Itineraries - 96 hours in London

London! A must visit for any historian, literature or travel lover. I was hard pressed to come up with an itinerary for just four days in London, but here are my favorite experiences and must-dos for the first time traveler.

Trafalgar square

Day 1

Try to get in on an early flight into London. After you are settled in and relaxed, visit the Tower of London. This is an amazing attraction with the crown jewelry on display, including the Cullinan and Kohinoor diamonds. Post visit, you can cross the London bridge to visit Burough market to sample some delicious food and English pies.

 Post lunch, take a leisurely stroll down the queens walk passing by the Globe theatre (Shakespeare buffs might want to go on a tour here), the Tate modern and several booksellers by the riverside. Get tickets to the London eye and ride on it around sunset for spectacular city views.

Call it an early night after this to get a fresh start for day 2.

Day 2

Start your day nice and early and visit the British museum. This is one of the most spectacular museums you could visit and you can easily spend an entire day or more inside checking out its various attractions which include the famous Rosetta stone.

Post visit, walk to Leicester square to get lunch at one of London's pubs where the menu includes the famous chicken tikka masala. Walk to Westminister Abbey from there to enjoy the gothic architecture and check out the tombstones of various writers, poets and even sir Issac Newton. Finish your day with drinks in a Soho area pub.

Day 3

This is a day best spent exploring the famous market at Covent garden, then walking around the Oxford, Regent, Carnaby street and Picadilly circus area. Stop for lunch at Veeraswamy, offering swanky but delicious Indian grub. Mahatma Gandhi is said to have dined here on his London visit.

Visit Fortnum and Mason for an excellent high tea experience later in the evening after strolling by Buckingham palace, the mall and St.James park.

Day 4

Venture beyond London on this day, visiting either Hampton court palace or Windsor castle to experience a bit of the royal life. Hampton court is relatively less touristed and worth a visit. For the garden lover, Kew Gardens is an excellent pick as well.