taken in front of Buckingham Palace. Funny how we take these tourist hotspots for granted

when we actually live in that place. To a tourist this red phone box is fascinating.

For me, I'm concerned if they still actually work, if I ever lost my phone. To the tourist,

Elizabeth is a queen, a ruler of lands and the star of a Netflix Original. But to me,

she's just my friendly old lady neighbour. Since starting this travel channel, I have

mostly ignored my own home town, not because it wasn't great, but because it was just

normal for me. So about a year ago I thought it would be a good idea to do a travel vlog

about my own city. But not as a local, as a tourist. How, would my wife and I holiday

in our own backyard. So over months of filming various days out, I have created this travel

vlog which will masquerade as being shot over 5 consecutive days in order to show people

what I think is the best of London, to act as a suggested guide for future visitors and

perhaps a different view of a place I've grown to love. This isn't just about hitting

the famous landmarks, and it isn't just about visiting places no one's heard of,

either. It's a splash of both and what I personally would recommend. If you're new

to the channel, we aim to make travel movies where the location is king, hoping you might

just find your next holiday inspiration. This is Suitcase Monkey being a local tourist in

London.

(STRONG DRUM BEAT)

So let's zoom out a second and take a look at what we have in store for us. Over the

week, we will mostly focus on specific areas each day to cover as much as possible in as

little time. To begin, we started in this area which broadly speaking covers the City

of London. Under its original name Londinium, 2000 years ago, it was here where the the

city's first Roman settlers inhabited so what better place for us to start.

The Tower of London is one of London's oldest buildings, with the White Tower in the middle

being almost 1,000 years old.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC CONTINUES)

What I love about the Tower is how it sticks out like a

sore thumb when compared to its surroundings but also seems to feel right at home at the

same time.

(DRUMMING CONTINUES)

I'd really recommend waiting for a Yeoman tour which is included in the price of admission.

Lasting around an hour, they vividly paint stories of the Towers past

I've seen a few different tours over the years, and

they have always been of a high standard, with a sharp, dry British wit, not dissimilar

to the humble narrator that you're enjoying right now.

(DRUM MUSIC CONTINUES)

Along with pretty much everything else I am about to discuss in the video, I will put

all important links in the description below, along with our social media so you can follow

us live while we do whatever London throws our way next. Please do come along and say Hello

(RAVEN CROWING)

(UPBEAT HAPPY GENTLE MUSIC)

Somewhere that isn't as well known is St Katharines Docks. Literally hidden across

the road from the Tower of London, this little gem is great for a tea or coffee, a lunch,

a beer and occasionally a mini festival. Again, I'll link below, but they have sporadic

dates where they will host really cool international food festivals. But outside of those busy

dates, it's a really quaint, quiet, closed off harbour where you can watch people with

more money than you park their boats.

Next, we headed into the heart of the City of London, known as The Square Mile. It might

seem odd to suggest the financial district as a place to visit but especially on weekends

when the streets are empty of the usual business, there is some great architecture and history

to discover.

OK, so if you're in the area and have a spare 30 minutes then The Monument is worth

a cheeky look in. It's only £4.50, there is never a wait and it gives you a nice simple

view of the City. But you do have to be fit enough to tackle the 311 steps it takes to

climb to the top.

The great fire of London in 1666 left 13,000 houses burnt to the ground and The Monument

was erected as part of the effort to rebuild the city.

Along with the Tower, St Pauls Cathedral is one of my favourite historical buildings in

London. During the second World War Blitz, it somehow miraculously missed all London

bombings and stood as a beacon of hope. A short walk from The Monument, it's an impressive

sight. If you want to get an elevated perspective beforehand, I'd recommend going up to the

roof terrace within the One New Change building. There is a free observation deck as well as

a trendy bar if you want to take your time before visiting the impressive Cathedral.

(LIGHT PIANO MUSIC)

Whilst The Monument is great for a quick stop, and without a booking, The Sky Garden is my

favourite free viewing space in London but usually requires a reservation.

Nicknamed the Walkie Talkie, I'd always recommend going just before sunset so you get the daylight

turning to night.

