How much time should I expect to spend visiting the British Museum?

The British Museum is considered one of the top three museums in the world, boasting a massive scale and diverse exhibits. Because the interior is very spacious, it is recommended to plan for at least 3 hours if you want to take your time and see everything.

How should I plan my day when visiting the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London?

The Harry Potter Studio Tour has a lot to see and can be quite physically demanding. Since the tour takes a long time—such as entering at 2 PM and leaving at 8 PM—it is recommended to make the studio tour your only itinerary for the day.

What were the itemized expenses for a 9-day, 8-night trip to London, Manchester, and Liverpool in the UK?

The expenses were ~$1236 for food, ~$1152 for accommodation, ~$807 for shopping, and ~$832 for tickets and admissions. This is based on staying in good hotels and not sparing expenses on dining out and using ride-hailing services (Bolt).

London Itinerary 2026: 8-Day UK Route & Budget

I traveled to the UK last November during the shoulder season for my honeymoon. It was an incredible experience, and today I am excited to share our exact 8-night, 9-day UK itinerary and budget breakdown!

I’ve also included our actual expense tracker spreadsheet at the end of this post, so make sure to read all the way through to download your free copy!

Our London Itinerary

Over the course of a week, we managed to visit three different cities: London, Manchester, and Liverpool. Let’s start with our day-by-day London route.

Day 1: Buckingham Palace - Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill - National Gallery - London Eye - Big Ben - Westminster Abbey

If you are visiting London for the first time, watching the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace is an absolute must-see.

The ceremony is incredibly grand and solemn. It is easy to see why hundreds of tourists gather hours in advance just to catch a glimpse.

Buckingham Palace Changing of the Guard: Best Spots & Tips

Because the crowds get massive, securing a good viewing spot is key. I have put together a dedicated guide on the best photo spots and timing in the link above.

After watching the morning ceremony, we headed over to Chef Gordon Ramsay's restaurant for lunch, followed by an afternoon of sightseeing at the National Gallery, London Eye, and Big Ben.

Admittedly, we packed a lot into our first day. If you prefer a more relaxed pace, you can easily skip Westminster Abbey as the admission ticket is quite expensive.

Days 2–3: British Museum - Sherlock Holmes Museum - Notting Hill - Kensington Palace - Harrods

I am not usually a museum person, but I can confidently say that the British Museum is worth every minute of your time.

As one of the world's greatest museums, the sheer variety of global history on display is staggering. It is massive, so plan to spend at least 3 hours here to see the highlights.

Because we rushed on Day 1, we took things much slower on Days 2 and 3.

We wandered through local neighborhoods, visited the Sherlock Holmes statue and museum (a personal favorite of mine), and took long coffee breaks whenever we felt tired.

If you love the movie Notting Hill, make sure to stroll down the colorful streets of Notting Hill, visit the famous bookshop, and explore the Portobello Road Market.

Day 4: Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (The Making of Harry Potter)

We dedicated our entire fourth day to the Harry Potter Studios. There is so much to see that we ended up staying from 2:00 PM until 8:00 PM!

It is physically exhausting, so I highly recommend keeping this as your only planned activity for the day.

Catching Premier League Matches Live

After 5 days in London, we spent the remainder of our trip in Manchester and Liverpool to watch Manchester City and Liverpool FC play live.

Keep in mind that these cities are heavily centered around football culture, so there is not a ton of traditional sightseeing outside of the matches.

If you are not a die-hard football fan, you might want to skip this portion or look into catching a home game for London-based clubs like Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, or Chelsea instead.

Our 8-Night, 9-Day UK Travel Expenses

Here is a realistic breakdown of what we spent during our 8-night, 9-day trip across London, Manchester, and Liverpool:

Food & Dining: ~$1,236
Accommodations: ~$1,152
Shopping: ~$807
Tickets & Passes: ~$832

We opted for high-end hotels in Manchester and Liverpool (though we saved money by choosing a budget-friendly hotel in London). We also dined out without restricting our budget and frequently used rideshare apps like Bolt, which made our total expenses slightly higher than average.