Three Days in London – Itinerary with Photos and Tips - Angela Isai

Three Days in London - Itinerary with Photos and Tips

When it comes to family, time spent together is always precious. And what better way to strengthen bonds than a trip? Nikolas, my brother, has always had a soft spot for London. So, we decided to make his dream come true. We booked an outbound flight with Wizz Air and a return flight with EasyJet, both departing from Venice. And so, our London adventure was ready to begin! 🙂

Day 1

Our trip began with a flight from Venice, landing in London Gatwick around 1 p.m. From there, we took the ThamesLink train to Kings Cross station. A little tip for those visiting London: don’t waste time standing in line for train tickets. If you have a contactless card, you can simply endorse it at the turnstiles and the system will calculate the route and charge you at the end of the day. In our case, the cost of the train was about 11 euros. Once we arrived at Kings Cross, we had lunch at Cappadocia Café, enjoying delicious wraps. After dropping our backpacks at our accommodation, the Studios2let, we began our exploration of the city.

We had considered other hotels with excellent location/price ratio. Here they are:

The Z Hotel Holborn: Link Booking
NOX Edgware Road: Link Booking
Points to Hotel London Paddington: Link Booking
I recommend friends: book if possible at least 4/5 months in advance because hotels in London are really expensive so the cheaper ones get booked right away.

Important information regarding Contactless payment for public transportation:

Be sure to always use the same card to enter and exit the turnstiles. It does not matter if you have the same card on your phone, the reader will still detect a different card. So if you use the physical card, continue to use that same physical card. If you use the card on the phone, always use only the card on the phone. And be sure not to change paper during the day if you want to save money.
It is likely that by using an Italian card you will be charged a fee for the euro-sterling currency exchange. I personally recommend using only Revolut as I have never had any problems or additional fees to pay. You can find the article related to Revolut here: www.anxhelaisaj.com/revolut-la-carta-prepagata-perfetta-per-chi-ama-viaggiare/
Remember, you cannot swap cards for turnstiles; the system recognizes this. Each person must have their own contactless card.

We started with a visit to Regent’s Park, one of London’s royal parks. This park is a true green jewel in the heart of the city, with its well-maintained gardens and breathtaking views of the city.

From there, we headed to Hyde Park, another royal park in London. Hyde Park is known to be one of the largest parks in the city and is home to the famous Speakers’ Corner, where anyone can get on a soapbox and give a speech on any topic.

Our walk then took us to Buckingham Palace, the official residence of the royal family. Did you know that the palace has 775 rooms, including 19 state rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff rooms, 92 offices, and 78 bathrooms?

After admiring the building, we treated ourselves to a snack at Fortnum & Mason. This historic store is famous for its high-quality products, and we were lucky enough to find super brownies on offer for only £70 a piece. In fact, on the ground floor in the afternoon you can find the day’s leftovers at half price!

Our day ended with a walk to Piccadilly Circus, one of London’s most famous places, known for its illuminated advertising screens. From there, we headed to Chinatown (my favorite neighborhood in London), where we had dinner atOita Restaurant. Finally, we ended our day with a night walk in Leicester Square and admired the illuminated Big Ben and behind it the London Eye.

Little trivia: Big Ben is not actually the name of the tower, but of the bell inside the tower. The official name of the tower is Elizabeth Tower, while Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell inside.

Day 2

Our second day in London began with breakfast at one of the many Costa Cafes scattered around the city. Then, we took the Euston Underground, which is right next to our hotel, and headed to the National Gallery, a museum that houses more than 2,300 works of art ranging from the late Middle Ages to the 19th century. We are talking about the oldest museum in the world that gave birth to the British Library and the Natural History Museum in London. Among the most famous works are Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers,” Leonardo da Vinci’s “Virgin of the Rocks,” and Velázquez’s “Venus in the Mirror.” There is also one of my favorite paintings, Bathers at Asnières by French painter Georges Seurat. Remember to book your visit on the official website https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/. Although admission to London’s museums is free, you can always book online to avoid long lines.

Our museum tour continued with a visit to the British Museum, where we admired the famous Rosetta Stone, which made it possible to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics, the majestic Easter Island statue called Hoa Hakananai’a, and the bust of Rameses the Great the world’s best-known Egyptian pharaoh.

For lunch, we chose an Indian restaurant called “Palms of Goa,” which offers a wide selection of traditional Indian dishes.

In the afternoon, we visited the Natural History Museum, a museum offering a wide range of natural exhibits, including dinosaurs, minerals, plants and animals. The section on volcanoes and earthquakes is particularly interesting and interactive.

After a busy day of cultural sightseeing, we decided to relax a bit and headed for Tower Bridge, one of London’s most iconic landmarks. Do not be confused with London Bridge, which is another bridge but without the characteristic towers.

For an afternoon snack, we headed to the Shoreditch neighborhood, known for its Brick Lane and Spitalfields markets, where you can find street food, vintage clothing and art objects.

Shoreditch is also famous for being home to London’s large Bengali community. Part of Brick Lane is even officially called Banglatown.

Our day ended in the vibrant Covent Garden district, known for its designer stores, independent boutiques and fine restaurants. Covent Garden is a great place to stroll, shop, and enjoy London’s vibrant atmosphere.

