Ok, so this is going to be more about the fun side of London, but doesn’t the dark, seedy side sound fascinating?

Behind unmarked doors, down narrow staircases, and through the kind of “are we in the right place?” entrances we live for, London’s speakeasy scene is deliciously dark (like me) and just a little dramatic (like Peggy). Local purveyors of the drinking arts have made the Speakeasy scene fun and inventive and absolutely some of the best experiences to be had. The kind of spots that make you feel like you’re getting away with something…you know we’re in.

Arriving in London

A Chunnel train ride was not what was on my bucket list, EVER (a train tunnel high-speed underwater?  NO, THANK YOU), but is the best way to get from Paris to London, so off we went.

We absolutely love London.  It is such an amazing city.  This being our fourth time in this city we decided to just skip all plans to “see the city” and just focus on bar hopping and hitting up some speakeasies.  We did buy a 2-day pass on the Hop On Hop Off bus (the HO-HO, named after my sister) which covers an immense amount of London, so there was limited Ubering, Tube navigation, and no need to be driving.

It was a great decision and one we highly recommend.

The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town

With a name like that, how do you not want to go to this speakeasy!  It just screams fun and the ability to not take themselves to seriously.  And that is exactly what we found.

The Entrance

The Breakfast Club Spitalfields closes at 4 pm (but has great food and huge portions if you are looking for breakfast or lunch in London).  If you show up after that, the restaurant will be dark, but there will be a doorman and a velvet rope inside the entrance.  Tell him you are looking for the mayor.  He will call someone to help you.  Out pops our host, who then asks us if we know how to get in, because it’s a hidden secret, and it’s fantastically speakeasy-ish.  We did know, but he will help you if you don’t.  Hint:  check out the oddly located item that doesn’t belong in the hallway.

The Experience

The doorway leads down a ramp into a brick basement (yes, London has a lot of brick buildings, obviously).  Low ceilings, wooden bar, fabulously decorated with old signs, some slightly challenging your sense of decency.  But luckily, there is a No Heavy Petting sign and a giant moose head. The brickwall has little gaps with little surprises stuck in them.  The energy is low key, but the service is spectacular and engaging, they obviously love what they do here.

Great drink names like Eat the Rich, Wake Me Up and F*ck Me, and Pink Responsibly. They had fun making this menu, and put some great thought into their creations.  Seating is tight, but on purpose, so you can mingle and meet your neighbors, interaction is encouraged.  And the menu contains some basic words of advice to make your visit more pleasant, such as the Mayor demands the highest standards of self-deprecation, don’t leave through the entrance, and upon leaving they suggest you act nonchalant, like you’ve just had a pee (and leave your fly down to add to the charade).  Oh, and PS, anyone named Garfield receives their first drink on the house (with proper identification).

So many great shaker locations to be had in London, this one gets a 5 shaker!

Sister Side Note (ssn) – we loved The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town – the entrance, the service, the other people and the vibe. Everything! Plus that smoked drink had the attention of the whole bar, they really know how to show off! Oh yeah – it is cash only!

I wish we could have stayed longer but we were on our way to our interactive Jack the Ripper Tour. Spoiler alert, interactive does not mean there is any actual murder.

Discount Suit Company

Unassuming, yet so well done. I immediately loved Discount Suit Company when I saw their entrance online.  I don’t know why I was so drawn to this, but something about it screamed ‘YES, WE MUST’ to me.

The Entrance

An old abandoned-looking building with a big worn lettering falling off, declaring what used to be the Discount Suit Company. An obviously out of business industrial corner shop, and off to the side, just a plain black door. That’s it, it feels like you are in an old, run-down part of town.  A “should I be in this area at night” kind of corner – but it is not in a sketchy area, and it is not an unsafe place to be (promise, mom, I didn’t even go down an alley to get here).

Go through the door, down the dark staircase (maybe use your phone for light), and then BAM, I ran into a curtain that I didn’t even see because it was black and unlit, and well, a little sketchy feeling.  But what the heck, go in anyway.

The Experience

Now, this is what you absolutely imagine a speakeasy was like in 1922.  Dark, basement room, no fuss, just a wooden bar, wooden chairs, low tables and chairs in an old brick room.  The cocktails are exquisite and worth the entire experience, there is nothing low key or understated about the Umbrella Vesper or their Moonstomp (homemade whisky, sake, toasted rice, mango, coconut, soda.  Hello wheelhouse…nice to see you).  These people know their way around mixology and are making fantastic concoctions! 

ssn – Discount Suit gets a lot of attention online but it is not overhyped. Definitely the kind of place to settle in and hangout.

Bar Lina Soho

This one threw me off by the name.  I feel like we have encountered Bar Lina before in other cities.  But a bar in an Italian Deli sounds like a winner of a location to me.

The Entrance

The Lina Stores Delicatessen and Restaurants have several locations around London but four of them have “hidden” bars, Bar Lina. We went to Bar Lina Soho.  And OMG, the deli itself is so cute.  Just, why don’t I live in a town that has an Italian deli kind of cute!  The meat and cheese case, the walls of snacks, crackers, pasta and biscotti, this would be on my weekly list of places to shop.  But the lady at the back can help you gain entrance to the speakeasy in the basement.  Down a flight of stairs, Italian art along the staircase, and into the intimate, velvet luxury of Bar Lina.

The Experience

The staff was knowledgeable and friendly, but were being monopolized by a loud touristy lady with her roller suitcase demanding attention and conversation. We would have felt bad for them but the rock and roll Ed Hardy T-shirt wearing guy with his clearly first Grindr date kept us entertained.

