The capital of England and one of the most powerful cities of the world, London is on the list of every traveller. Spread out proudly besides the historical Thames River, London was originally founded by the Romans who provided the inspiration for its present name…in those days it was called Londinium.
London City still prides itself on its boundaries that were established in the middle ages but Greater London comprising of metropolitan area shared by parts of Middlesex, Hertfordshire, Surrey and Essex is also called London now. In almost all arenas i.e. fashion, arts, entertainment, media, healthcare, research and development and culture…London leads the world.
Some of the richest people of the world own homes in London and most leading brands of the world have stores here. It currently holds a high percentage of immigrant population and more than 200 languages are right now being spoken in London and its suburbs.
It’s heartening to see such glamorous financial and cultural hub with such a rich store of fauna and flora …most Londoners are used to many other co-dwellers of their space apart from humans. Interestingly more than 10,000 foxes stay in London and they are coolly seen sauntering on the less busy streets and raising their young in people’s backyards.
People of London are accustomed to a wide variety of birds inhabiting their skies and some areas of greater London like Bushy Park and Richmond sees a lot of fallow deer and red deer…
Attractions
Important London landmarks and buildings have been built in different ages and eras so any one architectural style cannot be clearly identified. Icons like National Gallery are made of Portland Stone while some like the famous Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace (oldest palace of England) are Tudor structures.
St Pancras and Paddington railway stations (immortalised in Agatha Christie’s mystery novels) are Victorian architecture have intricate Victorian architecture while the 17th century Royal Exchange, Bank of England represent neo classical architecture.
London is dominated by stunning skyscrapers like 30 St Mary Axe, Broad-gate Tower, Tower 42, One Canada Square, Shard London Bridge (highest building in the EU) etc. Interestingly St Paul’s Cathedral will always mark the skyline…skyscrapers will never be permitted to be built around it.
Southwark’s City Hall with its unique oval design is another lovely piece of architecture. There is always a new landmark coming up in London like the Arcelor Mittal Orbit and Slide over the Queen Elizabeth Olympicia Park; this has a bewildering curly shape and an interesting view.
The extremely popular London Eye (built to celebrate the year 2000) holds the title of “cantilevered attraction with the greatest elevation”…enjoy the giant ride in the sky and the sweeping views that come with it.
Much of England’s royalty…17 kings and queens with dukes and countesses (as of 2018) are buried in the historic Westminster Abbey and all coronations and nearly every royal wedding has taken place here. The spectacular Gothic building also holds the tombs of Darwin, Hardy, and Dickens etc. . . . Incidentally many Londoner’s think of the Elizabeth tower bell as Big Ben but it’s actually the nickname given to the huge bell inside Westminster’s famous clock tower.
The Tower of London on the Tower Hill looks like it has stepped out of a fairy-tale with its exquisite architecture and enterprising ravens. So many violent stories and priceless jewels lie inside that you will need at least a couple of hours to soak in its 1000 year old history. Winters see ice rinks and there are always lots of activities for youngsters here.
If you love cricket then a visit to the Wembley Stadium where England won the 1966 world cup is in order…you can take a tour that will let you walk on the player’s tunnel and climb the trophy winner steps.
And music and culture lovers will surely catch a classical coffee morning or evening jazz show or an opera night at the 1871 built Royal Albert Hall that’s the epitome of Victorian extravaganza.
Talking of Opera, every Friday there are rebates on show tickets at the grand Opera House in Covent Garden and their backstage tour lets you view (if you are lucky) the members of the royal ballet gracefully practising their moves. South Bank’s Shakespeare Globe will let you experience how theatre was in the bard’s era while the Somerset House on the north side of Waterloo Bridge holds exhibitions, live music sessions, summer fountains and winter ice rinks.
The Tate Modern also on South Bank is now the planet’s most prestigious art gallery but once upon a time it was just a power station. Go up to the switch house tower and enjoy the splendid rooftop views and see what marvels are currently being hosted in Turbine Hall.
