London is one of the most fun cities, in my opinion, because it simply has everything. If it were not for the gloomy and grey weather, I would totally consider living there for a year or two 🙂
What I love most about this city is that every street feels different. Each time you discover unique courtyards, alleys with boutique shops, interesting restaurants, and modern cafés. One moment you are on a young and modern street, and a few steps later you find yourself in an area that feels like a mix of India and Bangladesh, like in Banglatown.
I have been to London twice. The first time was with my husband Roman, a few years ago in November, and the second time was in March 2026 with my brother, who came from New York.
On both trips, the weather was relatively comfortable, but surprisingly, in March, we had days with no rain at all, while in November, we got caught in a few heavy rains. So it really comes down to luck in this city.
When I traveled this time with my brother, I was seven months pregnant, so it definitely affected our pace and how much we could fit into the trip. But even with the slower pace, we still managed to do quite a lot, including some unique experiences.
On my trip with Roman, we stayed at a friend’s house in the suburbs of London, which was less ideal in terms of location. This time with my brother, I stayed in Shoreditch, which in recent years has become a very trendy and popular neighborhood. There are great restaurants and cafés, and in the evenings there are lively nightlife areas. It is a young neighborhood with a cool vibe, and still less touristy compared to areas like Soho.
One great tip is to get a Go City Pass. It can save you up to £90 on London’s top attractions and includes entry to places like the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge, and over 100 other sites – all with one pass. It’s a super convenient way to explore as much as possible without worrying about buying individual tickets every time.
One more tip before we continue: If you’re planning a trip to London or any other destination in Europe, it’s worth knowing about Truely, one of the leading eSIM companies in the world. With just one eSIM, you can stay connected in over 190 destinations, without swapping SIMs in every country and without any hassle. Their plans are flexible, affordable, and up to 10 times cheaper than roaming, making Truely the perfect solution for anyone who wants fast, reliable internet while traveling, without the headache. An amazing musical, Moulin Rouge
Before the trip to London, we checked which musical we wanted to see. I had already seen Wicked and The Book of Mormon in the past, and so had my brother, so we ruled them out even though they were amazing. After checking recommendations with friends, we chose Moulin Rouge, and it was an excellent choice.
We booked tickets for good seats in row 9 in the middle. There is an option to buy drinks at the theatre bar and bring them to your seat, and you can even pre-order drinks for your seat before the show and during the intermission.
It is a combination of a sexy, funny, emotional, mesmerizing, and simply crazy musical. The set design, costumes, staging, songs, choreography, and actors were all at the highest level.
The musical is less suitable for children, so if you are traveling with kids you might want to choose something else, but for adults it is definitely not something you want to miss. We booked the tickets through the ATG website, and we actually had a very positive experience. We originally booked four tickets for me, my brother, and my sisters, but in the end my sisters could not join the trip. We contacted customer service three days before the show and they refunded us the money. 
A modern and surprising food tour in Soho
When I travel with my siblings, we love doing tours, especially food tours. When Sherpa Food Tours reached out to me for a collaboration about a month before our trip to London, I checked their reviews and saw they were excellent. I also liked that it is a relatively small company that was founded in Argentina and only started operating in London two years ago.
I decided it was worth trying. To be honest, my brother was quite skeptical at first since the tour takes place in the touristy Soho area, and he was worried we would end up eating at well known places with less interesting food. So we arrived without high expectations and ended up being very pleasantly surprised.
First of all, our guide Kevin was absolutely lovely and very knowledgeable about London. He was also very considerate of my pregnancy, making sure there was always something for me to eat and keeping a comfortable walking pace.
Beyond that, he took us to unique and less obvious places in Soho. The food was diverse, authentic, and surprising, a mix of British cuisine with a modern twist alongside excellent Asian food. I personally do not like to describe the dishes in food tours because it takes away from the surprise, so I will just say, trust me, the food was great.
In addition, throughout the tour he stopped between locations to share interesting and funny stories about buildings, shops, and the area itself, and also gave us recommendations for places worth visiting afterward. So beyond the culinary experience, we also learned a lot about London, its people, history, and atmosphere.
The tour started at 11:30, and luckily we had great weather with no rain. We had five different stops and finished feeling full and very satisfied. The tour lasted about four hours.
We were a small, diverse group: my brother, a guy from the US who now lives in Norway, and a family of five from Canada. We all chatted together and with Kevin, and the atmosphere was really pleasant and fun.