We settled on our standard wheelhouse drinks, but then minutes after our drinks arrive, the cute lady from upstairs appeared with our apertivo.  They operate Bar Lina with a traditional Italian bar concept of small plates to compliment your cocktails. Bar Lina was definitely experience focused, we had a little mini panini with our drink, round two provides you with a cheese pairing for your cocktail, they embrace the Italian way of making drinking and event, not just cheap drinks to get you as drunk as possible.  It was charming, and we felt so special at Bar Lina. 

Archive and Myth

We had missed this on our original list, but luckily G, our Sofitel St. James bartender friend, recommended we pop by this spot, so we squeezed this in.  Unfortunately, they were closed the night we were there. However, with the amazing help of the staff we were given an insider view and walk-through of the speakeasy. And just recently, Archive and Myth was named 2026 Venue of the Year by Bar Magazine.

The Entrance

Inside the Hippodrome Casino, right by the Magic Mike Show, you need to find a door.  It’s a black door with patterns around the edges and a very fleur de lis style center with birds, very 1920’s design that has a 44, a 22, and a 33 incorporated into the décor.  This is your entrance to Archive and Myth.  In order to access the speakeasy behind the door, you have to know the passcode.  You have to check their website, as the passcode does change, but it is always about knowing what order of pattern to tap the edge design symbols.

The Experience

Ok, the way to access the room is fun, it’s different, we liked it.  Inside it is very typical speakeasy, black interior, a little dark and moody, yellow-ish bulb lighting, a brick wall behind the bar.  Classic speakeasy cocktails with a twist in half-size and full-size.  And you just know, just feel, how much of a party place this is going to be before and after a Magic Mike show next door!  Definitely beautiful and intimate, but with a screaming energy that wants to show you how on fire it can be.

Spy Bar

This was number one on Peggy’s list of Speakeasy visits for London, and she was very correct in her listing of The Spy Bar.

The Entrance

It’s hidden, that’s for sure.  Even the elevator was not an obvious find.  Downstairs in the basement of the Raffles London OWO hotel (that’s the Old War Office building converted to a gorgeous Raffles hotel).  You’ll first find the elevator, then walk down a long hallway of doors.  Only one door has a little tiny number above it, Room 007.

There is nothing unique or outstanding about this big plain wooden door.  You open the door to this little front office.  Eugene is sitting at his old fashioned typewriter, and it is very 60’s and 70’s office décor.  Eugene is absolutely lovely, until he places a sticker over your phone camera.  That’s right, no cameras allowed.

Fun fact – rooms 006 and 007 were actually used in the early 20th century and functioned as high security storage vaults for identity papers and mission reports of MI5 and MI6 agents

The Experience

Basically, we have no photos to show you how cool this place is.  Everything is James Bond themed, including the Aston Martin above the bar.  Black and white photos, dark wood, and a very intimate and vintage feeling.  The drinks are all classified by Bond villains and characters and movie themed. It was upscale and worth the trip. Service was amazing, Eugene came back in to the room and chatted with us for a bit, and the entire hotel staff at The OWO was incredible and will go above and beyond any expectation for class and service. But you have got to have a reservation for this 5-shaker speakeasy. Get yourself a reservation and do not miss this.

ssn – Spy Bar earned my Favorite Speakeasy in our Best of 2025 Travel Awards. The folks at Raffles were exceptional and the experience was over the top, as I had hoped. It is definitely THE premier experience in London – but not in an unapproachable way. Spy Bar just has an air of secrecy and feels ultra exclusive. Which you know I love. Plus Eugene was amazing – he also landed on our list of Favorite people we met in 2025.

Cahoots Postal

This will forever live in our memories as one of our best speakeasy experiences.  They make it a very immersive experience. We saved the best for last with this speakeasy guide to London.

The Entrance

Just outside Borough Market, you will see the sign for Cahoots Postal. It’s covered in plaques, advertisements and information bulletins, including one that specifically states “Definitely NOT a secret cocktail bar, please stop asking”.   You will want to make a reservation.  We were standing outside, waiting for them to open the door when a man in a 1920’s style outfit peeked out, looked left and right and then at us.  He whispered “you haven’t seen any coppers around have ya?  Didja make sure you weren’t followed?” in a heavy accent.  We told him we had been careful and followed instructions.

We walked into an old fashioned postal office where he asked us if we were there to pick up a “parcel” and asked what name would it be under. Then he called to the back to see if our parcel was ready for pickup.  While he was arranging our entrance the wall telephone rang, Peggy picked it up and it was a very British man congratulating us on entering the scoundrel network and directing us towards the back door. We are very impressed and excited at this point.

The Experience

Through the door at the end of the hallway, we go, and it is busy and chaotic, just exactly as you would expect the backroom of a post office to be.  There are many open slots on the wall where letters are overflowing (do you remember that part in The Grinch, I was dying to start yelling  “jury duty, jury duty, eviction notice, blackmail, pink slip”). The cocktail menu is designed like an old newspaper, with different sections for different drink styles and presentations.

Peggy ordered the P.A.M.E.L.A – which is a whiskey, bergamot, tart (like her) experience which is concocted by an automated “letter arranger”  (Postal Automated Mechanical Electric Letter Arranger, to be specific), and she was given a token to put in the machine when it was time for her pick up.

I ordered from the Air Mail section a fruity Signed, Sealed, Delivered.  The Air Mail section drinks are the coolest!  The server gives you your “pick-up location” and in a few minutes you hear your pick-up being called and all of a sudden a tube is drifting through overhead pipes, down the wall to your station.  Open up the tube (picture the drive in bank tubes), open it and inside is a flask with your cocktail.

