CK Travels

Things to do in London Bridge – how to have the perfect day there

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London Bridge is the perfect place to visit in London, with loads of great things to do. The area is located right by the river Thames with great historic sightseeing spots, plus foodies will love visiting here with a variety of highly rated restaurants and food markets. There are so many London Bridge hotel choices, which makes it a great location to base yourself during your London visit.

Here is our guide to having the perfect day out in London Bridge:

Breakfast

What better way to start your day in London Bridge than with an epic breakfast? There are many eating places to choose from in the area, but we opted for The Breakfast Club, a small chain of restaurants offering all manner of hearty fare in a retro setting. With several branches in and around London, this was our first visit to the Breakfast Club London Bridge branch – we opted for the Cabbie’s Breakfast (bacon, eggs, sausage, chips and toast), along with Mexican benedict (a spicy twist on classic breakfast favourite ). Our main tip is make sure you arrive on an empty stomach as the portions are huge.

Things to do in London Bridge - Breakfast club

River Thames Stroll

After a big breakfast, time to walk off all that food and take a stroll along the River Thames. One of the best walks in London (if not the world), it is incredible to see the juxtaposition of all the new skyscrapers and apartment blocks against the backdrop of such historic buildings as the Tower of London or Tower Bridge.

We’d suggest you duck into Hays Galleria to see the ship sculpture and possibly grab a coffee – if you have time, check out a show at the recently built Bridge Theatre (in the shadow of Tower Bridge) – if you don’t catch a performance, the café bar inside is also a nice place to spend some time (beautiful interior lighting). Thirsty after all that walking? The Horniman at Hays pub also does a nice line in fish and chips, with an alfresco seating area directly overlooking the Thames.

Tower Bridge
Things to do in London Bridge
Hays Galleria
Things to do in London Bridge | Horniman at Hays
Horniman at Hays
Things to do in London Bridge | Bridge Theatre
Bridge Theatre

Borough Market

Adored by locals and tourists alike, spending a few hours wandering around historic Borough Market is a rite of passage and one of the best free things to do in London. There is something to suit everyone’s tastes (and budget!) and whilst it can get annoying busy at peak periods, it should be high on your travel list. From oysters and champagne to 24 hour pubs and pasties, this is a fantastic place to sample some fine fare.

Check out our guide to Borough Market blog post >

Things to do in London Bridge | Borough Market
Things to do in London Bridge | Borough Market
Things to do in London Bridge | Borough Market
Things to do in London Bridge | Borough Market

Bermondsey Street

One of London’s best neighbourhoods to visit (particularly at the weekend), we’ve been to Bermondsey Street and its surrounding area many, many times. From the street food paradise that is Maltby Street Market, to the bohemian bliss of the bars and restaurants here (‘Fuckoffee’ always raises a smile), this is a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Things to do in London Bridge | Bermondsey Street
Bermondsey Street
Things to do in London Bridge | Maltby Street Market
Maltby Street Market

White Cube

One of London’s foremost art museums, the White Cube also has an outpost on Bermondsey Street that is free to enter. We visited in November 2019 and saw an exhibition by Anselm Kiefer the day after it has opened (so it was very busy) – exhibitions generally last several months.

Bermondsey Beer Mile

‘Hoppy Day’s – a small stretch of London’s backstreets containing 16 London breweries (and more importantly, taprooms which are open to the public) in a very highly concentrated area. Our particular favourites include the recently opened Fourpure (probably the best kitted out taproom), Barrel Project (beautiful interiors with a massive selection of beer) and Hawkes Cidery (for all you cider lovers).

Things to do in London Bridge | Bermondsey Beer Mile
Things to do in London Bridge | Bermondsey Beer Mile
Barrel Project

Historic Pubs

If the Bermondsey beer mile doesn’t sound like your cup of tea (erm, or beer), step back in time and visit of London Bridge’s historic pubs. Did you know you can find Britain’s only pub managed by the National Trust here? Head to The George Inn which is also the last remaining galleried inn in London. Dating from the 17th century, Charles Dickens visited here when it was a coffee house and it also features in Little Dorritt. Half the fun is also exploring all the various old rooms and walkways dotted around the several floors of this former coaching house.

Nearby Anchor Bankside pub also had several starring roles over the last few centuries, including in ‘Mission Impossible’ with Tom Cruise plus it is reputedly where famous diarist Samuel Pepys witnessed the onset of the Great Fire of London from.

Things to do in London Bridge | George Pub
The George

Vinegar Yard

One of the newest additions to the London street-food and pop-up bar scene, Vinegar Yard opened in Spring 2019 and comprises of a boutique market space, lots of outdoor seating and food stalls, with several bars. We’ve visited in both the summer and winter months, and whilst busier in the warmer, sunnier months (check out that perfect Shard backdrop!), there are lots of outdoor heaters and indoor spaces here so it can be visited year-round.

Aquashard in the Shard

No trip to London Bridge is complete without visiting The Shard, the UK’s tallest building. Loved and loathed by locals in equal measure (as it dominates the skyline no matter where you are), there are several ways to visit including the viewing gallery a the top, a Time Out Silent Disco – on this visit, we decided to save ourselves the hefty viewing gallery admission fee and went for a drink in Aquashard, located on the 32nd floor.

We hadn’t booked in advance, but luckily managed to find a table near to the bar (but not directly next to a window). If you want to guarantee yourself a great view, maybe book dinner in the restaurant or go for afternoon tea, or you can pay £32 to access the viewing deck on the top floor.

Things to do in London Bridge | Aquashard in the Shard
Aquashard

Disclaimer: This is a collaborative blog post with Hotels. com. The spending money for our day out in London Bridge was gifted by Hotels. com, but all views are our own.


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