Although we’re nearly two months in to the Coronavirus quarantine, I thought it would be fun to indulge in a little daydreaming. While we’re indoors to keep ourselves, and each other safe, why not fantasize about your next holiday? That said, if you’re thinking your next holiday may include a trip to London, I’m here to share that I’ve got you covered! After 18 months of living here, I finally put together a FULL guide on how to get the most out of your London holiday.

As is the case with all of my guides, I try to capture (what I feel) are the top sites, and must-see, activities as if you’re only visiting once. In order to really get a sense of London, I selected some of my favorite activities that include history, culture and a splash of Royalty.

So, let’s jump right into it, shall we? Starting first with the fun stuff…

Food and Drink Culture

Enjoy Afternoon Tea

Is it even a trip to London if you don’t do afternoon tea? Although it really is more than just tea, it’s a way of life in the United Kingdom. My favorite high tea experience was at Ting, at the very top of the iconic Shard building, which offers the best views of the city and the Thames. However, for a less pricey option, I’ve also enjoyed tea at: Harrods; Dean Street Townhouse (Soho); the Goring Hotel; and the Wolseley.

If you’re looking for another fun tea experience with a side of history, I rather enjoyed touring the city via Brigit’s Bakery Afternoon Tea Tour. In fact, the desserts I had here may have been my favorite among them all!

Dive into a Sunday roast

Are you sensing a pattern here?

Sunday Roast is by far one of my favorite activities in London, and something I always look forward do. There’s something about a big plate of meat and veggies, saturated in gravy, that really excites me. Some of my favorite roast spots have mostly been in my own neighborhood: Duke of Wellington and Prince Bonaparte. But I’ve also enjoyed a roast at the Hillgate and the Britannia, both of which are in Kensington.

Find any corner pub and pull up a stool

And lastly, I’ll end with an integral part of British life, which is pub culture. As I’ve mentioned before, pulling up a chair and chatting with a random stranger at a pub isn’t weird, in fact, it’s celebrated! Great British Mag has a few tips on pub culture in the UK, check it out for more of an inside scoop. There’s pretty much a pub on every corner of London, so you won’t have a hard time selecting one (or a few)!

Museums

You are really spoiled for choice when it comes to museums in London, which is why it deserves its own category. Here you’ve got: art; literature; history; architecture; graphic and visual design; and so much more. There really is a museum for all interests.

Here are a few of the most popular:

Victoria Albert Museum
British History Museum
Museum of Natural History
National Gallery
Imperial War Museum
Charles Dickens Museum
Tate Modern

Outdoor Escapes

On top of being spoiled for choice in the museum department, London also has you covered when it comes to green space. Since we have a dog here, we spend most of our weekends outdoors, with Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park being our weekly stomping ground. Hampstead Heath is also another one of my favorites because it’s huge. If you find yourself visiting the Heath, make sure to stop at Parliament Hill, which offers cool views of the city and is a must see on your tour. You might even recognize it as the album cover to Mumford and Sons third album, Wilder Minds.

A few other green spaces to check out include:

Holland Park
Regents Park
Battersea Park
Greenwich Park
Richmond Park
Green Park (right next to Buckingham Palace)

Tours

There are obviously a million tours to take all around London, but I listed a few of my favorites below.

Warner Brothers Tour: The Making of Harry Potter

If you consider yourself a HUGE Harry Potter fan, or if you’re interested in more of the behind-the-scenes stuff of movie making, this can most certainly fill an entire day. It’s a bit of a drive outside of London (about an hour), so book tickets in advance and organize transportation.

Tower Bridge

What’s more classic London than this iconic structure? In the middle of the bridge you can sign up for a tour to actually go inside and UP to the very top if architecture/engineering is of interest to you. Otherwise, you can simply opt to walk across the bridge and plan for lunch on the other side.

Westminster Abbey

This is one of my favorite tours in London! There is SO MUCH history packed into this legendary space that has touched the lives of thousands of Brits since 960AD. Westminster Abbey has been the coronation church since 1066 and is the resting place of more than 3,000 people, including Queen Elizabeth I of England and Mary Queen of Scots.

