I visited London earlier this month and I figured I'd put together a little travel guide, not from an expert, but just for anyone who has never been before. Or perhaps for those of you who have been there before, but may not have seen or visited the same places I did. It's really not that hard to navigate your way around the tube/underground, once you have a map. Just google the nearest stop to where you want to go, and get on the tube. Simples! I was even showing strangers (English strangers might I add) what train to get on.
I put together this guide as a little memento for myself too, so I don't forget all the little bits from my trip, but also as a 'where to eat' 'where to shop' kind of post. But instead of telling you 'where to go' I'm showing you where I ate, shopped, visited and most importantly what I wore.
WHERE I VISITED
The Gherkin, St Mary Axe
This was a must see for me because I researched it in my very first design project in September so I really wanted to see it in person. It was pretty cool too, and so big! I wouldn't really recommend it unless you're in the area though, but it's next to Spittalfield Markets.
The Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York Square
It's always good to inject soem culture and art into any trip, and this gallery is fairly central. It's a few minutes walk from the Sloane Sqaure underground stop. When you're finished being all arty, pop to the Zara or Cos right next to the gallery, or grab a bite to eat in the nearby Lebanese restaurant (see below)
Big Ben, Westminster
It's always worth a look, and it looks just as great as when I first saw it 2 years ago. It's literally just in front of the Westminster Underground stop so you can hop off, take a look, and hop back on. Well worth a stop.
WHERE I ATE
Best for a sweet treat: Dum Dum Doughnuts, Box Park, Shoreditch
If you're looking for something sweet, look no further. If you're in the Box Park area I highly recommend stopping in here, sure just look at the prices!! I had a mini peanut butter and jelly doughnut becasue i'm a peanut butter addict but there was so many options to choose from.
Best for Waffles (and gluten free) : East London Juice Co. , Box Park
The are the best waffles I've ever had. They were freshly made when we ordered them, from scratch, and they tasted sooo good. And they were good, becasue they were full of good foods. The decor was so nice to with furs over the seats and benches. Very aesthetically pleasing.
Best for a view: EAT, St Mary Axe, near the Gherkin
We were tired and hungry when we finally reached the Gherkin so we stopped in here for a Chai latte and a few bits to eat.
Best for trying something new: Comtoir Libanais, Duke of York Square
After visitng the Saatchi gallery I was starving so a few of us popped in to this little Lebanese cafe. I had the hummus and naan bread, and a rose mint tea, and although the hummus and bread was a bit bland (im not a huge hummus fan anyway) the tea was soooo nice. I'm a big mint lover though. Reasonably priced too.
Best for Tea & a scone: Old Shoreditch Station, Shoreditch.
It was really close to our hostel and funnily enough didn't pop in til near the end of the week but it's great for grabbing your morning cuppa before you hit the shops. I just had an english breakfast tea.
WHERE I SHOPPED
Best for Highstreet: Oxford Street
Isn't this the reason we go to London? The shopping is amazing. Especially on Oxford Street. I could just go to Oxfrod street and be happy, once I had lots of mula to spend. I went to Primark, loads of different Zara's (I think there's 3), Tiger, H&M, Lush, John Lewis (also great for fabrics and trims), The Disney Store, New Look, and there's a mountain more stores to choose from. Spend a day there if you plan to do a lot of shopping. You'll probably need a 2nd day too :P
Best for Vintage: Brick lane
Of all the places I visited, I though Brick Lane was the best for vintage stores, although you can also go to Camden Market. A lot of it was pricey, as is most vintage, but we found a little gem with everything under £10 downstairs so keep an eye out for all the Sale signs.
Best for designer (and beautiful haberdashery): Liberty
I had to research a lot of designers while I was there, so it's ideal for that, but also just to step inside the building is an experience. It's just as beautiful inside as it is outside. There's also a lovely haberdashery section on the top floor where I picked up some pretty trims and buttons at really reasonable prices.
Best for a mix: Spittalfield Market
There's a great mix of stores and stalls here, including MAC, Cos, Benefit, MCQ, Tiger, and lots of places to grab a bite to eat. Check out the link for a full list of stores. The Gherkin is also visible from here, and only a short walk if you fancy seeing it up close.
WHAT I WORE
Look 1: Depending on what you're doing in London, you may want to dress up or dress down. On the first day I visited the more desginer, high-end stores, so I decided to dress up and look the part. I'm wearing mostly Zara (shirt, trousers, scarf), my Warehouse biker jacket and River Island bag and shoes. These flats were great for my trip because they dressed up my outfits while still being very comfortable.
Look 2: Another day of fancy shopping, I wore these silk shorts from Selected Femme @ Brown Thomas that I picked up before I went, paired with my F21 polo top, and the same shoes, jacket, scarf and bag as before.
Look 3: This was a day of highstreet shopping, Gallery viewing and fabric shopping, so it was comfort all the way. Primark cardi (bought while I was there becasue it was very cold and windy), River Island Amelie jeans, Primark runners, Zara shirt and bag and scarf as before.
Look 4: This was another kind of casual day out shopping in Brick Lane and Spittalfield Market. Warm and cosy was the order of the day again, with a touch of chic from the boots.
I'd certainly recommend bringing comfortable shoes with you, a great pair of jeans, some dresses that are easy to throw on with tights, and, unless there's a heat wave, a warm coat or cardigan. Layering pieces are key.
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