London

In this post I will be talking about my favourite things to do in London as well as providing tips on how to visit without spending a fortune.

I've loved visiting London since I was a child and though it's only around an hour away by train I don't go nearly as much as I'd like to. That said, I do tend to visit different places every time I do go and ensure I save pictures and events I find on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to my London Pinterest board as it's a great way to store ideas for future trips (you can find my login details on the right hand side by clicking the icons or on my contact page if you need some inspiration!)

My favourite things to do when visiting the capital generally involve visiting galleries as well as hitting up the latest trendy bars and restaurants I've managed to find! Last year I visited Sketch, which has some of the coolest toilets I have ever seen; pod like toilets that seem to make Mork & Mindy (if you're old enough to remember the show) style nano nano noises! They also do a great range of cocktails and have different theme bar areas as well as an afternoon-tea area, which has been recommended to me by friends.

I have also visited DSTRKT at Piccadilly Circus a few times as they do great food and after eating there you can gain free entry to the club if you want to come back later and party the night away! When it comes to dining in London if there's somewhere nice I want to visit I will always check the deals available on Bookatable, Buyagift and more recently apps such as Fever. When visiting places like DSTRKT I have used the star deals available on Bookatable and enjoyed a three course meal with a cocktail for around £30pp and despite the competitive pricing we are talking really good food such as pulled pork sliders, steak with parmesan and truffle wedges! 

I have recently booked Gilgamesh in Camden for my friend's birthday and if you're reading this there is no reason why you can't find a similar deal to mark an occasion or make that trip to London extra special. 

At the start of this post I mentioned that days out in the capital don't necessarily have to be expensive or at least not as expensive as it could be! One of the main things that has saved me cash or at least ensured I've visited more often is The Network Railcard available for approximately £30 per annum, which gives you a third off rail fares and you can gain 241 entry or discounted meals by travelling into London by train. Last year I used my train ticket to gain cheaper entry (£9 for two using the 241 train ticket entry) to the Tower Bridge Exhibition, which enables you to view the bridge through the glass floor 42 metres above the River Thames.

An all tube zones travelcard into London costs £20 from Milton Keynes but costs me £13 with my railcard and £10 if there's more than two of you travelling together. Depending on your location this may benefit those looking to venture into London at a cheaper price. 

On days when I really don't have much money to spend in the fancy restaurants and bars London has to offer, I tend to opt for a more cultural visit by visiting the free museums and galleries. The Natural History Museum, British Museum, Victoria & Albert museum all offer free admission. Whilst benefiting my bank account I genuinely find this to be one of the best things to do in London and particularly love The Saatchi Gallery located next to the Sloane Square tube station in Chelsea as this contemporary gallery often showcases the most off-the-wall pieces of art and you know never know what you'll see!

On sunny days the London markets offer a vast array of food and are also great to visit. Markets such as Camden serve food to suit any pallet with the Bang Bang Chicken man being highly regarded in the area. Borough Market located next to London Bridge tube station is my favourite as this not only offers a great selection of food and cheeses, which can be bought for a picnic to be enjoyed at St James's Park located close by, but its location also enables great photos of The Shard and St Paul's; a mere ten minute walk across The Millennium Bridge.

If the weather is not permitting, which is often the case in London there are some great pubs offering good pub grub. On occasion I have enjoyed food in The Prince of Wales pub in Covent Garden and The Parcel Yard located inside Kings Cross Station. The curry houses adorning Brick Lane are also a great shout for those on a budget looking for great food and is located five/ten minutes walk from Aldergate East tube station. To get the best deals for lunch make sure you are dining before 3pm and after 5pm for dinner as the restaurants tend to stop doing their deals between these times. I recommend The Eastern Eye Balti House on Brick Lane as this not only serves great food but also has a bottle of house red for only £8, which my mum certainly enjoyed!

As the weather is slowly improving I have a number of events planned for upcoming visits to London so stay tuned for more reviews. I also welcome any comments or recommendations from others on places to visit.

Thanks for reading,

Jaz 

xoxo