Big Ben: obviously everyone knows Ben. I even follow him on twitter haha
London eye: A ferris wheel made for having an aerial view of London, I didn’t go on it since I’m afraid of heights, the line was long, and it was more expensive than I thought it was worth. But some of my friends went and recommend it.
Buckingham Palace (the changing of the guards): This occurs every day at 11. The guards shift is over and more guards replace them. It’s a specific ceremony that lasts about 30 minutes. More people go to watch than you would think, so if you want a good view, get there early.
Tower Bridge: A very intricate bridge with a museum inside. (London bridge is just a boring bridge, so that was a let down)
See a telephone booth: one of the easiest things to find, they’re everywhere
Ride a double-decker bus: I always grew up wanting to ride one. I thought they were so cool.
Picadilly circus: like the times square of London! If you go into the M&M store beware of the machines with different colored M&Ms…I put way too much in my bag and ended up spending way more than I wanted to.
Go to a show: We went to phantom of the opera. I grew up listening to the soundtrack because of my parents, but had never seen it. It was surreal to know every word to something you know close to nothing about. We sat in the very back, but it wasn’t bad.
China town: you can’t go to a city that has a china town without going to china town.
Greenwich: This is the location of the prime meridian. It is about 30 minutes from central London. We went on a boat tour to get there so it took us twice the time to get there, but were able to see many other sites on the way! Greenwich is the cutest town. We walked around and finally up the hill to the observatory where there is a museum and you are able to stand on the prime meridian. Then we went to a market which has been one of my favorites in Europe. I was tempted to buy everything.
Abbey Road: If you’re a Beatles fan, this is obviously a must-see location. I have two tips. 1. Know the exact coordinates of the crosswalk (51.5320° N, 0.1783° W). I made the mistake of thinking I knew where it was, and actually being several blocks away from it. 2. Don’t go during rush hour. Again, another thing we didn’t think about…trying to get a good picture was very difficult.
Platform 9 ¾: The way to get to Hogwarts in Harry Potter. Yes they do have a replica and yes, they do have people there to take your picture. It’s located at King’s Cross Railroad station.
London Fashion Weekend: I was able to go to London fashion weekend. We received free stuff, were able to shop designer products at discounted prices, and watched … fashion show. I absolutely loved the line. It was filled with flowing fabrics in pastel colors, which was beautiful.
Fish and chips: if you’re in London, you need fish and chips at least once. That’s why I had it at a place called Garfunkel’s for my first meal in London.
Tea house: I’ve never been a tea or coffee drinker, but I loved this tea. I went with the simple English Breakfast and was very happy with my decision. This cozy place has many different areas to sit that all feel like you are in an old movie.
