Round One of London

9am - Arrive London Heathrow Airport

12pm - Drop off luggage at hotel

1pm - Lunch @ Vapiano

Can’t really go wrong when fresh pasta is cooked in front of you as you order. This international restaurant is great when you’re unsure where to eat. It's also conveniently near Piccadilly Circus.

2pm - Tower of London

The Yeoman’s tour definitely gives the attraction a lot more spirit and liveliness. They provide insights and tell stories of the past to explain why particular buildings were erected etc. The crown jewels are of course a must-see but I have to say, there were so many people that it was hard to get a good long stare at the 530 carat diamond!

Overall, a very worthwhile attraction especially when we have bought the 7 day National Rail Travelcard which gave us unlimited travel in Zone 1 and 2 and also a 2-for-1 price for admitting into the Tower of London (Bargain of 24.50 pounds!)

If at full price, I have to say it's a little on the dear side for us, budget travellers!

4pm - Thames River

We walked around Tower Bridge for the last bit of light before the sunset.

9am - Shopping at Piccadilly Circus

11am - National Gallery

Another free museum in London, one of which holds the famous ‘Sunflowers’ painting by Van Gogh.

1pm - Hyde Park WinterWonderland

Christmas markets at Hyde Park, it was a lot bigger than we thought. The market is suitable for all ages with haunted houses, magical ice kingdom, ice rink, and lots of food and game stalls.

We went for the Bratwurst roll as a snack and couldn’t be more satisfied, it had a great Christmas spirit to it but a quick tip to not wear nice shoes as it was quite muddy and wet (of course... typical London weather).

3pm - Burger & Lobster

Our best meal in London, we both ordered the grilled lobster and it was only 20 pounds each!!!! It was beautifully cooked and the 45min queue for the restaurant was definitely worth it. Highly recommended and we will try to visit again when we have the time. The restaurant is also available at numerous locations making it even easier to access those LOBSTERS!

7pm - London Eye

A beautiful view from the London Eye and using the 2-for-1 deal offered by National Rail again. It was well dark by the time we were on it but the night views were amazing to see London from up high. Don’t forget the free 4D experience offered!