4 days by myself in London- give me your recommendations please!

[YouHaveNoAuthorityHereJackie]

Desperate for recommendations for how to make the best of my time. I’ve wangled 4 days by myself next week and am determined to not feel guilty about it. Sleep is high on the agenda but I also like to do things. I’m staying in Kensington/Earls Court area but know my way around most of London. I’ve booked into the Tate Britain, Westminster Abbey and the British Museum, places where I’d usually be rushed around but intend to take my time. Looking for ideas of how to fill the rest of my time, when it’s somewhere pretty just to sit for an afternoon, places to grab a drink or something to eat. I had thought I’d like to see a show or a play but nothing seems to grab me. Please throw all your recommendations at me!

@YouHaveNoAuthorityHereJackie ohhh what a treat 😍 personally I love a walk round Covent Garden and love heading out to Notting Hill for a wander too. Can’t recommend anywhere specific to eat/drink - I usually just stop wherever takes my fancy at the time 😊

Definitely try and fit in a show if you can though! I don’t know that I’ve ever visited London without seeing Wicked 🙈 it’s my favourite and I’ve seen it too many times to count!

@tiredmama2020 I’ve seen Wicked twice! Not sure I want to do a third tbh, I think I’d like to see something new.

Open Air Theatre in Regents Park?

Or just the parks in general for somewhere nice to sit. Postman’s Park in the City has the memorial to self-sacrifice which is pretty special.

Guided walks are fun. Take a London transport river boat or tourist boat cruise from Westminster to Greenwich, & enjoy the people watching, markets & exhibitions.

I'd love this. Some things I used to love doing when I had a day to myself to fill:

Brixton Village- go to browse the shops and get some really unique food while you're there.

Rich area charity shop exploration- may not be your thing, but I used to map out a route of charity shops to explore in posh areas and got some amazing high end items really cheap. I'd add in a naice deli or cafe stop on route.

Whole Foods Kensington cheese room- mainly for the samples! No idea if samples are still out during Covid times though.

Wellcome collection- I love their exhibitions, but best seen when you can spend time reflecting.

Definitely stop for coffee & cake at Peggy Porschens 🍥🍰🍥🍰🍥

I recommend you take me with you

I love The Wallace Collection, concerts at St Martin's in the Fields, the South Bank centre/royal festival hall, the Japanese centre on Piccadilly, Neal Street shops, covent garden shops, vapiano for lunch.

I only discovered the V&A last year!!! Its fabulous and free, but you'd likely need to book a ticket.

Walk along south bank.

A day in Greenwich can be good- depending what you are into? Maritime museum, fan museum, royal observatory, cutty sark, the park, markets etc.

Is Kew gardens too far out for you? Overground train then a short walk. The weather is likely to be fabulous, so it may be busy, but idyllic. I think you still need to book an entry slot.

I loved Spitalfields market when I last visited. Also Greenwich Market.

Literally one of my favourite places in the world is Seven Dials Market, just off Covent Garden. It's an old fruit Market, covered, set over 2 levels with lots of amazing food offerings round the outside, loads of seating in the middle. Great place to people watch and enjoy lots of beautiful food and cocktails!

Some great recommendations thank you! @MouseholeCat charity shopping is literally my favourite thing to do, any good tips would be appreciated!

Hampstead Heath for sure, and lunch in one of the pubs or in the village. I've done a walk from Camden Town to Hampstead, so much variety and some time along the canal.

South Bank is always nice for people watching.

Find a nice terrace bar or restaurant to enjoy the sunny weather. Some of the nice hotels have some good outdoor terraces, I think The Standard is a good example? The Orangery in Regents Park could be a nice treat, for some lovely views.

In terms of food, Dishoom, Caravan, Monmouth Street Kitchen, Tapas Brindisa and the Salt Yard chain (I went to Dehesa) are all fantastic!

Have a great trip - the weather is gorgeous at the moment!

Check what is on at the Cine Lumiere near where you are staying. Walk across from the Albert Memorial to the Diana Memorial Fountain. Visit Brompton Oratory.

Agree about the walk along the canal too.

What days of the week are you going? Bricklane markets and spitalfields are good on a Sunday. A further 5min walk and Colombia flower market is also on Sundays.

If you want retro/2nd hand, there are several around Bricklane. Beyond retro is the largest I've ever seen. The prices aren't your average charity shop though- more 'designer', 'vintage', 'retro'. Certainly worth a look though if you like charity shopping.

When you go to the British Museum, you could have a coffee (or something more) at Truckles in Pied Bull Yard. It's in Bury Place - almost directly opposite the main entrance in Museum Street. It's an outside courtyard. Definitely very Bloomsbury.

If you like gardens/plants plants, Chelsea Physic Garden or the Garden Museum would be nice. (A change from Kew).

There are lovely eating/drinking areas in Somerset House. You could also walk to the inner Temple Garden if you are in that part of town.

Hope you have a lovely time!

I love the Geffrye museum in Hoxton. Also there is plenty of great coffee and people watching nearby. Enjoy every moment.

pmk!

THe chinz exhibition at the Fashion Museum in Bermondsey (and a trip to the posh charity shop opposite) followed by lunch in Borough Market and a stroll along the Southbank to Vauxhall (past the OXO shops, St Gabriel's WHarf shops, the cafes around the SOuthbank Centre and the wall of COvid hearts between Westminster and Lambeth bridges - you can then walk over Vauxhall Bridge to Pimlico for the vair posh charity shops around Tatchell Street.

There's a new Italian food emporium with casual eating and restaurants right by Liverpool St called Eataly if you're over that way for Spitalfields / Brick Lane / City generally. Looks amazing!

Mooching around Borough Market near London Bridge, spending obscene amounts on olive oill, and scoffing as you go; brunch somewhere like Cecconi's or Circolo Popolare; a good mooch in Foyles with drinks and nibbles nearby; places like Polpo and Barafina are great for solo lunches/dinners; I'd go to a cinema and watch a movie -- central picturehouse by Piccadilly Circus and Curzon Soho are faves. Enjoy!

The British Library is doing free tours of their specials collection e.g. Jane Austen's writing desk.

I’d go and loll around at Porchester Spa for a few hours:

porchesterspatreatments.co.uk/the-spa

Porchester spa looks great thank you @SomethingNastyInTheBallPool! Just booked myself a massage

@YouHaveNoAuthorityHereJackie - yay! The massages are great and really good value.