Look, everyone says London is walkable, but here's the thing — It sprawls way more than people realize. Walking from Westminster to Tower Bridge sounds romantic until you're 3 miles in with dead feet, realizing you've barely seen anything. Those red tourist maps lie about distances to keep you walking between attractions.

Here's what actually works: stick to neighborhoods. Camden to Regent's Park? Doable and enjoyable. Covent Garden through Soho to Oxford Street? Perfect walking zone. But don't try crossing zones thinking you'll see everything on foot — You'll waste hours and miss half your planned stops.

Use the tube between major areas, then walk within them. Zone 1 covers a massive area — From Paddington to Tower Hill is 6+ miles of urban sprawl, not some quaint European city center. Trust Google Maps walking times, not those tourist office maps that make everything look 5 minutes away.

Smart strategy: pick 2-3 neighborhoods per day, tube between them, walk within each area. South Bank from London Eye to Borough Market works great. Westminster to St. James's Park to Buckingham Palace flows nicely. But Westminster to Camden via Covent Garden? You'll be cursing my name and buying expensive tube tickets halfway through when your feet give out.