I bought 3 days worth of London Pass which I mentioned about in my
How to Travel: London post and I used the pass from Day 1 - 3
Day 1
1. Emirates Stadium
included in the London Pass
Definitely must go if you're a Goonner/Arsenal Supporter. I don't really watch football, I just really like stadiums (don't scream at me please).
You basically get an audio tour around the stadium, both around the field area and places like dressing rooms for the players. I bought a jersey for my brother and it cost about S$102?
There's also a really nice hot dog stand (Chapman's) outside the emirates store.
Time spent: 1 hour~
Nearest Tube station: Arsenal or Holloway Road
Opening hours:
Monday to Saturday - 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (last entry at 6:15 p.m.)
Sunday - 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (last entry at 4:15 p.m.)
Match days - 10 a.m. to 1 hour before-kick off time
2. Westminster Abbey
included in the London Pass
Very unfortunately, I did not make it to see this place myself because I have no excuses. I just decided to sleep in more and had to no time to visit :( But it is really really beautiful and I would definitely want to go there on my next visit to London.
Nearest Tube Station: Westminster Station
Opening Hours:
Vary by month. Can be found here
3. Big Ben Tower
This iconic tower is right beside the Abbey but was under construction unfortunately during my travel period so I had no access to it, and honestly didn't look all that attractive but constructions will be done by 2021 so I look forward to going back again then!
4. Tower Bridge
included in the London Pass
By the time I'd realised that entrance to the tower bridge was included in the London Pass, I had already missed the chance so I'm here to tell you not to.
You get access to:
- The Tower Bridge Glass Floor (from the iconic scene in Spiderman: Far from Home where Spidey defeats Mysterio)
- An exhibition filled with Tower Bridge history
- A high-level walkway between the two towers
- Victorian Engine Rooms (omg sounds so frikkin cool)
- An amazing panoramic view of the River Thames
Opening hours:
Monday to Sunday - 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On special occasions, it opens at 10 a.m.. For more info, click here.
Day 2
5. ZSL London Zoo
included in the London Pass
I can't claim to be a zoo expert but this zoo was the best I've ever been to so far. It was very clean, great vibes (New age Mary Poppins vibes, idk why). Every time my friends ask me for recommendations, the first thing that comes up is this place. I was enjoying myself so much experience that I kind of forgot to take pictures (oops). But I highly recommend the zoo to any and everyone. Couples, families, friends whatever your age, I'm pretty sure you'd love this place as much as I did, unless you hate animals then boo you.
Time spent: 2 hours~
Nearest Tube station: Camden Town Station (there are also bus stations nearby)
Opening hours:
Monday to Sunday - 10 a.m. - 5p.m.
6. The London Bridge Experience
included in the London Pass The London Bridge Experience was kind of like a haunted house experience of the history of the London Bridge. If you like haunted houses, Halloween Horror Nights kinda thing, I'd recommend this place. Something different from the usual museum, tour things.
It is also near the next "attraction".
I was kind of too immersed in the experience that I forgot to take photos :-( so here are a few photos from google hah
Time spent: 1 hour~
Nearest Tube station: London Bridge
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday - Sunday - 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
7. Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
included in the London Pass
I'm not one to appreciate art in Tate Modern because I have no clue what the exhibitions are but I do enjoy a history lesson. Those who are fans of literature, history and similar whatnots, definitely got to check this place out. The theatre was under some renovations when I got to tour it so I'm guessing it should be done by now.
I felt like I was transported back in time and and I was in awe by the stories and architecture behind the place. In my head, were scenarios of 16th century plays with the nobles in their fancy clothes, fans, weird collars and tall hairs. Absolutely fascinating. Very much worth a visit, and it's also by the River Thames, very convenient.
Time spent: 1 hour~
Nearest Tube station: London Bridge
Opening hours:
Monday to Sunday - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
8. The Shard
included in the London Pass
The Shard is the tallest skyscraper in Europe standing at 95 stories tall.
Can I just say, the view from the toilet all the way up there is AMAZING. The toilets have full glass windows with automatic shutters from way above ground level, one of my best toilet experiences HAHA.
It has a really unique architecture, shaped like a long-ass cone. You can pretty much see the view of the whole of central London. Breathtaking. Let the pictures do the talking.
