Best Things to Do in London

“I travel continuously, and I see many cities, but there is nowhere like London.” – Norman Foster

I have been in love with the UK since studying abroad here in 2020. Even with the pandemic, I thoroughly enjoyed my time here, so when I got to visit again in 2023, I jumped at the chance. This trip gave me the chance to discover why I loved this country again, and it gave me a fresh perspective on London.

Buckle up, cause this post is thorough.

So Much to Do in This Massive City

I played a true tourist while I was here, so I got to check out quite the variety of attractions in the area. On my most recent journey, I learned of some new tourist attractions which I thoroughly enjoyed.

I tried to make my way around the city as much as I could while I was there so I could take advantage. A very convenient and fun fact is that most, almost all, museums in England are completely free. I wish I took advantage of that fact a bit more, but I did my best. If you want one pass that will cover the most important attractions, opt for the Go City London pass – it’ll save you a ton.

First, I visited the Welcome Collection which also has a nice library available. The main exhibit here when I visited was on the history of milk, which was ironic since I just learned of my lactose intolerance. It was incredibly interesting and very well put together. There was another exhibit upstairs that I viewed, which had some controversial topics displayed in an interesting way. I loved the political commentary it offered.

Next up, I briefly went to the British Museum. You should get tickets in advance, but be aware that you’ll still need to wait in a line (a long one if it’s during the peak season). After waiting for 15 minutes in that line, I waited another 20 for the toilets, and by then I was running out of time for my next plan. The British Museum is really controversial since so many of the items are not their own. I walked through a few galleries, but couldn’t last long. There were way too many people, especially gathered in large crowds that were difficult to get around, so I left quite quickly. I might go back to try to see the exhibits a bit better, but definitely during the off season.

Another museum that’s supposed to be good is the National Gallery (also get tickets in advance). You can kill a few birds with one stone here because next door is the National Portrait Gallery which is well worth visiting. Additionally, it’s situated right in front of Trafalgar Square, which you certainly need to see while in London. Around here, you can also see Benjamin Franklin’s house.

If you want to keep checking out museums, I had my heart set on visiting Tate Modern, so add that one to your itinerary too. There is also of course, the very famous, Natural History Museum. This one books out quite a bit, so you should make sure to get your tickets in advance. And a few more for good measure. The Now Building is supposed to be a cool spot to visit.

So, if you like books like I do, I have a few more suggestions for your visit. If you want to keep seeing book sites, Word on the Water– the London Bookbarge is a bookshop on a canal boat. This spot is quite close to the British Library, so you should definitely head there too.

You also need to check out one of the Daunt Book locations. It’s a book shop that is frequented by travelers, but it’s actually quite cute and very reasonable. The best part in my opinion though, is the tote bags. You are gonna want one of these adorable bags as you frolic through London.

If you’re still in that area by Kings Cross, you should make it over to the St. Pancras station, which is also a hotel. It’s a gorgeous building, and you’ll probably pass it while walking to the British Library.

If you happen to be around in August during the Notting Hill Carnival, it’s a can’t miss. It’s one of the world’s biggest street carnivals in the world, technically it’s the second largest worldwide. The carnival is free and you can try all the food vendors (not free).

Let Me Tell You About All The Markets

Have you ever heard of the Portobello Road Market? It’s in Kensington, it’s very well known, and it operates 6 days a week! The market stretches down many streets, I never made it to the end. These shops were incredible and I never made it to the end, it was so massive!

It’s a bunch of vendors selling various items, you can find just about anything here… except for food. I found a couple good things here, and all the vendors take cards, so you don’t need to worry about stocking up on cash for this one. I will definitely be going back when I return!

Next up, we have the Old Spitalfields Market which is in East London. This is a massive market that focuses on vintage clothes and a ton of food vendors, and this spot is all inside, so rain or shine! While you’re here, make sure you check out Brick Lane for some more vintage clothing shops and some incredible street art.

I’m not kidding when I say there is at least one market per borough, this place is obsessed with markets. If you’ve made it this far, then you can’t miss the Camden Markets. These ones are quite famous too. Here, you can get everything. They have lots of vendors inside and outside. Most of the food stalls are outside, but there are bubbles for eating so you can avoid the rain if you can find space. The food options here are incredible, try the Cheese Wheel pasta place.

And another market of course is the Borough Market. This market is more of a farmers market, but you can definitely get food here rather than just some vegetables for cooking later. There are lots of places to eat nearby here as well. My information on this market topic has just about been exhausted, but I have one more. If you have the chance, check out the Colombia Road Flower Market. Even if you don’t intend on buying any flowers or anything, it’s a beautiful spot to check out.

Now hopefully I’ve convinced you to check out at least one of these famous markets while you’re in London.

Famous Landmarks and Some Tips

So we’ve got the obvious ones, Big Ben and Parliament, and those are together so you can kill those with one stone.

