This is the Best 2 Days Singapore Itinerary (2025)

Planning 2 days in Singapore? You’re in for a treat. This island city-state in Southeast Asia is one of the world’s most visited cities. I travelled to Singapore after 3 weeks in Malaysia and loved it. This place is clean and green, with a definite artistic streak. I’ve created this 2 days Singapore itinerary so you can enjoy all its highlights, from the spectacular Marina Bay Sands to the magical Gardens by the Bay.

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Where to stay in Singapore

For a 2-day Singapore itinerary, the Marina Bay area is ideal but tends to be quite expensive. If you’re on a budget, the best areas to stay are Lavender or Chinatown. These neighbourhoods have excellent public transport (MRT) connections to all major attractions and authentic local atmosphere.

The best budget accommodation in Singapore

The Dream Lodge is a fabulous hostel in the lively Lavender district. It has cosy pod-style beds with privacy curtains, personal reading lights and power outlets. The Bohemian is a chic option in Chinatown, which has an awesome social scene and free daily activities.

Cube Boutique Capsule Hotel is well-located in the city centre. It’s top-rated for its stylish capsule beds with modern amenities. It’s a great choice for digital nomads, thanks to its strong Wi-Fi and comfortable work environment.

Explore the map below to find the best accommodation deals for your dates:

Your perfect 2 days Singapore itinerary at a glance

Your first day includes Singapore’s best central highlights. It begins with breathtaking views from the Marina Bay Sands observation deck, followed by an afternoon ride on the Singapore Flyer for a bird’s eye view of the city. The day concludes with an evening visit to the futuristic Gardens by the Bay and the mesmerising Supertree light show.

Day two starts with discovering Singapore’s street art scene and visiting the unique ArtScience Museum. Your afternoon adventure takes you to Sentosa Island for aquarium visits and island attractions. In the evening, you’ll sample Singapore’s incredible street food scene.

Day 1: Modern Singapore and Marina Bay

Morning: Views, shopping and lunch at Marina Bay Sands

Start the first day of your 2 days Singapore itinerary with the city’s most iconic landmark, Marina Bay Sands. A luxury hotel, it’s nicknamed ‘The Boat’, inspired by its unusual design. The best time to visit is 9-11am to avoid the crowds.

Three glossy, shiny towers are topped by a bullet-shaped platform hosting upmarket restaurants and bars, an infinity pool and an oasis of palm trees. It really is spectacular: by day, there are incredible views from the observation deck at the top of Marina Sands. By night, it is illuminated and becomes the central hub of the city’s nightly light-and-sound show.

Beneath the towers lies The Shoppes – a vast designer shopping centre where you can purchase to your heart’s content (though maybe not your wallet’s!). Here you can grab a quick and cheap lunch at Rasapura Masters, a food court serving authentic Singapore dishes. Alternatively, the nearby PS.Cafe offers hearty international mains and fresh salads in stylish surroundings.

Book your Marina Bay Sands observation deck e-ticket in advance here and skip the queues.

Early afternoon: Get your bearings on the Singapore Flyer

After exploring Marina Bay Sands, take a pleasant 10-15 minute walk over the Helix Bridge to the Singapore Flyer. Head towards the Marina Bay waterfront and follow the signs – you can’t miss the giant observation wheel.

The Singapore Flyer is a revolving giant ferris wheel from where you have a bird’s eye view of the city. You’ll normally need an hour or two here, and the best time time to visit is 2-4pm for clear daytime views.

One of its glass pods is reserved for dinner guests (‘full butler sky dining’ costs around S$269 per couple). Another is a Moët & Chandon champagne-sponsored VIP bar. In this pod we spotted a man trying to impress his date!

Peering out across the city, you can usually see container ships, the city’s Formula 1 racetrack and some giant purple tree-like sculptures. The latter are ‘Supertrees’, part of the Gardens by the Bay, where you’ll be heading next.

Before you go, check out the sign next to the Singapore Flyer where you can pose for cheesy photos – like I did in the one below.

Book your ticket to the Singapore Flyer in advance here.

