Three days in London: markets, museums and a heatwave

Some trips are planned down to the last detail; others are lived on impulse. This was one of the latter: three days at the end of June to rediscover London, with the city sweating through a heatwave that caught it, as always, off guard.

We landed at Stansted on a Friday around eight in the morning, determined to squeeze the day from the very first minute. We took the train into the centre: about €50 that stings right off the bat, but drops you in the heart of the city in no time. And the moment we stepped off, the warning was clear: London and heat don’t get along. Few cities are so unprepared for the sun —air conditioning here is practically an urban legend— and that first day was, by far, the most stifling. From there, it eased off. We did get lucky with the sky, though: a proper London miracle —not a single drop of rain all weekend.

Friday: the City, the British Museum and the centre

Our first stop was St Paul’s Cathedral, its dome presiding over the City as it has for centuries. Then we dropped our things at our home exchange —our base camp in the southeast of the city— and headed back out.

The afternoon went to the British Museum, which we fell for… though the visit was cut short: they evacuated it because of the heat. Undeterred, we kept walking through Chinatown and Soho, made our way down to the parks around Buckingham Palace —St James’s Park in all its green glory— and finished at Piccadilly Circus, amid screens, crowds and that crossroads buzz.

Saturday: Greenwich, bikes and a night at the theatre

Saturday kicked off at Greenwich Market, where we had breakfast among the stalls. Wandering nearby, we stumbled almost by chance upon the National Maritime Museum, and it was love at first sight: time slipped away among ship models, maps and sea stories, and some brilliant books of curiosities —the one on deep-sea creatures had us hooked.

To get around we relied on Lime e-bikes, and it turned out to be one of the best ideas of the trip. With the buses turned into ovens, pedalling out in the open was the perfect way to enjoy the scenery; we crossed some gorgeous spots, like Tower Bridge, with the Thames glittering under the sun.

From there, straight to Borough Market: textbook fish and chips and a roast pork roll worth going back for. We went home to recharge and, on the way back to the centre, we fell for some Bolivian empanadas that put a smile on our faces.

As the evening drew in, we landed in the area around the London Eye, Parliament and Big Ben. Time for some unapologetic sightseeing: photos in the red phone boxes, double-deckers in the background and a video call home to show off the view. Then, strolling through a park full of ducks and squirrels, we reached the theatre to see The Phantom of the Opera, one of the many tips from Will and Jaime, our London friends —with a quick stop at the M&M’s store to grab a couple of souvenir mugs—. We loved the show. We’d done our homework beforehand and, although we feared the English might be a barrier, we were wrong: the story and the song lyrics are easy to follow. A magnificently staged production, with a huge cast on stage. We wrapped up the night with a few beers and dinner at a Vietnamese place.

Sunday: markets, museums and a farewell pint

We opened Sunday at the Columbia Road Flower Market, an explosion of colour and scent. We carried on to Old Spitalfields Market, where we got lost among second-hand book stalls and even a piano for anyone keen to play; we grabbed a food-truck burger right there.

The afternoon was for museums: first the Natural History Museum and then the National Gallery. For dinner we went to Maki & Ramen, a spot-on recommendation from our friend Michael. And to say goodbye, the most British thing possible: a pint at a pub before heading home.

What we took away

Most of the big museums are free. The British Museum, the National Maritime, the Natural History, the National Gallery… free entry; they simply invite you, very graciously, to leave a voluntary donation. A real treat.
The Lime bikes were a winner. We started with a small 60-minute package and ran through it quickly; the 200-minute one was far better value and gave us the freedom to roam at our own pace.
You pay for public transport with a card, and it’s wonderfully easy. Hop on the Tube, a bus or a train and tap your contactless card (or phone) on the reader —on the way in and, for the Tube and trains, on the way out too—. We used our Revolut card and it was spot on: the system works out the fare and applies a daily cap, with no tickets or fuss.
With Revolut we forgot all about currency exchange and cash. We paid by card everywhere and, to keep track of spending, one mental rule was enough: in euros, everything comes out roughly 15% more than the price shown in pounds. No queues to change money, no cash in our pockets and no surprises on the statement.
London isn’t built for heat. With air conditioning almost nowhere, it’s best to start early, seek out shade and parks, and leave the buses for the cooler hours.
The train from Stansted is pricey (~€50) but very fast. With time to spare, there are cheaper buses.

Three short days, yes, but enough to come home with tired legs, a full camera roll and the feeling of having truly lived the city.

And a huge thank-you to Will and Jaime, our friends in London, for the recommendations and plans that made this trip so much better — and to Michael and Roger for theirs.

— Fer & Danielle