London is one of the most famous cities in the world! With its vast history, and many famous sites, there is no end to the locations you can visit. When visiting a new country, you need to make sure to plan out where you want to go. This way when you arrive, you are not overwhelmed by all of the places you need to see. Luckily, we had two weeks in London, so we had plenty of time to explore this beautiful city. Here's a list of the top ten places you need to visit while in London!
This ancient city is located about 100 miles west of London, and is a great place for a day trip! Bath is known for its ancient Roman Baths created during the Roman Era. These natural hot baths were created in AD 60 by the Romans. In the 17th century, people believed the water had healing properties. Because of this, during the Georgian Era, Bath became a popular place for people to come and relax and heal themselves. This town was created during the Georgian Era, and the buildings reflect this architecture. The Bath Abbey is the religious center in this town. Jane Austen lived here in the early 19th century.
One of our group trips included a day trip here. This gave everyone no excuse not to visit this beautiful and historic city!
Bath Abbey, located right next to the Roman Baths.
Inside of the Roman Baths.
Pictures taken around the city of Bath.
Maria Callahan, Taylor Cavaliere, and Lauren Seewald at the Roman Baths.
Gabby Seiler at the Roman Baths.
"Wimbledon is a great place to go even if you aren't a big tennis fan. Getting to hear all the history about Wimbledon and seeing every detail about it first hand was an all around awesome experience. It is a unique place to visit and right outside the tennis complex is a huge park to enjoy a nice picnic after a tour of Wimbledon." - Gabby Seiler
Wimbledon is not a far train ride from the city of London. If you have the time, I definitely suggest you go! These beautiful tennis courts and famous facilities are a great option for any sports fan! The Wimbledon Championship is one of the four grand slam tournaments, the oldest tennis tournament in the world, and the most distinguished tennis tournament.
Centre Court at Wimbledon.
Pictures taken at some of the tennis courts in Wimbledon, and in the Lawn Tennis Museum.
Gabby Seiler and I at Wimbledon.
Big Ben is probably one of the most well-known landmarks in the city of London. This famous clock tower is located next to Westminster Abbey, and the Thames River. Created in 1859, this clock is almost 60 years old. On our first day in London, we had the opportunity to visit Big Ben on our bus tour of the city. No picture compares to seeing this clock tower in person. The intricate gold details along the clock, and the architecture of the tower are absolutely beautiful.
Marie Callahan and Taylor Cavaliere
Julianna Musumeci, Maria Marren, Marissa Sunshine, Julia Frohlich, Laurel Biddy, Gabby Seiler
Built in 1886, this beautiful bridge is another iconic British symbol. This bridge crosses the Thames River and is close to the Tower of London. Many people mistakenly call this bridge the London Bridge, because of its well-known status.
View of one of the two towers located on top of the suspension bridge.
Julia Frohlich and Gabby Seiler on top of the Tower Bridge.
Julia Frohlich and Maria Marren with the Tower bridge in the background.
Laurel Biddy, Julianna Musumeci, Marissa Sunshine, Maria Marren, Gabby Seiler, and Julia Frohlich with the Tower Bridge in the background.
Me on Tower Bridge.
"For avid Harry Potter fans like myself, the studio tour is a must do! You get to see sets and props such as the great hall, forbidden forest, and Privet Dr., as well as a bunch of costumes worn in the movies. I love the Harry Potter books and movies so seeing the actual sets and all of the details that went into the making of the movies was both surreal and amazing." - Maria Marren
Any Harry Potter fan knows London is the hub of the franchise. Not only were the movies all shot and filmed in different parts of the city, but the studios, where the majority of the movies were filmed, is located only a short distance from the city. During this tour you have the opportunity to tour the actual sets used in the film, as well as all of the props used. This famous series will forever be a part of British culture. Not only is there a studio tour, but there are also free Harry Potter bus tours around the city, and a show playing in a West End Theater. Make sure to get your tickets ahead of time, because this Warner Brothers Studio Tour sells out really fast! Many people from our trip had the great opportunity to visit the studios!
The entrance to the Harry Potter Warner Brothers Studio Tour.
Different sets located around the studio tour. The top left is the cupboard under the stairs. The top right picture shows Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape's costumes. The bottom left picture is The Burrow, where the Weasley family lived.
Picture to the left: Maria Marren drinking her Butterbeer during the tour. Picture to the right: Maria Marren in front of Privet Drive, where Harry Potter grew up and his Aunt and Uncle lived.
Shopping is a must when in London. London is one of the top fashion cities in the world, and you can find awesome clothing here! High-Street shopping is great option when you want to find high-end stores to window shop, or when you want to find the places with in-style clothing. Places such as Oxford Street, Regent Street, Carnaby Street, Covent Garden, Kings Road, Harrods in Knightsbridge, Camden, and Nottinghill are some amazing places to shop around the city. These are not your only options, but they are some of the best and most famous!
Shops along Oxford Street.
The Tory Burch on Regent Street.
Carnaby Street shopping.
Julia Frohlich, Gabby Seiler, and Laurel Biddy in Covent Garden.
Shops along the Kings Road.
Pictures outside of Harrods, and me in front of the Shoe Heaven inside of Harrods.
Standing in front of this royal palace is such a surreal feeling. Knowing who lives inside, and the history and significance of this famous landmark in London makes you take a second to step back and realize where you are standing. This castle is located just a 5 minute walk from Westminster Abbey and Big Ben. This was another location we were able to visit while on our bus tour of the city. Our tour guide allowed us to get out of the bus and take pictures in front of Buckingham Palace. When you are in London, you need to make sure to visit this iconic site!
The front of Buckingham Palace.
Gabby Seiler at Buckingham Palace.
Julia Frohlich in front of Buckingham Palace.
This famous Ferris Wheel is located right along the Thames River. The London Eye is also situated right across the river from Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. When riding this ferris wheel, you can get the most extraordinary view of the city of London. It is the tallest ferris wheel in Europe, and it is the second tallest point in the city of London, only being beaten by The Shard observation deck.
Marie Callahan, Hannah Ross, Jamie Honowitz, and Taylor Cavaliere on the London Eye.
Trafalgar Square is a must see when visiting London. This famous area is only a short walking distance from Covent Garden, so you can easily do both in one day! It is named after the victory in the Battle of Trafalgar during the Napoleonic Wars in 1805. Located around this square are the National Gallery, St. Martin-in-the-field Church, the Strand, Whitehall, and The Mall leading towards Buckingham Palace.
Pictures of Trafalgar Square and the monuments surrounding Trafalgar Square.
Maria Marren at Trafalgar Square.
"Going to the Shakespeare's Globe is something that has been on my bucket list and a must-do since I was a teenager. I remember reading Shakespeare's plays in English class and learning about English theatre in the Elizabethan era in drama class. The place is truly spectacular for any theatre loving person. It's not the original theatre but it is still historical and brings inspiration to many." - Julianna Musumeci
The original Globe Theater was built in London around 1600, and was used to perform William Shakespeare's shows. This modern Globe Theater was built in 1997. It was built to show what this ancient theater would have looked like. It is located around 750 feet away from where the original theater stood.
Pictures taken of the Globe Theater by Julianna Musumeci.
