London is a miraculous city with a mix of old and new. It has loads of things to see and our 3 days spent there was just not enough. With so many historic sites and museums you can spend over a month here and not be able to see everything. Here is our experience in this incredible city!
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Transportation
- London Heathrow Airport (LHR): This airport is the one that is most central to getting to everything else. Once we retrieved our luggage and cleared customs, there are signs for the London Underground and train system.
- Heathrow Express: This form of transportation takes you from the airport to the Paddington station. This route gives you more room if you have a lot of luggage and is a faster way to the city but it does come at a higher price than the option we took. Prices are not too bad-they can range from £20-£40 per person.
- London Underground: This is the option that we personally took. Even though taking the Underground might be cheaper, there is a lot less room, it can be hard to find a seat, and you do have to make a few transfers. If all of that is alright, tickets are only £3-£6 depending on when you’re traveling. Give yourself an hour to an hour and a half since this way has more stops.
Accommodations
- Tower Bridge London Apartments: This hotel was a pretty good deal considering how expensive London can be. It cost us around $127 per night and it was clean, very centrally located (just south of the Tower Bridge and close to the Underground stations), and included a kitchenette which was helpful for breakfasts.
To-Do
The first day we were there we went to go pick up our London pass, which we highly suggest anyone to get if you are staying 3 or more days. It is £129, but it includes unlimited travel with the Oyster pass for the Undergrounds, double decker buses, and access to over 60 attractions! We picked our passes up at the Piccadilly Circus location.
- M&M’s World: Located in the Piccadilly Circus, there is the M&M’s World nearby and that was pretty cool to go into and explore.
- Palace of Westminster: Big Ben and Westminster Abbey are located here and it was definitely worth a stop for us to see these iconic buildings.
- William Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre: To get to the theatre, we woke up early and took a morning stroll along the Thames River, located next to the Tower Bridge. It is best to wake up at sunrise since there are hardly any tourists awake. We took a tour of the Theatre and visited the museum. They give tours from 10am-4pm and tickets are £16 per person or included in the London Pass.
- The Monument to the Great Fire of London: To get to the top of this monument, there are quite a few steps involved, 311 to be exact so expect to be getting your exercise in. It is worth it though when you get to the top as there are so pretty great views up there. It can be chilly depending on what time of year you go so we would suggest bringing a light windbreaker. Tickets were included in the London pass but if you need to purchase them they only accept cash and it is £4.50 per person.
- Tower of London: Here at the Tower of London we saw the crown jewels, all kinds of knight armor, the Line of Kings exhibit, and so much more. It was just really fun to explore all the areas of the fortress and castle as well. There is a ton to do here and it is all included with the London pass. If you need to buy tickets, they are £24.80. They will want you to give a donation at the entrance though so expect to pay a little more, probably around £6.
- Queen’s Theatre: A short walk from Piccadilly Circus, this theatre has many different shows that you can see. We ended up seeing Les Miserables. After some dinner, we took our seats at the theatre. The show was absolutely amazing and we really recommend you see either Les Miserables or one of the other shows they have going on. Tickets range from £40-£130 depending on where you want to sit.
- London Eye: When we arrived at the London Eye, it was already super busy, as it is a very popular destination. Depending on when you go, you may want to purchase tickets in advance and they do have a “speedy ticket” option. You get to cut to the front of the line. We chose this option as the lines were extremely long and we did not have all day to be waiting in line, plus they were not that much more. Tickets are £40 per person for this option, only £10 more than the standard pass, which are £30. Once inside the pod on the ferris wheel, you can see practically everything!
- Buckingham Palace: This grand palace is the London residence and headquarters of the Queen of the UK. We went to see Buckingham Palace but unfortunately did not have time to go inside. We did however get to check out the outside, with the beautiful building and grounds!
Buckingham Palace - The Household Calvary Museum: On the other side of St. James Park, right behind Buckingham Palace (about a mile walk from Buckingham Palace) is The Household Calvary Museum. Here you get to learn about the history of England’s Calvary throughout the years. It is really interesting, even for someone who does not really like museums. It is also included in the London pass (getting the hint yet?). If you need to purchase tickets they are not too expensive, starting at £8.90.
The Household Calvary Museum - Tower Bridge: We definitely wanted to see Tower Bridge and go up inside of it. We walked along the glass bottom floor of the bridge and were able to see some pretty amazing views of the city. Another thing we saw when visiting the Tower Bridge was the Victorian Engine Rooms. They are located just a short walk away from the South Tower. Tickets were included in the London pass, but if you are buying them they are £9.80 for an adult.
Food
- Fish and Chipper: This small eatery is located close to Piccadilly Circus, so it’s very central to everything. It was delicious and reasonably priced, about £10 per person.
- Pommelers Rest: This pub is located near Tower Bridge. We had a delicious English breakfast. It consisted of fried egg, bacon, sausage, baked beans, hash browns, tomato and a slice of toast. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can try their black pudding, which contains pig blood. Prices were pretty reasonable for London (not cheap but not super expensive either).
- Cafe Concerto Shaftesbury Avenue: This café is located close to Queen’s Theatre and was the perfect spot to eat some dinner before seeing our show. It is a bit pricey, but the Italian food was delicious!
- Bill’s Restaurant-Clink Street: This restaurant is located right next to the Thames River and was something we just stumbled across while exploring. The food was delicious and so were the drinks! We had the Bill’s Hamburger (we know, typical Americans…) and Shepherd’s Pie. Both were fantastic!
So what do you think of our London adventure? Let us know in the comments below!