London Eye is right nearby, and in my opinion, everyone has to do it at least once. If anything, start with that so you can see the whole city before you start exploring. It’s incredible at night, but during the day, it gives you a chance to really see the whole city which is incredible.

As mentioned, Trafalgar Square of course is a must visit, and most of these are all in the area so you can check them out altogether. Check out the nearby museums that I mention below if you want some activities in the area. This square is quite central to all your activities, and it’s a great spot to chill and take in the fountains… perhaps you can even take a picture with the lions.

And if you’re a tourist, you’re going to be itching to check out Buckingham Palace, and you should, it’s beautiful! Make sure to be there for the changing of the guards. You absolutely cannot miss this building, it’s iconic and as beautiful as you can expect.

And a few steps from there is Hyde Park, which is quite famous and for good reason. The park is beautiful, with tons of flowers and lakes, and it’s massive. Towards the end of the park, you’ll run right into Kensington Gardens and Kensington Palace. This attraction is paid, but it’s well worth it to see the palace.

Speaking of parks, I can’t forget about Regent’s Park. If you want to go to the London Zoo or see some animals on the outskirts of it, come over here! The park itself is quite beautiful and large itself too

Now let’s discuss those famous bridges I’m sure you know. Of course there is Tower Bridge, you’ve probably seen a picture of this one. This is a really cool area to walk around and offers some gorgeous pictures. Then we’ve also got the London Bridge which is pretty close by.

The other bridge you might come across is the Millennium Bridge which isn’t quite as well known. If you’re by the bridges, you should walk along the River Thames or take a cruise to get the best tour like this one from Westminster to Greenwich. There is a path along the water that goes on for quite a while.

Finally, I can’t neglect to mention Harrods. This building is a staple, and features all the expensive designers you can think of with 6 floors of different departments. The store is massive. I suggest checking out the different floors to see what’s in style and maybe check out some price tags.

My sister likes to see the kids section to gawk at the cute designer outfits, it’s adorable. The gift shop there is quite affordable, so make sure you stop by there before you leave to grab some Harrods goodies.

Some Less Known Options

You can see a lot of the landmarks I’ve mentioned from the Uber Boat if you want to catch it to see what’s going on down the water. It’s got some incredible views of all the well known spots. Best case scenario, you can take the boat over to Greenwich so that you can take the cable car which offers a view of all of London.

Now if you want a free view of London, the Sky Garden is a cool place to check out. There might be a little line, but it’s not usually bad. The Garden at 120 is another similar option, which is pictured here. It’s got a 360 view of London. You can also see the Gherkin from there (pictured) and Tower Bridge!

If you like street art… technically graffiti, I’ve got an insanely cool spot for you near Waterloo station. The Graffiti Tunnel is a massive tunnel that is totally covered in graffiti, and you can even see people spray painting while you’re there, I noticed someone every time I walked through.

Eating My Way Through London (Non-Market Version)

While England isn’t exactly known for their own cuisine, London has such an incredible variety of any and all food that you can imagine. Because of the diversity that London offers, their staples are rooted in cultures far and wide. It is probably related to all their colonizing that they have such a diverse population, but I was certainly ecstatic to partake in the cuisine of it all.

So I’m kind of obsessed with Indian food, so of course I have a great option that is available all over the city. If you like Indian food (even if you’ve never tried it), you need to go to Dishoom. There are locations in almost every borough, so it’s easy to find one and each location has a special that’s specific to their location. Make sure you make reservations, because this spot is well known and incredibly popular, for good reason.

I have some other delicious options, with various genres of food. Next up is Flesh and Buns, which is a Japanese restaurant. It’s located in Covent Gardens, kind of in a basement, but it’s decently classy. The food is a bit pricey, but it tastes incredible. Some dishes portions are bigger than others, but they’re all quite good. I really loved the sushi platter, it was well-put together and delicious. Their drink specials are really good too, mine had a sparkler.

Are you in the mood for afternoon tea? There are tons of options. I wanted to try to go to the Gherkin which offers high up views of the city with their menu, but they were booked up by the week of. My family and I ended up going to afternoon tea at Sketch, which is also quite well known. Now, this spot is incredibly expensive, more than $80 per person… and that doesn’t include the water.

Luckily, it does include enough food and tea to burst. We ended up taking our scones and cake desserts to go because it was way too much to eat while there. It’s quite an experience, and there is live music so it’s very ambient. We were lucky to get a last minute reservation, it was definitely a result of a cancellation so definitely book in advance. Sketch is quite aesthetically pleasing as well, so make sure you’re ready to take some pictures to remember this place.

