London trips

#london #travelblog #traveldiary

I have been to London two times for short trips since the airplane ticket from Helsinki to London is usually cheap. I usually don't pack my days with activities. Instead, we enjoy walking around while visiting few locations, teatime, a bit of shopping and enjoying the shows in West End.

One of our trips was in spring time in the beginning of May, the other was end of summer in the end of August. The weather was chill and quite rainy with some sunny moments. Therefore, raincoat, umbrella, warm cardigan and shoes for rainy days are recommended. I also like to bring headscarf since the wind can give me headache.

When visiting London, the first attraction location must be one of the royal palaces. I only visited Kensington Palace. It is not a big palace but very pleasant to see. You can check out introduction of the palaces here.

Some photos taken at the palace in 2024

Local market is always a nice location to visit when traveling and London is full of them. We visited Leadenhall Market, Covent Garden Market and Greenwich Market. Next time, I plan to visit more markets, especially the vintage one. This link introduces most of the markets in London. About department stores, I like Harrods and Fortnum & Mason. I bought tea, coffee and shortbread from there.

Market, Department store, Shopping street

We have a relative who visit England every year to watch opera and musicals. If you are a fan of musicals, I am certain that you will enjoy West End. You can check out West End from Official London Theatre website. Visit London also has an article about last-minute-ticket if you are interested. I was not a fan of musicals but most of the shows I watched in London were impressive. One thing I like in West End is also the interior inside the theatres.

The highlight of my London trip in 2024 was Spirited Away on stage. Spirited Away has been my favourite Ghibli movie. I booked the tickets right away when the show tickets were available. I had a great time. It was stunning to see them on stage.

I was in London in April so some flowers were blooming. They were so pretty.

Finally, one of favourite activities is enjoying afternoon tea. My must-have when in England is scones with jam and clotted cream. For salty meal, I like meat pie and fish & chips.

If you cannot eat much, I personally think the afternoon tea is too much to finish. Later, I only ordered scones. One portion usually has three scones with jam and clotted cream.

Next time in London, I would like to be in late May or early June to enjoy warmer weather and see more flowers. Visiting markets and vintage shops is priority. Hope you also have a good time in London and share the experience.