London

51.5074° N, 0.1278° W

We hopped on a late flight from Bilbao, Spain and landed in London. An hour and a half later we found ourselves on the ground in busy Heathrow Airport. Normally, we’d take the Underground to our destination but, we thought we’d save a little time by snagging a taxi….. we were headed to “our” London Flat after all!

Our Airbnb did not disappoint! Perfectly located one block from the Tower Bridge (we had a glimpse of it from our Living Room) and the bustling Financial District. We had quick and easy access to several Underground stations, grocery stores, cafes + bakeries within a block.

After we dropped our bags off, we decided to explore the area and discovered the trendy Bermondsey Street. In the mid-19th century, this was one of the city’s most notorious slums, described in Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist. In the 1830s, the area was cleaned up and became a hub for flour mills and leather tanning. Today, Bermondsey is a bustling neighborhood of hip, converted warehouses and stylish riverside flats. You’ll find people mingling in homey eateries and cool indie shops with locally curated finds. There’s also a collection of gourmet food stalls and bars that sit beneath Maltby Street Market’s railway arches. Kevin decided to get a haircut at “Choppers” London Bridge Barbershop —- which was perfect because they have a first come, first serve policy. While he did that, I snuck away into the gift shop next door. Bermondsey Fayre is a lifestyle shop with a creative and eclectic mix of items from local artists and designers. And, I love the fact that everything in the shop was sourced from local, independent businesses! I had fun talking to the sweet lady working at the time —- she had a lot of questions for me as well about the “Shop Local” movement in the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, to the gifts available at Bermondsey Fayre, they also offer Yoga classes. If you’d like to discover this neighborhood on your own, it’s about a 10 minute walk from the Tower Bridge neighborhood…. you’ll also find a number of small cafes + restaurants here as well.

The sun was quickly setting and our stomachs rumbling so we stopped off at the restaurant located conveniently across from our flat — Rosa’s Thai Cafe. Everything we had from the menu at Rosa’s was delicious and the family that runs the restaurant is warm and friendly. Kevin sampled the Drunken Noodles one night and the Red Curry with Chicken another. While I had the Grapefruit + Prawn Salad and the Chili + Basil Curry with Vegetables.

With our stomachs full, it was time to settle in for the night. It was a lovely day!

If you are overwhelmed by what area you should stay in when visiting, we highly suggest this South London neighborhood near the Tower Bridge……. there is so much to see and do in this area alone. Here are some of our favorites:

London Eye - this is a fun place to visit on your first day, you’ll be treated to a lovely aerial view of the city. Save a bit of time and book your tickets online before you head over!

Tower Bridge - Great place for pictures as you promenade over the River Thames towards the Tower of London.

Royal Observatory - Located in Greenwich Park and overlooking the River Thames and Canary Wharf — popular for visitors looking for the prime meridian — the starting point for measuring distance both east and west around the Earth!

Greenwich Park - Stop at the Greenwich Market on your way. This is a great rest stop for a picnic.

Shakespeare’s Globe - Visit for a tour or catch a performance.

Let us know if you get a chance to visit South London! Happy Travels!