LONDON 2018

I am back from my amazing trip to London and I cannot express what a splendid time I had! For those who aren’t aware, I have a strong love for London and I’ve always told myself if there was a city I could live in besides New York, it would be London. I actually studied abroad there when I was in college but that was 6 years ago and I haven’t been back. I knew I would return some day, but my love for travel always inspired me to explore some place new. As weird as it sounds, I listened to the universe and it gave me a strong urge to pack my bags to London and that’s exactly what I did!

The feeling I had once I landed and got off my train at Victoria Station is a feeling I will remember forever. It was the same feeling I had when I lived in London in 2012. I felt a level of happiness, freedom and joy that I hadn’t experienced in a really long time. Don’t get me wrong, I love being a New Yorker and I am glad to call New York my home, but London gave me a sense of freedom and liberation that I have been longing for. As I breathed in the fresh air, strolled along the streets, and soaked in every inch of London as I can, I I felt more alive than ever! I hope you guys are able to experience that feeling one day because it’s truly something magical.

I usually do a recap of my travel trips with a summary of my itinerary, but there was so much that happened during my stay that I have decided to talk about my highlights instead and dedicate a few blog posts to my hotel stays, which will be uploaded after this. To start off, I think it’s important to be a tourist while you are traveling to a new place because it’s the best way to get to know the city in addition to learning the history and culture. One of the main tourist attractions that I’ve always thought was a stand out in London is the Tower Bridge because it also holds the Crown Jewels, which is truly a sight that I cannot describe because you honestly have to be there to see it for yourself! As justified, we weren’t allowed to take photos inside so I don’t have anything to show for it but if you do a quick google search, you’ll be sure to see what I am referring to!

Some of my other recommendations are below:

• • Westminster Abbey/ Houses of Parliament: When people think of London, Westminster Abbey and Houses of Parliament are usually the first sights that come to their mind. I would say it’s similar to Statue of Liberty when people think of New York. The last time I was in London, I passed by the Westminster Abbey and Houses of Parliament but never actually been in. This time, I booked a tour with Tripadvisor and had a guided tour of Westminster Abbey and who knew it had so much history! I would recommend visiting the inside if you are interested in seeing the details of this royal church and it’s also a great way to say you’ve been on the grounds of where William and Catherine Middleton got married! There are many tourists around this area, but I am sure you can’t miss this sight since it’s also near the Big Ben. Unfortunately, they are currently doing construction on the Big Ben, so most of your photos will be obstructed, which is why I couldn’t get a good photo of it, but that didn’t affect my love for London.

• • Kensington Palace: If I am going to be honest, I’ve actually never had the desire to visit Kensington Palace, but my ticket to the Tower of London included my entrance to Kensington Palace so I knew I had to take advantage of it. I went on a day where it poured in London but the sight of the garden was still absolutely beautiful! I have always been in awe of Princess Diana, so it was amazing to visit the museum in honor of her legacy. I throughly enjoyed ‘Diana: Her Fashion Story’ as I witnessed first hand all the amazing clothing she wore as  Princess of Wales. You also get access to other rooms including apartments and bedrooms of notable past residents. All of the exhibits and rooms were beautiful and I could describe the palace being similar to the Palace of Versailles if you’ve ever visited.

• • The Shard: When I studied abroad, The Shard was a new building, but this time around, I knew I wanted to see the view of London from above. I would compare The Shard to Top of the Rock in New York and it was a similar experience to the 360 Chicago and Burj Khalifa in Dubai. I think it’s a great way to unwind after touring and I would recommend going around sunset because the view of the city is stunning! There is also option to get some champagne and ice cream so it’s a good idea to use this time to reset which is what I did. You can stay as long as you want to, so definitely don’t rush and soak up the view as much as possible!
  • The Buckingham Palace: I don’t think I need to include this because I’m pretty sure 99% of travelers who decide to visit London will inevitably find themselves around The Buckingham Palace. I actually strolled across it as I made my way from Victoria Station to my hotel so it was one of my first sights when I landed. I love to admire the palace from the outside but I can only imagine that the inside is like!

• • Notting Hill/ Portobello Road Market: Notting Hill is one of my favorite neighborhoods in London because it’s a great area to find delicious food, visit vintage shops and of course shop around for souvenirs as Portobello Road Market is also situated right in Notting Hill. I love the colorful buildings surrounding this neighborhood and it’s a fun time to leisurely stroll around and enjoy London. In my opinion, it’s a must do if you’re in London!

• • Camden Market: If you want to explore a different side of London, I would highly recommend going to Camden Market because there is a fun vibe to this area! There are tons of shops with inexpensive items and of course many food options to choose from. I actually took a vegan food tour here through Tripadvisor and it was a great way to taste all the local foods! And if you are also looking to do souvenir shopping, this is definitely the place to go!
  • Borough Hall: I’m a huge foodie and one of my favorite things to do as a tourist is to explore the local food. Borough Hall is like Smorgasburg here in New York. It’s basically an outdoor market with tons of food vendors and if you are with a group of friends, it’s a lot of fun to hang out and basically enjoy food together!

