Trip report: A vigorous 11 days in London (May 2025)

Day 2: Rest and a walk
Taking a National Express bus, we arrived at Victoria Coach Station early in the morning and two blocks from our destination, the Lime Tree Hotel. After checking in and taking a nap, we set out to explore. For this first day, I scheduled nothing because I wasn't sure how we'd feel. I planned only outdoor walking activities. We strolled through the major tourist areas: Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Chinatown, and Regent Street, stopping at the Café in the Crypt for lunch along the way.
Highlights: The Villiers Gate outside Embankment Station; Nelson atop his column; taiyaki (a fish-shaped waffle filled with sweet paste) from Taiyakiya in Chinatown; eating Hobnobs in bed while watching Gogglebox; our first successful Tube ride
Lowlights: Leicester Square; sore feet unaccustomed to cobblestones

Day 3: Westminster Borough
We reserved tickets for the first time slot at Westminster Abbey then, upon entering, went straight to the end of the desk to reserve a spot on a verger-led tour. Between the tour and our own wandering, we spent three hours there. I had next planned a visit to the Tate Britain but we were both tired, so we skipped it in favor of a nap. Next up, the National Gallery. I didn't realize the museum was in a transitional period. With a new wing about to open, their most important works were not on display. Disappointing. We ate dinner at Bancone Covent Garden, then saw Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap" at St. Martin's Theatre. Afterwards, we stopped for a pint at the Coach and Horses on Wellington Street.
Highlights: The tomb of Edward the Confessor in Westminster Abbey, only viewable on a guided tour; The Mousetrap, a quintessentially English play; fresh pasta at Bancone; a decadent St. Honoré donut from Donutelier; the painting of Whistlejacket at the National Gallery
Lowlights: the National Gallery (we visited again later, after the Sainsbury wing had opened, for a much-improved experience); getting up early for our Westminster Abbey appointment (I should have planned for us to sleep in on this day and visited the Abbey some other day)

Day 4: Tower Hamlet, South Bank, and Westminster Borough
Arriving at the Tower of London at opening, we headed straight for the Crown Jewels, then backtracked to the moat for a Yeoman Warder (Beefeater) tour. We then toured the central White Tower and surrounding buildings, spending a total of three hours here. Walking across Tower Bridge, we went to an uncomfortably busy Borough Market for lunch. We then walked to the Tate Modern, which was fine. Not awesome, not disappointing...just fine. From there, we followed the South Bank to Westminster Bridge, then on to Portcullis House to check in for a guided tour of Elizabeth Tower. Up 334 steps we ascended, with our guide taking information breaks every hundred steps or so. We had a late dinner at Plates, a vegan restaurant recently awarded a Michelin star. The meal, the ambience, the service, the drinks...all were perfection. My partner was initially suspicious that vegan food could be that good, but he was quickly converted. Dinner took almost three hours, and the nearest Tube station was closed by the time we got there. Oops. We flagged down a cab and headed back to the hotel.
Highlights: The White Tower; an up-close viewing of Big Ben and surrounding Little Bens in action; a perfect meal at Plates Restaurant and Food Studio; the bartender at Plates giving me the recipe for a non-alcoholic apple-ginger martini, one of the tastiest beverages I've ever had; our cabbie pausing the meter to show us King Charles the First's bust, staring perpetually in animosity at Oliver Cromwell's statue outside Westminster Abbey
Lowlights: Borough Market; Tate Modern; hustling from the Tate Modern to Portcullis House, worried that we wouldn't get there in time (I should have relaxed, as we were thirty minutes early)

Day 5: Camden and Leavesden
After a leisurely morning, we took the train to Camden. While my partner wished we had more time to explore, as Camden reminded him of his days as a young punk, we had to catch the train from Euston Station to Watford Junction for our scheduled Warner Bros. Studios tour. We spent four hours there, then barely made it to Brompton Cemetery in time for a citizen survey of bat life at the cemetery. We grabbed a late, fast-food dinner and ate in our hotel room.
Highlights: A new piercing from Cold Steel; arriving at Brompton Bats just in time; wandering through movie sets; tapping in and out on the Tube like pros
Lowlights: Not enough time to wander Camden; travel stress

