Churchill Arms Pub in London

I promise you this will be the ONLY London Itinerary you will need!

London, England was never on my travel bucket list, but it happened to be great starting and ending point for our trip to Morocco & Paris. In my mind London seemed very touristy and was just another overpopulated city…man was I wrong! Yes, it is an extremely touristy city, but it was enchanting. Everywhere we turned at least one building would be decorated with an over the top floral arch and the streets were lit by the prettiest street lamps. In my opinion London should be called the City of Flowers. There really is a charm surrounding London, and everyone is wrapped up in its spell. 

We traveled to London at the end of September into October, and we made it just in time to experience their Autumn season. The leaves on the trees were changing into their fall colors, with only a tint of the Autumn breeze making us able to walk to many of our destinations. On many days the sun even decided to grace us with her presence! Rain or shine a day in London is always well spent. 

Our overall time spent in London was one week. So many places I would love to return to, and so many that I wish we didn’t waste our time on. A traveler can spend months here, and I truly believe they will never become bored! London is always buzzing, and you can always find something to see, eat, or do! 

Every traveler is different, but I have composed a list of what sights and restaurants you should hit up during your trip, and what you can skip out on. This list will interest any tourist or even local! Because it never hurts to be a tourist in your own hometown. 

If you have recently booked that ticket to London please read below a perfect itinerary for your amazing trip! 

Before I dig into all the sights and food let me offer you a little piece of advice!

ADVICE #1: My biggest advice for ALL TRAVELERS is to take the train from Victoria Train Station to Gatwick airport. It is only a 30 min train ride! You will avoid traffic and your travel journey will be much smoother. BONUS: The difference in fare is much cheaper than taking a taxi/uber. When we arrived in London, we took an uber and it took us an HOUR IN HALF to reach our hotel in Covent Garden. We learned the hard way not to travel by car. When leaving London, we knew better and took the train to the airport. 

Don’t make our mistake! Take the TRAIN! 

ADVICE #2: When ordering ANY HOT BEVERAGE ask for it extra hot! I don’t understand if this is a universal thing in London, but every café that I ordered hot coffee from it would be lukewarm. I like my coffee HOT, so take a page from my book if you are the same and ask your barista for your beverages extra hot. 

ADVICE #3: My last piece of advice that I wish I had done earlier! I FINALLY invested in this TRAVEL PACKING CUBES! After reading every person in the world talk about how much they loved them, I decided to purchase them. I finally realize what all the fuss is about. They made packing a breeze, and surprisingly by the end of my trip, my suitcase did not look like a tornado blew through it. They are amazing if you are traveling to different countries in one trip. I packed my London outfits in one cube, Paris in another, & Morocco in the other one. Also, how cute is the geometry grey cubes?

Okay, okay! I’m done with telling you advice!

During our trip, we stayed at St. Martin’s Lane Hotel located in Covent Gardens. Due to the activities that we wanted to do, we knew that Covent Gardens would be the perfect location. Our hotel room was clean, the bed was so comfy I didn’t want to leave, and the bathroom was large with an amazing shower. We loved it so much we ended up returning to this hotel after our trip to Paris. They even upgraded us to a suite free of charge. How sweet is that?

The staff here were truly accommodating and helpful. I was hesitant in returning to the same hotel because I wanted to explore a different one, but at the end of the day, my husband told me “What more could you want? A clean spacious room, comfy bed, amazing shower, and located perfectly?” If that is what you look for in a hotel room, you can’t go wrong with booking your stay at St. Martin’s Lane. We did not regret it. Staying in Convent Gardens was a perfect stay base for us, and I believe it will be for you too. 

Now let’s dive right into our day to day adventures!

1st Day: 

Embrace your surroundings! Your first day become familiar with your surroundings. We stayed in Covent Gardens, so we took the time to walk around and become entranced by its beauty! 

Covent Gardens. An absolute must when arriving in London. Add this to your list of activities, because I guarantee that at least one of the restaurants or sights that you already have on your itinerary is located in Covent Garden. A place that is filled with local boutiques, bars, restaurants, entertainment, and markets. Remember when I said they should rename London to the City of Flowers? Just walking through Convent Gardens you will understand why I say this. 

