#askronya

Hey there, 

Yes, I can think of a few summery things that I LOVE to do in London. A word of warning though: you do know that July/August in London doesn’t necessarily mean SUMMER in the classical sense, don’t you?!

A few of my personal summer favorites in London (in no particular order):

Visit Holland Park and witness the majestic and magical peacocks strolling proudly through the park. Now, I would not ever consider myself a bird person but I will never forget the first time I saw the peacocks in the park glide across the path with their beautiful elegance in this perfect setting. It’s a sight that will stay with me for a long time.

Go and get your self a macaron ice cream sandwich from Yolkin - the only place in London that sells these at present - 24 Wellington St WC2E 7DD

Escape the crazy hustle and bustle of central London and enjoy some of the most spectacular views and sunsets from the rooftop bar of the Trafalgar Hotel.

You mentioned a visit to Daunt Books, if you love books then you simply must check out Hatchards on Piccadilly. Not only is it the oldest bookshop in the United Kingdom (founded in 1797), it is housed in the most beautiful buildings and has the most amazing offer of first editions and signed books in London (and beyond) by far. And if that doesn’t satisfy your literary cravings, then you can easily pop a few doors down to Waterstones on Piccadilly which is only Europe’s largest bookshop (!). 5 glorious floors of books all under one roof. I have lost count of the number of hours that I have spent in that place over the years.

If you like movies, I would definitely recommend a visit to Somerset House for one of the Film4 Summer Screen at Somerset House events. As TimeOut has put it so beautifully ‘For a near-perfect London night out, you can’t beat watching a movie in the beautiful courtyard at Somerset House.’ I couldn’t agree more… 

Take an evening stroll down the South Bank all the way from the South Bank Centre to Tower Bridge. Walking along the river, with the beautiful fairy lights twinkling away above you in the trees and the river gently washing past you, you will feel like the lead character in your very own London film… 

At lunchtime, provided the weather is good, instead of grabbing a Pret-A-Manger sandwich on the go, get yourself a little picnic and enjoy a bit of true London lunchtime life in one of the many parks. My personal favorites are Regents Park, Holland Park, the Italian Gardens at Hyde Park or St James Park.

Give the tube a miss and travel by foot, bus, Thamesclipper or Boris bike instead. The tube is pretty bad at the best of times but in summer it is simply unbearable, crowded, hot and unreliable. Life is too short for that especially when you are visiting London for only three days…

Sure, that’s no problem at all.

Thank you so much, that’s sweet of you to say. 

I think that there are definitely worse places to be ‘stuck’ in… I love Berlin- the city has great energy it’s definitely one of my top 5 cities in Europe right now. Make sure you don’t wish your life away but make the most of the here and now and of living in such a vibrant, fast-paced and progressive place. 

New adventures await… © Ronya Galka

I regularly receive messages from you guys about ‘insider tips’ of things to do and places to visit whilst in London so I just wanted to share a little nugget that I have come across: 

Stanfords is a lovely bookshop in Covent Garden which was originally established in 1853. The shop itself is absolutely worth a visit for anyone with even the slightest hint of wanderlust. I don’t think that there is a better place for travel guides, maps and travel literature anywhere - it’s one of the literary gems that London has to offer and is a must for anyone who loves browsing and getting ideas for the next trip away…

But even better, as I have found out this week, Stanfords are also offering their very own sightseeing tours on vintage horse-drawn carriages through London. How very cool and stylish?!

What a great way to explore landmarks such as the Royal Opera House, Charing Cross Station, Trafalgar Square, the Palace of Westminster, Piccadilly Circus and Covent Garden - looks so much more fun than the usual open-top bus and the best thing from a photographer’s point of view is that at the much more leisurely pace you’ll have plenty of time to take pictures… 

Definitely worth checking out: 

Thank you Martin, that is a very sweet thing to say.

I can see that you are also well and truly infected by the photography bug :)