24 Hours in London
Getting a sunny, 70-degree day in London is hard to come by. So you can imagine how pumped I was when I looked at the weather for my upcoming layover.
Typically, once arriving in London after working the redeye, I would get to my hotel room and immediately pass out for about five hours before heading out into the city to explore. It must have been a mix of it being an out-of-character sunny day in London and arriving later than usual around 1p.m, but I skipped the nap.
I charged up my phone and took my time getting ready while simultaneously chugging coffee and made it out of my room by about 2:30. I took the scenic route through Holland Park to Kensington High Street.
Since we stay in the Kensington area, I love walking around High Street because of the fantastic restaurants and shops. I’m able to hit all my favorite places without having to Uber or take the Tube. I popped in some of my favorites, like Zara, and stocked up on my favorite candy from Marks & Spencer. If you’re in London and like gummy candy, you must try the Percy Pig gummies, and better yet the best chocolate cake you’ll ever have from a grocery store is Colin the Caterpillar cake.
I made an early dinner reservation at The Ivy Kensington Brasserie. This was my third time at an Ivy restaurant, I’ve been to the Kensington location before and another time in Richmond, I highly recommend both restaurants if you’re in the area.
I treated myself to a seasonal chicken salad, a side of fries, and an Aperol spritz. (Aperol spritz tastes better in Europe and you can’t change my mind). At the Kensington location, they have the main restaurant and this outdoor/indoor patio in the back that feels like sitting in a garden. Both times I’ve sat out here and I love it because it’s a quiet, beautiful space in the center of a bustling city.
After my dinner, I decided to walk around a neighborhood I’d never explored before, Notting Hill. Part of this want was fueled by the 1999 movie with Julia Roberts. I wanted to walk the streets with all the multicolor houses and that’s exactly what I did.
Since I had to be up so early for work the next day, I didn’t stop in any of the packed pubs, sadly. I did however stop in an adorable little wine and liquor shop and I’m so mad at myself for not remembering the name. I will say though if you walk around Notting Hill there are tons of little boutiques worth exploring, and eventually, you’re bound to find the adorable wine shop I must find again.
I headed back to my hotel with my mini bottle of red wishing I could stay out longer on this beautiful day in London. If you’re lucky enough to get a warm sunny day in London, you’ll love every second of it. The city was bustling and every outdoor patio was packed. This gorgeous day made me fall even more in love with a city I’ve loved for years.
Fun story: I went to bed so early because my flight was supposed to leave at 7 a.m. HOWEVER it got delayed twelve hours so we didn’t end up leaving until that night SO I would’ve been able to stay out late at the pubs. Instead, I spent the extra twelve hours sleeping while it rained outside. Still a fun trip!
If you want to see a highlight from my London adventure click here and click through my pictures below!