Kiera Giacometti, AIFS in London, Fall 2025
London is probably one of my favorite places in the world. Even before studying abroad, I had a fascination with the city. It is colorful, massive, and never boring. Whilst I was abroad, I made it my mission to explore as much of the city as I could. Let me walk you through some of my favorite things.
One of the best things about London is its public transport. Within Central London (zones 1-2), you are never far from a Tube station or a bus stop. Both are brilliant ways to get around the city. I used the Tube daily to get from Euston to Kensington High Street. I also think London’s public transport is easy to navigate. By my second week in London, I had most of the tube maps memorized and did not need to look at my phone to get around.
Another great thing about London is the amount of green spaces. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of parks, small gardens, and trees scattered around the city. My favorite park was St. James’ Park, which is located near Buckingham Palace. It was shaded, with a pond, birds, and plenty of benches to sit and reflect. I also enjoyed visiting Hyde Park, which is home to many birds–such as swans, ducks, and herons–and Kensington Palace. Any time I passed through that park, I saw bikers, dogs, and even people taking meetings in the beautiful space. Additionally, I visited Regent’s Park, which is home to the London Zoo and sprawling football fields. These parks provided calming and gorgeous spaces within a bustling city to calm down and reconnect with nature during stressful days.
London’s food scene is also spectacular. I was lucky enough to live on Drummond Street, which is home to lots of Indian restaurants. My favorite was Malsala King, where I had a lovely lamb biryani and masala chai. Outside of Drummond Street, there are many Indian restaurants such as Dishoom and Chokki Dhani. London–and the United Kingdom at large–is also home to my favorite chain: Nandos. Nandos is a peri-peri chicken restaurant that serves chicken of different spice levels, well-seasoned vegetables, and the best mac ‘n’ cheese I have ever eaten. London is also home to hundreds of pubs. Personally, I think the best pub food is located at the Churchill Arms, which serves only Thai food. London’s Chinatown is wonderful as well.
Finally, what is extremely unique to London–and something I valued immensely during my time abroad–is the sheer amount of free museums. London has massive, free museums like the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert, and the Natural History Museum. These museum collections are housed in regal, mind-blowing buildings that could take years to explore. However, London is also home to other amazing museums that fly under the radar. One such museum was the Wellcome Collection, which brought together art, science, history, and more to expand our understanding of medicine. Inside the Wellcome Collection, I saw an exhibit on the use of fertility scrolls during childbirth and an exhibit on how society ignores deaf people.
One other museum that is free that I wanted to highlight was the Grant Museum of
Zoology, which is a part of the University College London’s campus. This museum is slightly smaller than the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia. It houses an impressive collection of animal bones, including a full Tasmanian tiger skeleton and Iguanodon vertebrae. This was by far my favorite museum in all of London, and one I think every person should go visit if they have any interest in animals.
London is home to many restaurants, parks, museums, and more that make it stand out as a city. I wish I had more time to mention the West End shows, unique movie theaters, and interesting cafes that are scattered around the city. If you choose to study abroad here, you will never be bored. There is something for everyone.
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