A Semester in the City
London became my home base throughout my semester abroad — a place where tradition and modern life constantly blended together.
My weekdays were a mix of classes, late-night bus rides, and exploring weekend markets. I loved slow mornings in Notting Hill, wandering along the South Bank in the afternoons, and ending the day with West End shows whenever I could.
London Highlights
My London Recommendations
- Tower of London
- Borough Market
- Notting Hill (Portobello Market)
- Camden Market
- Big Ben & Parliament (Highly recommend touring inside!)
- The Shard
- Buckingham Palace
- Tower Bridge
- London Eye
- Westminster
- Primrose Hill (Beautiful sunset spot!)
- Battersea Power Station
- St. James’s Park
- Sky Garden
- Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio Tour (Just outside the city!)
- British Museum
- Imperial War Museum
- Design Museum
- National Gallery
- National Maritime Museum
- National Portrait Gallery
- Cartoon Museum
- Tate Modern
- The Royal Academy of Arts
- Tavolino
- Dishoom
- Pho & Bun
- Wong Kei
- Franco Manca (A reliable chain — always easy to find!)
- The Wolseley (Upscale with an incredible atmosphere)
- Wetherspoons (Affordable chain pub food — consistently good)
- Honestly, most local pubs serve amazing meals!
- Check out a university farmers market — UCL’s Thursday market has incredible fresh food!
- Les Misérables
- The Lion King
- Mamma Mia
- Phantom of the Opera
- Matilda
- Wicked
- Book of Mormon
- Hamilton
- Albert’s Schloss
- Roxy’s (Half-off pitchers on Thursday nights!)