VAN: Our Top 5 Things To Do In London, UK

We at View the Vibe love to travel – almost as much as we love to eat! In April, we packed our bags and set off across the pond to London on vacation. We had been dying to visit this one-of-a-kind city forever, and were thrilled to be finally going to the home of Gordon Ramsey, Coronation Street (we bumped into crazy Kirsty!), Molten Brown bath goodies, and Harrods.

London is a diverse and exciting city with some of the world’s best sights and attractions. From history to culture, art to architecture, there’s really something for everyone, and we enjoyed it all. With so much to do, see, and eat it’s hard for us to narrow down the long list of things for you to do, but below you’ll find our top 5…

On Top Of The World With The Shard
On a gorgeous day (or evening) you have to visit The Shard and travel up to its observation decks. Designed by Master Architect Renzo Piano, this spectacular pointy building is 800-feet tall and provides phenomenal 360-degree views of the city of London. We were absolutely blown away as we spied landmarks such as the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, the London Eye, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and the Gherkin. The Shard’s state-of-the-art interactive touchscreen telescopes enabled us to explore the views in greater detail, identifying over 200 famous landmarks and places of significant interest.

On an exciting side note: Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has just opened their first UK hotel, and it’s based in The Shard, on floors 34-52. We cannot even begin to imagine how amazing it would be to stay there.

Tea Time At The Corinthia Hotel London
Taking afternoon tea is a cherished experience steeped in British tradition. You cannot visit England and not go for afternoon tea – it’s just not an option. One of the very best ‘teas’ in London, according to the prestigious Tea Guild (part of the UK Tea Council), is at the Corinthia Hotel London. As we sat in the in the elegant Lobby Lounge, under a rather splendid Baccarat chandelier, we sipped on bubbly and reviewed the menu of grand and fine teas from master tea blenders Harney & Sons. At £50 per person for a Laurent-Perrier NV Afternoon Tea (£45 without champers), it is one of the pricier teas in the city, but oh-so worth every British pound.

We nibbled on delicately cut sandwiches and the prettiest pastries we’d ever had the pleasure to taste. Then it was time to sample the Corinthia’s homemade scones, served with jam and clotted cream. Yes, they were absolutely scrumptious, and probably the best we’ve ever eaten.

It’s Elementary
If you’re a fan of the TV shows Sherlock and Elementary (contemporary adaptations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes detective stories), you’ll want to pop over to see the Sherlock Holmes Museum. Located at one of the world’s most famous addresses, 221B Baker Street, the Georgian townhouse is home to the privately run museum and has dedicated itself to the famous fictional detective. Here you can see Holmes’ apartment, look around an exhibition featuring life-sized waxworks from Sherlock Holmes’ most famous adventures, and pick up some souvenirs and antiques in the shop. Sadly you won’t bump into Benedict Cumberbatch or Jonny Lee Miller here, but we’d say that it’s still worth visiting.

Off To The Borough Market
Before our trip to London, we asked friends and colleagues for suggestions of what to see. Almost everyone mentioned the Borough Market. This gourmet food market (London’s oldest fruit and veg market), is open Wednesday to Saturday and consists of about 100 individual stalls. Producers from all over the country bring a range of fresh goods to the market, including fish, meats, vegetables, ciders, cheeses, cakes, and patisseries. Foodies will be in absolute heaven – we were! There is also a wide variety of yummy street food on sale for lunchtime visitors who flock to the market. It’s a fabulous place to explore, ask questions, discover new flavours, and savour a unique atmosphere.

Sleep Like A Princess At The Rosewood London
If you want to live like royalty for a couple days, we highly recommend that you stay at one of London’s newest and finest luxury hotels, the Rosewood London. Located in central London on High Holborn Street, and just minutes away from some truly amazing shopping, the palatial Rosewood London Hotel combines English heritage with contemporary sophistication.

As we entered our stunning suite (with butler service), we had to restrain ourselves from fist-pumping the air in delight. The enormous room was so beautiful, so luxurious, so chic that we almost couldn’t believe our eyes. We could definitely imagine Kate and William enjoying a weekend getaway from baby George there.

The Rosewood has everything you need for the perfect stay: a fitness suite with pretty fantastic equipment; a beautiful Sense Spa (Rosewood’s award-winning, signature spa brand); the Holborn Dining Room that serves amazing British dishes; Scarfes Bar, a lively bar with the best Indian cuisine; and complimentary WiFi. You’ll be treated so well at the Rosewood, you’ll never want to leave!

Images provided by The Shard, Corinthia Hotels, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, and VisitLondon.com.

What are some of your favourite things to do in London? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us @ViewTheVibe.