“I think it’s around the next bend,” I said to my husband, Tom, not daring to look him in the eye. I’d guesstimated a 20-minute stroll; it had been nearly an hour. When we’d disembarked from a morning cruise on the Thames, I’d consulted a map and suggested we walk to London’s Chelsea Physic Garden. Perhaps not the best idea on a hot, sunny day (yes, in London) for two people hungry for lunch and eager to relax after sharing the cruise with troops of vacationing French kids.

Four days in London after a business trip with nothing on our itinerary was a rare luxury. We figured that as long as we’d hopped the pond, we might as well add a few days to indulge in London. I was eager to spend our time padding between small treasure houses, exploring byways, poking into nooks and crannies, crisscrossing the Royal Parks and refreshing at unheralded pubs. “I’d like to see gardens and palaces,” Tom said as we mulled our post-business plans prior to departing. That was a given.

“Buy London Passes. They’ll get you into almost all the sights and often let you cut the lines,” a friend advised. “And get an Oyster Card at Heathrow. Put 10 pounds on it, and use it to get around on the Tube or bus. The best part is that if there’s any moolah left on it, you can turn in the card and get it refunded.”

Day one, we eased out the travel kinks by walking to The British Museum via Trafalgar Square. “It’s filled with everything everybody wants back,” our concierge said, referencing the museum’s booty: treasures plundered during the “Rule, Britannia” era. The stiff-upper-lip Greek revival exterior yielded to a jaw-dropping glass-ceilinged courtyard linking the museum’s buildings. We took in the star attractions: the Rosetta Stone, Assyrian lion hunt reliefs, horses from the Mausoleum at Halikarnassos and the Lewis chessmen; rubbernecked the Egyptian sarcophagi; and detoured into the largest collection of Ming porcelain outside China.

Overloaded and craving a pick-me-up, we exited and popped into Bloomsbury’s Carrera coffee shop, a bright spot that’s been in the same family since 1927. “Try the lemon rosemary cake,” the clerk urged. “It’s our specialty; we’re known for it.”

The next morning, we visited Kensington Palace. “It’s a different take on the monarchy, less Henry VIII and more Stuarts,” our knowledgeable concierge explained, adding: “One of our guests glimpsed Prince William there, yesterday.” Home to royal family members since 1689, Kensington comprises a private wing housing current royals and another with the historic King’s and Queen’s State Apartments and two exhibits: “Victoria Revealed” and “Modern Royals — Fashion Rules.” After gawking at the gilded grandeur, we slipped out to Kensington Gardens, strolling through the Italian Gardens, believed to have been a gift from Prince Albert to Queen Victoria, and admiring the ornate Prince Albert Memorial. Across the Long Water, 350-acre Hyde Park beckoned. Acquired by Henry VIII in 1536 and used as a private hunting ground, 101 years later Charles I graciously opened it to the public.

Inside Kensington Palace © Viorel Dudau | Dreamstime.com

One can’t visit London without indulging in a proper tea. “Oh, you must go to The Savoy,” a tea-savvy friend gushed. Sitting under the glass-domed Thames Foyer, listening to a pianist playing in the center birdcage gazebo, I had to agree. We sipped and nibbled, savoring scones, sandwiches, sweets and tea cakes while eyeballing other imbibers ranging from young families to elderly couples. Satiated, we waddled out, pausing to read the historical signage in the courtyard: “Here in the Palace of the Savoy, Peter, Count of Savoy, lodged the many ‘beautiful foreign ladies’ whom he brought in 1247 from the courts of Europe before marrying them to his wards, a large number of rich young English nobles.” Interesting place, The Savoy.

The nearby Courtauld Gallery is distinguished not only by its collection but also by its setting in Somerset House, a Neoclassical confection designed in 1775 by Sir William Chambers, one of England’s top architects. Works are displayed in a series of rooms on three floors. Each is intimate but grand, with exquisite period details such as ceiling medallions and paintings, elaborate cornices and moldings, marble fireplaces, delicate apses and ornate friezes. The design alone merits attention, but it merely provides the background for one of the world’s finest collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art including works by Monet, Van Gogh, Degas, Cézanne, Renoir, Seurat and Gauguin. We capped the day at the Criterion Theatre in Piccadilly, enjoying The 39 Steps, a comic mystery that’s earned a Tony and a Laurence Olivier Award.

Day three, we arrived at Westminster Abbey just before the doors opened, ahead of the crowds. Brilliant! Our London Passes provided fast entry and a self-guided walking tour with headphones. Founded as a Benedictine monastery in the 10th century, Westminster has been the coronation site since 1066. The present church was begun in 1245 during the reign of Henry III. More than 3,300 people are buried or commemorated here, including 17 monarchs. It’s easy to feel quite insignificant given the imposing Gothic architecture, royal history and artistic treasures within these walls. We fled as the crowds grew, but longing for a more contemplative experience, I vowed to return for a service.

