A Whirlwind, Two-Day Tour of London

Over the past several decades, London has become an international, dynamic and vibrant city full of many cultures, great shopping, fantastic international cuisine, historic sites and attractions, colorful markets, and unique neighborhoods.

The first time I spent any time in London was over 30 years ago while in college. It was the commencement of a month long, August backpacking trip through Europe that is every American college kid’s rite of passage. This particular trip was tied to the following autumn and winter where I would be studying abroad in Stockholm to complete my college thesis. I spent a couple days with my British stepfather’s parents in the bucolic Kent countryside, outside of London, and a couple of nights at a youth hostel in central London. Much of that trip is a blur to this day.

My partner and I recently took a Nordic cruise embarking in Southampton. I was excited to go to London for a couple of days prior, since it would be my first time there since 1991. Still, two days isn’t really enough time to see all that London has to offer. I knew this trip would be skipping many of the well known landmarks such as the British museum or the Tower of London. My intent was to get a feel for the various neighborhoods in central London, many of which have changed since I was last there.

Our British friend Natalie, who used to live in Washington D.C., and her Australian boyfriend Robert, live just west of London, and kindly invited us to stay with them. We were also joined by another American friend, Kevin, who was staying with Natalie and Robert for a month.

Day 1 – Big Ben to Notting Hill

After a brief rest from a six hour flight and early morning arrival, we headed into central London via an easy train ride on the Tube. Our first day of exploration began at the Palace of Westminster, and ended in Hyde Park. Upon exiting the Westminster Underground Station, you immediately see the the imposing gothic Big Ben clock tower, officially known as Elizabeth Tower (named after Queen Elizabeth II), at the north end of the palace.  

Completed in 1858, Elizabeth Tower has the largest four-faced chiming clock in the world and is the third-tallest free-standing clock tower. Even though the tower is one of the world’s most famous tourist attractions, the interior is not open to overseas visitors. United Kingdom residents are able to arrange tours through their Member of Parliament. Visitors must climb the 334 limestone stairs to the top. We went to the Westminster Bridge to capture better angles of the palace.

From Westminster, we walked through beautiful St. James Park, which seemed to be on the list of every tourist in London that day. Walking over the Blue Bridge, which spans St. Jame’s Park Lake, took what seemed like an eternity, as we meandered through the hordes of people taking photos of the park and lake. We passed nearby St. James’s Palace, the most senior royal palace in London. Built in 1536 and commissioned by King Henry VIII as a hunting palace, today it is the base of the Royal Court and the home of Princess Anne, Princess Beatrice, and Princess Alexandra. We made our way to Buckingham Palace, the headquarters of the British Monarch, and home of King Charles and Queen Camilla. We were very lucky to arrive at just the right moment, during the Changing of the Guard.

From Buckingham Palace, we headed west to the upscale Belgravia neighborhood, one of the wealthiest in London or the world for that matter. Belgravia’s streets are lined with terraced stucco townhouses, international embassies, bucolic gardens, such as Belgrave Square, and upscale hotels. Along Pimlico Road in the southern end of Belgravia, are chic furniture stores, galleries, and antique shops. Near the center of Belgravia is the quaint cobblestoned Motcomb Street, home to numerous posh restaurants and delis, clothing stores and galleries that cater to the area’s wealthy international residents.

We headed to nearby Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, home of Harrods, possibly the most luxurious department store in the world. The department store was founded in 1849, and today, the Harrods Ltd. is owned by the State of Qatar. The massive 90,000 square foot store has 330 departments on seven floors, and includes 23 restaurants, well known sections such as the Christmas store, a massive upscale food hall, and rooms designed in an Egyptian motif. One of the nice things we found here – they have small lockers where you can charge your cell phone for free while you shop. There are two memorials within the store dedicated to the late Princess of Wales, and Dodi Fayed, the son of Mohamed Al-Fayed who previously owned Harrods.

After lunch at Harrods, we walked to nearby Hyde Park. The 350 acre park was established by King Henry VIII in 1536 as a hunting ground, and opened to the public in 1637. According to the park website, it’s nicknamed the People’s park, where suffragettes gave fiery speeches, where the Rolling Stones rocked out by the lake, and where the UK’s first Pride march began. In 1851, the park was the home of the Great Exhibition which showcased culture and technology from across the world, attracting over 6 million visitors. More recently, the park has been used for major concerts attracting tens of thousands, and the annual Winter Wonderland. We strolled in a northern direction, along the Serpentine lake, taking in the beautiful gardens and pastures. At the north end of the Serpentine near Lancaster Gate is the Italian Gardens, an ornamental water garden. Believed to have been a gift from Prince Albert to Queen Victoria, the gardens feature four water basins, each with its own fountain, and an ornate pump house where the initials of Prince Albert and Queen Victoria are supposedly carved.

