I have been living in London for about 6 months now and I absolutely love the city. It is so different from my hometown and I don’t know.. every time you go out it’s just like there is alwasy some magic in the air. I haven’t seen every place around the city, of course. But still, here are my favourite ones. I could come back there forever and ever, without never getting bored of them. Most of them are just nice spots, some others have more of a deep and personal meaning to me.
- Covent Garden
The all Covent Garden area is so magic! Something is always on and whenever you decide to take a trip to the area, you will always find a restaurant, pub, shop or theatre that inspires you. Moreover, Covent Garden is super close to Leicester Square, the heart of the artistic and cultural London, with all the cinemas and theatres one next to each other. And, if you love opera, guess where The Royal Opera House is?
And how forgetting about the Covent Garden Market, the famous attraction which includes three different markets all located in the Covent Garden’s 19th century Piazza, each offering a wide range of crafts, gifts and more.
- Bankside
Bankside is a district of London and part of the Southbank, an entertainment and commercial area of Central London, but its magic is in the fact that is a walk right next to the River Thames, opposite the City of Westminster. Rather than the restaurants, the Tate Modern and the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre are both here.
The nicest things to do in Bankside is to go for a walk along the river, sit on a bench and just look at the other side of the bridge. I swear, everywhere you sit for a second in London, you will always see something that will amaze you, even after the second, third and so on time you have seen it.
- Victoria Park
Victoria Park is not one of the most famous parks, I haven’t even ever heard of it before starting university! How did I hear about it then? Well, it is here in the East London, about 15 minutes walking from the university I’m studying at. Of course, I love Hyde Park (I’ve been there during Winter Wonderland and I hope to go back soon!!) and Regent’s Park (even if I’ve been there during Valentine’s Day, and it was FREEZING!!), but Victoria Park kind of attracted me, maybe because it’s more in the shadow and less known. However, it had a huge pond of water and some other pretty cool attractions! I think I will start jogging there and back (maybe).
- Canary Wharf
Well, Canary Wharf is one of the major business districts in London and it is also located kind of close to university, about 20 minutes by bus going south. I think every single bank has a building there. It used to be a dock in the past, one of the busiest ones in the world; but then, after it was closed, it was thanks to the idea of the former chairman of CSFB to convert Canary Wharf in a back office that the area opened again, was modernized, a lot of tall glass skyscrapers were built and today look just amazing!!
- Merylebone
The name comes from the Church of Merylebone and this is a really chic and affluent inner-city area of Central London. It is roughly bounded by Oxford Street (you MUST have heard of it!), Marylebone Road, Edgware Road and Great Portland Street and it historically encompasses neighbouring Regent’s Park, Baker Street and other areas. Walk around, sit in a patisserie for a little while and buy something small from the Farmers’ Market. Moreover, if you get a chance, go and visit the Church of St. James, also known as Spanish Place: a beautiful, large English Gothic Roman Catholic Church.
Hope this will help you in your super quick or not-too-quick trip to London and that you will love these places as much as I do.
International Love xx
Carola
internationalife 