London

By Richard Lewis on April 30, 2019

Whether you have a fascination with royalty, are a student of history, or are just looking to fill your cravings of fish and chips, visiting London conquers the top of most travel bucket lists. Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, testing a Royal Guards humor, the London Eye, and many more sights make London a tourist’s heaven. For the third blog in my travel series, I am going to skip most of the tourist sights and focus on London’s hidden gems.

St Paul’s Cathedral

With so many well known landmarks in London, St. Paul’s Cathedral is often over looked by London visitors. After spending about an hour within the walls of this dramatic, beautiful building, the 20 British Pound entrance fee seemed almost too cheap. While standing on the same steps as Princess Diana once did during her wedding, it is hard to not let your imagination run and dream about what it must have felt like on that day. The architecture inside the Cathedral is a work of art that would be nearly impossible to create today. If you are up for a little exercise inside the Cathedral, walk up all 257 stairs to the dome and enjoy the Whispering Gallery. The hemispherical enclosure makes it possible for even the faintest whisper to be heard across the dome, allowing the patrons to have a little fun. Continue your way up another 300 steps to see panoramic views of London from the Cathedral’s Golden Gallery. With sweeping 360-degree views, you can see everything from the London Bridge to the London Eye.  If you are a student of history, the Crypt underneath the Cathedral must be on your list. There you can see the tombs of Lord Nelson, The Duke of Wellington, and Sir Cristopher Wren.

China Town

While most major cities in the world are home to a China Town, in my eyes, London’s is simply the best. After a few meals of meat pies, fish and chips, or bowls of bangers and mash, please do yourself a favor and check out China Town. Although small for a city the size of London, it makes up for it in flavor and atmosphere. BaoziInn and Canton were the two restaurants I visited. I really enjoyed BaoziInn, but it was nothing compared to Canton. At Canton, the duck was roasted to perfection and the accompanying dishes of noodles and vegetables enhanced the already delicious flavor. A word of advice when you’re in China Town – if you see ducks hanging inside the window, go try one.

Mr. Foggs Residence

Most visitors tend to get lost in the overwhelming number of pubs that London is known for, with good reason. However, when the seemingly endless pints become dull, Mr. Fogg’s is a must. This one of a kind cocktail bar’s theme is influenced by Phileas Fogg, the protagonist in the 1873 Jules Verne novel Around the World in Eighty Days. Decorated with a worldly collection of old artifacts and antiques, Mr. Fogg’s has a unique atmosphere that is difficult to describe. The cocktail menu is as eccentric as the journey Mr. Fogg took, with each drink influenced by the many destinations he traveled. Reservations are a necessity, combined with an open mind for adventure.

Ballie Ballerson

If Mr. Foggs was the first stop on a long night, make sure to pencil in Ballie Ballerson.  Located in Shoreditch, the hipster heart of East London, Ballie Ballerson lets you forget about your age for a short while. Loud music, neon graffiti spray painted on the walls, create a fun scene  for what is a simple bar . Not to mention they have TWO ball pits to play in! Combined, the two pits have over 1 million plastic balls to entertain guests. Anyone over the age of 21 is allowed to enter, however there is an extra charge for admission into the ball pits. I recommend buying tickets online before going to eliminate the risk of them selling out.

Stonehenge

Out of all the landmarks that London has to offer, the most unique is Stonehenge. The mystery behind the massive rock pillars is a curiosity to both adults and children. Constructed somewhere in the range of 3000-2000BC, it is hard to fathom how the stones arrived, the purpose it was created for, and the events that may have occurred there. With over a million visitors per year, England has taken many steps to keep the integrity of Stonehenge safe. This means moving roads farther away from it and keeping tourists a good distance away from the stones themselves. Seeing the stones up close and getting inside the circle is thought to be forbidden. Spoiler alert, it is not.

Evan Evans is a tour operator in London that has the exclusive rights to bring tourists INSIDE the circle about once a month. If booking your trip in advance, be sure to see if there is a seat aboard the 40 passenger bus. While inside the pillars, I was fascinated by the structure, and could understand why Stonehenge is such a mysterious place.  The ability to be a part of the tour allowed me to appreciate the luminosity of this UNESCO site. The inner circle tour is the first stop on a day tour that also includes visiting Oxford and Windsor, which allows you to see the greater areas of London. While in Oxford you will tour around the city and learn about Oxford University, and the different impacts its scholars have had on us through the times. The final spot, Windsor, allows you to see the Queens favorite castle, and do some exploring on your own.

London offers an endless amount of sites and places to explore. If this is your first trip to London, makes sure to plan time for the other attractions as well.  The Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben (closed for renovations until 2021), and Westminster Abbey, are just a few more attractions to add to the list. Look into purchasing The London Pass if you plan on seeing all the famous sites. It will be cheaper than paying individual entrance fees and allows you to skip the line at some sites. The modernization of London mixed with its historic past, should set it at the top of every traveler’s bucket list.