This is the final segment of a three-part series that takes a visitor around London through an entire day of sights, step by step. Geared toward the first time visitor, these itineraries cover seeing the main "top spots" every visitor would want to see. Very little 'off the beaten track' sort of thing here. But the itinerary and descriptions are, hopefully, a good guide to preparing for a trip to London.

And if travel not a priority right now, these London columns are a great escape ...for free!

To see London, Day one, click here....that day includes Buckingham Palace, Changing of the Guards, Queen's Gallery, Royal Mews, St. James Park, a stroll across Westminster Bridge over the Thames River, a sunset ride on London Eye and a evening meal at a nearby pub.

London, Day Two, guides visitors through a day seeing Trafalgar Square, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, a Thames River cruise, the Tower of London, Crown Jewels, Renaissance suits of armor and weaponry, Medieval Palace rooms, Tower of London prisoner's exhibit -- remember Anne Boleyn? Catherine Howard? Lady Jane Grey? For Day Two, click here.

London, Day Three, will include Victoria and Albert Museum, Kensington Palace, a walk through Belgravia with some of London's most exclusive residential streets and, first, Westminster Abbey. Each of these have so much to see in each one, that just seeing these three in one day...is a big day!

If there's any particular theme to this day, it would be to think about Queen's. Especially as we USA citizens have yet to find ourselves with a female as the leader of our nation. Although England's Prime Minister (of which one has been a woman, Margaret Thatcher) runs the government, it is the monarch who, over the centuries, has had much influence setting a tone for what occurs politically, culturally, and economically within the country.

Westminster Abbey opens at 9:30 AM...my suggestion is to be there when it opens...avoid some of the later crowds and leaving enough time to see as much as possible, considering the other destinations of the day.

Westminster Abbey, as a church, never charges anyone to worship. But to wander around and take in the sights,there is a fee. The Abbey receives no financial support from the English Church or the Crown, so the fees from visitors is crucial. Currently, adults are 12 pounds, which includes the audio-guide tour (narrated by Jeremy Irons, no less!).

Getting there. The two closest tube stations are Westminster and St. James. The site is right next to Parliament, basically right off Whitehall and Westminster Bridge, where you were on Day One to get to the London Eye, and Day Two to catch your river cruise ferry.

Remember all those crown jewels you saw at the Tower of London? Well, Westminster Abbey is the place they get used and worn! It's been the coronation sight since William the Conqueror in 1066 !!! There's definitely nothing like this in the USA! Remember the golden carriage you saw at the Royal Mews, the monarch rides in it on coronation day. Westminster Abbey is indeed the one spot where so many other sites you've seen come together in true majestic glory.

A fan of The Da Vinci Code book/movie? Westminster Abbey plays a role in the book and the movie...get your notes together to learn the factual truths or falsehoods of author Dan Brown's comments about Westminster Abbey.

What's so fascinating about a church, even a Gothic masterpiece? Well, first of all Virtually every royal burial for the nearly 500 years between the deaths of Henry III in 1272 and George II in 1760 took place in Westminster Abbey. The two notable exceptions were Henry VIII and Charles I.And these royals aren't just buried....their tombs are resplendent masterpieces, amazing to see and consider the lives of these historic royals.

Queen Elizabeth I, one of my favorite tombs, but they're all amazing. It does kind of make one wonder, what will Elizabeth II's burial/tomb be like?

Beyond royals, just about everyone who was ever anyone in England is also buried here ! Great Writers, Scientists, Explorers, Politicians...it's amazing! And the statuary created to commemorate them is beautiful! Plus, there are hundreds of burial places for people that were Earls or Dukes or this or that--famous in their own time if not a name we know today. According to the Abbey's website, "Taken as a whole the tombs and memorials comprise the most significant single collection of monumental sculpture anywhere in the United Kingdom." There is no photography allowed in the Abbey, which practically guarantees you'll want lots of postcards from the gift shop as a way to remember all this majestic splendor!

For a list of the famous and the royals buried at Westminster Abbey, click here.

To discover more about Westminster Abbey, go to its website, here.

