Hiiiiiii Jack,
(Jumps around excitedly in your inbox) Can I bother you for a second ?? I booked myself a short trip to London and I was wondering if you had any recommendations for things one should do/see in London (museums, cafes, (book-)stores)? I've been to the city a couple of times but it's been a while and I'd highly appreciate ideas/recommendations if you wanted to share any !!!
Have a great week <3
Ahh, Annie! That's amazing news. A few recs:
National Gallery and British Museum. Both in Trafalgar Square. The BM has a cool Japan exhibition on at the moment that Nekro and I found interesting, then you've got all the stolen bits of tombs, you know, the usual. National Gallery has your usual Van Gogh's and Turners. Both free entry.
National Maritime Museum (my personal favourite and right next to the Cutty Sark and a small street food market). Has a pirate exhibition on at the moment and some brilliant stuff on Empire, French and British. The National Army Museum has some good stuff on the SAS, and a lynx helicopter hanging up in their foyer (it's what Nik terrorised Ghost with in one of my fics).
Leadenhall Market and Borough Market if you want to hear some "pwoper cockney" slang.
My favourite restaurants are Sticks n' Sushi (Covent Garden), Bone Daddies (Soho) and Din Tai Fung (Covent Garden).
You'll want to go to Forbidden Planet (Covent Garden) for geeky stuff, Mr Fogg's Botanical Tavern & Treehouse (Fitzrovia), Admiral Duncan, Kings Arms and Duke of Wellington (more traditional gay bars in Soho) for drinks.
Cahoots Underground, The Little Scarlett Door, The Escapologist and The Rooftop are all good for cocktails.
The Graffiti Tunnel in Leake Street usually has lots of artists working in it, and there are a few bars and cafes down there, including a boardgame cafe. I'd suggest a small show at the West End. You can get really cheap tickets on the day for more "indie" performances. The atmosphere is always great.
You can see all the usual stuff like Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Tower of London, Buckingham Palace in and around Westminster. They are big tourist traps though. If you like more peaceful places to walk through, the gardens at Russell Square, Hyde Park, St James Park (go and watch all the MI6 agents sit on benches lmao), Kensington Gardens and the Regent's Park.
London is a great town. It's busy though, so keep your bag close around train stations.
