It may sound a bit strange that someone in Singapore is writing this, but we always spend some time in London when we visit my sister in England and as a tea drinker, I try to plan a few tea-related things in. So far, these are the three things that I’ve enjoyed immensely and think that all tea-lovers should do in London:

1. Visit the Cutty Sark

If you’ve read a book about the history of tea, you’ve probably heard of a tea clipper. Clippers were boats built for speed and in the 19th Century, used to transport tea from China to the West. These ships would race to be the first ship that brought back the freshest and newest tea, although as technology progressed (and the Suez Canal was opened), they were replaced with steam vessels. You can still see their impact on the tea world through the names of tea brands such as The 1872 Clipper Tea Co.

Given that tea clippers are such an important part of the history of tea in the West, visiting the Cutty Sark, the world’s last surviving tea clipper, is a must. You’ll not only learn about the history of the ship and the people who lived and worked on the Cutty Sark, there’s also a section on the history of tea. The Cutty Sark is located in Greenwich, so it’s easy to make a day (or a half-day, if you’re pressed for time) of it.

Read More: My visit to the Cutty Sark

2. Have Afternoon Tea

I don’t know about you, but I associate the word “afternoon tea” with England. One of my favourite things to do is to hunt down places such as Yumchaa and Camellia Tea House to visit just so I can try their scones and tea. Many places are located near to tourist attractions so afternoon tea is the perfect way to take a break after a long day of exploring London.

Many of these tea shops also sell their blends, so having tea is a great way to try something interesting that you could potentially take home with you as well!

3. Visit Twinings’ Flagship Store (or a Speciality Tea Store)

Tea is my favourite thing to buy as a souvenir. While England isn’t a tea-producing country (although I’ve heard of a tea farm that I want to visit), I’m always interested in seeing how other people blend teas to come up with their own unique flavour. In London, the oldest tea shop is Twinings at 216 Strand and it is definitely worth a visit. They have workshops and tea sessions, but even if you can’t attend those, the shop is worth visiting; my sister and I picked up quite a few teas to give away as souvenirs.

If you prefer straight teas, or if you feel there’s already enough of Twinings in your country (I get it, but we did see flavours there that aren’t available in Singapore), you can visit a speciality tea shop instead! Some of them also serve afternoon tea (see point two) and one of the things that I’m aiming to do in my next trip is to visit more speciality tea shops and see what they have. And while I haven’t been to Bird & Blend Tea Co.’s London stores, their Manchester store is pretty good and I’d recommend them!

Read More: My Visit to Twinings at 216 Strand

There you have it, the top three things I’d recommend if you’re a tea lover visiting London for the first time. If you’ve got any other places you recommend, please let me know and I’ll try to visit on my next trip. Otherwise, I’ll be trying to fit in visits to as many tea shops as possible.