Remember Why You Love London
It's time to fly to London! Reunite with loved ones and love reuniting with travel.
Big Ben, London England
As Samuel Johnson said, “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life”.
Every year, millions of visitors flock to the UK’s capital city to enjoy all that it has to offer. In fact, there is so much to do that it can be daunting to plan a trip! To give you some inspiration, and help you narrow down the list, here are some of things we don’t want to miss when we hit its cobbled streets this winter.
Out and About
A popular pastime in London over Summer is heading to a sporting match on a sunny afternoon, and there sure are some big ones back in full swing after two years of the pandemic.
The biggest tennis tournament in the world, Wimbledon starts Monday 27th of June till Sunday 10th of July 2022. Book tickets in advance to secure your spot via the ballot, or head to Queue Ticket Resale for on the day tickets.
For cricket enthusiasts, watch the Aussies take on England, or enjoy any match at Lords Stadium, or pay a visit purely to learn about and admire these famous grounds.
Head to Shaftesbury Avenue or any of London’s theatres to watch a live show. There’s an act on every night of the week, with new shows such as Legally Blonde and old shows like The Mousetrap which has been running since 1952! If you haven’t booked in advance, you can head to the theatre box office and sometimes snag some last-minute tickets for the week. If the weather is favourable, Regents Park open-air theatre hosts plays, musicals and performing artists all summer long.
Palace Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue
There’s no shortage of carnivals and parades, Pride Parade is now one of the biggest events in London. Celebrate its 50th year this year on the 2nd of July, and show your support by watching the festivities.
No carnival can quite top Notting Hill Carnival. Returning after two years, this Caribbean event will run from 27-29th of August. The Notting Hill Carnival is Europe’s largest street festival. You’ll need to hit the streets early to get the best spot to watch the parades of this Caribbean spectacular. Bring plenty of cash because the food stalls offer some of the best jerk this side of the Atlantic.
For a view as good as the London Eye, visit The Shard’s Sky Garden. This multipurpose space is located on top of The UK's tallest building, and worth conquering a fear of heights to witness the city vistas. Book your free entry ticket and try morning yoga up in the clouds, wander amongst the gorgeous botanicals, drink gin whilst listening to a live band, or dine on some of Britain’s favourite and finest dishes.
Sky Garden, The Shard
For Families
Fun for everyone, the Natural History Museum will delight with its incredibly informative exhibitions, architecture and giant dinosaur skeleton. For the kids, the Natural History Museum offers a sleep over “Dino-snores”! If the name isn’t enough to hook you, then tell your kids to prepare for a full night-at-the-museum as they discover it by torchlight and will be entertained with a science show.
The Natural History Museum
Harry Potter kids (and adults) can return to the magical wizarding world with a range of tours and activities. Book a behind the scenes tour with Warner Bros’ the Making of Harry Potter Tour and visit some of the famous sets including The Great Hall, the Forbidden Forest and Diagon Alley. If you can’t book a tour for your travel dates (they book out fast!) try a Black Cab Tour to drive you to the real-life locations featured in the films, including Platform 9 and ¾, Gringotts Bank, the Leaky Caldron and more!
London is home to one of the world’s oldest toy shops, Hamleys, which originally opened back in 1760! Kids of any age will love the novelty of this store and can choose themselves a favourite new toy as a take home souvenir. Another unique and fun destination for the kids is Kidzania. A tiny town for tiny people where kids get to play the best dress up game in a profession of their choice.
For Nature Lovers
No city does parks like London. Historically, large areas of wild land were preserved for the royal family to go hunting as a sport. Modern day however, these open spaces are available for all the public to enjoy. You can get a free nature fix at one of the many parks or there are stunning flower and garden festivals, farms and markets that are worth a day trip too.
Ride, run, walk, picnic, play and sometimes even swim, in the city parks- Kensington Gardens, Regents Park, and Richmond Park to name a few. If you’ve got some time and some comfy shoes we suggest a walk from Hyde Park under the Wellington Arch and across Green Park to the Queen of England’s former home, Buckingham Palace. Check the timings for the Changing of the Guard or make your way to The Mall if you’re there for Trooping the Colour.
Buckingham Palace
A little way out of the city centre, is the world’s largest collection of plants at the extraordinary Kew Gardens. Explore the enormous greenhouse or wander through the grounds to appreciate the magnificent plants from all over the world. For a less diverse, but equally as stunning outdoor experience, the Mayfield Lavender Farm is welcoming back guests in June 2022. Catch the tube out to the farm and wander through the sea of purple. Be sure to try the lavender cider or purchase some organic essential oils.
Kew Gardens
For Foodies
Fortnums and Mason will delight foodies for its variety of gourmet treats, which we suggest purchasing then heading to one of the parks to enjoy a picnic. Nobody does scones with jam and cream better than the Brits, or Fortnum and Masons, which means this might just be the best place in the world to indulge in a high tea, but we will let you reach a verdict yourself.
For a cheap and delicious eat, try Beigle Bake on Brick Lane – voted the best bagel shop in London. Also on Brick Lane is said to be the best curry in the city as the street is more commonly known as ‘London’s curry mile'.
A must-do in London is to have a traditional Sunday roast. A local favourite is the Blue Anchor in Hammersmith right on the River Thames, the location without the price tag. For a pub meal as well as a good Instagram snap opportunity, head to The Churchill Arms in Kensington, which is always decorated with an abundance of floral displays.
Churchill Arms, Kensington
While there may be a pub on every corner in London, but there’s also an awesome selection of quirky bars and interactive speakeasies.
Cahoots in Soho is a 1940s style bar with an escape room “the bootleg breakout” you can try with a group of friends every weekend. Or just enjoy an old-fashioned band while sipping an old-fashioned cocktail. Evans and Peel Detective Agency is a themed bar where the staff stay in character so thoroughly, people have questioned if they’re being genuinely interrogated upon entry.
The London Craft Beer Festival is on the 12th-13th of August, and will be a day to remember for the event's 10 year anniversary. The festival showcases a range of the best breweries in Britain as well as a host of London’s top chefs serving up a feast, and an awesome DJ line up.
The list could go on forever, but we can guarantee you will never have a dull day in Old London Town.
Getting there
- Book flights from Perth to London with Qatar Airways, Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Qantas.
- Learn what to expect when arriving in Heathrow Airport here.
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