I had always wanted to go to England, so when I found out I had relatives in London, I couldn’t have been more exciting to plan a trip to visit them. My parents and I booked a Europe tour, but before and after the tour, two weeks were spent sightseeing around England and spending time with our family.

London is a huge city, filled with the hustle and bustle of around 9 million people. It’s super crowded, especially in central London where all the tourists go. It can be quite the challenge walking the streets or taking the underground with that many people around. When it rained, which it did frequently, there were umbrellas everywhere. It looked like a Mary Poppins convention.

London is definitely a touristy location. It’s so easy to get around by using the tube, but I suggest doing one of those “hop-on hop-off” tours. They take you all around London, which is convenient because there’s so much to see:

If you’re into architecture, check out Big Ben, the Parliament building, and churches such as Westminster Abbey.

Shakespeare’s Theater is for all you English junkies.

Go stand where time begins in Greenwich.

Take a drive across the Thames River via the many bridges London holds, the most popular being Tower Bridge.

Watch the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace.

Ride The London Eye for an amazing arial view of London.

If you need a break from the busy city, take a train out to the country-side. My family and I went out to Somerset to visit a friend. The scenery there was breathtaking. There’s green pastures as far as the eye can see, sheep grazing and we even drove along the coast. We stopped by a few quaint little towns with shops and pubs and walked around. While we were exploring the country-side, we drove out to visit castles and even went to Stonehenge, which was absolutely incredible.

I especially loved England because it contains so much history and culture. You see a lot of these sights on TV or in books but actually being there and seeing these landmarks in person just make you feel so blessed. You absorb so much of the culture just by walking the streets of London. It’s absolutely incredible. One of my top favorite places in the world hands down.