London Fog - day 1
Recently, Kim and I cruised on the Celebrity Apex out of Southampton, but not before making mushy peas out of London. We came, we ate, we conquered, then we ate some more.
This is Day 1, don’t forget to check out Day 2.
If you’re coming in for the day from the port in Southampton, after a short walk to Southampton Central, you’re going to board the Southwestern Railway to London Waterloo Station, a bustling hub of activity and a gateway to the heart of the city. There are 59 trains each day that travel the 70 miles (112 km) from Southampton to London. The journey, which takes between 90 minutes and 2 hours, costs approx. £60.
If you’re staying in London > Start at St. Paul’s Cathedral
If you’re taking the tube (the underground), the nearest station to St. Paul’s Cathedral is Bank.
This is how we did it
10:00am - 12:00pm St. Paul’s Cathedral
10:45am - 10:50am Whispering Gallery
11:00am - 11:15am Stone Gallery
11:30am - 11:45am Golden Gallery
12:00pm - 12:15pm Millennium Bridge
12:30pm - 1:30pm Borough Market
2:00pm - 4:00pm Tower of London
2:50pm Changing of the Word
3:15pm Crown Jewels
4:30pm - 5:30pm Tower Bridge
St. Paul’s Cathedral
10am - 12pm
We start our day at St. Paul’s Cathedral, an architectural masterpiece designed by Sir Christopher Wren, renowned for its magnificent dome, one of the largest in the world, and its role as a symbol of resilience, having survived the Blitz during World War II. It serves as the seat of the Bishop of London and a vibrant center for both religious and cultural events.
A few things to consider:
There are a total of 566 steps all the way up. Though the views are wonderful from the Stone Gallery, it’s the Golden Gallery you want to reach. This is where the view is completely unobstructed.
When going up and down the stairs, try to stay on your left, unless you want dirty looks.
Selfie sticks are not allowed anywhere in the cathedral, so tuck ‘em away.
Did you know?
London has a "Whispering Gallery" in St. Paul's Cathedral — a dome where whispers travel along the walls.
Stand on one side, share a secret, and your friend on the opposite side hears it.
Millennium Bridge
12:00pm - 12:15pm
A short walk away, we stumble on The Millennium Bridge, a modern steel suspension bridge, which connects St. Paul's Cathedral to Tate Modern and the Globe Theatre, and offers stunning panoramic views of the River Thames and city skyline.
Bourough Market
12:30pm - 1:30pm
Established in 1756, Borough Market is a historic and bustling food market known for its diverse range of fresh produce, artisanal foods, and international cuisine.
Following an already busy morning of trekking through that beautiful London weather, we tucked ourselves into the Borough Market, a warm meal at Joli, and a tasty treat at Humble Crumble.
So good you’ll keep coming back.
First taste: Joli, Malaysian cuisine.
We returned to the Borough Market again later in the trip, and over the course of 2 hours, devoured mussels, oysters and fish & chips.
And we did it in style. Stay tuned for more!
Tower of London
2:00pm-4:00pm
We'll explore the historic streets of London, over the London Bridge, across the Monument to the Great Fire of London, worth a quick stop, as we make our way to the imposing Tower of London.
Here we'll uncover the secrets of England's royal past within its ancient walls and storied towers.
Unbeknown to us, we were fortunate enough to catch the Changing of the Word ceremony at 2:45pm.
Though you can spend upwards of 3 hours here, be sure to give yourself time for the Crown Jewels, the reason we visit Tower of London. These pieces of history will blow your mind,
Tower Bridge
4:30pm - 5:30pm
Not to be confused with London Bridge, Tower Bridge is London’s most famous bridge, and surely the one you associate with London.
Tickets only scan 10min before scheduled time.
And since we were really early, we used this opportunity to grab a light snack. While wandering the back streets around Tower Bridge, we stumbled on this little Lebanese shop called Sami. If you’re hungry and have minimal concern for service, this is the place to hide from the rain.
Once you’re time comes up, it’s time to explore Tower Bridge.
Time permitting, take a moment to listen to the short audio/visual presentation about the bridge. This will not only give you a bit of history, but it will also introduce the venue and key areas to visit, so you don’t miss anything.
The key things to know
There’s a glass floor you can walk on, observing the traffic below.
There is another glass floor after you turn the corner, this one with a ceiling mirror, which makes for some fun photos and videos.
Engine Room can be found where the Gift Shop is located, at the opposite end of the Bridge, which is where the toilets can be found.
