A few months ago, my husband and I took some major days off of work to go on a UK vacation! As an avid trip planner, I had been planning this trip since last fall, so it was a treat to finally get to go back.
I studied abroad at Oxford for a semester in college, so I was dying to return to that beautiful city and take my husband along with me. The first two cities in our 12-day, 6-city itinerary were London and Oxford. So, let’s dive in to some of the favorites.
*Make sure you don’t miss how you can get my UK Google Map with 92 spots at the end of this post!
LONDON
Ampersand Hotel
I’m so glad we upgraded to stay in this cute, modern hotel in South Kensington. Although this was by far our most expensive room of the trip, it was luxurious. I’m talking heated tiles in the bathroom and modern touches everywhere. And it was in a great location for walking to lots of local places. We also ate at the hotel restaurant, Apero, one night and really enjoyed it.
Muriel’s Kitchen
We lucked out getting a good recommendation for this restaurant practically across the street from our hotel. Our big breakfast was the perfect welcome to London on our first morning there.
Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens
Hyde Park is one of my favorite parks in London, and it’s huge so there’s plenty to explore. It only rained for half of a day on our entire trip, so that’s why I’m dressed for rain, but still enjoying the lush Kensington Gardens nearby.
Harrod’s
This huge department store is a great place to visit when getting to know London. I mostly love poking around the food areas. There are even separate rooms for chocolates, baked goods, seafood, eating stalls and more.
Maitre Choux
If you like eclairs, then this is a fun pastry shop to check out. It was another place right across from our hotel, and we enjoyed our two, intricately decorated eclairs.
Ottolenghi (Belgravia)
This was maybe my favorite (and most long-awaited) stop in London. If you haven’t heard of Yottam Ottolenghi, then you need to look him up and grab some of his cookbooks. He’s a legend in the world of vegetable-forward cooking, and I cannot tell you how delicious our Sunday lunch at his Belgravia location was. There was kale salad, roasted eggplants, the most delicious roast sweet potatoes and a room full of amazing desserts! Oh and I took home some of his jam, too.
Buckingham Palace & St. James’s Park
Of course, you’ve got to stop by Buckingham Palace to see if the flag is up, and after that, I suggest taking a stroll through the nearby St. James’s Park. It was so beautiful in May!
The National Gallery
There are a lot of great museums to choose from in London, but I really enjoy this one. You can stroll through the impressionist exhibits and much more…and it’s free! The British Museum is a fun one, too.
The Savoy Hotel American Bar
This was a special treat during our few days in London. We had heard wonderful things about the long history of the bar at The Savoy Hotel in London, and my mom has always taught me to take every chance to enjoy some time in a fancy hotel. Although these were the most expensive cocktails we’ve ever had, they were complex but very delicious and each came with a unique story (and some killer bar snacks).
Evensong at St. Paul’s Cathedral
St. Paul’s is one of my favorite cathedrals, and I can’t say no to a cathedral visit. We were able to catch an evensong service on Sunday, and it was wonderful to be whisked away with the singing of the boy’s choir and modern message.
Elystan Street
We decided on Elystan Street for our one “fancy meal” in London, and after we got used to the quiet-at-first environment and tasted the food, we were sold. We enjoyed their Sunday supper pre-fixe menu. Check out my burrata and pea salad (above) and Scotch salmon (below)!
Now on to Oxford. We took the train from London to Oxford then later to Cardiff. I’ll be sharing more about Wales and then Scotland in my next few UK posts!
OXFORD
Oxford Airbnb
We loved using Airbnb throughout our trip. I like how it allows you to get a better feel of the local culture and gives you more space (and things like a kitchen, etc.) I ended up finding an airbnb in Oxford that was right behind where I used to live, and it was the perfect home for a few days (not to mention the beautiful views).
University Parks & Port Meadow
There are so many great parks and trails to explore in Oxford. It makes you want to just stop at a bench and read something intellectual. I highly suggest visiting University Parks to watch the ducks, enjoy the trees or watch a game of cricket. Then, make your way to Port Meadow close by for more fabulous green views.
The Turf Tavern
The Turf was the perfect first pub stop in Oxford. I actually celebrate my 21st birthday with Oxford friends here back when I studied abroad. It’s a fun, slightly hidden, spot with outdoor seating and traditional pub food and drinks.
Bodleian Library & Radcliffe Camera
The best (in my opinion), one of the largest libraries in the world is housed in Oxford, and it’s a reader’s dream. Sadly, you can’t go into most reading rooms (like the gorgeous Radcliffe Camera- my favorite back in the day), but you can schedule a tour. Look out for rooms featured in the Harry Potter movies!
Covered Market
Another great shopping/eating area in Oxford is the Covered Market. Grab a warm cookie at Ben’s Cookies, eat lunch, drink some coffee, buy some flowers. There’s a lot to do and see here!
The Trout Inn
I went here with my parents and sister when they came to visit me after my studying abroad ended, and I knew I had to bring my husband back. This inn and restaurant is about 20 minutes out of town, but it’s so worth it. Enjoy the lovely (and well-priced) lunch options or eat dinner on the patio near the river.
Make sure you walk down from the inn after your meal to check out the beautiful meadows nearby.
Christ Church & Magdalen College
There are a lot of “colleges” aka schools where students learn and live, so it’s a good idea to check out a few. They are beautifully manicured and have some incredible histories. Christ Church and Magdalen are a few of my favorites!
Turl Street Kitchen
This was one of the restaurants that I had read about in Oxford, and we happened to be walking close to here one night looking for a nice dinner. I’m so glad we stopped in! My husband couldn’t stop talking about his lamb stew, and I couldn’t believe the flavor in my stuffed roasted butternut squash. They also had a nice negroni (negronis were on most menus across the UK).
Taking a trip soon and need some recs?
I loved using a saved Google Map on our trip to save spots and then to see what was close when we were there. So, I’m letting you see access my map, too, to make your trip planning simple!
Benefit from my hours of planning with your very own think fruitful travel map that you can add to your Google Maps right on your smartphone.
*You can get my entire UK Google Map (including England, Wales and Scotland) for only $15. PayPal me and I’ll share this map with you that has more than 90 restaurants, bakeries, landmarks and more already pinned for you!
And look forward to even more think fruitful travel maps to cities near you soon!