Top sights in London
Now I'm writing this with the assumption that you already know the 'typical' tourist attractions that London has to offer [Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, London Eye etc.] and therefore I have not included them in my list of 'Top Sights'.
1. Notting Hill and Portobello Road
OK so this one is still pretty touristy, but it’s not your typical Big Ben, London eye sorta stuff. Head down here to see some very pretty houses, colourful doors, the Love Actually house and some cool markets. The markets are open every day, however the ‘main’ day is Saturday, which is also when they’re busiest. Grab a coffee and mooch round here on a weekend morning, you will not be disappointed.
2. Columbia Road Flower Markets
This is another weekend morning mooch spot, but only on Sundays! I had actually never been to a flower market before coming to Columbia Road, and didn’t really know what to expect. But these guys know what they’re doing. There are cute coffee shops, pottery stores and other cafes on the street for you to dip in and out of whilst looking at all of the stalls, and everyone is always in such a great mood. Take yourself out this way on a Sunday when they’re open and who knows, you might even come back with something!
3. The Sky Garden / The Shard
If you know me by now, I love a good high rise/rooftop/viewpoint - the bigger the better! I’m putting these 2 guys together as they will essentially scratch the same itch, but depending on the time of day or occasion, you might want to opt for one of them. The Sky Garden is great for early morning coffee, cake and sunrise views, you’ll feel like you’ve got the whole place to yourself! The Shard is a great place to head for dinner, cocktails and an evening view of the London Skyline. It’s also more expensive - but for that toilet experience - I completely understand!
For my full list of food recommendations in London, check out my London Food Guide.
4. Go and watch a Football game!
London has so many football teams and some very good ones at that [Arsenal, I’m talking about you]. Lots of them are close to the city itself, and so try and get some tickets and head to a game! The crowds are amazing and if you’re not from England, you will be very impressed/shocked at how passionate these guys are. For more information on getting football tickets in different countries, check out my blog post.
5. Visit some of London's Parks
For the amount of buildings and high rises there are in London, it still has 3,000 parks! Yes, you read that right. Some of them are absolutely beautiful and make for a cracking spot for a picnic and beers. Check out my blog post on my favourite parks in London.
6. IFS Cable Car
Head down to Greenwich and take a ride on this bad boy.
You'll get ridiculous views of the city from the south of the river, and you'll even go over the O2 Arena.
It's a cool area down by the docklands and so be sure you explore the whole area whilst you're there. Tickets are dirt cheap and at £5 one way [and you can also use your Oyster Card], so give it a go!
For more London tips and recommendations, check out my City Guide.