A Guide to London, England

A Guide to London, England

I have visited London many times and am constantly reminded of its beauties. London is a huge city and there are many touristy locations. Here are a few of my favourites:

• Kew Gardens - as one of the biggest gardens in London, it is without a doubt impressive. It is suitable for all age groups with ample space for children to run around and a huge playground both indoors and out. There are so many areas to visit, both indoors and out, that you can easily spend a whole day here. Food is available on site but is fairly overpriced and if the weather’s nice, a picnic brought from home would be really fun.

Inside the Palm House at Kew Gardens

• The Globe - having studied several of Shakespeare’s plays, I was delighted to visit the globe. It was everything I wanted it to be and more. I believe it to have recently been renovated a little so looked newer than I expected. Despite this, once inside, you feel as though you have been taken back in time, back to the Elizabethan era when the plays were performed for the first time. The seats vary in prices - if you choose to stand in the pit, the tickets can be very cheap - occasionally £5! If you choose to sit, the seat prices vary on where you sit but I would advise you pay a few pounds more for a cushion as the seats are not the most comfortable and the plays quite long.

Inside the globe

• Camden market - the market is super cool. There are lots of little stalls with individually made pieces and there’s something for everyone, with products ranging from clocks to tops. You can find plenty of food options there and make it more of a day trip.

A Polaroid photo of Camden Lock bridge

• Buckingham palace - this, of course, is a must-see. Even if you are anti-monarchy, the building is still very impressive. I always find it awe-inspiring to see the building that is always shown on TV and think of the history behind it. Occasionally, usually in the summer, you can tour the Palace if there is an exhibition on - I would highly recommend this as you get to see the inside of the palace for yourself - what’s inside is more impressive than what’s out and you can sometimes see some ‘behind the scenes’ features such as gifts given to the Queen. You do have to pay for these tours but I don't think they are too expensive.

• The London Eye - the views from this are sensational and it really is an amazing experience! Buy tickets beforehand as the attraction is very popular. It takes around 30 minutes for the whole trip and you don’t get a pod to yourself, but there is a restriction on numbers so it's never too packed. There are loads of things to do around this attraction, due to its central location, so you can make a day trip out of it.

These are just five of my top places. London is huge and there’s so much to do. I would encourage you to take a look at some of the places it has to offer beforehand so you can plan your days so they are action-packed and you don't miss anything :)

My 5 top places to eat:

1. Wagamamas - good food, big portions, good range for kids (I get the kids option and it fills me up for just under £5)
2. Wahaca - I went to the one in Southbank and the waiter I had was amazing and even spoke to me in Spanish - I would highly recommend (and the food is incredible!)
3. Wasabi - a great place for quick takeaway food that is pretty cheap for some good food. It is, however, very difficult to bring your own container as everything is prepackaged
4. Byron - great burgers, for all ages and for all dietary requirements (I would recommend the Oreo milkshake!)
5. Drink me, Eat me - a fairly small, darling café by Ravenscourt Park. Suitable for lunch and tea, the options are plentiful for a such a small place, although there are fewer lunch options (mostly homemade sandwiches). It evokes vibes of Alice in Wonderland and is perfect if you want a taste of English tea for not very expensive. This place is fairly unknown but I absolutely love it!

How easy is it to be zero-waste?

Actually very easy. There are so many places where you can easily ask for your food to be put in your own bags - Pret even gives you 50p off if you bring a reusable cup for your coffee (this does add up!). Wholefoods is my go-to place for buying from bulk although it is now increasingly easy to go into any supermarket and get fruit and vegetables package free. There are also many places, eg patisseries or bakers, where you can ask for them to put products into you own container. The markets are another place where you can get takeaway food will also, most frequently, put your produce into your own container but I would recommend just telling them of your intentions before they start packaging your order. Also, just watch out for the free paper napkins which they give you everywhere! I would recommend taking something you can use as a napkin.

London is such a big city that it is easy to find somewhere to stay. There are plenty of AirBnBs or hotels to suit your fancy, and your price range. I would recommend using TripAdvisor to see the reviews of places and checking the location of where you’re staying before heading there.

I hope this is helpful and happy travels!