A few Days in London

After almost a year of traveling through Asia and Europe we finally landed in what was still a foreign country but where the native language was our own, English. We had landed in England.

And though yes at times it almost felt like we were hearing a foreign language, we could finally communicate with everybody we came across, and this was a welcome relief.

Our first stop -London for a few days.

London is an enormous city. There are over 250 tube stations alone (and yes once I actually counted). Unbelievable. Just getting from one corner of the city to the other can take hours.

So yes, to really see London you’ll need more than just a couple days. The city is vibrant, busy, bustling, kind of like New York but not at all. Those red phone booths, and old school black cabs, it’s all so… chic.

In total we spent about a week in London (though some of those days were spent working instead of sightseeing), but some of the highlights for us are as follows.

Walking Tour of the South Bank

This seems like a good first day introduction into the city. We didn’t go into any of the attractions along the way, but just wanted to get a glimpse of everything all together. Walking along the river you get to see everything at a distance and take it in all at once. For the art lovers out there, you’ll be passing by the Tate Modern Art Museum on this tour so add in a few hours if you want to go in. The tour takes you over the Tower Bridge, past the Globe theater and the rotating London Eye.

Hop across the river to check out the Buckingham Palace and Big Ben.

Greenwich Walking Tour

Greenwich is an incredibly quaint area on the outskirts of London, where you will find the world known Prime Meridian of the world and the heart of the Greenwich Mean Time. Spend an hour or so at the Royal Observatory and if time permits stop by the National Maritime Museum. Don’t leave this area though without sampling some tasty bites at the Greenwich Market, or just stop by a pub for a pint.

Walk around Soho Square, Chinatown, Covent Garden Market

Soho is a part of the West End district known for its jazz and gay village. This area is best discovered by wandering the streets aimlessly. Stop in for an afternoon drink and do some people watching.

From Soho square make your way to Chinatown, not that different from Chinatowns in other cities around the world, but still a great place to grab a bite to eat.

Finish your stroll over at Covent Garden the main shopping and entertainment district of London. Lose yourself in the shops, bars and restaurants around here.

Go see a Play or Show (Preferably a “British” one)

As a birthday present to me Dave picked out a play/show for us to see in London. He chose One Man, Two Guvnors, something I had never heard of before but a play that sounded truly British. It was downright hilarious, though at times even we couldn’t keep up with the English slang. A great way to spend a night in London.

 

There is so much more to do in London, and these were just a few of the highlights for us. No shortage of museums or other fun attractions in the city so make sure to give it more than a day or two.