London Bridge is one of my favourite areas in London and I have spent so much time here lately I thought it was about time to write a blog post about it, especially in honour of the sad tragedy that took place in London Bridge, as it is truly a wonderful place and the resilience of Londoners in light of the attack is just simply remarkable.
I absolutely love visiting parts of London as a tourist in my own city or just for pleasure, and London Bridge has so much to see and do that it would be the perfect place to spend a night in order to have a mini escape, which is sometimes so essential and so much fun. If you are travelling to London from abroad this would be an ideal location too, to visit or stay, so this can be used as a mini area guide too.
Where to Stay
So if you did decide you wanted to treat yourself to a night in London Bridge, where would I suggest you stay? Well it would most certainly be Shangri-La London simply because it is housed in one of my favourite buildings, The Shard, as well as it has the most unbeatable views of London. Whilst I haven’t stayed here myself its on my bucket list to tick off soon but I was lucky enough to have a sneak peek of the rooms.
Now imagine waking up to a view like this!
For summer, Shangri-La currently have a ‘Summer in the City’ experience which includes an overnight stay for two in a luxurious guestroom or suite, bottle of house champagne served in room upon arrival, a delicious afternoon tea which you can indulge in the privacy of your room, complimentary WiFi, complimentary use of the gym and the infinity Skypool (which is amazing), and English breakfast served in TING restaurant and lounge, located on the 35th floor. The offer starts from £615 for one night based on two people sharing a room. For further information and reservations please visit their website here.
Things to do
Day one
Once you have checked in to your hotel, it is time to go exploring around London Bridge and my first stop would be Borough Market.
This is one of the UK’s most oldest food markets and is absolutely amazing. You can buy amazing ingredients, fresh fruit and veg, breads, cheese, meats and eat street food and try artisan blend coffees all under one roof. The iced Mocha from the Colombian Coffee Co is particularly delicious, especially if its a hot day, as are the various food stalls. The aroma of the freshly cooked food will draw you in for sure. Don’t leave without trying the food and taking away some goodies for your home.
I would then suggest heading to the Shard for a view at the top followed by coming back to the base of the Shard, to Lang, located in the Shangri – La Hotel for a little “pick me up” in the form of their signature Hot Chocolate. Literally this hot chocolate is heaven in a mug.
Now it is time to head to the London Bridge Experience, which is not for the faint hearted, but lots of fun.
Here you can learn about London’s gruesome history through an immersive theatrical experience, which is really interesting and an alternative way to do it too.
After this, head for lunch to Padella Pasta, and enjoy fabulous authentic Pasta and wine in a wonderful restaurant with a casual, friendly vibe. If you sit at the counter upstairs you can even watch them preparing your pasta fresh, which is lots of fun. You can read more about Padella Pasta here.
After lunch, take a stroll towards Southbank, where you will get some amazing views of London, as well as be able to go on the London Eye (would recommend buying your tickets in advance), Sealife or just simply watch buskers and marvel at the views.
The London Dungeons, next to the London Eye are also great fun and a thrilling experience if you are into adrenalin rushes and scary experiences.
Late afternoon, I would recommend heading to Aqua Shard to enjoy their Champagne Afternoon Tea with some spectacular views, which beats having Afternoon Tea in a classic dining room.
You can read more about the Champagne Afternoon Tea at Aqua Shard here.
If you need a walk after the Afternoon Tea, head down Tooley Street to the The LaLiT London, where they currently have a Sipsmith Terrace, where you can enjoy some fabulous Gin cocktails with a view of The Shard.
If you fancy something a little different for dinner, you could eat in what used to be an old school Assembly Hall at the Baluchi restaurant, which is also in the LaLiT hotel. You can read more about my meal there on my blog post.
After all that food, I really recommend an evening/night time walk along the bridge to soak in the twinkling landmarks. It really is so magical!
On your return to the Shard, you can pop in to Aqua Shard for their Wind up Wind Down cocktails, which are available till 3am on a Friday and Saturday night.
Alternatively, you can pop into Gong GŌNG Bar to try cocktails form their Director’s Cut menu, which are seriously impressive, including one which even levitates!
Now its time to go to bed in your room with a view!
The Next Day…
Not only will you wake up with some amazing views, if you had breakfast included, you could indulge in that or room service, or alternatively you can pop next door to Aqua Shard (again 🙂 you can tell I love this place), for breakfast, which you can read all about here. The Brioche French toast is my favourite.
After that, you can check out of your hotel, and wander around London Bridge area, which has plenty of cafes to relax at, or head across the bridge for morning views and a nice stroll, or alternatively back to Southbank, which is always buzzing! You could even walk to Tower Bridge too, which also has some epic views.
Even if you decide to simply have a day out in London Bridge and not spend the night at a hotel, you can use this post as an itinerary for a fun filled day in London Bridge. There is so much to see and do and I just love it, especially all the incredible views you can soak up. This is by no means a comprehensive list but all the things I have loved near London Bridge and the surrounding areas.
What are your favourite things to do in London Bridge? Let me know in the comments below.
Jaini says
The Tate isn’t far off & Sky Garden for cocktails with a view!
Emma @ Adventures of a London Kiwi says
I do so adore London Bridge – such a tasty list of recommendations!
the Curious Pixie says
Included all my faves Binny. Still need to make to Padella though.
The Purley Girly says
Can you believe I’ve still not tried Padella? Serious blogger fail! Anyone going to Borough Market has to try a doughnut (or three) from Bread Ahead, I can’t go there and not get one.
Angie Silver says
Now that sounds like a great way to spend the day.