Just Back: 3 Days in London

Written By Krista Nannery

Regent Street in London

My Week in Travel

I joke I learn something new every day in this job. For instance, this month, I learned that it’s nearly impossible to get anything more than a little complicated done in Muslim countries in the week before and after the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday. (August 25th btw.)

I’ve known this for a long time but for newbies here, I’ve also learned not to try to get anything done in Italy the last two weeks of August. Ferragosto. Italians actually take time off!

Other learnings…As I prepared for my trip to London, I started reading up on phone theft. I’ve done all the regular security precautions but my new tip is to move all your financial apps to a hidden folder on your iPhone that requires FaceID to access. Instructions here.

Something exciting to me — a new product on the market! I have luxury villas in Iceland now! When you think villas, you think Italy and France. You don’t think Iceland. But I do a lot of family vacations to Iceland and these villas are perfect.‍ Intrigued? Let’s talk.

St. Paul’s and the Millennium Bridge from the South Bank by the Tate Modern. Photo by me.

Now, Let’s Talk about London

My last trip to London was in March of 2020. I flew back to Florida on March 3, 2020. I remember every TV in Heathrow was playing COVID news. When I landed in Miami, my Uber driver made us ride with the windows open “just in case” I had COVID. (You know, Miami to West Palm is a really long ride without AC.)

It’s crazy to me that after living in London for over a decade, it’s been more than six years since I’d been back. But COVID and taking care of my mom for so long made it hard to get away.

I flew into London City Airport from Milan Linate. (EXCELLENT BA lounge by the way. Truly excellent.) Most of my clients don't even know London City Airport exists. It's my favorite London airport!

It's tiny. It's tucked into east London, right by Canary Wharf. You're off the plane and into a black cab before you've had time to get annoyed at anything. No sprawling terminals, no twenty-minute march to baggage claim, none of the Heathrow chaos everyone braces for. The only challenge is that in 2020, the City of London instituted new speed limits! So now taxis can only drive like 20 or 25 mph for most of the way, which is a little painful when there is no traffic.

One thing to know about London City Airport: skip looking for a bank machine inside. There are no real bank machines, just Euronet machines. If I have trained you well, you already know how I feel about Euronet (bad rates, sneaky fees, no thank you). Land, walk out, and deal with cash somewhere else. Or better yet, don't bother with cash at all! London is a nearly entirely cashless society.

Which brings me to the actual highlight of my arrival: I paid for my black cab with Apple Pay. A few years ago, most black cab drivers wanted cash, no exceptions. Now you just tap your phone like you're buying a coffee. My driver and I got to chatting the whole way in — London cabbies are still some of the best free tour guides and sources of city info on earth.

If you'd rather skip the cab entirely, I can arrange VIP arrival service — someone meeting you at the gate and walking you straight through to a car. I only use vetted private drivers, so you're never standing on a curb hoping a black cab has room for all your bags. If you want me to build your London arrival around exactly how you like to travel, get in touch.

My beautiful suite at One Aldwych

Where to Stay in London: One Aldwych

If you've booked with me before, you already know I bring this hotel up constantly.

The location is the easy sell — you're standing right between the City and the West End, a five minute walk from Covent Garden, with half the theatres on the Strand practically spilling into the lobby. Theatre lovers: this is about as central as it gets. First-timers: everything worth seeing is walkable from here. Families: you're never more than a few minutes from a tube station when little legs give out.

But the location isn't even the best part of the story. One Aldwych is independently owned — genuinely independent, not "boutique" as a marketing word — and it was the first luxury hotel in London to get B Corp accreditation. There are actual working beehives on the roof. Real honey at breakfast! Fantastic.

Then there's the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory afternoon tea. It's whimsical, a little theatrical, exactly the thing that turns a family trip into an event instead of a checklist.

I absolutely LOVED my room at One Aldwych. It was round! With great views out onto Waterloo Bridge. I was in London on August 12th for the solar eclipse and it was so fun to see the crowds gather on the bridge for a glimpse.

Practical note I always mention: The windows at One Aldwych are triple glazed. London hotels can be shockingly loud given that you're in a major city, but here you genuinely forget you're steps from the Strand.

The lobby bar is great, the gym is great, and One Aldwych has something very rare in London: A SWIMMING POOL.

Ready to build your London stay around this One Aldwych? Book a consultation here.

Getting Around London

The tube is the obvious answer. Less obvious: London's buses are genuinely great once you know how to use them, and Citymapper is the only app you need for it. Type in where you're going and it sorts out the bus, the walk, the tube, whatever combination gets you there fastest.

Full honesty though — it was brutally hot when I was in London, and the Central line, already the hottest line in the system on a normal day, was sweltering. Take the bus if you can. There are more windows that can be opened on buses!

Walking the Millennium Bridge

My first full day in London, from One Aldwych, I hopped a bus to St. Paul’s. From there, I did the short hop down to the Millennium Bridge, the pedestrian bridge connecting St. Paul's to the Tate Modern. This bridge hands you one of the best skyline views in London — the dome behind you, the old power station chimney ahead, the Thames’s tides underneath. Fun fact if you don't already know it: when the Millennium Bridge opened in 2000, it swayed so noticeably that Londoners nicknamed it the Wobbly Bridge . The city closed it almost immediately to fix the engineering. Rock solid now, but I think about this YouTube video every single time I cross it.

