London

City of dreams london with 13 stunning places every one must visit

London, I can say the city which was not in my bucket list but my dream list !! London has a mesmerizing charm that one easily gets captivated towards. London is known for its rich history, diverse culture and vibrant atmosphere. It is one of the most populous and influential cities in the world, with a unique blend of tradition and modernity. Crouched at the bank of River Thames, London is a must visit destination. The city is buzzing with old school landmarks, telephone booths, insane architecture, happening streets, and smiling faces. Being one of the Greenest cities of Europe, London doesn’t need much introduction !!

London is an epic amalgamation of history and modern vibes that will keep you revitalizing throughout your London journey. Are you excited to visit the most happening places in London ? So, let’s dive in and check out the beautiful places of London.

So here’s what my two days in London look like !!

 

1) The Tower of London

First day I started with some historic places. The tower of London, a UNESCO world heritage site, the historic palace offers a glimpse into London’s history . It was built on the river Thames, built in the 11th century  by William the conqueror. The castle was also used in the prison from 1100, earlier it also served as royal residence. As a whole, Tower is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls.

The tower was oriented with its strongest and most impressive defenses, enclosing an area of almost 12 acres. Tourists can explore its dark dungeons, dazzling crown jewels, and iconic Beefeater guards. So drench yourself in the tales of these walls that have unfolded within its walls.

Timings

1) Sunday and Monday – 10 AM to 5:30 PM
2) Tuesday to Saturday  –  9 AM to : 5:30 PM

Ticket Price

Members – Free
Adults  –  Rs.3,526
Children age (5-15) – Rs. 2,017

2) BUCKINGHAM PALACE

Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of a UK sovereign since 1837. The legendery residence of the British monarch is a symbol of royal grandeur and elegance. The balcony of Buckingham palace is one of the most famous in the world. Buckingham Palace is open to the public during summer and a limited number of tours in the month of December, January and at  Easter each year. The flag of England hosted at the top of the palace signifies the presence of the queen inside the palace. If the queen is present in the palace then only you can see the flag hoisted, else not.
For years a ceremony has taken place here while changing the guard’s duty known as “Changing the guard”. I suggest you not to miss it. It was really astounding and without this your UK journey is incomplete.

Timings

11th july to 29th September – 9:30 AM to 5:15 PM

Buckingham palace evening View

Changing of Guards duty

3) The Tower Bridge London

Tower Bridge London gives visitors a deep insight into the Tower Bridge’s Unique & rich history, as well as panoramic views of London from its famous walkways. The Tower bridge is also famous for its glass ceilings, its grand Victorian staircase and beautiful panoramic views. Standing majestically on the river Thames since 1894, this iconic tower comprises two towers and two walkways making it to the topmost list, that 40,000 visitors visit each day. I found the atmosphere around so reviving and you can easily spend an hour there.

Best time to visit : Early morning on weekends
Opening  hours : 9:30 am to 6:00 pm
Ticket price :  Rs.2,23.15

4) LONDON EYE

I was mesmerized by the London eye or millennium wheel which is a cantilevered observation wheel on the south bank of river Thames. It is Asia’s tallest observation wheel with a diameter of 394m but now it is not the largest ferris wheel in the world, and the most popular paid tourist attraction in london.
Each of the London Eye’s 32 passenger capsules represents one of the boroughs of London & they are climate-controlled too, no matter what kind of weather it is outside, you will be cozy inside.

I was stunned to see the unbeatable views of the English Capital & I think of the skyline, thanks to its elevation. Big`ben, Tower of London and Buckingham palace are all visible from the London Eye. So are you ready for the kick because seeing the city from an elevation of 135 meters in a rotating capsule will definitely blow your mind.

Ticket Price

Child (6-12) Years – Rs.3,045
Adult (12+ Years) – Rs.3,506

Timings  : 11:00 am to 6:00 pm

Capsules to take a ride

Inside the Capsule

5) MADAME TUSSAUDS 

Madame Tussauds is a renowned wax museum in London founded by Marie Tussaud in 1835. With over 150 wax figures, which includes historic and popular people as well as celebrities from films and television makes it one of the major tourist attractions in London.

I took some memorable photos with my favorite celebrities from various domains such as sports, music, famous leaders and film stars.
The museum is divided into 8 zones with different themes.

Most popular out of them are Star Wars, royal zone, film, Marvel and sports zone. Marvel hall and Star wars are famous among kids and they can spend leisure time there.