Yet another South bank attraction is Shrek’ DVENTURE London that’s a thrilling 4D ride plus interactive sessions with all favourite Shrek characters in the Far Far Away world. South Bank in itself deserves a special mention…some of the city’s best theatres, attractions and galleries surround this lively space that hosts free street shows, art exhibits etc.
Fill up your belly at the umpteen cafes and restaurants around at South Bank centre, get your sketch made by any one of the artists wandering around and then go art gazing at the Gabriel Wharf. If the macabre excites you then the London Dungeon with its horrifying stories, gory props and horror inspired costumes will take you on a fear ride…right from the London Plague to Jack the Ripper before you get on the scream inducing Death Express.
The Royal Observatory on Greenwich was the original location for timekeeping studies and observation of stars. Pay a visit to admire the array of instruments made by astronomers over time, watch the setting of the Greenwich meridian and see the planetarium shows.
Bibliophiles should definitely visit the British Library at Euston that has free entry and unending printed and audio archives. Don’t miss seeing the early photographs of different luminaries and the old Beatles song writing pages. The British Museum with its lovely glass dome ceiling at Bloomsbury has free entry too and its Egyptian mummies are of special interest to kids and teens
In St James Park, you can see the world landmark Buckingham Palace…its iconic facade is instantly recognisable….this was created in 1913 by George V and Queen Mary and surprisingly the palace wasn’t royal before that (it belonged to the very wealthy Lord Goring). Her Highness’s home is snoop-worthy in all its splendid details.
Another entirely different type of palace experience can be found in the Hampton Court Palace with its Tudor style tennis courts and the bewildering Royal maze and playground in magical gardens…this is an all family destination.
In Westminster there is the seat of British democracy; the elegant Kensington palace will be of special interest to all fans of British royalty…the chicest salons in Georgian times were hosted here and as of 2018 Harry, Meghan and William Kate stay here. If you can catch the Diana…her Fashion Story exhibition, then you are sure to be dazzled.
Chances are that you will be spending a large part of your time in the famous Trafalgar square with its lions and fountains and Nelson on his huge column clicking Instagram pictures and gawking at the newest modern art work decorating Fourth Plinth…don’t even think of feeding the masses of pigeons here as its illegal. Looking at the National Gallery should be the next logical step once you are here. This free entry museum has dazzling pieces of European paintings including the well-known “sunflowers” by Van Gogh. Serious art aficionados can stay back on Friday Lates to check exhibitions, live drawing sessions and workshops.
The National Portrait Gallery on Leicester Square has an impressive collection of portrait photographs, drawings and paintings of celebrities, royalty, scientists and basically everyone important. This too is free entry and Friday, Thursday sees nice events.
London’s museums will take weeks to explore… there is the Science museum and Natural History Museum and Victoria and Albert museum at Brompton and SEA LIFE Aquarium in South Bank and the Transport museum at Covent Garden and the greyish warship converted Museum at Aldgate …HMS Belfast (it’s a very long list).
In case you are an adrenaline junkie then the Thames RIB (rigid inflatable boat) Experience will have you rushing down the river at 35 miles per hour for a whirlwind experience.
The super important Houses of Parliament which bear the weight of game changing 1000 years of politics are probably there on your schedule. The buildings are extremely beautiful and host important pieces of art; the audio tour through the House of Lords and House of Commons is recommended.
Another stop on your list will invariably be Madame Tussaud’s on Regents Park…the first wax statue here was crafted in 1802 and now (as of 2018) there are more than 300 statues. Where else in the world does Angelina Jolie rub shoulders with Einstein!!
The St Paul’s Cathedral is the most revered landmark of London but very few know that this is the 6th version. The 5th version was destroyed by the 1666 London Fire and 4th version was destroyed in a battle. The current cathedral has seen the rules of 12 monarchs and survived 2 world wars….don’t miss the 90 minute introductory talk at the beginning of the tour if you can spare the time.