Time Spent: 45 mins~
Nearest Tube station: London Bridge
Opening hours:
Typically
Monday - Sunday 10am - 10pm (last entry at 9.30pm)
Differing timings for certain days. For more details, click here.
Day 3
9. Stamford Bridge Stadium (Chelsea FC)
included in the London Pass
Again, I don't really watch football, I just really like stadiums so there I went.
You get a human tour guide at this stadium instead of an audio one and you have to follow a tour group around. I prefer the audio tour but there's no choice for that :( Same thing, we were brought around the stadium,the field area, dressing rooms, conference rooms etc. I bought another jersey for my brother and it cost about S$102 as well.
Nearest Tube Station: Fulham Broadway
Opening hours:
Varies per months. For more info, click here
10. Natural History Museum
included in the London Pass
First thing i thought of when I saw this place was the "Night at The Museum" movie.
I was wowed by the very much British exterior and it got me really excited before even entering. Anything very different from the typical Singapore structures easily gets me HAHA.
Needless to say, upon entering, it felt even more like in the movies even though I know it was not shot here, it still felt pretty surreal. Dinosaur bones, shark bones, bones from any animal you name it, you can find it here. We spent quite awhile just walking around and admiring the exhibits which I feel is way more priceless as compared to modern art (sorry artists).
If you're a fan of dinos, animals or just history in general or even architecture, this is the place to go.
Time spent: 2 hours~
Nearest Tube station: South Kensington
Opening hours:
Saturday to Thursday - 10 a.m. to 5.50 p.m.
Friday - 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
11. Kensington Palace and Garden
included in the London Pass
Kensington garden is a walkable distance away from the Natural History Museum. By the time we go there, the palace was about to close so we unfortunately missed the indoor tour.
However, we spent our time at the little cafe eating near the entrance of the Palace eating gelato and we walked around the garden which was a beautiful sight to absorb.
There were many families picnicking, kids cycling, riding scooters.
The garden has a round pond and we just sat by the pond people-watching, observing our surroundings and it just felt so nice to be able to empty my mind and live in the moment.
As if Kensington Garden wasn't big enough, right beside was Hyde Park which I got too lazy to explore (oopsy) so I'll leave that for the next trip hehe.
Time spent: 2 hours~
Nearest Tube station: Queensway Station
Opening hours:
Saturday to Thursday - 10 a.m. to 5.50 p.m.
Friday - 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Day 4
12. Borough Market
The Borough Market is of walk-able distance from numerous attractions like the Shard, London Bridge, Shakespeare's Globe, London Bridge etc. I found myself returning to the same areas while getting from one attraction to another quite often which is pretty great and convenient.
It had like a farmers' market kind of vibe, selling fresh produce, ready to eat meals, coffee beans, juices, different types of cheese, pastries. Name it, you have it.
There were some kinds of workshops being held too while I was there, not sure if it's a frequent occurrence but it was pretty interesting!
There were some scenes from Harry Potter that were filmed in this area too (but I can't remember exactly what). I really liked this place.
Nearest Tube station: London Bridge
Opening hours:
Monday to Thursday - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday - 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday - Closed
13. City Tour by Foot (Free Attractions)
We wanted to have a chill day and save all the excitement for the next attraction (hohoho) and we also did not want to spend much so we decided to tour the city on foot, to free attractions. Some not necessarily free, but we just chose not to enter.
Starting off after a nice meal from Borough market, we walked to the Millenium Bridge, St Paul's Cathedral, Leadenhall Market, Old Spitalfields Market, The Monument to the Great Fire of London etc. It was a very free and easy walk. We didn't have an exact plan, just stopped by anything interesting we saw on the way and continued walking till we came back to square one.
14. Warner Bros. Studio Harry Potter Tour London
OK. This experience deserves a whole ass post by itself (writing-in-progress). But just saying, it's so fucking amazing.
One thing you need to know before going there is, BOOK THE TICKETS WAY IN ADVANCE ASAP. It sells out like a few months in advance or something like that so just be quick when it comes to choosing the tour date. You really wouldn't want to miss out on this especially if you're a Potterhead like me :')
ps. I booked an evening slot so that I could spend the day exploring the city and end off the evening on a high note!
