Tube & Big Ben ©MlleWanderlust
I’ve been lucky enough to have visited London on two occasions. First in 2015 and again in 2017. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to visit the British Capital.
HOW TO GET THERE
In 2015, we flew with British Airways from Montreal for the sum of $1 322.85 CAD per person (booked via Expedia). Note that we came back from Stockholm in Sweden. The service was great with them!
In 2017, we decided to go with Lufthansa and it was an incredible experience, the service was impeccable! On that occasion, we flew from Ottawa to Budapest, Hungary first and then went to London. Our flight was $1511.40 CAD each (booked through Lufthansa Airline).
ACCOMMODATIONS
We’ve stayed there in 2015 and it was PERFECT! The size of the room was impressive for a European hotel and the location was ideal, right by the tube’s station: Shepherd’s Bush. The hotel is at walking distance of the Westfield London shopping center in White City where you’ll find a bunch of great shops and restaurants, I highly recommend it! The 5 nights cost us a total of $1158.99 CAD ($231.80/per night).
When we went back to London in 2017, we tried this hotel which is now the Mama Shelter London Hotel. It was a cheaper choice and it was about a 10 minutes walk to get to the tube station (Cambridge Heath). Our 4 nights came down to $693.50 CAD ($173.38 CAD/per night).
HOW TO GET AROUND
The Underground (Tube) is definitely the easiest and fastest way to get around London. It has 11 lines and serves 270 stations. Did you know that the London’s Underground was the first passenger underground railway in the world back in 1863!? If you plan on staying for a few days, I recommend you get the pay as you go Oyster Card as it’s much cheaper! You can also use single tickets if you prefer. The fares will vary depending on your journey.
I’ll give you an example with a start point at Piccadilly Circus Underground Station and an end point at Shepherd’s Bush (Central) Underground Station. If you use the Oyster Card during Peak hours (Monday-Friday 0630-0930/1600-1900) you will be charged £2.90 ($4.95 CAD) on your card. If it’s during the off peak, it will be £2.40 ($4.10 CAD). If you decide to go with the single ride fare it will be £4.90 ($8.35 CAD) at any time. You can consult their website to find your exact fare.
Here’s how to use your Oyster Card: Touch your card in at the start of your journey and touch out at the end on yellow card readers to pay the right fare. Also, two people can’t use the same Oyster card for a journey so each traveller will need their own.
ACTIVITIES
1 – Afternoon Tea at Claridge’s
It was on my bucket list to have a traditional afternoon tea experience in London and we’ve had the chance to have it a one of the most prestigious hotels in the city: the Claridge’s, where they’ve been observing this tradition for the past 150 years.
Afternoon tea is served in the Foyer and Reading Room daily from 2.45pm and 5.30pm. For £70 per person ($117.60 CAD) you will savour a variety of finger sandwiches, scones served warm, and sweet pastries accompanied by a remarkable selection of wonderful loose leaf tea. The great thing is that you can have as much food and tea as you want! We ate so much that we had to skip dinner that night! Have a look at their menu here.
If your budget allows it, I strongly suggest you try this at least once in your life!
Note that you have to make a reservation online and you can do it 89 days in advance. You can also add champagne for an extra £10 ($16.80 CAD) per person or have Afternoon tea with your children for £40 ($67.25 CAD) each.
2 – Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter
The Millennium Bridge is a suspension bridge for pedestrians crossing the River Thames linking Bankside with the London. The famous bridge that you can see in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was only opened in 2000.
The southern end of the bridge is near Shakespeare’s Globe. The theatre is a reconstruction of the Globe Theatre for which Shakespeare wrote his plays in the 1500s. The theatre can welcome 1 400 guests.
We also had a delicious traditional meal of Fish & Chips at The Anchor Bankside pub located on Park Street.
4 – Borough Market & The Golden Hind
The Borough Market is a market hall in Southwark. It’s one of the largest and oldest food markets in London dating back to as far as the 12th century. The market mainly sells speciality foods to the general public. Note that the market is closed on Sundays and that it closes at 17h00 on most days. The foodie in me really enjoyed this market!
Tip: If you want to find the instagram-worthy photo spot with colourful umbrellas, look for Vinopolis Piazza!
Not too far from the Shakespeare’s Globe you’ll find the Golden Hind, the vessel was an English galleon that sailed around the world back in the 1500s. You can now go aboard and visit the full-scale reconstruction on the south bank of the Thames. The admission fee for a self-guided tour is £5 ($8.50 CAD).
Built between 1886 and 1894 the iconic Tower Bridge crosses the River Thames close to the Tower of London. The bridge deck is freely accessible to both vehicles and pedestrians.
