🇬🇧 A Swiftie's Guide to London

Top Tips and Swiftie Spots to Check Out In London

Aug 15, 2024

Dear Reader,

“We can go drivin' in, on my scooter
Uh, you know, just riding in London”

With Taylor back for her second round of Eras Tour shows in the city, it’s an amazing time to be here in London. And I feel so so fortunate to be here! I have been hitting as many Taylor Swift spots in the city as possible over the last few days - and let me tell you, there’s a lot (here’s a reel compilation!). Not only are there special themed events currently going on for the occasion, but there’s also the typical Taylor Swift related London spots that you can also check out. This newsletter will cover a number of them, but I know I’m leaving some out. If you know of any other Swiftie fun things to check out in London, leave them in the comments!

I spent 7 amazing years living in this beautiful city, and it’s always so good to be back - but it’s extra exciting to be back while Taylor Swift is in town. I know a lot of you can’t be in London in person, so I’m sharing as much of the fun with you in the hopes you can feel some of the magic through the screen ✨

So whether you’re headed to the UK and want a guide to Taylor Swift events going on in the city, and/or want to be taken along for the ride, let’s hop on our scooters and make our way around London!

In this Guide you’ll find:

Not-To-Miss Swiftie Spots in London
- The Black Dog Pub
- The Victoria & Albert Taylor Swift Songbird Trail
- Taylor Swift-Inspired Afternoon Tea Bus Tour
- End Game’s Millennium Bridge
- More Classic London Sights: Big Ben, Tower Bridge
- Camden Market
- Wembley Stadium (for merch) and Taylor Swift’s Mural
10 Tips for Swifties in London - (plus a link to my Ultimate Eras Tour Guide)

Not-To-Miss Swiftie Spots in London

These are some fun places to check out in London if you’re a Swiftie!

The Black Dog Pub

“And so I watch as you walk, into some bar called The Black Dog…”

There’s certainly debate over which Black Dog pub Taylor could be referring to in her song “The Black Dog”. But I feel like the fact that she sang the song for the first time on N1 in London could be a sign that it is the one here. So while you’re in town, give it a visit!

The pub has definitely embraced Taylor’s song, so you’re likely to find other Swifties already there. Lyrics from the song are visible from outside the pub, as well as inside near the opening entrance. You can reserve a table in advance, or try to grab an empty one at the back of the pub as a walk-in.

The Victoria & Albert Taylor Swift Songbird Trail

The Victoria & Albert Museum has a special Taylor Swift inspired trail running until September 8th, and it’s well worth checking out! Spread throughout the museum are 13 stops showcasing iconic outfits worn by Taylor Swift throughout all 11 of her eras. It’s really beautifully done, and there’s so much to see just on the Taylor Swift trail, let alone the rest of the gorgeous museum. If you do go, especially this upcoming week during the Eras Tour shows, you might want to try to go early in the day, as it’s expected to get crowded (it’s also closed on August 16th, so watch the opening hours). I went mid-afternoon on the August 13th, and there were queues at each stop of the trail. But you didn’t have to wait too long. Just keep in mind, if you’re trying to take photos without people in the frame (like I was 😋) it does take longer.

Taylor Swift-Inspired Afternoon Tea Bus Tour

Want to sing and dance along to Taylor Swift on a double-decker bus, passing iconic sights of London while enjoying a lovely afternoon tea spread? Well, you can! Golden Tours puts on a fun and unique afternoon tea experience. Our servers were singing and dancing right along with us, as they served us finger sandwiches, scones, and sweet treats. The bus drove around favorite London sights including Big Ben, the London Eye, across Tower Bridge, and more. And all the while, Taylor Swift’s top hits were playing at top volume, with everyone singing along. I loved the chance the meet other Swifties, sing my favorite tunes at the top of my lungs, and enjoy a traditional afternoon tea.

The meeting point was tricky for me to find, so if you do end up going make sure you give yourself enough time to get to Victoria Station and make your way to the meeting point located at Bulleid Way. The day I went it was also very hot in London, and the bus didn’t have air conditioning 😅 But the energy was high, and I honestly had a blast for the full 90-minute ride.

The tour offers meals for dietary restrictions - you can request your afternoon tea to be vegetarian, vegan (I got this, and it was good!), gluten-free, or standard.

Finally, you’re given a friendship bracelet at the start, and a cute “The English Tea Bus” takeaway coffee cup at the end as complimentary gifts to take home with you - I loved those little touches! And the fantastic staff truly made the experience so joyful.

Depending on whether you’re a child or adult, and where you choose to sit on the bus (there’s Lower Deck, Upper Deck, and Premium Upper Deck), the ticket price per person varies from £58 to £89. You can book tickets here.

*I was given a complimentary ticket for this experience, but this review is my genuine thoughts on the whole experience - I would absolutely recommend!

End Game’s Millennium Bridge

If you’ve seen Taylor’s “End Game” music video, you’ll know that part of it was filmed in London! You can check out the Millennium Bridge, which Taylor walks across at night towards the end of the video, and try to recreate your own version of the song.

More Classic London Sights: Big Ben, Tower Bridge

Not strictly Swiftie spots, but you wouldn’t want to miss two of the most classic sights (and two of my top favorite spots) while you’re in London: Big Ben and Tower Bridge. Big Ben can be found right outside Westminster Station, and Tower Bridge is a short walk away from Tower Hill station.

Camden Market

“I enjoy walking Camden Market in the afternoon”

Even Taylor wrote about walking around Camden Market! And there’s definitely a lot on offer there for Swifties. If you go to Paddock Lane, there’s a number of stalls with Taylor Swift themed merchandise - from cardigans, t-shirts, tote bags, pins, and so much more. There’s a number of food stalls and other shopping you could also do while you’re there.

Wembley Stadium (for merch) and Taylor Swift’s Mural

I haven’t made it Wembley Stadium yet, but I’ll be headed there shortly to see if I can try to get tickets to tonight’s first Eras Tour show 😅 Around the corner from Wembley I’ve heard (and seen) that there’s a stunning Taylor Swift mural you can go get a photo with.

Near the stadium you can also get official Taylor Swift merchendise from Wembley’s mega store. And you don’t need a concert ticket to do so. You can go to Wembley Stadium’s website, and scroll down to the section on merchandise to see when the mega store is open. There’s also a couple pop-up locations for merch - you can check them out here.

10 Tips for Swifties in London

Download the Citymapper app - I’ve found it the best way to get around the city. It updates you on when the next tube, train, bus, etc is coming. It even can tell you where on the train to get on and off. They also have a Taylor’s Version route with air conditioning to help out Swifties headed to the Eras Tour, so that’s pretty fun.
Speaking of AC - lots of tube lines and just lots of areas in London in general don’t have air conditioning, so bring a water bottle around with you.
You could even bring along a mini portable fan to help stay cool.
Try to take newer lines on the tube, like the circle or district line - those have air conditioning, whereas older ones don’t. The central line especially can get so crowded and hot.
On the escalators, stand on the right side, walk on the left side.
Speaking of walking, you’ll do lots of it in London. Make sure you wear proper shoes.
Screenshot or write down directions - like what station you need to get out at, and whether you need to change anywhere - in case you don’t have service underground.
You don’t need to use an oyster card on public transport, though you can. You can also use a credit card, it works just as well.
Be mindful of your phone while you’re out and about - there’s lots of reports of phones getting snatched right out of your hands, so just be careful! I always double check my seat whenever I get off a tube, bus, train or whatever - just to make sure I haven’t left anything as well.
Map out your travel back from the concert so you know what to do!

PS - If you’d like tips for attending the Eras Tour specifically, I have a guide for that too! Here’s my updated Ultimate Guide to the Eras Tour, which includes the setlist with links to playlists, chants, a complete Eras Tour Lyric Booklet that you can print out and bring with you to the show, plus a whole section covering helpful resources you may want to check out.

I hope this helps give you some inspiration and tips if you’re a Swiftie in London! A couple of these things are only going on right now because of the Eras Tour shows (the V&A trail, Wembley’s merch stores), but lots of other things are always here for you to enjoy if you ever find yourself in London.

They say home is where the heart is, but that’s not where mine lives,

Bekah

🎶 Can I Ask You a Question? 🎶

✈️ Have you been to London before? Are you currently in town for the Eras Tour?
📍 What other spots in the city are a must visit for Swifties?

Dear Reader