Hi Everyone,
London holds a special place in my heart as it is the first place I went to after leaving New Zealand. I lived there for one year before moving to Zurich. Not being able to visit for the past 2 years has been hard, especially as a very dear Aunt of ours lives there.
So you can imagine the minute the borders opened up to vaccinated people we jumped at the chance.
This post gives you 2 tips of some new fabulous food experiences in London. It starts with advice of how to get to London from Switzerland with all the current Covid regulations. If you don’t live in Switzerland simply skip the first paragraph and move along to the delicious tips – smile!
At the end there is a little “& More” section highlighting other favourite things to do, plus my no time to shop London shopping tips.
Keep reading for: “2 Hot Tips for a Weekend in London Summer/Fall 2021 & More”
2 Hot Tips for a Weekend in London Summer/Fall 2021 & More
How to get to London from Switzerland during the pandemic.
Currently despite being vaccinated you need to get a Covid test done before you fly. Note though it does not need to be a PCR test so you can opt for the cheaper version. Pre register at Zurich airport Covid test center online for a very fast walk through test. You also need to fill out a passenger location form – link here.
On day 2 in London you need to do another Covid test. There are several ways of doing this but one of the cheapest and easiest is through Eurofins. You need to pre-order and pre-pay the test online. It gets sent to your address and then you send it back via Royal Mail. The whole procedure is very simple as long as you do those three steps. Note the airports at both Zurich and Heathrow where also no problem whatsoever!
1. The 108 Brasserie at The Marylebone
Hidden amongst the cobbled streets of Marylebone Village the 108 Brasserie Marylebone has a special new seasonal terrace this Summer. Created by Master Florists McQueens in partnership with the cult wine estate Miraval. The pink roses and bistro chairs are ever so sweet – quite a Summer Parisian vibe.
There is also a lovely special Rosé menu featuring rouge hued dishes each of which has been created to go with a specific rosé.
Start with one of the six unique rosé signature cocktails – we tried three of them and can promise they are absolutely delicious.
Just in case you’re wondering, we ate inside as it was somewhat chilly later in the evening.
See what we ate:
For anyone who loves pink roses and beautiful settings, this is certainly a must try in London.
Open from midday – 11pm Monday – Saturday, and midday – 6pm on Sundays. 47 Welbeck St,
2. Afternoon tea at the Kensington
Afternoon tea is almost a real must for any trip to London but this afternoon tea at the Kensington is super special.
Starting off with delicious Perrier Jouet champagne and some wonderful warm delicacies.
Then came the absolute piece de la resistance… The silver wheel replicating the London Eye.
The Kensington is nestled in the heart of one of my favourite parts of London, close to many of the city’s most famous landmarks. A great inspiration for this most magnificent afternoon tea, leading diners on a tour of the capital’s architectural feats.
Can’t believe I ended up eating Big Ben, the Gherkin, the Shard and a Phone booth – it’s a wonder I managed to make it out of the doorway – haha!
Hidden in a starched white linen serviette at the bottom were the most delicious scones I have ever tasted. My mouth watering as I write.
Don’t worry if you can’t eat everything – there are the cutest little boxes available for taking leftovers back home.
Can’t finish without saying a huge thank you to Alexandra for being the best Maitre’D out. Feel like I’ve made a lovely new friend!
THE KENSINGTON
109-113 Queen’s Gate
South Kensington
London, SW7 5LP
United Kingdom
+44 20 7589 6300
& More
Favourite walk:
We love to walk from the Petersham along the river Thames into Richmond. There’s always so much to see along the way. Each visit to London something different is happening here.
Favourite place to run:
These photos were taken on several different trips to London but one of our favourite things to do is to go for a morning run through Richmond park. Looking out for the different wild life along the way.
A day at The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew:
A day at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is not to be missed. Discover over 50,000 living plants to be found across this pretty UNESCO World Heritage site
There are plenty of beautiful restaurants to dine at and seasonal activities constantly changing throughout the year. There is truly something for every member of the family.
Mon – Fri: 10am – 7pm (last entry 6pm)
Weekends: 10am – 8pm (last entry 7pm)
Best no time to shop London shopping:
With so much to see and do in London shopping there never seems to be enough time to do all the shopping I would love so here are my no fuss shopping tips:
Harrods:
Whilst Harrods is a fabulous store and a must see it can be quite daunting once inside. My tip is to skip the ground floor and head straight for the Technology section on the 5th floor. This is always fascinating – we spotted a beautiful designer Pantheone speaker this visit.
The toy section (4th floor) is a must see too. You will find something for every child (even the grown up ones).
Harvey Nichols:
You can’t beat Harvey Nichols for fabulous designer fashion at differing price points. There is something for many budgets – just not the very cheap.
Russell & Bromley:
For the best English shoes – in my opinion. Fun fact: when I arrived to live in Zurich from London I only owned one pair of shoes – Russell & Bromley of course. Today I have a few more shoes – haha!
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So nice to see our dear aunt Elizabeth again!
yes I bet then I would like to see you very much to mind you I would also love to be in London or even Switzerland Zurich and see you thank you for your blog I love it tremendously