To get to Kensington Palace from Westminster, I am going to suggest taking your first London cab ride. More expensive than the tube, but not so very much actually since it's a relatively short ride, especially if your group/family has several members. And it's another uniquely London experience for your vacation memories. When you have hailed the cab, the common etiquette is to tell the driver where you're wanting to go through his driver's window, before getting in to the cab. Remember the driver is on the opposite side than in the USA, and as you'll see, the back seat of a London cab is quite far back from the driver, not at all like taxis in the USA.

If you're having trouble finding a cab outside Westminster Abbey, I suggest you walk a bit to the west on Victoria Street to Buckingham Gate, turn right, and you'll see the hotel, Crown Plaza London St. James, on your left,. Hotels are always a easy spot for catching a cab.

If going underground is your mode, your destination stop is on the circle line whether you boarded at Westminster or St. James stations.

So, now you're on your way to Kensington Palace. Here's a bit of background on this wonderful, actually rather 'homey' modest Palace (especially after seeing the grand spectacle of Buckingham Palace).

Kensington Palace is much older than Buckingham Palace, and as such, has a completely different architectural look with it's red brick facades. In comparison to Buckingham Palace's grand white stately appearance, Kensington seems modest by comparison! But make no mistake, it's still a residence fit for royals.

Another difference to Kensington, is it's very private setting. Buckingham is right on the street, Kensington surrounded by parks, gardens, lovely spacious grounds. It's easy to envision how a Royal could easily feel 'at home' or at least 'protected and private' here.

And it has been home to many royals, and not just 'historical' like William III and Victoria, but even during the 20th Centrury it was the home of royalty, most notably Princess Margaret (Queen Elizabeth's sister) who lived here until her passing in 2002, and more famously Kensington was home to Princess Diana.

Kensington's Gardens and privacy from the street are where Princes William and Harry would play when they were children. The ornate gates outside the Palace are where those who mourned Princess Diana's death left tons and tons of flowers.

Admission to Kensington Palace is about 12 pounds/adult. But that price does include the audio guide. For the palace's Top Ten sights, click here. The Princess Diana 'Fashion and Style' display, the court dress collection of historic lady's dress, the palace rooms, the Victoria bedroom... it's just a wonderful, but not overwhelming (remember Huge National Gallery, Day Two?) place to spend a couple of hours after lunch.

Since the website 'click' above does such a good job of describing the sights at Kensington, let's move on to the first spot you'll visit with this day's itinerary, The Orangery restaurant, right on the palace grounds next to the palace, for a nice lunch after a long, but wonderful, morning at Westminster Abbey. Basically the restaurant is open from 10AM until 6pm, but can have closings for private events. Check here for menus, and operating hours. Whether it's just for a cup of tea and a pastry, or a full lunch, this is a beautiful spot, fit to be on palace grounds, yet still casual and bright. Their is also a large terrace for outdoor dining when weather allows. The time I was here, it was one of the coldest Easter weeks on record (it even snowed!) so the Orangery's bright cheery atmosphere was just the thing!

Built by Queen Anne in 1704 to 'over-winter' exotic plants...it's definitely a unique spot, even by London standards, to take a leisurely meal.

The exhibit, 'Diana, a Princess Remembered,' is no longer open. But there is a nice review of it here.

Just a few blocks from Kensington Palace are two famous tourist destinations. Harrods, the extravagent department store, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Both are on the same road, practically right across from each other. So off we go!

With a nod of thanks to William III's statue for such a great spot as Kensington Palace, walk down Palace Avenue, south, to Kensington Road and turn left (east) for a few short blocks to Palace Gate, here turn right. Head down Palace Gate (although its name changes to Gloucester Road along the way), to Cromwell Road. Here turn left. The 80 room hotel, the Grange Strathmore, at Queens Gate road, is an example of the posh residents of the area. Although now a hotel, this was the home of the Earl of Strathmore, who was Queen Elizabeth's grandfather on her mother's side (The Queen Mother). It's bar area, open 24 hours daily and a great place for an afternoon tea, has all the comfortable warm grandeur one imagines of an Earl's 'modest' townhouse. The bar area also includes large portraits of the Earl and his wife, the current queen's maternal grandparents.

