W E L C O M E TO TH E
G O O D L I F E
I N
L O N D O N
P L A N N I N G
A lifetime would be inadequate to fully explore everything that London has to offer, so give up now on the idea of exploring everything, at least for the first visit.
Instead, treat London as we recommend you treat Paris; as a place to visit and deepen your relationship with.
Distance is in some ways less important than ease of transport access. Bear in mind that you will be well served to have access to a tube station, and that this is often faster than taking a cab. We’d suggest that being along the Picadilly will give you best access to much of what you might wish to visit.
Restaurants and sometimes even pubs are best booked in advance. How much in advance depends on the time of year and how busy the city is. You might get away with a few days before or even the morning of, but you might need a week or two for particularly desirable hotspots.
Despite all outdated rumours to the contrary, London is utterly awash in the greatest cooking in the world, so there are many choices to experiment with, even if you've left it to the last minute.
Be aware however that London is not at all a late-night city, and consequently you are well-advised to make sure dinner has been addressed by 20:00, as many kitchens will close by 21:30 or 22:00.
M U S E U M & S I T E B O O K I N G
Most of London’s major museums are free, with a few small–but-important exceptions, notably the Courtald Gallery.
That said, you’ll be well-served to consider going early, or reserving an online timed ticket for the British Museum, for example.
The Churchill War Rooms are also best booked in advance, to avoid queuing or disappointment.
S U G G E S T E D I T I N E R A R Y P O I N T S
DAY I
Buckingham Palace & Jermyn Street
As a first-time visitor to London, there are some essentials you’ll probably want to cover.
And Buckingham Palace is a pretty good place to start, either for the changing of the guard, or to visit the inside and spot one of the only 34 confirmed extant Vermeer works on display inside. Or both.
Afterwards, walk up through the park and take in the wonderful historic menswear makers and shops along Jermyn street and do duck into the beautiful covered arcade passages if something catches your eye.
Note that this is right around the corner from the oldest hat shop in the world, and the entire landscape of Clubland, St James’ network of private members clubs – perhaps you know someone who is a member at one that could bring you as a guest.
Make your way to Chinatown for a dim sum lunch, before backtracking a bit to Trafalgar square to finish your afternoon enjoying the National gallery, and its many wonders.
Bring one of our guides, they will walk you through the essentials of London life & history, and bring it all to life.
DAY II
Tate Britain & Westminister
Starting at the Tate Britain, explore Turner’s works, and luxuriate in the Pre-Raphaelite corner of this wonderful institution.
Have lunch either at the café in the museum (which is more than respectable for a snack, and obviously convenient), pop by the famous sandwich shop nearby, or head north up the Thames and then turn west to one of the nicer restaurants along this stretch.
After lunch, head to Westminster Abbey, and take in the houses of parliament afterwards.
Finish off the day in one of the pubs nearby, or head back to your hotel and have dinner near there.
This might be a nice day to consider something a bit more upscale for dinner, and the options in this regard are truly limitless.
DAY III
Soane Museum & British Museum
Start off at the Soane Museum, to have a miniature experience of the sort of eclecticism that Britain excels at.
Have an extremely fun lunch in Neal’s Yard or the Seven Dials Market, both of which have many options, great and small.
For the afternoon, head to the British Museum (with your pre-reserved time-slot tickets of course!). We’d argue that the British Museum is the single most important cultural comparative institution in the world, including, contrary to what appears to be popular belief, plenty of artifacts from Britain itself.
Almost nowhere else in the world can a visitor see so many of the common and disparate threads that define our human culture in one place.
Head back to your hotel and get ready for dinner, or if you’re still on your feet afterwards, Covent Garden is a great spot for a drink heading into dinner, or you can wander a little further into Soho, and have many more choices.
DAY IV
St Paul's Cathedral & East Ends
Today we’d suggest starting off at St Paul’s Cathedral, before taking in a bit of the City of London proper, and popping in at Guildhall Gallery for a bit if you fancy (we recommend it, but it’s been a lot of art so far, right?).
From there, have lunch in the City, or head to Borough Market for quite the adventure and plenty of choices, plus an excuse to pop by Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
After lunch finish off the afternoon in and around Brick Lane, exploring vintage shops or the hidden boutiques of the East End, before heading back for dinner, or staying around Brick Lane for dinner.
M E E T Y O U R G U I D E
All of our guides can offer you a spectacular experience. As each person has a slightly different look at the world, due to their own unique interests and specialties, we'd encourage you to read a few profiles.
