Loved this vlog! ❤ A few weeks late watching it. Haven’t been to London before, but this gave me so many ideas of where I’d want to stay/restaurants/etc. I loved it! Well done! 👏🏽
Your best vlog yet! I'm a Londoner. And definitely agree, its manic! But the thing about London is the experience, for a special occasion or Just a couple of days away. I love it when you said about pronunciations. I.e. Leicester Square. Many will say lie ses ter square, when its pronounced Lester Square. We all know what people mean though. Shoreditch is the Place to go. 30 years ago, there was literally just one pub. Now there are hundreds of pubs and restaurants and only a few minutes away from central London. My family were from Brick Lane. Theres a 24/7 Beigel shop thats busy all the time. And about a mile away is the best cafe in London. E. Pellicci. Its small but always busy, and they make you feel welcome. Theyre on UA-cam. People literally fly in to go there. Its also a bit infamous as Londons most notorious gangsters went there. Anyway, glad you had a lovely time.
Oohh thank you for that last rec! I’m so glad as a Londoner you appreciated this vlog. I tried to show as much as I could of what we did and do it justice! Thank you also about the pronunciation comment to, some people get so worked up about that stuff.
Hi Vera, This is my favorite vlog of yours to date, sooo good. Your friend Jade was so nice too. Thank you for taking us to some the best places in London. The food looked amazing, your rooms were gorgeous, you were your beautiful self as usual, and the music was perfect. Thanks again, have a Merry Christmas, and may all that is amazing in life come your way!! See ya next time.
Wow thank you so much, this vlog took me a longer than usual to edit so I’m very pleased it was worth it for you! Yes Jade is the best, a perfect travel companion!! Merry Christmas to you too!!
Wow what an amazing VLOG! As a proud Londoner (and massive fan of Notting Hill, Nandos and The Goring) it's so great to see you and your friend enjoying the best of London. 🇬🇧❤️🌲
@howdan1985 any recommendations around the theater area.... Sondheim, Palladium, his Majesty's, Dominion. I plan on China Town. Where was the fits5 place Vera went that looked like a Parisian Brocante?
@@singerAR0406 Hi. Les Miserables is currently playing at The Sondheim Theatre and is highly recommended (but long at over 3 hours) Almost everywhere is good in China Town but "Bar Shu" and "Leongs Legend" are both great. The flea market Vera went to was Portobello Market in West London (where the film "Notting Hill" was set) - Highly recommended, well worth a visit but keep an eye on your personal belongings at all times as it can get very busy on the weekends.
Hi, older Brit guy here, regular London visitor (my daughters live and work there, we live about an hour west in Berkshire). Really enjoy watching vlogs from US visitors. Love that you love Nando's! They are everywhere here in the UK (most small towns have at least one), but I think only about 40 in the whole of the US (I'm sure that will grow though). Agree on Dishoon - us Brits love Indian food, and Dishoon is amongst the best I've had. We were in London last weekend (16th), it was crazy busy. By the way, the Tube lines that are "tiny" are the deep lines (like the Central, Picadilly, Victoria, Jubilee for example). The trains are smaller because the tunnels are (as they are deeper). The lines nearer the surface (like the District, Circle, Metropolitan) have much bigger trains that have AC. The new(ish) Elizabeth Line is better still with enormous stations, long trains and it's fast aswell. Come back to London in the Summer. It can be hot and sunny! It'll feel a lot different with our long evenings and people eating and drinking outside etc. The parks are also really nice then, especially places like Hampstead Heath. If you come in the summer, go to the Cotswolds aswell. The trains are good to places like Moreton-in-the-Marsh from Paddington. Or if driving it's about 1hr 30min from Heathrow. Hope that all helps a bit!
It was great seeing London from your perspective and I loved the fact that you moved hotels to get the flavour of different neighbourhoods. I follow a couple Londoners on here and they have been to many of the same places and I lived in London for three years so I knew London fairly well but you put a new spin on it.
Just came upon your channel so I gave it a go. I have to say, lovely vlog! - really enjoyed it. Camera work was great, the pace was just right, and your entire presentation was engaging and warm, as if you were telling an old friend about your experiences. Will subscribe and watch more content. 🙂✨👏🏼
Beautiful vlog. London at Christmas is high on my bucket list. Happy to experience it thru your vlog and thanks for the tip to go during the week vs. weekend. Merry Christmas!
Hi Vera!! I really loved this video..i live in Rome and love London..i went many times and same i will do again! I can give you some advice like afternoon tea at Savoy and visit Fortnum&Mason..etc..have a beautiful 2025!!😊
Hi Vera, What a wonderful vlog, so interesting and informative! It looked like you both had a great time. Thanks so much for sharing. Take care. ✈✈ The best of the holiday season.
