City Guide: London

Overview

If you have never been to Europe or the United Kingdom before, London is a great place to start your European travels. Everyone in London speaks English and it's easy to get around by using the subway. I didn't like London on my first trip, but i've since grown to really love the city for it's history, culture, and character.

There is a ton of information on the internet about London, and I always recommend using wikitravel to do your initial research. There is a ton of great information about the airports, subway (tube) transportation, hotels, and other travel tips. Also, be sure to watch the Anthony Bourdain shows that take place in London (The Layover and No Reservations). Those episodes will give you a good list of restaurants to try. I had a couple of really great meals that i'll talk more about below.

Getting In

Most international flights will fly into either Heathrow or Gatwick airport. The airports are pretty far from the London city center, so I would recommend taking an express train into the city. I've taken a cab before and it is very expensive and can take a long time (London traffic is notoriously bad). Taking the train is a very enjoyable experience. The train seats are large, comfortable, have outlets, and even WiFi. The train ride is about 30 minutes long. Save some money by buying a roundtrip train ticket instead of a one-way ticket into the city.

Getting Around

London is a very accessible city with many different modes of transportation. The best way to get around the city is by subway. It's one of the most efficient, interesting, and busiest metro systems in the world. Taking the subway is a great way to get a feel for how the locals get from one place to another.

Stuff to See and Do

There's plenty of art, history, and culture to see and do in London. It might be hard to do everything in one trip. But i've listed some of the tourist and non-tourist things to do in town that will hopefully give you a sense of things to see and skip.

Walking Tour (Various Locations)

There are a number of walking tours in London, and a lot of them are actually free, including this one by SANDEMANs. Even though the tours are 'free' you're usually asked at the end of the tour for a tip, which is how the guides make their money. I did the 'Old London' walking tour through Westminster City. This one was nice because we walked through Parliament, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey. All of which are conveniently in the same place!

Westminster

While most of the major attractions are covered in the walking tour, there are still a number of things that you can see around Westminster on your own. Besides Parliament, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge is located near Westminster. Tower Bridge is the famous bridge that you see in photos of London, not to be mistaken for 'London Bridge' which is different.

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is also located near Westminster and is definitely worth checking out. This is also where the 'Changing of the guard' takes place, which happens on Tuesdays and Thursdays at about 11am. After watching the changing of the guard, I wouldn't recommend watching it. The only thing that really happens, is a marching band comes out to play music for about fifteen minutes while some soldiers march around the palace grounds. The area gets extremely crowded and there isn't much to see.

London Eye

The London Eye is the giant ferris wheel that sits along the River Thames. It's massive and you can see the ferris wheel in a lot of iconic photos of the London skyline. The Eye is a 100% tourist trap, but I love it. It's a 30 minute ride that costs about 30 pounds to ride. Near the top of the ferris wheel you can get some great photos London. The Eye also closes late, so you can take a ride whenever you have time.

Neighborhoods

Once you've seen all of the major tourist attractions, it's important to visit London's neighborhoods across the city. Each neighborhood has lots to offer, with it's own unique vibe.

Shoreditch

Shoreditch, or for all of you Americans it's pronounced 'shortage'. Shoreditch is London's equivalent of San Francisco's Mission district. Except there are a lot more shops, boutiques, and hipsters. You could easily spend most of your day browsing through shops, clothes, and cafes. You'll also find the majority of London's youth in this neighborhood.

Boxpark

Boxpark is a small shopping area that's made up of repurposed shipping containers. it's a really cool and interesting way of turning the old shipping containers into shops, stores, and restaurants. Worth checking out if you're in the area.

Brick Lane

Brick lane is a small walkable alleyway/street in London that is famous for it's Indian Cuisine. There are dozens of Indian restaurants that line this street, all of which claim to be the best. Restaurant windows are plastered with Trip Advisor stickers, and news articles that speak highly of their restaurant. It's extremely difficult to know which restaurant is actually the best, especially when workers are pressuring you to eat at their restaurant and not anyone else's. Because of the high volume of restaurants competing for your business, it's normal and acceptable to bargain for a better price for your meal! Beyond all that, the food is decent and worth a try.

SOHO

SOHO was the up and coming neighborhood for a while, but now it's come a long way. It's very fancy and feels very high-end. There are really great theaters, restaurants, and shopping in the area.

Piccadilly Circus

Adjacent to SOHO, Picadilly Circus is London's version of New York's Times Square. As you would imagine, it's a large pedestrian and vehicle intersection with multiple billboards that light up the square with different advertisements. It's definitely cool to walk around the area to see and feel the energy.

Shopping

Shopping is abundant in London, and it's easy to lose yourself in one of London's many shopping areas. I typically don't do a ton of shopping while on vacation, but I wanted to highlight a few places that I have been to.

Fortnum and Mason

For those looking for a great gift to bring back to loved ones, be sure to check out the store, Fortnum and Mason. It feels a little bit like a tourist trap, but they have great gifts to bring home. There is a huge selection of coffee, tea, and snacks to purchase. All of which are of the highest quality. I'd recommend getting some Earl Gray tea.

Borough Market

The Borough Market is a farmers market that serves the local London population. There are a number of stalls sell amazing food and produce to the public. Everything is of the highest taste and quality. It's similar to what you would find at the Ferry Building in San Francisco.

Museums

London has a lot of world renown museums, and lucky for you almost all of them are free! A lot of them have signs that show a price, but it's really a recommended donation.

Tate Modern

One of the most well known museums in London is the Tate Modern. It's a huge museum with a lot of classic and contemporary art. I don't have a lot of art knowledge, but I did recognize the famous Mondrain pieces, which was cool to see in person. So even if you're not an art buff, it's still worth checking out.

Food

In my travels to London I didn't get a chance to try a lot of food. But I did have some amazing English breakfast. Here are a couple of places that I really enjoyed.

E-Pellicci

E-Pellicci is a London institution that serves mostly locals. It's one of those greasy spoon places that's awesome for all the right reasons. The space for the restaurant is super small. And upon entering you can tell that the clientele and decor have been there for decades. The staff is extremely friendly and welcoming. And they treat their regulars like long-time friends and family. You might even hear a lot of yelling and screaming. But it's all out of love for one another. Aside from the full English breakfast at Holborn's Place, this is my second favorite English breakfast. They deep fry the toast which creates a warm and crunchy texture to the bread. Try to go here during off-peak hours, otherwise there will most likely be a line out the door to get a seat.