With a plethora of things to see and do in London, it can be difficult creating an itinerary worthy of this great city. The capital is made up of diverse boroughs that feature infamous buildings, cultural sites and iconic landmarks, both old and new. To help you make the most out of your London trip, here are 4 things you cannot miss.
Westminster Area
The Westminster borough is home to the capital’s most popular attractions, such as Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace. Summer is the best time to visit if the Royal Family are a huge draw for you. In the summer months you can enjoy a tour of the State Rooms at the palace and celebrate the Queen’s official birthday with the Trooping of the Colour parades and fanfare. Outside of the palace you can also witness the Changing of the Guard ceremony right outside Buckingham Palace. Other notable sites of Westminster include Covent Garden, a hub for shopping and entertainment, and the historic Westminster Abbey.
Watch a West End Show
Whether you enjoy a light and happy musical or a play with more serious undertones, avid theatregoers have plenty of choice in the capital. From The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre to Life of Pi at Wyndham’s Theatre, you are spoilt for choice in London’s West End. A top tip for those on a budget with time to spare is to queue up on the day of the performance and purchase rush tickets. These discounted tickets are offered on a first come, first served basis, and usually cost less than £30. Another way to save money in London is to rent an affordable room instead of living out of an expensive hotel. If you plan on staying for at least a week, you will plenty of rooms to rent in London.
A Traditional Roast Dinner on Sunday
Indulging in a roast dinner with all the trimmings is a must in England, especially if your visit falls on a Sunday. A traditional roast dinner is made up of roasted meat, an assortment of vegetables, a Yorkshire pudding and lashings of gravy. It is also traditional to enjoy your roast with condiments that complement your choice of meat, such as mint sauce for lamb, horseradish for beef, cranberry sauce for turkey and apple for roast pork. On Sunday you can find this meal in every pub, and in higher end restaurants you can enjoy an upmarket version of this meal. Wherever you decide to dine, you will inevitably fall into a food coma after the indulgence of a Sunday roast.
Visit Chinatown
London proudly boasts a huge mix of people from all around the globe. This mishmash of cultures greatly influences the shopping, entertainment and dining scene of London. A great example would be Chinatown. This ethnic enclave offers a large variety of restaurants, delicious street food and dessert cafes that hail from different parts of China, and other Asian countries. Visit the aptly named Dessert Alley to try different types of sweet treats or head over to one of the long established restaurants to enjoy dim sum.
