When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford. – Samuel Jackson
A rather cliché statement, but a quite true statement, at that. London has stolen my heart, and I don’t think I’ll ever get it back. I spent roughly eight and a half days in London, and didn’t even see half of this beautiful city. I lost one day to the sickness from airplane food (though I still managed to grab my copy of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child!), spent half a day at the Warner Brother’s Studio: the Making of Harry Potter tour, and two days traveling around the rest of England with two different tour groups. Out of every city I saw in England, London still remains my favorite.
1. The Palace of Westminster
Possibly the most iconic spot in London, but also one of the most beautiful. I hopped on the Tube at Bayswater, road sixteen minutes on the Westbound Circle Line (eight stops), hopped off at the Westminster Tube Station, and came face to face with the massive Elizabeth Tower (more commonly, and affectionately, known as Big Ben). I grabbed a hot cappuccino and breakfast and settled on the steps to listen to the chimes of the Great Bell while munching on my breakfast.
2. Westminster Abbey
The same day, I saw another favorite of mine- Westminster Abbey. It’s a short walk from the Palace of Westminster, just head down Abingdon Street, and you can’t miss it! As someone who loves to document her travels through lots of photos and videos, I was disappointed to find out that photos weren’t allowed in the Abbey, but as I started through, I couldn’t help but appreciate that fact. Without my cellphone up for photos (an unfortunate incident at the Taj Mahal left me camera-less), I was able to appreciate the magnificence of this Abbey.
3. Buckingham Palace
God save the Queen! The working headquarters of the Queen of England is just as amazing as it looks. I, however, did not get too see the inside of Buckingham Palace, which is quite disappointing, but I will certainly get around to at some point. (Tip: Book early!) Getting to the Palace is a bit of a walk, but your best bet is to take either the Circle or District lines to the St. James’ Park Tube station and walk along Buckingham Gate road or, do like I did, and take the Piccadilly, Victoria, or Jubilee Tube lines to the Green Park Tube station and cut through the Green Park (beautiful walk, even in the rain!).
4. Fortnum and Mason
Not exactly a place that is on the usual lists on ‘top places in London,’ but I fell in love with the luxury department store, Fortnum and Mason. Prices are pretty steep, but it’s great for a treat! Head to the Parlour on the first floor and indulge in some of the best ice cream (Rose and Violet Sundae!) you’ll ever taste, pick up a tin of Queen’s Blend tea (currently sipping on this!), and wander for hours throughout each floor.
5. Camden Town
I have no particular spot in Camden Town that I fell in love with, because I fell in love with the neighborhood itself. Wander the Camden Lock, explore the Camden Market, check out the different, unique shops, buy yourself a rainbow bagel… Camden Town has a little bit of everything for everyone and is probably the funkiest, coolest neighborhood in London. Hop on the Northern line to the Camden Town Tube station and give yourself quite a bit of time to explore this area!
This is only a list of five of my favorite places in London, though I could go on and on about it. Stay tuned for my following blog posts on my time in England!
Over to you: where are some of your favorite places in London? In England? Comment below and let me know!
The Wanderess 