If you are looking for a surprising tour of London’s most famous neighbourhood, this is definitely one you should try.
Book a food tour with Sherpa food tours 
The British Museum
My brother and I went to the British Museum because it was a place he had wanted to visit for a long time, and honestly, I really liked it. It is one of the most famous museums in the world, with collections from all periods and cultures, including items like Egyptian mummies and the famous Rosetta Stone.
It is a huge museum to the point that one day is not enough to see everything, and definitely not a few hours, and definitely not for someone like me in advanced pregnancy who can barely move 🙂 So we took it easy and only visited one floor of the museum, the area of ancient Egypt and Persia.
There is an audio guide you can listen to through your phone, so I recommend bringing headphones. It really adds to the experience and helps you understand what you are seeing.
What I especially liked is that there are free guided tours in different areas of the museum throughout the day. We chose to join a tour of Japan. I thought it would be crowded, but there were only about ten people, and the area itself was relatively empty, so it was easy to hear the guide, and it felt more personal. The tour was about 40 minutes and very interesting.
Entrance to the museum is free, which is an amazing bonus. We arrived באמצע week on a Thursday at around 10:30 in the morning, and it was a great time to come without crowds. 
Luxury Chinese tea in London
Honestly, we had no idea what to expect when we saw there was a tea house near our apartment in Shoreditch, but the reviews were excellent and the photos looked beautiful, so we decided to try it. The place is called Gegend.
It was a bit hard to find the entrance because it is located inside a building on the first floor, within a gated complex, but somehow we managed to find it.
I have to admit I was surprised by the prices at first, since tea costs 18 pounds. But after sitting there, I understood why. First of all, it is a small place that cannot accommodate many people. Second, they refill your tea every time you finish it. And third, the place is very well designed and beautiful.
It is the kind of place that is perfect for a date, reading a book, or a relaxed meeting with a friend.
We spoke with one of the founders, and she told us they opened the place because there are not enough spots like this in London, truly quiet places with an atmosphere that allows you to relax away from the noise and rush of the city. And honestly, she is right. The moment you walk in, something shifts and you feel much calmer.
Besides the tea, we also ordered two desserts, and I really liked the matcha cheesecake. I am not usually a fan of matcha, but the flavor here was very subtle.
The place is open every day from 12:00 to 20:00, and they also host different events, so it is worth checking their website. We arrived on a Saturday at 17:00 and it was not crowded, but the staff said that earlier in the day it had been full. 
The best pizza in London
“It’s worth coming to London just to eat this pizza” is what my brother told me before we went to Story Deli. He travels to London a lot for work, and every time he comes, he makes sure to go there for pizza. Of course I was curious what kind of pizza it was and whether it was really that good, and the answer is yes. It is truly excellent. But I also have to say I was very surprised when we arrived, because it did not look like a pizzeria at all like I had imagined.
First of all, it is recommended to call them in advance because there is not always space and they are not always open. It is a very small place with a limited number of seats, and it is hard to even call it a restaurant. It feels more like an art space or a studio, with just a few tables, very soft lighting, and an almost “secret” intimate atmosphere. If I had not come with my brother who had been there before, I would have thought we were in the wrong place.
People come here for the experience and not just for the food, although the pizza really is one of the best and most unique I have had. The couple who run the place are super nice and interesting, I definitely recommend talking to them because they are friendly and funny. Lee, who is in charge of the kitchen, prepares everything himself, uses only organic ingredients, and puts a lot of effort into each pizza with creative topping combinations. The dough is very thin and crispy, and the essence of the pizza is really in the toppings.
There is a menu of recommended pizzas, but you can also go wild and create your own. They also have really good desserts.
The pizza costs £30. My brother and I ordered two pizzas to share and two desserts.
I really think this is a place you should not miss if you are in London. There is a chance you will arrive and the door will be locked, just knock and wait for them to open, but of course do not forget to call in advance to make sure they are open. 
Spitalfields Market
We actually got to this market by chance because we were heading to a nearby café, Nagare, which is highly recommended. We arrived right when the market opened, around 10 in the morning, so there were hardly any people and we could walk around comfortably.
It is a covered and pleasant market located in East London, not far from the famous Brick Lane Market. It combines permanent and rotating stalls. There are coffee and food stalls, souvenirs, art, hats, children’s clothing, and all kinds of nice things you can discover while wandering around.
There is also a Flying Tiger store there, where I bought some creative gifts for my daughters, which is always a good option.