Italian is up next, and this spot won a Michelin Star this year (but is still affordable for the time being, so don’t wait). It’s called Bancone and it’s in Covent Gardens. I tried a few dishes here and they blew me away. The portions aren’t massive but the prices are quite good, and the taste was better than most (if not all) pasta I tried in Italy, so this is a necessary spot.

If you’re looking for a good pub, I found a lovely one in the hotel I stayed in the last night. It’s called The Bedford, and they’re a really nice pub with normal prices. They have some incredible specials available though, like 50% off food on Tuesdays. They have live music Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights, and then Fridays and Saturdays it’s a comedy club. This place was really cool, so you should definitely check it out.

Rooftop dining is the next good option, and for that I’d recommend heading over to the Art’otel Battersea Power Station. On the top of this building, they have an incredible rooftop view of the sunset and some aesthetically pleasing furniture. The rooftop restaurant is called Joia, and it’s beautiful and quite aesthetic. Good luck finding a seat, it wasn’t overcrowded, but all the seats were filled when we went. We just walked around with some drinks instead and took a peak at the rooftop infinity pool that is only available to guests.

Now, would you like some breakfast? A can’t miss spot is Beigel Bake Brick Lane Bakery. It’s quite the mouthful, but it’s supposed to be very delicious. It might be a better spot for lunch though, because you don’t exactly go for the eggs.

In the same area, I have a couple fan favorites of mine. First there is Coffee Matters, which has some delicious Avocado Toast and a very good cappuccino with non-dairy alternatives. Down the street, you’ll have Fuckoffee which only offers to-go cups, but you’ll love the aesthetic. They have lots of vegan & regular treats. And if you walk a few steps further, you’ll find a very good vegan donut spot called Knead a Little Love. That donut was so incredible, it was worth the 3 times I tried to go.

How about another breakfast spot? This one being a bit more formal than a coffee shop. It’s called Milk, and we went to Balham for this one. The food, while certainly pricey, was definitely quite delicious. Be wary though, that the cost doesn’t reflect the size, the portions are not very large, but they’re relatively filling.

Now, I’d like to mention an ice cream place I tried a few times, and that was Udderlicious in Covent gardens (but there are a couple locations). They have regular ice cream, but more importantly, they have vegan options and all the potential allergies are listed for each flavor, and they’re all so good. There’s a reason I’ve visited so many times.

Any whiskey drinkers? There is a very nice tasting menu at Silverleaf if you like to drink whiskey, or consider yourself a connoisseur. Personally, I’m not, but this was a recommendation from a whiskey drinker himself. It’s a good alternative for the men in the family while the ladies are at afternoon tea.

Do you want an English staple? Because look no further than Nandos. They’re a chicken place that offers very quick and very delicious food. I went twice while I was there, and I really enjoyed it. If you have limited time, there is no need, but if you want to try some of the food that I’m sure all British locals have tried, then head on in!

Finally, let me just throw Chinatown into the mix. I can’t name the little spot I grabbed some Bao Buns and a bubble cone, but you’ll see it by all the lanterns. It’s just a cool spot in general, so make sure to run over there while you’re in Covent gardens.

I am a fraud for waiting so long to mention Greggs, but that’s the real British staple. You need to grab a sausage roll, coffee, and/or sandwich here to be a proper Londoner. Hope you enjoy it!

Finally, a Quick Word on Accommodation & Transportation

I only personally stayed at one hotel in London, but I seriously fell in love with this place. The reviews were mixed, so I’m very glad I took the gamble. It was a little pricey, but worth it for the coolness of the place. The spot was called The Bedford (aforementioned as an eatery). They had clawfoot bathtubs, and very elegant rooms that look like they’re from a different time, I was totally obsessed.

If you’re on a bit more of a budget, try a hostel. I personally have enjoyed the PubLove Hostels, like this one near the London Bridge. I tried a few different ones and they were priced quite well.

When it comes to getting around London, walking can only get you so far. If you’re strapped for cash but you have the time, the buses are great for that vibe. They end to double the amount of time you would otherwise spend on the train. Make sure you use the app Citymapper to get around London. It offers prices and up to date information about all the trains, buses, and even ubers and black cabs.

While the train is more expensive, there is a daily limit of for each of the zones that doesn’t get too high. Once I hit the limit, I will take the train as much as I want that day. Unfortunately, I didn’t figure this limit thing out until the end of my time here, so I got plenty of walking in while I was there. Most spots are pretty walkable. I suggest using Trainline to book train tickets, especially if you’re going beyond the limits of London.

Live Love London

After spending quite a large chunk of time in the city, I got a much better look at London… with a more insider’s perspective. With many new friends in the city that I met throughout Europe (and total strangers turned friends who let me stay with them while there), I was able to put together a major list of things to do.

HIGHLIGHTS:

P.S. If you are interested in following my lead and heading up to Edinburgh after London, you can’t miss these two very important activities: Edinburgh Castle & a Scottish Highlands Tour!