London is full of unique and fascinating things to explore, but if you are planning the ultimate girl’s trip away, where would you start?
A few weeks back, my friend and I marked two days out of our family planners, arranged childcare for our kids and booked a train to London Liverpool Street. This getaway was all about doing things that we couldn’t do with the kids, a complete escape from mum life, so we started as we meant to go on by travelling first-class with National Rail.
Expensive upgrade or worth every penny? The larger, comfier seats certainly made the journey more enjoyable, I was able to charge up my phone with the USB port next to my seat and we enjoyed complimentary refreshments from the bar.
Overall, I enjoyed the treat, with five children between us this little escape warranted the best of everything, including travel.
1.Nailing it
Townhouse Nail Bar, 12 Market St, London E1 6DT
Just a short stroll away from Liverpool Street station is Townhouse, one of 16 luxury independent nail bars and one of the UK’s fastest growing nail care brands.
In a new shopping area next to Spitalfields famous market, the outlet has been modernised for a relaxing experience, including self-service check-ins to built-in iPads featuring all the nail colours you could wish for. The hardest part is picking one.
We were there for just over an hour, tending to our neglected cuticles and plotting the rest of our day out. It was the perfect way to ease into the day and something we wouldn’t usually have time to do at home, we left pampered with a stunning set of nails to go with it.
2.A view from the top
Sky Gardens, 1, Sky Garden Walk, London EC3M 8AF
Situated off Fenchurch Street is a landmark known as the ‘walkie talkie’ due to its top-heavy appearance, here you will find the Sky Garden where you can enjoy 360-degree views of the city. The best part? If you book online in advance the experience is completely free.
The Sky Garden has fast become one of London’s most visited attractions, it’s the sixth tallest building in London so the observation decks give you a great view across the city including views of Tower Bridge, The Shard and The Gherkin.
For foodies, there are four different dining experiences here located on floors 35-37, as well as a large central bar. You are allocated a one-hour time slot, so we spent the time wisely by sipping on white wine, snapping a few photos, and admiring London in all its glory.
3.My cup of tea
The Parlour at Great Scotland Yard Hotel, 3-5 Great Scotland Yard, London SW1A 2HN
Our leisurely day out continued with a spot of afternoon tea at The Parlour within Great Scotland Yard Hotel. It has a long and complex history, divided between the Scottish royalty, the London Metropolitan Police, and the Ministry of Defence.
Now offering a new sensory afternoon tea experience, created in collaboration with Floris London, (the only appointed perfumer to Her Majesty The Queen), it boasts a delectable selection of sweet and savoury delights, paired with Veuve Clicquot champagne and a wide selection of herbal teas.
The wandering aromas and sweet treats were enough to settle us for the entire afternoon, but there was more to be explored, so we took our last sip of bubbles and took a 15-minute walk towards one of London’s most renowned shopping districts.
4.Shop till you drop
Bucherer Covent Garden, Emin + Paul Seven Dials
No girl’s day out is complete without a shopping spree and where better to do it than Covent Garden? As a special we booked in for an exclusive shopping experience in Bucherer, the first retailer in Europe to join the Rolex Certified Pre-Owned programme.
Founded in Lucerne in 1888, this family company has a history stretching back more than 130 years and has become one of the world’s most renowned companies dealing in luxury jewellery and watches. We were offered a glass of champagne as we browsed an array of watches costing more than both our houses put together!
We then made our way to Seven Dials, enjoying street performers and window shopping on the way and then visited fashion store duo Emin + Paul, who specialise in clothing designed in London, but made in Seoul, South Korea. Here, you will find garments with a modern minimalist aesthetic delivering clean lines and oversized silhouettes, finished with retro prints and bold detailing.
With our shopping bags full it was time to make our way back to the hotel to freshen up before dinner.
5.Girls just wanna have sun
Tootbus River Cruise
One of the best ways to get around and sight see in London is on the Tootbus, where you can experience the heart of the city and see some of London’s top landmarks from the open-top deck of the bus. You can buy tickets for the Tootbus service in 24, 48 and 72-hour durations.
We decided to hop on the river bus to take us back to our hotel. It was so easy and gave us such a magical experience of seeing the London Eye and Big Ben close up from the water.
6.For the love of green
The Corner City London Hotel, 42 Adler St, London E1 1EE
Where possible I like to travel sustainably, so when I came across the greenest hotel in London it was a match made in heaven.
With 41% less water consumption than other UK hotels The Corner City London also creates 67 per cent fewer CO2 emissions than the UK industry average, thanks to sensor LED lighting in the corridors and 40 solar panels on the roof.
This was the ideal urban nest for my friend and I, situated in East London. Just a few minutes from Aldgate East tube, you have close connection for exploring the city, it’s just a stroll away from Brick Lane and a 15-20-minute walk from Liverpool Street or to Shoreditch. It’s surrounded by some of the best street food stalls, art galleries, boutiques, creative businesses, and nightlife, so has something to offer every type of explorer.
Guests staying multiple nights who volunteer to not have their room cleaned will receive a £5 voucher to spend at the bar as the hotel’s way of saying thank you for being part of their green effort.
Rooms can be budgeted in terms of snug, comfy and plush – all encompass a super-king bed topped with Naturalmat mattresses, handmade in Devon with sustainable, biodegradable, organic fibres and an integrated 32″ LCD TV at the end of it. Watching TV in bed never felt so good, especially after everything we managed to cram into our day!
7.The way we roll
Apothecary East, 36 Charlotte Rd, London EC2A 3PG
At its home in Shoreditch, Apothecary East is a Japanese Izakaya inspired by the taverns of Tokyo. With a reputation for fashionable and quirky places to eat and drink, just a few minutes from Old Street station, the venue has been thoughtfully established, serving unique cocktails, snacks and small plates – ideal for those who love to share.
For those unfamiliar, ‘izakaya’ this translates as ‘stay-drink-place’, and is essentially a Japanese version of a pub – but with much better food than some of our olde worlde taverns!
Many of the dishes are built around vegetables, with a large range of vegetarian and vegan options, which was ideal for me.
I selected the vegan platter which included a tofu salad, miso glazed aubergine, smoky tenderstem broccoli and avocado and cucumber sushi rolls. We also ordered a few extra sides including the vegetable gyoza and some miso soup. Although the menu has minimal dishes the outcome is exquisite flavours and tastes.
A nice aspect of the minimalist cuisine is that you will not leave feeling over full so there was of course room for the yuzu baked cheesecake.
The menu is full of interesting takes on cocktails including a ‘Zen Garden’ combining Roku gin, green tea and lime cordial, or their take on the famous cosmopolitan; the Maiko – which as they describe is ‘a Sex and the City drink, but bolder, richer and more complex… more of a Samantha’. This features a mix of Absolut vodka, triple sec, beetroot, pomegranate and lime. It was truly moreish.
Top tips for the London traveller
As you can see, we managed to cram a lot into a day, so make sure you pack your best walking shoes. If you can plan an itinerary and make bookings in advance this will save you time and money.
Travelling with a suitcase? Make sure its lightweight and rollable. Don’t forget your camera, there will be some sights you cannot wait to look back on. If you don’t want to get lost, make sure you download relevant helpful apps to help you find your way around the city.
Watch highlights from my Girls Travel Guide here youtu.be/5-FSg9pCrco.
