London Travel Guide

My first international trip. Took me 30 years to muster up the courage. On the morning of my flight I was freaked out. I was pumped for weeks to finally travel abroad and then that morning, I sat there on my couch, trying to come up with excuses to get out of it. I was scared to leave my home, my state, my country. BUT, this is what life is about. You’re not truly living until you’re outside of your comfort zone. And I would have REGRETTED it if I had stayed home. We flew into London but then we took a 2-hour train to Paris. Logistically and financially it made sense to do it this way. London was our last stop before heading back home. I’ll admit, I was a bit homesick when I was in Paris. I still enjoyed it but I also felt underwhelmed while I was there and to make things worse, I had no appetite (which if you know me is a big deal). Immediately stepping off of that train and walking in the streets of London was a complete 180. The energy of that city reminded me of another city that I love, New York. And on top of that energy, there’s so much history and character to London. I honestly wish I would have booked more days here than Paris. We crammed so much into 2 days that looking back upon it, I don’t know how we did it. 2 days is doable, but I definitely recommend following the London travel guide below and spreading it out over 3-4 days. London is one of those cities where I will repeatedly visit throughout the rest of my life. Mind the Gap!

Where to Stay in London:

The Bloomsbury Hotel. My sister booked this one with Expedia. Probably a bit pricy for one person but if 2 people are splitting the cost then it’s pretty reasonable, especially for such a gorgeous hotel as this. The hotel is located in Covent Garden, which I’ve been told is the place to stay for a first timer. It’s central to a lot of attractions and within walking distance to many restaurants and less than 2 miles away from the St. Pancras International Train Station.

Transportation in London:

We decided that in order to maximize our time in London, the Underground or the Tube, as it’s known, was the most cost / time efficient way to travel the city. We took the tube from the train station to the hotel and basically all over London, except for one time taking the bus around 5pm because the particular Tube Station we were at was too crowded. In order to travel on the Tube, you need either an “Oyster Card,” which can be purchased at each Tube Station, the airport, and the international train station, or a contactless debit or credit card. Btw, you’re penalized heavily for buying a single journey ticket, sometimes double the price than the Oyster Card. A single journey ticket can cost anywhere from 5.50 – 6 GBP whereas an Oyster Card will cost 2.40 – 5.30 GBP during peak times (Mon – Fri, 6:30am – 9:30am; 4pm – 7pm) and 2.40 – 3.30 during non-peak times. There’re also daily limits to what you will spend. These caps are dependent on which zones you are traveling within. If you’re using a contactless card, the total cost of all the journeys that you make in one day is calculated at the end of the day and a single charge is made to your contactless payment card account. Fares are usually the same for both the Oyster card and the contactless card. You can also use Oyster cards on all of London’s public transportation, not just the Underground. If you’ve never taken a subway before or if you’re out of practice, the Tube can take some getting used to. The stop in bold is where you’re at. Look for the stop you’re going to and the color of the line it’s on. And if you’re OCD like me you can look at this map beforehand. And don’t forget to mind the gap!

What to Do in London:

Brick Lane Market – On Sundays this street turns into an outdoor market and serves some really great, cheap food. Also, the walls along the street covered in London’s best graffiti artists are a great place to take pics for the gram. This East London area has super Brooklyn/Bywater vibes if that’s your thing. After, you can walk to Shoreditch High Street where there are endless pubs and restaurants. My first London meal was a Sunday roast at the Princess of Shoreditch. Best meal of the trip. *Chef’s kiss

Marylebone Street – Walk amongst the boutique shops, cafes, and restaurants along Marylebone street, a favorite with West London locals, but remains relatively unknown to tourists.

Primrose Hill – Walk through Regent’s Park to the top of the 200-foot-tall Primrose Hill for amazing panoramic views over Regent’s Park and Central London.

Kensington Palace – A residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th century, and is currently the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

If you’re visiting Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace in the same day, take a stroll thru Hyde Park along Rotten Row that’s situated between both. One of my favorite pictures of London was walking along Rotten Row and seeing the London Eye in the distance.

Parliament Square – If there are no protests going on, which is pretty common, head over to this area for views of the House of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and statues of influential political figures, including Churchill, Gandhi, Mandela, and Lincoln.

Churchill War Rooms – One of my favorite stops of the trip, the War Rooms are a museum located inside the bunker that was the secret headquarters for Winston Churchill during World War II. There is also an interactive museum of Churchill’s life at the end of the tour.

