London Travel Guide

 London is one of the maximum famous towns withinside the world. It’s domestic to captivating pubs, world-elegance (and regularly unfastened) museums, lots of records, a number of the pleasant theater performances withinside the world, a numerous population, extremely good meals, and a wild nightlife. 

I understand it’s cliche to mention there’s some thing for everybody however, on this sprawling metropolis, there without a doubt is!

I’ve been travelling London considering the fact that 2008 and, with each next go to, the town has grown on me. The greater I pass, the greater exceptional stuff I see, the greater I fall in love with it. There’s constantly some thing new to do right here and there’s an active vibe to the town.

Unfortunately, it’s additionally an luxurious destination. A go to right here can consume a hollow in any price range in case you aren’t careful.

Luckily, there are lots of unfastened and reasonably-priced activities in London. While price range tourists want to be frugal right here, you could nevertheless go to London on a price range and feature an exquisite time.

This London journey manual assist you to plan your trip, shop cash, and make the maximum out of it slow on this cosmopolitan capital!

Top five Things to See and Do in London

1. Visit Big Ben and the House of Parliament

Although you could’t pass up the tower, you could view this Gothic shape from the road and pay attention its chimes 4 instances an hour. Big Ben is in reality the call of the Great Bell of the Great Clock of Westminster which may be observed internal Elizabeth Tower on the north stop of the Palace of Westminster, however is regularly used to consult the clock and the tower as well. To find out about the United Kingdom government, take a excursion of Parliament, based in 1801, even as you’re right here (get there early or reserve tickets online) . Guided excursions fee 29 GBP even as self-guided multimedia excursions are 22.50 GBP. The pleasant view of the tower is from the alternative aspect of the river at the South Bank, close to the London Eye.

2. See the Tower of London and Tower Bridge

Built in 1070, the Tower of London has extended normally over the years. It changed into constructed as a double-leaf bascule bridge withinside the middle (each facets raise up) to hold river get entry to to the Pool of London docks even as easing congestion on every aspect of the river. You can go to in the tower and stroll alongside the glass walkways. Weapons, armor, and cash had been made right here till 1810 and nowadays you could view the well-known crown jewels, stroll the battlements, wander recreated medieval palace rooms, see the long-lasting Yeoman Warders (called the Beefeaters as they had been allowed to consume as an awful lot pork as they desired from King Henry VII’s desk), and notice the mythical black ravens that stay withinside the tower. Skip-the-line tickets are 29.ninety GBP. 

3. Admire Buckingham PalaceBuckingham Palace is simplest open to the general public for 10 weeks in the course of the summer, however you could be part of the crowds and watch the converting of the shield at 11am each Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at some point of the year (get there in right time to discover a right area to stand). Admission to the palace isn’t reasonably-priced, with tickets costing 30 GBP online (33 GBP at the day), even as one-of-a-kind guided excursions are ninety GBP. Check the Royal Collection Trust internet site for information on different occasions occurring at some point of the year.

4. See Westminster Abbey

A operating royal church, the Gothic Westminster Abbey changed into based via way of means of Benedictine priests in 960 CE. More than three,three hundred humans are buried right here such as 17 monarchs and severa royal funerals had been held right here over the centuries. It’s the conventional coronation web website online for British monarchs and has been the putting for each coronation considering the fact that 1066, in addition to for plenty different royal occasions, such as sixteen weddings. Other well-known British figures buried right here consist of Charles Darwin, Sir Isaac Newton, Aphra Behn, and Charles Dickens. Tickets fee 27 GBP, however you could go to without spending a dime in case you pass in the course of a service. Just ensure to get dressed (and act) as it should be as it's far an area of worship.

5. Hang out in Trafalgar Square

Stroll round and appreciate the fountains and the well-known monuments, which includes the 4 bronze lion statues and Nelson’s Column (which honors Admiral Nelson’s victory on the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805). It is bordered on all facets via way of means of some of museums, galleries, cultural areas and anciental homes so there’s lots to do as well. Trafalgar Square is likewise recognised to be a middle of country wide democracy and protest so non violent rallies and demonstrations are often held (generally at weekends). Even if there aren’t any professional occasions, masses of humans nevertheless grasp out right here so it makes for an awesome area to humans-watch.

Other Things to See and Do in London

1. Take a unfastened strolling excursion

London has lots of various strolling excursions on provide. From unfastened excursions to strong point excursions to paid excursions to literary excursions to quirky tea excursions, London has it all. Free London Walking Tours and New Europe Walking Tours are  of my preferred corporations to go together with in relation to unfastened excursions. They’re the pleasant manner to look the attractions and find out about the town on a price range. Just take into account to tip on the stop!

