Hello everyone and welcome to this Eras Tour guide to my former home! Whether you’re in the pub watching rugby, enjoying high tea or walking through Camden in the afternoon, there is something in this city for everyone and London is going all out for the Eras Tour!
Update on tickets
Production hold tickets were released earlier this week, although codes made still be made available up to and including the day of release. It’s currently not possible to access any tickets via Ticketmaster without a code as the production hold sale is still ongoing. Your best best for face value tickets at this point is to check Twickets regularly. If you find someone selling privately at face value, insist on PayPal Goods & Services as payment.
Limited hospitality tickets are still available for this weekend. You can contact Club Wembley for a full list of partners, but AOK Hospitality and Seat Unique still have some (incredibly expensive) packages available. This may be worth considering if you can afford resale, as these packages at least include food, drink and either lounge access or private box facilities.
Security and what to do instead of Taygating
You will not be allowed to camp or gather outside the stadium to “Taygate”. The police can and will move you on. It is also not a safe place to camp overnight, especially with the England v Denmark match taking place on Thursday 20 June, plus the rest of the Euros matches this week. Our football fans are known to be a “lively bunch” (NSFW photo of standard post-match celebrations available here).
I suggest going to Boxpark Wembley, which is hosting a Swiftie Fanpark on a first come, first served basis, if you cannot go to the shows. Please note that it is going to be extremely busy, and make a plan to get home before the concert ends if you want to try this. If you prefer to stay in the centre, there are plenty of Taylor-themed events being organised in the city this week, and you can take your pick.
If you have VIP GA or Front Standing tickets, you will benefit from early entry and you will likely be close to the barricade if you get in before non-VIP. If you are non-VIP, like I was, I promise you can still have a great view. I showed up at 4pm on Paris night 1 and still had the most incredible view from about 10 rows back (if that). Remember that if you’re short, the view from the back is often better than from the middle!
Bags must be no bigger than A4 size, but they do not need to be transparent. Water bottles up to 500ml are allowed in. If you’re on the floor, security have also been passing out cups of water. I recommend staying hydrated the day before and having about 2 litres of water in the morning. Have a hearty breakfast or brunch before you come, as you will be exerting yourself a lot by singing and dancing, especially if you’re on the floor.
If you are on the floor, bear in mind that you will probably be standing for at least 5 hours without a break, especially if you are at the front. I recommend wearing trainers or other comfortable footwear, as your feet will want to murder you afterwards (and that’s without mentioning your spine)!
Earplugs are also an absolute must for a stadium show and I can personally recommend Loops for zero ringing and immaculate audio of the concert. If there were any amateur exorcists in my vicinity in Paris, I wasn’t made aware of it. I have also heard great things about Eargasms, but foam earplugs are also effective (I just don’t like how they feel).
It’s not too late for your white horse (but other modes of transport are available)
After about 6 months of living in London, I think I just became CityMapper. However, I do not trust people who navigate this city without it. It will give you real time updates of whatever transport is or isn’t running.
If you have a contactless bank card, you can use this to pay for your public transport. I actually just tap my phone using Google Pay, and Apple Pay also works. If you prefer, you can still get an Oyster card and top it up, which may work out more economically if your card charges foreign currency fees.
To get to Wembley, take the Jubilee or Metropolitan Lines to Wembley Park]. Please note that the Central Line is getting hotter each year due to structural issues and usually feels like a furnace even in mild weather. You might alternatively consider taking the overground, which is less frequent (every 10 minutes), but will get you to Wembley Central, which is a bit of a trek away from the station. The tube is usually very reliable, and you will have plenty of time to get back home.
Uber is available in London, but I find that it’s usually more expensive than Bolt. I personally prefer taxis in London, as they get you there quicker (they can go in bus lanes and restricted roads, of which there are many) and in my experience they are less likely to get lost. I generally pre-book my taxis via FreeNow as it’s the most convenient way, but you can also hail a cab in the street or at a taxi rank, which tends to be more successful if it’s late at night or you’re in a crowded area.
