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LONDON 🇬🇧: More Than Just Shopping and Food?!
I spent most of my last days in the UK in London. Everyone says London is mostly a place to "burn cash" on shopping and eating 😂 and yeah, they're not wrong! But there are definitely some signature hotspots you absolutely CANNOT miss (I collected recommendations from friends and followed my own interests).
Quick London Check-In Guide:
Day 1:
- 🍤 Lunch at Lobster & Burger Soho: The lobster was delicious, but personally, I found the chips way too salty. It's definitely a "signature" London experience, so I'll probably only eat there once 😂
- 🎡 Tower Bridge & London Eye: These two are SO signature, they probably don't need a review! Personally, I felt Tower Bridge was more impressive and beautiful than the photos suggest, while the London Eye was the opposite 🙂
- 🏰 National Gallery: The line at Trafalgar Square was insane! My advice: don't line up too early, because you'll get pushed down anyway. We arrived at 4pm when entry was at 4:45pm, so we wandered around and listened to some indie artists covering "Arcade" and Rihanna's "Stay" in Trafalgar Square. Everyone stopped to immerse themselves in the music, and it was a moment I'll never forget. If you're looking for Van Gogh's Sunflowers like I was, forget about it until after the Olympics because it's supposedly been moved to China 😂
- 🏟 View from the Shard: £25/pp. We booked around 9pm, which was quite late so we didn't have time to go up to the 69th and 72nd floors. The bar also closed early :(( So, I bought a The Shard souvenir cup out of spite! 😂 Here, you can enjoy a panoramic view of London from above, including Tower Bridge, the London Eye, the Gherkin, City Hall, and 20 Fenchurch Street (or the "Walkie Talkie" as the locals call it).
- 🥩🥂 Dinner at Flat Iron London Bridge: The beefsteak was delicious and quickly prepared, and CHEAP! So good! We ordered cocktails and sat there until 11pm 🥲🥲
Day 2:
- Stopped by Buckingham Palace to visit the Queen, but it wasn't open so we couldn't go inside.
- 🚨🍜 Lunch at Dumpling Legend (Chinatown): This place is authentic Chinese, with a diverse and rich menu like Xiao Long Bao, roast duck, and duck rice.
- 🕍 Westminster Abbey: Apparently, only those inside can see it until 1pm, so we only stood outside. The Abbey is where Prince William and Catherine Middleton got married in 2011. It's also the burial site of famous scientists like Newton, and a memorial to generals and people who contributed to the UK, like Churchill.
- ⛱ Hamleys: A famous flagship toy store (recommended by a friend). LOR, GOT, and Harry Potter fans could easily spend an entire afternoon there! 😂 When I went, there was a Lego model of the Queen and recreations of some famous movie series like Friends.
China Town and Soho Food Checklist:
- London's iconic foodie district.
- 🍤 Rose Thai: The Thai food is quite tasty, with Tom Yum and skewers being our favorites. The sticky rice with coconut was a bit off though, because it wasn't Thai mango.
- 🍱 Yori Korean London: It's okay, but not very authentic Korean, and not enough side dishes.
- 🍡🍧 Meet Fresh: This is a Taiwanese chain. I tried the signature Glass Jelly and it was alright, just a lot of it 😂. I heard Taro Ball is good, so I tried that too.
- 🍾 Boxpark Shoreditch: We went on May 17th, right after it reopened, so it was CRAZY crowded! 😂 I don't remember what I ordered, but I recommend trying the Pornstar Martini. We stayed until around 10pm.
If I ever get the chance to return, I'll definitely visit Scotland (the Jacobite tour), see the Phantom of the Opera musical, and the V&A museum in London!
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Tags:
travel europe
