One of my favorite ways to experience a new place is to go on a run. This is a great way to see some top sights in a short period of time.

*Note: Please ignore the straight line on the left, I forgot to turn off the location tracker on my phone

This is a six mile run that starts and ends at the Westminster Tube Station. It goes along both the North and South Banks of the Thames River across Central London, from the Houses of Parliament to Tower Bridge.

Starting at the Westminster Tube Station, head north along the river. But before you begin the run, look behind you and admire the view of Big Ben. Big Ben actually refers to the bell inside of the tower, the tower itself is called the Queen Elizabeth Tower, in honor of the queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Though Medieval in style, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament only date to the 1800’s, a time when the gothic style was making a resurgence in Europe.

About three quarters of a mile into the run, on your left will be the Somerset House, a grand 18th century palace that today houses King’s College London.

So far, you have ran along a pedestrianized embankment, but once you get about 1.2 miles in, you reach Blackfriars Bridge and have to turn away from the river along Queen Victoria Street until you reach Peter’s Hill where you turn right back towards the Thames. Before you turn, look left towards the mighty St. Paul’s Cathedral. The current St. Paul’s Cathedral is a masterpiece of the architect Christopher Wren, who rebuilt 52 churches following the Great Fire in 1666. To the right is the Millenium Bridge, the only pedestrian-only bridge in London. It is also known as the “Wobbly Bridge” because there were so many pedestrians on it on its opening day in 2000 that it was swaying at an alarming rate, leading to its closure for two years.

The route stays along the river until you reach the Tower of London about 2.5 miles into the run. Go around the Tower and cross the River Thames at Tower Bridge. The Tower of London was built by William the Conqueror, the first Norman king of England who invaded in 1066. Throughout its history, the Tower of London has served as a royal residence, treasury, royal mint, and prison, holding captive Queen Elizabeth I and German spies from World War One and Two. The nearby Tower Bridge does not have Medieval roots like the Tower of London but is actually a 19th century project that has a steel interior.

Once you cross the river, there is a stairway to the right which takes you from the bridge to the waterfront. From here you can see the Shard, the tallest building in London and in Western Europe. Next to it is an egg-shaped building that once housed the mayor’s office, but he had to move locations due to high rent prices, a common problem in London.

The route remains along the waterfront until you reach London Bridge, 3.8 miles in, when the trail goes away from the river. Follow Borough High Street, then take a right at Beadle Street and follow that until you reach the river.

After 4.5 miles you reach Shakespeare’s Globe, a modern reconstruction of the original theater where Shakespeare’s plays would perform, and where those same plays perform today. It is the only half-timbered building in all of London, due to fire codes following the Great Fire. Next to it is the Tate Modern, a celebration of art of the 20th century.

Finally, 5.8 miles in, you reach Westminster Bridge, which you cross to return to where you started. Before you reach Westminster Bridge, however, you pass by the London Eye, Europe’s largest observation wheel and the most popular paid tourist attraction in London.

Finishing where you started, 6 miles later, make sure to get a stretch before seeing the rest of what London has to offer!