A month or so after our wedding, we took a trip to the UK for our honeymoon—thank you Costco for the amazing deal! Not wanting the usual island paradise for our honeymoon, we opted for a winter wonderland adventure. And boy did we get one! England in December is just about one of the most beautiful places ever. From the Christmas markets to the surprise snow fall, it’s like something out of a movie…

Day 1: The London Tourist Spots

We arrived at Heathrow airport in the morning and had a private car waiting to take us to our hotel. After checking in, we spent the day sightseeing. We walked by Big Ben and Westminster Abbey, got a good look at the London Eye, and visited the Tower of London and the British Library. We enjoyed so many vegan eats throughout the day, including Namaste Holborn and Mildred’s Covent Garden before ending our day strolling through Trafalgar Square.

Day 2: An Afternoon Tea & Shakespeare Moment

The next morning brunch at the Borough market, (we found a lovely vegan breakfast spot called Mallow Borough Market), we checked into our tour of Shakespeare’s Globe, one of the most iconic theaters in the world. If you are a Shakespeare buff, you will not want to miss this guided tour experience. Our tour guide was a Shakespeare player and provided a rich history of the Globe and modern productions. We even got to see the tail-end of a rehearsal happening on stage! After our tour we ambled our way back to the hotel for our afternoon tea reservation. Our hotel, The Montague on the Gardens, even had a vegan tea option so we didn’t have to sacrifice the authentic experience of High Tea in London.

Day 3: Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, & the Roman Baths

Our last full day we spent exploring the countryside. Our tour bus took us to the most charming town of Windsor where the royal home of Windsor Castle is located. Getting there early proved lucrative as we were first in line to enter the castle. We even found a doughnut shop that had a variety of vegan doughnut options, a perfect sweet treat. After the castle tour, we got back on the bus and were delivered to Stonehenge visitor center. Now this part was easily my favorite part of our trip to England. Stonehenge is a must-visit. The drive alone is so beautiful, the rolling hills, the rich green grass—simply breathtaking. Lastly, we made our way to the city of Bath where we toured the Roman Baths. For anyone interested in history, Stonehenge and the Roman Baths would be right up your alley.

For the following day, we had an 11 am train to Edinburgh to catch. We opted for a later train so we could enjoy one final brunch in London. We chose the Victoria House for a proper English breakfast (veganized of course but no less incredible). From there we hopped on the train at King’s Cross. A quick four-hour ride later, we were checking into our hotel in Edinburgh.

Stay tuned for the Scotland itinerary, coming soon!

Until next time,

Leah Ost