After a long week in the wilderness it was time to completely change things up and go to one of the largest, busiest, and most popular cities in the world…London. We spent five days in total here and I think we did a pretty darn good job of hitting just about everything we wanted to. The tough part was deciding what places to just look at and what places to pay for, because while most museums are free, the actual historical sights cost money, and a lot of money.
Paid Museums/Attractions-
Hampton Court - This ended up being a full day trip because it’s a little ways outside of the city but we both really enjoyed the experience. Hampton Court is most notable for where King Henry VIII spent a lot of time and added to the structure with the help of Anne Boleyn. King William III and King George II also lived here and added on wings to the castle so it truly is massive, and if you choose to go to all wings then it will easily take at least 3-4 hours. If you are fascinated with King Henry VIII—like most people judging by the crowds—then this is a must visit. $29/ticket
Churchill War Rooms - Unless you are a history buff, then you may have forgotten a lot about the World Wars just like we had. I think the BEST thing we did before we went to the Churchill War Rooms was go to the FREE Imperial War Museum the day before. Going here allowed us to brush up on World War I and II facts, which in turn made us appreciate and enjoy these rooms much more. The Churchill War Rooms were used by Winston Churchill and his staff for about 5-6 years during World War II while they were living in fear of being bombed by the Nazis at any second. What makes it so fascinating is that they essentially just shut the lights off in 1945 when the war ended, meaning that everything is just as it was. $27/ticket
Tower of London - I would venture to guess this is the most popular sight in London and the price definitely reflects that coming in at $34 a ticket. But obviously it’s a must visit if you come to London. The castle was “founded” in 1066 and has served many functions throughout history such as castle, palace, and prison. Personally, I thought the most fascinating parts of the Tower were the jail rooms that still had inscriptions and graffiti from prisoners. The main attraction with the longest wait are the crown jewels that have been used previously and continue to be used today. $34/ticket
Free Museums/Attractions-
Westminster Abbey - Make sure to read this because if you just read the title then you might think you can just show up and get in for free. False. It’s going to run you over 20 pounds per ticket. However, if you go to their Evensong service, then that is free and you can get a look around. We decided to attend one of these services and while it would have been cool to walk around the church for a longer period of time, we think this was the best decision. Not only did we get to see the church, but you also get to hear the choir performing which is what the church is meant for.
Imperial War Museum - Thank you sis for the recommendation. This is an awesome museum that is completely free and completely worth your time. As I said above, most likely you’ve forgotten a lot as it pertains to the World Wars and even if you you are a pro then this is still worth it because it gives you a different perspective (the English perspective). The museum is five floors in total. so it’s going to take you a while to get through, but some floors will go faster than the others. We spent the most time on the first floor which is dedicated to World War I and that’s probably because we had the most catching up to do on that specific war. The other two floors that took most of our time were the floors dedicated to WWII and the Holocaust. If you are doing Churchill’s War Rooms then we would highly recommend going to this museum first.
Things we saw but didn’t pay for-
Buckingham Palace/Kensington - Really awesome to see, but both have a higher price tag that we decided to skip out on.
London Eye - Cool to see but at the end of the day it’s a ferris wheel that costs $50/person. No thanks.
London Bridge - I don’t even know if this is a paid attraction? Regardless, we saw it and didn’t pay for it.
Food and Drink-
Bermondsey District - Another lovely suggestion from my sis. This district is a little rough around the edges, but in a good way. You can tell it’s starting to turn into their new hip district. On Friday and Saturday nights all these little spaces that look like they were meant for storage underneath a bridge are turned into breweries. We were surrounded by locals and good beer so a cool experience. Just keep in mind that these craft beers will cost you about $7.50 a pop so it’s going to literally cost you to get a good buzz on.
Asian food - You aren’t going to find a lot of cheap spots to eat but the least expensive has to be the large selection of Asian foods. We had amazing noodles, buns, and wings for decent prices around the city.
We really enjoyed our time in London and if you enjoy the atmosphere in New York then you will enjoy London. If that type of atmosphere stresses you out then London probably will too. Personally, we find the “hustle and bustle” of a big city intoxicating and inspiring. I would say the biggest differentiation between London and New York is the history. You obviously won’t be going to see castles in New York that were built in 1066.