If you’re searching out greater in-intensity and particular excursions, take a look at out Take Walks. They provide inexpensive excursions that pass into a variety of detail. And in case you’re a Harry Potter fan, Get Your Guide runs an exceptional Harry Potter touraround the town for 15 GBP.

2. Go museum hopping

London has greater museums than you may see in a unmarried go to, and lots of them are unfastened. You can spend days travelling world-elegance museums just like the Tate, the British Museum, the City Museum, the National Gallery, the Historical Museum, and plenty of others — all with out spending a penny. One of my favorites is the Natural History Museum, a stunning Romanesque constructing that carries over eighty million items, such as specimens gathered via way of means of Charles Darwin. It additionally has an expansive series of fossils, making it a a laugh and academic stop. The Victoria and Albert Museum (named after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert) is some other preferred of mine. It’s domestic to over 2,000 works of artwork protecting over three,000 years of human records.

3. Grab a few meals in Borough Market

Established in 1756, London’s Borough Market has some thing for each foodie. It’s domestic to a number of the pleasant British and global produce and dishes. Come right here hungry and depart satisfied. It’s splendid for humans-looking too. The marketplace is open day by day however the crowds are horrible on Saturdays so make sure to get there early.

4. Enjoy a few theater

London is thought for its well-known theater scene. Attend a display even as you’re right here and spot a number of the extremely good performances that make London well-known. Tickets may be quite reasonably-priced, and some thing is gambling each night time (take a look at out TKTS for discounted tickets to indicates withinside the West End). Otherwise, trap a Shakespeare display at The Globe in South London — tickets variety from five-sixty two GBP relying at the display and seat you pick out.

5. Stroll alongside Brick Lane

Known for antique clothing, reasonably-priced eats, and artwork, this East London avenue is a nearby preferred. Sunday is the pleasant day to come, as that is whilst the out of doors avenue marketplace takes area, aleven though the eating places and stores lining the road are open day by day. Brick Lane has a number of the pleasant (and most inexpensive) meals in London, mainly in relation to curry, as that is the hub of London’s Bangladeshi community. This avenue is likewise a splendid area to deliver a camera, as its partitions are essentially a gallery for London’s pleasant avenue artists, such as Banksy, D*Face, and Ben Eine.

6. Ride the London Eye

The London Eye is a 152-meter (500-foot tall) Ferris wheel. While a bit cheesy, it’s however one of the maximum famous points of interest in London. It’s throughout the road from Parliament and presents super perspectives of London and the town’s maximum iconic homes, mainly on a clean day. Tickets are 32.50 GBP, however in case you need to play traveller and take withinside the view, it is probably really well worth it. The experience lasts half-hour and tickets begin at 32.50 GBP.

7. Visit the London Dungeon

The London Dungeon calls itself “the world’s maximum chillingly well-known horror attraction.” It covers 2,000 years of London’s grotesque records and is a morbid however thrilling museum. Although you could find out about famous torture techniques in England, this area has was greater of an “leisure park” kind attraction. But if you want such things as get away rooms and horrifying boat rides, it’s enjoyable. Tickets fee 29 GBP whilst you ee-e book online (32 GBP in person).

8. See St. Paul’s Cathedral

St. Paul’s is a placing English Baroque cathedral with a world-well-known dome. Architect Christopher Wren’s masterpiece, the long-lasting constructing dates from the seventeenth century. Inside, you could go to the crypt to look the resting locations of well-known figures such as The Duke of Wellington, Christopher Wren, and Admiral Nelson, or simply experience the cathedral’s glittering mosaics and difficult stone carvings. If you don’t thoughts mountaineering a few stairs, a spotlight is to climb to the Stone Gallery or Golden Gallery for panoramic perspectives over surrounding London. Admission fees from 18 GBP whilst you purchase online, that is inexpensive than the London Eye and gives in addition breathtaking perspectives.

9. Explore Covent Garden

Covent Garden, a famous West End neighborhood, is a a laugh area to hang around for an afternoon. It’s domestic to masses of quirky stalls, busking musicians, an artsy marketplace, and a choice of uncommon pubs and espresso stores. Covent Garden is likewise inside strolling distance of all of the massive musical theater indicates, so it’s a splendid area to spend some hours earlier than catching a performance. Make certain to go to Covent Garden Market, which has been open because the 1830s. It’s an awesome area to seize a chunk to consume or keep at a number of the artisan craft stalls. It’s open Monday to Saturday from 8am-6pm, with an outside farmer’s marketplace on Saturdays among April and December.