Benches are dressed up with lovely autumn flowers, buildings will have their front doors covered in a floral arch design, and many restaurants have an over the top flower wall for you to capture that perfect Insta picture. If you are a flower enthusiast London will be a dream for you. 

Our first stop in London was food, because who doesn’t come off an airport without a grumbling stomach? 

Bill’s Covent Garden (St. Martins Courtyard) was where we decided to grab a bite to eat. Also, the place where I accidentally left the waitress a 50-dollar tip! I mean the food was great but definitely not worth leaving a 50 dollar tip for. Even with that little mistake, it did not ruin our experience at Bill’s.

I ordered their Jackfruit Salad Bowl and it was delicious. I always try to taste new food, so when I saw jackfruit on their menu I had to try it. Loved it so much that I have ordered jackfruit at other restaurants, sadly though it was not as delicious or as flavorful as Bills. The salad comes extremely packed with lots of refreshing veggies. I was pleasantly surprised that it filled me until our dinner. Highly recommended! My husband ordered the Eggs Royale with fries and I quote “those were some of the best eggs I’ve ever had”. I have always wanted to try Matcha and Bill’s had a special going on of a Hot White Chocolate Matcha Tea Delicious! If you see this special on their menu order it! Bill’s does not disappoint its customers! 

Your first day in London take it easy and enjoy the sights. Become familiar with the streets and just get lost! We spent the majority of our day/night in Covent Gardens. You can spend days there and not explore all of it.

Neal’s Yard. I had read so many influencers online raving about Neal’s Yard, (located in Covent Gardens) so I knew we had to go. To be frank I don’t understand why Neal’s Yard is a must visit in London. If someone could explain it to me that would be great? All it is, is an alley in Covent Gardens with colored buildings that opens up into a courtyard.

Yes, it’s pretty and an enjoyable walk. BUT there are so many other buildings throughout London that look like they belong in an art gallery. I did not find it that special. If Neal’s Yard is out of your way, I wouldn’t add it to your list of must-dos while visiting London. 

Masala Zone (Indian Restaurant): If you have done your research on London restaurants you have probably seen on every list the Indian restaurant Dishoom. But have you come across Masala Zone? My sister in law has lived in London for a few years and she highly recommends Masala Zone over Dishoom. (In the end, we tried both restaurants). She booked us reservations for dinner and we arrived hungry!

From the minute you arrive the atmosphere is warm, friendly, and their décor is strange but oh so lovely. They offer many vegetarian and vegan options, and their prices are sensible. Our waitress was very friendly and answered our many questions about the food and what we should order. 

We received our dinner promptly and it was presented beautifully! Our cocktails were tasty and definitely got us a buzz to last the night. The sauces on their dishes are scrumptious. And their Naan! Oh man… so fluffy and warm. I swear the bread melts in your mouth. 

I can’t honestly tell you if I preferred Masala Zone over Dishoom, both restaurants were delicious, and I know you will leave satisfied. BUT I 100% preferred the Naan bread at Masala Zone. 

DAY 2:

Our activities for the day included: 

  • Tour of Tower of London 
  • Walk across Tower Bridge
  • St. Paul’s Cathedral
  • St. Dunstan in the East
  • Borough Market
  • Tower Bridge of London
  • Book of Mormon Play
  • Honest Burgers 
  • Maître Choux

We started our day extremely early as we had a jam packed schedule! We booked an 8:30am tour from Viator that was VIP: Exclusive Access to Tower of London and St Paul’s Cathedral. 

Right next to the Tower of London is a café called PRET (they’re everywhere in London; they are what Starbucks is in the states). There is also a Starbucks right across from Pret in case you are eager for that white chocolate mocha. 

We arrived to our tour about a half hour early. Grabbed a small pastry and coffee and walked to St. Dunstan in the East. Less than a ten minute walk from the Tower of London, and the visit itself is no more than 15 minutes. St. Dunstan is an abandoned church that was largely destroyed during World War II, but it remains open to the public. A beautiful place to stop and take pictures and walk around the grounds. The church is very secluded with a few benches inside so you can sit comfortably and take in the scenery.

