Top 8 'Bucket List' for London

Whether you live in London, travelling from another UK city or you are a tourist, there is so much to do and so little time! In fact, there is so much to decide between that it can get a bit overwhelming, so it is a good idea to have a bucket list to ensure that you don’t miss out on anything during your time in the Big Smoke. London is one of the world’s greatest cities for people who both live there and go to visit, so what should you be making sure that you do whilst you’re there?

1. Go and see a show

Booking a London theatre break to catch the world renowned shows on the West End is an absolute must. The West End has an array of sensational shows including the traditional, long running shows such as The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables, to musical shows such as Motown and Mamma Mia, or even newer ones such as Hamilton or Harry Potter. So if you’re staying overnight or even for the whole weekend, go and visit the beautiful theatres and be amazed by a range of performances.

2. See the Sights

One thing that there is no shortage of in London, is sights. You can see Buckingham Palace – the changing of the guard happens at 11.30am every day from April to July and on alternate days for the rest of the year (as long as the weather isn’t too bad!). Big Ben, The Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge, The Tower of London and Abbey Road are amongst London’s favourite sights to see. Some can be seen from the outside and some will let you in, although you might have to pay.

3. Visit London’s Museums and Galleries

Another thing that London has in abundance is museums and galleries – a lot of which are free entry. You can learn about dinosaurs, the human body and other animals at the Natural History Museum, have some hands-on science fun at the Science Museum, check out the mummies and Rosetti Stone at the British Museum, or if art’s more your thing, marvel at the modern wonders at the Tate Modern, or the more classical art at The Tate or British Portrait Gallery.

4. Have Afternoon Tea

It doesn’t get more quintessentially English than having afternoon tea in one of London’s swish hotels. For a traditional afternoon tea, you will get some delightful sandwiches, petit but perfect cakes and maybe even a scone – of course with a serving of the best English tea. It might not sound like much, but it is the epitome of indulgence and luxury. For the best afternoon tea, you should consider The Ritz, Claridge’s, The Dorchester or The Shard.

5. Sample London’s Transport Systems

The transport systems in London are iconic – whether it is a black cab, red double-decker bus, the legendary tube, or even sampling London’s grab `n go bikes for hire – affectionately known as `Boris bikes`. It’s not always cheap, but London’s transport network is one of the best in the world.You can also head to the underground Postal Museum, where you can also take a ride on one of the original postal trains that travelled all over London for 75 years delivering post

6. Picnic in the Parks

No matter where you are in London you are never far from a park. And Londoners love a good picnic, as long as it’s not raining. You can visit the Serpentine and Diana memorial in Hyde Park, browse the beautiful gardens of Regent’s Park, go deer spotting in Richmond Park, or take in the stunning views from Primrose Hill on Hampstead Heath. And they’re just the big parks – there are hundreds of little green areas dotted around London too.

7. Shopping

Whether you fancy a little boutique on the Kings Road, the antique markets of Portobello Road, high street shopping in Oxford Street and Regent Street or more high-end shopping around Piccadilly, there really is a shopping experience for everyone. If you don’t have the money to splash out, window shopping is also perfectly acceptable and also highly enjoyable.

8. Sample London’s Bars, Clubs and Restaurants

Any city with as diverse a population as London is guaranteed to have a similarly diverse range of places to go out and socialize. From massive nightclubs to quirky bars, there is something for everyone. Whether you want to dance salsa, watch burlesque or eat Peruvian cuisine, London’s bars and restaurants can cater for all tastes.

There are hundreds of things to do in London – and more, and the honest truth is that no matter how much time you have there, there will always be something that you don’t get around to doing., but with a bucket list like this, you can give it a good go!