Anybody can storm Dover Street Market for designer goodies, or drool over the tasty delights at the Hummingbird bakery, but what should you do when visiting the capital?
1. A
top tip for any London tourist is getting off the tube. The best way to see London is above-ground and on two feet, who wants to look at peeling posters and breathe in day-old deodorant? Get out from underground, get out a map and do some walking.2. Topshop on Oxford Street – bit of a no-brainer really. Great place to celeb spot, clothes-rail-cruise and just generally feel very fashionable. Be aware though, as soon as any ex-big brother contestant or failing pop star walks through the door, be prepared for hundreds of camera phone-wielding teenage girls to follow.
3. Madame Tussaud’s is a truly fashionable experience. If you weren’t lucky enough to spot any Z-listers in Topshop, all the greats are here, and made of plastic. Great for some holiday snaps you can stick on Facebook!
4. Hungry? Around the corner from the flashing Piccadilly Circus advert board is the Rain-Forest Café, enjoy some foreign-sounding food (the jungle burger is immense!), amongst the sights and sounds of a rain forest. A little expensive if you just want a sandwich, but the thunder storm which takes place every 15 minutes is a sight to be hold. You can then spend your loose change on animal themed delights in the gift shop above.
5. Hold on to your lunch at The London Eye – doesn’t really go fast enough for my speed-junky liking, but it’s a pretty cool way to see London from the air!
6. Buckingham Pal – wave at Queenie and watch the changing of the guards; you can’t really step foot on London soil without paying her maj’ a visit. Don’t be fooled, she’s probably not in, but it is always amusing to see countless tourists pointing excitedly when they assure you a curtain just moved!
7. Harrods - Enough said really! The wedding dress department, curtained off from the rest of the fashion is an amazing sight to see, especially if there's someone having a fitting (Champagne and nibbles galore) Don’t just stand in the food hall and haggle over shortbread, you could spend a whole day getting lost amongst the departments, you can always go back to the gifts and take home a London bus or red phone box as a souvenir.
8. Any street seller - you can’t go back to New York without a ‘my friend went to London and all I got was this lousy t-shirt’ t-shirt, or a union jack thong!
9. The South bank - wave at anyone with a camera, you might just appear in the background of Britain’s most favourite morning show!
10. The Millennium Bridge - it doesn’t wobble anymore!
11. An open-top bus - really the only fashionable way to travel!
12. The Tate Modern gift shop - the art might not be very inspiring, but the gift shop is a tresure trove, the escalator inside is pretty awesome too!
13. The stairs at Covent Garden Tube station - The hidden gem in London's keep-fit crown! Honestly there is no greater exercise than walking up these, you have to ignore the health warning on the walls, but you’ll feel much better after reaching the top!
14. Covent Garden - after that steep climb you'll need a few calories to re-energise you, try the Rock café, delicious food, intriguing Itailian-esqu decoration and always a meal offer on.
15. The Globe - celebrating the second best thing to come out of England (after Victoria Beckham that is!) Shakespeare! Amazing view of the Thames, and you might just catch some world-renowned theatre at the same time.
16. The Natural History Museum – follow the footsteps of the fashion greats that have congregated there during London fashion week, stand on the steps in big aviator sunglasses and towering heels and take it all in.
17. Notting Hill – try finding the house with the blue door, it is very unlikely Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts will be inside, or that Rhys Ifans will answer the door in his pants…but it’s worth a try!
18. The 02 arena (the old Millennium dome) - not such a waste of space anymore! Celine Dion’s touring there in May, as are Backstreet Boys, and Dolly Parton in July, who would want to miss that!!
19. 430 Kings Road, Kensington - if you’ve been to Buckingham Palace, you can’t really leave London until you’ve visited the other queen – Vivienne Westwood!
20. Finally - If you fancy a trip away from the hustle and bustle of London town, just a short train journey from Waterloo (The platform next to the Krispy Kreme stand) is Epsom, home of the University for the Creative Arts! It’s not quite the big apple, but the fruit and veg market is pretty cheap on a Friday!
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