The first thing you might want to do when you arrive for your study abroad experience is to show your friends and family what is near your student housing. London has some outstanding Instagram opportunities wherever you’re staying. Here are the top five that I recommend if you’re based in Chapter Spitalfields or nearby.
#1 St Paul’s Cathedral from One New Change
Naturally you’ll be visiting St Paul’s Cathedral while you’re studying here – it is, after all, the city’s only cathedral church. From all angles the building and its iconic dome are impressive and instantly recognisable.
If you want to give your friends back home a taste of the grandeur that surrounds your student housing, London’s most famous dome looks really splendid when photographed from One New Change. This is a shopping mall with reflective windows, and there’s an amazing shot of the cathedral from here that will capture the building’s reflection in the mirrored panels of the mall.
#2 Fournier Street
If you choose Chapter Spitalfields for your student housing, London’s Fournier Street will be right around the corner. This might not mean much to you before you arrive, but when you are looking for photographic spots in your neighbourhood this one should be at the top of your list.
The street is a fantastic combination of elegant Georgian-style architecture, painted doors, old exposed brickwork and street art. To me it is a symbol of the historical layers and styles that make the city so interesting.
#3 Sky Garden
Only a 15-minute walk from the Spitalfields hall of residence or from Liverpool Street Station, you’ll find the highest public garden in the capital. The address is 20 Fenchurch Street, and although you can enjoy an expensive meal here, the viewing terrace and gardens can be visited for free. Click here to book a free ticket.
The glass dome at the top provides a 360-degree panorama of the city, and I don’t need to tell you why this provides such a fantastic Instagram opportunity!
#4 Leadenhall Market
As a Harry Potter fan, this venue was top of my list when I first studied in the city. This Victorian market was built with an elegant façade in the 1800s, and it was used as the set for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter movies. For those who are lucky enough to have chosen this area for their student housing, London’s very own Leadenhall Market is practically on your doorstep.
#5 Columbia Road Flower Market
If you’re staying in the east of city during your studies you are perfectly placed for a Sunday excursion to Columbia Road Flower Market… and if you decide to go, then go early with your camera to get the best shots (it opens every Sunday at 8am).
Only a 20-minute bus ride from Chapter Spitalfields, the stalls filled with blooms of every type make the early start worth the trouble. I like to get there for the opening, take a million pictures and then go to the cafes that line the market road and serve delicious beigels and coffee.
These are the five locations I recommend for the perfect Instagram post if you’ve chosen the east side of the city for your student housing. London has such wide selection of perfect photo opportunities that I’m sure you’ll soon have your own short list of top spots. Hopefully, though, these will get you started.
It’s really important that your accommodation gives you a solid foundation for your study abroad experience. At Britannia Student Services our team of knowledgeable and friendly advisors will help you choose the location and type of residence that will make your stay here an unforgettable experience.