London is one of my favorite cities, I know, I say this a lot, but I mean it, as I can see myself living here. The cultural diversity is a breath of fresh air from Rome. The food scene is large and delicious (There's more than just fish & chips). There's art and history bursting from every corner, and there's always something to look at or do. I went in March 2023 and had the best time. Our trip took place over the few days of sunshine London gets in the spring, and we enjoyed every bit of it. It is extremely walkable, but taxis and trains are only a few steps alway if you're going a longer distance. There's much to discuss, so let's get started!

One of the first things we did was explore the Tower of London. Now this is a completely historical site, as it has castles, forts, artillery, the site where famous queens were beheaded, the only standing traditional English housing, and of course, the fact that it is home to the royal crown jewels. Plus it has a great location as it is close to the famous Tower Bridge. Now I gotta be honest, walking across it freaked me out. I have always hated bridges, so walking across a bridge with glass floors wasn't exactly my favorite thing. But alas, I pushed through and got to learn a lot about the bridge, how it was made, operated, and how it moves if it needs to be drawn up.

Speaking of awesome views, the London Eye was totally worth it. Being suspended above everything was so cool and it felt like avlittle escape from the bustling city. Don't forget of course to stop by Buckingham Palace! It is a fully operational palace, so visiting hours are exremely rare and typically only during off season of work. But you can still get up to the gates and grab a few photos! Another thing to take photos of? Big Ben! I did not get to inside of it, but it's iconic stature is easy to take photos of, and right across from Westminister Abbey. Westminister Abbey is the offical church of the Royal family and is where countless important British persons are laid to rest. People such as William Shakespeare, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Winston Churchill, Steven Hawking, Charles Dickens, and of course other past kings and queens. The architecture and stained glass work is amazing, and it is a lot bigger than you think!

I would highly recommend getting high tea, or at least tea somewhere. We went to a couple spots, but my favorite was called The Ivy. It was decorated so beautifully, and everything was delicious! The last one is to see a show on the West End. For those of you who don't know, West End is the Broadway of Europe. They have phenomenal shows that are always playing, and an array of options: family friendly, girls night, date night, if you want a good laugh, or if you wanna cry! Being an ex-theatre kid, my family and I saw three shows: Les Miserables, SIX The Musical, and Heathers. I would 10/10 recommend each of these shows! No matter what you do, your time in London will be amazing, I've already planned my next trip, so you should too!

Recommendations & Links

Listed below are some of my favorite spots to visit, eat at, and things to do. Feel free to add these places to your itinerary! Links are in titles.

• West End Tickets There are so many options to choose from. If you're stuck, try picking one that sounds familiar to you! If you know a movie, or book a show is based off, you'll probably love it, and it's a great way to get introduced to theatre.
• Tower of London Tickets A very unique experience. Who doesn't want to see some of the oldest structures of London?!
• Westminister Abbey Tickets An iconic church, with so much history.
• The Ivy- Tower Bridge I went to the Tower Bridge location, but there are many other locations around the city!