Windsor is better than Buckingham Palace ...Regent Street is great for the lights but yes hate bumping into people...McDonalds in Europe doesnt have all those addictive chemicals the US has, but I'm sure many people point that out....remember the London Underground was the first Underground in the world ....London Bridge the one before the one you saw is in Arizona now...lol...from my point of view your point of view is valid and well thought out, i did laugh with regards to Kensington Palace being hazardous 😂😂...welcome to the 21st century of madness and silly people who think a bit of wind is hazardous 😂...Indian food having been to India is amazing in London and way better than India...❤
That’s because Windsor is an actual thousand-year-old castle. It’s the largest and longest continuously inhabited castle in the world. And the town of Windsor is very quaint.
Lol London food is shit, real food in india is well seasoned but not overpowering. And i say that as someone who hates brown nosing indians, their food really is one of the best in the world
Great vlog and pretty accurate insights into London! It has been especially hectic recently in the West End, and is definitely usually easier to get around during midweek. Late Spring & Summer is another amazing way to see London too as youll see how green the place is (it's the largest urban forest in the world). Other areas / things to do to are Greenwich (South East London is generally known for its many views of the London skyline due to it being hilly), Peckham (rooftop bars), Primrose Hill, Camden, Dalston (nightlife), the Columbia Rd Flower Market on sundays, Brick Lane (best curries), as well as the many many many pubs - too many to mention, although the less touristy ones as you get outside of zone 1 tend to be better.
Oh wow, a stay in the financial district. Why not! Your hotel was across the road from the branch that my company banked with, before it dissolved into dust. Probably the most famous [financial] street in London. Because the Bank of England is sooo old, it gets referred to as The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street.
I’m a first time watcher of your vlog & channel & was pretty impressed at how you gathered the essence of the Capital in a few days. There are countless attractions from the markets, to the museums, to the food & architecture. London had everything & I’d go as far as to suggest it could be a world capital, given just how much is on offer in every respect for locals & tourists alike. The Cotswolds would be another great choice for a Christmas break. Would be totally different to London of course but a beautiful location at all times of the year. Thanks for putting this excellent vlog together, you did a great job. Best wishes from the NW of England (Peak District area) 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
Shoreditch Born here! ❤ x.....I live on the corner of the North Sea and The Mouth of The Thames....Storm Darragh hit us in the East of England too....was a Storm and half! ❤
Hi Vera, 1st time viewer and hey, love the vlog and think you’ve done an amazing job of summing up the windy winter trip to my home city of London. Some great hotels and locations on your journey and awesome to see how we shape up in hospitality and tourism experience as we have so much history to explore. I would definitely recommend a revisit during a mid May to mid June period sometime, when the weather can be more inviting and spring time is in full bloom. Definitely recommend a visit to Kensington Royal Park, followed by a tour of the Royal Albert Hall (right by the park) and possibly even a meal in the restaurant after your tour; and to complete the experience if there is a concert on, of interest, at the time, you will be blown away by the experience and just the nostalgia of the whole thing! And for shopping, Harrods and other great shops are a 5/10min taxi ride from the RAH itself. (may as well stay in a nearby hotel tbh😂) Hitting the subscribe button 👌❤️ Safe travels.
I m English brought up in N London. Agree 100 p cent re crowds. Was also because they ve got a not so clever idea to divert a lot of buses along Oxford st etc and that in turn created double people on pavements! I went to try an afternoon high tea too but at Kew to a quaint tea place around 120 yrs old! I saw some lights and then sat at Outernet.. interactive lights on ceilings and walls ...I never made it to many lights as aim was to see peace garden in Grosvenor square site of former us embassy 1000s of white rose lights. Glad you enjoyed it all and hope you come again.
Christmas decorations and lights are great, but as you said, super busy. Did Manhattan one Christmas, beautiful, but completely overcrowded. The black car, are more commonly known as Hackneys, or even 'a black hose', all dared origins to those names. Great vid.
Yes, Buckingham Palace frontage is underwhelming, slightly better at night, the front was a later addition by Queen Victoria, a more interesting older house and courtyard exist behind, if you return at the right time of year you can book and tour the interior state rooms, and see the rear lawns.
If you catch a train from Victoria station to Clapham Junction, get another train to Richmond. It's a pretty town at Christmas, and cut through to the River Thames with lots of pubs and restaurants. There's also Richmond Park, with wild deer, if you like walking. A few more stops on the train will take you to Hampton Court Palace, where Henry VIII used to live. Or you can take a river boat from Westminster Bridge to Richmond.
