Here’s a good pub quiz question: Which is the most popular city in Europe this year?
Parisians may beg to differ but London is the answer and, given that it also came out tops the previous year (and given its huge array of restos, bars, different cuisines, top tourist locations and famous parks) that maybe should not come as such a surprise.
According to a YouGov survey, in terms of the fame ranking (fame is defined by the percentage of people who have heard of a city), London also gets a perfect score of 100 per cent.
Just 17 per cent of the public said that they disliked the capital of the UK.
London also came top for culture and educational attainment.
“For the second year in a row, London reigns over all European cities. Despite crippling Covid lockdowns and economic devastation. Despite Brexit. Despite a war in Europe,” the report said. “The city is top of mind for students, foreign investors and tourists, all eager to get back out and plug into a place that topped all three of our overall indices: livability, lovability and prosperity.”
Part of the reason for London topping the list (again) is its unmatched culture scene: it’s home to more than 230 museums and galleries, the vast majority of which are free to visit; it has four ‘self-governing’ symphony orchestras and between 90 and 100 grassroots music venues and its theatre offering is second to none.
London Standard culture editor Nancy Durrant says, “It’s hard to put a finger on what the alchemical formula is that makes London so exciting for culture. I think our uniquely integrated, multicultural populace has a lot to do with it. Living in this higgledy-piggledy city, cheek by jowl, it’s near-impossible not to be influenced and intrigued by what’s going on next door.”
But what it is that makes the UK capital so special? This website tried to answer that, looking at what there is to do in the city and some of the best places to stay and eat. In no particular order, we’re making a couple of recommendations in each category.
Every great city has one (a river) and London, of course, is no exception. One of the best ways to experience the famous River Thames is to take to the water itself and you really should try Uber Boat by Thames Clippers which stops at no less than 24 piers from east to west, between Barking and Putney.
The company has also launched Europe’s first hybrid high-speed passenger ferry, Earth Clipper, which offers a 90% reduction in CO2e emissions compared to traditional marine diesel. The ferry operates on battery power in Central London and biofuelled power outside of the city, with a capacity for 230 passengers, and represents a significant step towards eco-friendly transportation.
With a modern and fuel-efficient fleet of high-speed catamarans,Uber Boat by Thames Clippers is the leading river bus service on the Thames. Services run at 10–20-minute intervals between key London piers including North Greenwich for The O2, Greenwich, Canary Wharf, Tower, London Bridge City, Westminster, and London Eye (Waterloo), as well as several residential piers, including Battersea Power Station Pier and now Barking Riverside Pier.
For over 20 years the business has been at the forefront of innovation for the river marine sector and continues to break new ground and invest in trials and the development of technology, including hybrid and hydrogen-powered vessels.
Thrill-seekers should definitely try the thrilling Thames Rib Experience which gives you the chance to power past iconic sights including Big Ben, the London Eye and the Tower of London, imagining you are in a James Bond movie.
A terrific sightseeing ride on board what is the fastest London speedboat on the Thames enables you to see more of this city in 45 minutes than you would any other way three times the length. Guides like the friendly Justine give a full and entertaining guided commentary while blasting out Bond music and other tunes. This rollercoaster on water starts with a relatively sedate cruise when you can see all the sights from Westminster to Tower Bridge during which time the boat navigates at an average of 10knots (there is a speed limit in the central area of 12 knots). The very exciting high speed can only start when it passes Tower Bridge.
One adult must accompany any children under 14 years. It is all located next to Embankment tube station and operates 7 days a week.
Passengers must arrive 15 minutes before the trip departs and wearing a life jacket on board is necessary.
Belgians love their football, of course, so one thing you should also try to do is a Chelsea FC Stamford Bridge stadium tour. 2024 is the 25th year of such tours and this remains the premium, fully guided stadium tour and museum experience in London. Over a quarter of a million guests from all over the world have been taken around the stadium by passionate guides (many of whom are season ticket holders) to see the dressing rooms, player’s tunnel and much more in what is one of the oldest continuous sports stadiums on the planet.
You also get to see the dug-out and press room, go pitch side and visit the excellent (trophy packed) club museum. Tours do not run on home matches.
After all that adventure and traipsing around one of the world’s biggest cities, you’ll have worked up an appetite and visitors from food-loving Belgium won’t be disappointed by the city’s culinary offerings.
As of 2024, Indian food is among the most popular cuisines in the UK. But, the truth is you just can’t beat good Indian food (even if it’s in short supply in Belgium).
It is estimated that there are over 18,000 Indian restaurants in the UK, and many of them are located in London.
One of the very best is the multiple award-winning Dishoom, a highly popular chain (a measure of its success is that you’ll often find long queues outside its restos) that evokes the atmosphere of old style 1970s Bombay café culture. This fab place serves some of the very best and tastiest Indian-inspired cuisine this side of the sub-continent.
It has restos of the same name in other parts of London, including the huge and atmospheric Battersea site right next to the famous power station (now a modern shopping mall). With its modernist design and artwork, the Battersea “branch” seeks to pay tribute to Bombay’s “bustling spirit.”
