Guide to London — Alexandra Hauser

Hello everyone! Decided I’d try to crank out this blog post before I started to blank on what I did during my weekend in London. I’m going to Mallorca this weekend (!!!) so I wanted to make sure I set aside time to dissect this trip. The weekend went by so fast because there was so much to do, so much to see, and so little time to do it all. I definitely underestimated London. It’s a massive, fast paced, energetic, diverse, and expensive city to visit. If I could do it again, I’d go back for week. Regardless, I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to go during my semester abroad. London was one of the cities at the top of my list to visit. I spent quality time with friends, ate delicious food, and walked a ton much.

What I did…

Visited Hyde & St. James Park. If you like to people watch, stroll, and chill (even with gloomy London weather), these parks are worth visiting. Hyde park reminds me more of Central Park in that it’s massive. It’s more of a place to just go walk around in. St. James park is also big but not as big as Hyde Park. It’s very centrally located, right next to some of the major tourist attractions and iconic London monuments. I felt like St. James always had something going on. We got really lucky on Sunday with good weather and saw it really come alive. Both parks are the perfect place to picnic or lay out.
Explored the various neighborhoods of London: Shoreditch, Kensington, SoHo, Westminster, Notting Hill and Covington Garden. Shoreditch was fun to go out at night. There are so many bars and small clubs. Kensington was a very lively shopping area. SoHo was like a cuter, more quaint version of NYC SoHo. Westminster had all the tourist spots. Notting Hill was scenic. Covent Garden was the area we stayed in and I absolutely loved it. Safe to say it was my favorite area of London. It has so many restaurants, shops, and is lively at all hours of the day.
Cross the bridges by food. We walked Tower Bridge and Waterloo Bridge. This may seem kinda silly and the only obvious way to get across the Thames, but it’s so enjoyable. It’s such a great way to get a different view of the city. There’s also lots of action going on around the Thames always, with river cruises departing and pubs poppin’.
We also splurged and went on the London Eye. It’s priced at thirty pounds. When compared to the cost of getting to the top of the Empire State Building or One World Trade Center, it’s the same. The things you do to get a sick view of the city. We went in the evening where we saw the whole city light up.

Where we ate…

ROKA Aldwych - really yummy small plate Asian fusion restaurant in the Covent Garden area. I’d been hesitant to go because there were no reservations available. We ended up going for a late lunch and it wasn’t a problem. It reminded me a lot of my fav spot in Miami, Makoto. We ordered a wagyu tempura roll, shrimp tempura, ribs, lamb dumplings, and a mushroom & rice hot pot. This was the priciest meal from the weekend.

The Ivy Soho Brasserie - came here thanks to a recommendation from my good friend who studied abroad in London last semester. Had really great music, an extensive cocktail menu, and dishes for everyones tastes. I ordered the chicken salad. Pictured are two appetizers: the grilled scallops and burrata with asparagus.

Dishoom Kensington - chain Indian restaurant all over London. It was really, really hyped up to me by every person whom I know that’s spent time in London. The food was delicious and well priced, which I appreciated half way through the weekend. It did give me Cheesecake Factory vibes with the huge menu and large crowds of people. But a friend told me that the vibe depends on which location you go to and I believe her. We ordered a side of greens, garlic & cheese naan, daal, white rice, and a chicken dish.

Ben’s Cookies - popular cookie bakery in London. These babies did not disappoint. I got the buy 5 get two free deal and brought a box back to Madrid. My favorite was the double dark chocolate & the dark chocolate chip.
Bill’s Wellington Street Restaurant - cafe chain all over London. Came for breakfast on my last day. It had a big menu which I appreciate for breakfast. I ordered the avocado & hummus toast. It wasn’t the best breakfast I’ve ever had, but it did the job and didn’t break the bank. The service was meh and the food took way longer than expected.

So as you can see, I did a lot of eating and exploring in London. And I absolutely loved it. Wish I could go back during my time abroad, but I know London isn’t going anywhere. Can’t wait to share my Mallorca trip in my next post! Please comment if you have any suggestions for what I should blog about next :)