Planning the Perfect London City Break
#This is a collaborative post
I love visiting London, and when it comes to planning a romantic city break with your partner (no kids involved!) there really couldn’t be a better choice. With so much to offer from traditional sight seeing and iconic landmarks to a wealth of bars, resturants and clubs, it can be a little bit of a minefield knowing where to start. If you’re lucky enough to be able to get away for a few days as a couple, here are my tips for planning the perfect London City break.
Book a centrally located hotel
Whilst you may pay a little more for a centrally located hotel such as in Kensington or Victoria, but being close to all the action and being able to walk to some of your destinations is a real positive. It also allows you to benefit from a real city life experience, and explore all that Central London has to offer.
Take the tube or walk
The prospect of navigating around a busy and bustling new city can be a little daunting, but the London tube is actually very straight forward with easy to follow maps and guides. It’s also a MUCH cheaper way to get around the city during a London city break than using Ubers or private hire taxi firms. You can even download the London tube app to your phone so you can quickly and easily see which line and tube stops you need to be looking for.
Plan where you want to visit during your London City Break
I would always recommend making an itinerary of the places you’d like to visit during your London city break. A weekend in London can fly by pretty quickly so it is handy to look at the locations of where you want to visit and plan something that geographically is the most efficient and doesn’t leave you travelling backwards and forwards across the city on repeat. Pin them on a map of Central London to establish the best order to arrange your visits. Whether its your more traditional Tourist attractions like the Tower of London, Big Ben and The Houses of Parliament, or more of the hidden gems, make sure you discuss these first.
Treat yourself to a decent meal
There are lots of restaurants and places to have afternoon tea in London, and this can be a great way to make the most of a rare date day/night with your partner. Websites like Square Meal are a great place to check out impartial reviews and earn rewards as you book as part of their loyalty scheme. If you’re not local, it can often be hard to know which places really are worth the cost, and here you can quickly search through a variety of options from traditional afternoon to a more quirky or themed afternoon tea.
Free places to visit during your London City Break
Not everything in London needs to cost a fortune. In addition to some of the best museums in the world, the National Gallery and Tate Modern, you are also spoiled for choice with iconic outdoor spaces to explore. From picnics in Hyde Park to a romantic stroll through Kensington Gardens. If you’re after a more vintage feel, Portobello Road Market needs to make the list, or if the urban vibe is more appealing, don’t miss out on the Shoredich street art, packed full of pretty impressive graffiti!
Last but not least – if you’re a Potterhead like me – don’t forget that London is also home to it’s very own platform 9 and 3/4! 🙂 You can see our list of other Harry Potter locations here.
Lucy xxx