Day 6: Westminster and Bloomsbury
After breakfast, we took a guided tour of the Royal Mews, where the royal carriages are stored. It was a parade of opulence. To reach our next destination, the Churchill War Rooms, we walked through St. James's Park and admired the birds. After an informative and inspirational couple of hours at the War Rooms, my partner and I briefly parted ways: I took a London Walks tour of Charles Dickens' London, which held zero interest for my partner. Joining back up after the tour, we visited the British Museum, open late on Fridays. We spent three hours there, following the tour in the Rick Steves London guidebook. For dinner, we ate at The Barbary in Neal's Yard.
Highlights: The Gold State Coach at the Royal Mews; the Elgin Marbles at the British Museum; the British Museum reading room; pelicans at St. James's Park; the thorough and fascinating audioguide for the Churchill War Rooms; coffee rub chicken and grilled halloumi at The Barbary
Lowlights: The Assyrian wing of the British Museum being closed; a crush of people at St. James’s Park, in front of Buckingham Palace

Day 7: Greenwich
We took the first Thames River Sightseeing boat of the day for an hourlong cruise to Greenwich. We disembarked right in front of our first stop: the tea clipper ship, Cutty Sark. After a fun hour there, we headed across the park to the Royal Observatory. We took the obligatory photos of ourselves straddling the Prime Meridian, then explored the multiple buildings that compose the observatory. These were fascinating to explore, with historical overviews of timekeeping devices. From there, we explored the Queen's House on the recommendation of an Observatory employee. Now being lunchtime, we headed to Greenwich Market, then back to central London.

We had dinner reservations for 6:30 at The George. Having a couple hours to kill, we walked around The City. We gawked at the exterior of St. Paul's Cathedral and sat in front of it for some time, enjoying the view. We then took the Tube to South Bank for dinner. After dinner, we walked back to the Tower of London for the Ceremony of the Keys, stopping to marvel at the Monument to the Great Fire of London along the way.

Highlights: Dean, our charming server at The George; wandering the deck of the Cutty Sark; the original timepiece that revolutionized timekeeping on display at the Royal Observatory; the Tulip Stairs at the Queen's House; sunset behind the Monument to the Great Fire; soaking in the ambience at St. Paul's Cathedral
Lowlights: A very steep hill to reach the Royal Observatory; getting lost trying to find the Tube station

Day 8: Richmond
Our main event of the day--a Ted Lasso-themed tour of Richmond--didn't begin until 12:30, so we visited Kew Gardens beforehand. What a botanical wonderland! The greenhouses were spectacular, though the Palm House was too hot and humid for my partner, who waited outside. The succulent greenhouse was particularly impressive. The Ted Lasso tour did not disappoint. Our guide was enthusiastic and knowledgeable, with a real love of the show. After the tour, we had a Sunday roast at The Prince's Head, known as The Crown and Anchor in Ted Lasso. We headed back to Belgravia and stopped at Marks & Spencer Simply Food to buy supplies for tomorrow.
Highlights: "Ted Lasso corner", with the phone booth, pub, and bench; the Princess of Wales Conservatory at Kew; the entirety of Richmond, which was generally charming
Lowlights: Not enough time in Kew Gardens, which would have made a lovely afternoon picnic spot; Sunday roast without Yorkshire pudding or gravy

Day 9: Downton tour
Today, we started bright and early for a tour of Downton Abbey filming locations: Cogges Farm (Yew Tree Farm), Bampton (Downton Village), and Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey). While Highclere is certainly not the most impressive castle in Britain, it is a must-see for Downton fans. The furniture is mostly as it appears in the show, and the castle guides are outstanding. Upon returning to Victoria Station, we went to The Queen's Arms in Pimlico. This was a proper corner pub, and we loved it.
Highlights: Highclere Castle itself, inside and out; attending a talk by Lady Carnarvon about living with a film crew; the forethought to bring snacks with us on the tour, with extra biscuits to share; riding a tour bus rather than trying to drive to all these places
Lowlights: No meal stops on the tour; the tour itself was rather rushed, with little time to savor Cogges Farm or Bampton

