The other day, a friend of mine asked me for ideas about what to see and do in my favourite city in the whole world -- London. I was born and partially raised in England, and even though I've been in Canada for many years now and love all the beauty and freedoms it has to offer, there's something about the UK that will always feel like "home" to me. From the minute I step off the plane, being back in London both comforts me and fills me with awe, so I knew I'd have no trouble coming up with a few dozen suggestions for my friend's holiday. Then I re-read her e-mail: she only had one day in the city, not one week like I'd originally thought.

One day?! Well, 24 hours in London is a whirlwind, no doubt about that, but it can be done (I once flew over for just under 30 hours, round-trip, to attend a concert). As long as you have really comfortable shoes, you can do quite a lot! Getting around on foot is easy, as London proper is surprisingly smaller than you'd think, and the Tube's extensive network is fantastic for those journeys that aren't within walking distance.

First things first, purchase an off-peak Day Travelcard (like a day pass) for the Tube, covering Zones 1 and 2. The Tube covers 6 zones, each radiating out from the city of London like a circle. The majority of "touristy" things are in Zone 1 (which comes bundled with Zone 2 automatically), so there's no need to purchase a Day Travelcard for the entire network. Also good to know is that the Tube has two sets of fares during the week -- before 9.30 a.m. and after 9.30 a.m. (off-peak) -- and the price difference between them can be quite substantial.

9.30 to 10.00 a.m.: First stop: Tower Bridge and the Tower of London! Take the Tube to Tower Hill Tube station (via the Circle line (yellow on the Tube map) or the District line (green on the Tube map), in the east end of the city. You can kill two birds with one stone here, and see both Tower Bridge, which is quite magnificent (especially when lit up at night) and the Tower of London, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The nearby Tower of London houses the Crown Jewels, which are absolutely spectacular to see, but be warned as there will likely be a big queue to get in and you don't want to waste precious minutes (or hours!) waiting in line! From the outside, though, you can take some great photos and maybe even catch the Tower's infamous ravens (it's said if the ravens ever leave, England and the monarchy will fall), or one of the Yeoman guards.

10.00 a.m. to 10.30 a.m.: From the Tower of London, head west to Westminster Tube station (via the Circle line (yellow on the Tube map) or the District line (green on the Tube map). Here, you'll see Big Ben (whose chimes are temporarily silenced at present, as the clock is under repair) and the Houses of Parliament -- both great photo ops! Across the River Thames, you'll see the 135 metre tall London Eye, a slowly-revolving observation wheel that offers a spectacular view of the skyline ... that is, as long as the skies are clear (which, in London, is never guaranteed). You'll likely wait in line longer than the 30 minutes it takes for the wheel to complete its full rotation, too.

10.30 to 11.15 a.m.: Very close to the Houses of Parliament is majestic Westminster Abbey -- well worth a visit. The sense of history is almost tangible as you walk up the nave towards the high altar. Diana, Princess of Wales's funeral was held here, as well as the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 (and other monachs for nearly a millennium). Seventeen kings and queens are buried at the Abbey, along with numerous other notable names throughout history.

11.15 a.m. to 12.00 p.m.: Westminster Abbey is not far from Buckingham Palace on foot, or you could take the Tube to Victoria station (via the Circle line (yellow on the Tube map) or the District line (green on the Tube map)). If you visit between May and September, you may be lucky enough to see the Changing of the Guard, a fine example of British pomp and pageantry. It happens around 11.30 a.m., although not daily -- the schedule is regulated by the British Army. If it's not on, stroll up the Mall (pronounced "mal" as in "malcontent", not "mall" as in "shopping mall") instead and take in the grounds. This is where Prince Charles and the former Lady Diana Spencer took their horse-drawn carriage ride after their wedding in 1981 before their famous kiss on the palace's balcony.

12.00 to 1.15 p.m.: After a very busy morning, you're bound to be hungry! Head for Green Park Tube station (on the north side of the palace grounds) and take the Piccadilly line (dark blue on the Tube map) two stops east to Leicester Square. Leicester Square is a great spot for people watching -- it's jam-packed on weekends and in the evening (and especially on weekend evenings -- in fact, at night, many of the pubs in the area have bouncers at the doors for crowd control). It's also where a lot of the nation's movie premieres are held, at the massive Cineplex Odeon. Speaking of entertainment, Leicester Square is home to the city's only official half-price ticket booth, TKTS, if you feel like catching a show in the evening. London's illustrious west end theatreland boasts dozens of theatres, with a diverse range of star-studded performances to suit every taste. You can get same-day seats for pretty reasonable prices, if you're flexible about what you want to see.

