Trip to London: How to Travel in the British Capital

3. National Gallery

The National Gallery is located in Trafalgar Square and open on Saturday - Thursday from 9am to 6pm and on Friday from 9am to 9pm. Entry is completely free and you can easily spend a whole day gazing at the amazing art collections!

4. Waxy O'Conners

If you're looking to experience the London nightlife then you can't go past Waxy O'Connors! Located in the middle of Piccadilly Circus this is the perfect pub to start your night out! The pub is built like a giant tree house with multiple rooms and levels featuring different bars and dining areas! Along with a great selection of drinks you'll also find some of the best pub food in London!

5. Rugby

Enjoy one of the biggest sports in England! If you are looking for a true Britsih cultural experience than we'd highly suggest checking out a game, you can pre-book tickets online. If you want to really commit to the experience we'd recommend going to the Rugby 7's at Twickenham Stadium, the home of rugby, it's a great day out filled with rowdy locals and lots of beer!

6. Hyde Park

Hyde Park is the perfect place to relax in London! During the warmer months you can rent beach chairs and lay out in the sun. The park spans over 350 acres, rental bikes are available all year round and are the perfect way to explore the grounds and the neighbouring Kensington Gardens!

7. West End Theatre District

When in London seeing a show on the West End is an absolute must! Whether its some stand up comedy, a play, or a musical you'll be able to find the perfect show for you! To snag a cheap ticket head down to the TKTS Booth in Leicester Square for cheap, last minute tickets!

8. Portobello Road Market

Visit the world famous Portobello Market located in Notting Hill! The 2 mile long market boasts a fantastic range of boutique stores and unique stalls! You'll also be able to find delicious locally sourced fresh food! We'd recommend going on a Saturday, although it's busy the crowds, live music and entertainment make it all the more exciting!

• National Gallery

• British Museum

• Natural History Museum

• Museum of London

• Tate Modern

• Victoria & Albert Museum

• Science Museum

• Imperial War Museum

• National Portrait Gallery

London Pride

Pride in London is a spectacular month-long celebration where the LGBT community and its allies come together for theater performances, dancing, parades, and a wide variety of other activities. Not to be missed is the Pride in London Parade, which starts on Regent’s Street and passes all the way through Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square.

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is an annual celebration in February whose main attraction is a parade featuring traditional music, a kaleidoscope of colors, and, of course, dragons. If you plan to dine at a Chinese restaurant for the New Year, we highly recommend a reservation, as it is one of the most popular days of the year.

Notting Hill Carnival

The Notting Hill Carnival, which takes place in the district of the same name, is a street festival put on every year by the British Afro-Caribbean population of the UK. This event combines live music and dance performances, dazzling costumes, and traditional Afro-Caribbean cuisine into one two-day festival. Thousands of visitors flock to this high-energy celebration every year to join the locals in dancing in the streets.

Totally Thames Festival

Totally Thames Festival is dedicated to the River Thames and takes place every year through the month of September, giving you the perfect excuse for a fall trip to London (generally a cheaper time to fly). The events list for this festival is incredibly diverse, including craft fairs, regattas, river races, art installations and tons of live music

Magical London: Harry Potter Sets

Ever wanted to stand in front of Number 12 Grimmauld Place or sneak a peek at Gringotts Wizarding Bank from the outside? Well in London, you can! To reach the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, simply wander down Claremont Square and examine the row of houses there. If you’re itching to window-shop through Diagon Alley, find your way to Leadenhall Market (more precisely to Bull's Head Passage). What wizard’s outing would be complete without a trip to Gringotts bank? The marble halls of the Australia House will make you feel as if you’re there. And of course everything starts and ends at King's Cross Station, where Harry takes his first trip to Hogwarts as a boy of 11 and, at the end of the series, sees his own children off on the train. Since time immemorial, Harry Potter pilgrims come in droves to Platform 9 ¾, where a runaway luggage cart has been placed for a memorable snapshot.