10. Visit Shakespeare’s Globe

An crucial a part of England’s records, Shakespeare’s Globe is a reconstruction of the unique Globe Theatre, the venue for which the well-known playwright wrote his plays. It’s a have to-see for enthusiasts of Shakespeare, with performances embracing close to-best replicas of Elizabethan staging practices. You may even take a seat down in the front in which the groundlings did, for shouting and heckling! The theater is open-roofed, so package up withinside the winter. Tickets fee five-sixty two GBP relying at the manufacturing and the seat (you could stand simply as they did in Elizabethan instances). You also can take a guided excursion for 17 GBP to research greater approximately the records of the theater (greater specialised ones which includes the Ghosts and Ghouls excursion or the Pride excursion fee 20 GBP).

11. Explore Camden Market

A long-time counter-subculture haven, Camden Market is domestic to over 1,000 unbiased stores, stalls, cafes, eating places, bars, buskers, and the whole thing in among. It’s extraordinarily famous and busiest at the weekends (it sees over 250,000 site visitors every week). Camden Market is in reality a chain of six separate markets, so that you can actually wander the labyrinth of alleyways for hours and now no longer see it all.

12. See the Royal Observatory

Since its founding withinside the overdue seventeenth century, the Royal Observatory at Greenwich has performed an essential function in astronomy and navigation. The observatory is split into  sections, with one 1/2 of that specialize in time even as the alternative 1/2 of is dedicated to astronomy. In the Meridian Courtyard, you could stand on both aspect of the Prime Meridian, which separates the Earth’s jap and western hemispheres. The Peter Harrison Planetarium is likewise housed right here, in which you could see a display for 10 GBP. The Royal Observatory itself fees sixteen GBP.

13. Walk across the Strand

In the twelfth century, wealthy noblemen constructed fashionable houses and gardens alongside the shore (the strand) of the Thames, making it one of the maximum prestigious locations to stay (a truth that stays proper to this day). Walk down this thoroughfare and be handled to a grand show of wealth and beauty. It changed into dubbed “the greatest avenue in Europe” via way of means of Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli withinside the nineteenth century. The Strand, which runs from Trafalgar Square to Temple Bar, is domestic to severa stores, pubs, landmark homes, and conventional hotels.

14. Drink beer at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese

This anciental pub has been round because the splendid hearthplace of 1666 (and there was a pub at this region considering the fact that 1538). It’s enormously massive internal, and withinside the winter, fireplaces preserve pub-goers warm. The wooden paneling, atmospheric loss of herbal lighting, and vaulted cellars make stepping internal sense like stepping again in time. Famous literary figures like Charles Dickens, R.L. Stevenson, Mark Twain, Oliver Goldsmith, and others used to frequent (and write approximately) this unique pub.

15. See the Churchill War Rooms

Located under the Treasury Building withinside the Whitehall location of Westminster, the Churchill War Rooms consist of the government’s command middle in the course of World War II and a museum approximately the lifestyles of Winston Churchill. The centerpiece of the complete area is an interactive desk that permits site visitors to get entry to digitized fabric from the Churchill archives. If you're like me and a big records nerd, that is one of the pleasant points of interest withinside the town. I pretty, pretty inspire you to go to. It’s really well worth the price! Admission is 29 GBP.

16. Relax in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens

If you’re seeking to escape from the hustle and bustle of the town, head to Hyde Park or Kensington Gardens for a few reprieve. Both parks, which are (without problems for the visitor) proper subsequent to every different, are unique as Royal Parks of London. Hyde Park is the maximum well-known park in London. Originally the non-public searching grounds of Henry VII, it opened to the general public in 1637 and is a splendid area to stroll, picnic, or trap one of the many occasions which are hosted right here at some point of the year. Kensington Gardens are domestic to the Serpentine Galleries in addition to Kensington Palace. The park and the gardens cowl nearly 250 acres!

17. Take a Jack the Ripper excursion

Jack the Ripper is certainly considered one among London’s maximum notorious killers — and his proper identification changed into in no way figured out. Every night time, there are lots of humans withinside the East End gaining knowledge of approximately Jack the Ripper on a daft variety of comparable excursions. The excursion publications you thru darkish alleyways, preventing at anciental places linked with the notorious serial killer. Tickets fee 15 GBP.

