48 Hour Guide to London, England

Flight and Hotel:

When flying into London it is best to think about what is best for your budget. You can stay in the city (Zones 1, 2, and 3) but pay so much more for your hotel, or you can think about possibly staying outside of London (Zone 4-5), save money through accommodation and just pay for public transportation. For ourselves, we chose to save money and stay on the outskirts of London. We flew into London Southend Airport (SEN) which was about an hour train ride to the London city center. Our flight arrived at 12pm on a Friday so we wanted to go straight into London to see the city and get some lunch. We stayed in Wembley right near Wembley stadium which was another 45 minute subway ride to our hotel from the middle of London. The train ride into the city was about 45 minutes depending on where we were headed but only cost 3 pounds, about 4 dollars. We stayed in Wembley for Friday and Saturday night but got a hotel closer to the airport Sunday night because we had an early flight Monday morning. Our hotel for both Friday and Saturday night, combined, was $170. Our hotel near the airport was $44. Since we are Independent Travel Agents, we were able to earn 13% commission on our hotels. Thus, we spent only $147.90 on accommodation. If you have questions about the certification to become an Independent Travel Agent, please reach out. It has allowed us to travel more for less.

Day One: Start Early, Finish Late & Eat Your Way Around London!

Go to Buckingham Palace and walk towards Big Ben. On your way there, keep a lookout for St. James Park, Westminster Abbey, and the Palace of Westminster. You will pass all of these attractions on your walk!

After your obligatory photoshoot in front of each of the attractions, crossover the Westminster Bridge and walk the waterfront to the London Eye. Be sure to keep an eye out for pop up shops along the waterfront. When we were there, there was an art festival and we were able to look at some beautiful local art. If you walk far enough, you’ll pass food vendors who give out free samples. A great way to keep your blood sugar up. Stop by any of the restaurants along the way for an espresso or a cocktail (whichever you fancy!).

After you’ve got your fill of the waterfront, head to Borough Market for more food! This is about a 1.5 mile walk from the London Eye. We walked there to see as much as we could but of course you can get a taxi or an Uber. Borough Market does close at 5pm so this is best as a late lunch! We spent about two hours at Borough Market trying as much as our stomachs could hold! Keep an eye out for free samples and delicious fresh seafood!

London is known for having several secret bars scattered about the city. So, now that you’re in a food coma from indulging at Borough Market, head to The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town for a cocktail. The address is 12-16 Artillery Lane (below The Breakfast Club). It looks like a perfectly normal diner. When you arrive, and are greeted by the host, tell them “we’re here to see the mayor.” They will then take you into the restaurant, open up a refrigerator door which acts as a portal to the secret bar. We only got a drink at this location because we were still stuffed from the market, but the food looked delicious and the experience was incredible.

The Mayor of Scardy Cat Town

Be sure to ask to “see the mayor.” Shortly after, a host will guide you through this refrigerator to a secret speakeasy!

When you’ve finished your cocktails, head to Pop Brixton. You may need to take either a taxi or public transportation unless you prefer to walk about 4.5 miles! Pop Brixton is another street vendor gathering spot with a much different vibe than the Borough market. We enjoyed a gyro here along with a german beer! When we were here, there was an Oktoberfest celebration going on so they had themed specials. Pop Brixton is very much a night life stop so regardless of your travel plan, wait until the evening. We got here at 7:00pm and stayed for about an hour and a half exploring the different levels and just taking in the different vibes each area offered.

To end your busy night head to the Sky Garden. This can be done during the day if you would rather, but you must make reservations. If you don’t want to hassle with reservations, from 9-11pm there are walk-in hours for the Sky Garden. 9-11pm is less looking at the flowers and more looking at the beauty outside the glass walls that surround you; the view is unbeatable. Here you can enjoy music, drinks, and a 360 degree view of the London night lights! Get there before 9pm if you don’t want to wait in a massive line! We got here at 8:50pm and there was a bit of a line already but by the time we got in, the line was long!

Day Two: More Food, and Some Magic!

Head to Little Venice first thing in the morning to see beautiful long boats that go up and down the canal. After you capture the beauty of the canal, head to a breakfast spot called Beany Green. We were unable to eat there due to it being so incredibly busy, but they do offer a bottomless brunch. If this is of interest to you, you may want to think about making a reservation. If you do not get food at Beany Green, no worries! Our next destination is a food market!

After walking around Little Venice head to Spitalfields Market. This market has a mixture of handcrafted products and delicious food! We always walk around the complex before purchasing anything and often split our meals so we are able to try more than just one venue’s food!

After you are done at Spitalfields inside market, take some time to venture the streets around the market. We stumbled upon a street full of additional food vendors and even ventured into another building that was an international market! Take time to explore and experience. The streets that we recommend are Spitafields, Tower Hamlets, and Brick Lane.

After you are done exploring, find your way to Liverpool Street. We took a bus to get here! Hop off at St. Mary Axe and you will find yourself at Leadenhall Market. Leadenhall Market is only up and running on weekdays but just to see the venue was still beautiful and well worth capturing some photos! After Leadenhall, head to Bank Station. If you are a Harry Potter fan we don’t need to tell you what’s here, but if you are not a Harry Potter fan, this is where the 9 ¾ platform is! You can take a picture against the wall but the line, again, was massive. After Bank Station, head to Kings Cross.

While at Kings Cross, walk around the waterfront, visit the Canopy Market. If you do not get food at the market, no worries, we have a delicious pizza spot for you to end your day! Kings Cross has an assortment of shopping, a view of the canal and some more long boats. Before you leave Kings Cross make sure to definitely get a scoop from Ruby Violet’s ice cream! They are known for using only organic milk and honestly, it was delicious!

Ruby Violet’s

Clearly Jade is ready for some double dark chocolate ice cream!

After you are done experiencing all that Kings Cross has to offer, head back to Bank Station and walk to Pizza Union. Pizza Union sells full artisan pizza’s at a minimum of 5 pounds and are absolutely delicious! We got two pizzas to go and ate them on our way back to our hotel.

Hopefully this 48 hour of London leaves you with wanting to go back and see more of what London has to offer!

Tips:

Get an Oyster Card on your first day! This lets you use all of the public transportation London has. We asked for help before we bought the card because there are so many different options and we wanted what was best for us.

Bring a good pair of walking shoes! Even though you can use public transportation, you will still walk a ton! We walked about 15 miles the first day.

Always look up! Look up at all the buildings around you. London and so many other places we travel have breathtaking architecture and it is so easy to miss!