Just three weeks ago, Armon and I were cozied up in gorgeous South Kensington, London, in a posh flat nestled on a street lined with white Victorian-era houses. We were steps away from some of the greatest museums in Europe, we had our choice of any cuisine we could possibly imagine, and we were on day 10 of what was originally meant to be a six day journey! Thanks to some crazy winter weather on the East Coast, our flight home was delayed then cancelled. And after trying to get on another flight out of London for several days, we just decided to embrace the adventure and extend our trip by five whole days. Talk about an unexpected way to end your vacation!

Some of y’all might know that we moved back to Waco for Armon to finish his degree which he did this past December. To celebrate his years of hard work, I surprised him with a trip abroad on Christmas Day! Since this was our second time visiting London together (I actually studied abroad in London during my undergrad), we already had a clear idea of what sights we wanted to revisit and what new things we wanted to do.

We focused on filling our time with leisurely meals, a handful of sights we wanted to see, and plenty of down time. In the thick of the festive holiday season, we wanted a vacation that felt restful, not one that had us dashing from one end of the city to the next all day, every day!

If you’re planning to visit London in the near future, I’m rounding up my absolute favorite details from our trip. From where to stay to where to eat, I’ve got you covered.

STAY

For us, having a central location to call “home” while we’re traveling helps us plan itineraries that feel doable. The last two times we’ve traveled internationally, we’ve opted for Airbnb and have loved that experience.

Since we unexpectedly stayed longer in London than we anticipated, we ended up changing flats during our trip. On our first trip to London together, we stayed in Chelsea so this time around we wanted to try something new. We landed on Shoreditch which is such a trendy, vibrant part of the city. It was slightly less central than other locations, but the London transport system makes getting around a breeze.

Once we found out that our flight had been cancelled, we decided to move to a borough that felt more familiar and was closer to the airport. When I lived in London, we were based in South Kensington so Armon and I grabbed our bags and headed for one of London’s most posh neighborhoods. South Ken and Chelsea are right next to each other and both areas are incredibly central to all you’d want to see in London, they’re safe, clean, primarily residential, with world class shopping and dining nearby. Not to mention you’re incredibly close to Kensington Palace, Hyde Park, and the Victoria and Albert Museum, one of my favorite museums ever.

EAT

Our intentions for this trip really were to soak up some history and enjoy as many long, cozy meals together as possible. We tried to find good eats based on where we were going each day, and then we also worked in some dinners close to our flats so we didn’t have to travel too far after a long day spent exploring.

Dishoom (7 Boundary St, Shoreditch) – We’d eaten here before at their location in Covent Garden on our last visit to London, so when we found out they had a location close to our flat in Shoreditch we knew we had to go! This was actually our first stop in town after we got off the plane and checked into our Airbnb. We stumbled over feeling all sorts of jetlagged, ordered some stiff drinks at the bar while we waited for our table, and then tucked into some delicious Indian food. We love this place so much that we went back for dinner another night, as well.

Counter Kitchen (63 Goswell Rd, Islington) – Bright little breakfast and lunch spot nearby our Shoreditch flat. We sampled the avocado toast with smoked salmon and the eggs shakshuka, both of which were delicious.

Old Spitalfields Market (16 Horner Square, London) – This market is filled to the brim with antiques, textiles, accessories, and just about anything you could possibly want. And to make things even better, they have some amazing food vendors, too! We went with a little Indian food stall but were seriously tempted by just about everything we saw there.

The Athenian (Unit 54, Boxpark, 2-10 Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch) – Amazing gyros and wraps inside Boxpark, a shopping center made out of repurposed shipping containers.

George Inn (77 Borough High St, Southwark) – After exploring the Christmas Market along the Thames, we stumbled upon this cozy pub nestled in a cobblestone courtyard. We were expecting standard pub fare but were delighted to discover a truly tasty menu instead! I had some of the best fish and chips I’ve ever had here. If you’re in the area, it’s well worth a visit.

Egg Break (30 Uxbridge St, Kensington) – This brunch spot was a repeat from our last visit, too. Everything here is great. You may have to wait a bit for a table but if you can catch this spot during the workweek with no queue, you should go for it! Both this restaurant and Geale’s are in Notting Hill right across from the tube station so it’s worth stopping by for a bite before wandering down Portobello Road.

Geale’s (2 Farmer St, Kensington) – Right down the road from Egg Break, this seafood spot has been around for ages and has the menu to prove it. It’s a family run restaurant with fresh seafood daily. We loved the experience as much as we loved the food.

EXPLORE

Honestly, we spent more of our time inside museums or walking throughout the city than we did shopping. London has some incredible stores but that wasn’t what we were interested in this time around. If you’re wanting to spend a rainy afternoon inside a beautiful museum, we’d recommend…

The Victoria and Albert Museum

The National Gallery

The British Museum

If the weather is nice and you’re up for walking around a bit, you can’t go wrong with these sights:

Notting Hill and Portobello Road

Trafalgar Square

Westminster, the Houses of Parliament, and the London Eye

Walking along the Thames from Westminster station

Hyde Park

Kensington Palace

For as much as we missed Boone while we were gone, we’re already missing London and are scheming to find a way back soon.

I hope these tips help as you plan your trip to this incredible city, friend!