Best Things To Do in London
I just got back from London and everyone keeps asking what my favorite things to do were. Never fear, there will be an entire post about food. We all know I live to eat. Here they are in no particular order-
Borough Markets
This one really should’ve gone under the food post, but there is more here than food! Although all of my favorite things included food. Empanadas, cheese, spices, bread, cinnamon rolls, and more. A never ending trail of magic filled stalls.
The Bodleian Library
Borrowed from the internet. Photos weren’t allowed on the tour :(
This is one of the oldest libraries in Europe and the second largest library in Britain. The first attempt at a library was built in 1488 and it housed 281 books. The school decided to build a new library and that opened in 1488, but in 1550, the church ordered that most of their precious collection be burnt. It wasn’t until 1598 when Thomas Bodley took over and refurbished the library and donated his collection to Oxford that the future of the library began to brighten. Then in 1610, Bodley made an agreement with a printer in London that the library would receive a copy of every book published in England. This made the library a legal depository.
Fortnum and Mason’s
I visited Harrod’s and Selfridge’s as well, but enjoyed F&M the most. Tea, biscuits, hampers, and chocolate.
Chinatown
This might be the coolest borough in London with Soho and Shoreditch following right behind. Tons of great food, bakeries, and shopping to be had.
The Harry Potter Studio Tour
This was an amazing tour and tops the Marvel exhibit I saw last year. I thought that was incredible, but this Harry Potter tour had quadruple the props, sets, and vehicles. It took close to 3 hours to go through the entire tour. If you enjoy Harry Potter at all, you’ll love this tour. Worth the ~hour drive out of the city to see it.
Minalima
The designers behind many of the Harry Potter props and illustrations. Many of them were in the studio tour, so it was fun to follow up with a trip to the studio and gallery of Minalima.
The Oxford Botanic Gardens
This wasn’t originally on the list, but when I saw it while wandering around Oxford, it had to be done. Touring the greenhouses alone was worth the trip. Originally called the Oxford Physic Garden, it was used to grow medicinal herbs and teach medical students. Today it is one of the oldest scientific gardens in the world and houses over 5,000 different plant species.