Dinner was a typically British experience: we ate at the Rock & Sole Plaice, the oldest fish and chips restaurant in London, founded in 1871. The sustainably sourced fish is still prepared according to the 145-year-old traditional recipe. Remember that every place in London also has options for vegetarians and vegans I in fact opted for pita con con with hummus!

Day 3

Our last day in London began with packing our backpacks and checking out of our accommodation. Ready for qyest last day, we had breakfast at Ruskin’s Cafe on Museum Street WC1. My brother opted for English Breakfast, while I chose delicious Pasteis de Nata. I admit that the prices may be a little high but I must say that everything was very good! Don’t miss the pasteis because they really look a lot like the originals eaten in Portugal 🙂

After breakfast, we headed to Oxford Street, one of London’s most famous shopping streets. This street, more than a mile and a half long, is home to more than 300 stores and attracts millions of visitors each year. Here we picked up some souvenirs to take home.

But the real highlight of the morning was our visit to Hamleys, the world’s oldest toy store. Located on Regent Street, Hamleys is a true paradise for children and those who have remained children at heart. Founded in 1760 by William Hamley as “Noah’s Ark,” Hamleys has become a landmark for Londoners and tourists from all over the world. With seven floors of toys and games, Hamleys is not just a store, but an all-around experience. Not to be missed are the live toy demonstrations and costumed characters that roam the store.

After our visit to Hamleys, we continued our walk to nearby Carnaby Street, famous for its fashion stores and independent boutiques. Then, we headed by subway to Camden Town, a neighborhood I particularly love for its underground spirit and lively atmosphere.

Camden Town is famous for its market, located near Regent’s Canal, which offers a wide range of fashion and curiosities.

This area with an alternative atmosphere is popular with tourists, teenagers and punks. But Camden is not just a place of shopping: it is also a place of history and culture. It was a key venue for the growth of the punk and rock scene in the UK and generated £1.2 billion from visitor spending, with 24,400 businesses, which is the second largest in London after Westminster.

We had lunch at Camden Lock, a corner of Camden market known for its street food. I opted for a tapioca wrap, while Nikolas chose a cheese corn dog. For dessert, we experimented with some of the odd kat kits offered by the many sweet stores in the area.

More things to see in London and where to eat

Here is a list of interesting places to see in London that we did not mention in the article and that Nikolas and I did not have the opportunity to visit:

The Shard: The UK’s tallest skyscraper offers breathtaking panoramic views of London.
St. Paul‘s Cathedral: One of London’s most iconic cathedrals, with a dome that dominates the city skyline.
Greenwich: This London neighborhood is famous for its park, the Royal Observatory and the Greenwich Meridian.
Kensington Palace: The London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, with beautiful gardens and historical exhibits.
Little Venice: A picturesque corner of London where the Regent and Grand Union canals meet, with floating cafes and colorful barge boats.
Sky Garden: A public garden located atop the “Walkie Talkie” with panoramic views of the city.
Portobello Road Market: One of London’s most famous markets, known for its antique and vintage stalls.

Instead, here are some of the most popular and recommended places to eat in London:

Restaurant Ours
: Located in Knightsbridge, it is known for its extremely Instagrammable interior and is regularly frequented by celebrities. Perfect for everything from romantic dinners to drinks with friends.
Quaglino’s
: A mainstay of London’s culinary scene, Quaglino’s has been serving Londoners for nearly a century. This St. James gem is the go-to spot for classic cocktails, impressive dinners and weekend brunch.
The Seashell of Lisson Grove
: Located in Marylebone, this is a great seafood restaurant offering everything from squid to classic fish ‘n’ chips.
Sexy Fish
: This restaurant and bar focuses on Far Eastern food, late-night snacks, and outstanding cocktails. Not only are there over 400 bottles of Japanese whiskey, but there is also a million pounds of artwork by Frank Gehry and Damien Hirst.
Sketch
: If you have never heard of Sketch, surely you have seen it. From the artwork hanging on the walls to the famous egg-shaped bathrooms and that formerly pink (now yellow) gallery room, this Maddox Street restaurant is instantly recognizable among Londoners and tourists alike.
The Ivy: A highly prestigious restaurant, founded in 1917. It includes more than 30 spin-off restaurants known as Ivy Cafés and Ivy Brasseries. In addition, The Ivy Asia, a restaurant inspired by Asian cuisine under the Ivy Group with several locations, was launched in 2021. Online you will find the locations so you can book the one you prefer.

As for bakeries, here are two suggestions:

Fabrique
: This Stockholm-based bakery offers excellent rye breads, nut boules and sourdough breads.
Peggy Porschen
: This bakery is famous for its cakes and cupcakes, as well as its pink Instagrammable exterior.
WA Café
: This Japanese bakery offers a variety of sweet and savory treats, including matcha tea sponge spirals filled with whipped cream; perfectly presented mini pastry tarts; and sweet rolls filled with red bean paste or custard.
Candella Tea Room:
A charming place located in the heart of Kensington, London. This vintage-style tea lounge offers an authentic afternoon tea experience in a relaxed and cozy atmosphere. With a wide selection of homemade teas and pastries. If you are looking for a traditional afternoon tea experience in London, Candella Tea Room is an option worth considering.

Be sure to check out my featured stories about London on my Instagram profile www.instagram.com/angelaisai to get a more complete idea of my trip. So, are you ready to fly to the UK capital? Start planning your next trip and be amazed by the wonders London has to offer. 🙂

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