London

Cosmopolitan and inexhaustible

London is a city with a lot of mini-cities or neighborhoods, all very particular, distinctive, with their own and very marked characteristics. It is a great city, one of the most cosmopolitan I have ever visited, but it has the magic of -at times- making you feel a peace like that of a small town, just by wandering through some of the little streets of its not so central neighborhoods.

In addition to the impressive museums and majestic public buildings, London's street markets are worth visiting. You have to at least choose one to walk through it, to live it. Colorful, diverse, very funny, there is usually everything to buy, to see, to eat. The markets are something very typical of the city that is worth knowing. The best days to visit them are - logically - weekends.

To put together a list of must-sees is too pretentious and impossible, but these are some of the points of interest that @tripticity_ allows us to suggest.

Strolls

Crossing the Thames over the Millennium Bridge from Saint Paul's to the Tate Modern.

This cool bridge is featured in Love Actually and other celebrated Hollywood movies. There are great views of London and it connects two places worth visiting: Tate Modern and Saint Paul's Anglican Cathedral.

Walking in the area of Big Ben, Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.

These are classic London landmarks. Big Ben is the name of the bell tower on which the clock stands out, right next to the UK Parliament, House of Parliament or Palace of Westminster. It is said to be the largest four-faced clock in the world. Both the tower and the palace are icons of the city.

The bell is known as Big Ben, although its official name is Great Bell.

Nearby, just across the street, is Westminster Abbey, the Gothic-style church that completes the huge central complex of London. Famous royal marriages took place there, such as that of Philip of Edinburgh and Elizabeth II. It is the burial place of several monarchs and prominent personalities of history such as Charles Darwin and Stephen Hawking. There is also the tomb of the unknown soldier inside. Since the coronation of William the Conqueror in 1066, all coronations take place in the abbey, confirming the importance of tradition in British society.

Nearby is The Mall, Pall Mall and St. James, "royal" avenues. Pure elegance and majesty.

Buckingham Palace

It is the seat of the British royal family since 1837. Witnessing the changing of the guard that takes place in front of it is one of the most famous tourist attractions in London. Check the schedule well because it takes place with the typical English punctuality.

It is reached by the Tube, Green Park station, Jubilee, Piccadilly and Victoria Line.

Picadilly Circus and Regent Street

Picadilly Circus is to London what Times Square is to New York. This is the center of the center and you have to see it. Regent Street is a very English avenue, very touristy. Nearby are Picadilly Avenue, where the famous Ritz Hotel shines, and one of my favorite stores in the world, Fortnum & Mason. This is the tea house where in addition to offering distinguished strands and blends, it represents a walk in itself. Whether you just stroll through the different floors where porcelain, glassware or chocolate are exhibited, or sit in some of its restaurants or bars to enjoy the English elegance. Also in the area is Bond Street, the street of the big clothing brands.

Walking along Kings Road in Chelsea and Harrods

Chelsea is a top neighborhood in London and Kings Road is its main street. Very trendy boutiques, deco-shops, bars, stylish architecture. It is not necessarily the street of the big brands, it is more a street of signature boutiques.

On the way, the Saatchi Gallery exhibits contemporary art works in the 19th century headquarters of the Duke of York. The recommendation is to check the official website before visiting to see if the exhibition is of interest, as admission is paid.

Nearby, the unmissable Harrods store invites visitors to discover the unlikely universe of extravagance. For those who appreciate fashion, wandering through its corridors is fascinating, not to mention its famous Food Court, where the most opulent delicacies can be found, a giant display of delicatessen.

Kings Road is easy to reach, taking the tube District or Circle line, Sloane Square Station.

Strolling around Covent Garden and Chinatown

Covent Garden is an old open but covered market that no longer functions as a market but as a kind of shopping mall. It is a great place and especially all the little streets that surround it. It's just a matter of walking around and getting lost. Very nice. The area is super commercial, lots of clothing stores and restaurants. It is also the area of the theaters. It is very characteristic of London. And it is very central.

Just a few minutes walk away is the characteristic Chinatown, with its varied gastronomic offer and the entertaining little streets with oriental decoration. The area also stands out for being the theater district of London.

If you are far from the center the way to get there is by tube: the Picadilly Line (Blue), Covent Garden Station.

