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An Aspiring Heroine - Cincinnati Lifestyle & Travel Blog

Cincinnati-based, milliennial lifestyle and travel blog

Three Days in London

February 11, 2015

London is one of my favorite international cities and a destination I visit over and over again. I've written all about my favorite London sights and restaurants just for you | An Aspiring Heroine

It’s hump day, guys, and I’m not sure I’ve ever been more excited for the middle of the week to arrive! I’m excited to get to share with you what I would consider a perfect three days in London! Some of these things Spencer and I actually did on our honeymoon, and the rest I hope to see, eat, and experience later this year with my parents. Fingers crossed, knock on a big block of wood with the middle knuckle of my left hand!


Day 1

What better way to begin a trip to London than with a stop into the Tower of London? We got there at just about opening time, and I would recommend that for anyone who wants to see the Crown Jewels, which are spectacular by the way. They were 100% worth the 30 minutes we waited in line because the queue was interactive and all about history, so I was in love.

However, if we had waited even thirty minutes longer to enter the line, that line would’ve been three times longer, so don’t do that. I would also suggest climbing inside all of the little towers to explore the Tower’s rich history. (Can you tell that I live for this stuff?)

If you have lots of time on your hands, take one of the guided tours with the Yeomen. Maybe even just block out the extra hour that it takes so you can do a Yeoman Tour because it was a highlight of my trip. (I seriously even follow my tour guide on Twitter; he was that delightful.)

Tower of London

LUNCH: The Narrow Limehouse – This lunch was the big, must-do dining experience on our list, and it did not disappoint! I’ve watched plenty of Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares, and his restaurant did everything perfectly. No complaints here!

The Narrow - Limehouse

From the Limehouse area, we took the DLR back to the Tower Bridge to hop onto a boat cruise! I honestly didn’t have huge expectations for the Thames River Cruise because it was included with our passes, but I would recommend it to anyone who wants to get off their feet for a bit and see London from a whole new angle. Also our guide was hilarious, and the photo ops were on point!

Thames River Cruise

After roughly a thirty minute cruise, you’ll be right near Westminster Abbey, so take advantage! Living in the U.S., you can sometimes forget that there are places in the world that have been continuously occupied for thousands of years, and I’ll have to admit that the burial dates for some of the royals put to rest in the Abbey had me reeling. (All the history-lover feels!)

My favorite part was probably the Poets’ Corner because they do a good job of representing a wide range of Britain’s contributors; everyone from Keats to J.R.R. Tolkein is included here!

You could then take advantage of your proximity to the Churchill War Rooms, which were fascinating if a little long and involved. (Plus there weren’t any Daleks, which was honestly just a huge disappointment.)

DINNER: Li Veli – This bright little Italian bistro and winery has great food and a good-for-your-budget prix fixe menu. It’s right in the middle of Covent Garden, so you’ll be in a great place if you have theater plans for the evening. (Cursed Child, anyone?)

Day 2

We didn’t get to tour Buckingham Palace because we went at Christmastime, and I guess it’s only fair that the royals get the holidays off, too. If we’d gotten to explore more of this area, the Royal Mews and the Queen’s Gallery are included in the London Pass, so I definitely would’ve hit them up as well.

Buckingham Palace

LUNCH: The Bear and Staff – Located right in Leicester Square, this pub’s dining room is tiny, so either get there early or reserve a table beforehand. The food is great, traditional pub fare, and they have a good selection of English beers on tap!

Can I just say that I’m obsessed with Best LDN Walks? We took their Royal London Walking Tour because it was also included with our passes (noticing a trend?), and I would honestly go back and do every single one that they offer: Haunted London, Sherlock Holmes, Jack the Ripper… all of them!

We began the tour in Trafalgar Square and walked all the way to Buckingham Palace, stopping through St. James’ Palace, Pall Mall, and other cool places that I don’t remember the names of. Our guide was wonderful and engaging, and it was easily my favorite part of our time in London!

DINNER: You’re really close to Hyde Park, so take a gander around the area. Perhaps the Queen’s favorite, chicken tikka masala?

Day 3

On your final day in London, take time to stroll through some of the world’s most famous greenery, and maybe even check out the residence right in the middle of it all! We didn’t get to tour Kensington Palace like I wanted to as they have a whole exhibit dedicated to Queen Victoria and little baby George lives here. But we did get to enjoy Kensington Gardens along with many other Londoners and their adorable dogs!

Kensington Palace

LUNCH/AFTERNOON TEA: The Orangery – No, we didn’t end up getting to stop into this little gem, but I’ve heard such great reviews about it, and I must do afternoon tea even if it is touristy and overrated. Maybe next time with my mom?

