The oldest neighborhood in the city is City of London, the likely founding point of this metropolis when the Romans established ‘Londinium’ in 43 AD. Here, you’ll find some of the most historic areas London has to offer.
Our favorite church to visit was St. Paul’s Cathedral. While not the oldest church in town, it is the largest, and for our money it’s certainly the grandest. The inside dome is a delight to see, but the whole cathedral deserves ample time to marvel at and explore.
At 365 feet high, it was the tallest building in London for 250 years, and you can still reach the summit through a series of narrow staircases. The trek to the top is arduous, but the view is spectacular.
Read about our East End tour!
Sitting right on the banks of the Thames river, the Tower of London is one of the most historic buildings in the city. The central White Tower ranks among the city’s oldest, and the inhabitants this place has held as prisoner range from Elizabeth I to Walter Raleigh to the Kray twins. If you’re into royalty, there’s even the crown jewels on display to see.
Immediately next to the Tower is, appropriately, Tower Bridge. One of the most photogenic bridges in the world, it’s lovely enough to see from the outside. But take the tour and step inside to find an interesting backstory to how the bridge was built, and see the original way it was drawn to let ships pass. The steam engines have since been replaced by electric ones, but the tour allows you to see them up close.
One of the quintessential English gathering places is the pub. It’s an area to drink, be merry, eat, interact, or just watch the telly. The Sugar Loaf was just across the street from our hotel, The Cannon and offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner along with every drink you could think of. A healthy variety of gins, tonics, whiskys, champagnes, ales, and wines are at your fingertips, but as always, we preferred the cider.
Where to Stay
SACO is an acronym for Serviced Apartments Company, and they offer luxury apartments all across the globe, with a wide variety in the United Kingdom and two locations in the City of London that I wish to point out.
The Moorgate location is one of their properties, situated on the busy corner of Moorgate and London Wall streets. But stepping inside, you’d never know you’re next to a loud, active intersection. Coupling a unique design and white decor with a fabulous central location, closely accessible to food, entertainment, historical buildings, and the tube, it’s where any London traveller wants to be if they wish to sit in the center of the city’s action.
Read our Inside Look feature of the Moorgate.
The second location is The Cannon, located on historic Cannon Street. After all the walking we had done on our journey, it was a relief to have a residence a short distance from tons of historic locations, including St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, and Tower Bridge.
Both of the SACO properties offer an elegant style that carries over to its each location. The Cannon looks sleek and modern, with a simple front desk area carrying into a rear common area with a small library, tea/coffee machine, several comfy chairs and the daily newspapers if you need to relax somewhere outside your room. Below on a lower floor is a small gymnasium and outdoor patio area. Read our full review HERE.