Late afternoon: Explore the conservatories in Gardens by the Bay

From the Singapore Flyer, it’s just an 8-10 minute walk to Gardens by the Bay. Head back towards Marina Bay Sands and cross the Marina Overpass, then take the Dragonfly Bridge over the lake to reach the gardens.

Some of the grounds are free to walk around and you can enjoy themed gardens and sculptures. Inside the large conservatories, which cost around S$28 per person to enter, you will find unusual trees and flowers from all over the world.

Climbing up to the top of the Cloud Forest Conservatory’s plant-covered ‘mountain’ (by lift, so you don’t need to break a sweat), you can walk through different areas detailing the biodiversity of these lofty natural environments. Misty air cools your skin as you take in the world’s tallest indoor waterfall and tropical highlands, via elevated walkways high above the canopy.

Evening: Supertree Light Show at Gardens by the Bay

My favourite moment of Gardens by the Bay, and in Singapore overall, was lying beneath the Supertrees that we had spotted from the Singapore Flyer.

Each evening at 7:45pm and 8:45pm, crowds gather, relaxing on the ground, as these giant monuments burst into colour and light. This dazzling yet oddly calming display is set to classical music. A truly wondrous and unique spectacle.

Buy your tickets to Gardens by the Bay online in advance here.

Dinner and cocktails to celebrate your first day

After the magical Supertrees light show, you have excellent dinner options right within Gardens by the Bay or a short walk away.

Try the fusion restaurant Hopscotch, which serves great value, generous portions and unique cocktails with a local twist.

Afterwards, why not return to Marina Bay Sands for a fruity Singapore Sling cocktail on their stylish rooftop bar. Otherwise, from wherever you are in the city centre, you can watch the free nightly 15-minute Spectra light and water show, for a spectacular first evening of your 2 day Singapore itinerary.

Day 2: Culture and Island Adventure

Morning: Explore Singapore’s art scene

Start your second day by taking the metro train (MRT) from your accommodation to the central business district. If you’re staying in Lavender or Chinatown, it’s just a few stops to Raffles Place or City Hall station in the city centre.

The contrast between modern sculptures and towering skyscrapers is stunning. I loved the curvaceous contemporary art in the centre of this straight-up-and-down business district.

Late Morning: ArtScience Museum

From the city centre, take a pleasant 10-15 minute walk towards Marina Bay to reach the ArtScience Museum. Follow the waterfront path for scenic views along the way.

You may have already spotted the ArtScience Museum, which is shaped like a robot hand crossed with a tulip. This museum sets out to fuse the concepts of science and art.

The museum holds temporary, world-class exhibitions. We visited a showcase of the life and work of famed photographer Annie Leibovitz, through her portraits. It was an in-depth memoir, showcasing Leibovitz’s work with Hollywood A-listers – including Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and her famous shot of a heavily pregnant Demi Moore in 1991.

Alongside were intimate family photos and her lesser-known forays into landscapes and photojournalism of wartime Sarajevo. Leibovitz’s portraiture is stylistically unconventional, as she captures the humanity and idiosyncrasy of her subjects.

Another exhibition, on at the same time, investigated the story of the dinosaurs’ time on Earth.

Buy your entry ticket to the ArtScience Museum here.

Lunch at Marina Bay Sands

Head back to Marina Bay Sands for lunch. Try Tim Ho Wan PEAK for stylish dim sum or Black Tap for gourmet burgers and extravagant milkshakes.

Afternoon: Sentosa Island adventure

From Marina Bay, there are several ways to reach Sentosa Island. The most scenic route is by cable car, which takes about 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can take the monorail from HarbourFront MRT station or grab a taxi.

Just south of Singapore, Sentosa Island is known as ‘Asia’s Favourite Playground’. It houses a number of attractions including Universal Studios Singapore and the S.E.A. Aquarium.

You enter this impressive aquarium via a glass tunnel, through an ocean habitat filled with ominous sharks and graceful manta rays. Its different zones, including a tank in which you can touch the fish and crustaceans, reveals the diversity of various underwater habitats with some weird and wonderful creatures on display.

