London is stunning and is filled with an immense amount of history, gorgeous architecture, yummy food, and a unique, chic culture. This was my second time to visit, but my first experience as an adult. I already cannot wait to go back in the next few years!
London Town is…
- wonderful for a long weekend, especially if you’re traveling from the northeast and/or you want to check out other cities or countries on your longer vacation {or holi
day}. - outstanding in the Fall. The weather was temperate and it only slightly rained.
- similar to NYC in that you should be prepared to walk, walk AND walk. It’s the best way to immerse yourself and check out multiple areas of town.
- pristine and clean. Even, the Tube is clean. This means a lot to someone who isn’t a huge fan of the dirty, smelly NYC Subway system.
- a city where afternoon tea is a priority. I’m a total fan.
- a place where the athleisure trend has exploded. It is acceptable to rock comfy, cute shoes. I opted to wear classic adidas Superstar‘s and sleek black, gold Nike sneakers.
- is filled with very pretty, diverse people, who have a-mazing style.
- a town that loves open air markets, street fairs and street art/graffiti.
- a great food scene. Back in the day, London wasn’t recognized for food, but that has DEFINITELY changed in recent years.
While there are many places to stay, many things to do and many restaurants to check out, below is our itinerary from our 3-day London adventure. We stayed at the W Hotel in Leicester Square, which is located in basically London’s Time Square – not my favorite area I quickly learned. However, it was fun that it was adjacent to China Town and centrally located to most places we wanted to check out by foot.
L&H’s London Itinerary:
FRIDAY | Day 1
- Princi for a quick Breakfast & Coffee in Soho {amazing pastries}
- Walked around Mayfair {cute & chic area}
- Sketch for Afternoon Tea {you can treat yourself to champagne too; pictured above & is a MUST; make a reservation as early as you can}
- Green Park for a quick walk to see the beauty of Buckingham Palace {we did not go inside the palace}
- Harrods Shopping & Food Market {a place I vividly remember experiencing with my late Grandmother Robin years ago and it was just as outstanding)
- J. Sheekey for dinner in Covent Garden {high-end seafood restaurant; make a reservation ahead of time; fish was wonderful, but the service definitely has room for improvement}
- Mr. Foggs Tavern for a nightcap {amazing cocktails; nearby J. Sheekey}
*we flew in on a red eye flight so we were a tad exhausted as expected.
SATURDAY | Day 2:
- Hyde Park for a walk and to see the beautiful grounds {gorgeous}
- Kensington Gardens and Kensington Palace to continue the walk and see the outside of the palace
- Pit stop to visit the area where my husband studied abroad
- Portobello Road Market to check out the retailers, art and culture {DEF a must; loved all of the vendors and the noms}
- Notting Hill to take a stroll and see the fabulous architecture {then took the TUBE to London Bridge Station}
- Borough Market to check out the local food & sip on a cider in Southwark {DEF a MUST to grab fresh, to-die-for pasta from La Tua Pasta}
- Walk along the Thames River by the London Bridge, Shakespeare’s Globe and TATE MODERN {it is free entry FYI} and to see a few other landmarks from afar
- Walk across the Millennium Bridge and walk back to Leicester Square
- NOPI for dinner in Soho {Oustanding contemporary London Cuisine – a mix of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Asian; It is also a super chic space with white & gold decor, and a crazy mirror bathroom; DEF a must; Make a reservation ahead of time}
- Basement Sate for an after dinner cocktail {Cute cocktail bar; Walking distance from NOPI}
SUNDAY | Day 3:
- Columbia Road Flower Market to stroll through the gorgeous flower selection {Def a MUST; Only open Sundays from 8am-3pm)
- Little Georgia for a spontaneous brunch {stumbled upon this little local gem on Yelp & it was great}
- Ended up strolling around Shoreditch & Brick Lane to check out the graffiti & street fair {Def a MUST; lots of culture, amazing art and trendy Londoners}
- Walked throughout Old Spitalfields Market to see the retailers and the awesome space
- Tower of London experience {Even though we both had been before when we were younger, we loved walking around the gorgeous architecture & seeing the crown jewels}
- View of the Tower Bridge {A great part about going into the Tower of London is you have the best view of this pretty bridge & the Thames River}
- Fortnum & Mason to check out the tea selection & purchase a few gifts {Def a MUST; I now have an obsession with their tea thanks to a friend’s recommendation}
- COYA Mayfair for dinner {Amazing Peruvian food with gorgeous decor; Def a MUST; Other locations in Miami & Dubai}
Other London Recommendations from some dear friends:
- Afternoon Tea at The Orangery at Kensington Palace
- Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace
- Bus Tour around London Town
- Churchill War Rooms
- TATE MODERN
- Palace of Westminster & Big Ben
- Champange Experience at the London Eye
- Camden Market & Shopping in Camden Town
- A glass of wine Gordon’s Wine Bar
- Cider & Pub food at the Old Ye Cheshire
- Afternoon Tea & Champagne at The Dorchester
- Gymkhana for Indian food
- Cinnamon Club for Indian food
- Duck and Waffle for a meal
- Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
- Afternoon Tea at The Corinthia
- Chiltern Firehouse for a meal
Hope you make it to London Town soon! If you do, take me with you.
Cheers! Xx L&H