I am nearing towards the end (Week 5 of 6) of my amazing summer study abroad experience in London, UK. The days are flying by. The panicky feeling of getting everything done and going everywhere I want is unfortunately in full force, and the time to do everything is scarce. That is why I am going to dedicate this post to describing some of my favorite London trips, so that future Pitt Londoners can know some of the highlights.

One of my favorite areas so far in London is the city of Westminster, particularly the section that is alongside the River Thames. This borough includes Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, and Palace of Westminster, which are all considered ‘classic’ London must-sees. Even if you are the type of traveler that doesn’t like the locations that are more touristy, Westminster is still worth the visit. I particularly liked the tour of the Westminster Abbey, where you can spend as much time as you want exploring the church and its various galleries. Also, the London eye is a great way to enjoy a view of the skyline. The best way to explore this area is to take a day trip and buy all of your tickets ahead of time to save money and time waiting in line!

Another awesome area that you won’t find in all of the tour books is Brixton, which is located in south London. This area is home to a large Caribbean population, and this is evident from the Brixton Market’s amazing jerk chicken and other classic Caribbean dishes (come hungry). Here you can also tour the Black Cultural Archives, which has great and informative exhibits, or go to a concert at the popular venue O2 Academy (I saw the rapper G-Eazy here).

If you can recall back to my previous post, I stated that my main goals for this experience were to maximize my potential to learn more about the culture of England through exploring the city and gain transferable skills that I can apply to my future endeavors. By embarking on the majority of the adventures provided by CAPA and suggested on trip advisor, I feel that I am on my way to achieving these goals. On a personal development level, relying on myself to use the right method of public transport, set a budget and make my own travel plans have truly helped me become more responsible. The tube is relatively easy to understand but I have had to learn which line to travel by to get to these various destinations and then also plan trips home, when some of the trains are closed. This has honed my planning ahead skills. Setting a budget for myself when traveling has helped me develop responsibility with money and also attention to detail (looking at what places and companies take student discounts, recording cash disbursements).

If you’re tired of London, you’re tired of life! Wish me luck in crossing everything off my sightseeing wishlist in these next 2 weeks.

Thanks for reading,

Juliana Ritrievi