During our visit we were the only ones there. It truly is a calm oasis in the middle of the city with a lovely garden inside. The architecture is stunning, and every corner is extremely photogenic. The arches of the church are covered in wild greenery making it remind me of an enchanted fortress. It is the perfect spot to enjoy some peace and quiet. IF you are visiting the Tower of London don’t leave out St. Dunstan. 

St. Dunstan in the East in London

Tower of London. I was a little skeptical of wasting our precious time in London by spending the morning doing a tour. BUT! I surprisingly loved it. Our guide was knowledgeable, funny, and kind. The tour was great and after watching the historic opening ceremony you are left on your own to explore.

I thoroughly enjoy tours that let you have the freedom to explore without a guide. So, if you are someone who wants a tour guide the whole time maybe this isn’t a tour for you to book. The Tower of London is beautiful, and we were extremely lucky that the sun came out for us. After the opening ceremony our tour guide informed us NOT to visit the crown jewels first and visit them last! Because so many of the other tours will visit the crown jewels right upon their arrival it is better to save them for the end of your visit. As it won’t be as crowded. 

A great attraction, with many breathtaking sights and activities while providing an understanding of British history. We spent a little over two hours at Tower of London, and in my opinion it was the perfect amount of time. You will truly feel that you are exploring castle grounds while becoming educated on the history. 

Highly recommend booking the morning tour, the grounds were not crowded, and before you enter the tower maybe you will get lucky and witness the Tower Bridge open for a ship passing by. An iconic and majestic destination. 

After roaming the grounds, we met up with our guide and we were given an option to stay with the group and walk/explore with our guide to St. Paul’s Cathedral OR explore on our own and meet up at the church. We choose the lateral, we much prefer exploring on our own. Given two hours of free time to explore before meeting up again with the group.

Spent those two hours wisely! 

Walked across the Tower Bridge of London. Absolutely beautiful, and the architect of the bridge itself is stunning! I have never seen a bridge built with such ornate details. Take the walk! Gain some exercise while soaking up the London sights!

After walking across the Tower Bridge, we walked till we reached the Borough Market! Do not leave this market off your list. Food galore! Try as much food as you possibly can. We loved this market and ended up here twice during our trip. DO NOT stuff your face at only one cart. Grab something small from as many food stalls that you can. You can easily spend hours here. The market is open Monday to Saturday 10am till 6pm, but many vendors are closed on Monday and Tuesday. 

Walk around and taste the local and tasty food and drinks. A great atmosphere that is lively and buzzing! You can even take home fresh ingredients (such as fruit, fish, meat, vegetables, cheese, & spices) and make your own home-made meal. No matter what time of day you go it will always be filled with people. Enjoy it! Grab a drink and enjoy the scrumptious food it has to offer. If you don’t feel like standing and eating by a food cart, there’re many restaurants that have indoor seating.

Food from all over the world. Travel the globe without leaving London! 

The Food stalls that we tried:

Fish!Kitchen: Our guide from earlier mentioned this cart, so it was the first food stall we tried. My husband and I shared a basket of fish and chips and were able to snag a table by their kiosk. The servings are generous and the fish tastes fresh and melts in your mouth! Absolutely delicious and would highly recommend trying it for yourself. 

Bread Ahead: I saw this bakery all over Instagram, so I knew I had to try it. The famous stuffed donuts left me a little disappointed though. Tried three different flavors of their donuts, (hazelnut & almond praline, vanilla custard, and salted caramel). Our favorite was their vanilla custard. The donuts will definitely satisfy your sweet tooth and they are cooked fresh and sold at a reasonable price. However I think I was expecting the donuts to blow me away and placed too high of expectations for them. Yes, they were delicious, but they did not blow me away. So much so that when we returned to the market for the second time I did not feel the need to try them again. Although I was dying to try their raspberry donut. If you happen to try it, let me know if it was as good as it looks online! 

