72 Hours in London
Where to eat, walk and photograph London, from Regency Café and Borough Market to St Paul's Cathedral and Westminster.
Four walks that made me fall in love with the city.
I don't usually arrive somewhere with a list of photographs I want to make.
I'd rather wander.
London rewards that approach. Between the landmarks are thousands of small moments that give the city its personality. A perfectly worn café. The sound of cyclists rolling over bridges. Underground signs that somehow never look out of place. The first light catching Big Ben before anyone else is awake.
If you've only got three days in London, this is exactly how I'd spend them.
Breakfast at Regency Café, then Walk It Off
There's something reassuring about Regency Café. No fuss, no trends, just one of London's great English breakfasts served exactly as you'd hope.
Arrive early, order a full English and don't rush it.
From there, resist the temptation to jump on the Tube. London is best experienced on foot, and the walk towards Buckingham Palace takes you through quiet streets, parks and pockets of the city that most visitors miss.
By the time you reach the Palace, you've earned breakfast twice over.
Borough Market and One of London's Best Lunches
Borough Market is busy for a reason.
Pick up a Ginger Pig sausage roll while wandering through the market, but don't stop there.
One of my favourite discoveries was Agora and its sister restaurant OMA. Sitting just above the market, they're a welcome change of pace after the crowds below. Great food, thoughtful interiors and somewhere you'll probably stay longer than planned.
Sometimes the best part of travelling isn't the landmark. It's the lunch that wasn't on your itinerary.
Climbing St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's is impressive from the street, but it's the climb that stays with you.
The staircase seems endless until suddenly London opens beneath you.
From the top, the city feels surprisingly calm. The Thames cuts through the skyline, cranes sit beside centuries old buildings and you begin to understand how London has evolved without ever really losing its character.
If you're only climbing one viewpoint in the city, make it th
A Lime Bike Before London Wakes Up
My favourite morning in London started before sunrise.
Hiring a Lime Bike and riding through Westminster before the commuters arrive completely changes the experience. Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace feel almost quiet, something that's hard to imagine a few hours later.
From there I headed towards Soho for breakfast at Dishoom before the queues formed.
On the ride back I found one last surprise, a tiny Space Invader mosaic tucked away on a wall.
It's easy to visit London by ticking landmarks off a list.
It's much more rewarding to leave a little space for curiosity.
