After exploring Italy for 4 days, I continued my Europe trip by heading off to London next with my best friend Rachelle. She was pursuing her Master’s Degree at Cardiff University and after promising her so many times that I would come and visit her, I finally made it out to the other side of the pond before she left.
We stayed in central London so it would be easy to get around and so we could see and do more things in the span of 4 days that we had there. This ended up saving us a lot of time and money in transportation.
TIPS:
Don’t forget your travel adapter (UK uses Type G plugs which is different than the US)
Pack an umbrella, a raincoat, and shoes that will last well in rain - it rains a lot in London and I ended up ruining my white sneakers
Get an Oyster card (to use on London’s subway system aka “The Tube”)
Tipping is not required
While we were in London, we got to see the Aladdin Broadway musical. PRO TIP: Instead of heading to the discounted ticket stand for all the musicals (which is where we went first and the tickets were still really pricey), head to the actual theater where the musical you want to see is playing for cheap same-day tickets, we got ours for $20 each for decent seats!
BUCKINGHAM PALACE
Known as the Queen’s official London residence and a working royal palace, Buckingham Palace is the centerpiece of the UK’s constitutional monarchy. We didn’t stay for too long to tour the palace or witness the Changing of the Guard, but if you’re there from May - July they take place every day in the summer.
SKY GARDEN
If you want to see 360-degree views of the city, you’ll have to make a visit to London’s highest public garden. Access to the Sky Garden is free of charge, but there are only a limited number of tickets available each day so you have to book in advance.
SUNDAY ROAST
Sunday Roast is a traditional British main meal that is typically served on Sunday and consists of roasted meat, roast potatoes, and Yorkshire pudding. To get that traditional experience, Rachelle took me and her friends to the Boilingbroke and it was delicious!
AFTERNOON TEA
Book a table if you can! We got turned away at several other places that serve afternoon tea since we did not make a reservation but luckily we were able to walk-in at Bea’s of Bloomsbury. A traditional afternoon menu is light and consists of a selection of scones, finger sandwiches, cakes, and pastries. Since I have a big sweet tooth this was definitely one of my favorite experiences. Browse here for other recommendations on best places for afternoon tea in London.
WESTMINSTER ABBEY
Westminster Abbey is one of the most famous religious buildings in the world and has been the coronation church since 1066. There have been 16 royal weddings at Westminster Abbey since 1100, with the most recent one of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. We did not get a chance to buy a pass and tour inside since the line was fairly long, but we walked around to admire the beautiful architecture.
MILLENNIUM BRIDGE
Nicknamed the Wobbly Bridge, this iconic landmark appeared in the 2009 film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Only pedestrians are allowed on this footbridge, connecting St. Paul’s Cathedral and Tate Modern above River Thames.
BOROUGH MARKET
The best time to visit the Borough Market is between Wednesday to Saturday where they have a full market - be sure to get there early to beat the crowds! This market is very popular in London and renowned for their artisan prepared food and fresh produce. We made the mistake of visiting Borough Market on Sunday, which is the only day they are closed. Luckily there were restaurants nearby the area that were open so we headed into a pub for some fish n chips.
During our short stay in London, we got to visit these other attractions, famous landmarks, and popular food districts which I highly recommend:
Big Ben
London Eye
Tower of London
Tower Bridge
London Bridge
Hyde Park
Palace of Westminster (aka House of Parliament)
Trafalgar Square
Kensington Palace
Notting Hill
Primrose Hill
St. Paul’s Cathedral
Covent Garden
St. James Park
Broadway Market
Shoreditch District/Brick Lane
SoHo District
Chinatown District