🇬🇧 United Kingdom

London

Wednesday 29 April – Monday 4 May 2026

West End Tower Bridge Windsor Free museums Low-walking overview Early May bank holiday Heathrow base Sunday protected
6
Days
LHR
Base
2
Flyers
Sun
Busy
17:15
Return
Wed 29
Arrival at Heathrow
Thu 30
Bus Tour & Dinner
Fri 1
Tower & Ballet
Sat 2
Windsor
Sun 3
Busy / Protected
Mon 4
Bank Holiday
✈️ Flights · Swiss Confirmed · 2 passengers · €395.52
IN
Zürich (ZRH) → London (LHR)
Wed 29 Apr · 18:30 → 19:20
Direct Swiss flight. Overnight at friend’s house close to Heathrow.
OUT
London (LHR) → Zürich (ZRH)
Mon 4 May · 17:15 → 20:00
Direct Swiss flight. Aim to be at Heathrow by 15:15.
⚠️ Still to book / confirm
✓Swiss flights — 2 passengers
✓Friend’s house near Heathrow
✓SUSHISAMBA — Thu 19:30, 4 guests
✓Wayne McGregor ballet — Fri 19:30
●Hop-on-hop-off bus — Thu
●Windsor Castle ticket — Sat
●Tower / Tower Bridge tickets
●Sky Garden free slot, optional
✓Sunday kept clear
●Bank-holiday transport check
🏠
Base
Friend’s house near Heathrow
Budget 60–75 min each way to central London
💰
Currency
GBP / £
Contactless works almost everywhere
🚇
Transport
Transit + taxis
Use seated routes and short taxi hops when walking is an issue
🌧️
Weather
May layers
Expect mild days, cool evenings, possible rain
Visual Preview
Westminster Bridge and Big Ben in London
Thu · Bus overview
Westminster & Big Ben
A good landmark to see from the bus or river cruise without adding a long walk.
Photo: Ralf Roletschek / Wikimedia Commons
Tower Bridge in London at night
Fri · Tower route
Tower Bridge
Pair it with the Tower of London and keep the crossing optional if walking is limited.
Photo: Diliff / Wikimedia Commons
Royal Opera House at Covent Garden
Fri · Ballet
Royal Opera House
Wayne McGregor: Alchemies is at Bow Street, so keep dinner very close by.
Photo: Yair Haklai / Wikimedia Commons
Heron Tower in the City of London
Thu · Dinner context
Heron Tower / City
Relevant if the SUSHISAMBA booking is the Heron Tower branch; confirm branch before routing.
Photo: Javi Vte Rejas / Wikimedia Commons
Windsor Castle seen from the Long Walk
Sat · Windsor
Windsor Castle
The main Saturday anchor; expect cobbles and slopes, so pace the visit carefully.
Photo: Diliff / Wikimedia Commons
River Thames at Windsor and Eton
Sat · Low-walking add-on
Windsor & Eton River
A short river cruise or riverside coffee gives the setting without adding many steps.
Photo: Timo Newton-Syms / Wikimedia Commons
London — Day by Day
Wednesday 29 AprilArrival at Heathrow
✈️FlightZRH → LHR
🏠BaseNear Heathrow
🕒Landing19:20
Arrive in London, keep the evening simple, and use the Heathrow-side base to avoid a late cross-city transfer.
18:30
✈️ Swiss flight — ZRH → LHR
Direct Swiss flight from Zürich to London Heathrow. Booking is confirmed for 2 passengers.
19:20
🛫 Land at Heathrow
Allow time for passport control and bags. Staying near Heathrow means there is no need to push into central London tonight.
Open in Maps ↗
20:30
🏠 Friend’s house near Heathrow
Settle in, confirm the nearest Tube/Elizabeth line route for the morning, and keep dinner local or at home.
Wednesday — Heathrow arrival and local base
Thursday 30 AprilBus overview & SUSHISAMBA
🚌ThemeLow-walking city overview
🍽️DinnerSUSHISAMBA 19:30
🚶WalkingKeep it minimal
Use a hop-on-hop-off bus to get the city overview quickly, avoid long walks, and save energy for dinner.
10:00
🚇 Travel from Heathrow side to an easy bus-tour stop
Aim for a simple start point such as Green Park, Victoria, Piccadilly Circus or Trafalgar Square. Use a taxi for the last hop if station-to-stop walking feels too much.
11:30
🚌 Hop-on-hop-off city overview
Ride most of a full loop instead of hopping off repeatedly. Big Bus has a frequent central Red Route; Tootbus has 3 routes and a ticket option with river cruise. Pick the stop closest to your dinner branch.
💡 Sit downstairs if stairs to the open top are uncomfortable.
Open in Maps ↗
13:45
☕ Seated lunch / rest stop
Plan a proper sit-down break around Trafalgar Square, Victoria or Covent Garden. Avoid a museum sprint; this day is for orientation, not covering ground on foot.
15:00
🚢 Optional Thames cruise or second bus segment
