I recently just got back from a 17 day Europe trip which was absolutely amazing. I stepped away from posting blogs for a couple weeks just so I could enjoy my trip, but now I have a lot of blogs and travel guides to share. I booked this trip through EF Ultimate Break back in November 2020 when the world was still at a bit of a standstill but I had hope that by May 2022, things would be back to a new normal. Luckily, I was right and was able to enjoy my first ever trip in Europe.
The trip is called the European Road Trip and I paid about $4,500 for it. This price includes all travel and rooming expenses, plus breakfast and two dinners. I will likely post a whole blog about EF as a whole, but my overall consensus is to book with them.
We started the trip in London so I think it’s only right to start with that travel guide first.
PLACES TO SEE | There are many things to do in London. I’m sure there are other places that I could have seen, but Westminster Abbey, Notting Hill, the Elizabeth Tower/Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, and the Tower Bridge are what I was able to squeeze in.
Westminster Abbey was beautiful on the outside. I didn’t get to see the inside, but I’m sure it’s just as beautiful. If you can get a tour to learn the history, I would highly recommend doing so.
Notting Hill was filled with colorful houses (perfect for Insta), but be aware of the locals who live in these homes because they may scream at you for no reason … speaking from experience.
The Elizabeth Tower, featuring Big Ben is stunning at night. I would recommend visiting it during the day and night for different perspectives. Across the street from the Elizabeth Tower are a couple red telephone booths. Snag a picture in one of them with Big Ben in the background.
Trafalgar Square features a beautiful water fountain, the smallest police station in London, and the National Gallery. If we had more time, we would’ve visited the museum.
Finally, you can’t go to London and not visit the Tower Bridge. Walk along the River Thames to watch it get bigger and bigger as you walk towards it, and then make sure to walk across the bridge to get a more detailed look at its beauty.
THINGS TO DO | As far as not free things to do, London is also filled with many options.
You can’t go to London and not go to high-tea. I found Brigit’s Bakery Bus from TikTok and it did not disappoint. The double decker bus takes you around London to see major landmarks while also feeding you amazing food starting at £45. Literally everything we ate was amazing. Each person gets one of each sandwich and dessert. Make sure to book this in advance.
If you’re a Harry Potter fan you cannot miss House of MinaLima. It’s the design studio behind the graphics of the films. To see the original artwork in person is a surreal experience. It’s free to visit, but if you want to purchase artwork or other souvenirs, you obviously have to pay.
If you’re looking for something to do on a night out, visit Ballie Ballerson. It is a bar with a ball pit, so it’s basically an adult’s playground. Make sure to hold onto your belongings really well to not lose anything to the ball pit. The bar is also not in the greatest area, so I would recommend Ubering straight there instead of utilizing The Tube.
The London Eye is another major landmark and monument for England. You’ll have 30 minutes on the ride to enjoy the views and snap lots of pictures. It looks really high up but it was going slow enough that it didn’t feel that scary.
Tayler Renee May 