Like most Londoners, you are probably wondering what is inside that majestic building in the heart of the City of London, which stands in front of you as soon as you exit Bank Station.

That – dear friends – is The Royal Exchange, today a high-end shopping arcade that features a number of cafes, restaurants and over 30 retails stores, accessible to the public for free every day of the week. What’s even more amazing is that it is currently hosting Luxury Week, which means that there are a number of special activities and for us the perfect excuse to finally visit this historic building.

A bit of history

The Royal Exchange was originally opened in 1571 and was a commercial market place founded by English merchant and financier Sir Thomas Gresham. Completely destroyed by the Great Fire of London in 1666, it was then reopened three years later by Lord Mayor, and the exchange thrived with merchants and brokers including those of the insurance market, Lloyds of London.

The inside of the building features 24 paintings showcasing the history of trade in Britain. The Royal Exchanged stopped being a centre of commerce at the beginning of World War II and was re-modelled in 2001 to become what it is today.

Shopping

As mentioned previously, this elegant building features some of the finest luxury boutique shops in the world.

We managed to pop by Leica UK to check out their trendy cameras, Aspinal of London for some gorgeous leather goods, Halcyon Days to check out the cutest tableware and Penhaligons or Jo Malone for some stylish perfumes.

It is a great alternative to Bond Street and Harrods if you are one of those people that just loves going from shop to shop in an elegant setting, and we will definitely be back to visit the other stores soon.

Food

After all this shopping, we were definitely feeling hungry. Good job there is a gorgeous Fortnum & Mason Bar and Restaurant in the heart of the building!

The restaurant gets really busy and vibrant during working days, however it is much quieter on weekends making it the perfect time to visit. We decided to go for some delicious lobster linguine, which was made in front of our eyes.

We still had some room left for dessert, so we headed off to Cutter & Squidge for some delicious homemade cakes. The cakes are made only with natural ingredients and we would definitely recommend the Biskies and the chocolate truffles, they are to die for.

No room left for food, but definitely some space for a cocktail. Our final stop for the day was at one of our favourite bars in London. Did you know that Grind not only serves delicious coffee but also tasty cocktails?

We couldn’t end our visit at The Royal Exchange in a better way, and we actually can’t wait to be back soon!