17 Things you Must Do When Visiting London

I know I’ve raved about Paris, but one of my favorite cities in the world is London. I have been lucky enough to visit London three times, 2011, 2013 and 2018, and I feel like I’ve only really scratched the surface of things to see in this beautiful city. That being said, there are several things that I do over and over every time I visit London. Here are 17 things you must do when visiting London. (Please forgive the quality of some of these photos – they were taken before I had any clue how to take a picture!)

1. Enjoy Tea Time

If you really want to get into the London mindset, then taking tea at one of the many tea houses or tea rooms in the city is a must. Condé Nast Traveller recently updated their list of The Best Afternoon Tea in London and it is very comprehensive, anyone is bound to find something up their alley on this list. We enjoyed tea at The Goring Hotel and it was delicious and over the top luxe. I mainly chose The Goring because that is where Kate Middleton stayed the night before her wedding and I am kind of royally obsessed! That being said, Harrods also has a tea room that is really reasonable and very quaint so if you are shopping and feeling parched, that is a great option!

2. Shop at Harrods

… Which brings me to my next must do. Shopping at Harrods may seem obvious, but it is definitely not overhyped. If you don’t love to shop, you will still enjoy the cultural experience found in the food hall where you can pick out British delicacies to bring home. If you do love to shop, like me, then you are in for a treat! Obviously there are some high end pieces so if you’re in the market for a designer item you better bring your wallet. (You can read more about how to shop designer items abroad here.) But if you just want a souvenir to remember your trip to Harrods, you can grab some cute branded items for relatively inexpensive. And if you are a fan of Princess Diana, make sure to stop by the memorial in her honor at the bottom of the store’s iconic Egyptian staircase.

3. Decipher Secret Codes with the Best of Them at The Bletchley

This was a new experience during my last trip to London in 2018 and it quickly became one of my favorite must-dos. I don’t want to give away too much because part of the fun is how mysterious it is. But The Bletchley is an WWII immersive cocktail bar and all I’ll say is it is one of the most unique things I’ve ever done during my travels. 

4. Shakespeare is Still Alive at The Globe Theater

No, this isn’t the original Globe Theater. That burned down years ago. But they did recreate it and you can actually buy tickets to watch Shakespearean classics, just like they did in the 1500s. We caught a performance of As You Like It  when we were there in 2011 and it was £10 for standing room on the floor. What a deal!

5. Find the Magic at Platform 9 ¾ at King’s Cross Station

What kid didn’t want to board the Hogwarts Express and be whisked away to a school full of magic and mystery? The first time I went to London they didn’t have any kind of marker at King’s Cross Station except for obvious Harry Potter fans wearing robes and carrying wands as they waved them at the sign indicating Platforms 9 & 10. But now there is a store and a photo stand and I am totally here for it.

6. The Charles Dickens Museum

Charles Dickens lived in several places in London over his lifetime. The Charles Dickens Museum was where he called home from 1837 to 1839, when he wrote Oliver Twist. If you are a fan, you’ll love seeing how he lived as well as some artifacts they’ve curated from his life. There is also a room devoted to the film adaptations of his work and yes, they do feature A Muppet Christmas Carol

7. Visit Kensington Palace Tour and taking a walk in Kensington Gardens

As I said, I am a royal watcher so a visit to Kensington Palace is a must do. While I didn’t get to visit Kate and Will’s apartments, they have some beautiful exhibits, including some of Diana’s iconic dresses. Follow it up with a walk in Kensington Gardens and you have the perfect afternoon!

8. Witness the Buckingham Palace Changing of the Guard

We caught the formal changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace during our first trip to London just by chance and it was a very regal thing to witness. If you have the time, I would say you must check it out! Visit London has more information on how you can catch it. Also – it’s free. 

9. Take a Spin on The London Eye

I’ve only been on The London Eye once but that experience stuck with me. Here is my advice: buy a standard ticket unless you’re going at peak times, then the Express pass may be worth the extra cost. And if you can do it, try to go once during the day and again at night. We went at night and it was beautiful seeing the city all lit up. But next time I’d love to see London by day.