For anyone coming from the surrounding areas of London, coach services are also available – check on Big Green Coach if this is an option for you. If you are driving, check here whether you will need to pay the ULEZ charge, and how much it will be. It’s worth shopping around for a good deal on parking, and taking the tube part of the way there if you can bear it.
It is going to take a while to get out of the stadium and onto public transport. I would recommend waiting it out in the stadium for a few minutes before leaving, otherwise people have left during Karma in order to get home more quickly. I do not trust those people.
Other Events in London (Taylor’s Version)
There is always something for everyone in London, and that is particularly true for Swifties this week.
Literally every event I can find in London this week:
- Box Park featuring Swiftogeddon
- After party at Heaven (Sunday)
- After party at Club de Fromage (Saturday)
- Themed quiz at Market House (Thursday)
- Taylor Swift Bar Bus (Friday and Saturday)
- A themed hotel stay at the Treehouse Hotel
- Adults-only Taylor Swift Pottery (in Colchester)
- Friendship bracelet and trinket classes in Kentish Town
- Brunch at Ballie Ballerson
- Drag Brunch at OXBO (29 June)
- A Canalside Tribute to Taylor Swift (Saturday)
- A Taylor Swift walking tour of the London Boy Sights
- Swiftie Sunset Sessions at the Grand Junction Hotel
How to see the Big Old City
London streets are steeped in history, its parks are beautiful and the shopping is world class.
If you only have limited time in London, I suggest walking the Thames Path. Start at the Tower of London. You can go in, but it is quite expensive, especially for a city where most of the museums are free. From here, cross the iconic Tower Bridge, which is not the same as London Bridge, the next bridge you will meet. Continuing along the Thames Path, you will take in the City of London skyline (see below for rooftops in London).
When you reach the Tate Modern gallery, you will see St Paul’s Cathedral directly in front of you across the Millennium Bridge, cross onto the north bank and continue onto Embankment, where you will see the London Eye in front of you. You can cross the bridge here, and head to the Southbank Centre or Between the Bridges.
There are better ways to experience London than on the London Eye, so I would keep walking, and maybe make a pitstop at Somerset House, the National Gallery or National Portrait Gallery along the way if you like art. If you continue walking, you will reach Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. This walk will take you a few hours if you stop for lunch on your way.
If you have a little more time, I would definitely recommend a pilgrimage to Highgate and Hampstead. Both of the Flask pubs are great, and I love the tranquillity of Highgate Wood. Hampstead Heath has one of the best views of the London skyline anywhere in the city, especially from the Parliament Hill side. Kentish Delight is not far, and is famed for being Taylor Swift’s favourite kebab shop in London. We know that Joe Alwyn has never been to Vauxhall, but did you know that the Garden Gate is in Hampstead?
If you want to spend some time outside, Richmond Park is my favourite outdoor space in all of London. There are even herds of deer roaming the park. Richmond is also the most beautiful area of London in my opinion and it’s the very real setting for the totally fictional Richmond Football Club, so go here if you’re a fan of Ted Lasso (I feel like Wrexham is the real life Richmond FC, but that’s closer to Cardiff and Liverpool than London).
Back in the centre, Regents Park has amazing views of the city, while St James’s Park is my favourite of the most central parks. There are even pelicans and very friendly parakeets who I have definitely never fed in my life.
There is a wide array of castles and museums to visit in this city. Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace are the two residences currently used by the Royal Family within London, and you can go for a day trip to Windsor Castle (the Royal Ascot is also on this week and limited tickets are still available). For history buffs among you, Hampton Court Palace is a magnificent relic of Henry VIII’s court, plus you can take a water taxi along the Thames to get there, which is quite pleasant.
Most people seem to think instantly of the British Museum when they visit London, but I think you’d be remiss if you didn’t visit the Victoria & Albert museum in South Kensington, which is home to incredible exhibitions on decorative arts, fashion and even architectural trends from all around the world. My highlight is definitely the fashion exhibit or the jewellery rooms, but I also love the Korean exhibitions. The Natural History Museum, Royal Albert Hall and Science Museum are also practically next door to the V&A.
