As we say farewell to our American intern Olivia Schroeder, she shares her top tips for anyone making their first visit to London.
In the 4 short months I have been here I have discovered many cultural differences between the states and England, but I have learned to blend in just seamlessly, at least I think so. My friends and I can usually pick out our fellow Americans before they even open their mouths. (Hint: they normally look lost.). Here I will try to pass on my recently acquired knowledge of this city to others who are not fortunate enough to call themselves Londoners. I could probably write book about what to do and what not to do as a tourist in London, but we can call this post the abridged version. This is my London List.
1. Bus Tour
The first thing you must do when arriving in a new city as famous as this one is to do the most touristy thing possible: go on a bus tour. I went on a bus tour during my first weekend here and even though I was still suffering from minor jetlag I was glad I got to look at the sightseer highlights from a well heated and dry bus. Did I mention that it rained for about 2 weeks straight when I got here? Trafalgar Square, St. Peters Cathedral, Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey…you name it, these tours show it all. A bus tour, although a little lame, it is a necessary evil. This way you get to see the places that you want to go back to and spend more time.
2. Market Exploration
One thing London has that makes it unique is the markets. These markets must be explored. Borough Market is best to shop for food because it has everything! There are fresh fruits and vegetables, meats and delicious sweets. But it is not open on Sundays so keep that in mind and do not show up like I did wondering where everything was. Camden Lock Market is huge; I always get turned around and end up walking deeper into the market when I am trying to find an exit. This market has all kinds of food, clothes, accessories, basically anything you can think of you will find in Camden. It is crowded and everything is packed in together but going to this market is not just a shopping trip, it is an experience. Then we have my favorite, Old Spitalfields Market. This particular market is surrounded by brick and mortar stores and restaurants, but does not feel nearly as crowded as Camden. I have found some of my favorite jewelry pieces at Old Spitalfields. After an afternoon of shopping you can walk to Crêpe Affair right next to the market and dine on a delicious banana and Nutella crêpe.
3. Pick a museum
Museums in London are free. So accommodate your culture loving side and check one out, there are plenty to choose from. Here are my favorite things from each museum I went to:
British Museum – the Rosetta stone
Victoria & Albert Museum– Selling Dreams: One Hundred Years of Fashion Photography
Tate Modern– The Rothko Room
Tate Britain– Joseph Mallord William Turner’s “The Sun of Venice Going to Sea”
Natural History Museum– Dinosaurs…need I say more
London Transport Museum– Old London buses
National Gallery – Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’ and George Stubbs’ ‘Whistlejacket’
National Portrait Gallery – Starring Vivien Leigh: A Centenary Celebration
4. The London Eye
The most popular, paid UK attraction had to make it onto my list. Take a ride on the London Eye. Do it once, I promise that once is enough. The eye has 32 passenger pods and it takes about half an hour to make a full rotation. If you are like me and hate lines you can opt for the Fast Track entry and it is well worth the extra money! It was such a great sight to see out over London. The Eye is not to be missed!
5. Ride the bus
If you are looking to see more of London and get away from the touristy areas I suggest you ride the bus. Yes, riding the red double-decker buses made it onto my London List. Download the app City Mapper and you will be a bus pro in no time. I really should send a thank you letter to the creators of City Mapper, for they have saved me more times than I can count. My friends and I will hop on a bus, with a general idea of where it is going, and just observe London. This has let us find restaurants to check out, cool stores to shop in and helped us learn the layout of the city. The bus allows for you to see things you cannot see while taking the tube.
6. See the changing of the guards
America lacks royalty, unless you consider Brad and Angelina Hollywood royals. But let’s be honest, the world is obsessed with the British Royal Family and baby George is an adorable addition. Palaces and guards are quite unusual, so to get to see the ever popular changing of the guards is a treat. Seeing the Queen’s Guard change at Buckingham Palace is something every tourist must do.
7. Shop
The shopping in London is top notch. Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and the list goes on. Whenever we were in need of some retail therapy my friends and I would head straight for Oxford Street. We were not the only ones; 100 million people walk the street every year. There are major department stores and other smaller shops that can cater to everyone in London. Going toOxford Streeton a Saturday afternoon is normally not a good idea, unless of course getting stuck in large crowds is your thing. I have found the least busy time to shop is around mid-morning, so keep that in mind.
8. Tower of London
The Tower of London is almost 1,000 years old. Built by William the Conquer, it has been a palace, a fortress and a prison. Inside her majesty’s Crown Jewels and the Royal Armories are housed. While you do get a condensed history lesson I would recommend doing a bit of digging in the past yourself. The tales of the Tower of London and surrounding area are rather fascinating.
9. Park Picnic
If the weather permits there is nothing more relaxing than lying in the grass in a park. This easily made it onto my London List. My friends and I live near Hyde Park and on sunny afternoons we will bring our lunch, tacos usually because we are not stereotypical, picnic sandwich eaters, and soak up the Vitamin D. If you bring a tin of Ben’s Cookies I can promise your park experience will increase exponentially.
10. Street Art Tour
Everyone has heard of Banksy, but there are so many other talented artists who have work covering the streets. Do not go to Canary Wharf or South Kensington and expect to find street art. East London is the best place to look. If you have the time, book a tour. The tour guides are well informed about the work’s purpose and even know many of the artists. Look for ROA’s work. He is an amazing Belgian artist that works all over the world. He creates giant, realistic animals by mainly using black and white. Go see the works before they get painted over!