The Tower of London is a historic castle which was founded towards the end of 1066. Fun fact, the castle was used as a prison from 1100 until 1952. Surprisingly, its primary purpose was to serve as a royal residence. Under the Tudors, the Tower became used less as a royal residence.
Nowadays, the Tower of London is a very popular tourist attractions and it is protected as a World Heritage Site. The entrance fee for an adult is £26.00 ($44.25 CAD) and it’s open every day of the week.
6 – London Eye
The London Eye is an observation wheel located on the South Bank of the River Thames. The wheel is 135 metres tall and it opened to the public in 2000. I suggest you book your ticket online in advance as you will save £3 ($5 CAD) per person. The entrance fee will be £27 ($46 CAD) instead of £30 ($51 CAD) on the day.
Notting Hill is a renowned trendy and colourful area in London with High-end restaurants and upscale boutiques. Portobello Road is famous for its busy market selling antiques and vintage apparel. I recommend you go on a Friday (Antique day) or on a Saturday (main day). If you want to avoid crowds, go on Monday through Thursday. And don’t worry if you’re hungry, the street food there is amazing!
Piccadilly Circus is a busy square in the heart of London where you can do some major shopping. With its many neon signs, it’s the miniature version of Times Square in New York. The circus (from the Latin word meaning circle, was built in 1819 to connect Regent St. with Piccadilly. In Piccadilly you will find the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain and statue, the theatres on Shaftesbury Avenue and Leicester Square nearby. Leicester Square was laid out in 1670 and it’s now a square for pedestrians.
Camden is a district of northwest London. The area hosts street markets and music venues. The markets are really easy to get to, Camden Town Tube station is located in the epicentre of them.
The markets in Camden date from 1974 and later. There are five markets in total: Camden Lock market, Buck Street market, Stables market, Camden Lock village, and an indoor market in the Electric Ballroom. The vendors sell an immense range of items from fashion to antiques, books, souvenirs and food. We tried the nitrogen ice cream at Chin Chin Labs and is was simply the best we’ve ever had!
Camden was my personal favourite market in London, it’s a must see!
King’s Cross is a passenger railway terminus in London that opened in 1852. It’s one of the busiest stations in the UK.
Over the years, the station has been used as a backdrop for several movies. One of them was the Harry Potter series, particularly the fictional Platform 9¾ located between platforms 9 and 10.
Look out for a luggage trolley embedded in the wall to make your Harry Potter dreams come true! The trolley is accessible at all hours for you to take your best picture! Right next door, you will find the Platform 9¾ shop.
The Palace of Westminster also known as the Houses of Parliament is the meeting place for both the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The first palace dated from the 11th century and Westminster became the primary residence of the monarchs until most of it was destroyed in a fire in 1512. After that, it served as the home of the Parliament and as the seat of the Royal Courts of Justice.
Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the striking clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster. The tower was completed in 1859 and has since been a British cultural icon.
Westminster Abbey is a gothic church located west of the Palace of Westminster. It’s the traditional place of coronation, weddings and burial site for English and British royalty. Historians reported that a church was founded in 1080 and that the construction of the current building began in 1245!
12 – House of MinaLima & Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Play
Located in Soho (26 Greek St.), House of MinaLima is a gallery exhibiting and selling originals from the design studio behind the graphic props of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films, founded by Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima. Every self-respecting fan must definitely go there! I personally treated myself to an original which is now proudly hanging on my office wall! Note that if you go see the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Play at the Palace Theatre, House of MinaLima is at less than a 2 minutes walk.
Built in 1703, Buckingham Palace is the London residence and administrative headquarters of the UK monarchy. The palace has 775 rooms. The state rooms are open to the public each year for most of August and September.
14 – Greenwich Market
Established in 1737, Greenwich Market (pronounced with a silent w ) is an indoor historic market set in a World Heritage Site with approximately 120 vendors selling food, antiques, crafts, jewelry, art and unique souvenirs to bring back home.
15 – Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is a public square with a significant history dating back to the 13th century. It originally contained the King’s courtyard of stables and carriage houses (mews). The square was redeveloped in 1844 and Nelson’s Column was added at its centre.
The square is now being used for community gatherings and political demonstrations. Since 1947, a Norwegian Christmas tree is erected each year for twelve days before and after Christmas Day.
ADDITIONAL PLACES WORTH VISITING
Leadenhall Market, the Sherlock Holmes Museum, Liberty London, Carnaby Street, the Beatles Store, Abbey Road…
London is amazing, Cheers mate!
XX
Mlle Wanderlust
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