I have a confession: before seeing London in person, I had very low and ghastly expectations for the trip. My outdated perception of the city was based off of a few books by Charles Dickens and my more recent studies of John Snow and the cholera epidemic. So you can imagine my surprise when the London I saw was far better than the 1850's version I had in my mind. Simply put, London is awesome. The closest city comparison I could make to London is New York City (and it goes both ways)- they have the same vibrant character and fast-paced lifestyle. And like NYC, London is also expensive to live in which makes it nearly impossible for young residents to save. London boasts a great shopping experience, a wealth of history and literature, amazing entertainment and really good food. If you love the city life and have a thing for British accents, London may just be your mecca.
Day 1
- Arrived in London, checked in
- Russell Square (Bloomsbury Festival)- grabbed a quick bite to eat from one of the food vendors
- Marks and Spencer- if Bloomingdales and Trader Joe's had a baby, this would be it. They have bacon-flavored chips, enough said.
- Lunch @ Hawksmoor Spitafields
- Shopping at Spitalfields Indoor Market. So great (and a nice escape from the rain)! Clothing, trinkets, accessories & artsy decor. Definitely visit if you're in the area.
- Mass at the Westminster Cathedral
- Dinner @ Ciao Bella. Very good food, a busy and, at times, chaotic ambiance but I found it charming. The area surrounding it seemed to be known for pretty solid for Italian food.
- Meet up with a friend @ The Garden Cafe at Queen Mary's Gardens. Typical cafe fare- if you're in the park area and want some tea, it's there for you.
- Walked around Regent's Park- really enjoyed the stroll, especially the parts along the water.
- Tate Modern. Enjoy an espresso at the cafe on the top floor- you'll get an amazing view of Millennium Bridge. Also, admission is free!
- Checked out St. Paul's Cathedral
- Another meet up over coffee.
- Pizza at Story Deli. This is my absolute favorite pizza place in the world (Italy included, bold statement, I know). The owners are actually interior designers who've converted half their store into a pizza restaurant to pursue their foodie passion. In our hunt, we were almost thrown off by the furniture store-front, until we saw a small sign in the display window with arrows pointing to the side entrance to the kitchen. Definitely go- it's delicious and worth the search!
- Beigel Bake- So I've been told that the thing to do in London is to eat salted beef, at least once. My conclusion is that it's pretty good... but not amazing. However, everyone's different and you've got to try it, even if it's just a bite because it's tender, totally inexpensive and apparently, the thing to do if you're in London.
- The British Library. The most impressive and enjoyable library I have ever visited. Not only does it have massive collection of literature but it also holds literary treasures. We're talking about priceless artifacts: the original Magna Carta, a Gutenberg bible, original drafts of select Beatles' songs, even Jane Austen's desk and spectacles! When I visited, they had a special exhibit for Roald Dahl (my favorite children's book author!), so I happily geeked out for hours. Even if you aren't into history, you can still appreciate a quick visit (if all else fails, they have a restaurant and gift store if you're really bored and waiting for your bookworm friend to finish ogling at really old copies of Hamlet).
- Flat white @ Monmouth Coffee. Super delicious but super CROWDED. Getting coffee was painless but seating was a struggle- so I suggest you take it to-go (service is very quick) and explore the cute neighborhood.
- Shopping. London is a great place to shop, here is a rough guide to your options in the city... pace yourself.
- Musical: Billy Elliot @ the Victoria Palace Theatre. Booked tickets through lastminute for about £20 (which is about 50% off!)
- Headed back to Geneva
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