If the ticket includes a river cruise, this is the lowest-walking way to see Westminster, the South Bank, St Paul’s, Tower Bridge and the skyline from another angle.
Open in Maps ↗
17:00
🛏 Rest and transfer buffer
Keep this protected. Confirm whether SUSHISAMBA is Heron Tower or Covent Garden, then use a direct Tube/taxi route rather than adding another walk.
💡 Booking screenshot does not show branch; confirm Heron Tower vs Covent Garden.
19:30
🍽️ SUSHISAMBA reservation
Confirmed restaurant booking for 4 guests, 19:30–21:30.
Open in Maps ↗
21:30
🌃 Return toward Heathrow side
Plan the route before dinner. Late central-to-Heathrow transfers are manageable, but the exact line matters.
Thursday — Low-walking city overview and SUSHISAMBA
Friday 1 MayTower & Ballet
🏰️ThemeRiver history
🚶WalkingUse short routes
🎭Ballet19:30 Royal Opera House
The most structured day: go early for the Tower, eat at Borough, then shift west to Covent Garden for Wayne McGregor: Alchemies. Drop the optional afternoon stop if energy is limited.
07:45
🚇 Early transfer from Heathrow side
Leave enough time for a cross-London trip to Tower Hill. If this feels too early, push the Tower later and drop one afternoon stop.
09:15
👑 Tower of London
Head straight to the Crown Jewels before the middle of the day. Allow 2.5–3 hours including a Yeoman Warder tour.
💡 Official hours for Fri 1 May: 09:00–17:30
Open in Maps ↗
12:30
🌉 Tower Bridge
Walk the bridge and, if you want the glass floor, pre-book entry. The official site lists daily opening 09:30–18:00 with last entry 17:00.
Open in Maps ↗
13:30
🥪 Borough Market lunch
Go hungry. Market hours are 10:00–17:00 on Friday; use this for a casual lunch rather than a seated reservation.
💡 Padella virtual queue or Kappacasein toastie
Open in Maps ↗
15:30
🎨 Tate Modern or St Paul’s short stop
Keep it light so the evening does not get squeezed: Turbine Hall and Millennium Bridge, or a quick exterior stop at St Paul’s.
Route to ballet ↗
17:45
🍽️ Pre-theatre dinner near Covent Garden
Book something close to Bow Street or keep it simple. Be inside the Royal Opera House by about 19:00.
Open in Maps ↗
19:30
🎭 Wayne McGregor: Alchemies
Royal Ballet and Opera, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Official listing gives an approximate running time of 2h 30m including two intervals.
💡 Bow Street, London WC2E 9DD
Open in Maps ↗
22:15
🚇 Return toward Heathrow side
Check the exact late route before the performance starts so the return is frictionless.
Friday — Tower, Borough and Royal Opera House
Saturday 2 MayWindsor
🏰️ThemeCastle town
🚗From HeathrowShort west-side trip
🚶WalkingChoose low-walk options
Windsor fits the Heathrow base well. Keep the day focused around the castle and river, with taxis or short hops as needed.
09:45
🚗 Leave Heathrow-side base for Windsor
Taxi/ride-share is likely the simplest low-walking option from a Heathrow-area base. Public transport works too, but often adds changes and station walking.
Route in Maps ↗
10:30
👑 Windsor Castle
Book a timed entry. Windsor Castle is listed as open Thursday–Sunday 10:00–17:15 in March–October, with last admission 75 minutes before closing.
💡 Expect cobbles and slopes; use the official access guide if needed.
Open in Maps ↗
12:45
🍽️ Lunch close to the castle
Stay near Castle Hill, Thames Street or Peascod Street so lunch does not create extra walking. Book if you want a guaranteed seat.
Open in Maps ↗
14:15
🚢 Low-walking suggestion: Windsor river cruise
A short Thames boat trip is a good seated add-on after the castle. It gives views of Windsor, Eton and the riverside without turning the afternoon into a long walk.
Open in Maps ↗
15:30
🌿 Pick one gentle extra
If energy is good: a short view down the Long Walk, coffee by the river, or a small Eton loop. If not, skip the extra and head back before fatigue builds.
💡 Make this optional, not a must-do.
17:00
🏠 Return toward Heathrow side
Get back early enough for a quiet evening. This is a better day to recover than to add another central-London plan.
Saturday — Windsor Castle, river and gentle extras
Sunday 3 MayBusy day
📅StatusAlready busy
🕒PlanNo fixed sightseeing
🍸Only if freeLate drink
This day is intentionally blocked. Keep travel, meals and any obligations around it instead of squeezing in attractions.

