This past December, we took our first trip to London together. Beth has been several times but not in the past 10 years. I had never been so I had quite the adventure. Truthfully, we both did.
We had five full days to get acquainted with London. We were there to see our niece, who is in Graduate school at Kings College. We had time to visit all the touristy places and for her to show us around, too. We had a few things on our list that we wanted to see but we left time to wander about and discover some hidden gems.
BIG TIP: If you are planning a trip to London, the biggest tip we can give is to book everything you want to do in advance! Restaurants, museums, and general things you may want to do that involve tickets fill up fast. We were able to get into a few spots without reservations but if you are going in peak season, go ahead and book the tickets.
All of the places mentioned in this blog are on this Google Map of London. If we ate there, wanted to eat there or visit, it is listed.
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Getting Around and where to stay in London
Finding an affordable hotel in London can be a challenge. Beth did lots of research but our friends came through with the best recommendation at Hub Premier Inn at Westminster. It is a small hotel but is a block from St. James Underground Station and within walking distance to Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abby, Parliment, and Big Ben.
Things to do on your first time in London
London is a big city and can be intimidating on your first trip. There is always lots of walking and getting around town can take time. We recommend you try not to plan too much in one day. One to two things can potentially take all day.
British Museum
Most museums the British government runs are free but you must book your tickets in advance. The British Museum is more of a history museum and has exhibits about Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and Europe. Don’t miss the Rosetta Stone! You can book a guided tour if you wish or get an audio guide at the museum.
Tower of London and Tower Bridge
The Tower of London is a famous palace, prison, treasury, and probably most famous for torture and killings under the crown. It was originally built in 1066 by William the Conqueror and has the Crown Jewels on display.
You can get a tour from the Yeoman Warders (the Beefeaters) for free and it takes about an hour. We recommend you do this because it is not only informational but highly entertaining. (Note, if you are an American, go in with tough skin. The British like to make jokes.)
You can get a private tour or an audio tour that allows you to travel at your own pace.
Allow for a couple of hours here at least. There is much to see including the White Tower and the torture chambers.
Tower Bridge is located right next to it and is often mistakenly called “London Bridge.” You can walk across the bottom and the high-level walkway that has glass floor sections. We have heard that the view is spectacular from up there, but we just passed under it.
Pubs
You can’t visit London and not visit at least one pub. They are on every corner and pretty much serve the same food. You can get fish and chips, burgers, and steak & ale pie. Plus, the beer on tap is fantastic. We highly recommend the steak and ale pies.
Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guard
You can take a tour of Buckingham Palace but only on select dates. The palace is open about 10 weeks out of the year, usually in the summer (August) so check the palace website for details and dates. You can visit the grand State Rooms, ballroom, throne room, and parts of the palace gardens. No photos are allowed and security is tight so arrive early for your tour.
We opted to take a tour of the Changing of the Guard. You can see this on your own and for free, but our tour put us in the optimal spots to see the guard. Our tour guide was also knowledgeable enough to see the signs for different events and we were able to see King Charles leave Clarence House on his way to the palace. He even waved at us! Click here for the tour we took.
Shopping
London offers diverse shopping experiences across different areas. We are not big shoppers so we tend to avoid busy areas. However, we visited several places we loved.
Oxford Street & Regent Street are two of London’s busiest shopping streets. There are department stores like Selfridges, John Lewis, Marks & Spencer. There are upscale stores like Apple, Liberty, and Hamleys Toy Store. The windows at Christmas are incredible.
Covent Garden is a great place to check out, especially at Christmas time. The area is decorated and the shopping can put you in the Christmas mood. There are several boutique shops, beauty and cosmetics, and restaurants and cafes. There are also street performers and entertainment.
While you are there, duck down Cecil Court and check out the booksellers and art galleries. We could spend hours on this one little street.
If you are looking for high-end shopping, check out Knightsbridge, Bond Street and Mayfair. You can find Harrods as well as Louis Vuitton and exclusive boutiques. These places are way too rich for our blood but the windows at Christmas are incredible.
We didn’t make it to Borough Market & Spitalfields but it is definitely on our list for next time. These historic markets are known for their food and artisanal products. Independent traders sell local crafts and items you cannot find in department stores. Plus, we hear the street food vendors are tasty!
Afternoon Tea
For Beth’s birthday, she wanted to have a traditional afternoon tea. There are several places in town that offer the service but it can get very pricey (especially at the Ritz.) We went to Dalloway Terrace at the Bloomsbury and had a great time.
For your money (£75 pp), you get a starter of champagne, a selection of finger sandwiches (like cucumber, smoked salmon, egg), freshly baked scones with clotted cream and jam, various pastries and cakes, and a choice of fine teas. We were given one refill on our pot (we had 3 individual pots). We were there for about 3 hours but it was worth it. There was so much food that we did not have dinner that night.
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey is one of London’s most significant historical and religious sites. This is where every British monarch has been coronated since 1066. We watched Prince William and Catherine get married here.
But there are also several British monarchs, writers, scientists, and other famous British people buried here. Plus the architecture is incredible.
You can schedule a tour which will take you through the entire abbey. You can see the Coronation Chair, the clusters, and the Royal Tombs including Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots. If you do a special tour, you can see some hidden highlights.
We did not have time for a tour but were able to catch an evensong service. This is a religious service where there is verse reading but you also hear the organ and the choir.
Pictures are not allowed inside the abbey.
Christmas Markets in London
London is definitely a city that “gives Christmas” (as our niece would say). The entire city is decorated, and Christmas markets are scattered throughout.
We happened across several just walking around. There is one in Leicester Square and Trafalgar Square that are pretty big. There are also smaller ones on the Queen’s Walk and around Tower Bridge.
