London in a New York Minute

This past weekend I was finally able to visit London. I've been eager to see this city for quite some time now, so I'm thrilled to be able to share my experiences and create a full itinerary for you! London is an interesting place. It's filled with history and is home to the royal family, but it's also a thriving city with hidden gems, such as markets, unique restaurants, and shopping! London's diversity is something I have never seen before. One moment you're in front of Buckingham Palace, and the next you're walking down Carnaby Street popping into each quirky store. But please take note, you'll be running around the city, so pack your walking shoes!

 A visual map of London to follow along!

Saturday morning we woke up bright and early to get started with our day. We stayed in Holland Park, which I highly recommend! It's about a 20 minute walk from Kensington Palace, so that's what we began with. After seeing the palace, we took a stroll through Hyde Park to eat breakfast at a well known café named Elan Café. It's known for it's picturesque aesthetic, and the Instagram worthy backgrounds, so of course we had to see it for ourselves!

Of course I had to snap a picture in front of the famous "Coffee is the New Black" sign.

The food also does not disappoint. But be sure to get there as soon as it opens, or be ready to stand in a line outside the door to get a taste of this amazing restaurant!

Next up was Buckingham Palace! We were able to walk from Elan Café to the Palace and enjoy the sites. The area surrounding the Palace is always buzzing with tourists during the day, so if you want to ignore the crowds, Buckingham Palace also looks beautiful at night, and there is close to no one outside the gates!

After we basked in all of the palace's glory we set off for the next destination, the London Eye. During our walk there we were able to see Parliament Square, Westminster Abbey, Palace of Westminster, and Elizabeth tower. All of these landmarks are very close to one another so it's super simple to make your rounds to see it all!

My roommate and I decided we wanted to ride the London Eye to get great views of the city. At first we were hesitant because that's one of the most touristy activities you can do in London. However, we pushed our ego aside and went for it, LOL! It ended up being our favorite part of the day, so if you ever find yourself in London, do not leave until you experience this!

After the London Eye, we headed back across the bridge towards Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden. Both great places to see while in London!

After seeing Covent Garden, we headed into the city to see Tower Bridge. Before the bridge we stopped at Borough Market. This was one of my favorite aspects of the whole day. Borough Market is a huge market filled with everything your tummy desires! There's fresh product, meat, and seafood for sale, along with dozens of different food vendors where you can grab breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

Next stop: Tower Bridge!

After walking across Tower Bridge we visited the Liberty Department store, and then headed towards Carnaby street. We were on the hunt for fish and chips, so we found the perfect restaurant right on Carnaby. We enjoyed dinner, and let our feet rest. We were racking up the steps and needed a major break.

We concluded our day by exploring Oxford Street, then circling back to Buckingham Palace to see it lit up at night. The day was long and tiring, but it was 100% worth all 43,000 steps. (I told you it was a lot of walking)! London is a city in its own category and I cannot recommend visiting enough. I now can say it is one of my favorite cities, and I cannot wait to go back and relive its beautiful culture and diversity.