10. Say Cheerio to Big Ben

Did you know Big Ben is actually called the Elizabeth Tower? In June 2012 the House of Commons announced that the clock tower was to be renamed the Elizabeth Tower in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. This is obviously a landmark you must see when you visit London and after four years of silence (it was undergoing restoration work) Big Ben is finally back to chiming the hour across the city. 

11. Say a Prayer at Westminster Abbey

My first trip to London was a month after Kate and Will got married at Westminster Abbey so it was very busy when we visited but still worth the trip. Not only is this ancient church ripe with royal wedding history, it actually houses the tombs of several iconic royal leaders like Elizabeth I, Mary I, and Mary Queen of Scots. And if you’re more into literary figures, you’ll also find the tombs of Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters and a little known playwright named William Shakespeare. 

12. Feed the Birds at St. Paul’s Cathedral

If you watched Mary Poppins, you’ll get my reference. My first visit to this gorgeous cathedral where a young Diana married Prince Charles wasn’t until my most recent trip in 2018 and I am so glad I finally made it here! Just a tip: photos are not allowed inside most of the famous houses of worship in London, like St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. A guard politely chastised me for taking the photo above. 

13. Shop & Dine at Covent Garden

Covent Garden is like one of the first malls. Originally a fruit and vegetable market in the 1600s, it grew in popularity and continued to modernize with the times. Now it’s home to boutiques for luxury brands like Chanel and Mulberry, as well as smaller brands like Sass & Belle and Benjamin Pollock’s Toyshop (which opened in Covent Garden in the 1880s!). I love wandering around, popping in and out of the shops, then grabbing a fish and chips at Punch & Judy, which opened in 1787!

14. Get Schooled in Rock History at Abbey Road Studios

If you asked me what my favorite band of all time is I wouldn’t even hesitate: The Beatles. I adore John, Paul, George and Ringo and can rattle off facts about each member as if I was talking about myself. Abbey Road Studios, where they recorded a lot of their later music,  is a bit of a hike as it is on the outskirts of the city. But if you are a Beatles fan or even just a big music fan (after all, Adele, Ed Sheeran, Pink Floyd, Ella Fitzgerald, Lady Gaga and Amy Winehouse have also recorded music here), I would tell you that a visit to Abbey Road is a must-do. Just  FYI, the street where The Beatles shot the cover of the Abbey Road album is actually Abbey Road, right outside the studios. But please be careful if you try to recreate the shot. It’s actually an extremely busy street!

15. Solve a Crime at the Sherlock Holmes Museum

I’ve always been fascinated with the tales of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson. I’ve watched the old movie adaptations, the Robert Downey Jr. films, Elementary, and, perhaps my favorite, Sherlock with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. My cats are named Sherlock and Watson. So visiting the Sherlock Holmes Museum on Baker Street was an absolute must-do for me. During my first trip in 2011 the BBC series was still new so the museum wasn’t very busy. In 2013 during my second trip I didn’t get to visit because when I showed up on Baker Street I found the line to get in was around the block! Its popularity may have died down since then, but I would plan ahead for this one, just in case. 

16. Paddington Station

We stayed in a hotel right next to Paddington Station during our first trip so that was our jumping off point getting around the city and I loved seeing this statue of Paddington Bear every morning. At the station you’ll also find a gift shop devoted to the adorable bear from darkest Peru. One of my biggest regrets is not picking up a Paddington Bear that I could give to Arielle when she came along. She loves watching the films so next time I get there I am going to Paddington Station to pick one up! 

17. Take a Tour of the Tower of London

So glad I found a picture of my adorable Alex during our very first trip to London in 2011! That was the only time I’ve visited the Tower of London and I would love to go back. This landmark is home to some very dark moments in the city’s history and the tour guides, dressed as Beefeaters, don’t shy away from that history. It’s where Anne Boleyn was beheaded and it once served as a prison. But it was also a palace and is home to the Crown Jewels and they are gorgeous!

Are you planning a trip to London? If you have any questions please DM me!