The servers were fantastic, the drinks were fantastic, there is no way this is not an absolute 5-Shaker, MUST DO when in London.

There is another Cahoots location – Cahoots Underground. It is Tube themed and located in Soho. We tried to go but it was closed for a private event. From the entrance, it is equally as committed to theme and we are sure it is fabulous!

The Wrap-Up

We missed several places, several we were dying to hit, but I guess that gives us an excuse to go back to London. Anything else, let us know in the comments!

• The MacSmiths
• Evans & Peel Detective Agency
• Bacchanalia
• Scales London
• Sibin
• The Vault

London knows their drinking, they know their pubs, they love their history, and they are crushing the speakeasy scene.  We have heard experts saying speakeasies are overdone, but we are here loving and living for an over the top speakeasy experience.  Thanks for all the entertainment, London!

Other Posts

From this trip

• Paris Speakeasy Guide
• Ghent, Belgium

Other London Posts

• (1) London Day 1
• (2) London Day 2
• (3) London Day 3

Other Speakeasy Guides

• Ultimate Speakeasy Guide – Ratings & Rankings
• Las Vegas
• Chicago
• Austin
• Denver
• Seattle
• Kansas City
• Bali

I had no idea what to expect from Northern Ireland; people LOVE Belfast, but I did not do any research.  Well, aside from chatting with my favorite bartender, Neil, at Elway’s in Denver International Airport.  He is from Belfast and gave me a couple of pointers.  However, before I get to Belfast, there is a must-see destination to visit first:  Giant’s Causeway.

Northern Ireland and Giant’s Causeway

For those that haven’t heard of it, The Giant’s Causeway is a dramatic natural wonder that is known for its 40,000 interlocking basalt columns that step up and down along the coastline. It is Northern Ireland’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site and is consistently on lists of the world’s most beautiful places. And it is also the stuff of legends.

Legend says that the Irish Giant, Finn McCool, challenged to a fight by Scottish Giant Benandonner, built the columnar bridge across the North Channel so that they could meet.  Another version tells that Finn McCool fell in love with a Scottish maiden and built the bridge to go see her.  In reality, the hexagonal columns were formed by volcanic fissure eruption. 

I struggled a bit in my research of the Causeway. There were definitely mixed reviews from fellow travelers who had visited.  I was questioning myself, would it be worth it?

Getting from Galway to Northern Ireland

The drive north from Galway toward Bushmills, Northern Ireland is about 5 hours.  Although this is a long drive, being from the western US, a five-hour drive is not that big of a trip.  The drive was pretty with portions along the water; there were lots of small towns, green hills, and farmland. Alas, still no sheep traffic jam (as I had wished for in the previous post).

Lunch was a quick stop at Benny & Co Coffee Bar in Ballybofey.  We were so lucky to have stumbled on this place.  The food was delicious, clearly a favorite with the locals as it was packed with a line forming.

The demarcation between Ireland and Northern Ireland is non-existent.  There are no border signs (unless I missed it), no passport control or immigration checkpoints.  Suddenly street signs are in “miles per hour” rather than “kilometers per hour”; that’s it.

Bushmills

The Giant’s Causeway is in the town of Bushmills.  Yes, that Bushmills, home of Bushmills Irish Whiskey.  Unfortunately, the old distillery was closed to tours during my visit but I grabbed a quick outside-the-gate picture.

Parking at the Giant’s Causeway Visitors Center was for those with paid admission only.  Self-guided walks among the stones are free but the Visitor Center charges a fee and offers guided tours.  We parked at the lot for Giant’s Causeway and Bushmills Railway.  The railway offers a twenty-minute, two-mile train ride between Bushmills Village and the Causeway, along the coastline.  I would have loved to do this, but the last train was at 2:30 and we had missed it.

Giant’s Causeway

The day was beautifully sunny and breezy enough to be cool but perfect!  There are a few trails to choose from but the most direct is the Blue Trail. The trail runs about 0.8 miles roundtrip from the Visitor Center; all downhill going to the Giant’s Boot and all UPHILL coming back!

Without hesitation I can tell you this was 100% worth it.  Why had I even doubted it?  This place was spectacular!

I felt like a kid on playground. I climbed up and down on the different levels of steppingstone.  The hexagonal columns were incredible up close. It is mind-blowing to think these formations are naturally occurring. The landscape of the surrounding bluffs was beautiful. There were tide pools, rock formations and of course the ocean views. I saw penguins; or at least I am saying they were penguins. Which of course makes no sense, but I am almost sure.

The Dark Hedges

Since the distillery was closed, there was one more stop on the way to Belfast, The Dark Hedges.  Interestingly enough, this was also on the list of most beautiful places in the world.  Dark Hedges is an avenue of roughly 150 Beech trees that form a tunnel.  The claim to fame is that this was used as a filming location for “King’s Road” in the Game of Thrones.  It was pretty cool, but definitely a quick stop.

Belfast

The Merchant Hotel

From there, Belfast was a pretty short drive.  My first impressions of Belfast were very positive.  The city had beautiful architecture, and lively cafes and bars.  My accommodations were a bit of a splurge, The Merchant Hotel.  This 5-star hotel was LUXURY!!  Every detail was lavish, ornate and impeccable.

My only regret is that it was already late evening, and I was too exhausted to fully enjoy all that The Merchant had to offer.  Let’s not forget that I had only arrived from the US the morning before!  Also, after a full day car ride and hiking rocks at the Causeway, I was not looking worthy of this elegance.

The Victorian style room was very elegant and overlooked a fun-looking alley lined with bars, restaurants, and street art.

