Covid requirements for a brief stay in London

No one can predict what the rules will be in June.

As of now, your entire group would have to book a Day 2 test but not take it. No test needed prior to arrival if you are vaccinated

You also won't have much time in London. If your flight arrives at 4:30, you can't expect to be at your hotel much before 6:30.

You would also have to leave your hotel no later than noon for your return trip to Heathrow.

Frank is correct. I would leave the hotel at 11.30.

The Tower area isn’t the best connected area for public transport. It’s in the east of London and Heathrow is west.

Hello, what Frank says is correct re COVID rules.

I know this wasn’t your question so feel absolutely free to disregard, but as others have mentioned, I wouldn’t recommend staying near the Tower of London for such a short layover. With the timing of your layover, you’ve basically got the evening to eat somewhere and walk around to take in sights on foot, and then time for one sight in the morning (most open at 10). By the Tower, you are proximate to good eating and nightlife in East London, but I wouldn’t describe it as a family scene - more fun for people in their 20s and 30s going out - and it wouldn’t be my first choice if I had only one opportunity to see some of London on foot. Instead, I’d stay somewhere central, close to Westminster and Trafalgar Square. You can either take the Tube (Piccadilly Line) into town (cheapest option) or take the Heathrow Express to Paddington + short cab ride to central lodgings (fastest option for this area).

Lots of people on this forum like staying in Covent Garden, which would work. There are lots of good places to eat in Covent Garden or Soho, and then you are well placed to see lots of sights on foot after dinner (it will be light till about 10pm at that time of year): Trafalgar Square, Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben (possibly still under some scaffolding), the London Eye from across the river, Buckingham Palace, the Covent Garden piazza, etc. In the morning, you would be well placed to choose one from among this list of sights that require entry: Churchill War Rooms, Westminster Abbey, National Gallery, or the British Museum. You can do about two hours in one of those, and then start your journey back to the airport around noon.

However, your short stay in London may complicate your covid requirements for Italy. Coming from the US, you must have a test no more than 72 hours from arrival in Italy, adding 24 hours in the UK makes a tight window. Further, if coming from the UK, you need a test within 48 hours of arrival for PCR, 24 hours for Antigen, which your US test likely would not meet. You may be spending the morning trying to get tests for everyone. Of course things likely will change by June.

@paul - The OP is coming from Rome going to the U.S.

As it currently stands (unless it has changed), you will need to ensure you get an antigen test within 24 hours of returning to the states. Since you’ll be in London less than 24 hours, use the day 2 antigen test that you have to schedule anyway as your test to return to the U.S.

So many great suggestions & info from you good people. I am going to see about changing my hotel reservations to be in the recommended section of London. Will aim for Covent Gardens. A million thanks!

I can't imagine squeezing in an indoor sight that opens at 10 AM if you have a 3:40 PM departure from Heathrow. You'd have to see the sight and then return to your hotel to re-claim your stored bags--and at a time of day when desk personnel could be very busy with check-outs.

Pre-COVID it was recommended that transatlantic passengers arrive at the airport check-in counter three hours before departure time. There have been suggestions that extra time be allowed now, because passengers may face extra, COVID-related procedures. You can't be sure that any form of airport transportation will run absolutely on time, and depending on what method you choose, you may have considerable walking between your arrival point and the check-in counter. There may be a long walk from check-in counter to gate as well. I suppose not having bags to check could save some time, but I can't speak to that because that is never my situation. I just know that it would be extremely costly to miss that return flight and have to buy last-minute replacement one-way tickets for a family.

Hello,
I have cancelled my reservations at the hotel near the Tower of London, and have been searching for something in Covent Garden. I did find a hotel that is within our budget - Travelodge Covent Garden, 10 Drury Lane. Are any of you familiar with the location of this hotel - and if it is within walking distance to places like Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, and the other sites that were mentioned in the Covent Garden area? I'll wait to hear back before moving on this. If this hotel doesn't seem right, are there any other suggestions? Thank you, Linda

1.3 miles from Westminster Abbey and Parliament
6/10 of a mile from Trafalgar Square
1.5 miles from Buckingham Palace

You could make a loop and see all three easily. The beginning of RS’ London City walk walking tour starts by the Royal Courts of Justice and goes along Fleet Street, ending by Monument.

It's easy to use Google Maps to figure walking distance (and walking time, which I think is based on 20 minutes per mile) between any two points in a city. The link will show you a possible path between the Covent Garden Travelodge and Westminster Abbey.