St. Pauls Cathedral

St. Pauls is another monumental landmark located in Central London. Winston Churchill's State Funeral was held in this building and Prince Charles and Diana Spencer were married here. Like Westminster Abbey, this is a sacred place that serves as the national cathedral where people come to see history, architecture, art, music and tombs.

Shakespeare Globe Theatre

For those who love the arts, step inside the Globe theatre to literally stand where Shakespeare himself stood to direct some of his most famous works, including: Macbeth, Hamlet and Julius Caesar.

Royal Tours

What’s a trip to London if you don’t dabble in a little royalty? All jokes aside, the below homes of the Royal family are certainly worth a visit during your stay. If I had to pick just one, it would be to spend a day in Windsor and tour Windsor castle.

Buckingham Palace

In the summer months you can tour Buckingham Palace, the home of HRH, Queen Elizabeth. Unfortunately, much of the touring (if not all?) stops in the winter months, but you can/should catch the Changing of the Guard which takes place outside Buckingham Palace on certain days from 10:45 am and lasts around 45 minutes, with the actual handover taking place at 11 am. TIP: arrive early to get your viewing spot as this gets VERY crowded.

Kensington Palace

While on your palace tour, stop at Kensington Palace, a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens. It has been a residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th century, and is currently the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (William and Kate!), Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. Kensington Palace is about a mile from our flat, so we find ourselves here every week on a run through the gardens, which are worth it, even if you don’t want to tour the palace.

Windsor Castle

A Royal home and fortress for more than 900 years, Windsor Castle, the largest occupied castle in the world, remains a working palace today. The Queen uses the Castle both as a private home, where she usually spends the weekend, and as an official Royal residence at which she undertakes certain formal duties. The audio tour takes you through many rooms within the castle and is chock full of interesting royal “tea” - plus the decor/ambiance of it all - unreal!

English History

In case you haven’t realized this yet, London is teaming with history at every corner. My two favorite British historical sites are the Chruchill Warm Rooms, and of course, the Tower of London, but I’ve listed a few more to try and catch if time permits!

Churchill War Rooms

A must do for any WWII buffs. Step underground to discover the secrets hidden beneath the streets of Westminster from the heart of where Winston Churchill and his inner circle directed the Second World War.

Tower of London

Built in 1066, a MUST for any history aficionados who are looking to learn more about the defense and arms age of England some 900 years ago. The Tower of London also serves as the location of the Crown Jewels.

Houses of Parliament and Big Ben

Parliament is open Monday to Saturday for visitors to attend debates, committee hearings and events, or to take a tour around the building. This is also a free activity! While you’re visiting Parliament, look up, and you’ll catch London’s most prominent structure, Big Ben. Sadly, construction has taken place on Big Ben since 2017, and isn’t slated to finish until late in 2020, so we will likely never see it while living here. Boo.

Trafalgar Square

London's largest, most prominent square honors British victory over the French in a battle off the coast of Spain. Led by Lord Horatio Nelson, British forces diminished Napoleon I's military power and headed off a possible French invasion of England. Trafalgar Square is also located at the National Gallery, so you can kill two birds with this visit!

Baker Street

For all fans of Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes, this is your jam. In this area, you can tour some of the notable sites from Holmes’ crime scenes and visit a museum and shop dedicated to SH memorabilia.

Abbey Road

When you think of British music history, I’ll bet the first group that comes to mind are the Beatles. Naturally, you’ll want to walk to across Abbey Road in Saint the Johns Wood neighborhood to relive the iconic cover. But be careful, as this is an ACTIVE working road, so don’t get hit by a car.

Neighborhoods

Notting Hill

Of course, I had to mention my own neighborhood, but rest assured, if you’re looking for Instagrammable streets and shopping, then you’re in the right place. The Portobello Road market is world famous and is THE place to find those British vintage treasures.

Hampstead

Hampstead might be my favorite neighborhood in all of London. There is such a sense of community here, you could really spend an entire day exploring. Check out more of how to do just that.

Shoreditch

Artsy, hip, splash of grunge. A place for young creatives.

Have I missed anything? What are some of your favorite activities to do in London?

How to get the most out of your London holiday