King's Cross St. Pancras Station

King's Cross Station became well known because the Hogwarts Express in the movie Harry Potter departs from there. Specifically, on the secret platform 9¾.

Right next to it is St. Pancras, from where the Eurostar high-speed train that crosses the English Channel and connects London with Paris departs. The architecture of St. Pancras is well distinguished, with a Victorian Gothic façade and an ultra-modern interior.

A walk on Primrose Hill at sunset

Primrose Hill is one of the most charming neighborhoods in London. It is like an island because it is enclosed by the park of the same name and by the tracks. A walk through the streets of this neighborhood is very interesting. The main street of this neighborhood is Regent Park Road, not to be confused with Regent Street. It is a few blocks with stores, boutiques, pubs and tea houses. Sophistication but low profile, elegance, aesthetics. Primrose Hill Park (of the same name as the neighborhood) is very particular because, as its name suggests, it is a hill. It is imperative to climb to the top of the hill to have one of the best views of London. The evening light favors the place.

The most convenient way to get there is by Tube. The Northern Line (painted black on the map), Edgware Road branch, is the one indicated and you should get off at Chalk Farm station which is the next to Camden Town. When you leave the station you must cross a bridge that crosses some tracks and that's it. Not to be missed! It is also easy to get there after visiting Camden Town.

A tour of Hampstead and Hampstead Heath at sunset.

Another delightful village. It is a charming place, a little out of the way and on a slope. The streets wind up and down, and that gives it a particularity. Hampstead has always been a neighborhood of writers and painters, and nowadays actors. Hampstead High Street is the main street, elegant and top if any. The architecture of the houses is great. There are beautiful churches, nice cafes but especially pubs. The neighborhood park is another must: Hampstead Heath, a wild and wide place, practically a large forest in the middle of the city crowned by Parliament Hill, the highest place in London with great views of the city. How to get there? By the same tube line as Primrose Hill, by the Northern Line (Edgware Branch) to Hampstead station.

Viewpoints

The city offers beautiful views wherever you walk, even from the top deck of the characteristic city buses.

The routes of some bus lines are particularly attractive to visitors. Route 9 passes near important museums, such as Somerset House, the Natural History Museum, the Design Museum, as well as Covent Garden Market, Trafalgar Square, St James's Palace and Clarence House, Green Park, Wellington Arch and Hyde Park Corner, Albert Memorial, Kensington Palace, among other points of interest.

On the other hand, route 17 is a very good option to explore markets and outstanding stores, as its route includes New King's Road antique shops and art galleries, The Ritz, Old Bond Street, Fortnum & Mason, among others.

For classic London, the best option is the double decker bus route 139 to pass near Somerset House, Covent Garden Market, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Bond Street, Abbey Road and Abbey Road Studios.

On the other hand, from the Terrace Café of the Tate Modern art gallery you get an incredible view of the River Thames, the Millennium Bridge and Saint Paul's Church.

Another option is the Garden at 120, at 120 Fenchurch Street, in the heart of London's financial district. This free observation deck is extraordinary, with a garden on top and tremendous views of the city. Check the opening hours as it changes with the seasons.

Also in the City, the Sky Garden is another famous viewpoint with a botanical garden located on the top floor of the skyscraper of 160 meters and 37 floors, known, because of its shape, as Walkie Talkie. Although it is free, it requires prior reservation on line at the official website.

If you want the view from a greater height, the option is Shard, the skyscraper that boasts of being the tallest in Europe. Reservations are required and there is a fee. You can get there on the Tube, London Bridge station, on the Northern or Jubilee lines.

Another fun way to get a postcard of London is to ride the London Eye. It is also an icon of the city and is located on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Big Ben and the British Parliament building. Requires entrance fee.

Museums

The museums in London are simply huge. Many of them have free admission with only a suggested donation to enter, for that reason it is worth trying to get to know them although it is not necessary to spend all day in them ( even though it would take years to stay). The suggestion is to enter, browse and see some specific works and continue.

National Gallery

National Gallery is the museum with the most important and extensive collection of visual art works in London. It has works from the Renaissance, Baroque, classics, Romantic, just everything. There are very good paintings by Rembrandt, the unmissable Van Gogh's sunflowers that illuminate the entire room and a couple of very good rooms of impressionist painters. Not to be missed. It is located in Trafalgar Square, in the center, close to everything.