(LIGHT MUSIC CONTINUES, BUILDS WITH STRINGS)

If they've run out of free observation tickets, then I'd suggest

booking a table at the Sky Garden's Darwin Brasserie instead. The food here isn't cheap

but is good enough with an even better view, making it a great way to end your day. For

lots more restaurant suggestions, I'd check out our assortment of best London dining videos

we've already made, which I'll link to above and below.

(PIANO MUSIC FADES)

UPBEAT INTENSE MUSIC)

London is best discovered on foot and I think there is no better way to relax into the city

than with a long walk along the South side of the River Thames. We started at Borough

Market, with the aim to fuel ourselves up for the rest of the afternoon.

Being London's oldest food market, its 1000 years of experience means you will be test

tasting, smelling and eating some of the best local and international flavours around. This

is an energetic, bustling space open Monday to Saturday with Wednesday to Saturday having

the most traders. Whether you're here for breakfast, brunch or lunch, you are guaranteed

to find something you'll enjoy and hunting for that goodness is often half the fun.

(UPBEAT FUNKY MUSIC CONTINUES)

(MUSIC ENDS, SILENCE, EATING NOISES)

(GENTLE PIANO MUSIC)

Walking along the Thames going from Borough Market to the London Eye can take anything

from an hour to a whole afternoon. Representing the bottom part of an official walking route

known as the Jubilee Walkway, it was opened by the Queen during her Silver Jubilee celebrations.

Along the way are dozens of pit stops that may or may not grab your attention but the

scrolling north side view of the Thames are worth the walk alone.

(GENTLE PIANO MUSIC CONTINUES)

(MUSIC ENDS)

(FASTER STRING MUSIC)

This whole area of Westminster has been the home of government and royalty for centuries.

Westminster Abbey being the initial seed, it was established in 960AD and has been the

home to every royal coronation since.

Acting as an open air museum, this whole area is

a who's who within history. Much like the Jubilee Walk, your time here can vary massively

depending on how deep you want to go but an hour or two can easily be spent wandering around.

Whilst views of 10 Downing Street are not possible for most, the closest view is around

the back next to Horse Guards Parade. Just next to this, is the Churchill War Rooms,

where you can go inside the underground bunkers where Winston Churchill planned through the

Second World War.

(FAST STRING MUSIC ENDS)

(SLOW GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC PLAYS)

As we pass Trafalgar Square, we are now entering the tourist hotspots. Let's hang out in

Piccadilly Circus or Leicester Square, said no Londoner ever. They should certainly be

on every holiday makers list however, especially Piccadilly Circus with its famous curved signs.

Next, we head into Soho, which is the perfect place for evening drinks and dinner. Catering

to literally every single taste known to man, there is literally something here for everyone.

Chinatown is a great stop if you want either authentic Chinese food or even the English/Chinese

version I've grown up with.

For the sake of this day, we went to Barrafina, an authentic Spanish Tapas Bar right in the

heart of Soho on Dean Street. Be prepared for a wait since it is incredibly popular

but the food here is always great. Our eyes got very large as we tucked into Chorizo rolls,

Ham Croquettes, Prawn Tempura, Deep water Mussels, white fish, an incredibly juicy slab

of beef, and the classic coffee and chocolate tart to finish off. Soho covers a pretty large

area altogether so I'm saving 2 of my favourite Soho hotspots for when we return here on our final day.

(SOFT GUITAR RIFF)

After a busy few days, we wanted today to be a relatively relaxing one, venturing out

into South East London for a more local feel. We would be spending most of our early afternoon

in Greenwich but I think a nice add on is its neighbouring town of Blackheath, especially

if it's a sunny day. Whilst no means essential, Blackheath is probably the most local and

unassuming place in this trip which makes up its small town charm. Getting to Blackheath

is just a couple of stops from London Bridge and on that, a quick note to say that you

should definitely download the app City Mapper as it's the best transport app for London.

But the main reason I wanted to start in Blackheath is that it is the best gateway into Greenwich

itself. Entering from the south side of Greenwich Park gives you The Flower Garden and The Pavillion

Cafe but also a postcard view of London.

This Prime Meridian line divides the earth into the East and West hemispheres marking

0 Longitude on a map is also the reference for Greenwich Mean Time. In the late 19th

Century every town in the world kept their own local time with no international standards.