Glad you found Dishroom, amazing Indian food! You should also try out Flat Iron next time, also very popular with queues to get in normally. Try getting away from the obvious tourist spots and try visiting towns/villages in Kent for example (about an hours train journey from London)
Great vlog, good to see you exploring outside the US and there’s so much to see in London you’ve only scratched the surface! Indian food in London and in the UK in general is great, due to the UK’s immigration history I would say it’s as refined as say Mexican food is in the US. Dishoom is always great but there are others that are worth a visit - Gymkhana or the Cinnamon Club (more expensive and upscale), Masala Zone (similar to Dishoom, but way less busy and food is just as good) or Tayyabs in Whitechapel near Shoreditch (cheaper than Dishoom and more authentic, although a little more rough around the edges - there’s always queues in the evenings and it’s BYOB (bring your own booze as they don’t sell/ serve alcohol - they have the best mango lassi I think I’ve ever had). Agree Christmas is super busy and it has been more busier this year than it usually is. Visiting in late September early October is probably the best time to visit LDN - the days are still long, weather is cooler, kids are all in School and walks around st James, Hyde park and Regent’s Park are super cosy with all the Autumn leaves.
Hey central London is like being in TImes Square at Christmas, so of course its gonna be jammed packed....Afternoon tea at the Ritz is the one though...Hope u enjoyed some of your stay....If you liked DIshoom next time your in town try Tayyabs in East London
Nice vlog. And that’s coming from a Londoner. Portobello has a silent ‘t’ to be more authentic! Top tip, walk right through the market to the Ladbroke Grove bit, much better vintage stuff down there. Brick Lane is great for vintage as is Spitalfields. Thanks for the other tips. I don’t get to Shoreditch much. Dishoom is super popular and probs not that authentic. There are definitely better curry places. ❤
Glad you enjoyed London :) You're right thought about the crowds in certain parts of the city during Xmas time...just unavoidable unfortunately. However, some recommendations for if / when you return, would be: - Hampstead Heath area (and check out the Spaniards Inn) - Primrose Hill - Greenwich (main, and village) - As you liked Shoreditch, I'd definitely check out Hackney and Hackney Wick, alongside Hoxton / Haggerston e.g. Colombia Road and that area. Broadway Market too. - Battersea Park and Battersea Power Station - Spitalfields and Spitalfields Market Outside of London, yes, the Cotswolds are a must. Christmas-time of during late Spring to late Summer is best IMO. I'd also recommend York. It's up in North England but you can get the train there pretty easily from London. It's very historic, has tonnes of charm, and (generally) lacks the crowds of the larger cities like London and Manchester. Bath also, I imagine you'd love, and Cambridge (better than Oxford, imo). If you're into nature, skip the Peak District and just do the Lake District. You don't have to be a big hiker to enjoy it there - even just mooching around the villages is more than enjoyable. Of course, I could also get onto the West Country...Bristol, Devon, Cornwall... but let's not get ahead of ourselves! Hope to see you back soon in England :)
😂😂 pigeon-warning was funny...happy holidays🎉 If I ever make to the U.S again, I'll compare Mcdonalds, never thought about the difference. Also, did you buuuuy anything??
Definitely go to Liberty London next time. You will absolutely love it! It’s the most beautiful department store ever and it is right near Carnaby Street. Also get Indian food on Brick Lane. You will not regret it!!
Hi Vera- my husband and I have been to London twice but in the summer! So glad you enjoyed it! Just curious- is there any reason other than wanting to see different areas why you stayed at 3 different hotels?? I know for me I hate packing and unpacking but I’m older!💕😊🎅🏻🎄
Come back in the late spring / Christmas in Regent St is awful - and I’m British - you could’ve done Bond St or Marylebone High St which are pretty at Christmas and not busy by comparison …
If you go to Regent Street to see the lights, head for Liberty's store in Argyl Street. Then opposite is the Palladium theatre, showing a Christmas pantomime. Theyre very funny and children love them. This year, it's Robin Hood.
Love the vlog and love what you saw in London! I’ve been there one time myself in the spring of 2023 and loved every thing that we saw. You didn’t say why you changed hotels. Was it because there wasn’t availability for all the days that you were there or did you just want to experience different hotels in different parts of the city?
Just curious - why did you stay in so many different hotels? And such ludicrously expensive ones! Is your friend a hotel reviewer ? Were the hotels therefore free? The one with the separate little living room would have cost an absolute bomb! (PS I live in London, so I do know these hotels/ these districts/ these restaurants. Your budget was clearly substantial.)
Great London trip, Vera!! Thanks for taking us along. Makes me miss London!! 🩷 Also, I highly recommend checking out Baths or any other town's Christmas Markets if you're in London during this time. You should also add Madrid to your list for Christmas Markets -- we go all out here, too!
