Make the most of your time in London with this simple travel guide based on our adventures.

Phil fell in love with London, England ever since he did a semester abroad there. Thanks to their rainy, cold weather and love for soccer it's his perfect place.

We decided to spend a few days there and it was everything we wanted and more. Our time was perfect and we could see ourselves living in London maybe sometime in the future.

It just has a vibe we like and is compact enough to walk around. Even if you can only spend a few days visiting, you will. not be disappointed.

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Where to Stay

Rent a Flat

First off, can we talk about how awesome it is that the apartments in London are called flats!?! The best thing to do when visiting London is to live like the locals. This means renting a flat.

We rented one through Airbnb and it was perfect. Most of the flats seem pretty compact but they make really good use of their space. Renting a flat means you can get closer to the action downtown.

The flat we rented had a perfect street view and the perfect London feel. Our favorite part was the location as we walked everywhere. We also liked that there was a separate bedroom and living room so if one of us woke up with jet lag we could go watch TV without waking up the other one. 

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Where to Eat

Cambridge Street Kitchen

This place is a little restaurant with cool vibes and cocktails. We went for brunch and it had some unique but very delicious options. They have a small menu but everything looks good.

They had normal breakfast items like pancakes and bacon and they had more modern, healthy choices as well. Make reservations as it fills up fast and there's not a lot of room on the inside. The only downside is they don't give to-go containers so make sure to come hungry.

Urban Meadow

Located in a DoubleTree this place looks fancy and has great vegetarian options. It also has a great wine selection and we made it just in time for happy hour.

The dishes are slightly small but very filling. Plus, let's be honest, it's just possible we're too used to American portion sizes. There is a big outdoor eating area but since we went in February it was too chilly.

St George Tavern

This was the first place we went to after checking into our flat. We were hungry from traveling and it was only a five-minute walk from where we were staying. Plus open and serving alcohol at 10:30 am.

The best part about this place was the beer but the second best was their veggie burger. We were very prepared to just have beer and fries but were excited when we found out they had other options. It had a perfect pub feel complete with soccer playing in the background.

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What to Do

Hyde Park

This is the iconic park in London. We visited in the winter so the boats weren't out and we didn't stay very long but it was well worth the trip.

It is a huge park which has a lot of tourist spots. There is a palace on one side, plenty of gardens, the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain and tons of open space to relax and walk around.

It's easily accessible from anywhere in London thanks to its central location. It is open from 5 am to midnight every day of the year so it is easy to visit whenever you go.

There was something about walking around the park all bundled up that made us feel like true Londoners. We also liked the ability to "site-see" and take plenty of pictures in one location.

Portobello Street Market

This place is a giant thrift store on the street so obviously, this was a must for Kelsey. They have antiques, clothes, food and many other items at both stalls and stores which are open throughout the week.

Their big day is Saturday when basically everyone is there and the place is packed. We ended up going on Friday which was much less busy but still had tons of stuff to look at and buy.

Make sure you prepare ahead and wear your walking shoes as the whole market is one long street that just seems to go forever. You can also take the train or bus here as there are eleven bus routes that drop off near the area or you can take the Hammersmith or Circle lines.

We walked there from our flat and ended up logging 8 miles! The blisters were worth it but looking back taking transportation there would have been a better idea. Since the entire market is so big you still get plenty of exercise just walking around the market.

Fulham Soccer Game

If you go to London a soccer game (or should we say a football game) is a must. We went to a Fulham game at Craven Cottage, but you have your pick of the litter when it comes to soccer teams in London.

There are six premier league teams spread around London including Arsenal, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham, and Fulham (although they weren't in the premier league when we saw them). If you don't want to spend big bucks you can also catch a game with any of the 5 teams in lower leagues.

English fans (and European fans in general) are passionate about their soccer and there isn't a bad seat in a stadium. A lot of times, the smaller clubs are even better to watch because they have very intimate settings and passionate supporters all around you.

We walked to the game from our flat and loved exploring England on foot but you can always catch a ride with a taxi or on the tube to get another authentic London experience.

We sat next to some great locals who were very drunk but extremely kind. They even offered us a swig from their flask, but we respectively declined.

Their passion and team spirit were contagious and they had us cheering on their team the whole time. We're big Fulham fans now but don't worry...Phil still loves Liverpool more.

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We hope our travel guide for London, England will inspire you and help you plan your next trip. Enjoy sophisticated vibes and beautiful architecture. Happy Adventuring!