At Cromwell, you'll see the Victoria and Albert Museum ahead on your left, just past the Natural History Museum. So much to see! In front of the V&A the street's name changes to Thurloe Place, a few blocks down, the name changes again to Brompton Road. Here is the majestic Harrod's department store.

Now to the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A)...it's huge! So do some homework ahead of time at www.vam.ac.uk/collections. whether it's the original artwork for the cover of a Beatles album, or a dress worn by a queen centuries ago, Henry VIII's writing desk, or a 3000 year old piece of pottery from India...it's all here! Just walking in the door (another Free museum in London) is quite the stunning sight, but finding your way around is fairly easy.

For me, wandering through the V&A is quite the way to while away a few hours, but for others maybe not. And since Harrods, just down the street a bit, isn't the ordinary dept. store, that might be more fun. After three visits to London, I still haven't been to Harrods! So, if you have, leave a comment below on your take on visiting Harrods.

Westminster Abbey, Kensington Palace, Victoria And Albert -- Quite a day! BUT if you've the desire, or it's a lovely long summer's day with still plenty of daylight, you might enjoy a walk from the V&A, back to Buckingham Palace area...for you are in one of London's most upscale parts of town. The town homes are beautiful and it's a way to experience London away from the noise and traffic of the more 'tourist' destinations.

Walking East on Thurloe Place, which will be called Brompton Place any moment, turn right onto Beauchamp Place (if you went to Harrod's instead of V&A, Beauchamp Place a block or so to your left/west). At Lennox Gardens -a street not a garden - Beauchamp will veer left and become Pont Street. Follow Pont, crossing Sloane ( a nice garden here, but private. Open to public once a year, in June. Check opensquares.org), it becomes Chesham Place. This posh area of London is where many country's embassies are located. Germany's is on this street. And, just there, at Belgrave Mews West, #6, is The Star Tavern --lots of embassy types visit here --to rest a bit with a pint before continuing on.

Just past Sloane at Pont is Cadogan Place. Here, at #44, lived William Wilberforce...the man who ended slavery throughout the British Empire with the passing of the 1807 Slave Trade Act and about whom the 2006 movie Amazing Grace was made. Wilberforce's burial is at Westminster Abbey.

In a short block or so along Chesham Place, Belgrave Square will be on your left. Enjoy at your leisure. Continuing on past the square, the road you've known as Chesham Place becomes Chapel Street.

Hummmm, you DID know that London is infamous for having streets that change names just a a whim...right?

Chapel Street ends at Grosvenor Place, and the big wall ahead of you is the back yard 'fence' -ha ha- to Buckingham Palace's 'back yard.' A right turn here and you'll soon be at the Rubens at the Palace hotel ready to enjoy a nice evening beverage or full dinner!

Trivia note here for all Beatles fans...back on Chapel Street,#24 Chapel Street is the former home of "the fifth Beatle," as Paul McCartney put it, Brian Epstein. Many parties were held here, including the premiere party for 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' album.

And Fancy! Number 10 Belgrave Square recently had a 120 million pound price tag!!! (That's about 240 million dollars!!!) Even a one bedroom, one bath condo flat in one of these lovely buildings can go for more than one million pounds!

So, after three sight-filled days, this visit is done. What have we missed??? Oh, so much! St. Paul's Cathedral is practically an entire day in itself, the British Museum, Kew Gardens, Westminster Cathedral, Shakespeare's Globe Theater, Covent Garden, Piccadilly, Portobello Road, Soho, the Natural History Museum,the Churchill Museum, 5,000 acres of park in the city...Victoria Gardens Park, Hyde Park, St. James Park, Lambeth Palace Gardens, Regent's Park and more! There are statues and monuments...and so much more! Restaurants galore...Tea at the Ritz...live theaters, the zoo, the aquarium, Tate Modern, ... PLUS, we haven't even left town! A train ride away are Windsor, Bath, York, Cotswolds, Brighton's Royal Pavilion, Hampton Court and on and on and on!

Hope you've enjoyed this three day tour of a fantastic city! Cheerio!

Leave a comment about the places you love in London! Share information about this wonderful city with it's treasures, it's architecture, it's history.