A Girls’ Getaway to London : From Paddington to ABBA

There’s something rather special about a girls’ trip to London. Whether it’s catching up over good food, discovering somewhere new, singing along to your favourite songs or simply wandering the streets with no particular plan, the city always seems to offer something for everyone.

Our recent girls’ getaway was a little bit of all of those things. We packed quite a lot into our time in London, from watching the wonderfully heartwarming Paddington The Musical at the historic Savoy Theatre to enjoying lunch with incredible views at Sky Garden. We also headed to ABBA Voyage, where we spent the evening dancing and singing along to some of ABBA’s biggest hits.

And, of course, no girls’ trip to London would be complete without some shopping. We wandered along Oxford Street, explored Soho and Carnaby, discovered Liberty London for the first time and, naturally, made a stop at the iconic Harrods.

It was the perfect mix of theatre, food, music, shopping and plenty of laughs…exactly what you want from a girls’ getaway.  So read on, as I share some of the highlights from our London adventure.

Image from Paddington the Musical

A Girls’ Getaway to London : Paddington the Musical

A trip to London wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the theatre and this time around, we decided to watch Paddington The Musical which turned out to be one of the biggest surprises of our trip!

If you are wondering – here is a short fact about the theatre : Opened in 1881, the Savoy Theatre in the City of Westminister is a beautiful venue steeped in history. Designed by C. J. Phipps for impresario Richard D’Oyly Carte, it was built on a site with strong connections to the historic Savoy Palace. While the theatre may look relatively small from the outside, step inside and it is truly magnificent, with a wealth of architectural detail and fascinating history to discover.

It was also famously the first public building in the world to be lit by incandescent electric lights. So it is worth experiencing the theatre if you have never been there. It was our first time here and we were impressed. There’s also a souvenir shop selling a lovely selection of official Paddington merchandise, perfect if you’d like to take home a little memento from your visit.

I’ll have to admit that I was a little sceptical about watching Paddington the Musical at first. How much could you really do with a bear, a duffle coat and a love of marmalade sandwiches?

Well, it turns out, quite a lot! Firstly I was expecting the theatre to be filled with a lot of kids, but it was mainly adults with some kids here and there.  I was completely drawn in by the incredible production, catchy songs and most of all, the sheer talent of the cast from the moment the show began.

Images from Paddington the Musical

The Musical brings Michael Bond’s much-loved bear to life as Paddington travels from Peru to London in search of a new home. The clever puppetry and bear costume are brilliantly done, making Paddington feel wonderfully real, while the energetic choreography, impressive staging and laugh-out-loud moments keep the story moving.

Image from Paddington the Musical

There’s plenty of humour alongside a lovely message about kindness, family and belonging. And the cast? Absolutely outstanding! Every performance felt full of energy and personality, proving that this is far more than just a show for children.

My verdict? I would definitely watch the show again and this time, bring along my children and a marmalade sandwich as well!

A Girls’ Getaway to London  : Sky Garden

One of the highlights of our trip was visiting Sky Garden… London’s highest public garden which is perched high above the city boasting a beautiful greenery, huge glass windows and panoramic views across the capital. The best part? Our entry was completely free!

Unlike the London Eye, where you pay for the experience, Sky Garden offers a brilliant alternative for seeing London from above. The London Eye gives you a 30-minute rotation in a glass capsule, while Sky Garden lets you wander through a tropical-style garden and admire the skyline at your own pace. The standard London Eye tickets typically start at around £29 per adult when booked online, so Sky Garden is a great option if you’re watching your budget and want to do something with the kids for free.

If you are heading to Sky Garden then do book your tickets early especially if you are not having lunch/dinner there. Tickets are on a first come first serve basis and tend to get released on a monday morning , three weeks before the visit date.

We decided to have lunch at Darwin Brasserie because we had ABBA Voyage planned for later that day and wanted a proper meal to keep us going. Also, it felt like a lovely treat and gave us time to sit back and enjoy a cocktail rather than rushing around sightseeing.

I would recommend arriving at least an hour earlier to your booking time as there was quite a long queue getting in, but luckily because we’d booked lunch, we showed our reservation email to the staff and were able to head straight in.

There was also a compulsory security check to go through before heading up, so factor in a little extra time for that.

Sky Garden which is located at 20 Fenchurch Street (also known as the walkie-talkie building) spans from Levels 35 to 37, with the restaurant Darwin Brasserie on Level 36. The views were genuinely lovely and the outdoor terrace was perfect for taking photos of London’s famous landmarks. I would estimate spending at least half an hour here if its a nice day.

Naturally, we took plenty of pictures and walked around as we admired the perfect view of the Gherkin, Scalpel (which looks like the cheesegrater) as well as the Shard and other impressive buildings.

If you are wondering, there are also other places to eat and drink at the “Walkie-Talkie” building, including Fenchurch Restaurant or Larch Restaurant or there are bars jotted around if you are just wanting a drink.

The cocktails and food at Darwin Brasserie was delicious and the service was exceptional. We were well looked after by our waitress Preeti who ensured we had the most amazing experience, even swapping my friend’s Darwin Rose (which tasted too bitter for her). We also paid an extra £10 each during reservation to ensure that we had a table booked with the window view and it was definitely worth it!

