London — 2026
Five days in London, from 17 to 21 September 2026 -- from the V&A Museum and Camden Market, the wonderful view from Horizon22 and a sunrise at Sky Garden, to the immersive art of Frameless and the last sunny hours at Tattershall Castle before the journey home begins. Log below, day by day.
Arrival
Departure in the dead of night: the car was already parked on Schiphol's P3 by 05:06, followed by the shuttle bus to the terminal. Boarding at gate D18 for BA445, which took off for Heathrow around 07:55. The afternoon was all about the V&A Museum, including a lovely chat with Joseph and Cathy, an American couple who joined us in the museum garden for a good conversation. Afterwards a walk via South Kensington Station heading east, with the Gherkin already visible on the horizon along the way. By around 15:04 the suitcases were finally set down at the Airbnb, close to the Tower. The evening wrapped up with burgers and loaded chips (fries with melted cheese sauce) at Honest Burger, and a last look over the St Katharine Docks marina at sunset.
Route from the GPS in our photos, including the unused ones; steps from the step counter. Yellow dashes: on foot. Blue dots: bus or Tube. Diamonds: landmarks.
- Liverpool Street: in from Heathrow
- Dropping the suitcases at LuggageHero
- La Masseria
- V&A Museum and its garden
- South Kensington Station
- Heading east, the Gherkin in the distance
- Burgers and loaded chips at Honest Burger
- St Katharine Docks at sunset
Museums & Tattershall
An easy walk to the real breakfast at La Masseria, catching a glimpse of a skyscraper under construction along the way. Then on to the Natural History Museum via Hyde Park and Harrods, where the new "Nature and Us" gallery unfortunately turned out not to open until 13:30. So there was time first to wander past the whale in Hintze Hall and the fossils and minerals in the Vault, including the giant Ostro Stone. Via Big Ben to Westminster Pier, for a stop aboard Tattershall Castle, the boat on the Thames opposite the London Eye. B'Elana felt a bit off there (her breakfast came back up again at Westminster), so things were taken slowly on board for a while. Once she'd recovered, a walk-in ticket for Horizon22 followed, the building with London's highest viewing point: the platform sits at 254 metres, on floor 58, making it the highest free indoor viewpoint in Europe. From up there, a breathtaking 360° view over the city, although a camera never quite manages to see through the glass properly. Back at the Airbnb it was time to shower and unwind a bit before dinner.
Route from the GPS in our photos, including the unused ones; places without a photo from the travel log; steps from the step counter. Yellow dashes: on foot. Blue dots: bus or Tube. Diamonds: landmarks.
- Breakfast at La Masseria
- Marble Arch
- Natural History Museum: Hintze Hall and the Vault
- Big Ben
- Tattershall Castle, opposite the London Eye
- Horizon22: the view from 254 metres
- Back at St Katharine Docks
Zoo, Camden & an Open Tower Bridge
Another walk to breakfast at La Masseria, after which the day really begins at ZSL London Zoo: gorillas, a sleeping tiger, a tapir, a two-humped camel, a siamang, a komodo dragon, scarlet ibises, a hippo and a small group of African wild dogs all make an appearance. Via Regent's Canal, past a red pagoda house and Pirate Castle, to Camden Market for tea at the favourite spot by the tea bar overlooking the bustle below, and an afternoon of shopping. Then on to Maltby Street Market under the railway arches, with a rare, really good glass of wine at the Wine House. On the way back, an unexpected highlight: Tower Bridge opens for a passing sailing ship, and the whole crowd films it. The day ends as planned, at the table at Honest Burger.
Route from the GPS in our photos, including the unused ones; steps from the step counter. Yellow dashes: on foot. Blue dots: bus or Tube. Diamonds: landmarks.
- Breakfast at La Masseria
- Through Regent’s Park
- ZSL London Zoo
- Regent’s Canal and Pirate Castle
- Camden Market: tea at our favourite spot
- Across Tower Bridge
- Maltby Street Market and the Wine House
- Tower Bridge opens
- Honest Burger, St Katharine Docks
Sky Garden, the Thames & a Spontaneous Flat Iron
The day starts dark and early: a walk to Sky Garden for the Sunrise session, where the doors don't open until 08:15. Once upstairs, a breathtaking view over a still-sleeping London and Canary Wharf in the distance, followed by coffee and a relaxed breakfast at La Masseria. B'Elana has the usual trouble deciding what to order, but in the end it's the big bowl of fruit with yoghurt again. Then by tube towards the graffiti at Leake Street, but the plan changes along the way: the sunny Tattershall Castle on the Thames wins out, with a great view of Big Ben. Via a glimpse of the London Eye to St Paul's Cathedral and across the Millennium Bridge, past Shakespeare's Globe to a terrace at Pizza Express with a lovely view over the river. On the way back, a spontaneous stop at a Flat Iron in Borough, a stop that was actually planned for later near London Bridge, but the steak was well worth the wait.
Route from the GPS in our photos, including the unused ones; places without a photo from the travel log; steps from the step counter. Yellow dashes: on foot. Blue dots: bus or Tube. Diamonds: landmarks.
- Sky Garden: the Sunrise session
- Breakfast at La Masseria
- Tattershall Castle in the sun
- Westminster Bridge and the London Eye
- St Paul’s Cathedral
- Across the Millennium Bridge
- Terrace at Pizza Express
- A spontaneous steak at Flat Iron
Frameless, Tattershall & The Journey Home
Last day in London: a calm start, packing suitcases and handing them off at LuggageHero at 9:32. An extra elaborate breakfast with the whole crew at La Masseria, followed by the immersive art of Frameless -- paintings, fantasy worlds and Dali's melting clocks brought to life. The last London sun soaked up at Tattershall on the Embankment, before the journey home begins at 17:21. After a delay at Heathrow and a peek into the cockpit, flight BA442 took off around 18:52, with a spectacular sunset over the North Sea. Landed at Schiphol around 20:52, and after baggage claim and the shuttle bus to P3, finally home again at 23:09.
Route from the GPS in our photos, including the unused ones; places without a photo from the travel log; steps from the step counter. Yellow dashes: on foot. Blue dots: bus or Tube. Diamonds: landmarks.
- Breakfast with the whole crew at La Masseria
- Frameless, near Marble Arch
- Last sunshine at Tattershall Castle
- Heathrow: a delay, then BA442 home
