London Fog

One place I never get tired of going is London. Now I know there’s so much more to the UK than just London, but I feel like you never run out of things to do in this city. My most recent visit was in December 2016. It had been a while since I’d last visited so of course I had to do all of the tourist things. Even with 5 days in the city, I still didn’t get to do everything I wanted to.

Transportation was pretty straightforward. After flying in, my mom and I took the tube straight from the airport to our AirBNB. We stayed at an apartment that was about 5 minute walk from the Victoria stop.

I highly recommend downloading the “Tube Map” app onto your phone to help with navigating the tube system. Although compared to the New York subway system, London’s tube is easy-peasy.

Riding the HOHO Bus

However, if you’re running late or on a time crunch to get to the airport, there are Ubers EVERYWHERE that can pick you up. I’m pretty sure most of the cars driving in London are actually Uber drivers. Another option if you’re just leisurely exploring the city is to invest in a Hop-on Hop-off (HOHO) bus pass. There are different rates for different types of passes. These buses follow specific routes around the city and stop at your typical tourist attractions where you can hop off. Then once you’re done visiting the area, or even if you’ve wandered over to another part of town, just find the nearest HOHO stop and get right back on to continue your tour.

Speaking of exploring the city, here are the typical top 5 must-see tourist attractions -- like everyone should visit these places at least once if they’re in London:

In front of Buckingham Palace

1. Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, London Eye: They’re all within walking distance of each other so take a morning and roam around
2. St. Paul’s Cathedral: 3 different observation levels so there’s lots of stairs going to the top-most deck, but it’s so worth it - get your steps in!
3. Buckingham Palace: Check dates and times so you can catch the changing of the guard
4. Tower of London: You can see all the royal crowns and tiaras through the years
5. Tower Bridge: Get tickets to walk across the glass walkway!!

If you’re craving some art and history, most museums in the city are free or at least have a student discount (so remember to bring your student ID if you have one). I recommend visiting:

1. British Museum (also borders Trafalgar Square so spend an afternoon appreciating the art, history, and culture inside and people watch outside)
2. V&A Museum (in addition to the great pieces within the museum, their cafe is the world’s oldest museum restaurant and serves a delicious afternoon tea)
3. Tate Modern (modern contemporary art for all your Instagram pictures)

There are a number of other notable attractions in and around London. If you’re a Harry Potter fan (like me!) definitely go to King’s Cross station and get your picture at Platform 9 ¾. It’s located just outside of the area where you actually go to in to take the trains. There’s a gift shop too where I spent at least an hour just looking at everything. Another attraction for Harry Potter lovers is the Warner Bros. Harry Potter studio tour. Now this is definitely outside of London (a total of 6 hours including travel time and tour), but it’s so worth it. If you’re heading from St. Paul’s, take a walk on the Millennium Bridge and visit Shakespeare’s Globe or Tate Modern. This bridge is also where the Death Eaters attacked in Half Blood Prince.

Shakespeare's Globe

Anyway, Shakespeare’s Globe is a fascinating piece of history. Although it’s the third Globe, it’s still a working theater and performs with an open sky ceiling just like the original did. If you’re visiting during the winter like I did, visit Hyde Park for their Winter Wonderland carnival! I also recommend visiting Kensington Palace and the Kensington Garden if you have a chance. Kensington is where the royal family resides and you can spend an afternoon marveling at the history and beauty of the grounds.

Neal's Garden in Covent Garden

If you’re looking to do some shopping head to Carnaby St., Oxford St., and Piccadilly Circus. For more of a low-key local vibe, get some shopping or munching done in Neal’s Yard in Covent Garden or Camden Market. Speaking of munching there’s a couple eateries I recommend:

• High tea at Sketch
• Costa Coffee (my favorite is the honeycomb latte)
• Detox Kitchen
• The Flour Pot
• Nandos

By no means does this post include all the amazing places that London has to offer. It’s just a quick snapshot of what I enjoyed during my last visit. I hope I can visit again sometime soon!

-- Emily