Greenwich was chosen as the centre of world time and the Royal Observatory does a good

job of telling this story.

(FUNKY BASS RIFF)

A great way to get back to Central London is to take the Thames Clippers. The Thames

by boat is a great way to see the city from a different perceptive and whilst doing a

slower commentary boat is also a great option, this version provides sightseeing and transport

at the same time.

There are several stops along the way, but we wanted to get off at Embankment since there

are a few random things we wanted to show you. The first being Victoria Embankment Gardens

which is worth a drop in if you're already close and its a nice day. But also, one of

my favourite London drinking spots is here in the shape of Gordon's Wine Bar. On a

sunny day and evening, its a great place to enjoy some crisp white wine outside and during

the winter months they have a really cool cellar underground. This also holds a special

place for us since it was the place where Chiaki and myself had our first ever date together.

(GENTLE ROUND OF APPLAUSE)

A few minutes from Gordons Wine Bar, and just off The Strand, is Adam Street. Here, you

will find a door that strikes an uncanny resemblance to that of number 10 Downing Street. Which

leaves you open for many a comical pose and an Instagram post to impress your friends.

And while I mention it, please do consider following us on Instagram and Facebook so

you can enjoy our London travels live as they happen.

Now, if you listen to nothing else I say, then listen to this. If you've never done

one before, you have to enjoy an afternoon tea whilst in London. Going all out for an

afternoon tea is one of our favourite dining experiences and something we do at least a

couple of times a year. I'll spread my footage here over 2 places we've visited recently

but I've put a link in the description that lists loads of different options for you.

Generally speaking though, as long as you see good reviews on Trip Advisor, you can't

go wrong.

This tradition is said to have come about in the early 19th century when it was normal

for someone to only have breakfast and dinner. When Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford and

now one of my personal heroes complained of hunger during the long afternoon period, the

idea of enjoying a snack was born and here we are, a lunch, a brunch and an afternoon

tea later.

Generally consisting of a multitude of speciality tea or coffee, a delicious selection of sandwiches,

usually with the crusts cut off, thank you very much, a marvellous mix of sweet desserts

and then my personal favourite, the scone with strawberry jam and clotted cream. Now,

if there is one topic within England that divides people more than Brexit, it's how

to spread your jam on a scone. Whether you should enjoy it the Devonshire way; that is

with jam spread on top of the cream or the Cornish way with the cream on top. Whether

any of this makes any actual difference once it's all in your mouth doesn't seem to

be the point but I invite you to try them both and let me know in the comments below

what your thoughts are.

With an afternoon tea usually satisfying any hunger for the rest of the day, what better

way to work off all those calories, than to sit still in a darkened room facing forwards.

Something else that should be on everyones to-do list, is to enjoy a West End show.

Along with Broadway, London hosts the finest selection of shows in the world and the scale

and quality here is top notch. Three shows that continue to run that I would recommend

to anyone are Hamilton, Wicked and the Book of Mormon. And we've also recently seen

Aladdin, The Comedy about a Bank Robbery, The Play that Goes Wrong, and Harry Potter

which I'd suggest also. Tickets can be purchased either at the actual box office or various

ticket outlets around the city, with the main one being in Leicester Square and unofficial

ones dotted around. But I'd also recommend the Today Tix app for a simple mobile option

and I'll link a few websites in the description below also.

As part of this hypothetical trip, I wanted one of our days to take us away from London.

When thinking what this day could be, instead of picking my favourite child, I thought it

better to give you a brief summary of a bunch of different potential days away. So here

goes…

The furthest out on this list is a 90 minute train ride taking you to the old Roman city

of Bath. Located in the South West of England, Bath is a great getaway and although it might

be rushed, could be done in a day if you catch an early train out with a late return.

In fact, I recommend Bath so much, I've already made a full length travel vlog on

our weekend away, so make sure to check out the full story.

A little closer to home, and with about 40 minutes of travel time is the Warner Brothers

Studio Tour, otherwise known as the Making of Harry Potter. If you have any interest

in the boy wizard or movie magic in general, then this is a great half day activity. The

moment where the Great Hall is revealed behind its colossal doors is really well told and

is a great start to your experience. Compared to the world in Universal Studios, it's

a lot less theme park and more of the actual behind the scenes, where you can interact