If you adore Indian food try City spice in brick lane (you visited in the vlog) as an alternative to dishoom, Cotswolds, York, Bath, Canterbury, all the castles so much to see.......loved the vlog ❤
Loved this vlog! ❤ A few weeks late watching it. Haven’t been to London before, but this gave me so many ideas of where I’d want to stay/restaurants/etc. I loved it! Well done! 👏🏽
London in the rain , can be very romantic. Finding a warm pub with comforting food, just rounds it off.
Hello Vera,
I am heading to London as a first time visitor. I am so excited and grateful for this video!
I hope you have a wonderful time! I’m glad this video came right in time!
Same!
Your best vlog yet! I'm a Londoner. And definitely agree, its manic! But the thing about London is the experience, for a special occasion or Just a couple of days away. I love it when you said about pronunciations. I.e. Leicester Square. Many will say lie ses ter square, when its pronounced Lester Square. We all know what people mean though. Shoreditch is the Place to go. 30 years ago, there was literally just one pub. Now there are hundreds of pubs and restaurants and only a few minutes away from central London. My family were from Brick Lane. Theres a 24/7 Beigel shop thats busy all the time. And about a mile away is the best cafe in London. E. Pellicci. Its small but always busy, and they make you feel welcome. Theyre on UA-cam. People literally fly in to go there. Its also a bit infamous as Londons most notorious gangsters went there.
Anyway, glad you had a lovely time.
Oohh thank you for that last rec! I’m so glad as a Londoner you appreciated this vlog. I tried to show as much as I could of what we did and do it justice! Thank you also about the pronunciation comment to, some people get so worked up about that stuff.
@BalancedFlyer You really did it justice! I can only imagine how some people are! 🤦🏼. Have a brilliant Christmas ⛄⛄⛄
Hi Vera, This is my favorite vlog of yours to date, sooo good. Your friend Jade was so nice too. Thank you for taking us to some the best places in London. The food looked amazing, your rooms were gorgeous, you were your beautiful self as usual, and the music was perfect. Thanks again, have a Merry Christmas, and may all that is amazing in life come your way!! See ya next time.
Wow thank you so much, this vlog took me a longer than usual to edit so I’m very pleased it was worth it for you! Yes Jade is the best, a perfect travel companion!! Merry Christmas to you too!!
Awesome video! London is so beautiful during Christmastime 🎄
Vera, you made London look even more beautiful than it could be in real life. Great video.❤
Nice vid, ladies. Love seeing my city through a visitor's eyes ❤
Awesome Vera thanks for taking us along ..looked amazing ❤️🌺 have a wonderful Christmas 🎄
Have a great Christmas as well I’m glad you enjoyed!!
Wow what an amazing VLOG! As a proud Londoner (and massive fan of Notting Hill, Nandos and The Goring) it's so great to see you and your friend enjoying the best of London. 🇬🇧❤️🌲
I am so happy you approve!! Thank you so much 😊
@@BalancedFlyerYou're welcome and please come back again soon (we need your hard earned dollars to help our economy lol).
@howdan1985 any recommendations around the theater area.... Sondheim, Palladium, his Majesty's, Dominion. I plan on China Town. Where was the fits5 place Vera went that looked like a Parisian Brocante?
@@singerAR0406 Hi.
Les Miserables is currently playing at The Sondheim Theatre and is highly recommended (but long at over 3 hours)
Almost everywhere is good in China Town but "Bar Shu" and "Leongs Legend" are both great.
The flea market Vera went to was Portobello Market in West London (where the film "Notting Hill" was set) - Highly recommended, well worth a visit but keep an eye on your personal belongings at all times as it can get very busy on the weekends.
Hi, older Brit guy here, regular London visitor (my daughters live and work there, we live about an hour west in Berkshire). Really enjoy watching vlogs from US visitors. Love that you love Nando's! They are everywhere here in the UK (most small towns have at least one), but I think only about 40 in the whole of the US (I'm sure that will grow though). Agree on Dishoon - us Brits love Indian food, and Dishoon is amongst the best I've had.
We were in London last weekend (16th), it was crazy busy. By the way, the Tube lines that are "tiny" are the deep lines (like the Central, Picadilly, Victoria, Jubilee for example). The trains are smaller because the tunnels are (as they are deeper). The lines nearer the surface (like the District, Circle, Metropolitan) have much bigger trains that have AC. The new(ish) Elizabeth Line is better still with enormous stations, long trains and it's fast aswell.
Come back to London in the Summer. It can be hot and sunny! It'll feel a lot different with our long evenings and people eating and drinking outside etc. The parks are also really nice then, especially places like Hampstead Heath. If you come in the summer, go to the Cotswolds aswell. The trains are good to places like Moreton-in-the-Marsh from Paddington. Or if driving it's about 1hr 30min from Heathrow. Hope that all helps a bit!
This all helps very much thank you! So interesting about the trains. I’m so excited to come back in summertime and experience a little more.