Seeing shark eggs was a first for me, and forlorn seahorses that look like they’re wearing tattered bridal gowns. I have ‘found Nemo’ several times before at aquariums and indeed while diving Australia’s Great Barrier Reef: the orange-striped clownfish, darting among the anemone, are pretty cute.

Buy your Sentosa Cable Car Sky Pass Ticket here.

Dinner: Singapore street food

All that sightseeing can work up an appetite so be sure to sample the local fare. Return to the main island for dinner and experience Singapore’s incredible street food culture. Head to one of Singapore’s famous hawker centres or food streets for an authentic local experience. Try Chinatown or check out Newton Food Centre, a famous hawker centre for local dishes.

Wandering around the city’s markets, you will no doubt stumble upon a durian stall. This intriguing, stinky, spiky fruit is a delight for some people’s tastebuds, but to others its unusual, pungent flavour and pervading odour of week-old dirty socks is distinctly off-putting. Try it and decide for yourself: is this fruit heaven or hell?

The best areas for dining in Singapore

There is a wide variety of places to eat in Singapore for every budget, from bustling street food markets to five-star hotel champagne brunches.

At Clarke Quay you’ll find riverside dining with a lively atmosphere. Chinatown has authentic hawker centres and street food, while Marina Bay is all about upscale dining with skyline views.

What to eat in Singapore

Wandering around the city’s markets, you will no doubt stumble upon a durian stall. This is a unique foodie experience that you have to try, if you’re brave enough.

This intriguing, stinky, spiky fruit is a delight for some people’s tastebuds, but to others its unusual, pungent flavour and pervading odour of week-old dirty socks is distinctly off-putting.

Try it and decide for yourself! Is this fruit heaven or hell?

Getting around Singapore

Singapore’s public transport system is world-class and makes exploring the city incredibly easy during your 2-day adventure.

The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) is Singapore’s subway system and your best friend for getting around efficiently. These clean, modern, air-conditioned trains operate from about 5:30am to midnight with frequent services every 2-5 minutes during peak hours.

The MRT network covers most of Singapore with different coloured lines connecting all major attractions. Station names are clearly marked in English, and announcements are made in multiple languages including English. Most importantly for your itinerary, key stations like Bayfront (for Marina Bay attractions) and Raffles Place or City Hall (for the city centre) are directly connected to your planned activities.

To use the MRT, purchase an EZ-Link card at any station – this works like London’s Oyster card, allowing you to tap in and out at barriers. Fares are very affordable, typically costing between S$1-3 per journey.

Why is Singapore known as the Lion City?

Legend has it that in the 13th century, Sang Nila Utama, a Prince of Palembang from the influential Srivijaya Empire, was on a hunting trip on the Indonesian island of Bintan. Climbing a large rock, he spotted an island, which he decided to visit.

While hunting on this island, he saw a strange but attractive animal, which swiftly disappeared into the jungle. Sang Nila Utama’s chief minister informed him that this animal was a lion. The Prince believed to be a good omen – a sign of good fortune coming his way – so he decided to stay and build a city on this island. He founded the city in 1299, naming it ‘Singapura’, which in Sanskrit means ‘Lion City’.

Today, you can see an 8.6 metre statue spurting water, which is a national icon of Singapore. The mythical ‘Merlion’ has the head of a lion and the body of a fish. It symbolises Singapore’s humble beginnings as a fishing village before it became Lion City.

Final thoughts on the best 2 days Singapore itinerary

Singapore really is a surprisingly beautiful city. At sunset, with the coloured skies reflecting in the water and glinting skyscrapers it is a sight to behold. As well as spectacular light shows, the city’s free evening entertainment includes music concerts on the waterfront from live bands.

This 2 days Singapore itinerary gives you a perfect taste of what makes this Lion City so special. You’ll experience modern marvels, cultural treasures and natural wonders – all within 48 hours.

While two days will leave you wanting more, it’s enough time to fall in love with Singapore’s unique blend of efficiency, beauty and charm.

Ready for your next adventure? Discover the best 3 week itinerary for Malaysia, including Borneo here.