London, the capital city of England, is an incredibly diverse city. It’s one of the most famous cities in the world thanks to its literary history; its famous monuments; and the life it inspires in artists, writers and musicians. Travelers from all over the world have visited this historic city, which makes it a top destination for both locals and visitors alike.

My family and I spent a week in London. The trip was my first time abroad and it was also my first time visiting another country. We toured London for seven days by train, bus and foot. We started our trip in Glasgow, Scotland and ended it in London. Our weeklong journey took us through the Northland and Lothian regions of Scotland before we continued on to London. We spent our last few nights in Glasgow before taking off for London.

On our way to London, we saw many beautiful sights— especially during our train ride to London. We passed by several lakes, parks and forests as we traveled across Scotland. We also traveled through several cities with high populations; each had its own unique culture that we were able to experience on our trip. The most notable of these cities were Edinburgh, Glasgow and Stirling. We saw many historical sites during our journey; one of my favorite stops was a park where we saw a beautiful deer and her cubs.

When we arrived in London, we had to take a train to our hotel. After checking in, we headed out to explore the city. Our first stop was Buckingham Palace, where the Royal family lives. Seeing the famous palace brought back memories of watching Anne of Green Gables with my family when I was younger. It was also where I got my very first glimpse of a red rose— something that has stayed with me for years now thanks to my favorite book series about a young girl who finds love through red roses.

After seeing Buckingham Palace, we walked around Trafalgar Square and followed Nelson’s Column to Charing Cross Station; this is where we caught our train to the Tower of London. We arrived at the Tower quickly enough that we still had time to catch a photo of Big Ben before going up to the Tower itself. The Tower is an ancient stone structure that houses what is purported to be England’s oldest museum— which holds exhibits of swords and armor used by the guards at King Henry VIII’s castle over four centuries ago. It’s still impressive even without all that history; nonetheless, seeing everything there is to see has made my list of favorite places in London even longer than I thought it would be.

On our trip, we saw many delicious foods that I can’t wait to try again when I return home for visits next year! One local favorite is fish and chips— crispy pieces of cod fried in oil and served with tartar sauce on top. Another one is potted meat — tasty sausages that are boiled in a bag until they’re ready to eat! For dessert, we had donuts from Dunkin Donuts that were filled with custard cream— perfect for a sweet end to a heavy meal!

This historic city has so much to offer both natives and visitors alike! It has historical sites like Buckingham Palace and Big Ben; it has delicious food like fish and chips; it has delectable drinks like coffee lattes; and it inspires artists like Shakespeare who lived there hundreds of years ago. Anyone who visits London can’t help but fall in love with this place!