London is a large bustling city with so many wonderful attractions to explore! I love visiting London because it is one of my favorite cities in the world. Apart from my favorite London highlights, if you have more than a day in London I would recommend exploring more!
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Kensington Palace and Afternoon Tea
Kensington Palace is the official residence of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The Palace is open daily for tours for only £19.50. There is a spectacular Princess Diana exhibit in the Palace that showcases the evolution of her dress and style. Very much worth the admission price! After your done touring Kensington Palace, take a walk in the gardens as they are remarkable.
After touring Kensington Palace and the gardens, afternoon tea at The Orangery is a must! The Orangery is located next to Kensington Palace and was built in 1704 for Queen Anne. Reservations are required for afternoon tea. Afternoon tea came with a glass of champagne, coffee or tea, and of course a beautiful 3-tier selection of goodies. The china was absolutely stunning, and the food was delicious!
Thames River Boat Cruise to Greenwich
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- Greenwich
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- Prime Meridian
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- Greenwich
The Thames River Boat Cruise is one of my favorite attractions in London. The price is included in the London Pass, which I highly recommend if you are visiting London for multiple days! The river boat cruise is only £18.75 for a 24-hour hop-on hop-off. The Thames River Boat Cruise will take you all the way to Greenwich where you can see the prime meridian! Along the river cruise, there are spectacular views of London attractions including Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and Parliament, the London Eye, the Tower of London, the Millennium Bridge, Tate Modern, Cutty Sark, and the HMS Belfast.
British Library
You may be thinking the British Library? Really?? Now why would I want to waste my time in a library? Well…for one it’s free, and two, the British Library houses very famous pieces of work! Just to name a few? The Gutenberg Bible, the Magna Carta, Mozart’s Musical Diary, The Beatles’ handwritten song lyrics, the Lindisfarne Gospels, Shakespeare’s First Folio, Jane Austen’s notebook, Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice’s Adventures Under Ground’ (the original manuscript to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland!!), and Leonardo da Vinci’s notebook. So much history is housed in this simple library!
National Portrait Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery is another free museum to check out in London. It houses the most extensive collection of portraits in the world and are historically important and famous British people. There are over 11,000 portraits and rotating exhibitions all year long. Each portrait is made famous by the sitter rather than the artist, such as portraits of the Brontë sisters, Jane Austen, and William Shakespeare’s most famous portrait. It is worth a visit to see these works of art!
Stroll through Hyde Park
Sometimes taking a stroll through a park is just as enjoyable, and more relaxing, as seeing a major attraction. Hyde Park is the largest of the four royal parks that wrap around Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace. Hyde Park is 350 acres so there are many areas to explore. The Princess Diana Memorial Fountain is located in Hyde Park and was constructed in 2004. During the summertime, children splash and play in the water. The famous Peter Pan statue is also located in Hyde Park. The statue is 14 feet tall and features Peter Pan standing tall on a tree stump surrounded by woodland animals and fairies.
Views from The Shard
The Shard is a 95-story skyscraper that offers magnificent views of London and offers the highest view of London! The Shard was completed in 2012 and is the large glass tower you see near London Bridge. A ticket to the top costs £27.20, however there are multiple bars and restaurants at the top that offer a spectacular view. I was honestly dragged up to the top because I am very afraid of heights, but the view was worth it!
More Bucket List Attractions
London has so many amazing attractions that you can’t possibly see everything in one visit. I have visited London three times and there are still things I have yet to do see. These attractions are still on my bucket list:
- Hampton Court Palace
- Churchill War Rooms
- Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre
- Kew Gardens
- London Zoo
- Somerset Houe
- Apsley House
- Florence Nightingale Musuem
I cannot wait to visit London again so I can continue checking off my list! What are your favorite London sights?
Until next time,
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