Protected Day

Do not schedule paid tickets, long cross-town transfers or must-see museums here. If a small window opens, keep it hyper-local: breakfast near the accommodation, a nearby park, or a late pub within 15 minutes of where the day ends.

AM
☕ Local breakfast only
No destination breakfast. Pick somewhere close enough that a queue does not matter.
Day
🔒 Busy block
Keep the calendar clear. If timings change, move Monday’s flexible west-London idea here rather than adding anything new.
Late
🍷 Optional easy nightcap
Only if energy allows: a nearby pub or a short Thames-side walk. No reservations needed.
Monday 4 MayEarly May bank holiday
🎉StatusPublic holiday
✈️Flight17:15 LHR → ZRH
🚇TransportStay west
Final day should stay Heathrow-friendly. Avoid a long trip east unless the transport picture is unusually clean.
09:30
💼 Pack and leave bags at the Heathrow-side base
Do not carry bags into central London. Keep the final day easy to reverse if TfL or rail has bank-holiday disruption.
10:30
🌿 Richmond, Kew or a local west-London walk
Best fit for a Heathrow base: pleasant, west-side, and easier to abort than Borough or the City.
Open in Maps ↗
12:30
🍽️ Lunch in Richmond / Kew / Heathrow area
Keep lunch close enough that getting back for bags is automatic. Avoid slow service or distant reservations.
14:15
🏠 Collect bags
Return to the friend’s house, collect luggage, and head to Heathrow.
15:15
🛫 Arrive at Heathrow
Two-hour buffer for the Swiss flight. This is especially useful on the Early May bank holiday.
Open in Maps ↗
17:15
✈️ Swiss flight — LHR → ZRH
Direct flight, landing Zürich at 20:00.
Monday — West London morning and Heathrow departure
Swap-in Options

Use these if health, weather, or transport makes the main plan too demanding. They are intentionally low-walking and avoid Sunday.

