London in Spring (City Guide)
Considering that I recently lived in lovely London from 2020-2022, I thought it was a good idea to update my old city guide, just in time for the splendid season of Spring (and the coronation right around the corner)
I recently spent a few years living in a city I have long adored - living in dreamy Belize Park / Hampstead, and leading communications for the Four Seasons UK Collection. I have been visiting the UK for over 20 years, have plenty of British family on my Canadian side, and hold a degree in English literature, so it’s fair to say I am very familiar with the countries in the United Kingdom. Add to that, that I lived in NYC for many years - like a sister city across the pond - so the big city living suited me perfectly. Looking at my posts, I realized my old blog post on London was over 5 years ago, so let me update it - and various side trips - after exploring it thoroughly during the pandemic, and beyond. I loved my time there, and Spring (and Fall) are ideal times to visit, with the city in full bloom.
Spring in London has perfect, mild weather and longer days, perfect for leisurely strolls throughout the city and its bountiful parks and gardens, and enjoy a drink or meal alfresco, visit a gallery or watch boat races to flower shows. And absolutely hop a train or take a tour to visit many other beautiful locations easily accessible from the city. And while there are a few airports in the area (like Gatwick, Standsted), all international flights will be arriving in to massive Heathrow airport and there are many ways to get to the city: Tube, Train Shuttle, and car pick up (there are so many options), so don’t fret, it is far easier transportation than all of the US airports.
Things to do in London:
It would be impossible to list all of the manny things to do in this world-class city, there were so many things I loved to do, so many neighborhoods to explore. Start with London tourism and look to break up your days to walk & wander around the city, as it is the best way to see it. The London tube & bus routes are extremely easy to use if you want to get to or from somewhere to start or end your day - both are faster that an Uber. There are far more beyond this list, but as a visitor, you will most certainly visit many of these:
Chelsea, Victoria, Kensington (Boutiques, town homes, wealthy neighbors)
Kensington & Knightsbridge (Museums, shopping, ultra-luxe boutiques)
Bloomsbury & Fitzrovia (Museums, residential streets, universities)
Notting Hill (Markets, village vibes, restaurants, pubs, tourists, antiques)
Marylebone & Mayfair (Luxe shopping, hotels, restaurants, small museums, embassies)
Hampstead, Belize Park, Primrose Hill (my old neighborhood - parks, residential streets, restaurants)
Camden & Islington (Alternative music, Antiques, massive clothing & street markets, pubs, cafes)
Soho, Covent Garden, Central West End (Shopping, restaurants, theater, cinema, nightlife, opera, free art at National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery)
South Bank, Southwark, Borough (Museums, memorable pubs, strolls, gourmet foods and wines)
Westminster - St James’s (Historic and government sites, river strolls, St James’s Park)
The City (Old streets, the Tower of London, St Paul’s, financial concerns)
Shoreditch, Spitalfields & Hoxton (nightclubs, music, food of all types, galleries, clothing)
Greenwich (Museums, antique and food markets, river views, strolls, boats)
Richmond & Wimbledon (Parks, residential) - further out
Windsor (Palace, parks, residential) - further out
Tourist Stops: Buckingham Palace & Kensington Palace, Tower of London, London Eye, Big Ben & Palace of Westminster, Just like NYC, if this is your first time, you could certainly opt for a Hop-on hop-off bus tour for an overview while you get your bearings.
Movies & Books Tourism: There are many tours available for everything from Harry Potter to Sherlock Holmes, Jack the Ripper, and outside the city for Jane Austen, Shakespeare, and so many more historic writers. Search tours online or try Airbnb Experiences.
Museums & Galleries: There are so, so many but the big ones are: Victoria & Albert museum, National History Museum, The Royal Academy of Arts. Tate Modern, British Museum, National Gallery, Design Museum, Museum of London, National Maritime Museum, Horniman Museum, Sir John Soane’s Museum and so many more, including gems just outside the city.
