Three Days in London: Part 1

Those who know me know that London is my favorite city in the world- even long before I traveled there, something about the British capital has captivated me since I was a kid. The city itself is nearly 2,000 years old- so as an avid history lover of course the city has endless appeal. Other than history, London has something for just about everyone: romantic and interesting architecture, serene and peaceful parks, an INCREDIBLE food scene, diverse and abundant culture, and a million things to do. I recently had the pleasure of visiting London for the first time in April- I spent three days there soaking up the city and enjoying every bit of it. If you’re interested in visiting London, I’ll be recapping my trip and giving you all the details- what I loved, what I didn’t, what I wish I had known, etc. 

My trip to London began with an 8 hour overnight flight into London Heathrow. I arrived around 7 am on a beautiful morning- the early morning sun was shining and soon I was in a taxi on my way into the heart of London. On my way I was lucky enough to see all of the iconic London sights- Big Ben and Parliament, the Eye, St. Paul’s, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. I arrived at my hotel (Ibis Canning Town, located between zones 2 and 3 of London) about an hour later, met the friends I’d be traveling with, and we decided to get straight into it. Our first item on the agenda was coffee (no one got any sleep on our flight). Luckily there was a Starbucks right next to Ibis- so we were ready to go. Coffee in hand, we crossed the street to the tube station. If you’re heading to London, I highly recommend ordering a prepaid Oyster card ahead of time (it’s how you will pay for public transportation via the Tube or the red double-decker buses)-that way all of London is easily accessible to you as soon as you get there.

We took the tube from Canning Town to Tower Hill to start off a walk around London Town. The views were immediately impressive- the Tower of London in front of us and nearly 1,000 years of history at our feet. Tickets for entry were sold out for the entire weekend we’d be there (it was Easter weekend and the city was incredibly crowded to say the least, we did not realize when planning that we would be there during a holiday. Next time I am definitely going during a less busy time period). If you do get the opportunity to go into the Tower, you’ll get to see things such as the famous ravens, the Crown Jewels, and the spot where Queen Anne Boleyn was executed. As a history lover I will definitely go in next time! 

We walked around the Tower and headed to Tower Bridge- the iconic blue and gray bridge spanning the Thames (which is often mistaken for London Bridge). This beautiful piece of architecture was opened in 1894 during the Victorian Era and provides an excellent view of London. You can even take tours INTO the bridge and across the top of it. I will definitely check that out next time I find myself in London. 

We ventured across Tower Bridge to the South Bank and to our next stop, a famous foodie stop- Borough Market. Having opened in 1851, Borough Market is one of the oldest and largest food markets in London, with a variety of savory, sweet, and diverse treats. There’s something for everyone- I picked up a delicious almond scone and eyed the mulled wine and TikTok-famous chocolate covered strawberries. 

It was incredibly busy, but there was so much to see and purchase- fresh flowers, produce, meats and cheese, and a variety of freshly-made meals and snacks. 

After spending some time at the bustling market, we crossed THE London Bridge, hopped on the tube and headed back to our hotel to prepare ourselves for dinner. We then hopped on the tube again (I’m actually obsessed with it, I love being able to go directly to just about anywhere in London). We took another walk- this time through St. James’s Park (one of my favorite places in London- it’s incredibly peaceful and beautiful). From there, we exited the park onto the Mall (the stretch of road leading up to Buckingham Palace) and headed up to the Royal Residence. Buckingham Palace was glowing (it was nearly sunset) and so beautiful. Something I didn’t get the chance to do while I was here was tour the palace- however it has since re-opened to the public and you are now able to see inside the famous Royal Residence on tour. Definitely a must-do the next time you’re in London!

After stopping to admire the palace (and snap a few pics), we finally made our way to dinner at The Clarence, a traditional British pub. Located at 4 Dover Street, this pub is close to Leicester Square and Regent Street and also has a view of the Ritz. Not only is this pub centrally located, but its location also has historical significance- it was the site where Sir Alexander Bell’s first successful phone call in Europe was made in 1876. 

We were seated upstairs in a cozy corner of the pub and had a fantastic time. I had fish and chips and a pint of (room temperature) beer, because when in London right? It was a great way to celebrate my first-ever night in London, and we headed back to Ibis in Canning Town to head to bed and prepare for our next day in London. 

Got any London recs? Let me know down below!