We all have that one city in our minds that we long to visit. Romanticize it and picture ourselves wandering through it like we belong. London has always been mine. I grew up watching its iconic landmarks make a cameo in every British related movie or TV show I loved. The markets, streets and black cabs started to feel familiar, and I began to recognize the British lingo. London felt like a place I already knew.
So you can imagine my extreme excitement when at last I was planning a trip to London! I will admit it was with some hesitation. As an extremely popular city and all kinds of hype, I found myself wondering, “Is London really worth visiting?”.
Walking along the River Thames.
With my expectations uncontrollably high, I began to plan my trip. I knew it was going to be busy and tourist heavy no matter when I went but was determined to make this the dream trip I had been longing for.
I started by looking at the map of London on Google and saw it all. The Tower of London and Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey and Big Ben, St. James Park and Buckingham Palace, Borough and Camden markets, the British museum, Trafalgar square, Notting hill and Primrose hill.
I thought, where do I even start? And how can I see everything I want to see without burning out? I planned for a few days in London and was already overwhelmed. I don’t move fast when traveling and its because I physically can’t. I travel slowly for a reason, so I must be selective and strategic about what I choose. I decided to make a list and then pick what mattered most to me. This trip was going to be London: Sarah’s Version.
Since I was looking at my map, planning attractions by borough made the most sense. This avoids zigzagging through the city in a single day.
Starting with the City of London, this is where you’ll find the iconic Tower Bridge and Tower of London. Most of Roman London’s remains and some of the oldest pubs in the city.
For the Tower of London, I bought tickets on their official site. Please lookout for other sites selling tours for double the price. I recommend purchasing the ticket to enter the site and then once inside you can sign up for a free tour of the grounds provided by the Yeoman Wardens who work there. They guard the tower and have quite and interesting history themselves. They are very nice and charismatic. The tour takes about an hour and half, then you can explore for as long as you like until closing.
Inside the grounds at the Tower of London, the White Tower behind me.
I booked the earliest time slot as my research suggested and knew I was going to head straight for the crown jewels once I got inside the ground. This is the most popular at the Tower. Try to do this first as the queue will fill up. The beauty that awaits you inside is absolutely worth it. The historic pieces are just really something to see once in your life.
No Camera: You can’t take pictures or film inside, so please respect the rules, I’m sure they are there for reasons that are none of our business. It was a nice break from using my camera anyways.
The Chapel of St. John the Evangelist built in 1080 AD.
I spent the rest of my time there touring the White Tower which has a museum containing a collection of the Royal Armouries inside and the one of the oldest Chapels I have ever been in.
My opinion is that the battlement walk can be skipped. Or pick and choose which area of it you’d like to see. I walked the whole thing and going up and down each tower is very tiring for a slow traveler. You will however get some incredible views of the city. You won’t want to miss St. Thomas tower. This has a recreation of the royal bedroom of King Edward I.
Recreation of King Edward I royal bedchambers, even down to the wallpaper.
The Tower Bridge was next and there is a tour you can book to climb up and visit the museum there, I didn’t choose to do this. I simply wanted to walk on to the bridge for a quick picture and go grab some coffee. On our way to eat we made sure to pass by the Roman wall remains and take that in. These were once the boundaries of Londinium when the Romans first occupied what is present day City of London around 43-50 AD.
Tower Bridge, sometimes mistaken for London Bridge.
This day was a very full day and it did not disappoint. I got a real experience of Roman London and Medieval London in one day.
For my slower travelers: I highly recommend booking one major ticketed attraction per day. The Tower of London is big, and it’ll take you a few hours to tour. Then with any energy left you’ll want to at least step on the famous Tower Bridge. More modern than the Tower of London having been constructed between 1886 and 1894, throwing in some Victorian London to the mix I really couldn’t complain.
As the days went on, I spent a day in Westminster. What was great about the neighborhood was that everything I planned to visit were super close together. I went first to the Westminster bridge for a few photos. It’s a great spot to see the Palace of Westminster, Big Ben and the London eye. About a five minute walk from the bridge is Westminster Abbey. I chose to visit only the exterior of these places. Like I mentioned, I planned for one ticketed attraction per day. Today was going to be Buckingham Palace in the afternoon.
Westminster Abbey
After a smooth morning where there was no need to rush, we headed over to St. James Park just a few blocks away from Westminster Abbey. I passed the well known photo spot of the red telephone booth. You know the one, with Big Ben in the background. Look, its nice and all but its midday at this point and I really am not going to stand in a very long line to get a photo that so many people have. I would find another phone booth to take a picture with. I needed a rest before my tour of the Buckingham Palace Staterooms.
Walking through St. James Park was so calm and shockingly quiet for a park in the middle of one of the worlds most popular cities. There was a charming little café in the park, where my husband and I sat and ordered a much needed iced matcha latte and sandwiches. After about an hour, we continued walking through the park to the palace.