Love Is In The Air: Notting Hill & Love Actually Sets

London is home to some of the most iconic love films, including Notting Hill and Love Actually. In Notting Hill, on Westbourne Park Road, you'll find the iconic blue door of Hugh Grant’s house in the movie of the same name. For another famous location from that film, head around the corner to The Travel Book Shop. If you’re a Love Actually fan, you can check out Grosvenor Chapel, where Keira Knightley and Chiwetel Ejiofor’s characters get married in the movie, or visit Selfridges Department Store, where Alan Rickman’s character buys his secretary jewelry.

From London, With Love: James Bond Sets

Step into the shoes of Her Majesty’s most notorious secret agent. To visit 007’s old stomping grounds at M16 you’ll want to make your way to the headquarters of the Secret Intelligence Service, most easily viewed from the Vauxhall Bridge. Various underground stations as well as Room 34 of the National Gallery were also used for filming Bond movies. Film props, including slick sports cars, can be found in the London Film Museum in Covent Garden. If you want to immerse yourself further in 007’s world, sign up to take a Bond tour through the city.

Elementary, My Dear Tourist: Sherlock Holmes Sets

Pack your detective cap and your pipe and off you go in the footsteps of Sherlock Holmes and Doc Watson, two of the most famous fictional characters in London. The original Baker Street 221b is home to the Sherlock Holmes Museum, whereas the filming location of Baker Street for the BBC series Sherlock is on North Gower Street. Other filming locations include St. Bart's Hospital and the Birdcage Walk at St. James Park.

Camden Market

The Camden Market is the mother of all markets in London, making it hard to miss. Camden is largely considered a mecca for vintage and designer fashion and still exudes the punky London charm of the 70s and 80s. If you’re not looking to drop cash on some bell-bottom jeans or hot pants, it’s still worth taking a peek through the vendors’ wares. The market is divided into different areas that each offer something different, such as Camden Lock Market or Inverness Street, where you can find cool pubs and bars.

Columbia Road Flower Market

Flower and plant fans will feel right at home here! This street market is a unique, colorful paradise in East London for everything that flourishes. In addition to seasonal cut flowers, there are potted plants, shrubs, seeds, garden accessories and a number of cafés.

Borough Market

Borough Market is considered a foodie paradise and is one of London's oldest food markets. It is centrally located near London Bridge and is surrounded by numerous cafes and bars. It’s a perfect place to buy the freshest produce, herbs, spices, oils and all things that make a culinary heart beat faster. In addition, there are many snacks and treats to sample as you wander through the stalls.

Brick Lane Market

The Brick Lane Market can be found in the middle of many other small markets north of the Thames, near the Whitechapel Tube station. Eagle-eyed thrifters rejoice: this is the best place to find second-hand clothes. In addition to the flea market, there are also galleries, bars, restaurants, and plenty of interesting street art.

Greenwich Market

Greenwich is located in the southeast of London, on the banks of the Thames. Greenwich Market is a historic market that has just about everything: designer goods, posters, home decor, jewelry and other accessories. This is the ideal place to search for a unique gift. Alternating themed markets, food festivals for example, occasionally take place in this area.

Broadway Market

In northeast London, just off Victoria Park, is Broadway Market. This "indie" market is the number one point of contact for fans of all things organic, as it sells products from local farmers. If that isn’t enough to persuade you, it is also home to some of the tastiest street food in London.

For a Good-Old-Fashioned Classic: Poppies (Brick Lane & Camden)

Poppies knows that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Their fish is fresh, their portions hearty, and their chips impeccably salted. Couple that with the retro interior and you can hardly tell what’s changed since proprietor Pat “Pop” Newman first got in the fish & chips game in the early 1950s.

For an Upscale Twist: Kerbisher and Malt (Brook Green & Clapham)

​​​​​​Come for the one-of-a-kind matzo-meal fried fish, stay for the homemade tartar sauce and pickled onion rings. With chips so nice they cook them twice, this daring diner should not be missed.

For a Sweet Tooth: Toff’s (Muswell Hill)

With a name that’s both a tongue-in-cheek joke (toff is a British-ism for a snob) and a nod to its signature sticky toffee pudding, unassuming Toff’s blends a warm, family-business energy with fresh fish cooked to perfection.

