A London Food and Travel blog full of unique experiences.
Writing a list of classic things that people must do when visiting London, got me thinking about rip-offs, overrated attractions and mistakes that tourists can make. Please, do not do these things in London – it’ll make your visit SO much better. Trust me.
I love this city, I do, but there are definitely places to avoid as a tourist.
London is enormous, a sprawling map of villages which have expanded over decades, and deciding what to do on a trip here is honestly so hard. I get asked a lot what are the 10 must-dos on your first trip to London, and over a few pints a few expat mates and I decided on the below shortlist.
These are the absolute London essentials in our opinions – ones that never get old no matter how long you live here.
Living in London long-term is a fascinating window into the eccentricities of British history – so I just had to share my favourite 15 London secrets that the tourist crowds miss. Buildings that have survived more than 10 generations of human stories, streets that echo the rambling paths of underwater riverbanks, rolling acres of grassy parks and the delicious smells of a melting pot that is London cuisine. History books be damned, this city is alive with the most incredible tales.
And what‘s more, as lifers, we get a chance to discover the small and precious moments of 1,972 years of inhabited streets (yup, London was apparently founded in 43AD. Let me repeat that – 43AD. My home country was founded in 1840, some 1,797 years later). We obviously get to enjoy the major sights and sounds of tourist London every time we have visitors, but we can also slowly and deliciously discover the in-between bits over time. The nooks and crannies, the local history and finally answering the loaded question of what to do in London (and best of all, every single one is absolutely free – hello staycation ninja status).
There are some moments in your life that you’ll never forget – and I expect that the Coronation of King Charles III is one of those.
To be living in London for such a momentous event (and that of the passing of his Mother, HM Queen Elizabeth II) is both a privilege and an honour.
I have a confession to make. I have a full blown cat addiction, and, I’m not even sorry. Those soft little ears, twitching tails and indifferent faces cast a spell that have us dashing around the globe and visiting enough cat cafes to have a shortlist of 10 of the best cat cafes in the world. All the while a sleepy, non-rent-paying little white & tabby cat snoozes at home in London…
Once we’ve booked flights and perused hotels, Google searching for a cat cafe is one of the first things I do – and I’ve been accused of carrying out those 3 tasks in a slightly different order. It’s something I can neither confirm nor deny, but we do have a rather high hit rate of booking accommodation close to cat cafes. I’ll just leave that there, shall I?