Here is part 1 of a double episode about London 🇬🇧 and great things you can see and do there 🎡. Listen to my friends and family describing their favourite things to do in the city 🍻, get some travel tips 🏙️, get a mini history lesson 🏛️, and learn some vocabulary in the process.

[DOWNLOAD AUDIO]

This page contains (below) some very useful things (you’re welcome). Including:

1. A PDF transcript
2. The video of my Walk & Talk in London
3. A summary of the places and recommendations from this episode
4. A vocabulary list from the episode

1. PDF with transcript, list of London travel tips & vocabulary list👇

2. Watch my Walk & Talk video in London 👇

3. A Summary of the Recommendations from the Episode (Part 1) 👇

Here you will find a summary of the places and recommendations from this audio episode (Part 1).

🏙️ Walk and Talk Route (Luke’s YouTube Video Tour)

• South Bank walk – scenic route along the River Thames
• London Eye – iconic giant wheel
• Big Ben & Houses of Parliament – historic landmarks
• Whitehall & Downing Street – political heart of the UK
• Horse Guards Parade – ceremonial military area
• The Mall & Buckingham Palace – royal route and residence
• Trafalgar Square – iconic public square
• Covent Garden – shopping, street performances
• Leicester Square – film and theatre hub
• Piccadilly Circus – neon lights and atmosphere
• Sherlock Holmes statue (Baker Street) – literary sightseeing

🎨 Amber Minogue

• National Portrait Gallery – classic British portraiture
• National Gallery – major European art, next door
• Wallace Collection – smaller gallery featuring The Swing by Fragonard
• Hampstead Heath – great for a peaceful walk in nature
• Brick Lane – best curry in town
• Angel (The Bill Murray Comedy Club) – stand-up comedy night

🍻 Martin

• City of York Pub (Holborn) – pub with roots from 1430
• Seven Stars Pub (behind the law courts) – survived the Great Fire of London
• Old Cheshire Cheese Pub – dark wood, cellars, and historical nooks
• Holborn Area – for old pubs and side-street exploring
• Inns of Court (near Chancery Lane) – fascinating, tucked-away legal history

👧 Luke’s Daughter (Child 1)

• Borough Market – amazing food stalls (especially sausage rolls)
• Shoreditch Art Hotel – stylish family hotel with a splash-friendly indoor pool

🎭 James Simpson

• Walk from Waterloo Station to South Bank – scenic and vibrant
• National Theatre – top venue for live drama
• Royal Festival Hall – great for classical concerts
• Waterloo Bridge – beautiful panoramic views (Big Ben, St. Paul’s, London Eye)
• Trafalgar Square – central landmark
• Covent Garden – high-level street performers (buskers)
• Pubs – especially for fish & chips and live music/comedy

🎨 Aaron

• Tate Britain (Pimlico) – traditional British art
• Clore Gallery – features works by J.M.W. Turner
• Rowing on the Serpentine (Hyde Park) – romantic and relaxing
• Boat trip on the Thames – great views, fun for parties or sightseeing

🍺 Moz (Murder Mile Podcast)

• Coach & Horses Pub (Soho) – authentic old boozer with sticky floors and history
• London Pubs in General – each one unique, steeped in character and tradition
• Pub Navigation Tip – “navigate by pubs” instead of street names!

🚣 Luke – Canal & Hidden London Recommendations

• Little Venice – peaceful canal basin with narrowboats and cafes
• Regent’s Canal (via Regent’s Park) – walk/cycle past the zoo and elegant homes
• Camden Lock / Camden Market – food, shops, live music, and bustling atmosphere
• Granary Square (King’s Cross) – modern redevelopment, fountains, restaurants

🎭 Luke’s Mum

• National Portrait Gallery – just reopened after refurbishment
• National Theatre – excellent productions
• Royal Court Theatre (Sloane Square) – cutting-edge theatre
• Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre – historical open-air venue, great experience

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4. 📚 Vocabulary from “Our Favourite Things to Do in London (Part 1)”

Here is a selection of vocabulary which I explained during the episode. 

pop (in / next door / to)
Definition: To go somewhere briefly or quickly.
Example: Amber – “I couldn’t resist popping next door to the National Gallery.”

take the pressure off
Definition: To reduce the feeling of obligation or stress.
Example: Martin – “It takes the pressure off thinking you have to spend a decent amount of time if you’ve paid for a ticket.”

tucked away
Definition: Located in a quiet or hidden place.
Example: Martin – “The Seven Stars pub is tucked away down a little street.”

narrow
Definition: Not wide.
Example: Martin – “An extremely narrow, rickety mediaeval staircase.”

rickety
Definition: Poorly made and likely to collapse.
Example: Martin – “An extremely narrow, rickety mediaeval staircase.”

nooks and crannies
Definition: Small, hidden or remote parts or corners.
Example: Martin – “Lots of dark wood, little nooks and crannies.”

cellar
Definition: A room below ground level, often used for storage.
Example: Martin – “Two floors of cellar where the beer barrels used to be kept.”

busker
Definition: A person who performs music or other entertainment in the street for money.
Example: James Simpson – “See some buskers, like a live show that’s free.”

busking
Definition: Performing in public places for money.
Example: Luke – “Busking is the act of performing in the street.”

mushy peas
Definition: Cooked peas that are mashed into a soft consistency.
Example: Luke – “A plate of fish and chips with a little bowl of mushy peas.”

rowing boat
Definition: A small boat propelled with oars.
Example: Aaron – “We went on a rowing boat on the Serpentine.”

barely
Definition: Only just; almost not.
Example: Moz – “Tiny doors that you can barely get through.”

sticky
Definition: Having a surface that things stick to.
Example: Moz – “The floor is sticky because it’s had like hundreds of years of beer on it.”

tar
Definition: A thick, dark substance found in cigarette smoke.
Example: Moz – “The ceiling is thick with tar from 300 years of smoking.”

boozer
Definition: (British slang) A pub.
Example: Moz – “They sit in their regular seat. It’s their boozer.”

brewery
Definition: A place where beer is made.
Example: Luke – “Fuller’s, one of the big brewing brands.”

take over
Definition: To assume control of something.
Example: Luke – “Fuller’s had taken over the pub.”

gutted
Definition: Very disappointed.
Example: Moz – “We were absolutely gutted.”

incensed
Definition: Very angry.
Example: Moz – “We were incensed.”

gastropub
Definition: A pub that serves high-quality food.
Example: Moz – “They’ll turn it into a gastropub.”

poncy
Definition: Pretentious or affected.
Example: Moz – “Full of poncy, pretentious food.

cash register / till
Definition: A machine for recording sales and holding money.
Example: Moz – “They’d put in a proper cash register.”

cubicle
Definition: A small enclosed space, typically for a toilet.
Example: Luke – “Cubicles which are the little places with doors.”

urinal
Definition: A toilet fixture used by men to urinate.
Example: Luke – “Urinals, things on the wall… you can stand at.”

refurbished
Definition: Renovated and redecorated.
Example: Mum – “They recently reopened after a refurbishment.”

particularly
Definition: Especially.
Example: Mum – “Having particularly enjoyed productions at the National Theatre.”thatched roof
Definition: A roof made with straw or reeds.
Example: Luke – “The thatched roof caught fire.”

Image by liushuquan from Pixabay