I’ll be honest, I never thought I would love big cities. I don’t love crowds, public transportation, or lack of nature. London, however, completely changed my perspective. 

My nerves were high going into this trip for a couple of reasons. #1 is listed above – I am (was) not a city girl. #2 I was afraid London was so big that I would miss out on at least a few things I wanted to see.

Alas, in a combination of spending 8 days with two of my favorite people in the world and unexpectedly loving every-little-thing about London, my trip was basically a dream.

Let’s start with a London staple shall we? The Tube (or the Underground).

I thought taking the tube everyday was going to be drab and boring – it turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the whole trip. I looked forward to hopping on the Underground, reading the morning paper and people watching. Also, it is a great place for a lil mid-morning nap.

It’s also the most economic way to travel around Central London at around 60£ for one week!

To my surprise, London is also super diverse in every way possible. There were people from all over the world living and working in London which makes for unique cuisine and lively neighborhoods.

Every time we stepped off of the train we felt like we were in another country. Each neighborhood has it’s own “personality.”

For example, NottingHill made me feel like I was living the life of a posh-celebrity. Gorgeous apartments, fancy cars, and beautiful landscaping.

Camden on the other hand was a total hippie paradise with a huge local artist and food market, quirky shops, and live entertainment.

Speaking of food- everyone I know told me that the food in England is very bland and boring. I am not sure what these people were referencing, but London was basically one huge international feast! We had Turkish, Indian, Portuguese, and so much more.

Traditional English food was also pretty delicious. We stopped at a local restaurant for English Breakfast and a cafe near the Buckingham Palace called “The English Rose” for Afternoon Tea. Both were fun experiences.

Last, but not least London was absolutely magical. There was Harry Potter e v e r y w h e r e. So of course, we had to stop off at Platform 9 3/4 and grab a photo!

*Unfortunately, the Universal Studio was closed for the entire week for remodeling, but it is on the top of my list for next time!

As I sit here typing this on my computer, I am smiling like an idiot reminiscing about the cute accents, food, and all the fun I had with my friends while in London. I think it’s time for you all keep an eye out for cheap flights to England, because I promise you London is a very special place that you don’t want to miss!

London was such a crazy, jam packed experience that I want to share more of it with you. So, I will be writing guides to London for every traveler; foodies, arts & entertainment junkies, and the leisure traveler! Be on the look out for this series in the future.

Thank you for letting my share!

Love always,

Jess