My priority was food!  Luckily, the front desk directed me to the bar which was open and didn’t require reservations.  When I say bar, it is called the Great Room – it is grand, ornate, and glamourous!  I felt like Queen Latifa in the Last Holiday, a little out of place, a little overwhelmed and wanting to ask anyone, “Don’t that ceiling ever just make you want to cry?”

The food and cocktail menus were fantastic.  With all of the choices on the menu, having fish and chips felt a bit basic but it was what the server recommended.  Bougie fish and chips and a couple of unique cocktails made for a perfect evening, as did the service.  Truly top notch.

I would have loved to explore the hotel and surrounding area, but it was bed time.  Tomorrow would again be packed with a full day of solo exploring before taking the train back to Dublin.

Exploring Belfast

I woke up with plans to wander around Cathedral Quarter, see the sights and go to Titanic Belfast.  After another impressive Merchant Hotel experience, coffee service with scones in the Cocktail Bar, and some guidance from the doorman, I was off.

I truly enjoyed my aimless walking along the mostly empty streets, admiring the cathedrals, the art, and architecture. 

Harbour Marina

My tour took me across the bridge over the River Lagan and into Belfast Harbour Marina.  The Marina is where the crowds were!  There was so much to see and just people watch. 

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Titanic Belfast

Titanic Belfast was the ultimate attraction here.  The museum is a modern, glistening building that is set on the very location that the Titanic was designed, built, and launched.   I was able to get right into the self-guided tour.  The sheer size of the exhibit is impressive with nine galleries of immersive sights and sounds. The exhibits and story-telling depict life in Belfast, the revolutionary design & construction of the ship (including a Shipyard ride), the Launch, the Sinking and the aftermath.  It was such a great attraction and well worth the visit.

Overall, I was so grateful to have taken this side trip!  The Giant’s Causeway was spectacular, and Belfast was lovely, exceeding my non-existent expectations!  I really would love to go back, spend more time at the Merchant (duh!) and see more of this capital city.  But, it was time to catch a taxi (not easy to find) to the train station and head for Dublin.

Getting There

Mombehaving and I flew into Heathrow and took the train from London to Edinburgh. London’s public transportation system made this an easy maneuver – we took the Tube from Heathrow to King’s Cross and left from there. I bought the train tickets on Rail Europe ahead of time and left about 5 hours between landing and departing. Turned out to be plenty of time, even had time in-between for a “welcome to the UK G&T” and a looksie at Platform 9 3/4!

sn – when I say “welcome to the UK G&T”, that’s a self-proclaimed title, not something they hand out at customs. haha

Sister Side Note (ssn) – when I say I wouldn’t know because I wasn’t there, I’m not just self-proclaiming that title, I’m saying I’ve got nothing for this blog, BECAUSE I WASN’T THERE. . . but I guess now is as good a time as any for my “welcome to the UK blog post G&T”

Arriving in Edinburgh late, we grabbed a taxi to our Airbnb. Now, those of you that follow our adventures know that I am a planner! I agonized over “the best” place to stay and “the best” flat. Turns out (as I will always claim) that research paid off. We had the most darling flat, with a view of Edinburgh Castle, right off the charming Grassmarket Square. Even in the dark, we knew this was a score!

ssn – Ok, I can say that I did actually visit Platform 9 3/4 on the end of my visit, and it was a kitschy kind of fun if you are a Harry Potter Fan. However, that’s where my input ends. . .

Day 1 – Exploring Edinburgh

We got up early the next morning, very anxious to get moving and stopped at a cute coffee place in Grassmarket Square called Pumpkin Brown – it wasn’t obvious until we ordered and they asked about our milk-substitute choice, but it was a Vegan coffee shop. I totally, momentarily panicked…we were both super skeptical but I’m telling you, it was one of the best lattes I’d ever had. We took our lattes and wandered down famed West Bow/Victoria Street to the Royal Mile.

ssn – Personally, I’m a fan of coconut milk. However, I’ve heard hemp milk is fabulous even though it tends to separate, which is why I’ve never ordered it. Gross on the separation issue. My money is on my big sis getting Almond milk.

It was early and not crowded yet so we leisurely walked all the way down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and back up before lunch. The churches, pubs and beautiful architecture were so captivating.

On the walk back up, we found (our noses followed the wonderful scent before we saw it) the best shortbread bakery! Mom loves shortbread so this checked a box for her. As we headed back towards the Royal Mile and the North Bridge to catch a Hop On Hop Off bus…but first, lunch. The World’s End claimed the best Fish & Chips (always makes me think of Elf, “You did it! Congratulations”) so we stopped for fish and chips and a pint (our first of the trip)!! Seriously delicious! The people next to us had haggis, proud of them but we never got that brave!

Hop On Hop Off

After all that walking, the bus was a nice break. Plus we got a better feel for the city. The Scott Memorial, Calton Hill, various monuments and parks, Parliament, just to name a few. One of the most important (to me) benefits of the tour bus is the guided narratives. We learned so much history of the city, the old City walls and gates, the palaces & residences, the battles, the rulers. It was fascinating!!

ssn – These pictures are amazing, I wish I had been there. But I wasn’t. However, I bet another G&T will help kill the pain.

We hopped off at the famed Harvey Nichols dept store and had drinks in their Window Bar. I had the Porn Star Martini – possibly the best martini I’ve ever had with passion fruit, vodka and prosecco. Plus this view…

ssn – I, too, like vodka and prosecco, not that anyone asked

I think we rode it until the last stop, at which point we wandered back towards home and stopped into a cute Italian restaurant for some pasta and wine before collapsing back at the flat.

Day 2 – Edinburgh

The next morning, we started out with a different coffee shop before taking the bus again to see more of this beautiful, historic city.

