When in London - Part 1

May 7, 2015

big ben london eye


queen victoria kensington palace gardens

london building

london union jack flag building

change of guard buckingham palace london

change of guard buckingham london

underground the tube big ben london

red phone booth big ben london

London Eye London

Big Ben London

Big Ben, Houses of Parliament London

London Eye, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament London

Churchill Arms London

neal's yard london

neal's yard london

neal's yard london

neal's yard london

Covent garden London Shaun the sheep

The first time I visited London was in 2004. At that time I couldn't visit all the places on my bucket list so I knew I had to come back at some point. Eleven years later my boyfriend suggested we traveled to England's capital to celebrate our anniversary and I couldn't say no. In order to prepare for the trip I created Pinterest board to pin all the places worth seeing. I was especially looking for hidden gems, those places where most tourists don't go to. Of course we also visited London's landmarks.

When I talk about gems I mean places like Neal's Yard. It’s a pretty small little courtyard, but a fun stop if you’re in the Covent Garden area in London. This colorful yard is an oasis for tourists. We stopped there to have a rest and a cup of hot chocolate with delicious pastries.

The Churchill Arms is another must see. Famed for the beautiful flowers and hanging baskets that tumble out onto the street, The Churchill Arms has been a 'London in Bloom' winner two years in a row. Renowned for centuries, it was once frequented by Winston Churchill's grandparents  Unfortunately, the pub has just been going under renovations so not all the flowers were there. Be sure to check out their website to see what it normally looks like. It's a feast for the eyes!

Part 2 of the photo diary is coming. Stay tuned for more London goodies!
Cristina xo