London Vacation for the Jewish Traveler.“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life”. This was said by a tourist who visits London occasionally. He said this statement when asked if he thought his affection for London would wear thin, should he choose to live there. He didn’t think he would tire of London… neither do we. A London Vacation is the new hot choice for the savvy Jewish Traveler.
Many people I come across, indulge in a stereotype that sees London as an over-priced rainy, cold, cloudy, old, uninteresting city.
That’s quite a shame, because it’s one of the biggest and best transit cities in the world. It also hosts an amazing and fully established Jewish community, with more kosher restaurants than some of the biggest US cities. In the low to medium price range, London kosher restaurants outperform others, by a huge margin. In the exquisite, higher price range, London restaurants definitely put forth top notch experiences.
Today, many more travelers are looking to spend their money on new and amazing experiences on their trips. While for the average person, the world is their oyster, it’s not so easy for the Kosher Jewish traveler to take a holiday just anywhere. London is a city that hosts an often overlooked appeal for many travel lovers.
1st off – Food: My good friend and fellow Kosher Travel Blogger, Dani Klein of YeahThatsKosher, has a great post on Kosher places and things to do in London HERE. Having spent a considerable amount of time in London and been to most of the restaurants and stores myself, I can assure Jewish travelers, especially #foodies, that London is a sure bet for a good food experience.For example, “SoYo” and “Caffeine” are 2 great places that serve breakfast and lunch.Caffeine got off to a rough start, but under the new management, they’ve picked up their game considerably. Expect to pay around $13-14US, for a full elegant breakfast with dessert that a hungry person couldn’t finish off alone. Of course, for lighter starts, kosher bakeries are plentiful too – “Mr Baker” is a favourite of the locals and opens at 7am.You’ll find that the London restaurant scene in general, is of a higher caliber than its counterpart in the USA. At “Bevis Marks”, an English waiter in a 3 piece suit will brush bread crumbs off your table with a silver sweeper. Even fast food restaurants often provide good waiter service and the quality of the food is excellent.After a week in London, you’ll have filled your Facebook and Instagram accounts to the brim, and have barely tasted the surface.As far as Kosher destinations go – the vast selection is incredible.I could write a lot more about the food in London and how you could find kosher sandwiches and pre-filled pitas in many non-kosher stores around Central London – including The Central Train Station. Hopefully I’ll compile and post an up-to-date list for you soon.
2nd – The Sights: Experiential trips are immersive. They’ve got to take a person not just out of their comfort zone but immerse them deep inside their destination. The cobblestone streets, the Majestic castles, the grandeur of the Royal Family, the extravagant luxury of Mayfair and Park Lane, the Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the changing of the guards, the Underground, the narrow windy streets – all join together to create the experience of LONDON. The cold uninterested attitude of the impatient Londoners, the beautiful parks and mind blowing museums. Every day in London is an endless opportunity to discover and immerse yourself inside one of the most established and rich, modern cultures on the planet. It’s got History, Culture, Food, Architecture, Activities, Views, Broadway Shows – you name it. London has got tons of things for everyone. Not just quantity – quality too.
3rd – Getting There: London is one of the biggest airport hubs in the world. It connects to tens of countries directly, including three Airlines with nearly 10 direct flights to Israel, daily. Plus, it has over a dozen direct flights to the USA, daily. Flights to London from the USA can go down to as little as $500US return, almost half the price of the average flight to Israel. With so many options to get there, it’s an enticing place to enjoy your next vacation. If you’re flying through London airport, it’s worthwhile and often only a small cost, to extend your stopover and tour London for a few days. Of all places, London is one of the cheapest and most practically priced flight destinations. (Email Book@FlightBlitz.com for an Exclusive reader discount, when you mention this article.)
4th – Where to stay: Often a point of discussion surrounding London is the price of accommodation. While hotels in London are quite expensive – that’s mainly in the center of town. The Jewish area is host to at least one hotel that offers a Kosher breakfast (Holiday Inn Express London – Golders Green ) and at a very reasonable price – The dates I checked start at $73US. These $73 rooms can accommodate either 2-3 adults, or 2 adults and 2 children, depending on the room and ALL include a free kosher breakfast – that’s a night at the hotel PLUS Breakfast for 4 for just $73, a few minutes walk away from the main Jewish area. That’s literally perfect for the Jewish traveler to London. In addition, there are plenty of absolutely amazing hotels available for award stays on points- Starwood has several, starting at just 4000 points per night. There are many credit cards that offer 2 free nights for signup bonuses too. In addition, London is a very big city and hotels of all stars, styles and prices are available, to fit any budget.
London is one of the most unique cities in the world. With such a rich beautiful city at such close reach, there is no time to indulge in ingenuous stereotypes.If you’re a Jewish traveler, taking a vacation to London is convenient and fun! You’ll have plenty of Kosher options; whether you’re dining in, taking out, or splurging on a romantic anniversary or honeymoon dinner at one of the fine boutique Kosher restaurants. It’s all available to you. Every day you’ll have hundreds of options of places to tour. Tens of these, top many people’s bucket lists and at least some of them are sure to create some of the most memorable travel moments of your life.
With direct flights to almost every reachable major city in the world, getting to London is easy – and cheap. With hundreds of hotels including kosher hotel options – where to stay is nowhere near as complicated as choosing which activities to see, in the limited time you have, to make the most of your visit.
Travel to London, Experience London, Share your experience with your friends and let them know that they too can enjoy their next awesome vacation better – choosing London.
Is London calling you too?