Royal Yacht Britannia

Our first stop was the Royal Yacht Britannia. This is the formal Royal Yacht of Queen Elizabeth II and was in-service from 1954 to 1997. The self-guided tour was very cool, the original decor and appointments were really interesting, along with the historical photos from the Royal Family. There is a Royal Deck Tea Room on-board where you can have tea & coffee, cakes, champagne, and lunch.

Palace at Holyroodhouse

From there, we caught the Hop On Hop Off bus to the Palace at Holyroodhouse. The Palace is the Queen’s official residence in Edinburgh and is still used today when carrying out official business in Scotland. The tour is fascinating – from the history, stories, the decor and the grounds. The Holyrood Abbey and Gardens are incredibly beautiful and well worth the visit.

ssn – OMG, this Abbey looks amazing! Wish I had been there to see it. . . Wonder if they serve G&Ts there. . . .

Edinburgh Castle

Because there is just so much to see and do in Edinburgh, we had to pack it all in! The last location we wanted to get to was Edinburgh Castle. It is quite a walk up from the street but the views are spectacular. The Castle grounds are beautiful – the tour winds its way through the buildings, the Royal Palace, the military batteries, museums and memorials. You can see such famous sights as Mon’s Meg (the 6-ton seige gun), St. Margaret’s Chapel, the Great Hall (which was stunning! See the photo below), the Honours of Scotland (the crown jewels) and the Stone of Destiny. Bonus – there’s even a little whisky shop with tastings.

At the end of a wonderful day, we ate at the pub by our flat, enjoyed a few G&Ts and again, went to bed early to be ready for a full day tour on our last day

Day 3 – St. Andrews

For our last day I booked a tour to St. Andrews with Rabbies Tours. Being from a golfing family, this was particularly important to us. It just felt like such special destination that my grandfather would have loved. The Old Course at St. Andrews is the mecca for all golfers. It was a small group tour in a Mercedes mini-coach, our tour guide, Grant, was fantastic and had plenty of history and stories.

ssn – Anyone else giggling that it’s called the Rabbies tour? Kinda glad I wasn’t there for that!

The first stop was at a small fishing village called Anstruther Harbour. We had a few minutes to wander, get a cup of tea and admire the sea.

The next stop was St. Andrews. We were given several hours to see the town. We started at the Golf Course, of course. There is a certain amount of awe in just being there.

St. Andrews is so picturesque. I could probably do a whole post on the architecture and doorways. It is a college town – famously attended by Will and Kate, the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge – so of course the Univeristy is spectacular focal point and there are plenty of restaurants and pubs. There is even a coffee shop whose sign reads “Where Kate Met Wills (for coffee)”.

At the end of town is St. Andrews Castle which is just ruins but so beautiful. This was by far one of my favorite destinations.

ssn – Someday I will absolutely go to St. Andrews, it looks so amazing! I am dying to go to Scotland. I really wish my mother and my sister hadn’t already been (without me) so we could go experience it together.

Falkland

The last stop on our tour was the small town of Falkland. This darling town is featured in the show Outlander. We had just enough time for afternoon tea and to walk around a bit and take in the town square and Falkland Palace.

Very sad to say goodbye

We got back to Edinburgh, tired but happy. We had an early train the next morning and were eagerly looking forward to meeting up with Patti and her husband in London for the Seahawks game. Scotland was incredible and I will definitely make a return trip with my sister. I can’t wait to show her Edinburgh and we will plan a longer trip so that we can be sure to include Glasgow, the Scottish Highlands and most exciting for me, the West Isles.

ssn – Seriously, though, I am glad they got this experience. And also completely bitter that they did this without me. . .but all that aside, I am super excited to go to Scotland someday in the near future. PS: I did discover Strawberry cream G&T in Great Britain and can’t wait for another one of those!!

If you’re interested in continuing on this journey and reading about our London trip

• London, Day 1
• London, Day 2
• London, Day 3

After an amazing NFL UK Game Day, our last day in London features well-known attractions. We had priorities such as The Changing of the Guard, Westminster Abbey, Hyde Park, Millennium Bridge and an impromptu pub crawl.

Even after a very late night at the NFL UK game, we were up and out early. We had moved out of the AirBnB and into a chain hotel for the sake of our mum (we are in England, we have a mum now). Mum needed a soft cushy bed, and we needed her well-rested and ready to tackle the day.

The Changing of the Guard

The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace is pretty much a “must do” in England for tourists. Check times and schedules here.

However, allow us to give you a few options to consider for this endeavor.

Option 1

One, show up early, get a coveted spot right on the fence line, and stand there for-freaking-ever. To make this work, you should be exceptionally social, because everyone loves to talk and share stories, but its fun to chat it up with other tourists from weird places.

Option 2

The Changing of the Guard starts across the pavilion where the incoming guards align to march to the palace. They get in formation, then they march, and the marching band plays. So, option number two, get there not quite as early, and line the main walkway towards the palace and actually see the procession and the band from a much better view.

Now, you will not see the pomp and circumstance of the inspections and the changing of the guard. But honestly, the parade is the fun part. The rest got old after about ten minutes. Plus, the guard band plays some killer music, not old English depressing dirges.

ssn – I swear they were playing Havana-ooh-na-na!

Our Conclusion

We opted to line the gate, met some really fun people also on vacation. But when the band started playing, we regretted our decision. We lasted less than 10 minutes at the gate before declaring a “whelp, now I’ve seen it” attitude and headed out to enjoy the rest of the day.

The pomp and circumstance was awesome! I am glad we did it, but it carried on a little too long for those of us with a city to conquer. The area around the palace is beautiful, and we loved our walkabout.

