London, Finally.

All of us, if not most of us, have that one dream destination. A place that you put on your bucket list without even knowing if you’ll ever get the chance to go.

For the longest time, mine was London.

I never would have imagined that there would come a time when I'd actually get to visit the place that's been on top of my list.

My very first visit to London was in October of 2024. I was with my auntie and her husband, and we were going to meet their friend, a London local who was kind enough to offer us a day tour. It was a beautiful, sunny day, a perfect opportunity to explore London. From Swindon, we took the train to London Paddington, hopped on the Bakerloo Line, and got off at Waterloo station. From there, we met their friend at a local coffee shop to catch up a little before starting our 20-minute walk toward our first stop, Lambeth Palace.

Much like any other location in London, this place has so much history to tell. This has been the London home of the Archbishop of Canterbury for more than 800 years. It's a working place of worship, welcome, and community beside the River Thames. We did not really spend so much time here and did not get the chance to check out the Garden Museum, considering we only had limited time, but we got to climb this narrow, steep, spiralling tower with 131 steps in total. This tower belongs to the former St Mary-at-Lambeth Church, which is right next to the Palace and now houses the Garden Museum. It’s a lesser-known viewpoint in London, but the climb is totally worth it.

When we finally reached the top, I was greeted by the breathtaking full-stretch view of the Houses of Parliament across the River Thames.

On the other side, the overlooking view showed the city in motion with the classic red double-decker bus in sight.

After taking in the view from the tower, we decided to go on with our day and headed to our next stop. As we were walking along the pavement by the river Thames, we came across the National Covid Memorial Wall.

This wall was created in 2021 by bereaved families as a tribute to the UK's Covid-19 losses. Opposite the Houses of Parliament, the wall stretches 500 metres long and features over 250,000 hand-painted red hearts, each representing a life lost. Most of the hearts include personal messages, and although they weren't originally intended to last, the UK government recognised their significance in November 2025 and plans to preserve them as spaces for reflection, remembrance, and grieving. Up to this day, new hearts are still being added for people who are losing their lives to the Covid-19 virus.

Certainly, the wall brought up memories of how terrifying those days were, when the virus felt like a threat everywhere. The whole world was going through a challenging time, and it undoubtedly served as a reminder that no matter how big or vibrant a city is—even London—no one was spared from something heartbreaking.

After that short, pensive mood by the wall, we kept walking along the river until we got closer to one of London’s world-renowned landmarks: the Houses of Parliament and the legendary Big Ben in all its glory. I can't even find the exact words to describe what I felt the moment I saw the intricate Gothic architecture and the enormous clock in person. Many times in the past I had stared at countless photos and videos of this majestic view before me, but nothing prepares you for the sheer scale and grandeur of it all. 'Surreal' is just an understatement. I was just there, standing in complete astonishment.

Right across from it was another notable landmark in the heart of London — the London Eye. It’s insanely huge, and I found myself wondering what it would feel like to be inside one of its cabins, seeing the city from above. It's definitely a different perspective I wish to unlock one day.

Now, at this point, we decided to hop on an Uber Boat, which according to our friend, was one of the best ways to see London. Uber Boat by Thames Clippers is a river bus service in London that operates along the River Thames. It connects key piers from west to east London, including Westminster, London Bridge, Canary Wharf, and Greenwich. Aside from being a convenient mode of transport, it’s also one of the most scenic ways to see London, as you get uninterrupted views of some of the city’s most iconic landmarks directly from the river. Tickets for the Uber Boat are pretty flexible. You can either book in advance through their website or simply pay as you go by tapping in and out using an Oyster card or any contactless payment method when you board and get off the vessel. It's very easy and tourist-friendly. For the full list of routes, fares, and the latest timetable, it’s best to check their official website before planning your trip.

Honestly, it's one of the best boat rides I've ever been on. We just kept passing one iconic landmark after another.

Cruising Through London’s Greatest Hits

When you think of England, you typically picture old buildings, medieval streets, and cobblestoned towns, but Canary Wharf is a striking reminder that London is a city of the future as well. This futuristic global business district is filled with contemporary high-rises, sleek office spaces, and cutting-edge architecture. Fingers crossed, I hope to explore more of this part of the city someday.

