Let me start by saying that I’m not here to slam summer. In fact, as a June baby, I’m a big fan of the summer months—seemingly endless, full of long days spent in the sunshine, evenings that stretch on long after dinner, and, if you’re lucky, a Euro summer adventure thrown in for good measure. But there’s something special—dare I say magical—about the arrival of autumn. The back-to-school feeling of popping into an indie bookstore for a brand new notebook. The coffee menus changing from a sea of chilly iced coffees to cozy concoctions of nutmeg, pumpkin, and maple. The crispness in the air that makes you want to pop on a new jacket, get outside and rediscover the city—totally changed by the jewel-like colors of the leaves—on foot.
I’m perhaps (okay, most definitely) biased, but I truly believe that London is at its best in the autumn. It’s like the whole city moves at a different pace—energized by the summer we’ve just had and excited for the festivities on the horizon. And then there’s the never-ending list of autumnal activities to enjoy. As someone who creates a new ‘autumn to-do list’ in my notes app each year (if you don’t believe me, just ask my Condé Nast Traveller UK colleagues), I felt it my duty to share my autumn-loving insider knowledge. From morning cinnamon bun to evening martini, here’s how to spend a dreamy fall day in London.
9am: Coffee at Monmouth Coffee Co, Covent Garden
Start at Monmouth Street. Closest tube stations: Covent Garden (3 minutes), Leicester Square (5 minutes)
Tell me what could be a more fitting start to the day than a caffeine fix at London’s coziest coffee spot. There’s a real buzz in the air, both from the eager Londoners queuing patiently for their order, and from the heady fumes of roasting beans—piled up like mountains of glossy jewels behind the counter. I love that despite the slight chill in the air, you’ll still find the scant tables and chairs outside absolutely packed with guests, hands wrapped around steaming coffee mugs.
