London has a strange sense of familiarity, and it does not necessarily stem from the fact that the language of communication is the one I understand 😉 but it’s also cause Central London reminds me of New Delhi, a city where I grew up. Connaught Place (now referred to as Rajiv Chowk), the Odeon cinema (which shut down) and many other namesakes – the whole architecture of central Delhi has a stark resemblance to parts of London. It is bitter sweet – while it reminds me of my childhood it also reminds me of the British Raj.
There is a pulse of antiquity which blends seamlessly with the modern rhythm of today making it one of my favorite cities. I mean what’s not to love – your heels hurt but you cannot stop exploring, your wallet feels lighter but the shopping can never really tire you and the gastronomic diversity, far beyond fish and chips, promises culinary bliss.
I’ve always visited London during the lame months of spring or autumn, so I’m no stranger to the brilliant English weather. Hence, during our recent family vacation over spring break, I decided to uncover the hits and misses of this iconic city, capturing its essence amidst the blossoming season’s charm.
#1 The Wonderful English Weather
Was definitely a miss. – It poured, it drizzled, it was windy and sometimes even freezing. A semi sunny day on a 5 day holiday is all that we got in the name of spring 🤯
If I may – I am sick of wearing my winter jacket, I am sick of dressing up in layers and my body just needs more Vitamin D. Sunlight wasn’t such a prized commodity back in India, and I detest the pressure that accompanies the impending summer. Anyway, if you’re travelling to London during the transitional months – dress up in layers so you can dress up and down quickly, the tube gets super hot – even sweaty and scarves/hats are always a no brainer. The “less is more” rule does not hold true in this particular context.
#2 A Taste of Home Away from Home
Let’s be honest – going to London is faster (and cheaper) than going to New Delhi (from Switzerland) for a fix of authentic Indian cuisine. To those outside my culinary conundrum, this might seem like an odd longing. But to those who share my plight, the struggle is all too real. Eight years in Basel without a decent Indian restaurant have left me in a state of gastronomic desperation. But I digress, let’s delve into my hits and misses:
- Dishoom (a big chain in the UK) and Roti Chai were a HIT! Another one on my list is Veeraswamy (slightly expensive on the pocket) but worth the booking and the anticipation. (At Dishoom, the rolls, the biryani, the chaats, the drinks….pretty much the entire menu is worth a shot!)
- Bombay Brasserie was MID – we were hoping for this one to be a chart topper, but I would still recommend it given the ambience, the historic appeal and the service. (Palak Pata Chaat and the Rogan josh are must trys)
- Chettinaad was a big MISS – I am a big fan of south Indian food, but there is an important ingredient they missed, it’s called salt.
- Another notable was Papa-dum only cuz they knew you need a thumbs up to your old monk. (Try the bhel, the lays chaat and the bombay street sandwiches)
- Our planned visit to Harrods coincided with Easter Sunday, and while the store was closed, we relished wandering around the area and indulging in sweet delicacies at EL&N (not exactly desi, but worth mentioning). A breakfast here comes highly recommended, and they proudly tout themselves as the most Instagrammable cafe in the city.
#3 Indulging in English Tea Tradition
By now, you can imagine – culinary experiences play a pivotal role on all my holidays, I live by the saying – good food is good mood. Now while the afternoon English tea might appear as an upmarket tradition, it actually started as something the worker groups (laborer’s) would indulge in – tea and scones at 3 pm was a welcome break during their busy schedules. As time passed, it was adopted by the posh society as a 3’o clock tradition where tea was served in the finest silverware before they retired to the clubs for a game of cards. As you can imagine, I totally identify with the second group 😉
I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing this delightful tradition in numerous exquisite settings, and the English tea at “The Gore” was undoubtedly a HIT! Pair this with a leisurely stroll through Kensington Gardens (preferably with a guide), and you have the perfect recipe for a delightful afternoon. We discovered this experience on Airbnb and cannot recommend it enough – Royal High Tea at Kensington Palace.
#4 The Magic of Musicals
From childhood to adulthood, I’ve either been on the stage or have wanted to be on the stage – the definitions of “on stage” have changed. From delivering theatric performances to dancing on Bollywood tunes, things have now gotten kind of serious – events, webinars, key notes and presentations have become a way of life.
A musical is always planned into our London itinerary, the thrill of watching a live performance is totally exhilarating. Most of these musicals are adaptations of beloved movies, and despite knowing the storyline inside out, the experience of watching them in iconic theaters like the Albert Hall is nothing short of splendid! This time around we saw Back to the Future and Frozen, both of them were top notch and were a total feast for the eyes.
While the musicals were spectacular and a total HIT, the price of the tickets if not booked in advance could be a MISS! So my recommendation is to book weeks in advance (if not months).
#5 Navigating London’s Public Transport Terrain
The tube was a HIT, but the busses were a miss… we experienced “No shows” and delays at all times…absolutely unforgivable for someone coming from Switzerland 🤪 Ubers are definitely better (on the pocket) than the iconic black cabs, but ride at least 1 for the quintessential London experience especially if this is your first trip to London.
In general, if you are a travelling to London for a period of 5-7 days be prepared to walk a lot in case you’d like to see all the sights, absorb the culture and feel the essence of the city. Despite great public transportation and the ease of tickets (which is now just with any card you are carrying), one does end up walking a lot! If my heels could do the talking…
#6 Our Hotel
This time around, we stayed in Central London near the Marble Arch which by the way is covered right now for maintenance. We stayed at the Thistle Marble Arch which is a HIT given it’s perfect location and proximity to public transport.
However, despite its merits, the hotel’s inadequacy in lift provision, particularly during peak seasons, coupled with a lackluster breakfast buffet that failed to justify the lengthy queues each morning, were definite misses.
London has so many hotels to choose from, make sure you do enough research before booking your stay. Out of my last 3 visits – this one honestly was the best pick, when we last visited – our hotel while nice was far away from the main city which actually made us miss a tour and the time before that we stayed at an Airbnb which had the most horrendous host.
#7 Retail Therapy
I can spend hours shopping, and if I know what I want then I’m a woman on a mission. I feel lucky that my daughter shares the same passion, rigor and resilience when it comes to shopping! 😉
Can totally recommend Oxford street, and the Soho lanes where one can find everything from quaint cafes and lively pubs to coveted standalone brands. When we came into the country we were way below the luggage limit but when we left….we were almost above. Hence, shopping in London was LIT but at the Heathrow airport was a MISS. The lady at the Longchamp counter was extremely disinterested and that put me off! Another lady at the sunglasses counter while not rude was just too tired of disappointing the shoppers due to low stock. Does that happen to you guys too? At airports I mean….
So those were my top takeaways from our recent trip to London. If you’re visiting for the first time – you might want to cover all the important landmarks via a guided tour (think Big Bus which takes the whole day but allows flexibility), if you (or your children) are Harry Potter fans – book the studio visit weeks in advance and also read this article which I wrote the last time we were there – 5 THINGS THAT YOU SHOULD NOT DO WHEN VISITING LONDON.
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