What I especially liked about the market is its location. If it is a sunny day, like it was for us, you can sit outside the market where there are seating areas and grass. You can grab a smoothie or takeaway coffee from the market and just sit there and relax. Directions. 
Recommended cocktail bar Seed Library
Although I was pregnant, I always enjoy going to cocktail bars, and for me, a good cocktail bar is also measured by its ability to make a good mocktail. So after trying a mocktail at Seed Library, I can say it is definitely a recommended bar.
They made me a non alcoholic spicy margarita, and it was really excellent. It did not feel like anything was missing even without alcohol, which is a very good sign in my opinion.
Beyond that, the atmosphere in the bar is fun, with a modern design and great service. A place worth visiting even if you do not drink alcohol. 
Eccleston Yards
If you are in the Buckingham Palace area and the weather is sunny, I highly recommend going to the inner courtyard Eccleston Yards. It is a pleasant and relatively quiet urban courtyard. To me, it felt like a hidden corner within the city, even though it is very close to a central area.
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There is a nice atmosphere with seating and picnic tables, and several cafés and restaurants around the courtyard, so you can grab a coffee or something small to eat and just relax. The place does not feel overly touristy, which is part of its charm.
If the weather is good, it is a great place to stop, sit in the sun, read a book, or just take a quiet break in the middle of a busy day. Sometimes there are also yoga classes or small events, which add to the calm vibe of the place. 
Bike tour
London is a very large city, so large that if you’ll want to get from one place to the next, you’ll likely have to walk for an hour (Or take the metro, of course). One of the best ways to see the famous sites in a short period of time is a bike tour. We got a tour with the Brakeaway company and had an amazing time. We had great weather, the guide was interesting and funny, and London is a great city to peddle in, in general (It has bike lanes most everywhere) – Especially on weekdays when it isn’t as crowded. You can read more about the tour in the post about the bike tour.
Musical Wicked
Another recommended musical I saw on my previous trip with Roman is Wicked, which we’ve heard many recommendations for. We sat on the middle of the 13th row. The seats were perfect and the show even more so. It’s a really funny, intriguing and thought-out show.
I don’t think there’s anyone who wouldn’t enjoy it. However, it’s only recommended if you’re able to comprehend English easily. While most of the musical revolves around singing, there’s also dialog and it’s hard to follow if you don’t speak the language. Show ticket purchase. 
Champagne with a view
If you’ve read any of my posts before, you’ll likely know that Roman and I love looking for places with a good view and have alcohol and coffee there. London, it turns out, has several places to do just that. Many people buy tickets to the Shard, just to go up to the vantage point, take pictures and go back down.
A much more recommended option is to enter from the back and go up to the bar, so instead of wasting money on a tourist attraction, you can spend the same sum or less on a glass of wine at the bar and take photos of the same view.
It’s recommended to book a table in advance, as this is a popular place. When we got there there as no room, so we decided to go to the Oblix bar in the adjacent building, which is also a restaurant and have champagne there. The Oblix is on the 32nd floor, unlike the Shard which is on the 52nd floor, but it still had a perfect view of the city (Unfortunately, the weather had become a bit cloudy when we went up, but it added a dramatic twist to the pictures, so it wasn’t that bad). 
Jazz show at a super cool place in Brixton
When I was on a family trip in Madrid, my brother showed me the wonders of the Airbnb experiences. Basically, besides the website offering rental apartments for traveling, they also opened an entire section about travel experiences where you can find workshops, tours and many other fun activities. In Madrid and Barcelona, we did food tours through them, and this time I found a jazz concert there which sounded really nice (And had many good reviews), it’s in a hidden gem in London.
I actually considered passing on it on the day of the show, as it was cold and the place was far from where we were staying (At a friend’s place in north London), but we decided to go and I’m really glad we didn’t give up on it.
Beyond the show itself being fascinating, with a highly talented set of performers, the place itself was really cool as well. It’s a container field with street food and alcohol.
What was nice about it is that we could buy food and drinks and enter the show. So, we bought ourselves a pizza (Which was fantastic! Stone oven pizza), and apple cider and sat like that at the concert. Jazz fans will surely enjoy, and if you don’t feel like a show, you can just visit this area for a nightly hangout. It has a great atmosphere with places to sit. The place is called The Pop Box in Brixton. Map.
A 30-Euro discount coupon on your first order from Airbnb.
Best cocktail bar in the world
Speaking of alcohol, as sworn alcohol enthusiasts, we had to try London’s famous bar, which has won the “Best bar in the world” four times in a row, the Artesian bar.
