Unpacking Suitcases

Unpacking Suitcases

How to spend your first 24 hours in London

Navigating Heathrow, embracing jetlag & feeling the magic as soon as you land

Paige Carmichael's avatar
Paige Carmichael
Sep 03, 2025
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Dear reader,

The first 24 hours of any international trip is exciting but the first 24 hours after landing in London is pure magic.

The very first time I visited London when I was a kid, I remember falling asleep in the taxi on the way to the hotel and opening my eyes to a whole new world. From the window of the black cab, I saw rows and rows of grand old terraced houses and I couldn’t believe my eyes when a man leapt from a milk van and placed four glass bottles filled to the brim with milk on the doorsteps.

Even now decades later, the first day I spend in London is still the closest I get to feeling like I’m in a dream.

So today I’m sharing with you exactly how I spend my first 24 hours in London hour by hour, including tips and tricks to navigating Heathrow airport and jetlag. It’s very detailed so you might want to grab yourself a cuppa and settle in!

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© 2025 Paige Carmichael
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