London is such a HUGE city with loads to do and see that it is extremely hard to get (or be) bored. Upon further inspection, after my first year of living here I realized I hadn’t even scratched the surface of seeing all of London; don’t get me wrong, I went out (in fact almost too much) but I would end up at the same places, doing the same things. So I made it my goal to go somewhere new, every weekend. Whether it be a museum, art gallery or area of London less travelled, it all made the cut. With my A-to-Z in hand I hit the streets in search of the ‘true’ London.
Even after all my weekly adventures one of my favourite ‘days out’ still remains one of my earliest discoveries: The Southbank. It’s a perfect way to get a feel for the city if you’re a visitor but because it’s also constantly changing w/ events and festivals taking place all the time by the Thames it draws the locals as well.
Starting at London Bridge Station you can have lunch and explore London’s oldest market: The Borough Market (warning: do not go on a full stomach, you’ll want to eat, lots). This is where the naked chef shops for his ingredients. Make sure to bring your own bags so you can load them up w/ exotic beers, yummy olives, scrumptious cheese, warm bread along with fresh fruits and vegetables locally grown.
Once your belly is full, it’s time to walk it off, along the Thames. With stunning views of St. Paul’s, the London Eye, Big Ben and London Bridge it’s easy to see why hoards of tourists come from far and wide to explore this place I call home (for the time being anyway). On a nice day, beer and Pimms stalls line the walkway and with plenty of green spaces it makes for the perfect time to rest and talk about what you’ve seen.
Need a little bit of culture? No problem, walk a little further and you’ll hit the Tate Modern. One of my personal favourites, it holds modern classics by Rothko, Andy Warhol, Picasso, Matisse…oh the list could go on.
Once you had a look around, continue walking along the Thames walkway towards Waterloo station. You’ll pass a skating park where amazing athletes draw in the crowds daily. They’re all so fearless; you wouldn’t catch me trying to flip my bike in mid air!
A little further down the path is a great (HUGE) outdoor book market…this is where I can spend hours collecting novels. I always have a few waiting to be read but that never stops me from collecting more.
If at all you get hungry the path is lined with coffee shops and restaurants. Once you’re finished head to Waterloo Bridge and head home.
Without fail this day always makes me happy. If you ever decide to head to London for a holiday and are looking for the perfect day out, drop us a line and what you like to do and I’ll do my best to sort you out.
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