There’s a point every London trip hits where you just can’t do another thing. No more museums, no more queues, no more walking tours narrated by a guy in a bowler hat. You’ve hit the wall—and that’s okay. This is your permission slip to do nothing. Or at least, nothing that feels like effort.
Don’t Plan, Just Wander
Start with no plan. Genuinely. Ditch the itinerary, close Google Maps, and just walk. Let your feet decide. This isn’t some cutesy rom-com idea—it’s a real way to experience the city without performing tourism. Stick to areas that aren’t crawling with selfie sticks: try Clerkenwell, De Beauvoir Town, or even the bits of Hackney that still feel a bit lived-in. Pop into shops that don’t look curated. Sit on benches. Eavesdrop.
Sit in a Park and Do Absolutely Nothing
London has a stupid number of green spaces. You’ve done Hyde Park already. So now go smaller. Go to Postman’s Park in the City. Grab a sandwich, sit down, and just chill. Watch people walk by. Look at the memorial plaques for people who died saving others (yes, it’s oddly touching). Or go big and quiet—Hampstead Heath. No attractions, just trees and mud and dogs living their best lives. Lie on the grass and pretend you live here.
Go to a Pub at a Weird Time
Not Friday night. Not Sunday roast hour. I’m talking 2:30PM. Slide into a booth with a pint and a packet of crisps. Pubs are not just for drinking; they’re for sitting and thinking and hiding and listening. Try The French House in Soho or The Southampton Arms in Kentish Town. No one will talk to you unless you want them to. But if you do feel chatty, there’s always someone strange and brilliant around.
Ride the Bus for No Reason
The bus is the best cheap tour in the city. It’s basically a slow, less-annoying sightseeing ride. Get on the 38 from Victoria and ride it up through Green Park, Piccadilly, Shaftesbury Avenue, and on into Islington. Or take the 55 across the East End. Sit at the top, front seat, headphones in. Watch London roll by without having to walk a step.
Snack Your Way Through a Market
You don’t need to sit down for a whole meal. Wander through Broadway Market or Maltby Street and just graze. A bite here, a bite there. A coffee, a dumpling, a brownie. Chat to stall people if you feel like it. Or just wander, snack in hand, watching other people try to get the perfect flat-lay photo of their bao bun.
Go Somewhere Quiet and Strange
You’ve done the Natural History Museum. You’ve queued at the British Museum. Now try something with fewer strollers and less yelling. The Grant Museum of Zoology? It’s small, weird, and filled with skeletons in jars. Or The Hunterian Museum—if it’s open—filled with medical oddities. These are the kinds of places that feel like secrets. You’ll learn stuff without trying.
Visit a Bookshop and Stay Awhile
Not just to browse. To sit. To breathe. Try Daunt Books in Marylebone, with its old wooden balconies and travel-worn energy. Or Libreria near Brick Lane, where the shelves bend and curve and you can lose time without realising. Buy one book, read five pages, feel accomplished. Let time go soft for a bit.
Go Somewhere Familiar to Locals
It doesn’t have to be some massive discovery. Walk into a Tesco. Honestly. See what’s in the meal deal section. Grab a fizzy Ribena. Sit on a curb and drink it like you’ve lived here your whole life. Do something ordinary—because that’s what people actually do. Tourist burnout happens when everything feels curated. The cure is doing something no one would put on an itinerary.
Catch a Film at an Old Cinema
Not a blockbuster. Something random, foreign, or deeply niche. The Prince Charles Cinema near Leicester Square plays odd double bills and cult films. The Rio in Dalston is all faded glamour and old-school charm. You’ll sit in the dark, surrounded by strangers, and let your brain turn off. No explaining. No reacting. Just watching.
Avoid the West End Hype, But Don’t Rule Out Nightlife
Look, if you’re tired, the last thing you want is a line around the block or a club with four types of bouncers. But there are Mayfair spots you will hate yourself if you miss out on. One look at the Tape London price guide and you’ll understand why it’s where you need to be. It’s the spot if you want to be surrounded by celebrities and nothing but the best. It’s the perfect climax to a lazy Sunday, especially when you’ve been on a slow-pace the whole day.
Let Yourself Be Bored
You don’t have to fill every second. Being in a new place doesn’t mean you’re required to do something at all times. Let yourself be bored. Let the city move around you. Sit by the river and watch boats. Watch people in cafes. Lose an hour to nothing in particular. It’s part of the experience, even if it doesn’t look good in a highlight reel.
When in Doubt, Eat Something Good
Food is the great equaliser. If all else fails, just go find something delicious. Doesn’t need to be fancy. Could be a big bowl of laksa from Roti King. Could be a late-night salt beef beigel from Brick Lane. Could be whatever catches your eye at a corner café that smells right. London’s full of tiny food wins—follow your nose.
And hey, if the only thing you do today is find a good sandwich and sit in the sun for a bit, you’ve still done London right.