As a student who has recently transferred from London, England. I thought that I would share some of my favourite places to visit in London. Although COVID-19 has reduced the ability to travel, I hope this encourages people to visit London when travel begins to re-open!
Landmarks:
Big Ben
· Largest and most accurate clock made in 1859.
· Uses a Victorian mechanism to ring.
· Tube Stop: Westminster or Waterloo and walk.
Buckingham Palace
· Home of the Queen.
· Open for tour July-October.
· Can see change of guards every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
Tower of London
· Known for housing important jewels and several famous prisoners.
· One of the oldest and most famous prisons.
· Several tours throughout the year.
London Eye
· World’s tallest observation wheel.
· Although tempting, I would not pay to ride this as you can get better views for cheaper. The lines are crazy long and it’s expensive!
The Gherkin
· Famous due to its iconic shape.
· Although not always open, the gherkin holds Helix and Iris which are a restaurant and bar with views of the London skyline.
The Shard
· Tallest building in Europe.
· Viewing gallery open to the public which gives a 360-degree view of the city.
· Restaurants and Bars are located within the shard but are pricey and require a strict dress code.
Westminster Abbey
· The Royal Church in London holds coronations and weddings such as William and Kate’s.
· Many kings and queens are buried here, including King Henry V.
· Several tours take place here year round.
There are several more landmarks to visit such as St Paul’s Cathedral, Houses of Parliament, The Royal Albert Hall, Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square and several British museums. There are also several landmarks from movies and books that may catch your attention such as Notting Hill!
Places to Visit:
Covent Garden
· Great place to shop and eat.
· Several street performances .
· Neal’s Yard, a quirky and hidden gem within Covent. Home Slice (pizza place) and Redemption Bar (vegan café) are two of my favourites!.
· Take underground to Leicester Square or Covent Garden.
Soho
· Known for its risqué and vibrant vibes.
· Famous for its gay and lesbian bars as well as pride parade.
· Walking distance from Covent Garden and Piccadilly Circus.
China Town
· Great way to get a taste of the Chinese culture in London.
· Several restaurants; I recommend Wong keis!
· China town also has some of the best bubble-tea (Boba) places including: Cuppacha, Chatime and Biju!
Camden Market
· Over a thousand stalls selling numerous things.
· Known for being a “hippie” town and very big for thrifting.
· Easily accessible via underground.
Borough Market
· London’s most famous food and drink market.
· Open Monday through Saturday.
· Can find stalls selling food and goods from all over the world.
· I recommend the Arepa and Empanada stand!
Shoreditch
· Famous for its street food.
· Brick Lane is located here which is known for its art exhibitions, clubs, bars and curry restaurants.
Carnaby Street
· Located in London’s West End, contains several restaurants and shops.
· Has a great light show during the winter.
· My favourite place is Kingly Court which is a three-story building with several restaurants and bars. I highly recommend Acai Berry!
These 7 places have come to be mine and my friend’s favourite places to return to. I would also highly recommend seeing if there are musicals available at the theatres. Wicked and The Book of Mormon are two of my favourites. Southbank, which is a short walk from Waterloo, also holds several festivals throughout the year, as well as iconic tourist attractions such as The London Dungeons, SEA LIFE London and a skate park where you can often watch talented skaters. In the summer there are also pop up bars with loungers which is super fun to do with friends on a sunny day.
Night Life:
London is known for having great nightlife throughout the week. Although you can watch a comedy or go to the theatre, I am going to focus on clubs as that’s where I tend to go on my nights out! The drinking age in London is 18, and most places won’t ID you, but I would carry around in case.
On a side note, the fancier clubs in London require heels and fancy-dress attire. Although it isn’t a spoken rule, most fancier clubs will not let you in if you aren’t wearing branded clothes or have a connection to the club.
For Cheap Nights Out
– The Garage (Highbury, North London)
– Tiger Tiger (West End, London)
– XOYO (Shoreditch, London)
– Gabeto (Camden, London)
– Ballie Ballerson (Shoreditch and Soho, London)
For Fancier NightLife (Mayfair Area)
– Toy Room
– Cirque
– Libertine
Alternative Nightlife:
– Bounce (ping pong bar)
– Swingers Crazy Golf (indoor golf and cocktails)
– Karaoke (several places come up on google)
Bars and Pubs:
London has several bars and pubs on almost every street. These depend on your atmosphere preference. There are several pub crawl tours you can join, as well as bar tours. Roof-top bars are a must during the summer months. Three of my favourite bars are:
The Alchemist London
This is a creative bar with a bunch of funky and unique drinks to choose from. It is located in Covent Garden/Leicester Square area.
Soho Residence
This is a bar/club place. The top part is a bar and in the basement is a small club. There is a £5 entry fee.
EVE
This bar is located in Covent Garden. It’s a small but very cute bar. Drinks are on the pricey side but you will find that in several London bars/clubs.
Afternoon Tea:
There are afternoon teas all over London for every budget. I’ve included a few depending on your budget!
The Least Expensive Afternoon Tea: (£15+)
– The Delaunay
– The Wolseley
– The Modern Pantry
Moderately Expensive Afternoon Tea: (£30+)
– The Zetter Townhouse
– Town House at The Kensington
– Lyoness
Expensive Afternoon Tea: (£50+)
– Sketch
– The Ritz
– Fortnum and Mason (also famous place to buy all types of tea)
I recommend Sketch or The Wolseley, both I have been to and make great afternoon teas. All teas will be more expensive if you decide to add alcohol!
Restaurants:
London is full of restaurants from several different cuisines. I’ve included a few of my favourites for ranging budgets!
Cheaper Restaurants
· Pret A Manger: this is a healthy fast food place. Perfect if you are in a rush! There is one on almost every street in London.
· Wahaca: Mexican market food; it isn’t the typical Mexican food you would get in America, but it is extremely good!
· Patty and Bun: Really good place for Burgers, the lines are often out the door.
· Bleecker: another really good burger place. House fries are 10/10.
· Home Slice: pizza restaurant.
Moderate Restaurants
· Sticks and Sushi: amazing sushi restaurant.
· Ping Pong: serves good Asian cuisine such as dumplings.
· Café Pacifico: Mexican place that has good cocktails and food.
· Comptoir Libanais: Lebanese food.
· Duck and Waffle: skyline restaurant, bookings need to be made 2 months beforehand.
Expensive Restaurants
· Benihana: Asian cuisine that cooks in front of you.
· Cicchetti: Italian tapas.
· Zuma: Sushi restaurant.
· Burger and Lobster: burgers and lobsters.
· Sexy Fish: Asian cuisine.
I hope you enjoy it and please let me know if you visit London!