Canary Wharf

The city of London Skyline is home to the 20 Fenchurch Street, famously nicknamed as the Walkie Talkie because of its distinctive shape that resembles, well… a walkie-talkie. This building hosts the famous Sky Garden, a lush public space with restaurants and bars offering incredible panoramic views of the city.

The city of London Skyline

The Shards is another popular attraction in London. The building is 309.6 metres, or 1,016 feet, high and is Western Europe's tallest building, offering unparalleled 360-degree views of the London Skyline.

The Shards

St. Katharine Docks is a charming marina situated on the east side of Tower Bridge. It was once a busy commercial dock dating back to the 12th century, but has now transformed into a vibrant area offering a variety of dining and leisure activities all set against pretty waterfront views.

St Katharine Docks

Then there was the historic Tower of London. This is another famous landmark of the city, built a thousand years ago, and has witnessed centuries of British history. From serving as a royal palace and fortress to prison and execution site (this is where Anne Boleyn was executed and buried in the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula, the Tower’s parish church, along with two other Tudor queens, Catherine Howard and Lady Jane Grey), it is best known today as the home of the Crown Jewels and as a symbol of Britain’s long and complex history.

Tower of London

And of course, the famous Tower Bridge… I embarrassingly admit that I always thought this was London Bridge. Turns out, London Bridge is a completely different bridge, and this isn’t it, lol. Flabbers were absolutely gasted. So, for anyone else who’s been living with the same misconception, well… now you know!

Tower Bridge

After that feast for the eyes, we finally docked and disembarked at Greenwich Pier.

If you’re ever going to visit London, The Painted Hall is definitely not one to be missed. Located within the Old Royal Naval College, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, The Painted Hall is widely regarded as Britain’s Sistine Chapel. This 18th-century masterpiece features over 3,700 square metres of walls and ceilings covered in striking, detailed paintings of kings, queens, and mythological figures. Designed by British artist Sir James Thornhill, it took him over 19 years to complete this epic, large-scale masterpiece ( 1707-1726).

There are benches placed at the centre of the hall, purposely designed so visitors can lie down and fully take in the magnificent artwork above. Of course it's more than just a painting; there's also a compelling story behind it. The central narrative revolves around the establishment of the United Kingdom and its dominance of power in Europe. The artwork celebrates Britain’s political stability, commercial prosperity, and naval power.

Fun fact: both the Old Royal Naval College and The Painted Hall have been used as filming locations for numerous movies and TV shows — including period dramas and big-budget films.

It truly felt like walking into a living piece of art, and it was a magnificent sight to behold. There are guided tours and talks available, and if you’re interested, you can check their official website for schedules and ticket information.

After spending a good amount of time there, we finally decided to head out and make our way toward Greenwich Park. If you’re into parks or simply love being surrounded by nature like I do, this is definitely a place you should visit. The entire site is a part of the Greenwich Maritime World Heritage Site, and it’s also where east meets west at Longitude 0°, marked by the famous Prime Meridian Line. This is also where Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) originated — basically the reference point for time used around the world. Since the sun was already starting to set, we didn’t get to explore the whole park and went straight to the top instead — which was a bit of a shame, because the park is quite massive and there are so many things to see and do.

But I was thankful I still got to witness this view from the Great Ascent, arguably one of the best views across London. I could never get tired of scenery like this. Hopefully, I’ll have the chance to come back soon and explore more of the park - and that goes for the rest of London too, because this vibrant city still has so much to offer.

London used to be just a mere pipe dream, a destination I thought I’d only ever read about in books or see in movies and photos online. But indeed, life is full of surprises. This post has been sitting in my drafts for way too long, and I wasn't even sure if I could ever finish writing this. But maybe that's fitting because some dreams, when they come true, take a while to process. And when this one did, it suddenly felt like a distant memory, almost unreal..

But I'm finally putting this milestone into words because somehow, little me would have wanted to know that we made it here, and so I share it with you, too.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you so much for reading. I know it’s a bit lengthy, but I hope this little journey was worth your time and that I hope it was as fun to read as it was to write :))