When you’re new to London, it can be difficult to get your bearings never mind trying to find the best places across the city to visit in your spare time…
That’s why you need the help of a Londoner (or at least someone that’s lived here a while) to share some of the best spots for you to go to when you have free time. That’s where I come in!
Wherever you’ve chosen to live in London, you are never too far from something and that is one of the many things that make living here so amazing. While it’s impossible to show you everywhere worth going in London, here are 11 places (I think) you NEED to visit:
Going here depends on the good old British weather but when you’ve got the afternoon off university, head to Primrose Hill with some friends and picnic and you’re good to go. You’ll have a pretty impressive view of London whilst you’re there too!
Closest tube stop? Camden Town
Cost? FREE
For the music lovers amongst us; the legendary Abbey Road Studios is a must. It was made famous by the Beatles and whether you’re a fan of theirs or not, you should pay the Studios a visit to walk in the footsteps of all the great musicians that have recorded there in the past. You’ll leave feeling inspired and maybe even a little bit starstruck.
Closest tube stop? Maida Vale
Cost? £125 for a full studio tour
If you’re good with heights, the Sky Garden has your name all over it. Besides the Shard, there is nowhere else with better views of the city! The bar and restaurant are pricey but definitely head up there in time for sunrise or sunset for the perfect Instagram snap.
Closest tube stop? Monument Station
Cost? FREE
If it wasn’t for KCL, this would be my main reason for moving to London. For the Potterheads amongst us, the Studio Tour really is everything you can imagine and so much more! Of course, not everyone is a huge Harry Potter nerd like me BUT it’s still worth visiting to see all the cool things they did to create the films. You can make a day of it too, so maybe save it for when your friends and family come to visit.
Closest train station? It’s in Watford but 20 mins from London Euston
Cost? £45
One thing that London does incredibly well is designer stores. Harrods and Liberty are just two of the biggest (and best) in the city; it doesn’t matter whether you can afford to buy the things in there or not, they are fascinating places to visit. They are both beautiful inside and out too.
Closest tube stop? Knightsbridge is closest to Harrods and Oxford Circus to Liberty
Cost? FREE
Not only did Drake recently turn the O2 to the O3 for 6 shows, I managed to see Justin Timberlake perform here last year and my flatmate saw Sam Smith. It isn’t always music concerts though, you can watch comedians, live sport or even attend big award shows. Lucky for you, there is something on pretty much every night at the O2 so you won’t be stuck for choices. And if you’re feeling really daring, you can always climb up the building too…
Closest tube stop? North Greenwich
Cost? Climbs start from £25, shows vary
Now, this is incredible! To really capture a bit of London culture and experience something completely different, check out Notting Hill Carnival. It happens once a year in August and celebrates the Caribbean culture in such a fun way.
Closest tube stop? Ladbroke Grove
Cost? FREE
This is another thing that’s weather dependent but SO worth it when the sun shows up. I never really understood the fuss about an outdoor cinema until I went to Luna with some friends in summer. It could be anything from classics like Back To The Future and Jurassic Park or the latest releases. It’s perfect if you want to get out of your flat on a warm evening.
Closest tube stop? There are 15 locations spread over London
Cost? Start from £15
London is one of the most diverse places in the world and when you visit Chinatown, you’re reminded of the Chinese culture here and how amazing it is. If you’re travelling to King’s from China, you won’t need to worry about missing your home comfort because this truly captures the essence of China and the food is unreal!
Closest tube stop? Leicester Square
Cost? FREE
It doesn’t matter if you were rubbish at crazy golf as a child, now is the time to completely reverse that and become a pro! Either that or you just go for the street food and the Instagram pictures, you decide. You have to be 18+ to attend Swingers but they sometimes have FREE golf and discounts for group bookings.
Closest tube stop? Oxford Circus is closest to the West End venue and Aldgate is closest to the City venue
Cost? From £10
This is easily one of the best, and most famous, hubs for entertainment in London. If shopping is your thing, you’ve got hundreds of places to go that you won’t find anywhere else. When you want some time off the cooking, you’ve got more than enough restaurants, bars and cafés to try too.
Closest tube stop? Oxford Circus
Cost? FREE
There you have it; 11 places that I’ve visited in London and feel pretty confident that you’d love. I’ve tried to give you an idea of where they are, so that no matter where you’re living, you can travel to them quite easily. Some will be walking distance, most are next to tube stations or bus stops, and if anything, you can jump in an Uber or black cab.
You are SO lucky to have all of this pretty much on your doorstep and you really should appreciate it whilst you can. London is amazing and you should be buzzing to be part of it!
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