Collected by Carolina Fowler
The National Gallery
Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN, UK
Located at Trafalgar square and home to about 2300 beautiful paintings, the national gallery of London should definitely make its way to almost any London itinerary. Set up in 1824, it the fifth most visited museum in the world. The quality and...
Photo courtesy of MEATliquor
MEATmarket
The Deck, Jubilee Market Hall, Tavistock St, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8BE, UK
Burgers and hotdogs don't get more delicious than at MEATmarket, part of the Meatliquor brand. Upstairs in the market at Covent Garden, you can get what is without a doubt the most delicious, meatiest and flavorful 'dog in the city, and wash it...
Photo courtesy of Wellcome Collection
Wellcome Collection
183 Euston Rd, London NW1 2BE, UK
Completely unique and always fascinating, the Wellcome Trust, not far from the British Library, is a free museum devoted to the marvels of the human body. It has regular exhibitions, taking sideways scientific looks at everything from the the...
Thames Embankment, London SE1 9JE, UK
Completed in 2000, London's Millennium Bridge is the first pedestrian-only crossing built over the Thames in central London in over 100 years. The steel structure connects the City of London at St. Paul's Cathedral with the Tate Modern Gallery at...
Photo courtesy of Victoria and Albert Museum
The Main Café at the V&A Museum
Cromwell Rd, Knightsbridge, London SW7 2RL, UK
Museum cafes are often depressing affairs, white formica boxes where you grab a curling sandwich on your way to the next piece of tourism. But the main cafe's trio of rooms are nothing like that. Designed, respectively, by William Morris,...
Photo by Fred/Flickr
Portobello Road Market
Don't be deceived by its West London locale. Notting Hill may be one of the city's poshest neighborhoods but all that is forgotten when it comes to its outdoor flea market. Portobello Market is mainly known for its impressive collection of...
What was once a private hunting ground for Henry VIII is now a favorite destination for London locals and visitors alike. One of the eight Royal Parks, Hyde simultaneously serves as a natural oasis and civic hub. A day on the green has endless...
Hoxton Square
Hoxton Square, Hackney, London, UK
London's East End. Shoreditch, Hoxton, Redchurch, Brick Lane, and Arnold Circus are just a few spots where you'll find some of the world's coolest people. What really strikes me is how beautifully diverse it is (and, yes, suits and facial hair are...
Photo by Grant Rooney / age fotostock
Renzo Piano's Shard has divided opinion with its 309 meters (1,000 feet) of spiky glass construction and jagged top. But there's no denying its sensational views. Access them by booking a meal at contemporary-British restaurant Aqua on...
Blue Plaque Hunting in London
Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H 0DA, UK
The blue plaques dotted on the walls of buildings across London are little delights, a small reminder of just how historic this city is. From Mozart to Charles Dickens to Winston Churchill and beyond, the plaques commemorate the places where...
Brick Lane Coffee
157 Brick Ln, Shoreditch, London E1 6SB, UK
Take a walk in one of London's most diverse and interesting neighborhoods. Find excellent Bengladeshi and Bengali food, wander into uber-cool vintage shops, and hit up the Brick Lane market. There's a bit of a creepy vibe, too, as it's where Jack...
Tower Bridge, United Kingdom
This is a landmark that is so familiar, so often seen, that to visit it -- even for the first time -- feels almost ordinary. You know the Tower Bridge. You've seen it in storybooks and on movie screens. You get it. Right? Nope. Because even if it...
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Upper Ground, South Bank, London SE1 9PX, UK
This is actually three theaters—the Lyttleton, the Cottesloe, and the Olivier—in one incredible 1960s complex on the Southbank. It's the absolute epicenter of London's vibrant theater culture, putting on both the classics and the most...
London's Chinatown, wedged between Shaftesbury Avenue and Leicester Square, is the go-to destination for locals wanting to grab some great food before a show, or after a big night out. There are endless good restaurants along these backstreets,...
Cromwell Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 5BD, UK
On its own, the architecture of the Natural History Museum is enough of a reason to walk through its doors one afternoon. The stunning archways and staircases create a grand backdrop to equally impressive exhibits, and you could spend countless...
Oxford St
Oxford St, London, UK
The West End can sometimes be a crummy place to do any actual shopping—the crowds are overwhelming and so too, on occasion, are the shops themselves. But that does not dim the joy of standing in front of the artfully arranged windows of the big...
Big Ben Clock Tower
Westminster, London SW1A 0AA, UK
Everyone knows that London is famous for its red telephone booths and the Big Ben clock tower. And, nearly everyone who visits takes home a picture of one or the other. It can be challenging to find a booth free of tourists hanging all over it, or...
Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross, London WC2N 5DN, UK
Trafalgar Square dominates the landscape at Charring Cross. It was made to commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar. At the centre is Nelson's column, which includes a statue of Horatio Nelson, the vice admiral who commanded the British Fleet at...