Hyde Park

We headed over to Hyde park for a little nature. We had seen it from the Hop On/Hop Off, but we were looking for the Serpentine Pavilion. Peggy’s work company had built it, and we thought if we came all the way across the pond, we should have a gander. Yes, being in London means I can talk like that: pond. . .gander. . .whatevs, I’m practically British now. Hyde Park is beautiful, and a lovely place for a stroll. We tried to relax and take it all in, but really, we had a city to conquer, and off we went.

Red Lion Pub Lunch

Quick pop in to another pub, The Red Lion just around the bend from Westminster for some more fish and chips, and hand pies with pie liquor (cue giggles).

Wandering

And then a bit of a walk down the block.  Around the Westminster grounds are notable historical figures, and I loved that they included Gandhi and Nelson Mandela in the statues. AND AND AND!! OMG, I got to see an actual street musician playing bagpipes in a kilt!  Don’t even try to understand why this was to thrilling, just know that it was.

Westminster Abbey

Next stop Westminster Abbey.  Our Hop On Hop Off included Westminster Abbey admission.  And it was Spectacular. Do not ever skip the Abbey!  Which really, doesn’t that make you just start singing How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?  It should! Maria is NOT an asset to the Abbey…and I believe we made that reference almost as many times at “Look, Kids, Big Ben, Parliament” (No, it never does get old).

Westminster was amazing. You cannot take pictures inside, but you do get headphones. The entire place, and history, is narrated to you as you wander. The stained glass is breathtaking, and centuries and centuries of old dead guys are buried everywhere (17 monarchs, and plenty of historical Brits).

AND, I got to see the artists burial and memorial areas, and there is a head stone for Oscar Wilde, Charles Dickens and the Bronte Sisters, so I was dying ever so slightly inside. The entire church is just mind-blowing! The history, the artistry, it was amazing!

ssn – Westminster Abbey was by far my favorite excursion. It was so incredibly beautiful, I was awestruck and so moved that I genuinely teared up.

Birthday Pub Crawl

Back to the hotel for a brief nap.  Then our adventure takes a dark and twisted turn as we hit the town to celebrate Peggy’s birthday.

Yes, that’s right, it’s once again another sister trip for Peggy’s birthday.  Sense a theme? Oh, yes, let’s go celebrate Peggy, AGAIN <insert eye roll>. And this means English bar hopping. YAY for bar hopping in foreign countries.

Peggy had just one more “gotta” on her London list:  The Millennium Bridge.

For my fellow nerds out there, this is where the Death Eaters attacked muggles in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. And this is also, once again, where my sister decides to risk MY precious life with another bridge crossing.  Luckily, I know, and I hope you all understand, there are absolutely no sharks in the Thames River. I’m pretty sure.

So, at least the paleolithic shark attack would be averted. . . this time.

Patti’s Obsession

Oh, and speaking of Paleolithic. . .As we pull up the Millennium Bridge on Google, I see it!…my new mission in life. The Paleolithic Insemination of the Royal Womb.  What is this, you might ask yourself? That’s what I asked myself, that’s what I asked my compadres. What is this glorious landmark?  We must find this! The click on Google revealed no helpful information. The picture is un-recognizable. A Google search is no help.

We climb the steps, and we walk, and suddenly we pass the dot on Google maps.  We back track, and NOTHING. There is nothing but a man on a bench. Is HE the Paliolithic Insemination of a Royal Womb? We ask. We are sure he thinks we are nuts, and he denies any knowledge, which means, of course it must be HIM, silly man, acting like he doesn’t know.

Our sleuthiness (Sleuth, not Slut, this is not just about Peggy) is failing. We cannot find this. . . it is dead ass in front of the City of London School, according to Google. And yet there is nothing there.  

ssn – “Which Brigsh ish it?” hahaha.

We decide it is best to just cross the bridge.  And do it right quick, before the Death Eaters show up.  We get to the South Bank, we bask riverside with ale at Founders Arms Pub.

Founders Arms

After a nice ale, the conclusion is that the lights on either side of the City of London School clearly look like giant sperm, so that must be it.  However, I am unfulfilled, and now we must drink away the despair.  

This is a great place in London to grab a few pints, or some G&Ts (that’s Gin and Tonic, for you non-Brits).  London has amazing pubs, these people know how to create ambiance for drinking.  

ssn – we are definitely pub people, not club people! So this was the perfect birthday crawl…seeing the south bank sights at night while finding the cutest, quaintest English Pubs.

Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

We absolutely must stop at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.  This is actually a remodel a few meters off of the original Globe. This was Shakespeare Summer theatre, as we learned the Black Theatre was his winter production home during our other pub crawl.

Upstairs, we decided to just peek inside at the bar, Swan, and were so enamored that we figure we must stay for at least one pint! Big, long wooden tables, with tree stumps for seats.  It has been agreed upon that this is one of the best places we have ever been drinking. It was beautiful!

But following our one and done, theory, we know that our next stop simply must be The Anchor.  We had seen this on our Thames River cruise. The oldest pub in London.

The Anchor

And my new favorite bar in the entire world.  A main bar, a secondary bar down a few steps, several smaller, more personal rooms, a set of stairs leading up to balcony drinking.

Room upon room, all with different levels of coziness, or jovial group settings.  And the absolute best G&T of my life, a strawberry cream gin and tonic. It was heaven! And I loved it. And I need to move in! 

We strolled through city streets and alleys, captivated by the British feel.

The city was pretty much shutting down. But we stumbled upon a few smaller, more off-the-beaten track kind of home town pubs.  Including one with a side outdoor courtyard area. One last drink and then our night was sadly drawing to a close as places started shutting down, and our London night life closed down.

