London Travel Guide

Hey, y’all!  This is my first of many travel guides from my month long trip to Europe this summer.  I will be sharing tips from each locations and my most favorite places to eat (obvi), drink and do/see, what I wore and where we stayed.

Let’s start with good ole LONDON TOWN!  I’ve been to London the most out of all of the European cities, and like NYC, it never gets old!  Great food, beautiful neighborhoods, gorg blooms, amazing sites and incredible shopping!  I think the amount of flowers, pink buildings, colorful doors and lil’ cafes were at an all-time high this trip! LOL 🙂  If you followed along with me on Instagram… you know 😉  We also headed out to countryside for a weekend to celebrate two of our fave humans get married.  It was unreal and incredibly beautiful!  Too get a BTS look at our trip, make sure to check out my “ENGLAND” highlight on my Instagram stories.

There is most definitely a THEME when Luke and I travel – WALK and EAT our way through each city.  It’s all about balance – amiright?!  I believe it’s the best way to see a city, find hidden gems and experience the culture.  London is a great city to walk – v safe.  One day alone Luke and I walked 10 miles!  We strolled from our hotel in Mayfair, all the way to Notting Hill and back around.  Of course, along the way we stopped at Peggy Porchen, the most gorg pink/bloom café, ate a delish lunch at Farm Girl in Notting Hill and finally ended drinking a pint at The Churchill Arms pub!  THE perfect day in London.

Please note, the way Luke and I travel is NOT super touristy, meaning there is absolutely NO riding on giant double decker buses and tour groups happening. 😉  We like to do a little research before and explore once we arrive.  Having no plans sometimes is the best!  I will say, I tend to make a reservation or two for dinner if I have a few spots I know I want to go.

Ok, here are all the deets on London…

Top 3 Tips || London

1. Expensive city – not only are things pricey in general BUT the UK currency (pounds) is currently 1 lb to 1.3 dollars.  Yikes!  Get ready to spend some moolah!

2. Getting around town – taxis are great and very easy to use.  I would highly recommend!

3. Pack a converter- remember each country in Europe has different plug than the U.S.  If you want to use a curling iron, straightener or charge your phone, don’t forget a converter!

Eat & Drink

1.Peggy Porchen Cakes – This by far is the prettiest pink cafe I’ve ever laid my eyes on.  The entire corner of the building is blush and engulfed with blooms (see image above).  Not only is it beautiful to look at but it has delicious sweet treats, teas and coffee.  Luke and I got a berry cupcake, cappuccino and summer berry iced tea.  All delish!  It is worth the visit BUT I would recommend going in the morning as it gets crowded.

2. Elan Café – This café, like Peggy Porchen, is filled with pink goodness and flowers inside.  Unlike PP, Elan has food and it’s incredible!  Luke and I ordered the Breakfast Plate – Mediterranean yum yum!  If you have a sweet tooth, Elan can take care of that with all of there numerous bakery goodies – check out the window when you walk in.

3. Coppa Club Tower Bridge – Location, location, location!  This hip spot has decent food BUT the best part is the view of the Tower Bridge!  It’s an absolutely gorg place to enjoy brunch and/or lunch and take in the view.  We ordered the avocado toast and had Aperol Spritzes – it was perfection!

4. Sketch – Words can’t express ALL of the interior amazingness happening in this restaurant/art gallery.  Not only is everything blush from head-to-toe, but they have delicious cocktails, fun art and the coolest space pod bathroom situation I’ve ever seen.  To get a BTS look watch my “ENGLAND” highlight on my Instagram Story.  It was a blast!  OH and P.S., it’s pricey!

5. Nopi – I can’t say enough good things about Nopi.  It has been one of my faves in London for 3+ years.  No matter what you order, it will be full of flavor and v fresh.  This is a place I always try to go to for dinner when in town.  It’s a staple!

6. Farm Girl Café Notting Hill – We walked from Mayfair to Notting Hill to try this lil’ café for a late lunch.  Not only was it charming but the drinks and food were very healthy.  Exactly what we were looking for! We had the Ginger Kombucha and Rose Latte (pictured below)… ya, it was to die for!!  A must-try! For food we tried the Avocado Toast (obvi), Acaí Bowl and Farm Salad.  Hands down, the salad was the best with an incredible pesto dressing.  #nomnom 🙂

7. The Churchill Arms – Pictured below, this pub is surrounded with the prettiest blooms and my first thought was, this can’t be a bar, BUT it sure is.  It’s one of the oldest pubs around and is a classic spot to grab a pint or have a traditional English Pimms cocktail (gin, lemonade or soda and fresh mint).  Inside you could stare at all of the decor and memorabilia for hours.  It’s V cool!

8. Connaught Hotel Bar – If  you’re looking for the best cocktail around, especially if you like martinis, this is THE place for you.  It’s fancy and the decor is out of this world, reminding me of the 20s.  I legit felt like I was transported into Great Gatsby.  Not only is the ambiance incredible, the service was superb and when Luke ordered his martini, the bartender rolled over a cart to make it in front of us!  Yes, similar to when you get guacamole made in front of you at a Mexican restaurant… just like, much fancier! LOL 🙂  It was the coolest experience!  The bartender was asking all sorts of questions to ensure they made him THE perfect drink.  It was delicious and prob the best tini I’ve ever had!   A MUST-GO when in London!

Do/See

1. Walk, walk and walk some more – London is a great town to see on foot.  There are so many colorful neighborhoods, lil’ shops and fun doors and the only way to find them is by walking!

2. Harrods – This is one of the first department stores in the world and let me tell you, it’s EXTRA.  Not only are the fashions out of this world but so is the food! They have a giant food hall that is a must-see… and EAT!  I also highly recommend having a treat in the ice cream parlor.  It’s next level 🙂

3. Notting Hill – The most colorful neighborhood in London – buildings and doors are all colors of the rainbow with each home having a special character of it’s own.  It is a beautiful part of London to walk around and shop.  My favorite streets for shopping are around Westbourne Grove and Ledbury Rd.

4. Buckingham Palace / Changing of the Guards (11 AM) – Ok, this is the most touristy thing Luke and I have done in London and totally worth it.  Be forewarned, it’s very busy so get ready to be around A LOT of people.  I highly recommend seeing the Changing of the Guards once in your life. Totally worth it!

5. Walk over the London Bridge – After our fun lunch at Coppa Club Tower Bridge, Luke and I decided to walk over the bridge.  We’d never done it before and it was a fun lil’ jaunt.  Being on the actual bridge is spectacular.

Sleep

1. Haymarket – As I mentioned above, London is expensive, and especially hotels!!  We stayed at Haymarket last time we were in London and I think it’s the best bang for your buck.  It’s a mid-range hotel, with great amenities, fun decor and the best service.  I highly recommend this property!  OH, and the location is great, situated right in the hart of  the theater district and Regent street shopping area.

2. Langham – This is a beautiful 5 star hotel.  To be honest, it is very expensive and the rooms are tiny.  I was definitely underwhelmed.  We stayed here because of a wedding, but if I could do it over, I’d stay at Haymarket again.

Outfits

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