London town, you either love it or hate it but no matter how you feel you have to see the sights at least once! So, how should you spend the day seeing London as a tourist?
Depending on where you’re staying I always say start the day with a walk through the park, for me it was Pancras Park (I definitely recommend it). Starting nice and early is best (if you can drag yourself out of bed that is), I like to catch the last of the sunrise.
Walking through Pancras Park taking in the gorgeous church and gardens, continue to make your way to Camden Market. Remember to check the marketing opening times, depending on the day of the week will tell you how early you really need to get up. As the market opens at different times – so make sure to check this before you leave, and don’t learn the hard way like I did.
What awaits you at Camden markets is hard to describe and give justice, it can however be summed up in three words – food, souvenirs, food. You may have noticed I am yet to mention breakfast, and that is because there is more than the stomach can handle to choose from at the market and I highly recommend trying as much as you can. There’s plenty of walking to be done today, so this is the perfect opportunity to start the day right, and maybe even get a snack or two for the road.
When you’ve looked in every nook and cranny at Camden Markets, it’s time to move on to our next tourist attraction – Tower Bridge, via the tube. Get off at London Bridge station, and enjoy the walk along ‘Queens Walk’ taking in the views of the River Thames as you come upon Tower Bridge – this is where you can get some really gorgeous photos with the sights – you know, proof you’ve been there, done that. For one of the best views of the bridge, and a more secluded place for a photo op, keeping walking past the bridge, under the tunnel and down the cobblestone street until you see the sign ‘Maggie Blake’s Cause’, walk down the alley and enjoy a more private viewing point of the bridge.
Now’s your chance to make your way down the river, via Uber Boat! There are various docks along the River Thames, you just need to make sure you get the one heading to London Eye, the next stop on this tourist day out. But don’t worry, going on the London Eye is up to you, but not a necessity. The Uber Boat will cost anywhere between 10-15 pounds, depending on where you get on and off. A little pricey, but worth it for the experience, and quicker than walking all the way around to the London Eye – especially when the day is only about halfway over!
When you arrive at the London Eye and walk down the dock, turn right heading towards Big Ben, but don’t go across the river just yet! The best viewpoint for Big Ben may look like it’s from across the bridge, however a tunnel will prove this wrong. Instead of going up the stairs to cross the river, follow the tunnel down to the end, ignoring the faint smell of urine, until you come to the corner. Stop here and admire how perfectly Big Ben and the bridge are framed by the archway at the end of the tunnel. This is the photo opportunity that doesn’t look like every other tourist’s photo on the bridge with Big Ben in the background.
Moving on! The next stop, Buckingham Palace and no, this is not to see the changing of the guard – it takes a certain kind of person to wait in a massive crowd of people for hours to watch this happen and I would never suggest it as part of a full day of activities, it should be the only thing you do that day before going to a pub and drinking the afternoon away. This is a quick stop to see the Palace, grab your photo and then continue on. Depending on your timing, you might be ready for a late lunch or maybe even dinner, and depending on the cravings you can find pretty much anything in London, I do recommend any corner pub serving up bangers & mash.
If you aren’t exhausted after the day, the final suggestion is to catch a theater show. London always has a wide variety of shows hitting the stages, so if musicals aren’t your thing, maybe a comedy show might tickle your fancy. Last minute tickets can also be a lot cheaper, so if you find yourself near a box office and want to see what’s available, you really can’t go wrong with the diversity London has to offer. On the other hand, if you found yourself a pub with good vibes, maybe even some live music and want to enjoy a few pints, that’s also a perfect way to end a day out being a tourist in London.