Visiting the Victorian style Tower Bridge in Bermondsey and having a look at the engine room before going up to the glass floored viewing platform is a must do activity.
The Epping Forest bursts with different shades of colours all year round and has more than 650 flora species inking an enviable array of orchids. The huge Hyde Park in central London is another example of the city’s commitment to ecology…go take a dip or boat around in Serpentine Lake.
After you are done with all that go for Oxford street shopping, chill at the Regent’s Park while admiring the roses and Open Air theatre performances (on from march to September). St James Park near Trafalgar Square with its pelicans and lake islands and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park near Westfield shopping hubs offer similar respite.
Take a short trek from north of London and you can reach the magical climes of Harry potter. The Great Hall, Diagon Alley and Forbidden Forest with their complete sets and costumes and extravagant exhibits are opened up to you in the Warner Bros Studio tours. There is always an exhibition on here and you can finally learn the secret of the special effects of the movie franchisee.
Food and Drinks
One of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, London has some of the best places to eat. If you are a food lover and want to experiment then you should have a bucket list for London restaurants as there are dishes here that you won’t probably get anywhere else.
Having Duck and Waffle at Duck and Waffle and Custard Donut at St John Bar & Restaurant and Beef Rings and Bone Marrow Mash at Pitt Cue Co are some must do-s if you want to sample some London favourites. Crab Donuts at Chiltern Firehouse (Maryleborne), Crodough at Rinkoffs Bakery (Whitechapel), Soy Chicken Wings at Rita’s and are other must try items.
Monkey Fingers at MEAT mission Hoxton, Fish & Chips at Poppies (Spitalfields & Camden) and Lobster Macaroni with Truffle at Mayfair should also make it to your London food bucket list.
Another way to go about it is to have great food wherever you are sightseeing and shopping in London. When you are done with all your shopping at Covent Garden have an unusual meal at Compagnie Des Vins Surnaturals …try the Posh Madame (truffle ham and quail eggs). In Knightsbridge there is the eclectic Dinner by Heston which serves a totally confusing dish…Meat Fruit.
Similarly when hungry in Soho try the Spuntino…its truffle egg toast is particularly delectable or Tonktsu Ramen at Bone Daddies. Mayfair has the Wolseley which serves an amazing English breakfast.
Some of the best places to get traditional English food in London are St John (only a food temple!!!)) In East London, Berners Tavern in Fitzrovia and the Ivy in West End along with the Clove Club in Shoreditch Town Hall.
When in London don’t forget to sample the British Cider, Gin and Tonic, Tea inspired cocktails and a pint of hearty ale in a traditional British pub. Of course wine, scotch, vodka, beer and every other kind of spirit flows freely in its restaurants and bars …after all you are in one of the gastronomic hubs of the world.
Traditional Afternoon Tea in England has a long heritage. It has been part of English culture since ages, although there are variations to how it is served in different provinces. Many restaurants all over London and England continue to offer this experience to guests who want to indulge in tea served lavishly from 4pm along with different kinds of finger snacks.
Read: Traditional afternoon tea in England and best places to try it out.
The Londoners are fond of Indian food…a tribute to the colonial days and one of the best places to try this is at Dhishoom…they have outlets at several locations. German food is also very popular in London and a great place to have it is Herman ze German’s that has many outlets in many locations (Bockwurst is must try).
A good Spanish Food chain is Barrafina…its tortillas are quite well known. English traditional food is uncomplicated and hearty and some of its best versions are found in the Full English Fry up at Breakfast, Sunday Lunch/ Brunch, Four O Clock tea and the High Tea. All these meals are now widely advertised and commercialised…hundreds of restaurants offer them.
Read: Know about the best English food and where to try them out
Nightlife
The nightlife like everything else is wonderful in London. If you want to go a club spree you will be spoilt for choice. Fabric (constructed on the site of a meal cellar) in Charterhouse street is a showcase for young talented bands. KOKO on Camden High Street has a decadent air and amazing live band performances. Studio 338 on Ibiza Street is where you can party Ibiza style and the Printworks on Surrey Quays Road calls itself a “music and arts space”. Other amazing nightclubs are The Grand on St John Hill, Egg on York Way and Ministry of Sound on Gaunt Street.
