06 Feb Visiting London
February 2017
London is beautiful in January and the weather can be surprisingly clear and sunny. If the weather is gloomy and rainy, London is even prettier with a mysterious look made charming by the bright red telephone booths, buses and post boxes.
So much can be explored in London on foot, enjoying a stroll through the beautiful parks and pretty streets with impressive architecture. Regents Park and Hyde Park are beautiful in January with a calm but at times misty look and make you want to bear the cold and walk for a whole day.
Double decker bus tours are carried out in the city by different companies and are a very nice alternative if you want to see the entire city in two hours and pinpoint on your map what you want to visit later on. The Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament and Big Ben are a must see and can also be enjoyed from the London Eye.
Trafalgar Square is impressive with the Nelson’s column encircled by lion statues and can be followed by a visit to the beautiful St Paul’s Cathedral designed by the famous British architect Sir Christopher Wren. Further east into the city, the Tower Bridge is a must see iconic London sight. There’s a museum on the upper deck of the bridge and pedestrian crossing is also allowed. Tower of London, situated close to the Tower Bridge is a castle that was built in 11th century and can be visited to get a glimpse into the history it has witnessed.
There are many museums on Cromwell Road that can be visited free of charge and we recommend seeing the Natural History Museum which will impress people of all ages with its dinosaurs gallery, exhibitions and attractions. Next door to the Natural History Museum is Victoria and Albert museum, the world’s leading museum of arts and design. It houses many collections ranging from textile to paintings and jewelry to ceramics. A bit further into the city, the other museums that are worth a visit are the British Museum, National Gallery and Tate Modern among countless other museums.
Don’t forget about shopping
Of course we have to talk about shopping when we talk about London. The beautiful part of the shopping experience in London is that you do not have to be stuck in busy shopping malls but can stroll through streets with stunning architecture and window watch impressive displays in one of the world centers of fashion. There are many beautiful department stores such as Selfridges, John Lewis and Liberty London situated on Oxford Street, Regent Street and Picadilly. There are also many specialty shops grouped in certain streets such as the shirt makers of Jermyn Street. We have to mention the tempting Fortnum and Mason where you can find specialty tea, coffee, chocolate, biscuits, wine or champagne. Harrods is also a must visit shopping heaven with a friendly staff that keeps you getting lost in the never-ending shopping floors. The toy kingdom in Harrods deserves a special mention for the magical atmosphere. London’s Portobello market is an open air market where you can find antiques, vintage clothing, food and furniture on certain days of the week.
And good food!
A holiday wouldn’t be complete without experiencing the culinary delights of the destination. For a taste of British food we recommend Gordon Ramsay’s Heddon Street Kitchen. The famous chef runs a list of restaurants in London ranging from the Savoy Grill to London House. Heddon Street Kitchen is one of them and we recommend it especially for its remarkably delicious Sunday roast and its easy going atmosphere and central location. London offers a wide array of world cuisines and it’s always a joy to try a new one. Byrons for a hamburger, Dishoom for Indian, Busaba for Thai and Benihana for Japanese food were our favorites and it’s always best to book a table in advance.
Afternoon tea is a must in England and some fancy places you can enjoy it are in Landmark Hotel in Marylebone, The Georgian in Harrods or The Wolseley on Picadilly. You don’t have to go off the budget to enjoy an afternoon tea, many coffee shops or restaurants also offer an afternoon tea suitable to all budgets.
There’s so much to do in London from the musicals and theater to the Covent Garden, from Camden Town to Soho and China Town, from Buckingham Palace to Greenwich. It’s hard to fit all of London in a week let alone a few days so when you are visiting it’s better to choose what interests you the most and start there and save the rest for another excuse at visiting London!
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