There are loads of decent pubs within walking distance in every direction, but the one I recommend is the Salisbury on St Martin's Lane (2 streets east of Leicester Square). An authentic Victorian pub, approximately 120 years old, the Salisbury has good food, good prices and a very friendly staff.

1.15 to 2.45 p.m.: After filling up at the Salisbury, it's a very short walk east to Covent Garden. Walking is preferable to taking the Tube -- by the time you head to Leicester Square Tube station, wait for the Tube, get to Covent Garden Tube station, get out and take the elevator to the ground, you could easily have walked there with time to spare (not to mention, the elevator at Covent Garden Tube station is notorious for pickpockets).

Covent Garden is a pedestrian-only area, with all sorts of quirky shops, boutiques, pubs (including a Canadian one, the Maple Leaf), stalls, buskers, street performers, vendors, museums and people. It's very cultural and very trendy, but so worth a visit, especially if you're looking for unique things to bring home. The covered Covent Garden Market is a great starting point for hand-crafted and one-of-a-kind gifts.

2.45 to 5.00 p.m.: From Covent Garden, walk south to the Strand, home to the grand Savoy Hotel, and continue west towards Charing Cross Tube station. From Charing Cross Tube station, take the Bakerloo line (brown on the Tube map) northwest four stops to Baker Street Tube station. Baker Street is not only the stop for the Sherlock Holmes Museum, but for London's world-famous waxworks, Madame Tussaud's. Madame Tussaud's is rather pricey (around $50 CDN for admission), and the queues to buy tickets can be long (tip: book online for timed admission tickets to avoid most of the wait), but when else will you be able to have your photo taken with the likes of Queen Elizabeth II, David Beckham or the Beatles?

5.00 to 6.00 p.m.: Hop on the Bakerloo line again and head south three stops to Piccadilly Circus. A busy meeting spot and shopping area, Piccadilly is somewhat reminiscent of New York's Times Square with its giant neon billboards, but it also houses old Victorian buildings (now converted into megastores) and a statue of the Angel of Christian Charity.

From Piccadilly Circus, walk south down Haymarket -- passing several of London's stately old theatres as you go -- to Pall Mall. Turn left and walk approximately five minutes to Trafalgar Square. Arguably the city's best-known public square, Trafalgar Square often hosts multi-cultural events, concerts and festivals, and is surrounded by embassies and consulates for several countries (including Canada).

If you're feeling a bit peckish and in need of a pick-me-up, continue walking across the south side of the square to St. Martin's Place. You'll see the elegant and newly-renovated St. Martin in the Fields Church. Walk north past the church to Pret a Manger, where you'll find delicious, freshly-made, healthy and reasonably-priced food to go (the lemon cake, sweet popcorn and smoothies are especially tasty!).

Cross the street back to Trafalgar Square -- be careful not to share your food with the swarms of pigeons that call the square home! In addition to watching the people go by, you'll also see the four statued plinths, including Admiral Lord Nelson's column, and the four famous lions (people are discouraged from climbing them, but you'll often see adventurous tourists hanging off their backs). On the north side of Trafalgar Square is the National Gallery, one of the finest art museums in the city. It closes at 6 p.m., but is open late on Wednesdays. Right next door is the National Portrait Gallery, housing photographs and paintings of everyone from Diana, Princess of Wales to William Shakespeare to David Bowie.

6.00 to 8.00 p.m.: Outside the National Gallery, on the northwest side of Trafalgar Square, the Big Bus Company offers a daily haunted pub crawl that's a lot of fun. The four or five pubs you'll visit will vary depending on your guide, but they almost always include the Sherlock Holmes, which features an authentic-looking replica of the literary detective's study. Other options for evening walking tours are offered by London Walks, including pub crawls, historical walks, strolls through the different boroughs in the city, ghost tours, themed walks such as Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes, the Beatles and Jack the Ripper, and much, much more. If you'd rather meander a little more aimlessly, the 350-acre Hyde Park is open until midnight.

Alternatively, you could go for a walk indoors -- several of the city's fantastic museums are open late on various days of the week. The British Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Tate Modernand Vinopolis, London's wine and spirits museum, are just some of the locations that you can visit in the evening. Or, you could consider a visit to the prestigious Harrods department store, which is open until 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday (be sure to pop by their famous food halls). Wherever your walking takes you, you're likely to feel a bit tired by the end of it all, so why not stop by a nearby pub for a traditional fish and chips dinner?

If none of the above appeals, there's one other way to explore London in just one day. There are a few hop on, hop off tour buses that cover the length and breadth of the city, but the Big Bus Company is the one that stands out. Not only do they have two routes that follow different paths throughout the city, but free walking and boat tours are included with your ticket price.

Twenty-four hours in one of the world's most vibrant cities is not nearly enough, but hopefully this has given you a taste of what to explore on your next visit!