The craziest city I've ever visited

You have to know that In London no matter if you love to go to the supermarket with your nightie and fluffy slippers, to a formal lunch date dressed as at the new year's eve party or if you order french fries and margaritas for breakfast. London can offers you everything you need or what you're looking for: this beautiful, eclectic, full of art, cosmopolitan, conventional and not-conventional city is for everyones – especially for the ones who are not afraid to dare even when it comes to to put one's hand in one's pocket. London, indeed, is a very expensive city. But don't worry! I wanna share my experiences here – even if I've already know that this post will be a never ending work in progress – to make your first stay amazing.

It will need 5+ days to visit the city

It is amazing during Christmastime but it is always the best time to visit London.

Currency: pound sterling (£/GBP)

Language: English UK

HOW TO GET AROUND

By public transports, by buses to enjoy a beautiful view of the city or underground: use a contactless bank card as OYSTER)

Taxi rides are so characteristic but expensive request affordable rides by the apps BOLT or FREE NOW (better prices than Uber).

TIPS: Download the app CITYMAPPER, it is must-have app to avoid getting lost and always know the fastest way to reach a place.

The Londoner

38 Leicester Sq.

Notting Hill

PORTOBELLO ROAD

If you're looking for the travel book shop, well there is for real. But you'll be disappointed to know that now it is a gift shop with a giant photo of Julia Roberts in the front. However it has retained much of its charm and the original sign!

Notting Hill is a district of West London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and it hosts the Portobello Road Market. Here's you can find a lot of insta-worthy houses with colorful front doors.

Camden Town

THE MARKETS

Camden Town is renowned for its famous market that develops on the Regent's Canal. Here's you can really buy everything for what you're looking for, from vintage clothes and handcrafted products to food from a variety of different cultures. It is also known its lively life and to be the alternative district of London.

PHOTO TIPS: Don't miss to shoot the colorful umbrellas in the main street and to strike a pose on the bridge that remember a little corner of Amsterdam.

Soho / Covent Garden

THE HEART OF LONDON

One of the beating hearts of London that is always crowded, from day to night. Here lies one of the world's most famous square, Piccadilly Circus, which borders with Leicester Sq. (renowned to be the center of the theatres' district) Chinatown and Regent Street. Covent Garden is a lovely and colorful district easily reached from Soho. It is characterized by a wide market in the central square, the Royal Opera House and a lot of beauty and luxury stores.

SECRET GEM: the Neal's Yard!

Shoreditch

NIGHTLIFE AND THE FLOWER MARKET

It is one of the most popular and fashionable parts of London, particularly associated with the creative industries. Curtain Road and Old Street are notable for the cool clubs and pubs (you can't miss the shipping containers converted in pubs). Here, there are amazing graffitis could be a great background for you photos!

Here on Sundays is based the Columbia Road Flower Market, the main flower and plant market in London: get a bunch of hydrangeas and find your perfect spot around!

Knightsbridge

HARRODS AND EL&N

It is one of the most prestigious district of London with beautiful victorian houses and gardens.

It is mostly renowned for the Harrods department store and for a lot of luxury boutiques and restaurants from Burberry to Nusr-Et.

And right next to Harrods there's on of the most instagrammable café in London: the El&N café with its pinkish cool walls!

City of Westminster

A LOT OF MUST-TO-VISIT

Most of the main city-attractions are here: Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, the horse guards, the St James's Park, Westminster Abbey, the Big Ben, the London Eye and also the Sea Life London Aquarium, one of the beautiful unexpected experiences I had during my trip.

I highly recommend to always book online your experiences in advance, you can also find discounted prices if you buy 2 or more.

Tower Bridge

THE UNMISSABLE

Set your camera on a tripod and get ready for a long exposure: this is one of the unmissable spot to take some photos. The view from the Thames riverside is also amazing and it worth to spend some time here.

To have a beautiful view of the bridge in the background, the Millennium Bridge – that match St. Paul Churchyard with the Tate Modern – offers a great raised view on the city.

Canary Warf

THE SKYSCRAPERS

It is located on the Isle of Dogs in the borough of Tower Hamlets and it is part of the London's central business district and one of the main financial centres in UK and worldwide.

The amazing mirrored buildings always reflect the sky, so they are unbelievable at sunrise or sunset when the sky isn't foggy.

THE PARKS

The prettiest places in London where chilling or having a picnic

There are many parks in London and they are some authentic urban oasis where chilling in the company of squirrels, ducks and gooses. They are really perfect to have some relax and enjoy some time outdoors, maybe having a picnic during the warmest season. In autumn they are very insta-worthy when the foliage turn red. Here's some of them you can't miss out but you'll find amazing gardens and small parks practically everywhere around:
St. James Park, Hyde Park, Regent's Park, Greenwich Park and Green Park.

London Eye

Located near all the main attraction in the City of Westminster it is an amazing wheel with wide pods located in the south bank of the river Thames and it offer the highest public viewing point on the London's skyline.

The tour is about 30 minutes and the tickets are available on pre-book online – the most affordable and fastest option – at about ₤30.

The Shard

The Shard is an amazing skyscraper in London Southwark. With its 72 storeys it is the highest skyscraper of the city and the seventh-tallest building in Europe. It hosts a luxury hotel by Shangri-La, restaurants and an open-air observation deck on the top floor at about 244 meters high.

Sky Garden

Located at the 35th floor of the 20 Fenchurch street in the Greater London – well known as Walkie Talkie due to its shape – it is the highest indoor public garden in London.

A vibrant greenery social space with a 360 degree view of the city.

It hosts 3 bars where you need to book in advance.

Primrose Hill

It is a public park at the north of Regent's Park located on a natural 64 meters-high hill that offer an amazing viewpoint on the most iconic London's skyline.

I think it could be an amazing point for breathtaking day and night photos.

The best places in town where TO EAT enjoying the english traditions

Breakfast

A typical full english breakfast usually includes bacon, sausages, fried or poached eggs, pudding, baked beans, toast, other vegetables and beverages like coffee, orange juice and more.

The best places where having a nice english breakfast are for sure Bill's and The Old Brewery in Greenwich.

Lunch or Dinner

Among the typical dishes of the English tradition these are for sure the ones you should try :

Fish and Chips – the best is at Poppie's ( ₤14) –

the Sheperd's Pie at The Ivy Restaurant in the Greater London, a Sunday Roast at the 12:51 by Chef Cochran and the Sausage/Pie and Mash that you can eat at the Mother Mash for ₤12 at Carnaby Street.

Tea Time

Afternoon tea in London is mandatory tradition.

It is usually served with some typical snacks like sandwiches, scones and some pastries.

The best places where having an unforgettable tea time in London accordingly with Vogue UK are The Ritz and the Hotel Café Royal (find out more he re and on Condé Nast Traveller).

Happy Hour

The Churchill Arms is one of the most famous pub in town where to have a beer but London is the best city ever where going out for a drink.

I would recommend The Alchemist and the 8 at Londoner where you can sip one of the best cocktail of the city with an amazin view from the top.

Q&A about London

Which London Museums are free?

All the museums in London are free regardless of age.
You can buy your tickets on site but pre-booking your visit online is recommended ;-)

Which London airports is the closest?

The closest airport is the London City but for the low-cost flights Luton or Stansted are pretty close to the city and well connected by train – like the Stansted Express – and bus like the ones from National Express.

Where to stay in London?

I really recommend to find your hotel or B&B in Pimlico/Victoria (the proximity with the Victoria Bus Station could be strategical), Paddington or Canary Wharf. Here's you'll find the cheaper prices in town.

Illustrated London map by Jenni Sparks