This is one of my favorite vlogs! Have a Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to you too! 🎄
Traveling the tube is so much fun off peak ticket is good. Welcome to the great British weather. I visited Boston so many Dunkin Donuts 😊
Well composed Vera! Cheers.
It was great seeing London from your perspective and I loved the fact that you moved hotels to get the flavour of different neighbourhoods. I follow a couple Londoners on here and they have been to many of the same places and I lived in London for three years so I knew London fairly well but you put a new spin on it.
Thank you! I’m glad you liked it! 😊
This has to be your best vlog to date! Beautiful video shots and great music to accompany it. Thanks for taking us along!
Wow thank you!!
Just came upon your channel so I gave it a go. I have to say, lovely vlog! - really enjoyed it. Camera work was great, the pace was just right, and your entire presentation was engaging and warm, as if you were telling an old friend about your experiences. Will subscribe and watch more content. 🙂✨👏🏼
Beautiful vlog. London at Christmas is high on my bucket list. Happy to experience it thru your vlog and thanks for the tip to go during the week vs. weekend. Merry Christmas!
Absolutely I hope you get to go soon!!
It’s so nice to see Instagram updates again. Merry Christmas!
Great video and I wish you and your family Merry Christmas this Tuesday and Happy New Year.❤
Love all of your vlogs Vera!
Your vlog came up so I watched. Cool video. Thanks for showing off a bit of London.
Thank you I’m glad you liked it 😊
Nice video of London Vera!. Happy holidays! 🙂
Thanks so much!! Happy Holidays to you too! 🎄
You are looking lovely as always Vera and London is a great place to visit.Need to visit there one day. Stay safe out there and happy holidays.
Happy holidays! I hope you get to visit one day!
So proud of you girls .. the video was great...and I am a Londoner ❤
Thank you so much 😊
I'll be in London over Christmas week, so it was nice to know what to expect. Great video and you have a new subscriber!
Welcome and thank you so much!! 🤗
Loveliest 🌹 FA 💖 London layover vlog ever 🎀🎄🎂😘 !!! OMG Vera this is a Christmas treat 🎉.
You’re so sweet! Thank you 🤗💕🎄
Iconic, love to travel along with you! Merry Christmas (soon) Vera ❤️
Happy to have you come along! 🤗
Hi Vera!! I really loved this video..i live in Rome and love London..i went many times and same i will do again! I can give you some advice like afternoon tea at Savoy and visit Fortnum&Mason..etc..have a beautiful 2025!!😊
Hi Vera, What a wonderful vlog, so interesting and informative! It looked like you both had a great time. Thanks so much for sharing. Take care. ✈✈ The best of the holiday season.
We had a wonderful time!!
London is my top top city, and can really be magical around Christmas.
As London goes that room was huge, they can be really tiny.
The room really was massive
Its a dangerous foreign crap hole
Windsor is better than Buckingham Palace ...Regent Street is great for the lights but yes hate bumping into people...McDonalds in Europe doesnt have all those addictive chemicals the US has, but I'm sure many people point that out....remember the London Underground was the first Underground in the world ....London Bridge the one before the one you saw is in Arizona now...lol...from my point of view your point of view is valid and well thought out, i did laugh with regards to Kensington Palace being hazardous 😂😂...welcome to the 21st century of madness and silly people who think a bit of wind is hazardous 😂...Indian food having been to India is amazing in London and way better than India...❤
I need to go see Windsor!! Thank you for your thoughts and commenting 🤗
That’s because Windsor is an actual thousand-year-old castle. It’s the largest and longest continuously inhabited castle in the world. And the town of Windsor is very quaint.
@penname5766 ...very true , I live in Teddington just down the road from Windsor...go there often for a night out...
Lol London food is shit, real food in india is well seasoned but not overpowering. And i say that as someone who hates brown nosing indians, their food really is one of the best in the world
As usual, Great vlog Vera!! Merry Christmas!!!🎄🎁
Thank you! Merry Christmas to you too!
Thanks for sharing your adventures In London. Have an amazing week! Fly safe. Cheers. 🎄🤶🎅🛫🛬🇬🇧
Thank you so much gald you enjoyed!
I went to the Cotswolds...Dec 1-4th! I took the train from Paddington to Stoud and stayed at an Airbnb! It was so amazing !
Oooh I bet!! Im jealous
Merry Christmas young lady! Santa hopefully sent you nice present from Whole Foods! 👍 Stay safe and awesome in the sky! 👍✌️🤠✈️
I got it thank you so much!! I can’t wait to use it!
Great vlog and pretty accurate insights into London! It has been especially hectic recently in the West End, and is definitely usually easier to get around during midweek.
Late Spring & Summer is another amazing way to see London too as youll see how green the place is (it's the largest urban forest in the world).