I’ve heard all sorts of wonderful things about the Victoria and Albert Museum, and you’re so close to it at this point in the day that it’d really be a shame to not stop in. Did I mention that admission is free? Now you literally have no excuse.

And finally, a place very close to my heart: Hyde Park. During the winter, a good portion of the park is full of vendors, carnival rides, and food stands in the most adorable Christmastime festival you have ever seen.

Then you’ll also have to wind your way down the Serpentine and find all of the statues on your list. Mine included Peter Pan (obviously) as well as the memorial to Princess Diana. There’s no better way to finish out a long weekend in London than with some leisurely meandering through what might be the most well-known park in the world.

DINNER: Serpentine Bar & Kitchen – It’s very casual, but if you’re there early enough, there’s no better place in Hyde Park for views of the Serpentine.

Things You Should Know:

  • Just like in Paris, we used a pass for all of our sight-seeing: the London Pass. I would definitely recommend checking out the attractions that are included with the pass and making your own decisions based on what you want to see in London. Time of year makes a big difference as do holidays, so make sure the pass is worth the money for what you want to get out of your London vacation.
  • We went ahead and included the Travel Option with the London Pass, and it made our transportation around the city really simple. You can use the London Underground, the iconic red double-decker buses, and the DLR. One thing to note is that the London Pass Travel Cards only work from 9:30 am on, so don’t show up at 8:45 like we did and have to wait in a cold Underground station.
  • Order your theatre tickets ahead of time, especially if there’s something you have your heart on seeing. There are all sorts of discount ticket vendors in Leicester Square, but they won’t have the big-ticket shows available for that night or probably even that week! Of course, this is even more crucial if you’re going over holidays or other busy times of year.

I cannot wait to make it back to London and see even more of this great city. Here’s hoping it’ll happen sooner rather than later!

What would you love to see in London? Anything you were surprised that I left out?

P.S. Don’t forget to check out part one of our insanely wonderful honeymoon: Paris!

8 Comments Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: Europe, london, travel guide, travel itinerary

Three Days in Paris

January 16, 2015

DISCLOSURE: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. READ THE FINE PRINT.

Looking for a perfect travel itinerary for a long weekend in Paris, France? Here are all of my favorite sights, eats, and museums in the City of Light! | An Aspiring Heroine

First thing’s first: tomorrow is my grandfather’s seventy-ninth birthday! (You read that correctly: he’ll be 79 years young!) In celebration of his rather impressive life, I’ll be making one of my favorite and definitely the easiest of my grandmother’s recipes this weekend. Stop by the blog on Monday to get the party snack you’ve been missing all of your life. Happy birthday, Poppop!

Now, for your regularly scheduled programming…

As I’m sure most of you know, Spencer and I spent our magical honeymoon in Paris and London, and it was the best trip ever. Hands down.

I’ve always been a bit of a travel planner, so hopefully someone will get some use out of this plan for three days in Paris! And one more note, I tend to really fill my days spent abroad. Just ask Spencer whose feet gave out on him after the very first day of our honeymoon. (Pack some good walking shoes, that’s all the warning you get!)


Day 1

On your first day in Paris, you need to hit some of the big sights that make the Paris tick. So take the Metro to the Cité station and the Cathedral of Notre Dame (and get there early because this place gets hoppin’). Make sure to take a spin inside this famous building, but if you want to go up into the Bell Tower, you can queue up on the left side of the cathedral. We got there too late, so if you get to go up and chill with Quasimodo, leave me a comment telling me how not worth it it was. 😉

From there, you should make a judgment call: if you love Impressionism as much as I do, you should probably make it to the Musée d’Orsay. If not, you should probably get there anyway, and then you can love Impressionism as much as I do! The top floor of the museum is a Monet lover’s dream, and there’s also a whole wing devoted to Van Gogh; although I will warn you that it’s nothing like what Doctor Who would have us believe (I don’t think Bill Nighy was even there)!

LUNCH: Restaurant du Musee d’Orsay – No, we didn’t eat here, but I so wanted to, and it’s got amazing reviews. Plus, the space itself looks gorgeous!

It’s about a twenty minute walk from the Musée d’Orsay, so take some time to enjoy Paris and all of its scenery! I promise you that you won’t miss L’Hôtel National de Invalides. It’s a huge, impressive building, which makes sense considering it’s the final resting place of Napoleon Bonaparte. There are also a lot of interesting collections that center around the military history of France.

DINNER: No recommendations in this area! Pick a cute little Parisian restaurant, and don’t be intimidated. Everyone (especially the servers) are lovely and accommodating!