There are no traditional “starters” or “mains” as such here but, rather, “small plates”, grills and other dishes and the good news is that all are quite delicious and mouth watering. They include the very tasty Murg Malai, chicken steeped overnight in garlic and ginger, and Chicken Ruby, tender chicken in a rich sauce.
It also serves breakfast daily until 11.45am – a great way to start any day and try not to leave without sampling the lovely house chai and Dishoom India pale ale.
For every meal consumed here, the resto very generously and commendably donates a meal to a child (that’s an estimated some 20 million meals so far). It commendably works with two charities – Magic Breakfast in the UK and Akshaya Patra in India – who provide free meals to schools.
Belgians of all ages love their comics so they will particularly enjoy the Dishoom Battersea comic-style booklet which tells the story of Choti Dishoom, a girl who lives in Bombay in 1953. Interestingly, the author credits Belgian icon Tintin as one of their inspirations.
Another excellent (and recommended) dining option is Kanishka by Atul Kochhar, whose owner has his very own and unique claim to fame.
In 2001, Atul Kochhar became the first Indian chef to win a Michelin star and his signature style is writ large across the choice of menus at this smart and up market Mayfair restaurant. It boasts delightful Anglo-infused Indian dishes, epitomised by the signature chicken tikka pie. The excellent menu offers plenty of other interesting options, with cuisine from the north-east of India receiving particular attention. Located in the very heart of Mayfair, just off the ever bustling Regents Street, it was one of the hottest new restos to debut in the city in 2019.
Atul says that “at every instance, we aim to enchant our guests with a vibrant Indian culture, and cuisine of the highest calibre.”
Today, Atul says our appreciation of Indian cooking has never been more nuanced, thanks to accessible travel, cooking shows and chefs’ social media.
“Our understanding of Indian cuisine is very advanced,” Atul says.
Being awarded a Michelin star, he says, bestows a “great responsibility, because people will look up to you. You have to play your role very sensibly.”
And that is exactly what he and his very friendly team do here (along with some excellent Indian food).
Of course, all genuinely great cities are judged on the quality of their accommodation offering and London has an eclectic (and vast) choice.
One of the newer hotels in the city is the multiple-award winning Guardsman Hotel, purpose built and situated in Westminster. It takes its name from the soldiers outside Buckingham Palace which, in fact, is just five minute away.
This luxurious, 5-star hotel is packed full of all the design detail and service to treat guests to a really fantastic London stay, including those with kids.
It has the feel of a member’s club but families are more than welcome and the hotel has family rooms and interconnecting rooms that open to create large suites and can be configured for any size of family. Opened in the spring of 2021 and with just 53 rooms (and 6 residences for long term stays), the hotel is an oasis of calm and quiet.
It’s also nicely situated with St. James’s Park underground station just 100m away whilst the central hub that is Victoria Station is also within close walking distance.
The splendid Astor is its Penthouse residence which encompasses the entire top floor of the hotel (117sqm) and features a vast living room with a defined dining area with a marble dining table which seats six and an adjacent kitchen.It has a 38sqm outside terrace with views over Buckingham Gate and is the hotel’s most spacious residence, sleeping up to six guests with two double rooms and a study with a sofa bed. The master bedroom with a Queen size bed has an en-suite bathroom with a walk-in shower, underfloor heating while the guest bedroom is similar plus there’s a Japanese soaking tub and walk-in shower. The study has a large desk and sofa which converts into a small double sofa bed. The spacious open plan living and dining room includes a large desk and a fully fitted kitchen (with a wine fridge) – just the place to put your feet up after a day foot slogging around the city.
Its cosy and tastefully decorated dining room offers a relatively small but tasty choice of dishes, all prepared with fresh, locally sourced ingredients and the menu changes regularly in order to get the freshest food on your plate. The overall aim is to showcase the best of British cuisine (which it does well).
Another great spot to stay is the London Marriott Hotel Marble Arch, a long-time stylish fixture on the central London landscape with panoramic views of Central London and very close to storied local attractions, including Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park.
The famous Oxford Street (great for shopping) is just steps away as is the magnificent Marble Arch. Most visitors don’t pay much attention to this historical monument, which was built in the 1800s to celebrate the British victories in the Napoleonic Wars. It stands at the centre of four bordering neighbourhoods and makes for an ideal place to begin a day of exploring.
Its family rooms feature Apple TV technology, Wi-Fi, and deluxe bedding and there is a spacious bathroom so there’s plenty of room for everyone.
You can also choose rooms to interconnect so you don’t have to be far away from the kids. This pleasant, comfy hotel also boasts a well-equipped gym with cardiovascular equipment, free weights and strength equipment
So, there you have it: just a few but excellent reasons, ranging from action-packed activities, cracking cuisine and awesome accommodation, to explain why London continues to top all polls as Europe’s best city.
Further info:
https://www.thamesclippers.com
https://www.chelseafc.com/en/stadium-tours-and-museum
https://www.dishoom.com/battersea
https://kanishkarestaurant.co.uk
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/lonma-london-marriott-hotel-marble-arch/overview
Thames Barrier & Dockland Speedboat Sightseeing | 70 Min Experience (thamesribexperience.com)