Other areas / things to do to are Greenwich (South East London is generally known for its many views of the London skyline due to it being hilly), Peckham (rooftop bars), Primrose Hill, Camden, Dalston (nightlife), the Columbia Rd Flower Market on sundays, Brick Lane (best curries), as well as the many many many pubs - too many to mention, although the less touristy ones as you get outside of zone 1 tend to be better.
I'm new to your channel thankyou for welcoming me on a festive Christmas holiday ❤🎄⭐
Thank you for saying hi!! Happy to have you here 🤗
@BalancedFlyer no worries, and I'll look forward to your videos and vlogs in years to come
Your on Holiday just go with the Flow .No time Table. Hope you Enjoyed your stay in London.
Thank you we did!
Great choice in music throughout and the editing is on point.
Thank you, I care a lot about the music
YES! Deshum for life! I agree that its probably the highlight of anyone trip to London.
Visit Windsor Castle and historic Windsor town, the Long Walk and riverside, an easy journey by train from London and not far from Heathrow airport.
Christmas is such a vibe and especially in london :)
Ive been there too for new years and it sounds exactly like when went. Enjoy the sun and happy holidays
Vera, where was the flea market type place you went to early in the video that looks like a Parisian Brocante??????
These types of vlogs are awesome! Hopefully you do more like this. On the job ones are great too. These off duty videos add a nice change up.
Yes they’re just very expensive 🫠 I wish I could travel all the time like this
Also sooooo happy you got to see Shoreditch, it's definitely my favorite place I've been in london !
I loved it there!!
Good morning Vera how are you happy Tuesday morning to you and I enjoy your channel and you are amazing supporter
8 days to go before Christmas, Vera!❤🎄
So soon!!
What is the name of the hotel where you stayed ??? And where exactly is it located? What is the price for the night? Thank you🎉🎉
Oh wow, a stay in the financial district. Why not! Your hotel was across the road from the branch that my company banked with, before it dissolved into dust. Probably the most famous [financial] street in London. Because the Bank of England is sooo old, it gets referred to as The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street.
Discovered your channel by chance and enjoyed this vlog 😊
Black Cab (not car).
You missed the Ivy and Gordon’s Wine Bar.
Glad you had a lovely time in my home town.
They literally went to Gordon's Wine Bar bro.. 🙄
Merry Christmas 🎄 a great video, I throughly enjoyed it.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!
I’m a first time watcher of your vlog & channel & was pretty impressed at how you gathered the essence of the Capital in a few days. There are countless attractions from the markets, to the museums, to the food & architecture. London had everything & I’d go as far as to suggest it could be a world capital, given just how much is on offer in every respect for locals & tourists alike.
The Cotswolds would be another great choice for a Christmas break. Would be totally different to London of course but a beautiful location at all times of the year. Thanks for putting this excellent vlog together, you did a great job. Best wishes from the NW of England (Peak District area) 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
Thank you so much for your kind words! It’s very encouraging to hear someone from the country appreciate my video!
Shoreditch Born here! ❤ x.....I live on the corner of the North Sea and The Mouth of The Thames....Storm Darragh hit us in the East of England too....was a Storm and half! ❤
It really was! Those winds!!! Thank you for saying hello 🩷
Hi Vera, 1st time viewer and hey, love the vlog and think you’ve done an amazing job of summing up the windy winter trip to my home city of London. Some great hotels and locations on your journey and awesome to see how we shape up in hospitality and tourism experience as we have so much history to explore. I would definitely recommend a revisit during a mid May to mid June period sometime, when the weather can be more inviting and spring time is in full bloom. Definitely recommend a visit to Kensington Royal Park, followed by a tour of the Royal Albert Hall (right by the park) and possibly even a meal in the restaurant after your tour; and to complete the experience if there is a concert on, of interest, at the time, you will be blown away by the experience and just the nostalgia of the whole thing! And for shopping, Harrods and other great shops are a 5/10min taxi ride from the RAH itself. (may as well stay in a nearby hotel tbh😂) Hitting the subscribe button 👌❤️ Safe travels.
Perhaps you would like the beautiful tulip festival May time at Hampton Ct palace easily reached from central London...just a thought.
Okay I definitely need to come back on the spring time!! Thank you so much 🩷
I m English brought up in N London. Agree 100 p cent re crowds. Was also because they ve got a not so clever idea to divert a lot of buses along Oxford st etc and that in turn created double people on pavements! I went to try an afternoon high tea too but at Kew to a quaint tea place around 120 yrs old! I saw some lights and then sat at Outernet.. interactive lights on ceilings and walls ...I never made it to many lights as aim was to see peace garden in Grosvenor square site of former us embassy 1000s of white rose lights. Glad you enjoyed it all and hope you come again.
