Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to travel to London for work. It was short notice and it was a short trip (only three nights). But as I’ve said often, London is my absolute favorite city in the world. How could I go and only see the inside of a conference room? So, I left a day early so I would have 1 ½ days to walk around the city.
I’ve been to London more times than I can remember. I lived less than 45 minutes outside the city for a couple of years, every time we had visitors we would spend 3-4 days in the city, and I have visited at least four other times throughout my life … but my last visit was over 9 years ago. I’ve seen a lot of the world since then. Would I still love it? Had I outgrown it? Was it exotic enough? Had I already done all of the good stuff? How do I go about exploring a city that I know and love? Here is the “formula” I came up with and I am pretty happy with it.
-Select 1-2 of your favorite places you’ve seen before, but would like to see again
-Pick 1-2 things you’ve never done before
-Find 1-2 quirky places that might be fun to see
-Fill in the rest of the day with stops along the way
- If you are a detailed planner, throw everything into google maps so you can arrange the order to make sense for you. I have a running list of new things I want to see in some of my favorite cities and picked those activities for this trip based on the time I had, the weather and the proximately to the area of London I was staying.
So, as an example, what did this look like for my 1 ½ days in London?
-I love the British Museum. There is always something new to see and when I go back after traveling around the world, I have a new appreciation for the exhibits. I also think Saint Paul’s Cathedral is breathtakingly beautiful and I dream about Harrod’s Food Halls.
-I’d never been to the London Postal Museum, Bourgh Market, Saint Dustin in the East or the Victoria and Albert Museum.
-I had read about the Sky Garden, Neal’s Yard and the Vault’s which all looked fun and unique. And I really wanted to visit Daunt’s bookstore.
Here is how that all plotted out for my trip!
Day 1:
Neal’s Yard. Fun vibe and a great place for breakfast! On the way there I walked by Mr Fogg’s Society of Exploration (Jules Verne fans will understand why this is cool)
Hot Chocolate at Hotel Chocolate – so very good!
British Museum
Postal Museum – I had some time before I could do the train ride, so I ended up exploring Exmouth and having a delicious lunch at Moro.
Sky Garden – I walked there, but needed advanced tickets, so it remains on the list for next time.
Saint Dustin in the East – very peaceful
Borough Market – I got there as it was closing up, so I’d like to go back earlier in the day. But I loved it and stopped at a pub for a pot of tea.
The Vaults – a really fun quick stop to see the artists at work.
Day 2 (only had ½ a day):
Walked through Trafalgar’s Square and China Town, through a market to Daunt Books in Marylebone – this is my new favorite book store and I walked away with five new titles and several more on my list.
Walked through Regent’s Park to the Harrod Food Halls
Victoria and Albert Museum
I had a perfect trip and can’t imagine a better use of my time. My goal with this post is not to give you an itinerary for London. This day was especially curated for me based on my interests, time, and location. But I do hope it gives you a framework to think about a trip to a city that you’ve been to often – a way to see some of your favorite things while still having a different experience.
I already have ideas for my next trip which I think will have a day that focuses on the Docklands and East End.
P.S. I am often asked WHY London remains my favorite city. For me – There is always something new to do. It has a mix of old and new. Every neighborhood has its own history and feeling. It has nooks and crannies at every turn. It’s beautiful and charming. (While not for good reasons) it holds the history of the globe for several centuries. The city reflects the cultures of the entire world. It has parks, theater, food, museums, book stores, history, architecture. I love the vibe.
Life Kinetic Travel Research 