London in a weekend! How to make the most of your stay – Updated!

London is the one European city that attracts me like a magnet. It is vibrant and crowded with people. Every minute you spend outside, on the streets, new impulses just keep touching your senses.  Since I have been to the city quite often, I think you can experience the best of London in a weekend.  Of course, if you are new to this destination, you won’t be able to see all the highlights in just one weekend. But, I think it all depends on what you want to do. There are a couple of ways to make your trip to make the most of your stay. Guess what, it all starts with determining your purpose.

I remember my first time to this city and how overwhelmed I was by the amount of shops and people everywhere. I myself am not estranged from big cities, but London is of a whole other genre. Crowded streets are filled with a mix of tourists, eccentric locals, street artists or fashionista’s wearing the latest ‘it dress’.  I felt inspired by just strolling around through area’s like SoHo, Camden, Nottinghill or Covent Garden. And at that point I didn’t even see the tourist highlights yet!!

Decide on your purpose; how do you want to experience London in a weekend?

Updated: See the beauty of London in Bankside

During my last visit in London, I discovered yet another great part of the city. Therefore it is time to update this blogpost with my recent find. I usually always stay around Paddington as it is convenient to travel there from Heathrow, but this time I decided to shake things up a bit. I stayed at the CitizenM hotel on Bankside, right behind the Tate Modern museum. The hotel is really worth a recommendation as they take the best of hotel (your own room) and hostel (socializing) and combine it into a perfect mix. The rooms are high quality and efficient and the lobby is like one big living room with a welcoming vibe. It is the perfect place to have a drink and recover from a day of exploring.

So for the weekend that I was there, I played tourist for a bit and I saw some of London’s beauty along the Thames.

Bankside is already a destination on itself, where there is plenty to do when you want to entertain yourself in London in a weekend. The area even has it’s own tourist page packed with things to do and itineraries to keep you going. So if you want to know every detail, this is the website to check out: http://www.visitbankside.com/itineraries  .

The perfect stroll along the Thames

The main feature of this area is the long walkway along the Thames, right towards the Tower Bridge. I started this walk right by the Millennium Bridge, on the south side of the Thames. The first thing to come upon is the Shakespeare theater (Shakespeares Globe), that originates from 1599. Since the late 1990’s the theater was updated and adjusted to the modern requirements. For culture lovers, the theater still shows performances of Shakespeares work.

When you stroll a bit further you come by the Borough High Street, which is know as the “spine of the ancient town of Southwark”. Today the neighborhood looks cozy and charming, but in the old days, it was home to prisons and some of London’s worst slums.  Around the Borough Markets, you find a lot of hip places for brunch, a cup of coffee or fresh baked bread. This is also a place where you can easily drift off and start exploring all the little streets the run through this part of town.

But, if you further continue the walkway along the Thames, you will find that more pleasantries are right ahead, such as the London Bridge Hays Galleria. The Galleria used to be a Wharf where tea clippers from India and China docked. The Wharf was transformed in order to restore its former glory. Nowadays you will find some nice restaurants and bars in the Galleria along with some small shops.

The walk ends with plenty of photo opportunities to capture the Tower Bridge. And if you still have energy to go on, across the bridge you will find the tourist highlight “The Tower of London”.

Why Bankside?

One of the things I liked a lot about Bankside was the eclectic mix of pubs and restaurants that you can find in the area. It has a different, more laid-back atmosphere than other parts of London, like Soho or Notting Hill. I visited a restaurant of Gordon Ramsey located in an old warehouse that I can really recommend. Furthermore the location is quite central and in easy travel distance of all of London’s highlights. Last but not least, even though the walkway along the Thames can be quite packed, the crowds disappear just a couple of blocks south, so you can even find a bit of piece and quiet in this hectic city.

Visit London to go Shopping

If you look to extend your current wardrobe or if you want to go nuts and just shop for the sake of it, London is the place to be! Next to the standard big retailers, there are some amazing UK brands that are worth a visit. Here are some of my favorite spots for a shopping spree.

