My London What-to-do List

London has got to be one of my favourite cities to visit, even though it’s only a couple of hours drive from me it’s somewhere that I will keep going back to and finding new things to do.  It’s a big and busy city which can be overwhelming, but in this post I’ll give you a run down of all of my favourite things to do, see and experience.

First off are the obvious tourist attractions; Big Ben and Houses of Parliament are located at the North bank of the River Thames in Westminster.  It’s a short walk from the London Eye and the closest tube station (Westminster) is right opposite making it super easy to find.  Being so close to the London eye it’s only right that that’s your next stop.  I personally haven’t actually been on the London eye (awful I know) but it’s great to see and not too expensive to go on either. 

Next up, Buckingham palace, which I know may not be everyone’s top interest but surely if you’re visiting London it has to be done, right?!  The palace is about a 15 minute straight-line walk from Big Ben or you can hop back on the Circle and District line from Westminster underground to Green Park.  The grand gates and stunning exterior is breathtaking and if you’re lucky you could witness the changing of the guards ceremony, which happens at 10:45am on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.  

Moving on from the more obvious attractions… lets talk shopping.  London is overflowing with high end shops and department stores, the most famous being Harrods and Selfridges.  Harrods is located in Knightsbridge, not too far from Hyde Park where as Selfridges is on Oxford Street, the main shopping location in London.  It’s 1.2 miles of high end and independent outlets that can give you the ultimate retail therapy.  Oxford Street is also very close to Bond Street, another high end shopping location but far quieter than Oxford Street.  Bond Street also has a wide range of lovely restaurants and luxury shops that are tucked away from the Oxford St hustle and bustle.

One of my favourite areas of London to stay and dine in is Mayfair, it’s only a short walk from Hyde Park and Bond Street but is very quiet and luxurious so you can escape the crazy city life of London for a bit. 

If you’re a foodie like me then London is the perfect place for you!  I’ve written a post talking specifically about my favourite restaurants and cafes so look out for that.  But Londons not only great for restaurants, it’s also full of food markets.  The most famous is Camden market, which not only offers a wide variety of street food but also vintage fashion and art so ticks all the boxes.  My personal favourite market is Borough Market.  Borough market is pretty much all food from all cultures and for all taste buds.  There’s everything from a classic deli to the famous chocolate covered strawberries, believe me you have to try them!  Both of these markets are on the outskirts of central London but both are easy to navigate on a tube.

Now onto the ultimate London experience, for me anyway… A West End Musical.  Again, maybe not for everyone but with the amount of varied musicals on offer it’s only right that you find one that suits you and spend an evening at the theatre.  I have a blog post with only some of my favourite West End Musicals if you need some assistance with choosing but there are so many incredible ones on offer that you’ll almost definitely find one that suits you.  Ticket prices can be expensive for the West End but there are plenty of little top tips out there, such as buying on the day or using TKTS.com for last minute deals.

And finally, for the more chilled out London days… There are so many beautiful places to walk such as the River Thames, where if you walk far enough (in summer months) there is the Everyman cinema ‘Screen on the Canal’ on the stairs of Granary square in Kings Cross.  A beautiful outdoor setting for a cinema date or family movie night.  Or there’s the number of parks scattered around London, the most well known being Hyde Park which has concerts and festivals throughout the summer right in the park!  Also, green park which is right opposite Buckingham palace is a beautiful place to stop for a picnic or an ice cream before visiting the palace. Or to chill even more, you could sit on the top deck, or bottom knowing British weather, of a Big bus tour and see all the sights without having to take a step!

My favourite time to visit London is definitely Spring, the weather is just warming up but not too much that the tubes are too hot (because they can get HOT) and not too cold that you don’t want to walk around and explore.  London may seem big and busy but I promise you it’s not a city to miss!