The biggest one is Winter Wonderland, which can be found in Hyde Park. For an entrance fee, you can experience traditional German-style wooden chalets, an Ice skating rink, a giant observation wheel, circus shows and fairground rides, Bavarian beer halls (yum), hot food stalls (bratwurst, roasted nuts, raclette), handmade crafts and Christmas decorations, mulled wine and hot chocolate stands, and Santa’s grotto and live entertainment.
Make sure you bring plenty of money since these markets are often more expensive than the stores, but it is the experience you are paying for. Most places are cashless, but having a little would not hurt.
Restaurants and Pubs we visited
Pubs
When it comes to pubs in London, they are on every street corner. Most of them are small and packed. The food is usually the same (pies, fish and chips, burgers)but varies depending on the pub. What we wanted mostly was the beer and the atmosphere. Please note that pubs close at 11:00 pm so if you want to eat, get there before 9:30 pm. Here is a list of pubs we visited and liked for the most part.
- Tom Cribb–basic and close to Covent Garden.
- The Blackfriar–one of the only art nouveau pubs in London. They have a good choice of beers and have a dining room. Make a reservation!
- The Fuller’s Kitchen in the Sanctuary House Hotel was close to our hotel and served the purpose of a good lunch. A little pricey but good. Has a larger dining room.
- Cahoots is a place that was recommended to us by a Brit and we are highly recommending it ourselves! It is a 1940s theme bar, where the war has just been won and everyone is celebrating. Drinks are anywhere from 10-25 a drink but are served with props and flair. We loved it, but make a reservation so you won’t have to wait in line.
- The George Inn is one of the oldest bars in London and the courtyard is where Shakespeare’s plays were once performed. We enjoyed steak and ale pie (again) and it was delicious.
- Blue Boar Pub was close to our hotel and a rather upscale pub. We had dinner here which was ok. We were starving and they had seating.
Best Restaurants we ate at in London
As we mentioned above, MAKE RESERVATIONS! We mostly ate at these on the fly or reserved the night before but we want you to have a good experience so book in advance.
Most of the places we ate were close to our hotel but SOHO is known for their great restaurants.
- Chez Antoinette Victoria is a French Restaurant located in Victoria and walking distance from our hotel. Great soup, good croque, a little pricey but very good food.
- Bill’s Victoria Restaurant is great for breakfast.
- Dishoom–We have not eaten here yet but wanted to include it since we have heard it is the best Indian food in the UK.
- Old Queen Street Cafe is another great place for brunch. We enjoyed the pancakes and eggs.
- Dalloway Terrace is where we had afternoon tea. Well worth the money for the experience and the sweets were fantastic.
Our 5-Day Itinerary
Day 1: This was half a day since we were traveling. We checked into our hotel and then went to a pub for lunch (Fullers Kitchen) for steak and ale pies and beer. We then walked by Westminster Abby, Parliament, and Big Ben (stopped for pictures and videos), and then crossed Westminster Bridge. We planned to take the Christmas lights tour and the meet-up was close to the London Eye. We toured the city on the open-roof bus to see the Christmas lights. This is a good tour if you have mobility issues or just don’t want to walk all over the city. But otherwise, it is an average tour.
Afterward, we strolled through the Queen’s Walk and discovered a small Christmas Market. We stopped for hot beverages and then continued on the Blackfriars Bridge. We crossed back over and had beers and a snack in the Blackfriar Pub–Highly recommend it!
Day 2: We started our day by walking from St. James Gardens to Buckingham Palace from our hotel. We took a tour of the Changing of the Guard. Afterward, we walked to a pub (Tom Cribb) and had lunch (good fish and chips and burgers, great beer!). We walked to Leicester Square and explored the Christmas Market. We walked toward Covent Gardens and went down Cecil Court where there were great bookstores! Covent Gardens also has amazing shopping and Christmas decorations. We ended our walk at Somerset House where there was a skating rink. By this time, we were exhausted and were ready to end the evening.
Day 3: Tower Bridge and Tower of London, George Inn for lunch, Katey’s dance recital that night. Ate at Blue Boar Pub
Day 4: Brunch at Chez Antionette, walk through the park and on to Piccadilly to see the Christmas windows. Piccadilly is an upscale shopping area. Then on to Afternoon tea at Dalloway Terrace. It was about 3 hours long but so much fun. Drinks at Cahoots and then called it a night.
Day 5: Brunch at Old Queen Street Cafe. We caught the bus to Covent Garden and then walked to the British Museum. We spent 2 hours at the museum (it was full!) and then stopped by a pub for beer and snacks. We ended the night at Westminster Abby to participate in Evensong. Beth loves organ and choir music so it was our chance to see the church. No pictures or videos were allowed during the service. We headed back to the hotel to pack and get ready to travel the next day.
Day 6: Brunch at Bill’s Victoria and then to the airport.
What we missed and will do next time in London
Five days isn’t quite long enough to experience all of London so there are many things we would like to do when we return.
First, we will take tours of Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral. Westminster has so many notable figures buried there and St. Paul’s has been around since the 16th century (well, rebuilt in the 17th century after the Great Fire).
We also want to take in a show in West End. Because we did not book these in advance, most were sold out or standing room only. Next time, we will schedule a night for the theater!
Our first time in London was absolutely amazing and we cannot wait to go back!
In addition to this blog post, we also have a podcast episode letting you in on all the great places and fun we had. You can find more pictures on our social media pages at Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Threads. Like and subscribe!
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Shelley is a full time traveler, blogger and podcaster currently living in Portugal with her wife, 2 dogs and a cat. She is a former history teacher originally from Winston-Salem, NC but wanted to see what life was like abroad. Now she travels all over Portugal and Europe writing about what she sees and does and tells you all kinds of fun stories on the podcast at Wandering Works for Us.