1. Borough Market
I’m a little bit of a market addict. And I’m not picky either. I love dirty flea markets, designer markets, antique markets, trash markets, carboot sale markets, and of course food markets! On a whim one late afternoon we wandered into Borough Market on a recommendation from my Mum. I didn’t know what it was or what to expect and I was blown away by the large selection of yummy foods on offer. Seriously this market is a real gem! Tucked in beneath the train line, a mis-match of food stalls welcome you with delicious smells and tasty looking treats. The food is a selection from all over the world! And there really is something for everyone. Even with my difficult diet… I managed to find a stall dedicated to vegan – gluten free sweets! Crossing underneath a brick archway we were transported from the foodstuff side to the fresh produce section, and I’ve never seen a cheese wheel so big in my life! Gourmet oils, fresh, locally grown vegetables, the biggest array of mushrooms I’ve ever seen… we bought a punnet of fresh figs and ate them while we explored. Oh and there’s even some free taste testers too. I really loved the vibe of this market, it was a much needed pick-me-up from the jet lag and cold weather.
2. Exploring Soho:
My favourite London suburb for wandering was Soho. It’s not quite as grungy or filled with in-your-face character like some of the others. Instead Soho is somewhere you really need to look to see the gems. You wander off the beaten path of Oxford Circus and Piccadilly and find yourself in quiet, tree lined streets with cute cafe’s and quirky shops. Yes there’s some funky looking sex shops floating in-between but it really adds to the mismatched character. We stumbled upon a fascinating vintage magazine shop, expert coffee roasters, dirty laneway food market and some of my favourite pictures from London.
3. Taking a stroll on Portobello Road
Even with the tourist vibe and inevitable crowds, Notting Hill is still beautiful. London can sometimes appear quite bleak, especially in winter when the trees are bare, the buildings match the white-grey of the sky and the wind is icy, but Notting Hill is filled with colour. For the best photo opportunities I would suggest visiting on a weekday when the Portobello Road market isn’t in full swing, but of course we came back on a Saturday so we could really experience the true market atmosphere!
4. Tate Modern:
Last time I was in London I didn’t find time to visit the Tate Modern, so this time around nothing was stopping me. Not even the terrible torrential rain that started as we exited the subway near the gallery… we bought cheap umbrella’s from the convenience store and powered through it! And I’m so happy we did. Entry is free to this wonderful gallery (except or a few selected exhibits which we didn’t visit), and there are floors and floors of modern art to explore. We visited in the last two hours before close which was really great because there wasn’t much of a crowd. I like to have room to think and ponder when exploring a gallery. Modern art is fascinating to me, some of the pieces are so wonderfully weird I like to try and imagine the inner workings of the artists mind. There is a really great range from painting, sculpture, drawing, photography and just plain crazy pieces. Definitely a highlight of all the museums and galleries we’ve visited so far.
5. Snapping photos in Camden:
You don’t even have to try to take a good picture in Camden. Every photo is full of colour and weirdness. From the buildings to the creatively dresses locals, Camden is a photography dream. The Camden Lock Market is also a really cool place to explore! Lots of vintage, handmade and junky trinkets to be looked over. Camden can’t be missed! (Again, maybe avoid the weekend if you’re not fond of crowds!).
6. Chasing Squirrels in Hyde Park:
Okay. I might have gotten irrationally excited when we saw our first squirrel… they’re just so much cuter than our Australian equivalent (the mean and feisty possum!). I walked over to the grass, held out my hand, said hello and next minute he rang straight over and put his cute little paw on my hand! At first I though we had an intimate animal connection but then I realised obviously tourists must feed them and he thought I had food… either way it was love at first sight.
The birds at the lake are really wonderful too! White swans are stunningly beautiful.
7. Columbia Road Flower Market
On Sunday’s the streets surrounding the flower market are filled with people walking with their arms filled with blooms. We didn’t know the exact location of the market (I was still getting the hang of the maps…) but we followed the trail of people carrying pretty flowers and soon found ourselves immersed in the biggest flower display I’ve ever seen! It was the first day of Spring, the sun was (softly) shining and I think almost everyone in London was at the flower market. The crowd was huge but the atmosphere was contagiously happy. I had to stop myself several times from wanting to buy a bouquet of tulips because we were leaving for Paris in a few days time.
8. Getting my hands dirty looking for vintage.
Yep. I think this will probably be in every ‘top 10’ for every city I visit just because I am an avid vintage clothes hoarder and it’s probably my all time favourite thing to do. In London there are so many clothes markets it’s hard to know where to go to find your vintage! If money isn’t an issue, hit up the Camden Lock Market, Brick Lane Market, and Portobello Road (at the very far end, under the train line there is heap of vintage clothes!). Me on the other hand, I’m on a strict budget this trip so I can’t flaunt money on vintage (even though I’m dying to). I found my bargains when rummaging through weekend flea stalls that pop up in random suburbs (on the street) around the city on weekends. Have a wander around Dalston Kingsland station area, there’s a few good op shops there too! Or at The East End Thrift Store you can fill a bag for 10 pounds, but beware, it’s pretty dirty and you really have to dig in big boxes!
9. Riding a double decker bus:
Pretty much the title says it all. Make sure you get a seat at the top, front is preferable. It’s like a tame roller coaster.
10. Getting out of the hustle and bustle:
The city is fun, but one of my favourite afternoons was catching the train out to meet up with Kitty and explore a huge park. It was lovely to get some fresh air, have a break from the crowds and traffic of the city centre, and see some wild deer! I’m the kind of traveller that likes to see as much of a city as I can, so it really pays off to get out of the usual tourist hub and see some nature.
We’re not sure where our plans will lead us this year, but I’m sure I’ll be seeing London again soon!