Soho's Secret Tea Room
29 Greek St, Soho, London W1D 5DH, UK
While everyone and their mother (and aunt and grandmother) are on the waiting list to have afternoon tea at Brown's or Claridge's some time next April, head to Soho for the no-longer-a-secret-but-still-unknown tea room inside the Coach &...
47 Chandos Pl, Charing Cross, London WC2N 4HS, UK
London is famous all over the world for its thousands of pubs. In fact, there are so many of them, it can be hard to pick out the lousy ones from the ones that are absolutely fantastic. The Harp is the latter. It's small, it's intimate, it's...
20 Deans Yd, Westminster, London SW1P 3PA, UK
William and Kate's wedding brought a 21st-century focus to this 700-year-old abbey, which is built on the same spot as a Benedictine monastery enlarged by Edward the Confessor in the 1040s. The site of every coronation since 1066, it boasts...
Belvedere Rd, South Bank, London SE1 8XX, UK
It's always a pleasant surprise when a famous restaurant lives up to the hype, but Wagamama was just what I wanted it to be: reasonably priced, fresh ingredients, and friendly service. My pork ramen bowl featured tender, juicy meat in Korean BBQ...
Photo by Olya Krueger / age fotostock
South Bank, London SE1 7PB, UK
The giant ferris wheel on the south bank of the Thames is made up of 32 futuristic glass capsules - all of which are sealed, air-conditioned and big enough to house 25 guests. Riding the attraction is effectively being stuck in a bubble, albeit...
Monmouth Coffee Company
27 Monmouth St, London WC2H 9EU, UK
In a town known for its tea, Monmouth Coffee Company offers a hot jolt-y alternative. Sure, you can get a cup to-go or enjoy a mug while sitting in one of their cafes, but the best way to experience Monmouth is by sampling their flavors and buying...
Nude Espresso
26 Hanbury St, Shadwell, London E1 6QR, UK
The name Nude Espresso might suggest something more racy than you find when you enter this Brick Lane coffee shop. However, if a perfect cup of coffee does it for you, then your pulse may race anyway. And not from the caffeine. Nude takes the...
Photo courtesy of Daunt Books
Daunt Books
84 Marylebone High St, Marylebone, London W1U 4QW, UK
Daunt Books really is special. Even if you are not a big reader, it is well worth a visit because the space is so beautiful and filled with exceptionally well-chosen books. Daunt is the ultimate antidote to the Amazon generation and connects you...
Ottolenghi
287 Upper St, Islington, London N1 2TZ, UK
Everything at Ottolenghi is tiny and tasty with typical English charm. Apparently it's the home of "legendary flourless chocolate tea-cakes" as well as a variety of other little snacks. It's primarily take-away but there is one small table at the...
Photo by Caroline Eubanks
Golden Hind
71a, 73 Marylebone Ln, Marylebone, London W1U 2PN, UK
I know that's a bold statement to make, as there are hundreds of fish shops throughout London, but they all are typically heavy and very greasy. My sister and I wandered into Golden Hind in Marylebone after nixing other fine-dining options. There...
Rococo Chocolates Marylebone
3 Moxon St, Marylebone, London W1U 4EP, UK
Rococo chocolates are some of the most delicious you'll find in London, and this beautiful little shopfront in Belgravia is its flagship store. You'll be delighted by the whimsical confections and their beautiful, hand drawn packaging, and the...
Photo by Loz Pycock
Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG, UK
It's impossible to ignore the hulking 1950s architecture of the Tate Modern, slap-bang in the middle of the most-walked part of the South Bank. A visionary refurb of this former power station has resulted in an artistic behemoth with multiple...
Photo by Magnus D/Flickr
Marylebone Farmers' Market
Cramer Street Car Park, Marylebone, London W1U 4EW, UK
"Marylebone High Street is one of my favorite places in London. It really has stood up to the challenge of the high street chain stores and is a quite remarkable place. The Howard de Walden Estate has done such a wonderful job managing and...
Alfies Antique Centre
Tucked in an Art Deco building, Alfies Antique Market can easily have the potential to become the new Portobello Road Market. In this market you can find antique furniture, knickknacks house, lamps, Scandinavian glassware, clothes and hats from...
This iconic landmark in London is popular for a reason...it's breathtaking! Did you know that Big Ben is the name of the bell inside the tower, not the clock? While you are there, check out the Houses of Parliament (if they are in session)....
London Beatles Walks and Tours
Beatles Coffee Shop, St. Johns Wood Underground Station, Finchley Rd, St John's Wood, London NW8 6EB, UK
First time I went to London I liked it, but that was pretty much it. I thought it was a great, solemn, (stylistically) cold, masculine European capital. Then I lived there for 3 months, and fell in love with it. Yes, I still believe its solemn and...
Chester Rd, London NW1 4NR, UK
Regent's Park in London lives up to its name and is quite royal, boasting rows of manicured flowers and plants. (There's also a theater, zoo, and walking paths.) I always make a beeline for the Rose Garden: a circular garden chock-full of roses of...
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