Red Stick Spice London 2025
Hi Red Stick Spice!
We are looking forward to welcoming you to London and taking you on a delicious, immersive culinary journey through one of the world’s most exciting food cities.
We have carefully designed your six-day itinerary to offer you a deep dive into London’s vibrant food scene, with plenty of local flavour, hidden gems, and unforgettable experiences. But, just as important, we’ve made sure to include some free time so you can explore the city in your own way.
YOUR ATTENTION IS NEEDED:
As part of your trip package, you have an activity allowance to use toward something you’d personally enjoy during your free time.
You can choose:
• A ticket to a theatre play
• OR a place on our group day trip to Bletchley Park (this comes with an additional cost, see below)
• OR use the allowance toward a different activity or day trip – the choice is yours!
*** Please note that YES you can do BOTH the theatre AND Bletchley Park, you’ll simply pay full price for Bletchley Park.
If you’d like to join the group for Bletchley Park or attend the theatre, we MUST receive your selection by JULY 16 so we can reserve tickets in time.
Below you’ll find a list of ideas and descriptions of various options, along with an obligatory sign up form, so we can ensure your plans are accounted for.
Again, please fill it out by July 16!
We can’t wait to share London with you! See you soon on this side of the pond,
Warmly,
Carly
Your Insider’s Tailored Travel Designer
Your free time to enjoy London independently is as follows:
Day 2, Thursday, September 11th: From 3:30pm onwards, including the evening
Day 3, Friday, September 12th: Evening.
Day 4, Saturday, September 13th: Full day and evening.
Day 5, Sunday, September 14th: From 10:30am until 4pm.
THE THEATRE OPTION
For your evenings, we thought going to the theatre would be a great choice. The best times to consider are Thursday evening, Saturday matinee (usually 2/3pm) or Saturday evening.
Our top 3 shows on stage right now are:
Les Misérables
Celebrating a remarkable 40th anniversary since its opening, there is star-studded company performing in September. This widely acclaimed musical, beloved for its themes of redemption, revolution, and sacrifice, remains London’s longest-running show!
Moulin Rouge
A dazzling-high energy show where the staging is some of the best seen in London for a long time. Set in the bohemian world of 1890s Paris, the story follows Christian, a young writer, who falls deeply in love with Satine, the star performer at the Moulin Rouge cabaret. A dynamic soundtrack that fuses classic hits with contemporary pop songs, creating a unique musical experience.
Hadestown
Tony and Grammy Award winning musical, crafted by Anaïs Mitchell and directed by Rachel Chavkin, which reimagines the ancient Greek myths of Orpheus and Eurydice, and Hades and Persephone, through a vibrant blend of folk, jazz, and blues music. This show’s strength is storytelling, blending serious themes with moments of joy; it’s moving, musically thrilling, and thought-provoking.
There remains the timeless options such as Hamilton, the Phantom of the Opera, and Lion King, or opt for a modern crowd-pleaser such as SIX or The Devil Wear’s Prada.
THE BLETCHLEY PARK OPTION
This will happen on Day 4, Saturday, September 13th
9:00am Meet your vehicle and driver in front of the Treehouse Hotel and travel together by private transfer.
11:00am Approximate arrival at Bletchley Park: the once-secret home of Britain’s WWII intelligence efforts. Discover how brilliant minds cracked the Enigma code, shortening the war and saving countless lives. On arrival, you will enjoy a 1-hour private group tour using the outdoor landscapes to tell the story of Bletchley Park, and then have independent time with audio guides to visit inside the original buildings and see their displays, with time to have lunch in the café.
2:45pm Please return to the vehicle by 2:45pm and depart all together back to London.
5:00pm Approximate arrival back at the Treehouse Hotel.
Price: $280 USD per person (this cost is based on a minimum of 6 people, if we have more sign up, the price will be reduced accordingly)
If you wish to use your activity allowance towards this, the price will be: $140 USD per person.
The cost includes: Transportation, private 1 hour group tour, entry ticket and audio guide.
The cost excludes: Lunch.
OTHER OPTIONS
Here are just a few ideas of activities you might like to book, or museums/galleries to explore in your free time. Carly will be happy to advise further or help to arrange private touring.