They have a few locations spread out throughout London. At Borough Market their stall only offers about 5 different flavors of donuts, but I believe their store locations have more variety. The line will most likely be long, so be prepared to wait for at least ten minutes. Side note: If you are eager to participate in a baking class, Bread Ahead offers many workshops that you can partake in. You can book a class on their website

Padella: An indoor Italian restaurant. We heard phenomenal reviews about Padella so we decided to give it a try. You can never go wrong with pasta! The great thing about Padella is there is a host outside the door that requests your name and number and they will message you when your table will be ready. We had about an hour wait, but we didn’t mind because we walked around the market and soaked up the sights. They give you about ten minutes to reach back to the restaurant after messaging you, so if you wandered far don’t worry. You will make it back in time. 

For it being a sit down restaurant the service is very quick and the staff are friendly. The tables are very close together, so I don’t recommend sharing secrets here. Make sure you order the bread and olives for appetizers. Delicious! For my main meal I ordered the Taglierini pasta slow cooked in a tomato sauce. I loved it, and the pasta didn’t leave me with a food baby and wanting to crash on a bed. My husband on the other hand didn’t really enjoy his pasta dish. He ordered a special that they had, and it wasn’t the best. So we have mixed reviews about this place. 

Khanom Krok: Thai Food. We did not love this food cart, and we absolutely love Thai food. We ordered one of their noodle dishes, and there was a strange lemon flavor that we both did not care for. This place has rave reviews though, so maybe it was just what we ordered. Try it out, you might have a different experience than us. 

Kappacasein Dairy: My husband’s favorite place. Go for the cheese toastie, a British grilled cheese. This is a straight up cheese paradise. The staff are friendly and quick! Watch the staff melt the top of a GIANT cheese roll and literally slide the cheese straight into your sandwich. Mesmerizing and delicious. For all you cheese lovers this is a must try! 

Gourmet Goat: We tried their lamb wrap, and it left us wanting another. It is filling, flavorful, juicy, and the meat is tender. They offer many meal options, and if you aren’t feeling the bread you can order a salad bowl. You can taste how fresh the ingredients are, and truly feels as if it is a home cooked meal. Highly recommended! 

The Gated Garden: Not a food stall, but they sell beautiful flowers and plants. If you are fortunate and staying in London for a while, purchase a bouquet and bring it home! Stunning little shop! 

Borough Market has over 100 stalls! Choose wisely and fill up your belly with all the scrumptious food that they have to offer. I would love to go back to London just to be able to try all the food here. 

Next stop, St. Paul’s Cathedral. A remarkable church with stunning views at the top. Over 600 steps to reach the top of St. Paul’s. It definitely was a workout challenge. If small spaces and heights make you queasy, I don’t recommend partaking in this adventure. Explore the church in all its entirety, and don’t pass up seeing the American chapel that is located behind the alter. It was dedicated to the Americans who passed away during World War II. 

Harry Potter fans will thoroughly enjoy exploring the cathedral! The cathedrals’ spiral staircase was used as a setting for the Prisoner of Azkaban, when the student’s ascent to Professor Trelawney’s divination class. 

One of the main reasons that I wanted to visit this church is for their library. If you have read any of my other posts, I think you will be able to conclude that I’m an avid book lover. SADLY, I left the church disappointed, as I was unable to view their library. It is currently under restoration till summer 2020 (so they say; The man working there didn’t seem positive that it would be done by then). 

Highly recommend visiting St. Paul’s with a tour guide. Become educated on its history and view the beautiful art around every corner! 

After all that walking we deserved a break and cat nap!

Honest Burgers. Our 1st dinner of the night. (Around midnight we had a second dinner at 5 Guys. Don’t judge. We were on vacation! There is no such thing as eating too much!) We choose Honest Burgers because everyone we met raved about their food. No matter where you are stationed in London there is probably an Honest Burger joint near you, they are spread out through the city. The food was delicious, but if I’m being HONEST my classic cheeseburger from 5 Guys was better. I’m just as shocked as you by that statement…considering I hate the 5 Guys that is in my hometown. It is so strange how great fast food is in the UK. Highly recommend ordering an OREO MILKSHAKE from 5 Guys. 

