A WEEKEND AWAY IN
London, United Kingdom
Having lived here for half a year, you’d think I would’ve made it to the capital by now. But no, in June 2025 we did our first weekend getaway to London, and made sure to hit a bunch of the tourist hotspots.
Buckingham Palace
The palace felt like the natural place to start. There was an Edwardian exhibition on—“The Age of Elegance”—which we visited first. It was actually really well done, with beautifully detailed gowns, portraits, and period pieces that captured the style of the era.
As for Buckingham Palace itself, I found it slightly underwhelming. Maybe it’s because I’ve been to places like Hofburg or Schönbrunn, which feel more lavish and expansive. Given Britain’s historical influence, I expected something a bit grander or more striking from the outside.
Still, the experience was worth it—especially with the exhibition—but it didn’t quite live up to the sense of scale I had in mind.
It felt pretty special to actually go inside the palace for the display—especially since I recently found out I have a distant connection to the royal family through my own royal bloodline. Knowing they’re my distant cousins made the whole experience feel a bit more personal and interesting.
Big Ben
Next, we made our way past Westminster Abbey. It’s an impressive building from the outside, full of detail and history, but we didn’t go in this time—something to save for another visit when there’s more time (and less heat).
From there, we continued on to Big Ben, which didn’t disappoint. It’s one of those landmarks that looks exactly like the pictures but still feels striking in person. We happened to arrive just in time to hear it chime.
Tower Bridge
After that, we hopped on a ferry along the Thames to Tower Bridge, which was a fun way to get around. There was a guide on board who talked us through the different landmarks and bridges as we passed them—I actually learnt quite a bit. It was a relaxed change from the packed Underground and a good way to take in the city from a different angle.
Borough Market
After Tower Bridge, we headed to Borough Market for some food. Although pretty and filled with lots of different delicacies, I wouldn’t go back. The smell was VERY overpowering (think cheeses in one direction, raw fish in the other) and it was jam-packed with people every way you look.
There was a heatwave in London when we visited, so after walking through the market we headed back to our Airbnb for an afternoon nap. The heat made it hard to do much else.
Later that evening, we made our way back into the city to check out a comedy club. It was a quiet event but we had fun.
Greenwich
We spent a while exploring Greenwich Market, which had a great mix of food stalls, handmade items, and vintage finds. It was busy but relaxed, the kind of place where you can take your time and just wander.
Our last stop in London was to the Chris Brown concert (my partner is a big fan – of the music, not the guy). It was very cool to go to our first concert together, and the stadium was packed.
London was a fun experience, and we have plans to go back many times (there is so much to see!).