Great vlog!! You’re such a good tour guide for your audience! Thank you!
Aw thank you so much!!
So happy for you getting to go to London! Making great memories! 🙏💖🕊🎄
Yes it was so special!!
Big Ben is actually the hour chime in the Elizabeth Tower at the Palace of Westminster, formerly St Stephens Tower…
The U.K. chocolate bars you definitely need to try are Toffee Crisp, Lion Bar, Double Decker and Galaxy Salted Caramel 👍
Ooh okay!
love London. You have to splurge when doing tea. Great vlog
I totally agree!
What a cozy vlog! ❤️❤️❤️
Thanks for watching! 🥰
Christmas decorations and lights are great, but as you said, super busy. Did Manhattan one Christmas, beautiful, but completely overcrowded. The black car, are more commonly known as Hackneys, or even 'a black hose', all dared origins to those names.
Great vid.
Thank you!! Yea it reminded me very much of the crowds in Manhattan
Mcdonald's for the W. Looking amazing like always. 🎄🤶
Finally someone who’s not offended I got McDonald’s 😭
I’m going to London in April , so want to try borough market and dishoom
Yes two musts
Good night's London ❤ Edinburgh ❤
Wonderful video. ❤🫶🫰👌😎
Merry Christmas 🎅 🎄❄️
Merry Christmas!!
Yes, Buckingham Palace frontage is underwhelming, slightly better at night, the front was a later addition by Queen Victoria, a more interesting older house and courtyard exist behind, if you return at the right time of year you can book and tour the interior state rooms, and see the rear lawns.
I would love to do a tour
Greetings from Scotland Vera I’m glad you enjoyed London, definitely come to Scotland 🏴🥰
I will!! 🤗
ok I usually never write comments. but i have too...your eyes are beautiful!!
If you catch a train from Victoria station to Clapham Junction, get another train to Richmond. It's a pretty town at Christmas, and cut through to the River Thames with lots of pubs and restaurants.
There's also Richmond Park, with wild deer, if you like walking.
A few more stops on the train will take you to Hampton Court Palace, where Henry VIII used to live. Or you can take a river boat from Westminster Bridge to Richmond.
Absolutely. As a Twickenham boy, I agree.Most American tourists miss out on that one.But Ted Lasso will probably pull more in.
Good to hear you had a good time in London. Maybe come back next time in the spring or the summer?
That's the plan!
I just started missing london (and it's not my favorite place LOL) so this is perfectly timed! Looooove your editing
Thank you Malick!! I really want to go back soon to experience it in warmer weather!
Glad you found Dishroom, amazing Indian food! You should also try out Flat Iron next time, also very popular with queues to get in normally. Try getting away from the obvious tourist spots and try visiting towns/villages in Kent for example (about an hours train journey from London)
Thank you! I’m putting both on my list for next time
There's a special tourist bus you can take to see the sights. Probably open topped.
Great vlog, good to see you exploring outside the US and there’s so much to see in London you’ve only scratched the surface! Indian food in London and in the UK in general is great, due to the UK’s immigration history I would say it’s as refined as say Mexican food is in the US. Dishoom is always great but there are others that are worth a visit - Gymkhana or the Cinnamon Club (more expensive and upscale), Masala Zone (similar to Dishoom, but way less busy and food is just as good) or Tayyabs in Whitechapel near Shoreditch (cheaper than Dishoom and more authentic, although a little more rough around the edges - there’s always queues in the evenings and it’s BYOB (bring your own booze as they don’t sell/ serve alcohol - they have the best mango lassi I think I’ve ever had). Agree Christmas is super busy and it has been more busier this year than it usually is. Visiting in late September early October is probably the best time to visit LDN - the days are still long, weather is cooler, kids are all in School and walks around st James, Hyde park and Regent’s Park are super cosy with all the Autumn leaves.
Okay I’m saving this for all the good recommendations! Cinnamon club sounds interesting I’ll have to look it up.
You have to do an Edinburgh trip! Ideally during the festive period or the festival.
Yes it’s very high on my list!! Dying to go 🏴
Hey central London is like being in TImes Square at Christmas, so of course its gonna be jammed packed....Afternoon tea at the Ritz is the one though...Hope u enjoyed some of your stay....If you liked DIshoom next time your in town try Tayyabs in East London
Thanks for the recs! We wanted to go to the Ritz but it was too full and they weren’t letting people in which is understandable
When I visit London it's like if the life is asking me " how patient you are?" 😅
Nice vlog. And that’s coming from a Londoner. Portobello has a silent ‘t’ to be more authentic! Top tip, walk right through the market to the Ladbroke Grove bit, much better vintage stuff down there. Brick Lane is great for vintage as is Spitalfields. Thanks for the other tips. I don’t get to Shoreditch much. Dishoom is super popular and probs not that authentic. There are definitely better curry places. ❤
Glad you enjoyed London :) You're right thought about the crowds in certain parts of the city during Xmas time...just unavoidable unfortunately. However, some recommendations for if / when you return, would be:
- Hampstead Heath area (and check out the Spaniards Inn)
- Primrose Hill
- Greenwich (main, and village)
- As you liked Shoreditch, I'd definitely check out Hackney and Hackney Wick, alongside Hoxton / Haggerston e.g. Colombia Road and that area. Broadway Market too.
