Time to take you on another city trip! This multifaceted city had been on my list for a long time and I finally managed to tick it off... I'd love to tell you a bit more about my stay and experience in London and share my favourite addresses and hotspots. Book your London Hotel at http://www.hotels-of-london.com/en/5-stars/

From Amsterdam to London Gatwick

We flew from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to London Gatwick for just a few tens of euros per person. London has no less than six different airports, of which London Gatwick is the closest 'cheapest' airport. From London Gatwick, it is about 45 minutes by train and 1.5 hours by bus to central London. We opted for a bus ride, as we had already landed early in the morning at 07:00 AND this was a lot cheaper. As the UK is of course no longer part of the European Union after the Brexit, we first had to go through passport control at Schiphol Airport which meant we ended up in the departure hall for international flights. Nice to wander through this and wait for our long - cough - 45-minute flight.

Staying in the Kensington district

After a 1.5-hour bus ride, we had arrived in beautiful Kensington. This district, located in West London, is known for its beautiful Victorian houses. We stayed two nights at the Sonder Kensington Gardens. This hotel comes highly recommended if you ask me. Unfortunately, we could only check in at 16:00 because our room was not ready yet. Fortunately, however, we could temporarily store our belongings in the luggage room. We stayed in a spacious room with a comfy double bed, a smart TV (with Netflix) and a spacious bathroom with a bathtub. In addition, the staff were also very friendly and they operate a convenient self check-in system. This allows you to enter the hotel and your room 24/7 with your personal code.

The Kensington district

Day 1 - Exploring bustling London

I wouldn't be me if I hadn't already made a list in advance with certain hotspots and places I wanted to visit. Thus, we decided to start the first day with a walk along the Thames towards the London Eye and Covent Garden. As it was extremely nice weather this day (22 °C) as well as Saturday, it was unfortunately extra busy in the city. A visit to the well-known Shake Shack was of course a must during lunch. And how I enjoyed this fast-food joint... Hmmm. Something that struck me during our walk was that I didn't know beforehand how big this city was. After all, London has a whopping 8.7 million inhabitants! After our visit to Covent Garden, we took the tube to St Paul's Cathedral. From the rooftop bar Madison, you have a great view of the cathedral. After quite a few steps, we decided to go back to the hotel, check in and freshen up for a cosy evening. We decided to grab a bite to eat in cosy Soho. A méga cosy neighbourhood full of bars, restaurants and fun. We also ended the day here with drinks in a cosy bar.

Along the Thames

St Paul's Cathedral

Day 2 - A visit to Notting Hill, Oxford Street & Ave Mario

We started the day off right with a tasty breakfast at Joe & The Juice. If you have never heard of this place, you should definitely stop by here in Amsterdam or The Hague. I definitely recommend the avocado sandwich! Unfortunately, we were not so lucky with the weather this day. The sunny morning soon turned into a rainy afternoon. But that didn't spoil the fun, of course! With our umbrella, we decided to take the metro to cosy Notting Hill. In this district, you'll find pastel-coloured houses and cute vintage shops everywhere. This immediately brought out the sunshine in us. Notting Hill also regularly hosts antique markets where you can score the cutest items.

After strolling through the streets and shops, we decided to visit Oxford Street, one of London's most famous shopping streets. Did you know that this shopping street is visited by around 200 million people a year? So you can imagine how busy it can be here, especially on weekends... After being out and about all day, we decided to recharge ourselves at the hotel and get ready for a bite to eat & drink. We had reserved a place in advance at a hip Italian restaurant called Ave Mario. You'll find this new restaurant in Covent Garden, close to bustling Soho. The restaurant consists of three different rooms and has a very playful interior. Definitely recommended!

Italian restaurant Ave Mario

You don't see this very often

Day 3 - Brunch at Coppa Club & back to Amsterdam

Unfortunately, the third day was already our last day in cosy London. After packing our bags, we travelled by underground to Tower Bridge. Here we had made reservations to have brunch at the Coppa Club. From this terrace, you have a great view over both the Thames and Tower Bridge. You will find glass domes where you can have brunch, lunch or dinner. After our brunch, it was already time to head to London Victoria Coach Station and catch our bus to the airport. Every adventure comes to an end....

Coppa Club Tower Bridge