For our final day in London proper I wanted to have a very “Royal” day! First stop of the day was Westminster Abbey. I had been wanting to check out the Abbey for years. On my first trip to London as a broke backpacker we ran out of money and couldnt afford to check out the inside. So, this was pretty high up on my list (especially after waking up at 4AM years ago to watch a certain royal couple get married!)
Admission was included in the London Pass and I was very excited to get a headset to learn more. Luckily, Gabe was in charge of Davis so I could leisurely stroll through the Abbey learning all the things. I was most excited to check out the various crypts of perished kings and queens that I had seen in shows and movies. You are not allowed to take photos inside the Abbey which I suppose is good and bad!
After about an hour in Westimster Abbey we walked down Parliament Street towards Trafalgar Square. We walked past 10 Downing Street where the Prime Minister lives, the Cavalry Museum where Davis could marvel at the horses and of course we passed many red phone booths that we just had to take a picture in front of! After exploring a bit more we climbed on the top of a double decker bus and headed towards our next Royal activity….afternoon tea!
When planning this trip I knew I wanted to splurge on an afternoon tea somewhere fancy! Sketch London kept popping up again and again in all my searches. It seemed like a truly unique tea experience in a beautiful location. It was all that and more. I always recommend making the first reservation time available at any restaurant for brunch-this is your best chance at getting some awesome pictures of the restaurant itself before it fills up!
We were quickly seated in a pretty little table complete with the cutest pink high chair I have ever seen! There are seemingly endless options for tea! I decided on a truly delicious darjeeling and Gabe went with a lemon grass and ginger! With our tea in hand we were excited to tackle the first decadent menu item, a bit of caviar! Well that excitement quickly turned to amusement when we realized how much Davis enjoyed caviar-so much so that we let him eat it all (boujee baby)
After our first pot of tea and caviar they brought out a gorgeous tower of treats. The first tier was an assortment of finger sandwiches ranging from the traditional cucumber to a salmon option and even a chicken curry sandwich! The second tier was filled with little cakes, cream puffs and tarts! The top tier was home made marshmallow and a delectable parfait. Every little bit was delicious. Anything you particularly loved you can ask for more of! To finish off the meal they have a dessert trolley that comes around to give you one last slice of heaven-a traditional english sponge cake! We took ours to go since we were so stuffed.
Afternoon Tea at Sketch is a splurge. I don’t even want to tell you what it costs because looking back now it seems like an crazy amount to spend on some tea and finger sandwiches. But it truly is an experience. The main gallery is a visual dream. Pink as far as the eye can see with really fun pops of color “sketchs” on the walls. I didn’t include a picture of the bathroom because I don’t want to spoil the surprise that is walking into the Sketch bathroom for the first time (seriously, do not leave without going to the bathroom-thank me later!)
With our bellies full we hopped back on the bus and headed towards a new part of town. We decided to swing by Kensington Palace so Davis could play with George and Charlotte! No, but seriously I was dying to check out Kensington Palace! When we first arrived we decided to run around the gardens and let Davis burn off some energy (seriously don’t underestimate the power of wide open spaces when traveling with children!) After he was good and ready we headed in to explore the Palace.
Admission was included in our London Pass. When you first enter you head up stairs to explore the old royal residences of Queen Victoria, she was born and grew up in Kensington Palace. We were very excited to see a box of old toys that kids are encouraged to play with in her former toy room. This kept Davis entertained with Daddy while I could walk around and check out the various rooms, royal jewels, paintings etc. I was extremely excited they had a special exhibit going on called Diana: Her Fashion Story. It included many gorgeous and iconic dress that Princess Di once wore! Unfortunately this exhibit was temporary and has since closed but if they ever bring it back it should be a must visit on your itinerary!
At the end of the day we decided to head to one final neighborhood to explore. Notting Hill is a trendy, vibrant old neighborhood in London’s west side. With no destination in mind we wandered the streets admiring the gorgeous row houses painted all the colors of the rainbow. We ended up on Portobello Road, famous for it’s cafes and vintage markets selling antiques! It’s a fun and different little area of London to stop by for a bit of shopping!
Overall it was an amazing final day spend in London. I truly love London. It’s a gorgeous city filled with beautiful architecture and so much history. One of the best and worst things about London is it is huge. There is so much to explore and things do feel a bit spread apart. Although London isn’t known for having the best food I’d say they have lots of hidden gems. Do a little research and you will find fabulous food options! I’d absolutely love to go back to London again and explore all the other places London has to offer!
Britt Heller 