i've been to london a couple of times this past year and i get asked hella about my favorite spots. so whether u came across this bc google or i sent you a link cause i don’t have time to write you a personalized mla-formatted essay, you’re gonna find some dope spots. BUT HEY PLEASE NOTE: i’m all about the instagram influencers in this post. these spots + breakdowns are centered around the perspective of a 21 year old who loves kim kardashian and vanilla lattes. it also will depend on your personal travel style. for us, everything is very loosely planned and layed back. a lot of walking is involved and a ton of wandering aimlessly thru different districts after brunch. so if you’re looking for a jam-packed day of tourist sights, this isn’t the place for you. if you’re wanting a more local experience at a moderate pace, i got u. plus, these places imma share are just plain cute. everything we did was just really really cute. :,) from brunch to tha club, let's get started!

this is based off of my personal itinerary from my trips. we also traveled in december-feburary, so idk what they do in the summer tbh. also: the key to this entire trip is taking the london tube (their metro/subway) please don’t even try me with uber and taxis. save your $ and get an entire week pass for $60 for zone 1-3. ur welcome.

if you're wondering the logistics of how we travel, save money, and exactly how i book my flights from california/seattle to london, i made an entire youtube video filled with the details. click here to watch!

TRAVEL ITINERARY BROKEN DOWN BY NEIGHBORHOOD

WHEN YOU FIRST ARRIVE - JET LAGGED AFTERNOON

aubaine inside selfridges department store

this is the perfect plan of attack for your very first day in london. it's the oxford circus stop and pretty mainstream but a good, laid-back afternoon when you are feeling jet lagged! and it's probably a rainy afternoon bc london..so go shopping!

first, go and have brunch at aubine selfridges! get there early and preferably on a weekday so you have lots of space for cute selfies. the ceiling is dripping in purple lilacs. do not use your dslr in this space though, only phone cameras. it is against their rules and you could get kicked out. it also can be kind of tricky to find the restaurant! it’s the third floor inside the selfridges department store. it is so magical and i highly recommend this spot!

then start shopping in oxford circus! this is a very mainstream shopping area (it reminds me of herald square in nyc). some of the stores include topshop, liberty of london, new look, urban outfitters, & other stories, and primark. boots is also a drugstore filled with cute united kingdom beauty products. my fav thing i have bought from boots (it was in scotland but same thing) is the sleek beauty highlight pallet in 'solstice' !!!

if you want a snack, go to ben’s cookies! this is the best cookie i have ever had. be sure to order milk with it.

for lunch walk about fifteen minutes to ‘the riding house cafe’ in fitzrovia. this is also a great neighborhood to walk around in. it's super cute and will make a great background for pics.

NOTTING HILL - NEIGHBORHOOD

click here to view my own post from this day!

granger & co was our favorite brunch spot in terms of food. aubaine selfridges won for instagram, but granger & co is your place if you actually give a shit about the food you’re eating. i had the ricotta pancakes twice and jenny had the salmon. be sure to order coffee here, it’s an australian restaurant so the coffee is prime. the waittime was not bad either, just 20 minutes. i prefer the notting hill location over the king street but they're both great!

farm girl cafe is my absolute favorite brunch spot in terms of cute! it's all pink and kind of shabby chic. they have the most adorable menue (rose pancakes, puppy latte art). however, it gets even more packed than granger & co, so come early on a tuesday morning!

after you eat just walk around notting hill. this is my absolute favorite neighborhood in london.

THE BEST INSTAGRAM SPOTS

if you’re familiar with the adorable instagram pictures of doors and notting hill homes, they’re most likely taken at mew’s! mews are old stables that have been converted into apartments. they open up from an archway just big enough for a car off the side of the road. this is where you can find hot pink houses and gardens….etc. my favorite is the famous all-pink one called 'st luke's mews'

COFFEE IN NOTTING HILL

jusu brothers, an all-white space. i am pretty sure this is a place that has tons of vegan options. great for a healthy breakfast of acai bowls! i just love the interior of this space..very nyc aye.

SHOPPING IN NOTTING HILL

honestly they have everything! my favorite is toast london. i love their basic pieces. walk along westbourne grove street and you will come upon dozens and dozens of high end boutiques. this is the same street as granger & co.

PORTOBELLO MARKET

an eclectic open-air market that runs down hella blocks. not a ton of restaurant options though, so i suggest coming here after you’ve had lunch. be sure to check out the adorable flower shop, nikki tibble's wild at heart!

CAMEDEN - NEIGHBORHOOD

a very alternative neighborhood! this place is really unique and super fun. kind of low key loosely reminds me of canal street but also totally not really at all. there are so many grunge/gothic clothing boutiques, tattoo shops, and more.

CAMEDON MARKET

a huge food market, lots of little bars + restaurants, vintage shopping, and so much more! it kind of reminds me of chelsea market.

VICTORIA - NEIGHBORHOOD

peggy porschen cakes - this spot deserves it’s own paragraph/mla formatted essay. peggy’s is an adorable pastel pink dessert spot that is essential for any blogger to visit. they have pink glassware, marble tables, and the cake is actually good. you know when you order a cupcake over the cake just to be safe????? noooooo playa ORDER THE CAKE HERE. it’s so good.

then walk up the street to ‘nikki tibble’s wild at heart’ flower shop! one of my favorite things about london is that it's bursting with flower shops, even in the middle of winter!

LATE AFTERNOON IN HYDE PARK

rent a bike for about £10 and ride down hyde park. this is a great thing to do at around 3pm. end your ride by the serpentine lake. we went during sunset and watched all the swans. (wtf why are there so many swans????) click here to see our vlog for inspo.

OTHER INSTAGRAM BRUNCH SPOTS:

the london grind - it's near the london bridge so bonus points bc tourism. also, marble tables.

where the pancakes are - pretty trendy (think: glossier pink bathroom tile) and good!

26 grains - super healthy (lots of vegan options) and right along another main shopping center

NIGHTLIFE

yo, shoreditch is the place to be. the clubs we went to were mad safe and so much fun. here are our favs:

CARGO. cargo holds a special place in our hearts. the playlist is all top 40s and the crowd is mostly 18-24. super safe too and the entrance is $10. things don’t get lit until 11pm. but if you show up early (9:30, 10) you can get in for free. however, there isn't any wifi around so we suggest taking a taxi instead of uber home!
BLUES KITCHEN. just a few blocks up from cargo. older crowd, but so dope. it’s also a restaurant until 10pm and they have live music. this is a little bit older crowd, like 25+
HAPPINESS FORGETS. this is an underground bar with the best cocktails! the space is very small and reminds me of seattle. great for a weeknight.

and that's it! london is one of my favorite cities on earth. i want to go back in the fall when it's warmer. we also made a few vlogs (we are not videographers chill they're just for fun) that you can watch if you want to see our full itinerary from our first trip!)

LONDON CITY GUIDE FOR BLOGGERS

TRAVEL ITINERARY BROKEN DOWN BY NEIGHBORHOOD

WHEN YOU FIRST ARRIVE - JET LAGGED AFTERNOON