Timings : 3rd April to 24 April
9:00 am to 3:00 pm
2 April  – 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

How To reach by Train & best time to visit
Get off at Marylebone station. The museum is 10 mins walk from here. Visit the museum early in the morning

Tickets 

Child ( 4- 15) Years – Rs.3,687
Adults- Rs. 4,184

Posing with PM Narendra Modiji 

6) Big Ben London

A true icon of the London skyline, the majestic clocktower of the Palace of Westminster motley known as Big Ben, is one of the world’s great timepieces. But Big Ben is much more than a simple clock tower. The magnificent creation rises almost 100m in the sky and is thus visible from miles around. That makes it the most recognizable symbol of English capital.

You will be spellbound by its melodious sound made by bells of the tower,and it looks enchanting especially in the dusk proper evening due to the illumination of lights around it !!

You can go inside Big Ben and visit by booking a 90 minute guided tour that takes visitors up 334 stairs (Caution: Climb 334 stairs only if you are not a heart patient or pregnant) to see the clock mechanism room, behind the four clock dials where the famous bell is located.

Tickets –  The free tours of Big Ben tend to be sold up to 6 months advance so be prepared to wait a while !

7) Piccadilly Street

I was thrilled to see one of London’s most popular tourist destinations which is best known for its wrap-around video display which is typically used for advertisement & first appeared in 1908.

I found it one of the most lively & vigorous streets of London. I was there at around 4:00 pm. I think it was the best time to visit the street because at this time you can take the pleasure of leisure activities happening around. At one square I was astonished by the melodious voice of a boy singing & playing guitar & on the other side I was amused by the flash mob. Multi Cuisine food around, all theaters are nearby with adequate shopping options. The street is highly crowded on weekends.

Scenes of flash Mob at Piccadilly Circus

Leisure walk on Piccadilly Circus

8) Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square is one of the largest squares in the heart of the city and one of the busiest squares throughout the year where the crowd gathers for jam packed musical shows, theaters & other artistic and enriching shows. Everytime you visit Trafalgar soiree it has something new to offer making it a favorite destination for London travelers.

The energetic square in the heart of the city offers a wide variety of sights to see and fascinating places to visit. This square has something for everyone , from people watching art galleries to London’s historic monuments, buildings & statues. And ofcourse plethora of eateries makes it the best place to hangout & chill with friends and family.

Best Restaurants near Trafalgar Square
i) Farzi Cafe
ii)The Admirately, great pub with magnificent ambience
iii) Kalo di Saro Salvo for best Pizza
iv) Gouqi restaurant

9) London Dungeon

OMG !! This is the scariest thing we did in London !! Keep your heart strong & just dig yourself into this lifetime adventure that you will experience here.

You will enter here with a timed ticket and enter into a dark passageway with live rats in glass cabinets. The brave among you can climb underneath and pop up in a glass dome inside the rat’s enclosure to get really close to them. You can also take photos there but it’s dark so don’t expect much.
Here you can relish yourself with 19 live shows and the tales are mostly about London history  which covers middle ages history when the city saw numerous plagues and epidemics. Beyond the chilling tales however lies the adventure that will leave you spellbound.

Highlighting part of London Dungeon

i) Jack the Ripper
ii)The Descent
iii)The Tyrant Boat ride
iv)Guy Fawkes Gunpowder Plot

Tickets

Adults – Rs.3,693
If booked in advance you can get the same ticket for Rs.2,796.44. If you have a question about whether visiting London Dungeon is worth it at this expense, then I would say “YES”.

Timings
It remains open every day from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Best Time To Visit
Best time to visit London Dungeon is from October to March, amplifying its charm and lower ticket prices means more value for your experience.

Rotten Royals at london Dungeon

10) Kempton Park Racecourse

Kempton park is one of the major horse racing tracks in London. The racecourse offers 40 evenings of flat racing under floodlights throughout the year on its all weather surface. The two day 32 Red winter festival on boxing day and December 27th are the highlight of the racing calendar at the Surrey track. Kempton park is also famous for top class racing throughout the year. It is also a popular conference and event center.
So you can definitely visit the place if you are interested in horse racing because it would be a thrilling experience for you. I would suggest going, only if you are interested in horse racing because it’s going to hit hard on your pocket.

If you visit Panoramic Restaurant prices are too expensive, but you get a good view of the race course and the finishing line.

View of Racecourse from panoramic restaurant

Kempton Racecourse

11) St Paul Cathedral

St Paul is a Cathedral dedicated to St Paul. Built by Architect Sir Christopher Wren in the 17th century this magnificent building steeped in British history has become one of the most popular London attractions. This functioning church observes many religious and national events, during this time entry inside the church is restricted.