Hop a taxi, back to the hotel, as we prepare to leave for Iceland the next day.  

London, we loved you, we found warmth in the hazy fog, and an old world charm amongst the modern day city life!  

Dear Anchor, please save us a seat at the bar, we will return!

Continue the journey or go back and catch up on our other London adventures:

• NFL UK Experience – Exploring London Day 1
• NFL UK Experience – Game Day
• Iceland Day 1

Author’s note: 

It just occurred to me that I never resolved the mystery for our fine readers. The Paleolithic Insemination of the Royale Womb is actually located in a cavern UNDER the City of London School.  That’s right, you have to go in through the Thames River, into this cave accessible only at low tide, and in there you will find just about this close to nothing. So much so of nothing, that as of the writing of this blog, it is no longer shown on Google Maps.  Artist Jaime Miranda of Peru conceived this in 2016, you can see a video of it here:  https://vimeo.com/179070043

Sister side note (ssn) – and Where Peggy gets Pete Carroll’s attention

Wake up!  It’s Seahawks Game Day!  If you haven’t read our Day 1 NFL UK experience, find it is here. We had to be out to Wembley Stadium by 4:00, and we had lots of exploring to do. We decided that we will take The Tube to the game, Pat reminds us (multiple times, haha) that we must Mind the Gap.

An Early Start

We headed out for our morning walk to our new favorite place on the planet, the Exmouth Coffee Company. More pastries and avocado toast to try.

ssn – the coffee is not quite ordered like American coffee. Definitely much smaller portions and terms like Long Black (similar to an Americano) or White Coffee – and it’s either milk or cream, no half-n-half. Luckily, I love a Flat White because that was available everywhere. Why is coffee always better on vacation?

We took coffee back to wake our fellow travelers so we could get on with today’s plan. We were going to experience the city from a new and differing perspective with the Thames River Boat Tour.  This came as part of our London City Pass. Pat and I had done the Chicago Architecture Boat tour and absolutely loved it, so I was very excited for this one. 

Thames River Tour

It was rather damp outside, in a very Londonesque hazy, drizzly way.  This really made for the best experience of a city tour to feel the classic London greyness, but damn glad that it wasn’t like this on our walking tour the day before!  Now, unlike the walking tour, this one wasn’t about the beer, but they did have a bar and we couldn’t pass up mimosas!

ssn – we were the first ones in line and we started a trend, soon almost everyone was drinking them!

We grabbed some indoor seating at the front of the boat, and away we cruised.

This was a fascinating look at the city! We passed the Tower bridge, the Millennium Bridge, saw the Shakespeare Globe theater, The London Eye, Parliament and plenty of notable historical sites from the river view.

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Tower of London

We docked not far from the Tower of London, which would be stop number two.  And this is where the rain starts to pick up, and we were pretty soaked.  Mom grabbed a seat at the nearest café to wait out the rain, while the rest of us checkout the Tower of London. Turns out it is not actually much of a tower as it is a fort.

My dream of being a modern day Rapunzel was put to death. But I quickly recovered when the first thing I saw was the sign pointing the way to the “Torture at the Tower”. Giddy may be the best word to describe the next 10 minutes. I have new plans of Full Global Domination that include owning my own Rack and my own Scavengers Daughter (because really, having my own Iron Maiden is pretty much a given at this point, right?).

The Tower is also where the royal jewels are kept, and I am not referring to Harry <batting my eyes, longingly>. I’m talking about the Queen’s crown and other major historically significant pieces from the royal collection.  We took a bypass on this due to an incredibly long line to get inside, and our time constraints.  I have to be honest, I have no regrets about skipping this.  The Tower was pretty dang cool from a historical perspective. Even more so when we discovered the Beefeaters, you know, the guys from the gin bottle!  They are actual people!  I have proof.

That Was All Before Lunch

We headed to lunch, only to discover that my much coveted The Walrus and The Carpenter Alice in Wonderland themed pub was closed.  While this was a bummer, we ended up at The Hydrant, which was a cool firehouse themed pub.

I have to say, I absolutely loved that the pubs all had themes, and they were so well executed and designed.  It was a cool part of our London experience seeing all the differing pubs, laughing at the VERY English names, and loving the well thought out interiors.

The city was also impressively supportive of American Football, so many businesses were supporting the 12^th man, and they really seemed to catch the fever of the tourists. Luckily, The Hydrant was in walking distance to the tube station because it was now time to head north towards Wembley for our big game, Seahawks vs Raiders!

NFL UK Experience

Minding the Gap, we hit the tube with all the many football fans to head for pre-game festivities.  It was amazing to see all the people decked out for the game, especially all the Europeans who wore their own favorite team colors.  In the US, when you go to the game, people usually only dress in the teams that are playing.  Not in England, people were all out for whomever their favorite team was, just to throw that support out there.  So, we were surrounded by Dolphins, and Packers, and Falcons

ssn – and Lions and Bengals and Bears, oh my.

And the comradery of the crowd was incredible, everyone just gathered together to have a great time at a game.  They put together a huge NFL UK tailgate area, with food vendors, games, beer stations, and souvenir stands. And more rain.

Game Time!

The game was awesome (we won), our seats were awesome (center of the end zone, front row behind some equipment), the crowd was awesome. It was an amazing experience all around, and I am so glad we did this.  Plus it was our mother’s first NFL game.  Although she is a big Seahawks fans, she doesn’t go to the games. Mostly this is because crowds and conflicts make her nervous. This was a great initiation in a friendly supportive crowd environment, without angry confrontations over which team is best.  England is definitely one of the friendliest places we have traveled.

ssn – the absolute highlight of my life was when we (Patti) yelled to Pete Carroll (my absolute crush and future husband) as he walked past and he waved to us. I was as giddy as Patti was with the torture devices. Oh, and Ciara walked right past us and she was stunning!!

