‘I enjoy nights in Brixton, Shoreditch in the afternoon’

Since everyone from Taylor Swift to Boris Johnson is commenting on their favourite spots in London, as a born raised Croydoner I thought I’d have some fun giving it a go. The following is my best friend and I’s list of top picks compiled over the last 19 years, but if anyone has any other suggestions, please do add them to the comments! So if you have a few days to visit, or are looking for some ideas of places to take friends round as a fellow Londoner too then look no further!

Day 1: the squares

The best thing about London is undoubtedly the freedom you have to walk from famous place to famous place often within the space of around 20 minutes, which is definitely the case around the major Squares. For the first day, my suggestion is to begin at Novelty Automation. This unique and independent arcade with a twist is perfect for anyone with a slightly offbeat sense of humour. From there, it’s just a 15-minute walk to Covent Garden, in which you have everything from the Apple Market which has lots of stalls selling jewellery, handmade goods and the like to the London transport museum, to more high-end shops such as CHANEL if that’s more your thing. If you get lucky, there’ll be a street performer – I’ve witnessed everything from escapologists to musicians to tightrope walkers.

Although there are lots of good places to eat at around Covent Garden, I would recommend the 5-minute walk to 7 Dials Market around the corner – this food hall has 20 independent places to eat and two bars, and I can confirm Kolkati’s paneer flatbreads are to die for. If you fancy some desert following lunch, Bageriet is another few minutes’ walk away – this Swedish bakery does a fantastic princess cake and several other wonderful pastries, and certainly isn’t one to miss!

If you’d like to take the cakes away, Leicester square is another good stop to make, and it has a lovely green space in the middle of the park to stop at. The square is one of the highlights of London – make sure to explore Lego world  and the M&M store while you’re in it, and if you’re (somehow) still hungry, there are lots of fantastic restaurants in Chinatown which is right behind it! There are also a ridiculous number of cinemas in nearby, so if you fancy seeing a film in the afternoon, you’re definitely at the place for it.

The next stop is Trafalgar square, which is another 5 minutes or so away. The National Gallery is one of the highlights and has free entry, but it’s just as fun staying outside and sitting by the lions of Nelson’s column. Sitting in the square is a pretty nice way to end your day, but if you’re a nightlife sort of person, then HEAVEN the nightclub is just around the corner by Charing Cross station which, whatever you might say about the music, is usually packed which makes for a fun night out.

Day 2: Around London Bridge

A stroll along the Southbank is always lovely – the variety of independent stalls, the London Eye, the Tate Modern  are almost enough to make up for the slightly disturbing shade of the River Thames. If you’re into skating, make sure to stop and watch some of the fantastic skateboarders (and maybe even join in!)

Once you get to around London Bridge make sure to get some lunch at Borough market – it has hundreds of food stalls, the ‘bee-sting slices’ at Artisan Foods being a family favourite of mine. It’s also just a fantastic place to be – everything from Bridget Jones’ diary to Sherlock has filmed there, and I would call it one of the cultural highlights.

After eating, stroll down the Thames (stopping to look at and feel dizzy at the Shard en route!) some more until you reach Tower Bridge – both the view of it and from it aren’t ones to miss, even if you don’t go inside. Once you cross, you’ll come out very near the tower of London which is another good point to visit if you’re interested in history. From the ravens to the crown jewels, this UNESCO world heritage site is even impressive from the outside, and so if you don’t want to spend £30 on tickets it’s still fun to look at it and plan how you would have escaped back in the day.

Day 3: The alternative feel

For day 3, I would recommend starting at St Pancras (not forgetting to visit Kings Cross while you’re there if you’re a Harry Potter fan!) and walking down the canal until you reach Camden market. This alternative space has some of my favourite (and as a former emo objectively the best) fashion spots in London, and with a bit of haggling you can often find decent prices for pretty fantastic outfits. If you’re a raver, stepping into Cyber dog is a must – never have I seen quite so many fluorescent outfits in the same place!

There are enough food stalls in Camden to keep you going all day – there are Bubble Waffle stalls everywhere, and even if you don’t buy anything it’s worth dropping into Hansel & Gretel just to appreciate how pretty the deserts are.

After some shopping, Primrose Hill is 20 minutes’ walk away and is a lovely way to spend the evening; from the top you have one of the most spectacular views of London, and it’s a lovely place to watch the sunset from.