Buckingham Palace
I moved through the staterooms with the free audio guide provided at the entrance. It’s the middle of summer so naturally its crowded and hot. Be ready for that. Though parts of these rooms were under construction for plumbing and electrical upgrades, it was a very surreal experience to be standing in some of the most historic rooms in the UK. As someone who doesn’t follow the royals and their lives, my reason for visiting was to see the palace itself. The architecture was stunning and worth doing just the once.
This tour is only available in the summer months as Buckingham Palace is a working palace and residence to the King. Book the Stateroom Tour from their offical site OR for to maximize your experience book a guided tour, British Royalty Guided Tour for your day at Buckingham.
Getting ready for a full day at the British Museum.
I set one day aside for the British Museum. I knew it would take all day to tour and I wouldn’t even be close to seeing it all. Amazingly, the museum is free to enter, however make sure to book your visit in advance online. The website is very helpful when planning what you’d like to see before arriving. I obviously went straight for the Rosetta stone which is one the first things you’ll see as you walk in. There are so many treasures from around the world that are so worth the visit. My favorite being pretty much everything to do with the ancient Greek world. The Minoans, the Myceneans and on to Corinthian pottery and so much more.
Inside the British Museum.
The museum will be packed. Since I hate being in a crowd and will panic immediately, I pulled out my Loop ear plugs to tone down the noise. It really helped me to not feel too overstimulated. I noticed another amazing thing on the museums website. There is actually a map of sensory safe zones. This map is really helpful for when you need a break. It indicates quiet zones, areas with low lighting and thinner crowds. See British Museum Sensory Map.
The National Gallery the next day was a quick visit as the tiredness from being on the go the last few days had compounded. I looked for the paintings that were on my list and with a mentality like a trip to Costco, I was in and out.
Inside London’s National Gallery.
To my disappointment, the most famous painting I had on my list wasn’t even there! Sunflowers by Van Gogh painted in 1888, was on loan and in Philadelphia. Seriously! I just came from that side of the Atlantic.. It was nobody’s fault and I couldn’t be too upset. I still got to see some other truly stunning work from Van Gogh, Claude Monet and even a DaVinci.
Full transparency here, I don’t know much about art or the artists besides the popular ones. But that’s not really the point, is it? I think the point is to simply experience the paintings, feel something, think something, get inspired.
Moving on, I skipped the busy marketplaces so I can’t tell you how those actually are. My research of London before I left told me they would be too crowded and overwhelming for me. The food would be extra expensive, and I would just get anxious instantly. So, it was a very conscious decision to miss Camden or Borough markets. Maybe on a future trip when I’m feeling brave.
I did visit Leadenhall market since it was near my hotel. A covered marketplace full of shops, restaurants, and a filming location of Harry Potter. Oh, and it was once the heart of Londinium, which was London in its Roman Era. Traces of what used to be the Roman forum, and basilica can be found beneath the shops. I made it a point to stop in here because of that but do skip if you’re not interested. Its very busy and therefore very noisy.
Leadenhall market in the evening, the pubs are full and have long queues.
What surprised me most about London was actually the food. I ordered the classic fish and chips on night one. It was delicious and I don’t typically eat fish. The chips are unlike any fries I have ever had. Thick cuts of potato that were perfectly golden, crispy but soft inside and not too oily at all. I tried different kinds of soups, salads and sandwiches, even a few pasta dishes and a meat dish. It felt like the perfect English comfort food every time.
Fish & Chips at The Blackfriar Pub.
From my experience, London was absolutely worth it.🩷
I think that’s because I did my best to tailor the trip to me. I stayed in one neighborhood each day, didn’t rush from one tour to the next, I chose to see what mattered most and everything else could wait for future trips. I am mostly likely going to visit the museums more than once but things like the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace are a one and done.
Sunset walk along the river Thames, heading towards Millennium Bridge.
London is expensive, so be ready. Coming from the Canadian dollar and going to the British Pound is a rude awakening. I knew this going in and had been saving for it. However much you plan on bringing for spending money, double it and then you’re ready.
The weather mid July was pleasantly warm and I was really glad to escape Montreal’s extreme humidity. I was hoping for at least one rainy day because that is just classic London, but it was beautiful and sunny every day!
I can’t forget about the Tube, London’s Underground. If you are there in the summer prepare to be drenched in sweat on some of these trains. It was all good fun however and it being so quick and easy to get around the city was very enjoyable.
Standing on Westminster Bridge very grateful.
From each iconic landmark, the river Thames, the parks and food, I truly enjoyed my London experience and was happy for my younger self who finally got to check it off her bucket list. Worth it!
It was busy but beautiful and really, I didn’t mind the gap.