24 Hours in Knightsbridge: A guide to London’s luxury fashion haven

You have 24 hours to spend in Knightsbridge. What do you do? The London borough is, by all accounts, this city’s luxury fashion haven. Here, you will find rows of designer stores and billboards ranging from Burberry to Louis Vuitton, people dressed in their finest designer outerwear and some of the best luxury shopping destinations in the city.

So when you find yourself with some time to kill in one of London’s most eccentric corners, you could be spoilt for choice. With luxury stores like Harrods and Harvey Nichols and a wonderful selection of incredible museums to explore just a stone’s throw away, there is so much to do in Knightsbridge.

So for the third instalment of Tempus’s 24 Hours series, we have scoured Knightsbridge for the most exceptional, interesting and fun things to do the next time you find yourself with a day to spare in one of London’s most fashionable neighbourhoods.

Join us as we take you through London’s premiere fashion destination, experience fine dining with a view, embrace fashion culture at one of the many nearby museums and shop to your heart’s content. Here’s the best way to spend 24 Hours in Knightsbridge.

Related: 24 Hours in BatterseaStay: Bvlgari Hotel, London

What better place to stay at in Knightsbridge than at the hotel that shares its name with one of the most prolific high jewellery brands in the world? Bvlgari Hotel stands at the heart of the borough, within walking distance from Harrods and Harvey Nichols. Throughout the hotel, you will discover the many odes to Bulgari through incredible portraits, jewellery displays and more. Not to mention, the luxurious Bulgari suites on the hotel’s top floor have some of the most gorgeous views of the city below.

The hotel currently also has a lovely afternoon tea collaboration with sculptural artist Hannah Lim, just in time for London Design Week. Indulge in some of the finest teas and Ruinart champagne as the hotel serves up some delectable sandwiches, sweet treats and scones. We’d recommend trying the caramel noir black tea if you have a sweet tooth. Beyond tea, the hotel is also completely decked with a state of the art spa, a swimming pool, a cinema hall and more for a lovely, relaxed experience.Dine: abc Kitchen at The Emory

Knightsbridge has many fine dining restaurants to offer, but one of the newest additions is abc kitchens at The Emory hotel. This restaurant is the exclusive London outpost of the three Michelin star chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s celebrated abc concepts all under one roof for the very first time, offering a ‘trilogy’ of abc kitchen, abcV and abc cocina in the heart of Knightsbridge. 

Expect impeccable service, gorgeous views of Hyde Park, beautiful ambience and perfectly delicious (and well-presented) food, with some highlights being the crispy fish tacos served with aioli and cabbage-apple slaw; the mouthwatering head on shrimp with garlic and chilli; sea scallop tartare and more. For a one of a kind Michelin-starred experience, you can’t go wrong with abc kitchens.

Related: How Scottsdale, Arizona became the hub of true New West cultureShop: Harrods

If you’re spending 24 hours in the luxury fashion haven of Knightsbridge, it is only right that some of that time is spent at Harrods. Here, you are truly spoilt for choice. Whether you’re on the hunt for gorgeous bags and perfumes from Prada, Bottega Veneta, Parfums de Marly, Louis Vuitton and more or you’re looking to indulge in some rich chocolate delights and sweet treats from Venchi, Ladurée and more, Harrods is the place to go.

From designer clothes, watches and jewellery to some incredible bars and restaurants, Harrods is the one stop shop for some of the best fashion Knightsbridge has to offer. And with Christmas inching closer as we enter the final months of the year, this is the best place to get ahead of the festive shopping rush.Do: Victoria & Albert Museum

Just a stone’s throw away from the main part of Knightsbridge lie a cluster of London’s most interesting museums. One such museum is the Victoria & Albert Museum. Whether you’d like to dive into the history of art or continue your fashion exploration, the V&A has something for everyone. Whether it is a celebration of supermodel Naomi Campbell’s fashion career (and a look into the evolution of fashion through the centuries), a look through some of Sir Elton John and David Furnish’s photo collection or a deep dive into the golden age of the Mughals, the V&A has it all.

And if the sun is shining and you’d like to take a break from exploring the museum, a little break in the museum’s garden is the perfect way to unwind and bask in the culture.

Read more stories from the 24 Hours series here and check out more travel stories with Tempus here.