First Visit to London

Our favorite area to stay is in Chelsea: very residential and so easy to jump on the tube. Also very posh, as they say. When we land from an overnight flight, we check in (or drop our bags, depending on the time) and head to Colbert for brunch. It’s fun to sit outside and people watch and help that jet lag. From here, it’s an easy walk to the Cheslea Physic Garden if you need some extra time to stretch your legs.

A perfect first day for us includes Westminster Abbey. There are several tickets and tours, but our favorite is to go for Evensong. You can either pay admission and end with evensong (at 5 pm) or the service itself is free. How beautiful can a church built in 1066 be, with the boys’ choir echoing into the original rafters? Sublime.

Cross the park to take pictures of Big Ben (the Elizabeth Clock Tower) and have your first intro to pub food at The Red Lion, Westminster. Fish and chips, beef pies, and of course, sticky toffee pudding to end the meal.

To walk off that dinner, we love to follow the path across the road and walk beside St. James' Park (view the swans) all the way to Buckingham Palace. Beautiful photos abound! Just soak in the feel of your first London evening.

I tend to like local experiences and slower itineraries, but I will admit that you MUST see the Tower of London. It’s likely the most crowded sightseeing that we will take on, but it simply cannot be skipped. Opening hours are at 9, so get there at 8:30 (there is a Starbucks across from the Tube station, so that helps with the wait.). Upon entering, go first to the Crown Jewels (the line for this becomes extra long as the day goes on) and then you are free to peruse as you see fit. Don’t miss the Traitor’s Gate where Princess Elizabeth was brought to stay in the tower!

It’s an easy walk across the Tower Bridge to Borough Market, and a great place for lunch. So many vendors and fun places to buy food. Our favorite is Padella, where the beef-shin ragu is stellar! Honestly, so is everything we ate there. A choice for tea in the afternoon is The Ivy (back near Tower Bridge), or there is also one on King’s Road back in Chelsea. We enjoy the tea and food, of course, and they both have beautiful settings, but are not quite as “fancy” as the Ritz. A more casual but still nice experience.

Back to Chelsea for dinner: every SINGLE time we go to London, we eat at Polpo. The amazing small plates and service cannot be overstated. There is beautiful seating outside but also a cozy area inside for a rainy or chilly night. Do make reservations for this one because they are quite popular with the local crowd.

I have a few other recommendations to round out your trip, depending on what activities you like. I love to tie in a day of exploring one of the parks in London; so much green space! And you truly get the local experience of seeing residents walk their dogs and babies, and just hang out after work. The culture is amazing.

For book lovers: Daunt Books is the prettiest bookstore you will ever see! This is in the area of Marylebone, and if you’re up this way, you can take a stroll in Regent’s Park (they have tea in the garden) and stop for lunch or dinner at The Jackalope (down a cobblestone street!) and go downstairs for one of the best noodles in the city.

Another idea is to check out Hyde Park…it really is remarkable. And huge. It’s fun to head up to the Mayfair area for our favorite fish and chips at The Mayfair Chippy. You can get takeaway and go to the park, or eat inside. This is adjacent to the Mercato Mayfair, which is a stunning, historic church building revamped into a vibrant food market. This also features a crypt and a rooftop bar, so lots of spaces to hang out.

I hope you love London as much as I do!