If you read my 2023 travel bucket list post, you know that I wanted to go to the UK so badly this year. And so that was just what I did! My trip started off in London, which is what I’m going to tell you all about today. So buckle up, get comfy, and let’s begin!
London – Day 1
First of all I have to give a massive shoutout to the public transportation system in London. Not only is it super easy to use and very on time, but you also just use your credit card to tap in and out at the stations. No need to by an Underground ticket, day pass or whatever at the machines. I think a lot of big cities could do with taking a leaf out of London’s book. Anyway – let’s move on.
We took a very early morning flight from Frankfurt to London City Airport, then made out way into the city centre. After having coffees – honestly, I’ve never had so many amazing coffees in a single city before – we headed to our airbnb. It was located in West Hampstead, which is in the north of London. The area was really great. Lots of little shops, cafés and restaurants, but none of the craziness of central London. If you’re going to London, I would highly recommend West Hampstead and our airbnb. There is also a gorgeous park – Hampstead Heath – that is most definitely worth a visit. Especially so the Hill Garden & Pergola, a wonderfully magical place with lots of flowers and lovely architecture. The perfect place for photo shootings IMO (if you’re into that). We just passed through there when running, so only took a couple of snaps.
Hamilton
On our first night in London we went to the Hamilton musical at the Victoria Palace Theatre, which was one of the highlights of out entire trip for sure. Not only is the theatre itself absolutely gorgeous, the actors were exceptional. The talent of each and every one of the singers was phenomenal. Kind of hard to believe a person could sing that well actually. Let alone the whole cast. So if you’re in London, and are into musicals, I highly highly recommend seeing Hamilton. I know you’re kinda spoilt for choice when it comes to shows to see in London. But this one of the best I’ve seen for sure!
Although it tells a story that took place a couple hundred years ago, it is a rather modern interpretation in some parts – all the right parts if you’re asking me. Meaning some of the songs include rap parts etc, which is a nice change for a musical.
London – Day 2
On our second day in London we did the obligatory walking tour – my favorite way to get to know a city. Not only do you get to see all the important sights, you can also get an inside into the city by a local. Learn about all the best cafés, restaurants, spots to hang out etc, that maybe you wouldn’t know about as a tourist. And honestly this tour made me fall in love with the city! I just absolutely loved it, the architecture, the shops, even the people. And I’m not usually impressed by people, haha.
There’s just so much to do and see in London, it’s impossible to do it all in one day. And while I’ve definitely seen a lot of the important stuff – Big Ben, Westminster Abbey etc, there’s so much I haven’t seen. The Tower Bridge being one such example. What a great excuse to come back soon though, right?
The rest of the day was spent at Camden Market, a crazy, busy and eclectic part of London with 1000+ shops. If you want to buy a souvenir, this is the place to go. Doesn’t matter what it is. There is going to be a shop that has it, guaranteed. And there is something for every budget as well. Even if you don’t want to buy anything, I would recommend going anyway. It’s just great fun to immerse yourself in the hustle and bustle of Camden Market.
From there it’s only a short walk to the Regents Park, which I would recommend checking out for sure! I actually preferred this one to the infamous Hyde Park. In Regents Park, you can also find Queen Mary’s rose gardens, the most incredible flower beds of all of London if you ask me. So be sure to pay this park a visit!
Daytrippin’ – Day 3
On the third day of our trip we actually took a guided bus tour. Now I know what you might be thinking – it sounds rather like something your grandparents would do. But honestly, I love doing guided tours like this. Because 1) you don’t have to get to and fro yourself, and 2) you learn all about the important things from a professional. In my humble opinion it’s always better to have somebody show you around a place/city, then to just go wandering off on your own.
Oxford
I guess Oxford is most famous for its prestigious University, but I was surprised to learn that there isn’t “the” Oxford University. Instead there are a lot of small colleges scattered all throughout town. Accordingly, there isn’t the one campus you could visit. But this also is the perfect opportunity to just wander through the city, check out all the different colleges, libraries, etc, or just admire the beauty of the buildings. The architecture was something I found absolutely amazing, both in London and in Oxford. And everything is kept in immaculate condition, which I found even more surprising.