The great thing about Honest Burgers is they offer plant based burgers and can accommodate gluten free! I did not try their vegan burger but just from reading the description it sounds bomb! I ordered their Honest burger with buffalo wings. High quality burger, and the service was friendly and quick. We were in a rush and told our waitress we had to be out in a certain amount of time, and I’m not joking our burgers were out within 5 minutes after ordering. 

Every location of this burger joint offers a special burger at only that location, so if you read of a special that you want to try make sure you go to the correct joint! 

Book of Mormon.  A must experience in London is buying yourself a ticket to a play! Truly a wonderful experience, and a great way to spend your evening. Click HERE to find out the schedule of plays that will be going on during your trip. Book of Mormon was not my favorite play that I have seen, but the acting was stellar and the script was quite funny.

Maître Choux. Oh my damn! The BEST DAMN ECLAIRS I HAVE EVER HAD (even compared to the ones in Paris). I’m always hesitated trying Instagram worthy food. In my opinion when food looks too pretty to eat, it usually doesn’t taste that great. Maître Choux is the exception. The eclairs are beautiful and unique (seriously look at that picture) and every flavor we tried tasted wonderful. They have a few locations spread out through London, and you can check them out HERE. Do not leave this place off your itinerary and make sure you try their pistachio eclair! 

3rd Day

Our activities:
Notting Hill
Portobello Market
Stanford Bookshop
Daunt Bookshop
London Eye
Big Ben
Pizza Pilgrims
Pho

Notting Hill. An attraction filled with tourists and one that is literally on every blogger’s lists of things to do in London. I personally don’t get it. It was beautiful, but near the end I couldn’t help but think ‘is this all it has to offer’? A strip of colored houses? I would honestly leave it off your list of must sees.  

Now, I feel like you aren’t going to take my advice. You probably want to go because this is the only post you have read that stated Notting Hill is NOT worth the trip. Just make sure you report back to me and let me know what you made out of it. Was it worth it for you? 

Notting Hill was picturesque, the few colored houses were lovely…and I couldn’t help but laugh at the tourists trying to capture that perfect insta picture of them. Despite being one of them. 

 

Colored Houses in Notting Hill London

Portobello Market. MY LEAST FAVORITE MARKET. I wasn’t feeling the love when visiting. This market is huge and stretches out to 1.8km. Saturday is the main day, and this would be the best day to visit and explore the stalls. 

You will find an antique section, fresh fruit and vegetables, secondhand goods, hot food, and a fashion section. Truly this market has everything. It’s a lovely stroll in the outdoors and fun to explore the different stalls that the vendors have to offer. If you enjoy antiques, I would recommend coming to Portobello Market. It was extremely busy when we went, and we could not get to a space that was not overcrowded.

Side Note: Always make sure you have your eyes on your belongings the whole time. Better to be safe than sorry.

We tried so many different foods, but my favorite was the stall that sold Dutch pancakes. Delicious, and absolutely hit the spot.  

Stanfords BookStore. A quaint travel bookshop specializing in all things travel. I don’t think you will be able to walk in without buying something. They also sell the cutest trinkets that would make great gifts. I bought “Poems for Love” by Joanna Trollope. The tiniest book I have ever owned, and one with the sweetest cover. 

Book from Stanfords Bookstore in London

Daunt BookStore. Another excellent bookshop! Much larger than Stanfords, and they have multiple locations. Their variety of books is quite extensive, and it is worth visiting if you are book worm like myself. 

London Eye. Possibly one of the most touristy attraction you can enjoy in London. I wouldn’t put this as a must experience when visiting. The views were beautiful, but it is 100% over hyped. You are in the Ferris wheel with a pretty large group, so you might find yourself standing for the whole ride. If you do decide this is something that you must partake in, BUY your ticket online so you do not have to wait in the monstrous line. 

Big Ben. We walked past Big Ben. Depending when you are traveling it might still be under construction. It was announced that it won’t be complete till 2021. We visited in the fall of 2019, and it was covered with only a view of the clock.

