A few weeks ago I spent an amazing 24 hours in London with one of my best friends. Here’s my guide to getting the most out of London this Christmas.

Where to sleep
With me coming from Dublin and herself coming from Norfolk, we wanted somewhere central to stay. We chose Travelodge Royal Scot, just a walk from both Euston and King’s Cross train stations. Standard London price. Very comfy beds.

Where to eat
In our 24 hours, we ate out for dinner and brunch.

For dinner we opted for Inamo in Covent Garden, also located in Soho and Camden. We fancied Thai. We fancied cocktails. This ticked both boxes and had the added bonus of interactive tables for playing games while we waited for our food. Inamo, in my mind, is Asian tapas (if that makes sense). We opted for four shared dishes of chicken, fish and veg and two desserts to finish.

For brunch we headed for Drake & Morgan, just a stone’s throw from King’s Cross tube station. This is a must-visit for all brunch fanatics. From pancakes and waffles, to eggs of all sorts, and even burgers. There’s definitely something on this menu for everyone, along with juices, coffees and cocktails.

Where to visit
What’s Christmas without visiting a Christmas market? We went to Leicester Square for a small-scale experience but I would recommend Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park for a winter festival that has become a landmark event for Londoners and tourists alike.

Winter Wonderland is home to the UK’s largest outdoor Ice Rink. However, I would also recommend outdoor ice-skating at the National History Museum. With it’s hundreds of fairy lights and Christmas tree centre piece, there’s nothing but magic here. I would recommend a post-skating snack of giant marshmallows from one of the little food stalls!

As always, the West End is bursting at the seams with shows. Without pre-planning, we found it difficult to get tickets at a reasonable price. That is until my friend (shout out to Orla) had the idea to check out availability at the box office. We got premium level tickets for £25 each (normally priced at £51) for Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution. This production was staged in a a unique court room setting inside County Hall, adjacent to the London Eye on London’s South Bank. If you are a fan of a murder mystery, this one is definitely for you.

That was all just in 24 hours. Imagine what you could do over a whole weekend?