In the room where Van Gogh's sunflowers are exhibited there are several other works by the artist, very colorful, expressive, hypnotic. The work of the crabs, of an intense orange, is as beautiful as the famous sunflowers.

Just in front of Trafalgar Square is Saint Martin in the Fields, a glorious church with a café in the crypt.

Tate Modern

Not to be missed is Tate Modern building, an old and monumental power plant, home to contemporary art, the avant-garde and the latest trends. It is reached from the Millennium Bridge that crosses the River Thames from the Anglican Cathedral of St. Paul's (the second largest dome after St. Peter's in Rome). There are great views of London, especially from the cafeteria on the top floor. A real must-see, both for its architecture, its collection, its store and for the spectacular view offered by its cafeteria.

British Museum

British Museum is a classic. Impressive objects of antiquity, in the Egyptian and Greek areas. The entrance hall is architecturally dazzling, as is the monumental grand atrium of Queen Elizabeth II, designed by Norman Foster. It is in Bloomsbery, the university district of London. To get there you have to take the Northern Line or the Central Line of the tube and get off at Tothenham Court Road.

Victoria and Albert Museum

Victoria and Albert Museum is the museum of decorative art in London. One of @tripticity_'s favorites. Your visit is almost a tour through the history of cultures around the world because it has wonderful pieces. Also, its cafeteria is amazing, a lovely place for a nice lunch or afternoon tea. The tube station is South Kensington on the Piccadilly Line (blue).

Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum also in South Kensington has a unique collection of botanical, mineralogical, paleontological and zoological specimens. It was created thanks to the collection of Sir Hans Sloane. In its central hall stands out the famous replica of a dinosaur skeleton, known as "Dippy".

Tate Britain

Tate Britain is the museum of English painting par excellence. It is the place to see the work of Turner, the greatest English painter, a festival of light. The Tate Britain is near but a little behind in a neighborhood called Pimlico. You can go by tube (Victoria Line, the light blue one, Pimlico Station).

Royal Academy of Fine Arts

The Royal Academy of Fine Arts is a nice gallery in the middle of Picadilly Avenue (close to everything). It usually has interesting exhibitions.

Somerset House

Another interesting and central gallery with a very fashionable bar at the entrance to take the best gin and tonics. Neoclassical in style, the Courtauld Gallery exhibits one of the most significant works of Impressionism, A Bar in Folies-Bergère by Édouard Manet, Van Gogh's Self-Portrait with his ear bandaged, or Adam and Eve by Lucas Cranach the Elder, from 1526.

Wallace Collection

Another outstanding art collection in a very beautiful palace located in Mayfair, a very elegant London neighborhood, is Wallace Collection.

Markets

A tour of Portobello Road Market

In Notting Hill, on a Saturday morning, a beautiful street market takes place in the middle of one of London's most fabulous neighborhoods.

Lots of antiques, lots of knick-knacks, for browsing and fun (and shopping). There are also food stalls, boutiques and assorted bars. Pay attention to the fair stalls but also to the stores. Saturday morning is the best time for the market, but Notting Hill is a neighborhood to visit any day of the week. Easy to reach by Tube: Notting Hill Gate station (Circle Line [yellow], District Line [green] and Central Line [red]).

Camden Town

Camden Town is "alternative" London at its best. Lots of music, lots of avant-garde clothing and lots of used clothing too. Camden Lock is the market but there is also Camden High Street, full of businesses with an alternative vibe. There is the multi-ethnic, rocker, retro, punk. Very interesting place, always recommended on a Sunday. It is reached by tube by the Northern Line (black), Camden Town Station. It is very close to Primrose Hill and you can combine a visit to both places. It is also close to Hampstead.

Columbia Road and Brick Lane

These are two great markets in East London. Columbia Road is a flower market to go to on Saturday or Sunday morning. There are lots of food stalls and antique dealers as well.

Brick Lane is the quintessential Indian neighborhood. There are people from all over the world, many stalls, chaos, variety, exoticism, diversity, in the heart of London. Very, very, interesting.

These places can be reached by the Tube, District Line (green), Whitechapel station and then walk a little.