Day 10: Kensington
After breakfast, we had some free time until our timed entry at the Victoria and Albert Museum. We revisited the National Gallery, focusing on the now-opened Sainsbury Wing. I promised my partner I could cover the museum in an hour, and I did exactly that (the night before, I had mapped out the paintings I wanted to see, to maximize our time). We then went to Spitalfields Market (far superior to Borough Market) and Hyde Park, where we viewed the Albert Memorial and Princess Diana Memorial Fountain. Then, off to the V&A for the Cartier Exhibit, which displayed room after room of sparkling jewels, expertly crafted in spectacular designs. We spent over two hours there. With only a little time left, we explored the V&A's main collection until the stewards kicked us out. After dinner, we returned to the hotel and packed our bags, in anticipation of an early morning start.
Highlights: The Cartier Exhibit at the V&A; the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery; the Albert Memorial; jiggly apple-cinnamon Japanese pancakes; margherita pizza from Sud Italia at Spitalfields; the Cast Courts at the V&A; the Dale Chihuly chandelier at the entrance to the V&A
Lowlights: Poor planning (the V&A really needed five hours, including the Cartier Exhibit, and I only allocated three); the meager portions, indifferent service, and cacophonous atmosphere at Dishoom Kensington

Day 11: Heading home
The trip home was utterly uneventful. We were confused and surprised at how quickly we got through security at Heathrow. Last time we went through Heathrow, we wound up sprinting to make our connection. With hours before our flight, we ate a leisurely breakfast and perused the duty-free shops. Upon boarding, I settled in with my comforting travel movie: Downton Abbey. During the film, I pointed out to my partner all the locations we had just visited. Stretched out and comfortable, we left London behind us, bound for Raleigh.
Highlights: The smoothest security line I have ever experienced at Heathrow; two enormous Toblerone bars for £12 at the duty-free shops
Lowlights: Leaving London

What a trip! You did a lot - I am pretty sure it would take me double the days. Ha! Thanks for all the details and pointing out both the good and the not as good.

Thanks for your write-up. I was looking for a restaurant for my last full night in London and managed to snag a single seat at the Chef's Table at Plates. I don't see availability for reservations for parties of 2 - there can be advantages to solo travel! You did well in your early planning.

I'm not sure how my 9pm reservation will work for a 2.5 - 3 hour tasting menu experience, since the restaurant mentions their hours are until 10pm. But since they regularly offer 9pm seatings, the kitchen must still be at work.

I can't wait, thanks for your recommendation! And the reviews in TripAdvisor are stellar!

Nice trip report, Lindsey! I am also surprised at how you managed to get so much in—kudos to you! And thank you for listing the highlights and lowlights. It's always good to see what works and what doesn't.

I'm sorry the Sunday Roast had no Yorkshire pudding or gravy—that would be a disappointment to me as well. Did you ask about it? I've occasionally been served a meat or fish pie without gravy, but when I asked if there was any sauce, they immediately brought me out some.

Thanks for the report!

What a wonderful trip you planned and had! I think your report shows just how much there is to see and do in London. You were able to see some things that many visitors would like to as well. We tried to get tickets to tour the Elizabeth Tower, but they had just finished the restoration and were still allowing only minimal tours to go up. Your report on that makes me want to insure we put that high on our list again for next time. I also want to go to the Royal Mews. That sounds fascinating!

I agree about Spitalfields market, too. We really enjoyed that part of the city. Borough Market was insane when we went (late June). I would love to find a time, if there is one, where I could go and be able to appreciate it. The crowds were a crush when we were there; I was actually quite uncomfortable.

Thanks for the great write up of your experiences. So glad you enjoyed yourselves!

What a great trip! Sounds like you had a lot of fun. You saw a lot!

I enjoyed your report because your travel style seems similar to my wife and I and we often theme trips around books, movies and TV. We were in London for the first time in 2018 and are making a return trip for two weeks in November. We're torn about spending a few days in Richmond this trip or save the Ted Lasso experience for another trip in warmer weather and we can wander for a few days. Do you think Richmond deserves more than a day trip?

Also, on my list is Mousetrap. I'm not really that interested in live theatre but I've always thought this would be worth it out of curiosity because of how long it's been around. What were your motivations to see it?

Very nice travel report. I have been to London several times, but will bookmark as you really packed a lot into your trip. I especially like your highlight/lowlight organization. I have bookmarked Plates as a place to eat as I am vegetarian. Wasn't The Mousetrap fun. I really enjoyed seeing it a few years ago.