Spencer and I made it to the Eiffel Tower, obviously, but when you get here, make sure you’ve already purchased your tickets to the top! Otherwise you’ll be waiting for 30 minutes in the rain with no end in sight to the line, and even though your new husband is the best, you’ll both inevitably give up… At least that was our experience. Whether or not you make it all the way, the Eiffel Tower is amazing to see in person (so much bigger than the ones in Las Vegas or Epcot!), and the little area beneath it is so bustling and European.

Eiffel Tower

Day 2

It was always my dream to make it to the Chateau de Versailles, and WE DID! You could literally spend days just roaming the grounds (but don’t, they’ll probably arrest you), and the inside is more like a museum than a residence. It’s surprisingly easy to get to Versailles: take Line C of the RER train to the Viroflay Rive Gauche station, and from there it’s a very short walk to the palace.

We spent a few hours before lunch touring the building itself, and if the weather had been better, we would’ve spent the afternoon exploring the grounds and Marie Antoinette’s estate aka her peasant cottage (which is less peasant and more manor home, if you ask me).

Versailles

LUNCH: Le Grand Café d’Orléans – The food at Versailles was surprisingly good since it was a museum and all.

Once you’re back in Paris, take it easy, and then get ready to climb! The stairs leading up to the top of the Arc de Triomphe are narrow and quite spiral, but the view once you get up there is insane. Two words: Champs-Élysées (one hyphenated word?). Plus you can see the Eiffel Tower so well, and you never get tired of looking that beautiful thing. Not the entire time you’re there.

Arc de Triomphe

DINNER: Once again, no specific recommendations. We ate lots of macarons and baguettes, okay?

Day 3

Yes! It’s finally time to go to The Louvre, so jump off at the Palais Royal – Musée de Louvre Metro stop and get there before it opens. This place gets crowded, and if you want to even get close to the Mona Lisa or the Venus de Milo, be there. You could probably spend an entire week in that museum from open to close and still not see everything, but my personal favorites were Winged Victory and the portrait of Madame du Pompadour. Does anyone else think she was incredibly badass? Yeah, me too.

LUNCH: L’Escargot – It’s surprisingly difficult to find legit French food in Paris that isn’t super expensive, but this place has it all: escargot, frog legs, (French) onion soup. I didn’t think Spencer would ever leave.

Take some time to walk off your rich, buttery lunch with a little stroll through the Jardin du Luxembourg. It’s absolutely enormous and so well-maintained. There are statues, exhibits, neatly trimmed hedges the likes of which we never get to see in the US.

DINNER: La Crêperie de Josselin – If you heed none of my recommendations on this list, at least go to this creperie. It’s a tiny little place, and it’s a local favorite, so there will be a line. But it didn’t take us long to make it through it, and the reward is the most authentic crepes I’ve ever had in my life. You’re on vacation, so get a dessert crepe!

Creperie Josselin

From the crêperie, it’s a short walk to Montparnasse Tower. Being completely honest, we never made it here. We were too full and warm and content to do anything but pass out at our hotel. But if you have the energy to ride the elevator up to the top floor of this building, you can get some of the best nighttime views of the city!

Things You Should Know:

  • We had a Paris Museum Pass that was worth its weight in gold – 1. It had everything that we wanted to do in Paris plus some, and 2. it gave us quick entry to almost everything, but especially the museums, which get crazy busy even 30 minutes after opening.
  • You could get a Paris Pass instead, which includes travel, but unless you’re going to be there for 5+ days, I wouldn’t recommend it. Instead get the Paris Visite Pass! It’s really easy to use and allows you to ride the Metro anytime and as many times as you want throughout the day. (Both of these passes can be purchased way ahead of time online or at the Information kiosks at the airport.)
  • I already touched on this trick, but The Paris Metro RATP Map and Route Planner app was a godsend. Make sure you have it uploaded to your phone if you’re heading to Paris; it’s invaluable, which isn’t something I say too often about free apps!
  • A friendly “bonjour” and a polite “merci” go a long way! Don’t be intimidated by the French-speakers, but don’t be rude either. If you use short, polite French phrases, I didn’t meet a single person who wasn’t willing to speak English with you!

So there you have it: three perfect days in Paris! There are many more things to see and do, but these are the top ones I would choose if I could do it all over again. Have a great long weekend, everyone! Au revoir!

What are your must-see locations in Paris? Any great restaurants to recommend?

P.S. We spent the second half of our honeymoon in London, and in my humble opinion, it’s worth a read, too!

3 Comments Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: Best Of, Europe, paris, travel guide, travel itinerary

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