London 2025

Monday July 7 - Friday July 11

Our last stop of the trip was London. On initial arrival, being in a country where English is the first language reminded me a lot of America. Having come from Rome and Paris, London felt like it could be another state in America. In hindsight, experiencing the people, pubs, and taking in the historical landmarks around me highlighted the cultural differences between our two countries and by the end of the trip, I had a better understanding and appreciation for London.

Westminster

Westminster is located on the Western side of London. This is where you can find London’s houses of parliament, and Big Ben.

Tower Bridge

Our hotel was situated near the Tower Bridge on the east side of London. The beautiful bridge has a distinct blue paint that makes the bridge stand out. This bridge is commonly mistaken as the London bridge, which is much less remarkable.

Trafalgar Square

The Ivy

Piccadilly Circus

Said to be the ‘time square’ of London, mostly due to the large advertising screen and bustling streets. There were an abundance of storefronts for shopping. We walked through Piccadilly Circus multiple times on way to other neighborhoods.

Poppies Fish and Chips

Our first taste of proper fish and chips. Poppies located in the Soho district did not disappoint with its light and flakey battered fish, and surprisingly great tasting mushy peas. The mushy peas had a taste and texture reminiscent of mashed potatoes and gravy. The fried foods paired nicely with a crisp mojito.

Soho District

The Soho district is a lively neighborhood full of pubs, restaurants, theaters, and more. It was an area we frequented for an evening drink.

Darwin Brasserie at Sky Garden

Reservations to visit Sky Garden were free, but another way to enter the Sky Garden is dining at one of the restaurants or bars in the building. We made reservations to have breakfast at Darwin Brasserie, where I was able to try a full English breakfast (black pudding included). I enjoyed the English breakfast with its myriad of ingredients, allowing me to pick at and combine different foods in each bite (who knew baked beans with poached egg on toast would be great). The black pudding did not bother me.

Sky Garden

The Sky Garden is located at the top of the Fenchurch building. The building has a nickname of “The Walkie-Talkie” building due to its interesting curved shape. The London skyline has a unique array of interestingly shaped buildings, all viewable from Sky Garden. Other major cities have view points, like the Space Needle in Seattle. But the Sky Garden stood out for its size, green-space, mixed use space with restaurants and bars, and general aesthetics. You can spend awhile in this space without feeling cramped or bored.

Leicester Square

Entertainment center of London.

Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace

Covent Garden

Shopping and entertainment hub.

London Chinatown

Tower of London

A historic citadel and castle in London built in 1078. It was used as an armory, treasury, menagerie, and prison. It houses the Crown Jewels of England. Tickets were required to enter the Tower.

Fortnum & Mason

Founded in 1707, this department store is a destination for all things tea and confectionery.

Notting Hill

Known for their vibrant pastel colored houses, and Portobello street filled with street vendors and shops.

Rock & Roll Tour / Abbey Road

Joined along a Rock and Roll tour where we learned about London’s role in rock music history, including The Beatles history. We visited famous landmarks including Abbey Road, where the Beatles took their famous record cover photo.

The Cross Keys Pub

Our tour took a short break at Cross Keys Pub, the oldest pub in Chelsea. It was built in 1708, and prominent artists have been patrons here.

Borough Market

London’s oldest and largest food market. A crowded but fun place to peruse and take in all the different food stalls and their viral treats. Here you’ll find popular stalls like chocolate covered strawberries, fish and chips, paella, creme brûlée donuts, sandwiches and more.

Churchill Arms Pub

Built in 1750, it was said that Churchill’s grandparents frequented this pub. The beautifully ornate pub is decorated with Churchill memorabilia, with florals covering the exterior of the building. A classic pub, except they serve Thai cuisine (pretty good from what the reviews say, we did not partake).