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🇬🇧 London Travel News 🇬🇧 ​ ​🚇 Coming to London in April? These are all the London Underground stations and lines that will be closed this month. ​ 🇬🇧 This is how London's boroughs were named 60 years ago. ​ 🤩 A West London street was named one of the most beautiful in the world (but don't go on the weekend.)

Hi Reader,

So, big news… I officially became a UK citizen last month! 🎉

It’s wild to think about how this journey started—especially because 12 years ago, I was actually banned from entering the UK. One marriage, three visas, a divorce, a pandemic, and a female-founded business later… here I am, taking my citizenship oath at Hackney Town Hall.

Oh, and if you’re like… BANNED?!? I will be telling my ENTIRE immigration story on the Love and London YouTube channel soon, so I’d go subscribe to it now if you want to hear it.

As you can probably imagine, moving to London back in 2013 changed everything for me. And what started as a personal mission to uncover the best local pubs, tastiest eats, and hidden gems through some amateur-made videos turned into something much bigger—a way to help visitors experience London like they actually live here.

And after all these years, I can tell you: the best parts of this city aren’t always in the guidebooks. The real magic? ✨ It’s in the unexpected spots—like a cozy, family-run café tucked away in a mews, a quiet historic square perfect for people-watching, or the fact that London is actually one of the world’s greenest cities (seriously, it’s technically an urban forest!).

So in today’s London Letter, I’m taking you on a little local break—sharing the best spots to escape the city’s hustle and explore a different side of London I really love. 😍

Here’s what’s inside:

🌳 The best parks in London
🏩 Where to stay for a local experience
💎 One of my favorite areas to explore
🍽 A full guide to British food— including veggie-friendly options
⚠️ Why you might hate London (and how to avoid that)

Let’s get into it ⬇️

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🌳 London’s best parks

Did you know London is home to over 3,000 lush, green parks covering around 35,000 acres of land? Believe it or not, this actually makes it one of the world’s largest urban forests.

From grand royal parks to smaller local ones scattered throughout the city, there are so many green spots that offer a breath of fresh air from the main urban hustle and bustle.

We’ve rounded up our favourite parks in London that we think are well worth a visit (the first one is where you’ll often find me on a summer Sunday) 🌳

But London isn’t just parks: there’s so much to explore beyond the typical attractions you see in your average travel guide.

​In this video, I tell you about all of the BEST areas explore and stay in while visiting London, plus I show you my favourite spots in them that are hidden gems and loved by the locals... not a tourist trap in sight 😉😉

And if you want to explore one of London’s coolest neighbourhoods like us locals do, keep on reading ⬇️

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😋 The food tour of my dreams
​Sponsored

I've been saying for YEARS that I wanted someone to set up a food tour in the area with the most diverse food scene in the entire city— Brixton. While many Londoners know that it's an inviting, eclectic neighborhood with super interesting cuisines, I didn't want tourists to miss out 😢

So when Devour Tours launched their Taste of Brixton Food Tour this year, I was like... 🎉🎉 YESSS FINALLYYYY 🎉🎉

On this tour you'll visit six small businesses run by passionate, diverse community members, even stopping by one woman's backyard kitchen 👩🏾‍🍳

There's 7 tastings, sampling authentic Caribbean dishes like jerk chicken and Jamaican rum cake, West African jollof rice, Brazil's favourite sweet treat, and more. Along the way, hear the heartwarming stories of passionate community members who have shaped Brixton (and its food scene) over the decades into what it is today ❤️

This is a uniquely London experience you will be so happy you made time for on your trip. Book your Taste of Brixton Food Tour with Devour Tours and reply to this email to let me know which date you'll be doing it 🍽🚶🏽‍♀️🇯🇲

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⚡️ Other helpful advice for your London trip

🍽 COMPLETE British food guide - these are ALL of the British dishes you should try when you come to London (don't worry vegeterians/vegans, I've got you covered too).

🏩 Cool hotels in south London - if you’re exploring Brixton (which you should!), check out these nice places in the area.

⚠️ Why you’ll HATE London when you visit - when I hear that people hated their trip to London, it’s because they did these very silly things. Don’t let them ruin your trip and leave a sour taste in your mouth about London.

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❓Question of the week

Actually, there is no longer a VAT refund option for any shopping you do in the UK, so whoever told you you had a chance of getting one was wrong, so hopefully you can feel a little bit of relief!

We used to do VAT refunds but the government sadly closed down that program when we left the EU at the end of 2020, and there’s not much hope of it coming back anytime soon.

My suggestion is that if you’re also going to Paris or any other countries that do VAT refunds, to do any major shopping there. Just be sure to look at the minimums and to read up on what you need to do to successfully get your refund, each country has a slightly different process so use Google to see what to do for the country you’ll be shopping in.

If you have a question you'd like me to answer in a future newsletter, reply to this email and I might answer it next week.

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Only a third of you got it right last week… Not an easy one, sorry about that 😅

There actually used to be a British Museum tube station on the Central Line, which closed in 1933 when Holborn Station was expanded, but the tunnels remained. Some urban legends even claim it’s haunted! 👻

And this week’s question is ⬇️

What London area are you planning to stay in? 🤔 Central London: near the sights and landmarks you’ve seen in movies 💂‍♀️ East London: artsy, eclectic and buzzy for a glimpse into what London is like for those who live here 🎨 West London: posh, elegant and leafy 🌳 North London: music-inspired, good vibes 🎶 South London: diverse, unique and affordable 🍽

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Thank you for reading The London Letter ❤️ Jess Dante Founder, Love and London, Love and Paris and Voyagr​

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