It’s honestly hard for me to say it’s the best bar I’ve ever been to, but it definitely feels lucrative, and the prices are to match. If you come here, be prepared to pay 20 pounds for a cocktail. While it’s a lot of money for one cocktail, since we love cocktails, visiting the place once was worth it for us. We booked seats in advance (For 17:00, as there were none available later than that) and sat on the bar (We love sitting at the bar at cocktail bars, since watching the bartenders making our cocktails is a lot of fun). The cocktails were excellent, and if you’re a fan of the genre, it’s worth visiting at least once.
Parks in town
You can visit London without walking around it’s parks. You can spend a whole day just walking from one to the other, stopping for a coffee every now and then. I recommend starting with Saint James park, then going to Green park and then Hyde park. These three parks are adjacent to one another and so you can pass between them with no problem.
Borough market
One of the fun things about London is the large selection of markets it has. One of my favorite markets to visit was Borough market, a large food market with a great selection of street food stalls, as well as high quality local produce like cheeses, hams, spices, breads and more. It’s open everyday besides Sundays, from 10:00 to 17:00. On Mondays to Wednesdays not all of the stalls are open, but it’s also less crowded. It’s recommended to come hungry.
Local hockey game
My friend, who lives in London, recommended I check the Alexandra Palace. She said it’s a place with many events and has a good vantage point over the city as it’s on a hill. While looking through their website, I’ve noticed there’s a hockey match. Since we’ve never been at one before, we decided this would be a good opportunity. We arrived at the game at 17:30 and it cost 7 pounds. Unfortunately, it was a rainy day, so we couldn’t see the city like we planned, but the game was lovely, and it was an interesting local experience. I don’t think it’s a must-do when on a short trip to London, but if you’re traveling with kids or enjoy watching sports, it could prove a nice attraction.
Sunday Roast lunch
In most bars and some restaurants, on Sunday, you’ll find a special lunch. The menu will be different from the rest of the week and most of it will be roasted food with plenty of alcohol, as usual. We went to the restaurant our bike tour guide recommended, The Anchor & Hope (Map).
It’s a relatively expensive restaurant, but the food there is great. It was full when we arrived, and we incidentally managed to get a spot by the bar (It’s not the most comfortable place to sit, so I recommend booking a table in advance). We ordered a dish of roast carrots, which was good and a roast meat dish with potatoes. It was great as well! We ordered wine and beer too. The place has a great atmosphere. If you’re in London on a Sunday, it’s worth going to the bar at lunch and taking part in their tradition.
Camden market
If you ask the locals, they’ll likely tell you they don’t frequent Camden market at all, but as a tourist I think you have to go there at least once. It’s a great place for special souvenirs and there are many food stalls as well. We had yam soup there, which was great and a dish of vegan Shepperd’s pie with vegan Mac & cheese which was delicious (The restaurant is called Vegan young, on the bottom floor at the market).
Covent garden
So, of course, Covent Garden is one of London’s famous locations and there’s no chance you won’t pass through it when you’re there, but I’ll mention it anyway as it’s beautiful there (Especially before Christmas with the holiday decorations). 
Chinatown
Like many cities around the world, you’ll find Chinatown in London as well. As soon as you arrive to the area, you feel like you’ve gone to China. I recommend going there after Covent Garden, as they’re close to each other, that way you can have lunch there. We sat down at the Joy King Lau restaurant, which was very good. We ordered steamed shrimp dumplings there, which were excellent, so we ordered another serving. We also ordered Won Ton soup (A type of filled dumplings) , and Roman had a duck dish that was great as well.
Booking tickets online for attractions in London
Hop on hop off bus
A sightseeing bus tour that takes you to different attractions around London
A boat cruise on the river from Westminster to Greenwich
Buckingham Palace entrance ticket
One great tip is to get a Go City Pass. It can save you up to £90 on London’s top attractions and includes entry to places like the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge, and over 100 other sites – all with one pass. It’s a super convenient way to explore as much as possible without worrying about buying individual tickets every time.
In conclusion, London is a fun and lively city. There are so many things to do for couples, friends, and families. We really enjoyed walking around the city, joining tours, exploring markets, and enjoying high quality cafés and bars.
When we visited in November, the city was already starting to get decorated for Christmas, which was beautiful, and in March we were lucky to have great weather with no rain.
I hope this post helped you. If it did, I would love for you to leave a comment below, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments or message me on the blog’s social media on Facebook and Instagram.