We walked along Bayswater Road to the Notting Hill neighborhood, made famous (at least to Americans) from the 1999 movie starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts. This neighborhood is known for its pastel colored row homes, the annual Caribbean themed Notting Hill Carnival, and the Portobello Road market.  In the 1950’s, Caribbean immigrants moved to the area because of cheap rents, and race riots broke out in September 1958 targeting West Indian residents. The famous Notting Hill Carnival has taken place every August since 1965. It is led by members of the Caribbean community, and has attracted up to 1.5 million visitors. The neighborhood began to gentrify in the late 20^th century, leading to coffee houses, new restaurants and independent shops, and more recently, multi-national chains. We strolled Portobello market, lined with stalls selling antiques, food, vintage clothes, souvenirs, and more. Behind the stalls on both sides of Portobello Road are trendy cafes, shops and boutiques.

Day 2 – West End to Camden Town

We began our rainy day in London’s cultural hub – the West End. Upon exiting the tube at Tottenham Court, we saw the Outernet entertainment district, where the Now Building includes a large open public gallery featuring giant Ultra HD screens that display jaw-dropping surreal audio-visual experiences. We continued to London’s West End Theater District, also known as Theatreland. Here, there are approximately 40 theaters that stage musicals, classic and modern plays, and comedy performances, rivaling New York’s Broadway district.  

We proceeded to Covent Garden, a huge entertainment and shopping district that reminded me a little of Boston’s Faneuil Hall. The area began as a produce market in 1654, but gradually became a Red Light district comprised of taverns, theaters and brothels. In response, an act of Parliament resulted in the construction of the large neo-classical market building in 1830 to help clean up the area. Additions to the building were made over the years. The market was redeveloped in 1980 as a shopping arcade focusing on restaurants, boutiques and gift shops. There are three separate market buildings, including the Apple Market, the East Colonnade Market, and the Jubilee Market, featuring hundreds of unique shops, restaurants, street performers and more. You could spend an entire day exploring the market and surrounding area.

Nearby is the food focused Seven Dials Market. The food hall was created by KERB, an organization of London’s most promising independent street food traders. The hall features 19 pioneering food businesses within an old warehouse, and includes a variety of entertainment. I tried some very tasty Uzbek dumplings, and then watched a conveyor belt lined with dozens of different cheese plates pass by customers at the Cheese Bar.

We headed to Soho, a well known entertainment district known for its nightlife and center of London’s LGBT+ community. Soho has several streets with their own individual focus. Colorful Carnaby Street has had an iconic and creative focused heritage over the last fifty years, being home to various cultures, including the Swinging 60s crowd, the Mods, Skinheads, Punks and New Romantics. Today it is known for unique independent stores as well as global flagship stores. Berwick Street holds many boutiques and the Berwick Street outdoor market, one of the oldest in London. Oxford and Regent Streets are lined with department stores, electronic stores and fashionable shops. Denmark Street, also known as Tin Pan Alley, has a large collection of musical instrument shops.

We had lunch with our friends at the Ivy Soho Brasserie, where we all enjoyed the delicious Shepherd’s Pie, and a warm crispy duck salad with watermelon, roasted cashews, ginger, coriander, and a five spice dressing.

We ventured north to Camden Town, a recently gentrified area that is now considered one of the most hip areas of London. This vibrant, artsy neighborhood has been the inspiration for many artists, writers and poets over the years, and was home to Charles Dickens, Virginia Woolf and Amy Winehouse. Today it is buzzing with markets, live music, restaurants, coffee houses and vintage shops. The brightly painted buildings on High Street include murals and unique street art. The Market at Camden Lock is incorporated into an old Stables Market. Here you can see the famous statue of the late Amy Winehouse.

We were invited to a dinner party of a friend of our friends, named Garry, who graciously welcomed us into his home in Camden Town. We were told that his dinner parties are quite well known, and we were grateful and eager to join in the festivities. The party included a very international crowd, with the countries of Peru, Lithuania, Greece, Armenia, Russia, Australia, America, and England represented. Garry himself is Armenian, and his extravagant dinner which he cooked himself, included Armenian dishes such as stuffed peppers, a beef and mushroom pilaf, stuffed tomatoes, as well as some other dishes including my favorite, chicken schnitzel. We were asked to introduce ourselves, and from there the conversation became festive and lively. Our Aussie friend Robert was designated the toastmaster, and had everyone tell a personal story of an awkward moment they encountered in North America. Within that short period of time, we learned some very interesting things about our new group of friends. By midnight, we said goodbye to Garry, and were in a cab back to our friends’ home. Meeting Garry and his friends, and sharing a delicious meal and conversation was a fantastic way to end our two days in London.