London Dawn to Dusk
Ideas for short and long walks filled with architectural delights and tasty bites.
London
I first visited London in the summer of 2009. I was 15 and it was a full month of struggling with navigating the city, unexciting food, and British etiquette. I didn’t go back till 2017 when a week of walking around the city with locals softened my perception. I spent a lot of time in London in 2019, where I spent sunny and rainy days walking all over town (with quality idle hours in museums, bookshops, and coffee shops,) when I gradually developed a soft spot for the subtle charm of this city. In contrast to New York’s dense, loud, chaotic energy, London’s calmness and urban village vibes gradually won over my heart.
Mornings
Walk around the quiet streets in Westminster, check out the beautiful Georgian townhouses around St James's Square, and find those pink pelicans in St James's Park. Or, go for a run in Hyde Park and stop by Serpentine Gallery to check out its temporary pavilions. Pick up a sweet or savory toast or pastry from Arôme Bakery. In the late mornings, walk down towards Chelsea, stop by Saatchi Gallery, and sit around the lawn at Duke of York Square.
If it’s rainy, stop by Daunt Books Marylebone or Waterstones, walk through British masterpieces at Tate Britain, or book a wonder-filled guided tour at Sir John Soane's Museum (and if the sun comes out, enjoy with coffee from Redemption Roasters).
To continue walking, head up towards Clerkenwell, where charming industrial buildings were converted to creative offices, with lovely restaurants and cafes on the ground floor. Get delicious coffee at park cafe Clerkenwell Kiosk and stop by the Clerkenwells, Coffee & Book Shop for lovely book recommendations. For light bites, there are rows of restaurants along Exmouth Market (I randomly had one of the best sausage rolls at Sweet.)
Slightly pivot outside of Clerkenwell to Farrington. Next to the historically famous Smithfield Market, you can find a well-preserved little Catholic church St Bartholomew the Great. I serendipitously stumbled upon a lunchtime classical concert, which seemed to be a running series. To continue with the architectural wonder, step next door to the famously brutalist for a stroll.
Afternoons
For shopping in Soho and Mayfair, you can find flagship mansions on Bond St., bespoke tailoring on Savile Row, watch and jewelry shops at the Burlington Arcade, the more old-school English department store Liberty London, and edgier curation at Dover Street Market. More main street brands can be found in Covent Garden. For a shopping break, stop by Maison Assouline’s gorgeous library, pop into Gagosian, stop by the fashionable Milanese patisserie Marchesi while taking a meditative moment with Tadao Ando’s fountain Silence. Another option is to take a coffee break at Neal's Yard, where you can find colorful independent shops.
Take an indulgent snack break at La Maritxu London - Basque Cheesecake north of Hyde Park, If you’re in the heart of Soho/Chinatown, get an ube ice cream from Mamasons Dirty Ice Cream.
For a quality museum stroll, visit the wonderful impressionist collection at The Courtauld Gallery (and other temporary exhibits at the Somerset House), the Royal Academy of Arts, The National Gallery, or the National Portrait Gallery (and make sure to pick up a Lamington dessert from their Aussi cafe Audrey Green).
If you’re in East London, walk along the Regent’s Canal and around Shoreditch—the Williamsburg of London. Sit in front of Jolene Redchurch Street for people-watching, or catch a late lunch in the half-hidden Rochelle Canteen. Blue Mountain School is a cool project with a boutique, gallery, and a Michelin-starred restaurant.
Evenings
Stick around Shoreditch in East London and ease into its vibrant nightlife. For something slightly upscale, catch the seasonal tasting menu at Nest Restaurant Old Street and Basque-flavored BRAT Restaurant. For more Bushwick vibes, head further northeast to Hackney, where all the real cool kids hang out.
Alternatively, go for a lovely river walk along the south bank and reward yourself with some delicious crafty cocktails at the cozy Lyaness inside the Sea Containers Hotel, or a pint on the barge at Tamesis Dock. You can also go for a nice sunset/evening walk in Battersea Park across from Chelsea, walk around the redeveloped Victorian power station, and get dinner or drinks in or around the shopping center.
For more diverse dinner options, you can also head down to Brixton, where there are loads of good value-for-price international food places in Brixton Village Market (think Caribbean, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, etc.) and container park Pop Brixton.
Weekends
Walk along South Bank on a sunny day, check out contemporary art collections at the power station turned art museum Tate Modern and contemporary art gallery White Cube, and stop by Borough Market for snacks.
For nature lovers, go for a cold dip or simply a refreshing walk in Hampstead Heath, and stop by The Brew House for tea and scones.
On Saturdays, walk around Notting Hill, check out Portobello Road Market, and maybe a movie at the iconic Electric Cinema. Alternatively, you can head over South London and explore some trending neighborhoods. In Clapham, you can walk around Clapham Common and get delicious breakfast at Aussie cafe Brickwood Coffee & Bread. In Peckham, you can start at TOAD Bakery for breakfast and then gallery stroll at South London Gallery, and then walk around the always bustling high street and maybe get dinner at the tiny Oi spaghetti + tiramisù in the very cool industrial creative office park Copeland Park.
On Sundays, start with the lovely Columbia Road Flower Market before it gets crowded. Walk up to Broadway Market for breakfast/lunch, and stop by Donlon Books for art books. Pick up a pastry from Yeast Bakery and walk along the canal towards the east. Stop by the art gallery Victoria Miro. Continue to Angel and walk around the quiet streets full of nice houses, and perhaps have a tea break at Japanese cafe Katsute 100. You can walk all the way to King’s Cross, a vibrant urban redevelopment project anchored by Central Saint Martins. Check out the markets at Coal Drops Yard, and bookshop on a boat Word On The Water - The London Bookbarge. Sit for a drink in the lobby of The Standard, London.
Alternatively, for a casual day trip on a nice day, you can take the train for the vast botanical garden Kew Gardens. Afterwards, you can head to Richmond and hang out by the riverside to watch time flow by.
Recommendations by Categories (working list)
Architecture:
St Bartholomew the Great: a hidden-gem medieval church near Smithfield
Barbican Centre: classic brutalist planning and architecture
Battersea Power Station: amazing urban renewal project by the lovely Battersea Park where an old power station was turned into an urban living/working complex
Central Saint Martins: another great urban renewal project with vibrant programming
Museums & Galleries: