The Adventures of Debbie Dimples - The UK - England - London - Summer in the City!

London

As there is so much to see in London, I have broken my blog posts down into two - for places I have been/recommend or wish to see, in both the summertime and during the Christmas period. My most recent visits to the city of London have both been during the summertime. My first summer visit was in June 2025 to see Guns N'Roses at Wembley, and to catch up with a good friend. Whilst I was in London in June 2025, I also managed to visit Notting Hill, Kensington Palace and Shoreditch. My second summertime visit to the city was in May 2026 for my 42nd birthday to see Chelsea in Bloom and Belgravia in Bloom. I was very lucky that I had glorious sunshine on both of my summertime trips to London, which enabled me to take a visit to some of the best rooftop bars in tbe city. Here are the places I managed to visit on my trips (in no particular order):

https://www.visitlondon.com

Chelsea

Chelsea is an affluent, quintessentially English area of London, known for the smart boutiques, high-end restaurants and colourful houses. The TV series 'Made in Chelsea' put Chelsea into the limelight, but the village also famous for the yearly RHS Chelsea Flower Show. I visited Chelsea in May 2026 for Chelsea in Bloom.

Chelsea in Bloom

Chelsea in Bloom is a free festival and yearly event which coincides with the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Many of the businesses across Chelsea transform their store fronts into floral art installations . Two of the most popular areas to walk around during Chelsea in Bloom are Sloane Square and Kings Road. I visited Chelsea in Bloom in May 2026 for my birthday. The theme in 2026 was 'Out of this World'. It's lovely to be at the event in person, to be able to smell the flowers rather than just looking at a photograph.

Belgravia

Belgravia, is an afluent neighbourhood in the London borough of Westminster. It lies east of Chelsea, south of Hyde Park, and southwest of the gardens of Buckingham Palace. Belgravia is home to many expensive cars, high-end boutiques, and photogenic eateries. Belgravia is also home to the Belgravia in Bloom festival, which is a free festival which coincides with Chelsea in Bloom and the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Belgravia in Bloom

Belgravia in Bloom rivals Chelsea in Bloom, and takes place every year during the same time as the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. I walked from Chelsea in Bloom over to Belgravia in Bloom during my visit to London in May 2026. The theme for Belgravia in Bloom this year was 'Fantasy'.

Peggy Porchen

Known as the original Instagram cafe, Peggy Porchen is an iconic, pink London landmark, located in Belgravia. I had a delicious strawberry cream cake and pot of tea during my visit to Peggy Porchen.

The Berkeley Hotel - 'Capri in the City' Rooftop Event

Located between Belgravia and Knightsbridge, The Berkeley is the epitome of British luxury. I decided to make the most of my time in London in May 2026 by booking for an event called 'Capri in the City' which is on the rooftop of the Berkeley Hotel. I was blessed with perfect weather for being on the roof and watching the sunset over the city.

Dalloway Terrace

The Dalloway Terrace is an elegant restaurant at the Hotel Bloomsbury in Soho, London. In keeping with the floral theme, I visited the Dalloway Terrace after walking around Chelsea in Bloom and Belgravia in Bloom, during my trip to London in May 2026.

Kensington Palace

Kensington Palace is a royal residence situated within Kensington Gardens, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The palace is one of the main attractions in London. I visited the palace in June 2025.

Notting Hill

Notting Hill is often referred to as 'the most Instagrammable district in London' due to the abundance of photogenic shops, restaurants and pastel-coloured houses. I took a stroll around Portobello Road in Notting Hill during a perfect, sunny day on my trip to London in June 2025. I managed to spot the infamous 'Alice's Antiques', some Paddington Bear memorabilia, the multi-coloured houses and some street art on my walk.

Florattica

Florattica in Aldgate is a rooftop cocktail bar with some of the best views in London. I visited Florattica for brunch during my trip to London in May 2026.

Shoreditch

Shoreditch is known as the coolest area of London. With its quirky street art, and swanky rooftop bars, it's easy to see why Shoreditch has become popular. On my trip to London in June 2025, I took a walk around Shoreditch to photograph the wall murals.

Marlins on the Roof

With so many wonderful rooftop bars in Shoreditch to choose from, it wasn't easy deciding which one to go to. As anyone who knows me well, they will know I like a nice rooftop bar! One of the many rooftop bars in Shoreditch which appealed to me was Marlins on the Roof. I decided to book a table for some food and drinks on their rooftop terrace during my visit in June 2025. Marlins on the Roof is located at the Virgin Hotel in Shoreditch.

Guns'n'Roses Concert at Wembley Stadium

I took a trip to London in June 2025 to see Guns'n'Roses at Wembley Stadium. Guns'n'Roses were one of the biggest bands in the world during the late 80's/early 90's, with their epic album 'Appetite for Destruction'. I was introduced to Guns'n'Roses by my eldest sister, who was a very a big fan at the time. The introduction of MTV propelled the band into the stratosphere. Back in the 90's, MTV took Guns'n'Roses from Los Angeles onto a TV in every home in the world. The worldwide smash-hit movie 'Terminator 2' featured the Guns'n'Roses song 'You Could Be Mine' on it's soundtrack, a move which cemented their dominance musically during the 90's. I decided to make the most of the opportunity to see them play at Wembley Stadium.

Waddesdon Manor

Waddesdon Manor is an impressive French Renaissance-style château set in the Buckinghamshire countryside, near to the town of Aylesbury. I visited Waddesdon Manor on a day trip from London. You can reach Aylesbury in a 1 hour train journey from Marylebone Station.

What I missed out on........

If I were to take another summer trip to London, I would like to stay at the Sanderson Hotel. I would like to visit yhe village of Richmond, and the nearby, famous Hampton Court Palace. I would also love to have an afternoon tea experience at The Ritz. A good time of year to visit London in the future, would be in either June to attend Royal Ascot for the horse racing, or July to watch the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament.

The Sanderson Hotel

The Sanderson Hotel is situated in the heart of London's West End and offers a retreat from the bustle of the city into a world of fantasy and well-being. The Sanderson Hotel is part of the Morgans Hotel Group, and was designed by Phillippe Starck.

Richmond

Richmond, London is a quaint, affluent village on the River Thames.

Hampton Court Palace

Hampton Court Palace is located right next to the River Thames, and is one of England's most magnificient royal residences. The palace was the original home of the notorious King Henry VIII.

Afternoon Tea at the Ritz

The Ritz London is renowned for its exquisite Afternoon Tea experience.

Royal Ascot

One of Britain's most well-known racecourses, Ascot holds a special week of races in June each year called Royal Ascot, attended by The King and Queen. Ascot is located around 25 miles away from London, in the neighbouring county of Berkshire. Royal Ascot is not just a famous race meeting, it is also a showcase for fashion, attracting many celebrities from around the globe.

Wimbledon Tennis Tournament

The Wimbledon Championships, commonly called Wimbledon, is a tennis tournament organised by the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, in collaboration with the Lawn Tennis Association annually in Wimbledon, London. One of the traditions of Wimbledon is to watch the game of tennis whilst enjoying strawberries and cream.

Until next time London!