What to Do for 3 Days in London
Oh, London! The city on the Thames! The birthplace of some of the most influential people of the last thousand years (or so). This bustling metropolis houses more than red busses and red phone boxes. London contains many diverse and unique neighborhoods and world cultures to explore. You could stay a month without even scratching the surface, but for your first 3 day jaunt, here are the highlights you should hit.
Day 1 in London: Get Your Tourist on in Kensington
Breakfast: The Muffin Man Tea Shop
If you are to start your trip correctly, you must have a full English breakfast. This little shop, just off of the Kensington high street, will throw you straight into the deep end of proper tea - and you’ll enjoy every second. The restaurant is not large, so don’t bring a group larger than 4 if you want any hope of getting a table this century. New to tea? Don’t worry, I wrote a guide for that.
Morning: Hit up the Victoria and Albert and Natural History Museums
One amazing thing about the UK: state-sponsored museums and institutions are free! Two of the most beautiful are right next to each other. The natural history museum has fossils, biological samples, and scientific artifacts gathered since the mid-19th century, including some truly astounding dinosaurs! Dedicated to art, design, and performance, the V&A (as some affectionately call it) houses eclectic collections of beautiful objects of all kinds. Note: even though the tickets are free, reserve them online to guarantee entry.
Lunch: Enjoy the atmosphere at The Britannia
Much like how a brasserie in Paris can range from peasant fare to Michelin stars, pubs in London can range from sticky floors to nearly an aristocratic gentleman’s club. The Britannia leans sliiiiightly towards the exclusive end of the spectrum, but maintains a healthy dose of charm. A traditional facade gives way to a quirky interior, but make no mistake - they can still pour a mean pint and dish up fish and chips.
Afternoon: Hang out at Hyde Park
A vine arch in Kensington Gardens
Originally built as a hunting park for King Henry VIII (yes, the big one with all the wives), Hyde Park has grown into a sprawling mass of green in the center of London. You can take the kids to play at the Princess Diana playground, indulge in a leisurely stroll in the Kensington Gardens, or rent bikes and fly through the wide, tree-lined paths.
Dinner: Enjoy Tapas at Cambio de Tercio
The earlier you experience the wide variety of cultures in London, the better. The flagship restaurant of chef Abel Lusa, Cambio de Tercio serves fresh, inventive dishes in the Spanish style. The food menu keeps it simple - just a few offerings of elevated Spanish fare. The wine list, however, practically stretches down the block.
Night: Tie One on at The Churchill Arms
The iconic facade at this mainstay has probably popped upon your Pinterest or Instagram feed once or twice. Covered in live flowers in the summer and mini pine trees in the winter, it beckons drinkers from far away. The inside is quite the bog standard pub with bog standard service and offerings, but it’s large enough to accommodate groups for a robust night of merriment.
Day 2 in London: Experience Weird London
The Mary Poppins statue in Leicester Square
Breakfast: The Attendant Coffee Roasters
The fare at The attendant is pretty standard - coffee, pastries, you get the idea. It’s the setting (specifically at the Fitzrovia location on Foley street) that’s truly extraordinary. Situated in a former public men’s bathroom, the shop has maintained all the charm of Victorian-era interior architecture (and most of the whimsy).
Morning: Shop for Semi-Aquatic Books at Word on the Water
For one of the most memorable literary experiences of your life, you must visit Word on the Water. One of the most unique bookshops in the world, all the inventory is housed in a small houseboat on the Thames. Compared to behemoths like The Strand, Powell’s, Shakespeare & Co and El Ateneo, Word on the Water is tiny. But where else can you buy books on a boat?!
Lunch: Indulge in Dairy Heaven at Pick & Cheese
You may’ve heard of a sushi conveyor belt restaurant, but get ready for…a cheese conveyor belt. This fun, inventive restaurant is making waves in the London social circles for its unique twist on charcuterie. Focusing mainly on cheese made in the UK, Pick & Cheese has the substance to back up the flash.
Afternoon: Take a Jack the Ripper Tour in Whitechapel
As possibly the most famous serial killer in the world (and certainly the most famous in the UK), the unsolved legend of Jack the Ripper remains. Though we know very little about the man himself, we know quite a bit about his movements and the area of Whitechapel during his life. Make sure you tie one on at The Ten Bells when your tour is over.
Dinner: Have a Quirky Pad Thai at Speedboat Bar
For the perfect mix of trendy, relaxed, and delicious, look no further than Speedboat Bar. With aesthetics as impeccably irresistible as its curry, enjoy a Singha beer over a game of pool. Best of all, in notoriously spendy London, the prices won’t give you a heart attack.
Day 3 in London: Get Fancy in Mayfair
Breakfast: The Queens of Mayfair
For a suitably posh breakfast, you must start your day in Mayfair at The Queens. With absolutely gorgeous interior decor and a classic British menu, you can have a proper English breakfast in a beautiful neighborhood. Come back later for a lovely cocktail - something that’s surprisingly hard to find in the UK.
Morning: Take a Bridgerton Virtual Tour
Though it may have only lasted a decade, Britain’s regency era was hugely influential to culture, as evidenced by the smash hit show Bridgerton. Try to imagine London’s most posh neighborhood as it was in the 1810s with a virtual tour!
Lunch: Have Tea at Fortnum & Mason
Technically the British would indulge in tea around 4 p.m. - but believe me when I say that if you try to eat the decadent spread in mid-afternoon, you won’t want dinner. At roughly £150 per person, tea in this elegant setting does not come cheap. It’s certainly worth it, but if you can’t quite swing it, Fortnum and Mason has 4 more floors of tea, chocolate, and all kinds of lovely decadent treats that make wonderful souvenirs.
Afternoon: Stroll the Burlington Arcade
While Harrod’s may be the most famous department store in London, for a more exclusive experience, Burlington Arcade is the place to go. Fashioned in the 19th century style of covered streets, the mall is as much an architectural wonder as it is a shopper’s paradise.
Dinner: Kitty Fisher’s
There’s a certain sort of old-school elegance that must be experienced to be understood. Kitty Fisher’s traffics in just such this elegance. Tucked onto a side street with an old-fashioned, unassuming exterior, this local mainstay is the perfect place for a quiet, elegant night.
Night: Have a Cocktail at Manetta’s Bar
Just steps away from Kitty Fisher’s lies one of London’s best cocktail bars. Despite London’s many centuries of cosmopolitan atmosphere, it is shockingly difficult to find a good cocktail in the UK. If it’s more complicated than a gin & tonic, most bartenders won’t make it. Located inside a beautiful boutique hotel (Fleming’s) the bartenders at Manetta’s can sling a cocktail with the best of them in New York and Chicago, and the cozy, chic atmosphere invites you to spend all night there.
