Kate’s guidebook
Food scene
Voted one of the top 50 bistros in the UK, The Laughing Gravy is one of my favourite local dining spots. I have taken my parents and many other guests there and celebrated a few birthdays with friends there. Recommend booking at least a few days in advance.
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The Laughing Gravy
154 Blackfriars RdVoted one of the top 50 bistros in the UK, The Laughing Gravy is one of my favourite local dining spots. I have taken my parents and many other guests there and celebrated a few birthdays with friends there. Recommend booking at least a few days in advance.
Balance
42-43 Lower MarshGreat brunch spot though rather busy on the weekends.
Excellent coffee and some pastries. Very small cafe so best suited to take away but recommend for coffee snobs
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Coleman Coffee Roasters
20 Lower MarshExcellent coffee and some pastries. Very small cafe so best suited to take away but recommend for coffee snobs
Good brasserie with lovely views of the Thames. Excellent wine list and cocktails.
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Skylon
Good brasserie with lovely views of the Thames. Excellent wine list and cocktails.
Groceries
An independent local grocer store with a fantastic butcher, baker, greengrocer and superb selection of cheese and wine. Not the cheapest place to shop but a real treat.
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Greensmiths
27 Lower MarshAn independent local grocer store with a fantastic butcher, baker, greengrocer and superb selection of cheese and wine. Not the cheapest place to shop but a real treat.
Cocktails and Music
Tucked away beneath Royal Festival Hall, this gem of a music venue has fabulous DJs throughout the week and equally tasty cocktails and food. The interiors are decked out in retro style with a surperb music sound system (even in the bathrooms) so you will enjoy the vibes wherever you sit. Highly recommend.
Spiritland Royal Festival Hall
Belvedere RoadTucked away beneath Royal Festival Hall, this gem of a music venue has fabulous DJs throughout the week and equally tasty cocktails and food. The interiors are decked out in retro style with a surperb music sound system (even in the bathrooms) so you will enjoy the vibes wherever you sit. Highly recommend.
Sightseeing
Oversize Ferris wheel that is an 8 minute walk from the flat with great views over London. Recommend booking online in advance with specific time slots. Queues can be long.
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London Eye
Oversize Ferris wheel that is an 8 minute walk from the flat with great views over London. Recommend booking online in advance with specific time slots. Queues can be long.
Where Royals are married and buried and one of the most famous churches in London. Recommend the Queens Diamond Jubilee galleries - great collection and view of the abbey.
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Westminster Abbey
20 Deans YdWhere Royals are married and buried and one of the most famous churches in London. Recommend the Queens Diamond Jubilee galleries - great collection and view of the abbey.
Excellent tours by the Yeoman who protect the tower. Opportunity to see the Crown Jewels. Dress warmly if heading there in winter - it’s a lot of standing around outdoors.
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Tower of London
Excellent tours by the Yeoman who protect the tower. Opportunity to see the Crown Jewels. Dress warmly if heading there in winter - it’s a lot of standing around outdoors.
Superb opera and ballet companies based here with variety of different works on at any time. Tickets can be very pricey. Backstage tours are also available and excellent. Highly recommend.
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Royal Opera House
Bow StreetSuperb opera and ballet companies based here with variety of different works on at any time. Tickets can be very pricey. Backstage tours are also available and excellent. Highly recommend.
Suitable for families and Harry Potter enthusiasts. Not been as yet but it comes highly recommended. It’s quite a way out of London so suggest booking with a bus ticket and strongly suggest booking in advance.
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Harry Potter Studio Tour station
Suitable for families and Harry Potter enthusiasts. Not been as yet but it comes highly recommended. It’s quite a way out of London so suggest booking with a bus ticket and strongly suggest booking in advance.
Museum and art galleries
Fantastic museum with modern art collections and exhibition. Free entry for the main collections and ticketed exhibitions. Excellent restaurant with views of the Thames from the seventh floor and open late on Friday and Saturday nights.
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Tate Gallery of Modern Art
BanksideFantastic museum with modern art collections and exhibition. Free entry for the main collections and ticketed exhibitions. Excellent restaurant with views of the Thames from the seventh floor and open late on Friday and Saturday nights.
One of the best collections of British art including Turners and Pre Raphaelites. Free entry and about a thirty minute walk from the flat.
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Tate Britain
MillbankOne of the best collections of British art including Turners and Pre Raphaelites. Free entry and about a thirty minute walk from the flat.
Overlooking Trafalgar Square, it’s one of the world’s best art collections. And it’s free entry. Highly recommend.
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National Gallery
Trafalgar SquareOverlooking Trafalgar Square, it’s one of the world’s best art collections. And it’s free entry. Highly recommend.
Next to the National Gallery, this charming gallery has wonderful exhibitions including national portrait prize.
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National Portrait Gallery
Saint Martin's PlaceNext to the National Gallery, this charming gallery has wonderful exhibitions including national portrait prize.
Glitzy, big building which is home to the royal family. Tours are possible when they are away (usually summer months).
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Buckingham Palace
Glitzy, big building which is home to the royal family. Tours are possible when they are away (usually summer months).
Excellent views from the top of this building and free entry, though you need to book in advance. Also has a few restaurants at the top - recommend Fenchurch Terrace. Better view than the Shard as it’s not so high up.
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Sky Garden
Excellent views from the top of this building and free entry, though you need to book in advance. Also has a few restaurants at the top - recommend Fenchurch Terrace. Better view than the Shard as it’s not so high up.
British brutalist estate with art gallery, cinema and theatre/music space. Highly recommend for architecture enthusiasts. Tours are available as well and very good.
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Barbican Centre
Silk StreetBritish brutalist estate with art gallery, cinema and theatre/music space. Highly recommend for architecture enthusiasts. Tours are available as well and very good.
One of the worlds best collections including the Rosetta Stone. Free entry with paid exhibitions which vary in quality. Very crowded at main entrance. There is a smaller, faster entrance at the back of the museum.
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British Museum
Great Russell StreetOne of the worlds best collections including the Rosetta Stone. Free entry with paid exhibitions which vary in quality. Very crowded at main entrance. There is a smaller, faster entrance at the back of the museum.
Neighbourhoods
Famous area of London with great history that is now hidden beneath lots of stores. Worth wandering around though and lots of great restaurants on Henrietta St and in Neals Yard.
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Covent Garden
41 James StFamous area of London with great history that is now hidden beneath lots of stores. Worth wandering around though and lots of great restaurants on Henrietta St and in Neals Yard.
Once London’s red light district, it’s now more mainstream though there are still a few seedier places. Lots of clubs, bars and restaurants. Shaftesbury Avenue is also home to many West End Theatres.
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Soho
Once London’s red light district, it’s now more mainstream though there are still a few seedier places. Lots of clubs, bars and restaurants. Shaftesbury Avenue is also home to many West End Theatres.
Tipps für Reisende
Verkehrsmittel
Download Citymapper app to navigate London
London has a lot of different transport options but not all are equal or easy. Citymapper app is incredibly easy to use and very useful in helping plan journeys including how long they take at certain times and cost, as fares vary depending on the time of day. It also works in a lot of other cities around the world.
Buche vor der Abreise
Theatre tickets
If you’d like to see a show in London’s West End, there are plenty of websites that sell tickets. I recommend Today’s Tix app as you can get great discounted tickets. Note - Hamilton is showing at a theatre in Victoria, at the Victoria Palace Theatre, not the West End so leave extra time to get there.