For the Tea Connoisseur: Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, Fortnum and Mason (Piccadilly)

The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon cheerful name is mirrored in its aesthetic, the pastel blue teacups seemingly pulled straight from Alice in Wonderland. Spring for the tea tasting, where a variety of brews will be fetched for your consideration and explained by the knowledgeable waitstaff.

For Something a Bit Stronger: Dandelyan Bar, Mondrian London (Southwark)

If a stiff drink is more your speed than an afternoon cuppa, the Wyld Tea at Dandelyan Bar is your happy medium. Enjoy above-average bites (think refined twists on the classics, like an elderflower compressed cucumber sandwich) paired with an unexpected mix of signature cocktails.

For an Authentic Institution: E Pellicci (Bethnal Green)

Churning out steaming full english breakfasts since 1900, this landmark is always bustling around breakfast time. Mix and match to create your ideal plate, or just go with the classic Pellicci’s Full English, setting you back a mere £5.50. Veggies shouldn’t miss the bubble & squeak (potatoes and cabbage, fried).

For Breakfast with a View: The Pavilion Cafe (Victoria Park)

Location, location, location. While the Pavilion Cafe does make an excellent fry-up with all the right trimmings, its lakeside seating in lush Victoria Park is what makes it a go-to spot for Londoners and tourists alike.

For the High Life on a Budget: Quo Vadis (Soho)

The morning light coming through the stained glass windows of this chic eatery more than makes up for the slight price jump for a full english. Enjoy a classic combination from locally-sourced ingredients, beautifully presented.

For the Upper Crust: Bob Bob Ricard (Soho)

Restraint has no place at ostentatious Bob Bob Ricard, where the wryly-named Humble Pie, prepared with champagne and truffles, is king. The price is pretty steep, but it’s worth it for the groovy, if discordant, atmosphere. A word to the wise: visiting in “Off-Peak” hours (listed on their website) yields a 15-20% discount from the regular menu prices.

For the Catch of the Day: J Sheekey (Covent Garden)

A favorite for the regular crowds in so-called “Theatreland”, J Sheekey may not specialize in pies, but that doesn’t stop them from plating up one of the best in the city. Stuffed with white fish and salmon and topped with expertly whipped mashed potatoes, this pie more than warrants its hefty price tag.

For a taste of the Caribbean: Fish, Wings, & Tings (Brixton)

With Trinidadian roots, this colorful little storefront lives up to its name. Owner Brian Danclair dishes out classic jerk chicken wings and kingfish curry alongside interesting extras like goat roti and split pea fritters. Grab a Dark & Stormy (ginger beer + rum) and enjoy the rhythm of the reggae while you peruse the menu, helpfully divided between “Small Tings” and “Big Tings”.

For a bang-up curry on a budget: Apollo Banana Leaf (Tooting)

When it comes to a decent curry, sometimes less is more. While London has it’s fair share of upscale Indian joints, the unpretentious vibe and substantial portions at Apollo Banana Leaf make it an excellent choice for a meal that’s quick, filling, and delicious.

For a Midday Snack: Beigel Bake (Shoreditch)

This Brick Lane institution churns out fresh bagels stuffed with smoked salmon or salt beef 24 hours a day. The line is almost always out the door, but don’t worry, the experienced employees keep things moving at a rapid clip. Side note: Don’t confuse Beigel Bake with neighboring Beigel Shop, a separate store originally owned by the same family, but largely considered the less tasty of the two.

For the Cookbook Devotee: Ottolenghi Restaurants & Delis (Spitalfields, Notting Hill, Islington)

In the world of cookbook aficionados, the glossy-paged texts of Jerusalem and Plenty by expert chef Yotam Ottolenghi reign supreme. Equally impressive are his trio of deli-cum-restaurants in London, where one can experience his signature Middle Eastern dishes. Ottolenghi also owns two other eateries: Nopi, a more formal affair, and the Belgravia deli, which functions mainly as a takeaway.