There is free entry in the church for offering personal prayer but if you wish to simply look around the magnificent building as I did, then you will have to pay. It can accumulate around 300 guests at a time and I was astonished to see its imposing architecture and stunning views from its dome.

Tickets & Timings
Adults – Rs.2,163.28
Children – Rs.949.73

The church is open from Monday to Saturday 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, excluding major religious events and bank holidays.

St.Paul Cathedral

Interior of St.Paul Cathedral

12) Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey is the first church to be built near the River Thames. If you are interested in royalty/history then you must visit Westminster Abbey and it should be in your itinerary if you are a first time visitor to London. It is generally associated with the royalty and Royal families of London. Westminster Abbey is renowned as a site of royal weddings, coronations, burials  and it is truly located in the royal heart of London.

BEST HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CHURCH

i)Henry VII Lady Chapel
ii) Coronation Chair
iii) Poet’s Corner
iv) Tomb of Elizabeth I
v) Cloisters

So this is the final resting place of legends and kings and no doubt the most famous & royal wedding venue in the world.

Ticket price – Rs.3,063.55 per person

13) Shakespeare Globe Theatre

Shakespeare Globe Theatre is a world renowned performing arts venue, cultural events, and education center located on the bank of river Thames built in the year 1599 and modern reconstruction of the globe was done in 1997 named as Shakespeare’s Globe.

BEST HIGHLIGHTS OF SHAKESPEARE GLOBE THEATRE
i) Shakespear was part owner of the theater and the first play Shakespeare wrote for the original globe was Julius and Caesar in Spring.
ii) It;s always been a midsummer destination.
iii) It’s an open air theater constructed using traditional techniques and held together using 9,500 wooden pegs.
iv)You can sit down in the wooden “o” and listen to stories about Shakespeare’s well-known plays that were presented in the theater.

Tickets – 1,764 per adult
Activity Timings : 12:00 pm to 8:45 pm
Activity duration :  50 mins (approx)

An expert guide will be there by your side to ensure you get the best tour of the place while giving valuable insights to its history. Arrive at the place 15 mins before your scheduled time to ensure a convenient entry. So that you can explore the open air playhouse where Shakespeare once worked & this is the same place where most of his plays were enacted.

Drama in Shakespeare Globe Theatre

The Stage at Shakespeare Globe Theatre

Some Tips that will make your London trip hussle free

i) If you are planning only London then a 5 day trip is a good option.
ii) STAY- You can plan a budget hotel too. Select accommodation near oxford street if feasible. Even if you are staying away from main attractions , the tube is a savior in London as I was staying in Hotel holiday Inn London – Heathrow,M4, Jct.4 near Airport.
iii) Always try to travel by underground tubes as it is fun and fast and avoid roads due to heavy traffic. If you can walk through the city you will go through so many interesting things on your way literally anywhere.
iv) Buy a Lycamobile sim card, they have affordable plans.
v) If you are planning to shop for affordable clothes and accessories then Primark is the go to place and for branded and expensive clothes, soveniers Oxford street is the place. You can get good discounts on H&M and Victoria Secret perfumes.
vi) Useful Apps – If you are planning to travel around London, book your train tickets by Trainline App & have a citymapper App download in your phone which will take you anywhere in the city.
vii) Book your hotel through Booking.com. Or Air bnb.

I hope my experience will help you in planning your London trip. So just chill out in these dynamic and energetic streets of London and share your experience with me. So are you ready to visit this astounding & stunning place? It’s wisely said that “The man who can dominate the London dinner table can dominate the world”. So keep calm and go to London!! It will never disappoint you. If you find my blog useful, please show your love by commenting.

1. BEST SEASON TO VISIT LONDON

• Although the best time to visit London is from March to May when the temperature is quite mild and soothing .But mostly tourists visit during late spring along with summer , also considered as prime time to visit London or any European city .
• So i went to London in the month of July 2019 ( Its Summer in Europe From June to August). Summers in Europe are like not more than 15 to 23 degrees but  now due to global warming & as pollution has hit the world that time it was quite hot and temperature varies from 32 to 40 degrees.

 

2. BOARDING FLIGHT

•  We boarded flight of Abu dhabi from Mumbai (Chhatrapati shivaji International Airport-Andheri)  at 21:35 PM ETIHAD AIRWAYS and arrived at Abu dhabi International airport at 23:15 PM
• From Abu Dhabi International airport we had a flight to London at 2:50 AM and arrived at 7:30 AM to London (London Heathrow Airport).
• We stayed in the Hotel Holiday Inn London – Heathrow,M4, Jct.4 near Airport.

I am providing the map of best tourists attractions in London

Let me know if you want any other information related to London.

The Paris blog is on the way so stay tuned !!