Tate Modern: Frida Kahlo

There is a Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Tate Modern, which is worth a visit. (I learned about this exhibition from one of my own clients!) The exhibit is a much fuller look at her work than the handful of self-portraits that most people already know. I enjoyed the show, and the gift shop was particularly fun.

One complaint I will die on: whoever designed the elevators and escalators at the Tate Modern got a little too creative for their own good. It's a genuinely confusing building to move through. Give yourself extra time and don't be surprised if you end up on the wrong floor at least once.

MOCO London: Keith Haring

From the Tate, I walked back over the Millennium Bridge and hopped the Central Line to Marble Arch for the MOCO Museum. There was a Keith Haring exhibit that was surprisingly delightful. I went in thinking "chalk artist who drew on subway walls" and came out having seen a far more complete career than I expected — the activism, the collaborations, the sheer volume of work before his life was cut short at just 31 by AIDS-related complications. Worth the detour.

Curated museum visits are the kind of thing I love arranging for clients, by the way — private touring is my specialty, and for an exhibit like this I can get you a private guide timed around the crowds and tailored to your specific interests. Let's talk about building an art-focused day for your next trip.

My favorite retail experience in London—Liberty.

Liberty: My Favorite Department Store

After all the art and culture, I needed some retail therapy. No trip to London is complete without a trip to Liberty, and it was, predictably, PACKED — long lines just for the elevators. (There are no escalators.) I made my way through the scarves and the stationery (budget twenty minutes for the stationery section alone ) and fell in love with the Liberty prints all over again. There’s something about that pattern language — the tiny florals, the impossible density of it.

Insider tip: the Christmas ornaments were already out, even though the full Liberty Christmas department wasn't set up yet. If you're a real holiday person, put a fall visit to Liberty on your list!!! The full Christmas department there is one of the most over-the-top, beautiful displays in the city, and you want to be there before it gets picked over. MUST VISIT in the fall.

Soho and The Ham Yard Hotel

After my spin around Liberty, I wandered through Soho for a while. I love the old pubs in Soho—The John Snow in particular. Eventually, I landed at the Ham Yard Hotel for a sit-down and some phone charging time. Ham Yard is one of Firmdale's properties — Kit Kemp's design fingerprint is all over it, playful and layered in a way that feels very London. I love Firmdale hotels because they are also lively destinations. Ham Yard’s outdoor patio was packed that afternoon with Londoners being Londoners. Rosé all day, indeed.

London Has the BEST Chinese Food

After a bit more wandering and retail therapy — there are an endless array of new shops in Covent Garden — I ended the day back around One Aldwych. My initial plan was to head to Chinatown for dinner but I’d been walking for about seven hours straight at that point and my dogs were barking. For dinner, I treated myself to a plate of very hot hand-pulled noodles along with a very cold beer at Biang Biang — exactly what you want after walking half of London in 90 degree heat.

Back at One Aldwych, I ended my night by experimenting with their very, very interesting cocktail menu. I may or may not have had a horseradish martini…with pickle juice. A very interesting end to a fabulous time in London.

If you're thinking about London, first trip or fifth, I'd love to build the itinerary.

Cruises That Start from London

I’ve been talking about London by foot but let’s talk about London by sea! Most cruises that start in the UK start in Southampton. There are a rare few that start in London! Check these out and let me know how I can help…Book a complimentary vacation consultation here

About Krista

I’m a Virtuoso travel advisor based in Palm Beach, Florida. I attended the University of Notre Dame for undergrad and I have my MBA from the University of Chicago. Before building my travel business, I spent 20 years in the investment management industry and over a decade living and working in London, England. I’ve personally traveled to 80+ countries and now design thoughtful, highly customized trips for travelers who value expertise, access, and a seamless experience.

I offer a complimentary 30-minute consultation for travelers considering a custom itinerary or luxury cruise. Book a complimentary vacation consultation here.

For travel inspiration and real-time updates, you can follow along on Instagram or connect with me on Facebook. I also share a curated list of travel products I genuinely use and recommend in my online Amazon store.

What I Offer…

  • Custom itinerary design for complex, multi-stop trips

  • VIP hotel benefits through Virtuoso and preferred partner programs (including complimentary breakfast, hotel credits, and priority for upgrades where available)

  • Luxury ocean, river, and expedition cruises with added onboard credits

  • Vetted villa rentals with concierge services worldwide

  • Private guides, small-group touring, and unique local experiences

  • Private aviation and yacht charters through trusted partners

  • Airport transfers, VIP arrival and departure services, and full ground logistics

  • Travel protection and support when plans change

I work best with travelers who want expert planning, trusted partnerships, and someone in their corner from start to finish. That’s what I am best at! Ready to talk travel? Book a complimentary vacation consultation here.

Krista Nannery
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