CENTRAL EUROPE BLOG April 27th, 2026 - LONDON

 

4/27/26– I think I slept for close to 11 hours last night and wake up around 6am. The rest did me good as my legs feel somewhat replenished, but I’m expecting today to tighten them back up again.

Since we’re both awake, we pre-purchase tickets to the Tower of London at 10am online and head out to a pastry shop nearby for breakfast. The vanilla custard cream donut is exactly what I’ve been craving to start the day. After about half an hour or so we hit the tube, which is packed for rush hour, and arrive an hour before they open. We take this time to stroll around the area before getting in the line that’s already forming.

Once inside, Kelvin has the bright idea to head up the outside walls as everyone else scurries into the middle of the complex. This proves to be quite enjoyable as there’s nobody in our way while we stroll at our own leisure.

We spend a good forty minutes ducking in an out of towers before coming back down where the Crown Jewels building is. Despite there being a waiting area that looks like it would be an entrance to an amusement ride, we’re able to walk right in without wait. Photos are not allowed and they’re very strict about it (don’t ask me how I know) but interesting enough to see how elaborate the crowns and garments are.

Once back outside, we stumble upon various characters dressed in old English town clothing putting on skits as they reenact village life. It’s quite entertaining and funny as they appear out of nowhere and just start conversations with the tourist or themselves. Their accents are literally the best part.

After a bit more roaming around, we enter the White Tower, named after its stone-washed, white interior, and proceed to climb more stairs. The first two floors have multiple knight’s armor and wooden horses with some worn by Henry VIII himself.

The next floor up is the chapel, which seems out of place with its elaborate structure. Now finally it’s time to make our way down all the stairs to the bottom and head out. Overall, we spent a good three hours here with my legs feeling the brunt. The mid-day sun is also starting to beat down on us making me scurry to find shade.

We rest for a few moments by the riverside as I take off my shoes to replenish my feet on the cold, stone rocks. The Tower Bridge is next on our list and just a stones throw away. Luckily there’s an elevator that takes up to the top walkway and gives us a great view of London. There’s even a glass bottom section where we can look straight down to the cars below. So happy to have near perfect weather as you can’t beat the 68 degree temps and blue skies here (especially in April).

It’s now time for lunch as my stomach reminds me I only had a donut this morning, and locate an affordable place about a six minute walk away, but once we get there we find they’ve closed early. Wanting to taste a local favorite of Sheppard’s Pie we continue to search until we find a more pricier restaurant down the way called The Ivey. 

This place is decked out and upscale with the waiters wearing actual suits. We’re asked for our reservation, but didn’t realize we needed to make one, but they find us a table just the same. They allow us to split the Sheppard’s Pie two-course lunch that comes with a unique Crab and Chive Cream starter (served on watermelon and topped with crushed avocado and radish). Both were very good and would highly recommend this place. The price of 22 Pounds ($29 USD) isn’t too bad either.

It’s now around 3:30pm, and instead of going back to our hotel we decide to hit one more place. We take the tube to Westminster Station and I go out on my own to the Churchill War Museum while Kelvin walks down the road to Trafalgar Square. The War Rooms is quite pricey at 34 Pounds, but it’s interesting to see the bunker used by Winston Churchill and parliament during the World Wars.

Now that my body is completely spent, I meet with Kelvin back at our AirBnb where we stay in for the rest of the night. It was a quick trip here, mainly for me to reconnect from prior trips and Kelvin to get a quick overview, but it did its job of kicking our butts. Tomorrow our train leaves early in the morning, so will need plenty of rest.