Sunday, 29, March 2015

Written by
Nicola Brady

My Perfect Day in London

 Where should you head first? Where are the spots you simply can’t miss, and what’s worth skipping? We spoke to Naleef Nizar, Concierge at The Bloomsbury Hotel and expert in all things London, to find out how you should spend a perfect day in the city.                                                                           

The British Museum

7am: Breakfast

First off, you’ll want to have breakfast at our Landseer restaurant. My personal recommendation would be to start with a Mercer, one of our perfect healthy concoctions from The Juicery – Expert Goodness . It contains mango, ginger, carrot and apple, which is sure to energise and wake you up!

You definitely need to try our Chef’s special spinach salad, which has all the necessary ingredients to keep you going for the whole day. It contains spinach, poached eggs, bacon, tomato and pine nuts. It may sound odd to have a salad for breakfast, but trust me, it works!

9.30am: A spot of culture

Start the day by strolling to the British Museum, which is just a one-minute walk from the hotel. The British Museum is dedicated to human history and culture, and its permanent collection contains some 8 million works. 

11.30am: Caffiene Injection

If you need a quick pick-me-up, then you’ll want to visit Monmouth coffee shop, on 27 Monmouth Street, Covent Garden. They started roasting and retailing coffee here in 1978 and built a sampling room for their customers to try their coffees before buying beans. I highly recommend the Piccolo and Sugar brioche, which is a perfect combination of tart and sweet.

12noon: Shopping

While you’re in the area, pop in for a quick visit to Covent Garden market. The Apple Market is found in the North Hall of the Marketing Building and sells British made crafts, jewellery, leather goods and more. You will always find a range of curios every day of the week.

1pm: Lunchtime

You can’t leave town without eating some fish and chips. One of the oldest fish and chip shops in town, Rock & Sole Plaice has great simple decor, a traditional fish menu and outdoor seating if you’re lucky with the weather.

2.30pm: Time for Thames

You can’t beat a boat trip on the Thames. Spend the afternoon on the water with a river cruise from Westminster right down to The Tower of London.   

The Tower of London has played a prominent role in English history and is a great spot to visit. It’s one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country, and it’s been a tourist attraction since at least the Elizabethan period. Its most popular attractions were the Royal Menagerie and displays of armour. The Crown Jewels also garner much interest, and have been on public display since 1669.

5pm: Cocktail hour!

Head down to Salvador & Amanda in Bloomsbury to enjoy some gorgeous Cocktails for just £5! Discover a new favourite Cocktail without breaking the bank.

7pm: Dinner time

London is renowned for its Indian food, so you’ll have to try it while you’re here. The Red Fort Indian restaurant is on Dean Street in Soho and offers refined, traditionally prepared North Indian food in a sleek, contemporary space with Mughal motifs.

Head Chef Azadur Rahman and his team of seven chefs selected from across India have mastered the art of Mughal Court cooking over the years, creating refined dishes which pioneer fresh British produce and sub-continental flavours. 

Selection of Cocktails

9pm: Hit the Town

The West End of London (more commonly referred to as simply the West End) is an area of Central London containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings and entertainment venues (including the commercial West End theatres).

The West End is the main commercial and entertainment centre of the city. You should definitely try to catch a show while you’re here (we can help you book tickets, so ask us in advance or while you’re here) Miss Saigon and Cirque le Soir are both great choices.

Then you’ll be ready to come back to the hotel for a nightcap. If it’s a summery night, take a cocktail by candlelight on The Terrace. You can see more about  The Bloomsbury Hotel here

The West End