Here we go again! Below you will find the Top 5, to follow 6-10 I posted earlier this week.
5. Convent Garden
I can’t put my finger on just why I love this area so much but it might be the dozens of shops, the eclectic street performers, or the cobbled streets. But most likely it is the combination of these. While this area such a tourist attraction, don’t be fooled, Londoners love this area too.
4. My number 4 is just amble around. Pick one area and then just see where the roads lead you.
For me, that was Bloomsbury. Bloomsbury is home to Russel Square and British Museum, along with lots of pretty roads and little museums that I just found through wandering. It is walking distance from King’s Cross, where I was staying, so it was east to find an area to discover. London is a great city for tourists because you can never run out of the typical touristy things to do, but it is nice to take a break from seeing the top sights and fighting the crowds and just experience London. This was how I found numerous op shops and little quirky shops, which I’ll be able to say where they are. Any neighbourhood in this great city will provide ample wandering inspiration. Any other areas you guys like to wander around?
3. The Walk
This is the walk of all walks. This is the best way to see the top sights of London and you don’t need a tour guide or even a map! Just walk from landmark to landmark. My favourite route is as follows:
The walk from Trafalgar Square down the Mall to Buckingham Palace, then through St James Park, down to Westminster, then back up Whitehall, past 10 Downing Street (possible cross over Westminster Bridge to the Eye). Other options to this loop, is going over to Hyde Park behind Buckingham Palace or up to Leicester Square through Chinatown.
This route will find you Red Telephone boxes, the horse guards, the Prime Minster’s house, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, The Eye – pretty much everything you have to see! Below are some highlights as well as a map.
2. Camden Town Markets
The market of markets! If you want to buy anything in London, this is the place to go. I’ve found fogwatch necklaces, beautiful purses, babushka doll and owl pillows, motorcycle chairs and delicious food. Even if you manage to resist all of the beautiful things to buy, it is even just wandering the aisles and discovering the trinkets. I’ll let the photos do the talking for my favourite market.
1. Cheap West End Tickets at Leicester Square
This is my favourite thing to do in London. Hands Down. I love Musicals. I love special deals. It’s a win-win situation!
In Leicester Square, you will find the TKTS ticket booth, which lists all of the days shows and who has available tickets. You join the line, which usually isn’t too bad, and get the best available tickets. Of course, shows are never cheap. From memory some of the tickets I bought were £66, but, even with the exchange rate, the tickets are cheaper than Melbourne and I even got second row tickets to Legally Blonde! (http://www.tkts.co.uk/)
Going through TKTS, I saw Legally Blonde twice and Chicago. I also saw Les Misèrables but that was through normal ticket purchasing routes.
Other places I want to include on this list:
Platform 9 and ¾
The Globe Theatre
Harrods
Tower of London
Hamley’s
Westminster Abbey
P.s. An honorary mention goes to the Harry Potter Studio Tours, which I know will make this list when I finally visit them in January!
I can’t wait until I’ll be in London for New Year’s!
What would you add to this list?