One way to spend the late evening is to hang out at a traditional British pub like the Mayflower Pub and the Pride of Spitalfeilds at East End. In fact you can go on a proper Historic pubs tour that exposes you to the best traditional pubs around London with oak beams, wooden pews, sea faring artefacts and a blazing fire. There are many places in London which serve tea inspired cocktails and one of the most sophisticated ones is Opium in Soho which has a special history of cocktails tour. The London Gin Club has 9 separate gin menus.
Another amazing way to live it up at night in London is to see the cabaret. Proud Cabaret City on Mark Lane is aptly named with a British menu and jazz and cabaret entertainment. Volupte Lounge on Norwich Street has a rather naughty version of the Afternoon Tea and the focus is on Vaudevillian and burlesque.
Proud Embankment (between the Savoy and Somerset House) on Victoria Embankment has an awesome cabaret experience and Café de Paris with its stunning Baroque interiors is where Madonna and Spice Girl hosted parties in.
Yet another quieter way to Enjoy London is by taking a Thames River cruise at night. Many tour operators provide sunset cruises with elaborate dinners and musical performances on board in beautifully decked up vessels…you will have plenty of options to choose from.
Shopping
One of the most popular shopping destinations in the world, London covers everything from high end to high street. It’s a sacrilege to visit London and not shop and the entire of London can be justifiably called a shopping zone.
At the very centre of London shopping is Oxford Street with its 300 designer outlets and iconic stores. Drop in to Selfridges, Debenhams, John Lewis and invest in some bargain fashion at Primark’s, Topshop, Berwick Street and St Christopher’s Place.
Another shopping paradise is Regent Street with its mid-range fashion stores including some of the city’s oldest brands. The adjacent Jermyn street stocks the best men’s clothing and shoes stores in UK. If you want a suit tailored then Saville Row is the place to go to….after all this is where the Tuxedo was born.
Hamleys is the world’s oldest and largest toy shop and located on Regent Street. It was originally founded in 1760 by William Hamley. It was then known as ‘Noahs Ark’. It was relocated to its present location in 1881.
Chelsea’s King’s Road has beautiful boutiques, designer stores and high street brands along with restaurants and cafes. The Duke of York Square that’s just near the King’s Road has more than 30 lifestyle and fashion retailers including a huge Zara and an iconic Vivienne Westwood store.
Shop for gourmet food hampers at Fortnum & Mason on St James (they have a beauty product floor too) and for toys, perfumes, packaged food and shoes (amongst other things) at Harrods on Brompton road.
There are many more shopping hubs in London like Camden with its Goth and punk clothing, Notting Hill with its antiques and quirky stuff, Spitalfields with its independent boutiques and old Spitafields market and the Canary Wharf with its relaxed high street shopping centres
Soho has a beautiful store called “& Other stories” that sells arguably the best London high street fashion and the Scandinavian classic COS store where minimalist menswear is the highlight.
Also Lina Stores with its sardines, pasta, olives (basically all Italian stuff) and London’ oldest Whiskey shop Milroy’s are good stops. Arket with its Scandi apparel, crockery, babywear and cosmetics is a good destination and so is Liberty with its gorgeous
If you want high end the Brown’s Fashion with 70 plus designer brands and the Burberry store with its huge video displays and rain showers are must visits in Mayfair. Also drop in to the 2 storeyed Hedonism wines.
In Covent Garden’s stands the most unusual unisex perfume chain in London; Bloom perfumery with its fragrances from Paul Emilien, Arquiste etc. Arthur Beale on Shaftesbury Avenue in the same zone has lots of nautical designer paraphernalia, beanies and fisherman knits. Blackout II has great quality vintage stuff and women’s wear while Coco de Mer has an awesome jewellery and lingerie collection.
