10 reasons to...
visit London
You may know London for Big Ben, the London Eye, or maybe even Buckingham Palace. But in addition to these well-known landmarks are at least a hundred other hidden gems, if you only know where to look. Let me show you across the pond, where I’ll dip into just ten reasons why you should visit London.
1. London from above.
London is known for its iconic skyline, and while I personally think that the Shard is a visual abomination and so you might want to view London from the top of it solely in order to avoid having to look at it, I would still recommend that you book an hour-long slot at the Sky Garden instead. It’s the highest public garden in London and overflowing with luscious greenery. It is free to visit, with several restaurants and bars if you plan on staying past your allotted hour.
2. A mad tea-party.
Afternoon Tea: a quintessential British pastime and a must for any tourist – try and grab a cuppa with the Queen if you can. While Fortnum & Mason and The Ritz are both good options, I suggest you head over to Sketch in Mayfair for somewhere a little less traditional but with equally good finger sandwiches and petit fours. For tea you’ll head to The Gallery, though there are four other rooms each with their own eclectic personality, combining art, food, drink and deliciously fun interiors.
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The Justified Sinner / CC-BY-NC-SA 2.0
3. The river is your Oyster (card).
Most Londoners get around by foot, bus or our iconic tube. However, if you want to make your way through the city in style and have a chance to marvel at the sights, I suggest you take a ride on a river bus. Why follow the crowd on a hop-on hop-off tour when you can cruise the Thames and pretend that you’re James Bond? You can pay by Oyster, which is the contactless travel card you’ll need for all public transport – pick one up at your nearest corner store when you arrive.
4. It’s Pimm’s o’clock!
If you visit London in the summer and don’t order a glass (or preferably a pitcher) of Pimm’s, did you actually visit London? Imagine it’s the one week of the year where it is blissfully sunny, you find yourself in a pub garden/park/friend’s house and you sit and sip on an ice-cold drink full of mint, oranges, and in season British strawberries that just so happens to be alcoholic. What more could you ask for?
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Betsy Weber / CC-BY-2.0
5. Tennis and cricket and rowing, oh my!
Another great place to drink Pimm’s? Sports events. It can’t be football or rugby though because then you’d be drinking beer. I don’t make the rules. It doesn’t matter if you don’t care at all about the sport itself, it’s really all about the atmosphere. If you can watch it live that’s great, but really any outdoor venue with a lot of people works equally well.
6. Wouldn’t it be loverly?
If you want to watch Wimbledon on a big screen from the comfort of a deck chair without queuing up for hours (with Pimm’s in hand), a street performer doing magic, or an impromptu live orchestra, then head to Covent Garden in the West End. Home to an array of boutiques, stores, and the Royal Opera House, it is the perfect place to wander for hours at a time without a plan or any direction. You’ll find something new every time.
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Ray in Manila / CC-BY-2.0
7. London’s art scene.
If you want to give your wallet a break, pop into one of the city’s many free galleries. Looking for something a little unconventional? Check out Lisson Gallery near Baker Street Station, Pace Gallery near Piccadilly, or even the world’s first Vagina Museum in Camden. Alternatively, if you want to hit several spots in a day, head over to South Kensington and you’ll find both the Natural History Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum just a few minutes away from the tube station.
8. A walk down the Southbank.
Take a couple of hours to just walk along the Southbank. You can stop by a few galleries and theatres if you like, or you can simply walk up and down and take in all the energies of London in one space. You’ll find an open-air bookstore, a bustling skate park full of modern street art, and a pink double decker bus selling frozen yogurt. You might even catch a hidden live performance if you visit in summer or a cozy Christmas market in the winter.
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Paul Farmer / CC-BY-SA-3.0
9. Fish ’n’ chips.
Another British classic. I recommend that you don’t plan this one. While you’re wandering around London, walk into any shop that looks no-nonsense. I say shop rather than restaurant, because if you want authentic fish and chips then you’ve got to go to a slightly greasy looking chippie. Oh, and don’t forget the vinegar.
10. Accio plane tickets.
No article about London would be complete without at least one mention of Harry Potter. Fans of The Half-Blood Princewill remember the iconic moment where Death Eaters attack the Millennium Bridge. While your walk over the bridge will be a touch less dramatic, I would still highly recommend it while you’re in London – make sure you take a minute to admire the iconic St Paul’s Cathedral dome.