• Covent Garden: Covent Garden is another area that I absolutely love because there are many great food vendors and shops. This is also near the Jubilee Market which is a great place to shop for jewelry and souvenirs. I enjoyed the more calming vibe at Covent Garden because it was a great way to actually relax in this area, as opposed to the more upbeat and hectic vibe of Borough Hall and Camden Market.
• Leicester Square/ Piccadilly Circus: Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus are two fun areas if you are looking for nightlife as there are many bars and clubs around. It definitely gets lively during the weekends and they’re both great locations if you want to party and have a great time. I was around here a few times throughout my trip and it made me love London even more.

As I expressed earlier, food is another love of mine that goes hand and hand with travel. I experienced some of the best foods while I was in London but a few of my must visits are:

• • Abuelo Cafe: Abuelo Cafe is a must visit in London because it’s a mix of Australian meets South American coffee-house and kitchen. I love healthy delicious food and this is a cafe that has everything I am looking for. The service is amazing, the food and presentation is remarkable and the atmosphere and decor is lovely. I would recommend coming for brunch but don’t forget to save some space for desserts because their cakes are out of the world. The beetroot hummus toast was absolutely amazing and I would never have thought to pair this with edamame! The Abuelo bibi bowl with black rice was also fabulous and this cafe is extremely generous with their portion sizes so come in hungry! This is also a local place and I love exploring cafes that most tourists don’t know about so definitely add this to your list the next time you’re in London!

• • Farm Girl: Farm Girl is another cafe that I love and it’s located in Notting Hill. Again, their menu consists of a lot of healthy choices and that’s why I loved it so much. There is both inside and outdoor seating and the staff there is lovely so you have to check this place out!
  • Forick Coffee: This was actually recommended by a friend of mine and I’m so glad I visited. If you love coffee, then you have to add this to your list. I ordered a latte with oat milk and it was definitely a stand out from all the lattes I’ve had in my lifetime!

• Saint Aymes: I am sure many of you have seen this cafe all over Instagram but I knew I wanted to visit one Instagram worthy places. I am so pleased I went at a time where there wasn’t a lot of people so I was able to take photos from the outside with all the florals. I didn’t actually try any of the pastries, but I did have one of their teas since it was extremely hot that day. This is a great place to visit if you love taking photos and perfect for bloggers!

For my last night, I collaborated with the Assembly Hotel, which is a brand new urban hotel located in Covent Garden. The area of the hotel is perfect because it’s located in central London, so you don’t have to worry about traveling too far especially if you want to be at the heart of the city. For those who are also looking to explore nightlife, I would highly recommend staying here since it’s right near Leicester Square and Soho. The hotel lives by a ‘Get Up and Go’ mantra and the rooms and decor definitely reflect that. Upon arriving, I noticed the artsy and funky vibe, which is definitely not your typical hotel. If you are a millennial and explorer like me, I think this hotel would suit your needs!

There isn’t a fancy lobby or receptionists and staff that you can easily call from your room. Instead, there is a small check in area and all requests are made through whatsapp. Sure, some people might not fancy this type of set up, but that’s what make this hotel so special! For someone like me, I can admire these features because they’ve designed this hotel for curious individuals who love adventure and prefer the local feel of a city, rather than a luxurious experience at a high end hotel. The rooms vary in size as there are four different room categories including:

• Snug: Perfect for one, fine for two as long as the pair like each other. Like, really like each other.
• Nest: A tad more room with a double bed to kick back in after a day of adventuring.
• Pad: Designed to provide a little more ‘me time’, the Pad offers even more room for a little more stretch.
• Den: Assembly’s most spacious room, complete with great views of London.

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As you can see, there are options for every type of traveler! I was fortunate to experience the Den Room and the view of the city from my window was magnificent! I could even see the London eye and other city landmarks 🙂 I had a comfortable one night stay and had everything that I could ask for including a comfy bed along with fluffy soft pillows, fast WIFI, a walk in shower and of course a beautiful view to wake up to.  What’s more breathtaking is their rooftop, which will be open later this summer.  I met up with Sharon (a blogger friend of mine who has an amazing feed!) and we took photos during sunset and I must say, the view itself makes staying at the Assembly Hotel worth it.

I already miss London and cannot wait to go back. This trip definitely goes down as one of my most memorable and favorite tip thus far. London will always have a special place in my heart and I am thankful for the amazing memories and experiences it brought my this past week. I took a lot of photos while I was there so I am still uploading them to my Instagram feed. A part of me also feels like I am still there and the photos are definitely helping me with my withdrawals. I am also going to be posting two more blog posts on my hotel stays, so be sure to follow up with those in the upcoming week. Let me know if you’ve ever been to London because I’d love to hear about your experiences as well!