By mid-morning, we departed the Westminster dock, under the shadow of Big Ben and across from the London Eye, aboard a City Cruises boat shared with dozens of French schoolchildren. We disembarked at Tower Bridge and joined the throng touring the Tower of London, a UNESCO World Heritage site considered the most complete 11th-century fortress remaining in Europe. William the Conqueror built the White Tower, its centerpiece. Over the centuries, this 12-acre Norman fortress, home to the crown jewels, served as a palace, prison, torture center, armory and zoo.

On the cruise back to Westminster, I made that ill-fated decision to walk the nearly three miles along the Thames to the 3.8-acre Chelsea Physic Garden. The Society of Apothecaries of London founded this lush pocket in 1673 so their apprentices could study medicinal plants. It remains fascinating and enlightening more than 300 years later. Despite hunger and fatigue, we walked the mile and a quarter to Harrods for a quick peek. Upon exiting, I asked a Harrods’ guard if there was a decent pub in the area. “You want a real London pub?” We nodded, and he directed us to the Tea Clipper, where we inhaled what might be the world’s best fish and chips with mushy peas. “We have a secret recipe that’s been passed down for years,” the barkeep said.

A cruise boat near the Tower Bridge © Tomas Marek | Dreamstime.com

Our final day in London, we began at the Royal Mews, the Queen’s stable housing the royal coach and carriage collection. Our guide introduced Concord and Lexington, two horses named by the Queen, who obviously has a sense of humor. Our guide explained the various carriages, their uses and idiosyncrasies, and led us through the tack room before leaving us marveling at the dazzling Gold State Coach, used in every coronation since George IV in 1821.

We traipsed by Buckingham Palace as crowds gathered for the Changing of the Guards, through Green Park and along chic New Bond Street, where a Halcyon Gallery window caught my attention. “Chihuly!” I exclaimed, dragging Tom inside to view works by the renowned glass artist. The attendant mentioned a Chihuly installation in nearby Grosvenor Square Garden. En route, we stumbled across a Porsche rally; and before I knew it, Tom had talked his way into a private showing.

After grabbing lunch in Selfridges’ food court, we immersed in The Wallace Collection, considered the finest collection of 15th- to 19th-century fine and decorative arts assembled by one family. Five generations contributed to the exhibit occupying more than 30 rooms over three floors in Hertford House. The 4th Marquess of Hertford, Richard Seymour-Conway, acquired the lion’s share; his illegitimate son, Richard Wallace, inherited and added to it. His widow bequeathed the treasures to England. We wandered room to room, oohing and aahing over Rococo works; Dutch, Flemish, Spanish and Italian masterpieces; furniture designed by André-Charles Boulle, cabinetmaker to Louis XIV; 16th-century curios and Italian maiolica; Oriental and European arms and armor; exquisite gold snuff boxes … breaking briefly for tea and scones in the café.

I glanced at my watch, and we hustled to Westminster Abbey, arriving as the queue formed for Evensong. Seated inside, we absorbed the grandeur of this architectural masterpiece in blessed silence until the organist elevated the experience and the choral service began. Heavenly acoustics delivered a fitting finale to our London garden party.

London Info to Go

The closest international airport to the city is London Heathrow Airport, located 20 miles west of Central London. The Heathrow Express train offers the fastest transport into the city, departing approximately every 15 minutes (5 a.m.–11:45 p.m., about $35–42). A metered taxi usually costs about $80–130 and takes 30 minutes to one hour.

Where to Stay in London

The Arch London Seven attached Georgian townhouses and two mews homes were gutted to create this chic and sophisticated 82-room boutique hotel in an enviable Marylebone location across from Madonna’s London digs. 50 Great Cumberland Place, Marble Arch $$$$

The Milestone Hotel This 5-star boutique hotel, across from Kensington Palace, pampers guests with meticulous service and plentiful extras. No two of the 63 guestrooms and suites are alike. 1 Kensington Court $$$$

St. Ermin’s Hotel The 4-star Marriott Autograph Collection member features 331 deluxe guestrooms within strolling distance of Westminster, Buckingham Palace and Victoria Station. Locals favor Grill, Caxton’s Bar and Terrace for cocktails. 2 Caxton St. $$$

Restaurants in London

The Savoy A live pianist performs background music for afternoon tea. Arrive hungry or risk being unable to enjoy the abundant sandwiches, sweets, scones and cakes. The Strand $$$

Simpson’s-in-the-Strand A fine-dining landmark famed for timeless preparations of classic British cuisine, including roast beef with Yorkshire pudding delivered on an antique silver-domed trolley and carved at the table. 100 Strand $$$$

Tea Clipper An unfussy traditional pub with friendly service offers good pub grub in a historic Georgian building around the corner from Harrods. 19 Montpelier St., Knightsbridge $

Read more about the Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show.