-All photos are my own-

I have been living in London while at university, and despite the homesickness, I have enjoyed the experience of living here and wandering around the heart of the city. There are many places to visit in London, most are free and some you have to pay for and as a student, I chose the first option.

So here is my guide for enjoying a day out in the big smoke. Enjoy!

 South Bank: The first thing I did when I moved to London was grab a coffee (or hot chocolate in my case) and go for a walk on the South Bank. I recommend starting from Parliament Square and walking all the way to Borough market for some amazing street food. You can also see Bridget Jones’s flat!

Tower Bridge: It took me about an hour to walk from Parliament to Tower Bridge, I also recommend walking over the bridge and over to the Tower of London, the walk gives you some great views especially of The Shard.

The Walkie Talkie Building: This is a great building to go and have a drink, it also has a free sky garden that has a great view of London! But you do have to book in advance.

Buckingham Palace: This is a must if you visit London. Walk The Mall towards the palace, when you get there you can then walk to Parliament, straight through The Horses Guard to number 10, or to Trafalgar Square.

Trafalgar Square: This is one of my favourite places, it’s cliché but it just makes me feel lucky to live in London. It’s a great place to sit and watch the world pass with all the busy people running to-and-fro. It’s also a must to get one of those great lion photos!

The National Gallery: I go here a LOT when I’m bored. It’s such a pretty building to walk around. I finally got to sit where James Bond met Q and had the chance to see Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, which I was very excited about.

The Horses Guard:It took me nearly five months of living in London to finally catch the changing of the horses’ guard. It’s not as exciting to see as I hoped, but it’s still a very British thing to cross off your list. If you walk through the arch of the building, you are then right on The Mall ready to walk to Buckingham Palace.

Piccadilly Circus: I quickly realised most of London’s main attractions are in walking distance of each other. You can walk straight over the road from Leicester Square to Piccadilly. Then carry on up through China Town to Shaftesbury Avenue to see the bright lights of show business.

Regent Street: Carry on from Piccadilly to Regent Street for all your high-end shopping needs. Hamleys is on this road, as you carry on walking it will take you straight onto Oxford Street.

Hyde Park: In my first two weeks in London I got homesick so needed a bit of greenery to de-stress. Hyde Park takes me an hour to walk around, and there’s so much to see! I walk from The Marble Arch entrance through to The Serpentine, across to Princess Diana’s gardens and memorial, which then leads on to Kensington Palace.

Kensington Palace: This is such a beautiful place to sit and admire the history of Queen Victoria’s first home. You can walk around the gardens, and enjoy afternoon tea in the orangery. A little walk through the park also takes you to Prince Albert’s Memorial, right next to Prince Albert Hall.

Notting Hill: If you want to enjoy one of London’s great markets, head to Notting Hill. Walk to Portobello Road and enjoy the boutique shops, markets and the great cafes. It’s very famous on Instagram for all its colourful houses, so keep a lookout. If you are a fan of the classic Julia Roberts film ‘Notting Hill’ you can also visit the famous bookshop!

Camden Town: I LOVE street food in Camden. If you want to visit a quirky area of London, look no further! There are so many shops and unique cafes to choose from it will blow your mind. It’s famous for the Camden Lock pictured below, and for the market right next to it.

The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A): I really love this museum, it has so much to see with so many exhibitions. Its collections include fashion, sculpture, jewellery, architecture, metalwork, paintings, and photography. I have to say, it is my favourite museum in London! I highly recommend a day out to explore everything it has to offer.

So, there is my guide to my favourite places in London, it’s a really beautiful city! I really recommend you take a long weekend to see everything it has to offer!