I love everything British. I love British royalty. I love a high tea. I love the British accent. So to say I was excited for our London stop, the last stop on my mom’s 60th birthday trip, was an understatement. Just like in Paris, we decided to purchase the London Pass prior to our trip to avoid having to purchase tickets at each attraction along the way. We bought the 2 day pass which was £79 each. When you add up the admissions for everything we did, it was definitely worth the price.
We took the 6am train from Bruges to Brussels, where we boarded the Eurostar. The Eurostar is a high speed train that goes through the English Channel into London. For a good portion of the trip you are under water, which freaked me out a little, but ended up being a quick and easy ride. We arrived at St Pancras Station around 9am and immediately headed to our hotel. We chose the Crestfield Hotel because it was inexpensive and only a 5-10 min walk from St Pancras Station. We wanted to save time getting to and from since we were only in London for 2 days. The hotel was small and somewhat dated, but the rooms were spacious, clean and comfortable and they offered a free breakfast with a decent spread; which was all we really needed for our brief stay. It is also a few minutes walk to the King’s Cross tube station. The tube system is easy to navigate and well-connected so that you are able to get anywhere in London in a timely manner.
After checking in to the hotel, we hopped on the tube and headed to Trafalgar Square, where we picked up our Original London Sightseeing hop on hop off bus tour tickets. We explored Trafalgar Square then boarded the bus to our first stop, St. Paul’s Cathedral. This was one of the few places that was not on the London Pass, so we had to pay the £18 to visit. It is beautiful inside (no pictures are allowed so you’ll have to take my word for it); however if you plan on visiting other churches and cathedrals while you are in London, it may not be worth the money, as others are either free or included on the London Pass.
We stopped for a quick bite to eat at a sandwich and coffee shop called Apostrophe near St. Paul’s, then headed back out for more sightseeing. We hopped back on the bus, and after a ride over the magnificent Tower Bridge, hopped off again at the Tower of London. We explored the grounds and rooms inside the Tower of London, then made our way to see the infamous Crown Jewels. Unfortunately taking pictures of the jewels is also not allowed, but as you would imagine, they are fabulous.
We left the Tower of London and made a quick stop at the All Hallows by the Tower Church just across the street, which is the oldest church in the City of London. It’s dark and old but grand inside and literally sits on the edge of the City of London. Side note: I didn’t realize that the actual City of London is relatively small, and does not include everything you think of when you think London. To define the city boundaries, there are statues of dragons across the city. Very Game of Thrones, which I love and appreciate.
After touring the church we hopped back on the bus and drove along the River Thames, past the London Eye and made our way to Westminster Abbey and Parliament Square. We first stopped and got a few picts of Big Ben in all his glory, then went inside to explore Westminster Abbey. Pictures are also not allowed inside Westminster Abbey (this appears to be an unfortunate trend in London), but it is magnificent, and included on the London Pass. For someone like me who loves British royalty, so many events have happened here, that to be in the room where it happened is pretty incredible.
After leaving Westminster Abbey, we stopped at a pub called The Porcupine for a dinner consisting of traditional fish and chips and cocktails. British food is heavy, but the fish and chips were fantastic and worth every calorie. After dinner, we headed back towards our hotel, however before exiting King’s Cross Station, we stopped to visit Platform 9¾. As a huge Harry Potter fan, this was definitely something I wanted to check out. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was thrilled when I saw the opportunity to take pictures running through the wall with Harry’s cart and Hedwig the owl (nerd alert). They have a professional photographer taking pictures that you can purchase from the gift shop, but they also allow you to take your own. There was about a 10 minute line to have your picture taken, which was totally worth it. I ended up buying two of the professional pictures and a few other HP themed items before we called it a night. It was a busy, but productive first day in London!