Pho (Covent Gardens, 65a Long Acre, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9JD, United Kingdom). Can you ever go wrong with having pho for dinner? Perfect meal for being out in the cold and on our feet all day. Pho did not disappoint. Reasonably priced and our dishes were extremely flavorful and satisfying. 

Pizza Pilgrims (Covent Gardens). Again, don’t judge us for having two dinners. We had a goal to try as much food as humanly possible during our trip. This place sells AMAZING PIZZA. I feel that saying it was the best pizza of my life might be a bit dramatic, but it was delicious. The crust is fat and fluffy… YUM! We tried the double pepperoni & spicy honey and smoked Napoli. All the pizzas have inventive topping combinations and provide options for meat eaters and vegetarians. The staff were friendly, and the ambiance was intimate and cheery. My only regret is not trying their Nutella pizza ring. Someone taste it on my behalf. 

Pizza at Pizza Pilgrims in London

La Gelatiena. Naturally we had to end the night with ice cream. As this was one of the few options opened late at night we gave it a try. Extremely happy we did. Tasty gelato with a variety of many flavors. Their honey rosemary was wonderful and hit the spot!

4th Day

  • El&N Café
  • Camden Market
  • Regent Park
  • Primrose Hill
  • Mr. Fogg’s House of Botanicals
  • Bao
  • Wahaca 

El&N Café. Because who starts the day without coffee? I have never in my life seen a prettier café, and I don’t think I ever will. The entire café is covered in flowers. This is where Instagram worthy pictures are made. If you want to sit and eat go early. Every table inside was booked, but there was seating outside. We ordered a few pastries to go and a Pistachio Latte. If you are looking for a café that dreams are made of definitely come here.

Camden Market. I can’t decide if I enjoy this or Borough market more. I would like to put Camden market as number one solely because I had an amazing Indian naan wrap. You could easily spend hours at this market. Opened every day at 10am. Filled with artwork, glamorous fashion, one of a kind jewelry, and offers so many food and drink stalls. 

Food Stalls that we loved:

Roti House (Indian Naan Wraps)

Zala Grill (Middle Eastern)

Oli Baba’s (Halloumi Fries)

Camden market is charming, and there is absolutely no reason your ass shouldn’t go! No matter what type of traveler you are, I promise you will adore it. 

Regent Park. Charming park, that offered lovely sights of autumn. The trees were colorful with their fall colors and even though we walked through it in the rain it did not damper our experience. 

Primrose Hill. A viewpoint within Regent Park. Lovely lookout from above of the city. 

Mr. Fogg’s House of Botanicals. We did not eat or drink here, but the waitress allowed us to walk around and capture a few pictures of their lovely décor. Just look at that lovely spiral staircase! 

Bao. An amazing creation of inventive Taiwanese food. This was my first time trying Bao and I was very impressed. So much impressed that I now look for it when we travel to new cities. Bao are steamed buns filled with either chicken, pork, lamb, daikon, and those are just the fillings I came across. My absolute favorite was the Fried Chicken Bao and their Classic Bao. The food is surprisingly filling and always favorable. Expect a wait, but you can put your name down and they will text you when your table is ready. You can easily grab a drink at a pub while you wait. 

Wahaca (Mexican Restaurant). I would not waste your belly space eating here. I was craving Mexican food, and this place had decent reviews. Thought we’d try it, but it was below average. 

5th Day

  • Sky Garden
  • Cahoots’ Under Ground 
  • Fortum & Mason
  • We Built This City 
  • Liberty Christmas Shop
  • Coppa Club

Sky Garden. A free attraction with some of the best views of London. Book your FREE ticket online and reserve a time slot that works best for your schedule. Sky Garden is always busy, so I recommend booking your tickets a few weeks before. We booked ours 1 month in advance. The sky garden offers magnificent 360 views across the city and a beautiful indoor garden.