Now, getting out of Wembley was a nightmare, with not enough transportation for all the revelers. I only mention this for those readers who might one day venture there for a Futbol match. Be prepared to spend two hours trying to get back to London in a packed train car. .  . and MIND THE GAP!!!

Check out NFL UK Experience – Day 3 here.

Sister side note (ssn) – I cannot emphasize how exciting this announcement was! For years I was so jealous of those teams that got selected for NFL UK (even though the teams don’t necessarily love it). But then suddenly it was us! There was no question we were going! We love our Seahawks AND we love to travel! Go Hawks!

Mom and Peggy flew in a few days early and hit up Scotland. This is one of my biggest regrets, not making that trip with them. Guess I’ll have to go do that now! She will fill you in on that adventure later, because this is all London, all day!!

Our Accommodations

We stayed in an Airbnb, which we loved, but our mother hated. If you are an American traveling to London and decide to Airbnb it, you must go with the understanding of the difference between American and European living. The beds were smaller, the home was old (but clean), wonky radiator hisses, no tv or coffee maker, and the shower was a big old tub with a handheld shower nozzle. It was fine, but it doesn’t always suit your style.

ssn – the Airbnb was not in an ideal “tourist” part of town but at the time we booked it there were 7 of us going and it was difficult to find accommodations for that many people. Sadly, it did not have A/C and the nights were warm, and we couldn’t sleep with the windows open because there was a bar next door broadcasting a soccer game (European football) and it was LOUD. The bar was called The Dog & The Truck, how cute (and perfectly British) is that?? Truth be told if we weren’t so extremely tired, we would have dragged our arses down to that bar and joined the festivities!

Our Favorite Morning Ritual

That said, up early with just a tad of jetlag, the sisters ventured out for a walk before anyone else arose. We found the most delightful coffee shop. Fresh pasties and coffee, and everything you would really imagine a bakery in London looking like. Exmouth Coffee Company also had an Egg Royale, which was comparable to our eggs benedict, only with salmon, and it was amazing. Little tiny hole in the wall, was a stellar find on our first morning.

Let the Experience Begin

We had one must do: The Barrowboy and Banker bar. It was listed as the NFL UK “home bar” for Seahawks fans. And we turned up in droves. Seahawks fans travel well. It was super fun to see hometown fans. We even ran into a lady from our small hometown! And had our very first English pint (well, we being the sisters and my mom, my husband had been stationed in England when he was in the Air Force thirty years prior. That’s right THIRTY YEARS PRIOR – this fact becomes very important later on).

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So after our Pint and checking in with the Hawks, we moved on to the Hop On Hop Off Bus. We were ready for our first tour of London, trying to find our bearings.

ssn – we had purchased the London City Pass which comes with the Hop On Hop Off tour and 80 other attractions including the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey. This is a great way to see the sights and get around a new city. Plus you can purchase ahead of time and use the app on your phone without having to carry around maps and tickets!

Hop On Hop Off Tour

In complete awe of the architecture and history, we rode for a good long while. Highlights included the Tower of London and crossing the Tower and London Bridges. Look kids: Big Ben, House of Parliament (no, it never got old).

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Pub Crawl

Walking, History and Literature

We had booked an afternoon Pub Crawl walking tour of London. This was a great experience. We made stops at four separate pubs. All were fantastic, and learned a lot of history of The City of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral, a lot about the great fire and the rebuilding of London, about the architecture, Shakespeare, and fabulous tidbits of history. We also passed 12 Grimmauld Place (Sirius Black’s Family house, and home of The Order of the Phoenix), which made me downright giddy.

The Pubs

If you are a fan of beers and bars, we went to some of the coolest pubs! The Black Friar, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, The Knights Templar and ended at The Ship Tavern; all soaked in history, claiming plenty of famous poets and writers among their guest list.

ssn – not being a fan of beers, I enjoyed the classic British Gin & Tonic. They are so much better than in the states, seriously. So many gins to try and the tonic is just better! And hey, the Queen drinks one every day, right? So I should too!

This is a walking tour, the walk itself is about 2 miles (our mom did great), but it includes stops in between for beers at the pubs, so even if you aren’t in peak physical condition, this tour is totally doable and gets our recommendation as a fun side adventure. Knowing we had a big game day ahead of us, this was the last of our adventures for the day, until we discovered dinner!

ssn – this tour focused on history with some literary stories woven in, but there are lots of great tours focused around pubs with other themes if history isn’t your thing, just check out sites like Trip Advisor. We really wanted to do one of the Jack the Ripper tours but just ran out of time.

Covent Garden

Covent Garden was wall to wall people, great energy, and just where we wanted to spend our first full night in London.

We were swayed to Nag’s Head (because, well, London, and Nag’s Head, seemed perfect), and had a split table between the fish and chips and the meat pies, and giggled over the meat pie liquor.

It was fabulous, we got to sit upstairs a little away from the action to the benefit of mom, who had a very long day.

It was amazing, and we probably could have stayed all night in this neighborhood and bar hopped. Instead we Uber hopped back to our AirBnB to dream of our NFL UK game and a Seahawks win.

ssn – just a little comment about the Uber and taxi drivers in London – they all felt so safe. Even though traffic was crazy and hectic, there was a noticeable lack of accidents, no running of red lights and they were courteous of pedestrians.

See related posts for more London adventures:

• NFL UK Experience – Game Day
• NFL UK Experience – More from London