Music & Theatre: The West End obviously, it’s legendary just like NY’s Broadway, or catch a classic at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Also there are many lovely luxury movie theaters in the city offer that offer food and cocktails too, like the wonderful Everyman Cinema chain. There are also so many beautiful places to hear music, big and small, but a favorite is certainly Royal Albert Hall.
Shopping: The lights on Bond Street and Oxford/Picadilly are fun for popular shops, and famous department stores like Liberty London, Selfridges, and Fortnum Mason are here. But the shops through Knightsbridge are lux too, Harrod’s is there, where you can duck down the side streets and head over to Kings Road and the colorful buildings of Kensington and Chelsea. But the markets and street fairs are always the most fun for clothes, antiques, art & food, like: Portobello Market, Camden Market, Borough Market, Brick Lane Market, Brixton Village and Market Row, Broadway Market, Columbia Road Flower Market, Covent Garden Market, Greenwich Market, Maltby Street Market. Obviously, if you are a big Antiquer like me, you will be in heaven with the many stores and collectives around the city - and Ebay has a lot of special finds locally too.
The Great Outdoors:
The many parks and gardens of the city are delightful as it is a very green city: Hyde Park, St. James Park, Kensington Gardens, Regent's Park, Victoria Park, Hampstead Heath, Richmond Park, Greenwich Park - Also, the annual RHS Chelsea Flower Show is a huge event, Queen Mary’s Rose Garden in Regent’s Park rose garden in beautiful when it blooms in, and the Columbia Road Flower Market in east London is one of my favorites.
Places to Stay:
I tend to prefer flat rentals via Airbnb or One Fine Stay, there are also so many hotels to chose from, from boutique to luxury. Of course the trendy set love Soho House, Nomad, and the Hoxton, - I also used Sonder locations for a longer stay when I first moved over, but it really depends what neighborhood you want to be in, how much space you need, and what kind of experience you are looking for. There are plenty of little local B&b type places to stay on a budget, but also a lot of luxury around the city. Here are some of the best according to Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveller, Points Guy, Time out London, and CNT’s Reads Choice.
Places to Eat:
Also impossible to roundup - as there are countries from around the world represented through culinary experiences here, from restaurants to markets. Check out the roundup lists like Eater’s Essential Restaurants, Time Out Best Restaurants, Esquire’s 52 best Restaurants, Conde Nast Traveller’s best restaurants. Of course, London has incredible Indian food so if you are a fan, you are in luck. I also recommend enjoying a traditional Sunday roast (see Eater’s favorites) at one of the many wonderful foodie pubs around the city - I used to frequent my old neighborhood pub The Washington in Belsize Park for this purpose.
Markets: A lot of street markets I mentioned above in ‘shopping’ is also food focused, like Borough Market
Afternoon Tea: I find Claridge’s and The Goring Hotel to do it best, though I have had a nice experience at The Connaught and The Marylebone too. Pretty much every luxury hotel will offer this service, along with specialty cafes. It really needs to be done at least once, make sure to book ahead. Here is the CNT list of the best ones
Escapes from the City
Taking a train from any of the stations is easy to explore - or if you want more of a tour, you can check out small group tours like Rabbie’s too. A handy tip is to download the app Trainline which I used to buy and scan all of my tickets, it was far less hassle.
England - Cornwall, Dorset, Oxford, Bath, Bristol, Cambridge, Brighton, Rye, Whitstable, Margate, Stratford-upon-Avon, and a number of beautiful spaces in the country like Hampshire. The possabilities are endless, these are just a few of my stops I made on weekends. Visit England tourism.
Scotland - I am a big fan of Edinburgh, and while you can fly there quickly, I liked my quiet time on the train. Visit Scotland tourism.
Wales - There are unfortunately no direct trains, so you will need to connect to Swansea or Cardiff. The national parks out that way are gorgeous. Visit Wales tourism.
*Paris - The Eurostar train is a gem, and fast service right to the heart of the city
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