Low-Walking LondonSeated options
AM
Stay on the bus loop
Do not treat hop-on-hop-off literally. Pick 1–2 stops max and use the full loop as the attraction.
PM
Thames cruise
Best low-walking add-on: seated, scenic, and covers several landmarks from the river.
Open in Maps ↗
Taxi
Short taxi hops
Use taxis for the gap between station, tour stop, restaurant, and theatre if walking becomes the limiting factor.
Windsor Add-Ons Choose oneSaturday
Best
Short river cruise
Seated, low effort, and pairs well with the castle without adding lots of steps.
Open in Maps ↗
Easy
Coffee by the Thames
Good if the castle already uses up the available walking budget.
More
Eton or Long Walk glimpse
Only if energy is good. Keep it short and do not make it mandatory.
Food & Drink

Thursday dinner and Friday ballet are fixed. Keep Saturday Windsor food close to the castle/river, and leave Sunday flexible because the day is already busy.

Central / West End
Dinner
SUSHISAMBAThu 19:30 · 4 guests
Confirmed reservation from 19:30–21:30. London has Heron Tower and Covent Garden branches, so confirm the branch before routing from the afternoon plan.
Booked Open in Maps ↗
The Devonshire$$$ · book
Very London pub downstairs, grill room upstairs. Bookings open in short windows; go for a pint if dinner is impossible.
Soho Open in Maps ↗
Padella Soho$$ · queue
Fresh pasta, walk-ins and virtual queue. Useful for a central dinner if plans shift.
New Soho option Open in Maps ↗
Kiln / Smoking Goat$$ · spicy
Good Soho fallback if you want punchier food and a later-night feel.
Open in Maps ↗
Pubs / drinks
French House$$
Classic Soho standing-drinks energy. Better as a stop than a whole evening.
Gordon's Wine Bar$$
Atmospheric, central and useful after the Westminster/South Bank route if it is not too crowded.
Borough / East
Market lunch
Kappacasein$ · Thu-Sat
Borough Market cheese toasties and raclette. Simple, fast and exactly what you want after the Tower.
Market classic Open in Maps ↗
Padella Borough$$ · queue
Original Padella by Borough Market. Join the virtual queue before you actually want to sit down.
Open in Maps ↗
Bao Borough / Arabica$$
Useful if the market is too wet or too busy and you want a more controlled meal.
East evening
Spitalfields$-$$
Good group-friendly zone after Sky Garden: many casual choices, short walk or Tube from the City.
Shoreditch$$
Better for bars and late energy than for a quiet dinner. Book if you care where you eat.
Trip Costs
🏠 Friend’s house near Heathrow
Hosted stay close to LHR · 29 Apr → 4 May
£0
hosted
✈️ Swiss flights
ZRH → LHR 29 Apr · LHR → ZRH 4 May · 2 passengers · confirmed
€395.52
€197.76 / person
🎟️ Tickets & reservations
Ballet booked but price not provided. Hop-on-hop-off bus, Windsor Castle, SUSHISAMBA, Tower and Tower Bridge costs still TBC.
TBC
Confirmed so far · per person
Flights only · accommodation hosted
€197.76

ⓘ  Flight booking total is €395.52 for 2 passengers. Add ballet, restaurant and attraction spend once those amounts are known.

Practical Tips
🚇
Bank holiday transport
Monday 4 May is a public holiday. Check TfL and National Rail the day before, especially for airport or train-station transfers.
💳
Contactless
Use one card/device per person for Tube and buses. Do not mix phone, watch and card for the same journey.
🚌
Health / walking
For Thursday, treat the bus as the sightseeing plan. Minimize hopping off, build in seated breaks, and use taxis for awkward gaps.
🎟️
Timed tickets
Ballet is fixed for Friday 19:30. Book Tower / Tower Bridge and any Sky Garden slot around that, and avoid paid tickets on Sunday.
☔️
Weather
Pack a light waterproof and a warm layer. Outdoor theatre and riverside walks are much better with layers.
💼
Luggage
On Monday, leave bags at the friend’s place near Heathrow and keep the final outing west of central London.
🍴
Meals
SUSHISAMBA is booked for Thursday. Friday needs a pre-theatre dinner near Covent Garden; Saturday lunch should stay near Windsor Castle.
🇬🇧 London, kept flexible where it needs to be. 29 April – 4 May 2026 · Heathrow base · Sunday protected · Early May bank holiday