Warehouses

London has a lot of different warehouses, where you can find all the latest ‘it-brands’ under one roof. If I was allowed to visit only one of the many warehouses, I wouldn’t hesitate, but immediately pick Selfridges. The large store in Oxford street, has head turning window displays, that radiate nothing but creativity. Once you enter the store, you will experience an extraordinary, captivating and inspiring place. It can even be a bit overwhelming as the collection is big! The collection offers only the brands, that are hip and happening.

The other big, and well known, warehouse is Harrods. I am sure this name speaks for itself, so I won’t bore you with the details. But if you come to London for shopping, be sure to pass by at this iconic store.

Brands from the UK

Aside from the famous premium British brands like Alexander McQueen or Vivienne Westwood,  there are some nice brands that have their origins in the UK. All of them have shops throughout all areas of the city. My favorite examples are; Ted Baker, Reiss, Karen Millen, the Kooples, All Saints, Whistles and Jigsaw.

If you want to step away from the big shopping area’s like Oxfort Street and Regent Street, try the ‘hidden’ Carnaby Street. You can find it in the SoHo district, that is just a couple of steps away from Regent street. Here, the shops are smaller, more intimate and have invested a bit more in having a unique identity.

Find your rough edge in Camden

If you want a more unique shopping experience, that gives you a true London feeling, go to Camden! The street markets are the place to be for alternative clothing and funny items. Shop between extravagant locals and put your creativity to use when browsing through unique assortments in clothing, jewelry, bags and art. The Camden area is a bit further from the city center, but a trip there, will not disappoint you. It took me 3 visits to London to finally discover this place, but I loved it!

You can find another market that sells all sorts of oddities, at Portobello Road. Here you can browse through collections of antiques, clothing, food and accessories. Don’t forget to explore some of the side streets by the way, you never know what else you will discover. As a bonus, the streets are very cozy and there are some nice coffee places for a well deserved break from shopping.

Food and nightlife are always a good choice when you visit London in a weekend!

My second favorite reason to visit London in a weekend is the food! The variety is enormous and there are plenty of offers for every budget. Since there is so much good food to discover and we only eat 3 meals a day, there is only so much you can try unfortunately.

Breakfast/Brunch

Since it becomes more and more popular to have breakfast or brunch at a cool place, your London trip is not complete without it. I like Daylesford in Notting hill a lot. This organic restaurants offers a perfect egg Benedict for breakfast or brunch. Next to that they have nice home made juices and a shop where you can buy organic groceries. Most of the products they sell and serve are produced on their own farm in the Cotswold area.

The second great option for a breakfast is The Wolseley. The atmosphere is typical English if you ask me, with their silver teapots and bread baskets. They currently are one of the most popular spots in town for breakfast. My recommendation is the home made granola, it is divine!

Time for tea

Now there should be a section about British afternoon tea, but unfortunately I never succeeded in actually trying a good tea in London. If this is on your wish list, I would recommend you to make a reservation weeks ahead. The best places will not have a last-minute spot unless you are lucky. For more information about afternoon tea, you can have a look at this article from the blog “A lady in London”.

Dining out

Walk around in Soho and there will be something of your liking for sure. Cozy restaurants mark these streets so you only need to decide what you are in the mood for. This area is also known for it’s vibrant nightlife. Pubs, cocktail bars and clubs open their doors later in the evening.

Since I am a big fan of Asian cuisine, I have two great recommendations for you;

Yashin Sushi & Bar, in this small and cozy restaurant, you can eat top notch sushi. You will sit at the bar, so you can watch the Japanese Sushi chef that prepares everything right in front of you. Unique combinations of flavors, like sushi with grilled salmon and summer truffle, will surprise your senses.  Dining here is not cheap, but if you are into good food, don’t miss out on this place.

Ippudo, a concept that was born in Hong Kong opened its doors in London last year. This Japanese restaurant specializes in Ramen and you can taste that with every bite. When a Japanese place outside of Japan fills itself with Japanese, you know it must be good. We loved our diner here.

Two other places I liked as well are;

Pizarro, by chef José Pizarro. You can find it close to the Tower Bridge. This informal and cozy restaurant has a simple menu which they serve the best way possible. Besides the restaurant, there is also a tapas place from the same chef, equally as good and with a great selection of wines,  a great time is a guarantee.

