Tuesday, December 23, 2014

My 10 Ten Things to do in London

So, I’ve had a request or two for my top 10 things to do in London. So, here’s a list if you only have a few days in London, these are the things I’d recommend doing  (in no particular order):

  1. Afternoon Tea: Really. This is a must do. For a nice tea for your money, Bea’s of Bloomsbury was lovely. Mad Hatter’s Tea if you want something a bit more fun (but pricey). Modern Pantry for a foodie tea. Really you can’t go wrong. Have tea!
  2. Westminster Abbey. This place is amazing. You must go inside and appreciate all that it has to offer.
  3. Do something related to the British royalty: Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Hampton Court or Windsor Castle. I think if you did one of these things, you’d get a sense of the history/importance of the British royalty. It likely depends on how much time you have. They’re all really cool places, but it just depends on what you are interested in.
  4. Go to a free museum! So many choices. Something for everyone. Just go. The art is fantastic. Tate Modern was my favorite. The Science Museum/Natural History Museum are good for kids. V&A and British Museum for people that like a mix of things. Pick one and check it out!
  5. Parks: Oh I love the Royal Parks. Go to Regent’s Park. Or Hyde Park (if you want something more traditional). For something less crowded, Battersea is great. So is Greenwich.
  6. Walk along the Thames: It’s a great walk from about Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge along the Southbank. You get great views of the city. You can walk across some of the great bridges. See St. Paul’s. The Globe. City Hall. The HMS Belfast. Really nice stuff.
  7. Theater: You must go to a show! A play, a musical. Something! So many great choices.
  8. Markets: Again. Must do. Depending on what day you’re there. Camden is always open so, that’s a good option. Covent Garden too. Borough is a must do if you’re there Thursday-Saturday. Delicious! The Sunday markets in East London are also great.
  9. Kew: I love Kew. So fun and beautiful and peaceful. A great way to escape the chaos of the city.
  10.  Have a drink: London has a great bar/pub scene. Go to a pub and have a pint. Or go to London during Cocktail Week and live it up. I loved it. Or choose a cool bar with a view of the city and have a drink (the Shard has some bars up high as do many other buildings in London). Or go to Gordon’s Wine Bar for a glass of wine.

2 comments:

  1. Interesting and good advice! I'd put #3 at the top of my list, love the royals (as you know). You could be a London tour guide with all you've experienced. I would do #1 and #3 and love parks #5 and markets #8 too. #6 you did on the first day your parents arrived in order to keep them awake. Great pictures that day as well as all the pictures you've taken. Am surprised you didn't wear out your camera (or was that your phone camera?). Speaking of drinks, Al said today (26 Dec) that there's a bottle of unopened white wine in the refrigerator in the shop. Darn, would have gotten that for you last night had I known.

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  2. Yay! Thanks for posting!

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