@CWSocial Our reservations were for 9 PM. We were one of the last seatings of the night. We didn’t feel rushed, but we were the last to leave at 11:30. I don’t know why they list their closing hours as 10 PM, when they are clearly open later. You are going to love your time there. Definitely try one of their non-alcoholic cocktails, as they are a treat.

@Mardee, I did ask for the Yorkshire pudding—about halfway through, I realized it should have come with the meal—but forgot about the gravy until we were almost done.

@Mustlovedogs The Royal Mews was an unexpected highlight. It sounded interesting and turned out to be amazing. The Gold State Coach really was a sight to behold, although all the carriages were all opulent beyond belief. We did not enjoy Borough Market at all, and we generally don’t mind large crowds. With hardly any room to move, it was unpleasant.

@Allan The Ted Lasso tour is two hours long, which takes up a good chunk of the day. I would have loved to take a picnic lunch in Kew Gardens, but we didn’t have the time. We spent an hour and a half there but could have easily spent the entire morning and early afternoon. We learned later that some places even pack a picnic hamper that you can take to Kew, like this place: https://theoriginalmaidsofhonour.co.uk/collections/english-picnics-1 . If I were to go back, I would definitely plan to spend a day at Kew.

As for The Mousetrap, I wanted to see the most British play I could think of, and I love Agatha Christie. I’m not usually a theatergoer, but the play was engaging and fun.

Oh wow did I enjoy reading this! I loved the highlights/lowlights and all the funny asides that made me laugh/relate. I read the part about Plates to my partner and am bookmarking that for ourselves. Also, I love old cemeteries -- tell me more about the Brompton bats!!!

@Hannah It was a citizen survey of bat life in Brompton Cemetery. We arrived at dusk and Royal Parks staff guided us through the cemetery with bat-detection equipment. While we heard some bats, we didn’t actually see any. Understandable, since they are wild animals. Wandering through the cemetery at night while learning about the ecology of the place was a great experience.

I learned about the event through the Royal Parks website. They put on events throughout the year at various parks. The bat survey was the event that looked most interesting and occurred while we were there. When you go to London, I recommend checking out what events are upcoming: https://www.royalparks.org.uk/whats-on .

lindseyking, good to know that you also had the 9pm seating, thanks! And that apple ginger martini does sound tempting!

Hannah, you may wish to note how far in advance Plates opens their reservations so that you can be ready to book a table for your visit. I found single spots at the Chef's Table in late July but no tables for parties of 2 (or more) as far out as I checked.

lindseyking, fascinating! I love this.

CWsocial, thank you; noted! I'm so thrilled you were able to snag a solo seat!!

Full marks for efficient scheduling and getting up early:-)

The V & A has timed ticketing now? Eek.

avirosemail, I believe the advance ticketing is only for special exhibits, such as the Cartier exhibit.

Their website still says "V&A South Kensington is open seven days a week. General admission is free and you don’t need to book."

@avirosemail The timed entry was only for the Cartier Exhibit. The main museum didn't require a timed entry.

Thank you for the informative trip report. I really enjoyed reading it. If you have a chance, please post the link for the Ted Lasso tour. Our daughter would love that!

@Barbara N Here it is: https://www.tedlassotour.com

An apple ginger martini sounds really good! I really enjoyed your trip report.

I wanted to visit Highclere on our 2023 trip to the UK, but it was too late in the season for that. We did manage to see Alnwick (Brancaster) and Inveraray (Shrimpie's castle).

Loved your report! Thank you for taking the time to format it, and give clear details but still be succinct.

Excellent trip report. Thank you for sharing.

London remains my favorite city on the planet.

Pleased the two of you enjoyed your time there.

CWSocial, that's interesting about you booking a solo seat but there was no space for couples. Most restaurants only have deuces available for solo diners. Or do they have a Chef's Table or a bar area? Regardless, I am definitely booking a meal here on my next trip!

Lovely trip report! It s obvious how much research and planning you did, and it served you well. I am planning to see the V&A Cartier exhibit in September, and I'll make sure I allocate enough time for it.

*Or do they have a Chef's Table or a bar area? *
Yes, I booked in the Chef's Table. Those spaces only appeared when I search for a place for 1 person. If there had been 2 spaces available at the Chef's Table, perhaps both would have shown up on a search for 2 people. A "regular" table (not at the Chef's Table) was not available for any of my searches for 1 person or for 2 people. As far out as I was a able to search.