The second place is Polpo, there are several restaurants throughout SoHo. A hip and eccentric staff member will welcome you when you walk in. The interior is cozy with a raw edge and the menu shows a variety of Italian style tapas.

Last but not least, in Camden, there is a big street food market, that is ideal for a lunch or a snack. You can try a lot of different cuisines so there is something to sooth your every mood.

And if you still have some energy left…

London is home to some of the biggest, most notorious and iconic clubs in the world. So there is no need to go back to your hotel room unsatisfied. Since the scene of what is hot and or not changes quick, I would advice you to check the local nightlife guides, like ‘Visit London‘ or ‘London Town’.

Culture

The first thing that will pop into your mind will be West End! Yes, London is the city to go to, if you like a musical, cabaret or any other form of theater. Here I will not do a lot of recommendations, as a preference for shows are private. Not everybody will like the same and most musicals speak for themselves.

I do however, love ballet and for that Sadler’s Wells is the place to be. They always offer the best there is when it comes to dance and ballet. A show at Sadler’s Wells will not disappoint you. If you like to see something from a local artist, go the a show that features choreographer Hofesh Shechter. If you like modern ballet, this is something you must see. Loud urban inspired noises, will make you feel like you are at a rock concert. Instead you get to see to phenomenal choreography as well. I have been to two of his shows and I would go ten times more if I had the opportunity.

Visit a museum

Every city has a lot of museums, I like museums a lot, but I usually pick art museums. Because somehow it always satisfies my appetite for cultural experiences. With so much to do in the city, it sometimes is hard to decide if you also want to spend a couple of hours in a museum. But there are some that will make it worth your while. These are my top picks!

Not only will you find a great art collection and nice exhibitions in Tate Modern. The building itself is also an experience on its own if you like architecture.

The British Museum, is one of the oldest museums in the world. It houses a collection so big, that not all of it, is shown to its visitors. In the collection your can find art from Ancient Iran, Greece, China from 5000BC on-wards, Roman Britain and much more. If you are overwhelmed by the choice, I can suggest to follow one of the free 20-minute spotlight tours led by the guides every Friday.

The National Gallery, that lies close to Trafalgar Square, houses an art collection that exists of over 2,300 works of art. Enjoy everything from medieval classics to world-famous pieces by the French Impressionists on your visit here.

Gallery hopping

Last but not least, gallery hopping is something that is nice for an afternoon. London’s smaller art galleries are full of hidden treasures. There is a big art scene and for the less experienced visitors, like myself, it is easy to start at the places like the Barbican Art Gallery, the Saatchi Gallery or the Serpentine Gallery.

Whether you are into fine art, sculpture, photography, contemporary works or arty events there is plenty of opportunity to satisfy your artistic interests.

Be a tourist and see all highlights of London in a weekend

Join the 31.5 million tourist that visit London each year and discover as much as you can from the city. The easiest way is to hop on one of those red double busses and get driven around to all the highlights. I.e. the Big Ben & Westminster Abby,  the Tower Bridge, Buckingham palace, Hide Park or Piccadilly Circus are some of the top attractions. Anyway, I will not go on for long about these highlights, as there is so much said about this already.

If you have read more of my articles, you will know that whenever I can, I love to take a bike! London has a great system for this and all you need is a credit card. Throughout the city, you can find bicycle points, where you can take a bike for only 2 pounds. The trick is that you can drive on it for free for a duration of 30 minutes. If you put it back in any bike rack within 30 minutes, it is free of charge. That way it will only costs you 2 pounds to drive around throughout the entire city.

A couple of extra recommendations

If you just like to stroll the streets, don’t forget to look around and experience London’s daily commotion. It will surprise you how much you can see of London in a weekend. I love wondering around, especially in these areas;

Covent Garden, Notting Hill, Hyde Park, Bayswater and SoHo.

That’s all for now, I hope that you will enjoy your next trip to London! If you have any recommendations I should ad, feel free to tell me in the reply section below 🙂