Must See Sights and Landmarks in River Lea Area

"The Shard may not seem like a top romantic spot for Valentine’s Day, but with all it has to offer, it may be a one-stop shop. Stay at the Shangri-La hotel, dine in the restaurants, and even take in the tallest view of the city from the building’s observation floors. Even if you don’t opt to spend more than an hour or two of your Valentine’s Day here, it can still be your base of operations for anywhere you visit in London."

"A list of famous London buildings wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Britain’s tallest building. The Shard is one of the newest additions to the city’s skyline and one of the most astonishing architectural designs in the world. Take a stroll across the famous London Bridge and snap a photo as you stand at the foot of the incredible glass tower."

"The Tower of London is one of the top places to visit in London. The White Tower, the one bona fide castle in London, dates back to the late 11th century. Along with Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Place and St Paul’s, it should be essential for London first time visitors."

"The Tower Of London is an iconic London stop so make sure to see it during your 4 day London itinerary. Skip The Line At The Tower Of London And Crown Jewels and buy advance tickets here!"

"You’ll want to leave the capital with some iconic panoramas of the city, and they don’t come much more iconic than the Tower Bridge. This gorgeous bridge over the Thames has been an integral part of the London landscape since the late 1800s, and continues to fascinate visitors – and delight photographers. While some might say it’s been done to death, I think there’s always a new take to be found."

"The best view of Tower Bridge (in my opinion) is from the water; however, not everyone has a chance to do a Thames River Cruise. If that’s not on your itinerary, try to get a photo of Tower Bridge from afar, featuring something else iconic – perhaps City Hall?. Alternatively, a head on shot crossing the bridge is pretty incredible, too!"

"I spent two years working in a corporate office just next to it, and despite hating my job, I used to love looking out of the window and seeing Tower Bridge. Like all photogenic landmarks it has more than one angle from which it looks Instagrammable and fabulous."

"A magnificent three-floor space, Sky Garden hosts two of the most exclusive rooftop restaurants in London: Fenchurch Restaurant and Darwin Brasserie, and two exciting rooftop bars: Sky Pod Bar and City Garden. Sky Pod Rooftop Bar is open all day from early morning coffees, through to lunchtime bites and afternoon drinks, while at night it comes alive with music, lights and cocktails.skygarden.london"

"Day 1: Arrive in London, Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour, the London EyeDay 2: Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Whitehall, Covent GardenDay 3: Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Borough Market, Tate Modern, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Sky GardenDay 4: National Gallery, Greenwich, Prime Meridian, Up at the O2Day 5: British Museum, Portobello Road Market, Victoria and Albert Museum, Harrod’s"

"Go wild and climb atop one of Trafalgar Square’s enormous bronze lions. The big cats guard Nelson’s Column, a memorial to Admiral Horatio Nelson who died in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. With its glorious fountains and close proximity to the National Gallery, the square is always buzzing with activity."

"A hub for street performers, Trafalgar Square is also home to the renowned National Gallery. Take a look at the latest quirky artwork on the Fourth Plinth, David Shrigley’s “Really Good”, a sculpture of a hand doing a thumbs-up. Best shot: Nelson’s Column, framed by the famous fountains."

"This magnificent neoclassical mansion stands at the northern end of Hampstead Heath in a glorious sweep of landscaped gardens that lead down to a picturesque lake. The 17th-century house was substantially remodelled in the 1760s and rescued from developers by Edward Cecil Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh, who donated it and the wonderful collection of art it contains to the nation in 1927. Among its treasures are paintings by Rembrandt (one of his many self-portraits), Constable, Gainsborough and Vermeer."

"This largely Palladian villa offers an escape to a gracious country house with a magnificent collection of Old Masters and beautiful…"

"This attraction is perfect for those visiting North London as King’s Cross can be so easily reached. Granary Square’s fountains are composed of 1,080 water jets, each controlled individually and lit up. This provides hours of entertainment for children who enjoy splashing around."

"Designed in 1775 for government departments and royal societies – perhaps the world's first office block – Somerset House now contains galleries, restaurants and cafes that encircle a lovely open courtyard and extend to an elevated sun-trap terrace. The Embankment Galleries are devoted to temporary exhibitions (usually related to photography, design or fashion). In summer, the grand courtyard hosts open-air live performances, dancing fountains for kids to cool off in and the Film4 Summer Screen, plus an atmospheric ice-skating rink in winter."

"Situated on the Southside of the Strand in central London, overlooking the RiverThames, SomersetHouse is a major art and cultural center in the heart of London. For photographers, this is the most amazing light scenario, with white faded walls and floors. It’s basically a huge outdoor studio, with beautiful light bouncing off everywhere."

"In recent years this huge complex—the work of Sir William Chambers (1723–96), and built during the reign of George III to house offices…"

"The doughnuts at Dum Dum have a lower fat content but are full of flavour|© Jeffrey Blackler / Alamy Stock Photo. Although the doughnuts sold at Dum Dum are technically more like buns, that hasn’t stopped it from rising to fame due to a low-fat, patisserie-style baking process that allows plenty of room for taste. Due to this popularity, Dum Dum is now able to offer bespoke doughnuts and a doughnut courier service, and it is planning to expand from its four current outlets to many more over the course of the next few years."

"While lots of doughnut shops fry their products, Dum Dum Donutterie only bakes its delicious selection. Dum Dum offers its own take on the cronut, but with some far-out toppings, you won’t see anywhere else. The options at any of their three locations include the dulce de leche Peter Andre’s Yum Yum Dum Dum, the coconut-infused Croconut, and the super-popular Zebra with layered traditional and chocolate croissant dough."

"A post shared by Rinkoff Bakery (@rinkoffbakery) on Oct 19, 2018 at 12:16am PDT. Most famous for the invention of the Crodough — a croissant-doughnut hybrid — it's actually the savouries we're here for. A perfect Rinkoff's order is as much of their plaited challah as you can reasonably get through while it's still fresh."

"Established in 1911, Rinkoff bakery is a family run business in the heart of Whitechapel. With over a hundred years of honing its baking skills, Rinkoff bakery is sure to sell you the perfect doughnut. Crodoughs, a gorgeous croissant-doughnut hybrid is Rinkoff’s most renowned menu item."

"Bakery/Cafe , Jewish"

"From stouts to the iconic Punk IPA, BrewDog is a church to all things hop-based. First founded in Scotland, it hasn't taken long for the craft beer temple to take over the world, with plenty of keg lines and guest ales on offer. Discover one of their London locations to see what all the fuss is about."