Remember to go slightly earlier than the allocated time!! There's a gift shop at the entrance, even the lobby is gorgeous so take your time to walk around and enjoy.
Just a sneak preview hehe
Time spent: 3-4 hours~
Nearest Tube station: Watford Junction Railway Station (shuttle bus @ £5? provided to and fro the studio)
Opening hours:
Monday to Sunday - 8.30 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Day 5
It was our last day in London before heading off to Italy so we decided to cover some slightly out of the center areas.
15. Covent Garden, Jubilee Market Hall
It's a very British market area that sells a mix of branded goods and local craftsware, organic foods, antiquities etc. You can also spot street performers around the piazza. Sit by the curb and enjoy yourself for a bit. It's a very vibrant place and great to explore especially in the summer.
ps. The cover photo of this post was taken here!
Nearest Tube station: Covent Garden
Opening hours:
CG - Monday to Sunday - 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Jubilee
Monday - 5 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Tuesday to Friday - 10.30 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Saturday to Sunday - 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
16. Buckingham Palace
I don't think I have to say much. The Queen lives here and I breathed the same air as her, the end HAHA
We have a huge problem with waking up early so unfortunately we missed this but the Change of Guards Ceremony I think usually takes place 10.45 a.m, 11a.m ish. If you want a good view, be sure to get there slightly earlier.
You can also choose to purchase tickets to for a tour in the palace. An online purchase would be recommended pre-visit.
To me, the more iconic thing would be the red stretch of road, called The Mall, leading up to the Victoria Memorial because of my childhood with Mr Bean and his green car. That's just the first thing I thought of and I got way more excited over the road than the palace.
Nearest Tube Station: St James' Park, Hyde Park Corner
Opening Hours:
Varies per season. For more info, click here.
17. Portobello market One of London's iconic markets, Portobello market is actually made up of numerous markets selling antiques, clothes, food, fruits and such. Unfortunately we went on a Sunday which was the only day the market was closed throughout the whole week so we didn't get to enjoy the vibrant market but if you could, definitely stop by and see for yourself what the hype is all about. But remember not to go on a Sunday like I did :')
(Photos are from the Portobello Market Website)
Nearest Tube Station: Ladbroke Grove
Opening Hours:
Monday To Wednesday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Thursday 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Friday Antique stalls 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Saturday Main day 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sunday - (closed)
18. Sherlock Holmes Museum
Anyone who loves Benedict Cumberbatch would've definitely watched this amazing series on Netflix (if you haven't please go watch it I beg you) and know the iconic 221b Baker Street apartment. Sadly I only watched it after returning home from my trip so I did not actually go to this museum but it's absolutely on my list for the next trip!!
(Photos are from Google)
Nearest Tube Station: Baker Street
Opening Hours:
Monday To Sunday 9.30 a.m. – 6 p.m. (except Christmas)
Entrance Ticket: Adult £15 Child £10
cannot be bought online, only
on-site.
19. Camden Lock Market
One of my favourite places in London I'd say. I love the vibes, energy, atmosphere, look, feel whatever word, of this place. Such a unique and charming market area I wish there was something quite like this in Singapore. I'm pretty speechless when it comes to Camden Lock. All I can say is, get your ass there as soon as you can because wow.
Also, go on an empty stomach because there is a ton of amazing food stalls there.
Do note that this particular market is about a 5 minute walk away from the tube, after a canal. Do not confuse it with the one 2 minutes outside the tube station before the canal.
Nearest Tube Station: Camden Town Station
Opening Hours:
Monday To Sunday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (except Christmas)
20. Oxford street
Ah yes. A place for those who love to splurge on branded goods and shop to their hearts content. Oxford Street is like the Orchard Road of Singapore, a whole street full of expensive shops after expensive shops.
But even if you don't shop there, it's still fine to just window shop (what I did) and enjoy yourself. Grab a nice cup of coffee or tea and stroll down observing people and street performers, admiring fashion and end off the day right.
And there you have it. London in 5 days. Plan your days well but it's okay if you don't follow it exactly. Some days you just don't feel like it or along your walks you found somewhere else to go and that's perfectly alright. What matters most is enjoying yourself!
If you have anymore questions or doubts, feel free to HMU in the chatbox or e-mail me!
I reply Instagram messages too!
Live free, live Flightmoded,
Judith
Comments