London, UK
How I wish I stayed here longer than 4 days! I booked this trip alone, without my kids or my husband, for a wedding weekend. I'm not gonna lie, I was rather disappointed that of all the European cities that are on my bucket list, I was going to visit this second! My understanding was that London was always cloudy and rainy and that the people were dull. I have no idea why I had this preconceived notion! 1) There was not one minute of rain in the 4 days of June I was here. On and off sun yes. Mild temperatures yes. Rain, not a drop! 2) The first person I met was an employee in Gatwick airport (never fly to or from Gatwick if you are staying in Central London...Heathrow is the way to go...and they have a Chanel store where you get to buy for considerably cheaper than the states!). He was every American late night comedian in one human being, but funnier! Every British person I met after him had the same wit! London is basically a city full of Ricky Gervaises at every corner! Heaven on earth! 3) London has the energy of New York, the architecture of grand European cities, and gardens and parks like no other! There are basically no garbage cans on the street nor are there vendors at every corner trying to sell you food. The city is very clean!
I had to capitalize on my time here. Basically, of the 4 days, 3 were just attending weekend events leading to the wedding. I probably had 24 hours to navigate as much as London as I could! What I recommend: 1) Purchase a Bus Tour ticket from your hotel front desk. There are certain passes that let you access all the lines (my regret is that I didn't know about this earlier, and just used this the last day I was there when I had to leave to the airport at 1pm). I stayed at the Cumberland (modern hotel in a fantastic location and rather affordable) right next to Marble Arch and Hyde Park where there was a bus stop. The Red Bus Tour takes you to all the big landmarks! Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, London Eye, London Bridge, etc etc. But there are other lines which will take you to Notting Hill and the other parts of Central London that are just as worthy of seeing (you don't even have to step off the bus. Just sit on top floor and you'll get enough of an experience).
I walked the bulk of Hyde Park (much smaller than Central Park) in two hours at 6am in the morning. This was the most peaceful and serene two hours of my life. And on Sundays, they have the Serpentine race where local swimmers dive into the lake and swim laps. It was extremely surreal watching people dive into the water with their speedos and swim caps at 7am in the morning. Definitely get a map of the park before you walk around so you don't miss the main points of interest. Kensington Palace Garden and the Italian Gardens are a must!
Notting Hill is a very cute neighborhood! There are rows of colorful homes, and Portobello Road is basically a charming flea market. Totally skip if your short on time! What you should definitely squeeze in if you love gardens (and London is all about its parks and gardens) is Regent Park. Get a map and go to every corner. I only had time for Queen Mary's Garden. I didn't even know that they had a Zoo on the other side of the property. And the first Zoo ever opened in the world! If you are with children, I guess this is a place to consider! If not, definitely skip!
For designer shopping, its' all about Old Bond Street. And for us regular humans, Oxford gets the job done! Or just walk the streets. Your jaw will drop at every corner from the architecture and the charm!
My deepest regrets were not seeing more of London at night time, not experiencing fish and chips at a local pub and not going to Harrods department store!
Click on the gallery above (best viewed on a desktop for captions), the videos below to get a better sense of the area, and add your feedback by clicking on the comments section below! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see my next adventure! And share with your friends if you appreciate this page!