If you prefer Harry Potter over architecture, you’re in for a treat: at the Bodleian Library (really close to the high street) there is a statue on the inner courtyard, that bears very close resemblance to how Nearly Headless Nick is portrayed in the HP-Movies. While that was the only Harry Potter related thing I saw, apparently a few scenes across the movies were shot in Oxford, so you can go hunting for them.
Stonehenge
From Oxford we went to Stonehenge – I don’t think I need to explain what that is. Park up at the visitors center, from there you can either take a bus to the sight or just go for a little walk (20-30 minutes). We decided to walk to the stones and then take the bus back, to get the full experience. To learn a little more about the stones, you can download a free audio guide in the app store (just remember to take your headphones). There’s a lot of great information about the stones itself, how they got there, as well as a couple of theories as to WHY they got there. To this day, it is unknown exactly why they were put in the middle of nowhere. So if you’ve got any ideas, let me know!
One thing that really surprised me though was how unbelievable close the stones were to the main road – or rather the other way around. So if you don’t fancy the admission fee, just drive past. They stand really quite tall, so you are definitely able to see the stones really clearly.
Windsor
The last stop on our tour before returning to London was Windsor. Obviously very famous for its castle, which is one of the main residences of the King. And he was actually there when we were – the Royal Standard was flying over it. He wasn’t alone though: a certain Joe Biden was there as well. Thus, there was a lot of security going on, and we couldn’t go into the castle as we had planned. So we were forced to just admire it from the outside (it’s enormous!), and just have a little look around the high street of Windsor.
Upon returning to London we went to Honest Burger in South Kensington, where we had the best burgers of the whole trip. We both went for the original honest burger, a solid 10/10. And we had a lot of burgers while traveling. So make sure you go to one of the many locations of Honest Burger, you won’t regret it!
Harry Potter Studio Tour in London – Day 4
On our final day in London we went to the Harry Potter Studios, another highlight of the trip for me. If you haven’t caught on, I am a huge Potterhead. This tour was the first thing I booked (and months ago as well!), even before flights or accommodations. Depending on where you’re staying in London, getting to the studios can be a bit tricky. Taking a Bolt/Uber is most likely the easiest way. Just make sure you consider the time of day and the traffic, respectively.
You also get the choice of buying an audio guide for the tour, which I would recommend. There also are a lot of info boards all throughout the studio. But I find it a lot more convenient to just listen to someone tell me while I look at the exhibits.
I actually can’t tell you what my favorite thing was… I started crying basically the second I stepped foot into the first room, which just had the film posters from the cinemas etc. Don’t really know why. I think it’s just that I grew up reading the books and wanting to be part of that world (i.e. a witch) so bad. From there, after a short briefing on what to expect etc, you are released into the great hall – another good reason to shed a tear (at least for me). And from there, you work your way through all kinds of different sets, the dorms, common rooms, class rooms, Ministry of Magic, the Malfoy’s home, Gringotts, Diagon Alley… There is SO MUCH to see. So much in fact, that it is impossible to take it all in. We were there for 4 hours, and absolutely knackered by the end of it. And I feel like it didn’t really see/appreciate half of it! So a good reason to go back.
One thing I have to mention though is the absolutely insane attention to detail everybody on set had. So for example, at the Dursley’s home, there is a wall full of awards for Dudley from his school. One of them says how he always finishes all of his lunch – not very hard to imagine. Anyway – you don’t really get to see that wall/the awards for very long in the movies. And yet the set designers spend weeks working on them. They also spent 6 months working on all the treats in Fred & George’s shop. And you can only see most of them in the background for a few brief moments. So like I said, the attention to detail is just unreal. And I think that is also part of the reason you get so immersed into it.
The only thing we didn’t love about the Harry Potter Studios was the butter beer – obviously very famous among Potterheads. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it was disgusting, but it wasn’t far off either. It’s almost like a vanilla soft drink with vanilla whipped cream on top. Not my jam. If I ever go back, I think I would opt for the butter beer ice cream instead – that one looked much better!
… to be continued
That sums up the first portion of our UK trip, which was such a great start to our holiday! I honestly want to go back to London ASAP. So much more to do and see. I am basically dying to see the Harry Potter play as well, so need to book!
For now, stay tuned to see how our trip continued – got a lot more recommendations coming. And if you have been to London recently, let me know your thoughts and what I need to do/see next time!
Lots of Love,
Lena
Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored.