London, England

Money

London and the rest of the United Kingdom use the British Pound and not the Euro. Not since 2020 has the UK used the Euro, so be prepared to make a currency swap if you plan on using cash. Don’t worry about having to count out half pennies and quid though, cards are accepted everywhere and the city of London is practically touchless as far as payments go.

How to Get Around

As walkable a city as London is, it is very large. You may be interested in using the world famous underground or taking a double decker bus. The underground will accept your credit card and every other form of popular transport is available, from bikes to Uber. On the Tube, or subway, you will need to scan your credit card when entering your station and again when exiting. This is how the system knows to charge you for the correct stops.

The famous black taxis, also called hackney carriages or a remise if you’re posh, are ubiquitous in London and another great option for getting around. Drivers of these black cabs, although these days they come in a variety of colors, must pass a test of London geography known as The Knowledge. This allows them to join the Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers; the test is supposed to be rather rigorous, so you can be confident your taxi driver will know their stuff.

In a city this busy and of this size you can find all kinds of transportation options. Cars, bikes, horse-drawn carriages, segues, boats, and many others. It is a very modern and up-to-date city as well so using your phone to find your preferred method should be a breeze.

As if the trip to London was not magical enough, you can go to Kings Cross Station and visit Platform 9 3/4! Be prepared to wait in line for the free photo op. You can also visit the official Harry Potter Shop, whilst enchantingly whimsical, be aware shopping like a wizard will cost you. We recommend getting your Hogwarts supplies from more economical sources. Even so the shop is worth a peek as is historical Kings Cross. So grab a coffee and indulge in the hustle bustle and window shopping of the station.

Where to Go and What to Do

London, England is a wonderful city that is steeped in history and despite its weighty place in the world continues to hum along doing all sorts of things. You can find just about anything in London and even as a stopover its a great city. Football is huge here and its is a world hub for all kinds of business. Small communities within the larger metropolis and massive, one of a kind skyscrapers can be found within a few miles of each other. We only had time to visit a fraction of what London has to offer, but we made the most of it and got through quite a bit.

Trafalgar Square is apparently where all the cool kids (and tourists) hang out. There were a lot of the youth about and a lot of people very obviously not from jolly ol’ England. We liked it and enjoyed walking around and looking at the buildings and statues, especially the statue of Admiral Horatio Nelson.

Westminster Abbey is a fantastic example of Gothic architecture and is very pleasing to look at. There are examples of other styles as well (Romanesque, Baroque) but it is mostly Gothic.

The Palace of Westminster, which is also known as the Houses of Parliament, is instantly recognizable to many the world over. A massive structure on the north bank of the River Thames, one of the famous features is the Elizabeth Tower, better known as Big Ben.

Queen Victoria Memorial

Buckingham Palace is the historical residence of the rulers of England and serves as an administrative center and focal point for many events and state occasions. The building itself is large, imposing, and a little less impressive architecturally than we had anticipated. You can tour Buckingham Palace July-October.

Knoops Chocolate is based around the concept of chocolate and specifically chocolate drinks. Their menu is based on percentages of cocoa, or cacao, which makes them stand out from other cafes in that when you order chocolate drinks, it is a choice of many chocolate purveyors to not state how much of your item is actually chocolate and how much is other filler. With Knoops this isn’t an issue. And the chocolate they sell is delicious.

We sampled the location in Covent Garden and it was BUSY. The location had a nice storefront, helpful and friendly staff, and their drinks and extras were great.

Rock and Sole Plaice is one of the oldest chippies in London, having been established in 1871. We stumbled upon it completely on accident after wandering away from Trafalgar Square. This fish and chip shop served some of the best fish and chips we’ve ever had, and even though we had to wait about half an hour it was obvious from the line that formed behind us this place was special. There were two floors of seating as well as an outdoor area, and a very healthy flow of takeaway customers.

Click here for a Google Map of some of our favorite places in London!