Piccadilly Circus – Known as the “Times Square of London,” it connects Regent street with Piccadilly. Fun fact, circus, from the Latin word meaning circle, a round open space at a street junction. It’s a pretty popular spot in many movies and worth checking out if you’re walking to St. James Park or Hyde Park.

Buckingham Palace – I don’t think I need to go into detail about this attraction. The state rooms are open to the public each year for most of August and September and require booking many weeks in advance.

St. James Park – Located directly across from the War Rooms and has great views of Buckingham to the West and the London Eye to the East.

10 Downing Street – “The world’s most famous front door,” where the British Prime Minister lives

Tower of London / Tower Bridge – an historic castle located on the Thames River that was founded in 1076! It is one of London’s most popular tourist attractions and has played a prominent role in English history because controlling it has meant controlling the country. From there, you can walk across the Tower Bridge (not to be confused with the London Bridge).

  • Buckingham Palace
  • Tower of London
  • Tower Bridge
  • Rotten Row
  • Primrose Hill
  • Primrose Hill
  • Primrose Hill
  • Kensington Palace
  • Westminster Abbey
  • Churchill War Rooms
  • Churchill War Rooms
  • Churchill War Rooms
  • Churchill War Rooms
  • Fortnum & Mason
  • Fortnum & Mason Afternoon Tea
  • Brick Lane Market
  • Brick Lane Market
  • Fischer’s
  • Fischer’s
  • Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese
  • The Prince Regent
  • The Princess of Shoreditch

What to Eat & Drink in London:

The Princess of Shoreditch – The Sunday roast was the best meal of the trip

The Prince Regent – Fish & chips

The Marylebone – Botanically infused cocktails

Fortnum & Mason – Even if you’re remotely interested in tea, this is a must stop in London. And if you’re going to do an afternoon tea you might as well do it right and go all out at Fortnum & Mason. Be prepared to buy a shitload of tea in the department store.

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese – Not much to look at from the outside or inside, but this old pub has so much history (known patrons were Charles Dickens and Mark Twain) and has been around since the great fire of 1666 (and there has been a pub at this location since 1538).

Fischer’s – An Austrian restaurant located at the end of Marylebone Street that was my second favorite meal of the trip. Order the Herring Roe Caviar and the Holstein Schnitzel

Princess of Wales – A good pub for post-sunset food/pints near Primrose Hill

Tips for Visiting London:

Word / PhraseMeaning
KnackeredTired
KipBed
Mind the GapWatch the gap between subway door and station platform
LooBathroom
QueueLine
FlatHouse
BloodyVery
Fancy a cuppa?Would you like a cup of tea
MateFriend
I’m pissedI’m drunk
Greasy spoonCheap English breakfast
ChipsFries
  • The Man in Seat 61 – This website is the ultimate guide to travel by train anywhere in the world. They have the most comprehensive information on routes, times, prices, and train conditions.
  • Rome 2 Rio – This website shows you how to get from point A to point B the best and cheapest way possible. It will give you all of the bus, train, and plane routes, along with pricing.
  • Buy a universal power adapter.
  • Buy a TSA approved cable luggage lock.
  • Sign the back of your credit card.
  • Make copies of your passport, passport pictures, and driver’s license.
  • Make a note in your phone of the address and phone number of the US embassy
  • Bring an extra credit card or debit card (if you have one) and leave that in your locked luggage in your hotel room, along with copies of your documentation, in case you get pickpocketed or it’s lost.
  • Use Google maps to download offline maps before you leave for your trip so you have a way of navigating without using data.
  • Inform your bank you’re traveling overseas.
  • Avoid foreign transaction fees by using a credit card that doesn’t have them.
  • Decline dynamic currency conversion (DCC) when asked. It’s a payment option that lets you pay in US dollars instead of the local currency but there is a fee involved.
  • London museums are free
  • Your Eurostar ticket gets you 2 for 1 entry to permanent collections and paid-for exhibitions at the museums and galleries in London.
  • iMessage is free if sent over Wifi to another device using iMessage, no matter where in the world (Make sure to turn off data so you’re not billed for any unwanted charges).
  • Before you book that super cheap flight, double check the luggage requirements, extra fees, and airline reviews, especially if it’s an international airline you haven’t heard of.

Bucket List for Visiting London Again:

London Maps: