Royals for a Week
London
29.05.18 - 02.06.18
After spending a week in England, I have decided that I will be moving there as soon as possible. I have never connected with a place more in my life, which made leaving London incredibly difficult. I don’t know if it was the city, the accents, the food or the fact that I was seeing a place I had dreamed about for so long, but I was hooked the second my feet stepped off the plane.
Our hostel was situated in a beautiful district, surrounded by coffee shops and just a walk away from Hyde Park. It was also close to museums and the subway which made it super convenient to get around. I loved every second I spent in London, but the following are things I 100% recommend doing if you get the change to visit this magical city.
10 Things To do in London, England
i. Visit Buckingham Palace
If you’re like me, and you are way too invested in the lives of the Royals, then Buckingham Palace is an essential stop during your visit in London. No, you can’t walk up to the guards to try to make them laugh, but just seeing the grounds and the home of the Queen is worth the visit. Walking tours take place around the clock, which I would recommend doing if you want to learn more about it.
Buckingham Palace during the changing of the guard
ii. Have high tea
When in London, you have to have biscuits and tea! Sydney and I went to a tea salon that served over 2000 types of tea- it was overwhelming, but delicious. You can find cute little tea salons in the Coventry market, or anywhere really, in London. If you’re an avid tea drinker, make your way to Twinning’s Tea shop, the official tea maker of the Queen. **note: you cannot buy the tea that the Queen drinks, it is a secret recipe and only prepared for the Queen.
iii. Do a Hop-on-Hop-Off Tour
London was the only city that we visited where we used a Hop-on-Hop-off bus. This gave us two free tours, a boat tour, and access to all Hop-on-Hop-off buses in the City; giving us ample opportunity to see as much of the city as possible. One of the tours we did was the changing of the guard. We woke up to meet our tour guide, who walked us to Buckingham Palace to watch the ceremony. Guards dressed in red uniforms with bear skin hats marched down the road toward Buckingham palace to perform the changing of the guard- something that happens every day. It is loud and fun and there were many tours/spectators who came out to watch. The second tour we did was the best one yet! We did a rock and roll tour, which brought us around London to see famous starting points, clubs, bars and homes of artists from the 60s to now. We went to the building where Yoko Ono first met John Lennon, and we saw famous night clubs and secret bars where Bowie, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and more had performed. It was really interesting and lively, and undoubtably worth every penny.
Getting around the city on a Hop-on-Hop-off bus made things easy, educational and fun! We were able to learn a lot more than if we had taken the subway everywhere and it takes you to all of the must sees of London.
iv. Visit Harry Potter World
My first introduction to London, was through watching Harry Potter. So, when the time came to finally go to London, I knew it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. We travelled by bus to the outskirts of London to the Warner Brothers Studios Harry Potter Lot, to have the Harry Potter experience I had always dreamed of. I had been to Orlando Universal Studios Harry Potter World and I was expecting it to be similar, but I loved the Warner Bros. so much more. Rather than a theme park, this tour takes you through the sets where they filmed Harry Potter.
The Tour begins with a movie, highlighting the world-wide phenomenon that Harry Potter has become. Then the doors open into the Great Hall (THE ACTUAL GREAT HALL!) and you walk to the end, where the goblet of fire stands and shoots out a name for someone to catch. After all the theatrics, you continue the tour at your own pace. You pass all of the iconic sets, costumes and props used in the movies. You reminisce and recall your favourite scenes, while learning about the real magic behind the movies. You get to see the hard work that so many people put into making these movies a success- and there is so much detail that viewers take for granted. At the end of the tour are two things that took my breath away; the first, a replica of Hogwarts and its grounds that is used in the movies for filming all of the panoramic scenes. It is so detailed and beautiful, it brought me to tears. The second, is a room full of wands, from floor to ceiling, with the names of every person who ever worked on a Harry Potter film- it is a beautiful tribute to the people that brought so much magic into so many lives.
v. Take a stroll in Hyde Park
Hyde Park is a charming park near Notting Hill and Kensington Palace. It has beautiful walking paths, ponds, sculptures and gardens. It is a picturesque place to sit and have a picnic or just get away from the business of the city.
vi. Ride the Tube
Although the tube (subway) is expensive, it is something you have to do. It is a quick and easy way to get around if you aren’t a big walker, plus you never know, you might even run into a celebrity or two.
vii. Take an Iconic photo on Abbey Road
If you take the Silver Jubilee line (on the Tube), you can find your way to the iconic Abbey Road. The same road that the John, Paul, Ringo and George walked across for the cover of The Beatles’ last album. If you have a camera, patience and the ability to dodge oncoming traffic, you can recreate this legendary shot.
viii. Visit the Coventry Market
The Coventry Market is a beautiful place to spend an afternoon in London. It has little shops, cafes and restaurants, as well as beautiful flowers and patios to enjoy the sunshine. It is also near a lot of the theaters if you want to catch an early show. It is a beautifully colorful part of the city that was one of my favourite places to visit to pass the time.
ix. Ride a double decker bus
Did you even go to London if you didn’t ride the infamous red double decker bus? Luckily, the bus is more affordable than the Tube and it lets you see some of the sights while you ride it. We took the city transportation, as well as the Hop-on-Hop-off bus… both were very enjoyable.
x. Have a Pint in a Pub
If you go to London, you have to eat fish and chips, and have a beer in a pub. No questions asked. Not only is it just part of the culture, it is delicious! The bars are flooded with people during the afternoon, right after the work day, and are even more lively at night. Go on, enjoy a pint!