How to reach
It’s not surprising that London will have multiple airports but 6 is still a surprising number; London Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, London City, London Luton and Southend. Heathrow is the busiest airport (one of the busiest in the world) and has direct flights to almost every important city in the world. The airport is spread across 5 terminals with restaurants, shops, left luggage facilities etc…there are strong express train and tube (Piccadilly line) connections from Heathrow to London City.
Gatwick is the second busiest airport and receives flights from many European and non-European cities. It’s further away from the city centre so airport transfers will be longer and more expensive. If you are arriving from other parts of Europe via low cost airlines then Stansted is where you will probably land. This airport is equidistant from Cambridge as well as London and has its own express train like Gatwick and Heathrow.
Luton (about 30 miles from the city) and City airports (near financial hub of London…in the docklands) see mostly Europe flights and are used by business travellers.
Getting Around
One of the most explored cities in the world, London local transport systems are easy to get used to. Basically the city has 9 fare zones in which 1 & 2 signify central London while numbers increase as you get further out from the core of the city (Heathrow is 6).
You can take Eurostar and East Midlands trains from Paris, Antwerp, Lille, Amsterdam, Schiphol, and Rotterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt to St Pancras Station London. The station is connected to the Heathrow Airport via the Heathrow express and Underground Circle Line.
Some of the ways to pay for local transport is by buying individual tickets, using Oyster Card, London Pass, several tourist oriented travel cards or using these options in a combination (for example Oyster card with London Pass).
The London metro is referred everywhere as “Tube” and is the oldest metro network on the planet. Some lines have 24 hour service and some are open from 5 a.m. to midnight. The metro operates in fare zone 1 to 6 and is the easiest and most cost effective way to travel locally.
Overground is suburban rail network service that’s great if you want to travel extensively in and around London. As of 2018 Overground runs on 6 routes and 96 trains connect 23 out of London’s 33 Boroughs.
The DLR / Dockland Light Railway service is automated rail that ciovers eastern and south eastern areas of London and nicely links the Heathrow to the tube webs. This is great for going to specific places and airport transfers.
Suburban rails link central London to the outer areas and fast trains link London to the rest of England/ Europe/ rest of the world. All three major airports i.e. Heathrow, Stanstead and Gatwick have direct train links. You will have do a little more reading to know where you can use your London Pass, Oyster Card etc. on the train networks.
Buses are the most affordable way to travel around London and there are lots of night buses too. In all public buses you just need to flick the contactless card or the Oyster Card on the yellow card reader and you are all set to go. You can go anywhere in London by bus and this is the best option for people who don’t want to walk too much.
London Tramlink has 4 lines…it isn’t a very extensive network but it’s useful for South London (good for Wimbledon, Croydon, Beckenham). If you want novelty use the cable car service that gets you from Greenwich to Royal Victoria Dock across the Thames (this is the only urban cable car in United Kingdom).
You can also get from one end of London to the other by River Boat service that follows the length of Thames. Needless to say London is full of city tour buses aimed at tourists which are open topped and allow you to hop on and off.
Read: London city transportation – getting to the city and around.
When to Go
London has mild climate but it can rain absolutely anytime anywhere so an umbrella is always handy. Overcast skies are very common here. Springs are wet and mild and Easter is celebrated with a lot of aplomb. Summers are cheery and filled with music fiestas, outdoor theatre and many activities.
Autumns are beautiful and mild with lovely leaf colours and it’s around this time that the first Christmas lights begin to shine. Winters are cold and very damp but the Christmas season is celebrated beautifully with lots of sales and superb decorations. You can basically visit London any time though January February offer cheaper deals on flights and hotels.
Read: Important weather information of London and England.
To conclude…
When in London it’s better to remember the adage “a bad day in London is better than a good day anywhere else”…celebrate every moment of being inside this spectacular city.
A travel addict. Still celebrating the day when he quit his high-profile corporate job to pursue his passion for travel writing.