Travel: The best way to spend 48 hours in London

Here are our top tips for a short break in the UK capital.

Stay

For a convenient, clean and inexpensive base, the Premier Inn at King’s Cross is a no-brainer. Take the East Coast train line from Edinburgh to London and you’ll be checked into your digs within 10 minutes of your arrival. No fuss, no muss. You can also leave your bags there after checkout if your train leaves later, giving you a hassle-free last day in the city.

Eat

Head south to Brixton Market (Victoria line from Kings Cross) for a huge selection of worldwide cuisine from Italian to Mexican. The Thai restaurant KaoSarn is one of the biggest crowd-pullers. You can’t book ahead but it’s worth queuing for the delicious authentic dishes. Pop to the off-licence first as it’s bring your own bottle. Canova Hall’s Bottomless Brunch also comes highly recommended.

Drink

For an al fresco tipple, head to the newly regenerated Granary Square in King’s Cross where you can share a bottle of wine by the impressive choreographed fountains and watch the colourful St Martin’s College students passing by. Caravan is a popular choice. Or, for gin lovers, check out the Chapel Down Gin Works overlooking the canal.

See

Twenty minutes walk from King’s Cross station is beautiful Bloomsbury. Steeped in literary heritage, Charles Dickens, Virginia Woolf and George Orwell all lived here. Picnic in Bloomsbury or Brunswick Square, two gorgeous leafy parks, before strolling 10 minutes to the British Museum, home to eight million works telling the story of human culture. Edvard Munch: Love and Angst, about the father of expressionism, runs until July 21. Visit britishmuseum.org to find out more. London theatre is home to some incredible plays – many of which feature a famous face or two. Arthur Miller’s seminal work, All My Sons, is back at The Old Vic, starring multi-award-winning Sally Fields and Bill Pullman. Head to officiallondontheatre.com for the latest theatre offerings.