I bet watching the sunrise or sunset whilst enjoying a delicious meal would be an superb experience especially if you are celebrating a special occassion.

Image from Sky Garden

My verdict? Sky Garden is a must for a London itinerary!

It’s beautiful, the views are fantastic and most importantly, it is free.  You can also bring in a picnic with you as there are ample of chairs/tables for you to sit down and enjoy a your food and the place is child-friendly too.

Getaway to London : ABBA Voyage

When ABBA Voyage was first announced in May 2022, I don’t think many of us could have predicted just how successful this new-age virtual concert experience would become. Featuring digital avatars, affectionately known as the “ABBAtars”, the show promised to bring ABBA back to the stage in a completely new and innovative way.

Working in the creative industry, I’m often quite sceptical about the increasing use of digital content. While technology can create incredible experiences, I’m also very conscious of what can be lost when we replace the human element with something digital. That said, as a huge ABBA fan, I simply had to experience ABBA Voyage for myself and, ultimately decide whether the magic of ABBA could still feel as authentic when the stars themselves weren’t physically on stage.

We glammed up for the evening and gave ourselves just over an hour to make our way to the ABBA Arena at Pudding Mill Lane. From our hotel, we hopped on the Underground towards Stratford before continuing our journey on the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) to Pudding Mill Lane. The journey was fairly straightforward until we reached Stratford, where the signage was a little confusing. After a quick chat with a member of staff, we soon figured out which train we needed to catch and were on our way.

Before long, we arrived at Pudding Mill Lane and made our way towards the ABBA Arena, which was purpose-built specifically for the ABBA Voyage experience. Even before stepping inside, there was a real sense of excitement in the air. The anticipation was definitely building and we were finally about to find out whether this futuristic take on a live ABBA concert could live up to all the hype!

There are shops for you to have predrinks if you like, outside the Arena, but we headed to straight to the venue to get drinks inside. An ABBA Voyage refillable water bottle costs £5.95, there are also plenty of alcoholic and non-alcoholic options available.

We were not allowed to take any photos once the show started to keep the ‘surprise element’ …but what can we say? Wow, we loved every minute of it.  We got transported back to 1974 and met the digital versions of Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Frida with a live band, spectacular lighting and huge visual effects. We had seated seats and half way through felt like dancing. We spoke to a staff who very kindly lead us to the dance booth area. And yes — we danced! In fact, that was probably one of my favourite parts of the whole evening. I didn’t feel like sitting quietly watching a concert as it felt like being part of a huge celebration. The concert stated on time at 7.30pm and ended an hour and 40 minutes after (with no interval). By the time we left the arena and started our journey back towards the hotel, it was past 10pm. We were tired, but it was the good kind of tired, the sort you get after singing, dancing and laughing all night long with friends.

Getaway to London : Shopping with the Girls

No girls’ trip to London would be complete without a little retail therapy, and London certainly doesn’t disappoint when it comes to shopping. From famous department stores and high-street favourites to quirky boutiques and beautiful independent shops, there is something to tempt everyone , even if you only go in for a look!

We stopped off at Camden Market in the morning , arriving just as the shops were opening. It was lovely and quiet, with some traders even offering first-customer discounts. We got a few souvenirs as well as tops but we simply just wanted to wander around, soak up the atmosphere and see Camden before the crowds arrived.

We also spent some time exploring Oxford Street, one of London’s most famous shopping destinations and it was exactly the kind of busy, exciting shopping experience you would expect from a girls’ day out in the capital. With hundreds of shops and plenty of big-name brands, you can easily spend hours wandering along the street, popping into shops as you go.

One of the highlights for us was discovering Liberty London which was founded in 1875, for the first time. Tucked just behind Oxford Street in the Carnaby area, Liberty is completely different from the huge high-street stores. The beautiful Tudor-style building, characterful interiors and distinctive fabrics make it feel like an experience in itself rather than simply somewhere to shop. We hadn’t actually planned to visit, so stumbling across it made our shopping trip feel even more special.

We also wandered around Soho and Carnaby, which are perfect for browsing at a slightly slower pace. Carnaby, in particular, has a lovely atmosphere, with colourful streets, independent boutiques, fashion brands and plenty of places to stop for a coffee or something to eat.

And, of course, no trip to London is complete without a stop at Harrods in Knightsbridge. Even if you aren’t planning to buy anything, it’s worth visiting just to soak up the atmosphere and admire the incredible selection of fashion, beauty, gifts and food!

We finished out trip with a stop at Chinatown to soak up the atmosphere and grab some lunch and cakes from the Chinese bakery.

Tips: We stayed at The Staunton Hotel located at Gower Street which was central enough for us to get to all these places. The hotel does not have a lift and you would need to carry your luggage up the stairs if you are staying here. Also, the closest underground station to the hotel was Goodge Street and it took us around 5 minutes walk to get there. If you are using this underground station and taking the Northern Line, just remember to take the lift as the stairway is steep and windy and has 166 steps! We found out the hard way.

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