On the first day friends from home come to visit, we head to Southbank. There you can see many of London’s sites in an afternoon. So that’s where I go (with a lovely detour to Bank) when I want to have a perfect London day. I get it all: great coffee, beautiful views, and delicious food. My senses go on overdrive and I love it. On a sunny day, there’s no better place I rather spend my Friday morning/afternoon.
When heading to Borough Market I usually leave my flat without a bite to eat. There’s no need breakfast. I’ll have lots of food to pick from once I arrive. I always start with Monmouth Coffee, one of my (if not my favorite) places to get a cup of coffee. The baristas there really know the science behind good coffee-making and always offer great suggestions for your coffee and brewing needs. They are the bee’s knees.
Monmouth Coffee, Borough Market
With a nice coffee jumpstart I’m ready to hit the market stalls.
Borough Market, Southbank London
I can’t leave the market without our salsa ingredients. We practically drink the stuff and need to make a new batch weekly.
Favorite place for veggies.
Borough Market, London
Often I meet a friend for lunch and my favorite place to go is Roast. They serve a great applesauce pork sandwich. There’s often a long queue for them but it’s worth waiting for.
Time for lunch!
While waiting for my sandwich I look at what the butcher next door has to offer. One word: interesting.
Look at what the butcher has to offer.
With a happy belly a walk is in order. I often take the same route: past the Great Hall, The Anchor Pub, The Globe and across The Millennium Bridge.
Part of the Great Hall of Winchester Palace, built in the early 13th century.
The Globe. Catch a show, it will be the best fiver you will ever spend!
Walking over the Millennium Bridge.
I never tire of seeing St. Paul's.
I love to finish up with a coffee or cake (or both!) at Bea’s of Bloomsbury. Nothing beats having a snack while staring out to St. Paul’s and thinking, “Hell yeah, I totally live here.” When managing through the daily grind that fact easy to forget. It’s nice to be reminded that I live in a gorgeous city surrounded by the history I loved reading in textbooks.
Lemon curd cheesecake, a latte and a friend. Perfect end to my perfect day in London.
So that’s my perfect day in London. I highly recommend it.
I will have to recreate this day soon! I have yet to go to borough market, sad but true. I think my favourite day out would have to include either camden market or the flower market but definitely a market.
Ack! You must go! It’s better to go on a Thursday because it’s less crowded. But most of the vendors are there on a Friday or Sunday.
I haven’t gone to the flower market. Must do that!
What an incredible post!!! I loved every minute of it and was more than a tad jealous that I wasn’t with you on the day you took this tour!
Maybe on one of your days off we should do go on this tour. It’ll be be a great day, I guarantee.
Actually, I am loving the idea of exploring Little Venice!!! I vaguely knew about the canals in London but now I really want to explore them.
Let’s do it! I’m so game. It’ll be well fun.
That does look like a perfect day. Especially the last bit
I think you just planned at least one day of my vacation! I had been wondering if the Borough Market was worth a visit, and you just convinced me!
Glad I could help
The Tate Modern is along Southbank as well. So schedule that in if you’re a modern art fan.
This is on the schedule for next week! Thanks for sharing! The sandwich at Roast sounds so good!!!
Hope you enjoy it. It’s really a great day way to spend the day. Try to beat the lunch crowd. They start arriving around noonish.
I do love Borough, but it’s SO busy that I often don’t go. That veggie shop is my favourite place to get veg, though. At Borough at least – I get a veg box delivered every other week so THAT is my ultimate favourite.
I do find Borough to be very expensive – but lots of samples!!! Have you heard of the Maltby Street Market? it’s an overflow of borough – some of the vendors got priced out – and is now in Bermondsey. It’s really cool too. Google it!
Yes, I’ve been but didn’t see many vendors (maybe 5?). Maybe because it was super cold that day and some vendors stayed home?
Borough Market is best to go in the winter before noon. I never have problems when I go early. But yes, definitely expensive but I really find they offer good quality.
You are getting me hooked on architecture
Architecture is so amazing. To think that some of the most beautiful building and structures were made before machinery! Blows my mind!
Gorgeous. Thank you for sharing, I used to love wandering around Southbank, too.
Yes, best fiver I’ve ever spent (several times over) was for groundling tickets at the Globe. (Do they still serve massive paper vats of mulled wine and also pea soup? delicious..) They do amazing work there.
Massive paper vats of mulled wine?! Sounds like I need to go back this spring and take a look.
How fun! Loving your little blog-o-tours of London!
Glad you’re enjoying them. Next stop on the tour: Muswell Hill and Highgate.
OMG I love St Pauls. I thought my heart was going to fall out of chest when I walked in there!
It’s truly a gorgeous church. Even if a person is not religious they cannot help but be moved by the sheer beauty of the architecture. It’s breath-taking for sure.