London. Historic, sprawling, busy, intriguing and oh so fun! Here is our London {7-Day Itinerary} for our favorites sites, bites and experiences.
To me London is one of those places you feel like you sort of know a little about because of TV and yet it has a charm that cannot be conveyed on the screen.
For our getaway this year, the hubs and I were after a place that we could visit on a short time frame without the need for a car nor a lot of hotel hopping. A location with enough to do to keep us busy while still allowing for kid-free downtime. London was definitely the place.
London is everything I thought it would be and so much more. Diverse, fun, historic, extremely friendly, energetic, relaxing and of course, delicious. So much to do, see and experience that you will not run out of things to do!
TRIP DETAILS
For our 7 day trip to London, we prioritized the sites we wanted to see, planned 1 day trip outside the city, carefully researched restaurants/pubs, and left time for us to simply relax (kid-free).
A huge perk for us was the direct flight from Minneapolis to London Heathrow. This cut back on the travel time significantly and made the overall trip easier!
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT LONDON
- You don’t need a car! Although spread out, the old City of London and greater London are all reachable via the Underground (subway) and/or Bus Lines. We bought a week long Underground pass which gave us unlimited rides on trains and buses.
- Be aware of the exchange rate of the enlish pound. This will dictate how expensive your trip will be.
- London neighborhoods are spread out so prioritize and group activities based on locations to make the most of your time.
- Don’t skip Borough Market! It is the best market in London for prepared food, think epic lunch and fabulous ingredients!
- Most museums are free and truly incredible!
- Be adventurous with food! With so much diversity, London’s food scene is varied and truly one to taste.
STAY
Central London hotels can be pricey and the city has strict legislations around Airbnb so looking for places to stay early is super helpful. In our case we went in August, the busiest month for London, which made lodging more limited.
We settled on a lovely Airbnb flat with a balcony in the Clerkenwell Neighborhood. It was located 2 blocks for an underground station, had all the amenities we needed and had the loveliest balcony which we left open every night. The Clerkenwell neighborhood has old historic pubs, several nice restaurants and is safe/quiet.
It was also about ⅔ of a mile to the Thames so it was ideal for morning runs.
DO
Where to start. My biggest recommendation is to somewhat research what you are most interested in doing before arriving. Especially if you are there for a week, you will not be able to do everything so narrow it down. Also consider how spread out all of the activities are to realistically plan out how much you can do in a day.
Museums
There are 23 free museums in London! Our favorites were the
- British Museum – dedicated to human history, art and culture. It has a permanent collection of some eight million works.
- National Gallery – an impressive art museum housing over 2300 paintings. Right off Trafalgar square too!
- The Tower of London – Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London. It’s a historic castle located on the north bank of the River Thames in central London that is worth touring. All tours led by Yeomen (aka Beefeaters) who provide great stories of the tower.
Free Westminster Walking Tour
We are big fans of free walking tour. We do a little research on TripAdvisor to pick the best company and then give it a go. In London we loved Sandeman Free Walking Tours so much that we did 2 walking tours with them: Westminster and the Old City of London Tour. Excellent knowledgeable guides, prompt and timely tours and honestly they know their way around the city.
Cambridge (day-trip)
For a day trip, we took a train to Cambridge University. Super cute college town with lots of history and character. The university itself has an interesting history and is fun to explore. Recommended: Footprints Free Walking Tour, and a meat pie and a pint at The Pint House.
St. Martin’s in the Fields Concert by Candlelight
This was one of the best experiences of our trip and it was completely unplanned. Recommended by a guide and we booked tickets the day off. A gorgeous performance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, and several Mozart and Bach string concertos. Very affordable and performed by candlelight at the historic St. Martin’s in the Fields church.
Portobello Market in Notting Hill
Incredible market over 2 miles long offering everything from antiques, collectibles, clothing, food and so much more. The 2 miles are also lined with boutiques and restaurants. An amazing way to spend a day in Notting Hill.
Parks
London has an impressive number of pristine public parks. We would highly recommend Hyde Park, St James Park and Green Park which are all connected and in central London.
Walk/Run the River Thames and it’s Bridges
Strolls along the Thames are truly memorable in London. Sites, restaurants, the Tate Modern Museum, boats, the Eye and an incredible view of the London skyline. A truly romantic walk.
EAT
- Borough Market – London’s best food and drink market! From fresh ingredients, artisanal goods and insanely delicious and diverse prepared foods was one of my favorite places in London. Set aside at least 1 lunch there and/or pick up foods/drinks for a picnic at a local park.
- Darjeeling Express – The best home-cooked Indian food (specifically southern and eastern) I’ve ever had. Incredible top notch dishes served in a casual friendly setting. Make reservations ahead of time because this place is worth going and it books up fast!
- Ottolenghi Notting Hill – Beautiful little deli run by Israeli-English chef (a fav of mine) serving exotic, fresh, delicate and gorgeous desserts and salads.
- Bun House – Cute hole in the wall casual spot serving fluffy pillowy Cantonese-style bao buns steamed to perfection with an array of fillings. Perfect for a quick lunch or dinner.
- Fabrique – Swedish cardamom buns friends. Enough said. If you have never had one, you are in for a real treat! Also great coffee!
- The Pint Shop (Cambridge) – For a hearty meal in Cambridge, The Pint Shop is a great place for beautifully crafted traditional meat pies, sticky toffee pudding and a really good pint!
- Really Old Pubs and Really Good Beer – London is filled with very very old historical pubs and even better cask ales. Two of our favorites were:
- Jerusalem Tavern – Around since the 14th century, this teeny tiny pub has really good food and cask ales.
- Ye Olde Mitre – Oped in 1546, this quaint pub is hidden in an alley and a true experience. Have a good pint or 2 and soak in the surroundings.
So whether you have a weekend, a week or a month to experience London, definitely do it! It’s a city to see, eat and experience.
Originally posted 2019-08-28 21:58:57.
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