Day 2:
After eating breakfast at the hotel, we headed out for the last full day of our dream European vacation. We started the day with a walk through beautiful Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, which are a great escape from the hustle and bustle of city. We lucked out having a sunny day to explore. We stopped to visit the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain and saw the Albert Memorial. Directly across the street from the Albert Memorial is the famous Royal Albert Hall. Unfortunately we did not get to go inside or see a show at The Royal Albert Hall, but next time I’m in London it is going on my list of must visit places. I hear it is incredible.
After leaving Kensington Gardens, our next stop was Kensington Palace. We explored the palace and grounds, which were impressive, but the best part of this stop was the Diana Fashion Exhibit that was on display. Many of Diana’s gowns and clothing she had worn over the years were shown as well as gorgeous pictures of her. She was an icon in the fashion and pop culture world and getting a small glance into her life was unexpected and exciting. We had a quick lunch in the cafe at Kensington Palace, which had a nice variety of reasonably priced and tasty soups, sandwiches, pastries and beverages, then continued on our sightseeing adventures.
Since the theme of day 2 was Royalty, our next stop had to be Buckingham Palace. They allow tours inside Buckingham Palace in the summer months only, which meant that we could only see the outside (we visited in April), but it was still fabulous. The day we visited the Union Jack flag was on display, which meant that the Queen was not there. I was really hoping for a surprise family gathering where they all came out on the balcony to wave to us commoners below, but no such luck this time around. Next time I’m there I have plans to see a member of the Royal family with my own eyes.
After leaving Buckingham Palace we rode the bus over to the London Eye, where we had tickets for an afternoon ride. We purchased our tickets online before we left the US in order to save a few bucks. You risk not having the best weather by picking a date and time in advance, but it was much cheaper than the flex ticket. I would suggest buying the ticket online, even if immediately before, just to avoid the ticket line once you get there, as it was really long. Fortunately for us, the weather held out so we had great views of London from the sky. The ride is 30 minutes with panoramic views of the city the entire way. When we finished our ride, we happened to stumble along a few food carts, one of which sold fresh popped popcorn. Popcorn is my favorite food and after not having any the whole trip I was beyond excited to find some on the last day. It’s the little things, right?
The last tour stop of the day was a boat ride down the River Thames. The boat ride was a really nice way to see the city, as you go under many of the bridges, pass the HMS Belfast and see many iconic places in London such as Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, the Tate Modern, Big Ben, the London Eye and more. There is both indoor and outdoor seating on the boat so it will be enjoyable regardless of the weather. The boat ride was also included on the London Pass so no additional cost to us. I have found that boat/canal rides are a great way to see European cities as many of them have rivers or canals running through the city centers, providing a unique view and perspective of the city. And who doesn’t like being on a boat?!
The boat ride dropped us off at the Tower Bridge Pier, where we hopped back on the tour bus, and ended up back in Trafalgar Square. We stopped for dinner at a pub called the Silver Cross and had more fish and chips, a traditional steak and ale pie and some local English cider. A delicious, proper British dinner to end our fantastic trip.
After dinner, we headed back to our hotel to pack and prepare for a LONG day of travel the next day. We took the 6am Eurostar back to Paris, where we boarded our plane to head home. A tip, you really don’t need to be at the train station more than 20-30 minutes prior to your departure. There is no security, limited seating and absolutely nothing to do while you wait. Stay in bed the few minutes longer, it’s a much better use of your time.
Because we flew Icelandair we had a quick 2 hour stopover in Reykjavik. (Side note: when flying Icelandair, you can take your stopover on the way to or from your other European destination; we took ours on the way there). We landed in NYC around 8pm and took a taxi back to my apartment, where we crashed (4 countries in 19 hours will do that to you). It was a whirlwind trip but we had the best time. My mom’s 60th birthday and our first European vacation together went seamlessly. We went to 4 beautiful cities, saw so many amazing sights, had delicious food and drinks and immersed ourselves in new cultures and experiences. I’ve got my work cut out for me when planning the 65th birthday vacation because this one will be tough to top…but I’m up for the challenge. Can’t wait to see where our next adventure takes us!
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