked here.  

Start the day with a pastry at Gail’s. Visit Victoria Embankment Gardens, Whitehall Extension, while you eat your pastry. 

Stop by the Tower of London for a tour of the historic grounds and visit the Crown Jewels! Tickets can be purchased here. 

Walk towards St. Paul’s Cathedral. After exploring the cathedral, walk to Tower Bridge.

Cross the bridge and walk over to Borough Market for lunch. Do a self guided food tour of Borough Market There are so many vendors to choose from. Regrettably I didn’t take a photo of where I had lunch though there are so many options you can’t go wrong!

Visit Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Downing Street, St. James’s Park.

For sunset, visit the Shard- this photo spot provides an amazing view of the city. Tickets can be bought here. 

Where to Stay

Kensington hotel: Millennium Hotel And Conference Centre Gloucester London

The Millennium’s location can’t be beat. It is steps away from the Gloucester Road Tube station. What is unique about this hotel is the variety of rooms that are offered. Anywhere from suites, doubles, to a triple room provides a great variety no matter your party size. I loved The Stanhope Arms for lunch after wandering around Notting Hill. 

Victoria hotel: Luna Simone Hotel

One thing to note is most London hotels do not have air conditioning. This hasn’t been a problem for me as I haven’t been to London in the summertime. The room did have a ceiling fan but no elevator.  I found the hotel to be very comfortable and the staff was lovely. The hotel, at that time of stay, offered free breakfast. It was about a ten minute walk to the Victoria tube station, and the area offers a variety of restaurants and pubs. I stayed at this hotel on my solo trip and felt very safe the whole time I was there.

Tips for Solo travel as a Female

Bring a book or kindle- you will want something to do other than scroll on your phone. 

Sit at the bar in pubs or restaurants—I went to a pizza place, and when I mentioned I was part of alone, they seated me at the bar and said most restaurants recommend dining at the bar top as a party of one.

Plan your route such as tube exits, before you leave to increase your awareness of your surroundings. Take screenshots of the tube exit so you are more attentive on the tube. 

Carry a personal alarm (I like these Birdie alarms).

Be confident- if you act like you know where you are going other people will think that too. 

Buy a door alarm for your room – take the battery out before you go through security or your bag will likely be searched. This is the one I purchased and love it. 

Don’t share that you are traveling alone. This is an extra safety measure- you can say you are waiting for someone or a friend hasn’t arrived yet.  

If you are thinking of doing a solo trip, book it! London is a great city to test out solo travel and I hope you have so much fun! Safe travels!