Where to meet up for dinner and a glass of wine
Sky Garden is the most well-known of the rooftop bars at this point, but I also enjoy Jin Bo Law, Sabine and Aqua Shard if you’re too late to book Sky Garden or Fenchurch. If you prefer, dinner next to the Thames is such a lovely experience – I like Sam’s Larder if you’re staying a little further out, or the Trafalgar Tavern next to Greenwich Palace does a fantastic roast. The Prospect of Whitby in Wapping or the Anchor Pub also make a great lunch or dinner spot.
Street food markets are something London excels at. My favourite is Mercato Mayfair, which is a converted church with bars at the altar, in the crypt and on the roof. If you want to take a break from Louis V up on Bond Street, I highly recommend. I also enjoy Borough Market and Seven Dials, but I way prefer South Bank food market, which is open on the weekends and Friday evenings (it will either be directly behind the South Bank Centre or on the Thames Path). Spitalfields is also amazing, and I am already dreaming of having my lunch there tomorrow).
Mercato Metropolitano is the original Mercato and it feels like there are hundreds of vendors whose food I’ve yet to try. The Sri Lankan roti will cause a part of you to ascend to a higher plain of existence. There is also a secret nightclub hidden within its walls, which is fun. Speaking of secrets, Bart’s is a speakeasy located in South Kensington and is a perfect date spot.
Brasserie Zedel, the Lanesborough Grill and Clos Maggiore are three of the most beautiful restaurants I have ever been to. The Bar Americain, part of Zedel is also a great spot for a drink. If you’d like to try some Indian food, Trishna is my favourite in London.
As I have mentioned before, it should be a criminal offence to come to the UK and not try afternoon tea. There are hundreds of options in London, but my Mum actually cried with happiness when I took her to Prêt à Portea at the Berkeley Hotel for mother’s day.
Shopping
Notting Hill and Covent Garden (especially towards Seven Dials) are both full to the brim of weird and wonderful souvenirs, including the shop window above.
For anyone looking to thrift, I personally enjoy going on a tour of the Octavia Hospice shops in Chelsea and Kensington, and have bought some incredible pieces this way.
I quite like Rough Trade, which is a local chain of record shops. Keep an eye out to see if they have any gigs this week as well. The last time I paid £30 to see one of my favourite bands and I got a signed vinyl included!
For official merch, remember that you can scan the QR code to see most of the merch online. if you prefer, you can try and pick up merch outside Wembley (I recommend doing this before or after your show so you don’t accidentally leave it behind!) or at Hyde Park Corner.
Final Thoughts
- I am so incredibly jealous of all of you going to the London shows. They are going to be iconic in every way.
- Some of you will probably get London Boy and I promise you it will be one of your highlights!
- Wear comfortable shoes and earplugs to your show. You only get one spine.
- Listen to the security advice and wait until you’re permitted to gather – the police will give you a fixed penalty notice if you decide to ignore them.
- If you have the time, don’t just stay in London – the Cotswolds, Oxford, Cambridge, Brighton and the South Downs are all easily reached from London and they are worth a visit.
- “British Food” like stargazy pie is tourist fare and is designed to be disgusting. If you want to try something authentic, fish & chips, tikka masala (chicken or veggie), afternoon tea or a Sunday Roast are a much safer bet.
- Don’t forget to go to the pub (although no rugby this weekend) and watch a Euros match. There’s no more authentic way to experience England, even if you don’t enjoy football.
- Be careful getting home – London is safe 99% of the time, but always trust your gut. There are some clubs and bars which I actively avoid as well, and they tend to be the ones where girls get in for free. The area around Wembley will be fine following the concerts due to the amount of people around, but it is not a safe space to camp.
- Use the tube and don’t be afraid of buses! The 88 bus will take you from Hampstead, through the centre, all the way to Clapham and it runs 24 hours. I have previously jumped on a bus in a desperate bid to get away from an awful date and it worked!
- Please manifest me getting off the waitlist for London Night 8!!!
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