A lovely free space to the public and a great place to relax while taking in the views. The top floors features a quaint classy restaurant. We choose not to waste our belly space, BUT I have heard the food and drinks are decent. A little overpriced, but it’s always nice to sip on a beverage while taking in glorious views. The ambience is lovely, and if you are looking for not your typical bar scene you will not be disappointed. Every corner of this space is picturesque, and with the space being so grand you will not feel crowded. 

Cahoots’ Underground Bar. Looking for a unique experience that you will probably only find in London? Go to Cahoots’. A dive in bar dedicated to the theme of after World War II. A place where the drinks are tangy, dessert is divine, and the entertainment is top notch! Still not convinced you should go? Read my whole review about my experience HERE.  

Fortnum & Masons. Tea lover’s heaven. This is a department store that is filled with every type of tea you could dream of. The décor is insanely gorgeous, and their chocolate bar is gooey and delightful.  Even if you do not want to buy anything, just go in to wander around. The department oozes an elegant luxury vibe. I couldn’t resist and I bought the cutest Alice in Wonderland mug. If you are up to it, you can schedule online a booking for Afternoon Tea in their gorgeous dining room. We spent an hour here just looking around and left with a baggy filled with all types of chocolate sweets. 

Chocolate Bar at Fortnum & Masons in London

We Built This City. A souvenir shop that offers items all about the royals. An adorable quirky shop, and a great shop to bring back souvenirs for your loved ones. Offering stationary, funny royal trinkets, postcards, art, the list goes on. Bring back a one of kind piece of art, as they sell many items from local artists. If you are looking for quirky souvenirs check them out! 

Liberty Christmas Shop (Regent Street). I am someone who loves everything dedicated to Christmas. I happened to be browsing on Instagram and someone mentioned this London Christmas shop. Naturally I had to check it out for myself. OH MY GOD. The whole store is magical. The building itself is a department store selling high end fashion, household items, and fabric. I did not browse the store itself and went straight to their Christmas level. Absolutely magical.  Browse around and enjoy your shopping experience. I brought back a few unique ornaments for my Christmas tree and the sweetest little stuffed polar bear. If you are as obsessed with Christmas as me add this to your list. 

Coppa Club. I’m sure you have seen or heard about this restaurant. Purely famous because of the fact that you can enjoy your meal inside an igloo with the view of the Shard and Tower Bridge. The igloo is cozy with beautiful greenery surrounding it. However, you should know that you will be sharing the igloo with strangers. Unless you book a reservation with a large group, there will be other parties inside with you. I would rate the atmosphere an 8 out of 10. It truly was a unique experience to be able to dine inside an igloo with an amazing backdrop. 

With stating that though, I wish we did not waste our last dinner here. The food was average, and we left still hungry which resulted in us ending our night at Dishoom. This restaurant is extremely hyped up, and unless you really want to dine inside an igloo I wouldn’t waste your night here.  The service was poor, our waitress was extremely standoffish, and it was pretty chilly inside the igloo. 

If you are keen on dinning at Coppa Club, book your reservation in advance. The slots to eat inside the igloo fill up quickly. The sooner you book the better.

THERE YOU HAVE IT! My personal travel guide to London. Are you a first time traveler to London? Or do you love it so much that you have explored it countless times? I would love to hear from you! And hopefully everyone finds my own London travel guide beneficial! 

At the bottom are restaurants that I wanted to try, but sadly didn’t have enough time or enough room in my belly. Feel free to comment if you have tried any of these and inform me if I missed out on anything. 

  • Soft Serve Society  
  • Dalloway Terrace
  • Burnt Toast Cafe 
  • Prime Gelato
  • Mad Hatter Tea Party (Sanderson Hotel)
  • Dominique Ansel Bakery (Inventor of the Cronut) 
  • Biscuiteers Biscuit & Icing Cafe 
  • Mughead Coffee, New Cross (I heard the cinnamon roll is to die for)
  • Fatties Maltby Street Market (Try their Caramel hot chocolate) 
  • Pophams, Angel 
  • Chin Chin Ice Cream 
  • Peggy Porschen 
  • Saint Aymes

Don’t forget to show this post some love! Comment with your favorite London hideaways.