SIGHTSEEING/TOURING
Walking tours of London: to sign up to group walking tours, we recommend ‘London Walks’ who run several interestingly themed tours a day at reasonable prices and who typically have very good guides leading the walks. You can see their planned calendar of tours for the September 13th here and sign up directly via their website: https://www.walks.com/our-walks/walks-by-date/?d=2025-09-13
DAYTRIPS, BY TRAIN:
Hampton Court
Its many royal occupants have furnished the palace with decadent tapestries and paintings throughout the centuries. It was Henry VIII’s favourite palace and boasts Tudor treasures and glorious gardens. [Direct trains run from Waterloo Train Station to Hampton Court Station and then a short walk to the Palace]
Windsor Castle
A Royal home and fortress for over 900 years, Windsor Castle, the largest occupied castle in the world, remains a working palace today. It is recommended to pre-book tickets directly: https://www.rct.uk/visit/windsor-castle [The fastest way to travel to Windsor Castle from London is to take the train from London Paddington Station to Windsor Central Station. Windsor Central Station is located just below the Castle walls]
FOOD & DRINK RELATED OPTIONS
Book a cooking class with Migrateful: an award-winning cookery school where refugee and migrant chefs teach authentic dishes from their home countries using the power of food to foster cultural exchange. See their September classes here (which are due to be released soon) and sign up directly on their website: https://www.migrateful.org/events/month/2025-09/
Book a tea masterclass with Twinings: a 2-hour workshop to uncover the secrets of the world’s favourite drink. Where does tea come from? When and how did it arrive in Britain? What makes a quality tea? Taste the six categories of tea, and learn how the professionals ‘slurp’! Classes that fit around our schedule are:
• Every Saturday 11:30am-1:30pm
• Every Saturday 3:30pm-5:30pm
• Every Sunday 11:30am-1:30pm
Find out more here: https://twinings.co.uk/pages/tea-masterclass-tasting-experience
More of our favourite London highlights!
Churchill War Rooms
Discover the life and legacy of Winston Churchill in the bunker and museum. It is highly recommended to pre-book tickets: https://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/churchill-war-rooms
Westminster Abbey
London’s most interesting church. It is really a vast cemetery where over 3,000 of England’s most famous men and women are buried, including scientists, writers, poets, politicians and 22 monarchs. It is recommended to pre-book tickets nearer the time: https://www.westminster-abbey.org/
St Paul’s Cathedral
Destroyed by the Great Fire of London in 1666, the current building was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and completed in 1710. You can climb its iconic dome which is 111 metres (364ft) high and 528 steps (with no elevator!) It is one of the largest cathedral domes in the world.
National Gallery
Priceless European art including masterpieces by Botticelli, da Vinci, Titian and Van Gogh.
British Museum
One of the world’s greatest museums and is a treasure trove. Highlights include the ‘Rosetta stone’, the ‘Elgin Marbles’ taken from the Parthenon in Greece, beautiful jewellery from ancient cultures of the East, and a host of other treasures.
Kew Gardens
Loved by all for its 19th-century Palm House and other Victorian glasshouses, its conservatories, tree-canopy walkway, architectural follies, and mind-boggling variety of plants [Kew Gardens station’ is 500m from Victoria Gate, one of Kew’s entrances. It is in Zone 3 and is served by the District Line (Richmond branch) and London Overground]
Portobello Market
Notting Hill’s famous street market, with great antiques, second-hand goods and bric-a-brac. The main market day is Saturday.
Camden Market
Over a thousand shops and stalls selling fashion, music, art and food next to Camden Lock
Changing of the Guard
Free of charge to watch, or you can book a tour online [from £18pp]. The typical programme:
10:43 Old Guard leaves St James’ Palace
10:57 New Guard leaves Wellington Barrack
11:00 Official Start Time
11:10 St James’ Palace relief leaves Buckingham Palace
11:25 Relieved sentries leave St James’ Palace
11:40 Old Guard leaves Buckingham Palace
11:45 St James’ Palace Guard leaves Buckingham Palace
[Typically takes place Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sundays. Check online for dates and times]