London is an amazing place to study and live, but also an amazing place to visit! While studying abroad, chances are you’ll have some friends and family who’ll want to come see you and the city – and they’ll often rely on you to build an itinerary for the trip. It can feel difficult to strike the balance between taking them to all the classic spots like Big Ben and Tower Bridge and showing them all the hidden gems you’ve no doubt found as you’ve explored the city. It was something I struggled with when my family visited me for Thanksgiving, but we ended up having an amazing five days together. Here are five of the most fun things we did! 

Richmond Park and Lunch at Peggy Jean 

Since Roehampton’s campus is so close to Richmond Park, my family and I walked through it and caught up with the herd of wild deer! On the other side of the park in Richmond, we had lunch at Peggy Jean, which is a river barge parked on the Thames. Then we walked around Richmond, did some shopping, and caught the sunset on the Terrace Walk! It was a beautiful day and a great way for them to settle in. 

Peggy Jean restaurant (photo from Daisy Green Food)

Wild deer in Richmond Park and sunset on the Richmond Terrace Walk

Portobello Market, Notting Hill, and Kensington Gardens 

On a Saturday, we took the tube into the city and went to Portobello Market, which (if you don’t already know) is one of the most famous and long-running street markets in the world! It’s known for its selection of antiques, but there are also lots of fashion and food vendors. My family loved it! After the market, we explored the Notting Hill neighborhood, then walked to Hyde Park and saw Kensington Gardens (make sure to go before sundown!). 

Taking the tube, my sister at Portobello Market 

Exploring Notting Hill and Kensington Gardens (Photo by Tripadvisor) 

Tina and Covent Garden 

My family saw the Tina Turner Musical in Covent Garden on Saturday night. It was so much fun! London is an amazing city for theater, so even if you aren’t super into musicals (I’m not either!), I recommend going. The performances are incredible and the theaters themselves are gorgeous and oftentimes have a long history. The theater we went to, the Aldwych, was first opened in 1905! After the musical, my family walked around Covent Garden and looked at all the beautiful Christmas decorations! 

Christmas Decor in Covent Garden and Tina the Musical (Photo by Rolling Stone UK) 

 

 

Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour 

This was my catch-all for touristy activities! So many tour companies in London do hop-on hop-off tours on double-decker buses that take you all over the city. It was a great way to see the places we wanted to see, skip the places we didn’t, and spend as much or as little time in each location as we wanted to. The buses provide maps and audio equipment, so you can tune in as the bus drives and hear about the history of the streets and buildings you’re passing — or just enjoy the view!  

 

My sister and I on the bus and seeing the London Eye 

Big Ben and Westminster Abbey 

 

Borough Market and the Tate Modern 

My family stopped at Borough Market for breakfast before going to the Tate Modern! We saw their Yayoi Kusama exhibit, which included walking into one of the artist’s Infinity Mirror Rooms. It was amazing! I recommend checking what special exhibits the museum has in advance to make sure you can get tickets. If it’s too late for that, the rest of the museum is still amazing! We made lunch reservations in the restaurant connected to the museum, where they make dishes inspired by the art! 

The Infinity Mirror Room 

Food inspired by the Yayoi Kusama exhibit (Photos by Fine Dining Lovers) 

Hopefully some of these ideas are helpful! My family and I had an amazing time in London and getting to show them around (and do some things I hadn’t done yet!) made me love London even more. My number one recommendation is to build in extra time for exploring and walking around in each neighborhood you go to. Especially around Christmas time, the environment is amazing and there’s so much to appreciate about the city, even when you’re just walking from activity to activity. Good luck with your visit!

 

Ellie Hoskins

University of Roehampton

Fall 2023