In this installment of Great Getaways, I will be showcasing some highly rated destinations to visit in London. In August of 2024, my family and I embarked on an eight-day trip to London, where we stayed at the St James Court A Taj Hotel. The hotel's location, within walking distance of Buckingham Palace and many different restaurants, made our stay stress-free and convenient. The service was top-notch; we were served complimentary breakfast daily, and there were various Indian and American breakfast items to pick from, which were savory and delicious. The convenience of the hotel's location allowed us to explore London with ease, adding to the enjoyment of our trip.
As soon as my family and I landed, we wasted no time, and we headed straight to Buckingham Palace, which is conveniently only a ten-minute walk from our hotel. There, we saw the Changing of the Guard, which was open to the public and was so interesting. One helpful hint is that we learned the importance of checking online to view the schedule, as the day and month of the event vary. Soon after, we opted for an Italian dinner at the Pizza Express, which had some of the best Margherita Pizza.
To end our day, my sister and I took pictures next to the classic red phone booths that are everywhere in London. It was unique for us as it was our first time seeing a phone booth. The next day, we embarked to Stonehenge (which is literally in the middle of nowhere). However, it was a breathtaking sight, and its history was fascinating. In the following days, we bought tickets to take the Red Bus Tour during the day and for lunch, we ate falafel at The Royal Quarter. We saw many landmarks at night, like the London Eye, The London Bridge, Big Ben, The Tower Bridge, and The Shard. I highly recommend taking the Red Bus Tour as you cover so much of London in just a few days.
In the last few days in London, we spent our time going to Windsor Castle and visiting The Crown Jewels Collection at the Tower of London, which was amazing as the jewels are magnificent. There is so much history behind every single treasure. My family and I also went to Covent Garden to walk around and take a guided boat tour. Later that evening, we headed to London’s West End, known for the glamorous heart of London’s cultural scene and world-class plays, musicals and comedies, dance shows and operas. We got tickets to Wicked and enjoyed a beautiful evening at the theatre.
On our last day in London, we decided to have an Afternoon Tea Time at The Secret Garden at the Taj. We served tea, including pastries shaped like roses and many different flowers, Indian sweets, brownies, scones, and more. It was a wonderful experience for my family; I will never forget it, as it has been ingrained in our memories. It was a perfect ending to our trip as we got to experience the famous Tea Time in London, and the fact that we did this at our hotel was wonderful. Overall, I recommend making the trip to London this Summer as there is so much to do and see. Happy Travels!