- Battersea Park and Battersea Power Station
- Spitalfields and Spitalfields Market
Outside of London, yes, the Cotswolds are a must. Christmas-time of during late Spring to late Summer is best IMO. I'd also recommend York. It's up in North England but you can get the train there pretty easily from London. It's very historic, has tonnes of charm, and (generally) lacks the crowds of the larger cities like London and Manchester. Bath also, I imagine you'd love, and Cambridge (better than Oxford, imo). If you're into nature, skip the Peak District and just do the Lake District. You don't have to be a big hiker to enjoy it there - even just mooching around the villages is more than enjoyable. Of course, I could also get onto the West Country...Bristol, Devon, Cornwall... but let's not get ahead of ourselves!
Hope to see you back soon in England :)
Thank you so much for this list!! I screen shot it so I would have for future reference. I can’t wait to do more exploring outside of London
@BalancedFlyer You're welcome!
Come back in the Summertime...😊
London in December can be a bit much... also gets very warm in the summer. Spring and Autumn are the best times to visit.
Perfect I’ll keep that in mind!
😂😂 pigeon-warning was funny...happy holidays🎉 If I ever make to the U.S again, I'll compare Mcdonalds, never thought about the difference. Also, did you buuuuy anything??
Nope didn’t buy a single item while I was there!
Definitely go to Liberty London next time. You will absolutely love it! It’s the most beautiful department store ever and it is right near Carnaby Street. Also get Indian food on Brick Lane. You will not regret it!!
Yes I’m sad I didn’t go to Liberty this trip, I’ll have to go next time!
They have a great sale section at Liberty. Great store. ❤
Next time come am a English Doorman so I open the door for you and friends 😊
Did You feel safer in UK
Did I feel safer in London than Boston? No I felt the same, no more no less.
Hi Vera- my husband and I have been to London twice but in the summer! So glad you enjoyed it! Just curious- is there any reason other than wanting to see different areas why you stayed at 3 different hotels?? I know for me I hate packing and unpacking but I’m older!💕😊🎅🏻🎄
Using points and different rates! It was also nice staying in different parts of the city
I recommend to the City of Birmingham & Oxford to you Vera & your friend Jade
Come back in the late spring / Christmas in Regent St is awful - and I’m British - you could’ve done Bond St or Marylebone High St which are pretty at Christmas and not busy by comparison …
Good to know!
If you go to Regent Street to see the lights, head for Liberty's store in Argyl Street.
Then opposite is the Palladium theatre, showing a Christmas pantomime. Theyre very funny and children love them. This year, it's Robin Hood.
Everyone mentioning Liberty I’m mad I missed it!
Love the vlog and love what you saw in London! I’ve been there one time myself in the spring of 2023 and loved every thing that we saw. You didn’t say why you changed hotels. Was it because there wasn’t availability for all the days that you were there or did you just want to experience different hotels in different parts of the city?
The later reason and also because Jade was using points/discounts
Remember when we were supposed to go?!
Just curious - why did you stay in so many different hotels? And such ludicrously expensive ones! Is your friend a hotel reviewer ? Were the hotels therefore free? The one with the separate little living room would have cost an absolute bomb!
(PS I live in London, so I do know these hotels/ these districts/ these restaurants. Your budget was clearly substantial.)
I was wondering that too. Would have liked to hear more about the hotels.
Great London trip, Vera!! Thanks for taking us along. Makes me miss London!! 🩷 Also, I highly recommend checking out Baths or any other town's Christmas Markets if you're in London during this time. You should also add Madrid to your list for Christmas Markets -- we go all out here, too!
I would love to see Madrid during Christmas!! I’ll have to put that on my list
You could always come to Tasmania in Australia where average temperature is 22 degrees c hehe may you have a fantastic Xmas and new year cheers Ray
One day I’ll make my way to Australia!
Good vlog, you should have taken a train up to Cambridge only less than an hour from Kings Cross. Cheers.
Thank you! Another time
If you adore Indian food try City spice in brick lane (you visited in the vlog) as an alternative to dishoom, Cotswolds, York, Bath, Canterbury, all the castles so much to see.......loved the vlog ❤
I must go!! Thank you for the Indian rec too!