London Travel Costs

Hostel fees – A mattress in a dorm with four-eight beds fees sixteen-25 GBP according to night time even as a mattress in a dorm with 10-18 beds fees thirteen-sixteen GBP. A non-public room with a shared lavatory fees 50-ninety GBP according to night time. If you need to live towards the middle of the town anticipate to double those fees and anticipate fees to be as a minimum 10 GBP better in height season. Free Wi-Fi is widespread and plenty of hostels provide unfastened breakfast and self-catering facilities.

Budget lodge fees – A price range lodge room fees 70-a hundred GBP according to night time. Prices are better withinside the middle and in height season. Expect simple facilities like unfastened Wi-Fi, TV, and a espresso/tea maker.

There are masses of Airbnb alternatives in London. A non-public room fees 45-60 GBP according to night time (eighty-a hundred GBP withinside the middle), even as a whole domestic/condominium begins offevolved round ninety-a hundred and fifty GBP according to night time (greater in excessive season).

Food – While British delicacies has advanced in leaps and boundaries because of immigration (and colonialism), it’s nevertheless very an awful lot a meat and potatoes country. Fish and chips stay a famous staple for each lunch and dinner even as roasted and stewed meats, sausages, meat pies, and the essential Yorkshire pudding are all not unusualplace alternatives as well. Curry (and different Indian dishes, which includes tikka masala), are outstanding famous too.

You can consume reasonably-priced in London in case you stick with avenue eats and meals vendors (plus some of the hostels have unfastened breakfast). You can discover fish and chips or a kebab for approximately 7 GBP every. Indian meals may be bought for among eight-10 GBP for lunch entrees. You should purchase pizza for eight-12 GBP or burritos and sandwiches for five-nine GBP. Fast meals (suppose McDonald’s) is round thirteen GBP for a mixture meal.

For a mid-variety meal of conventional British delicacies at a pub or eating place, anticipate to pay 14-sixteen GBP. A pint of beer can fee as much as 6-eight GBP even as a pitcher of wine fees round 7-10 GBP.

You can discover lots of excessive-stop eating in London, however be organized to spend a lot. Expect to pay as a minimum 30-35 GBP for a three-route menu with a drink in a mid-variety eating place and upwards of 70 GBP in a better-variety establishment.

Backpacking London Suggested Budgets

If you’re backpacking London, anticipate to spend approximately 60 GBP according to day. This price range covers a hostel dorm, taking public transit, cooking all of your food, restricting your drinking, and sticking to unfastened sports like parks, unfastened strolling excursions, and museums. If you propose on drinking, upload some other 10 GBP in your day by day price range.

A mid-variety price range of a hundred and fifty GBP according to day covers staying in a non-public Airbnb room, consuming out for maximum of your food, having a drink or , taking public transit and the occasional taxi, and doing a little paid sports which includes Tower Bridge or Westminster Abbey.

On a “luxurious” price range of approximately three hundred GBP or greater according to day, you could live in a lodge, consume out everywhere you need, drink greater, take greater taxis, and do some thing sports and excursions you need. This is simply the floor ground for luxurious aleven though. the sky's the limit!

London Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

London is one of the maximum luxurious towns withinside the world. But way to its unfastened museums, reasonably-priced pubs, and severa hostels, there are a variety of methods to reduce your fees and shop cash right here. Here are my pinnacle guidelines for saving cash in London:

Visit all of the unfastened museums – Most of the museums in London are unfastened, such as the Museum of London, the British Museum, the Natural History Museum, and the Science Museum. The National Gallery and the Tate Modern also are unfastened and are  of my favorites.

Buy an Oyster Card – This pay as you go transit card saves you approximately 50% on every tube, bus and tram experience. If you propose on the usage of the tube a lot, get this card! You can get a reimbursement for the stability left on the cardboard on the stop of your trip. If you aren’t charged global transaction prices and feature a contactless credit score or debit card, you could additionally use this for journey and the device routinely caps your journey so that you in no way pay greater than you'll have in case you had sold a journey card. Just ensure to faucet inside and outside and the start and stop of every experience to ensure you’re charged the proper fare.

People watch on the markets – Sunday is marketplace day in London, with Camden Market, the Portobello Market, the Flower Market, being a number of the greater famous alternatives. People watch, snap a few photos, and experience nearby London lifestyles with out spending a dime.

Watch the converting of the guards – Both the converting of the shield at Buckingham Palace (four instances a week) and the converting of the pony guards (day by day) at Whitehall take area at 11am (10am at Whitehall on Sundays). Take in proper British flare with those thrilling and unfastened ceremonies.

Just stroll and explore – London is a big town and stunning, anciental homes abound. I as soon as walked for 4 hours and slightly made a dent withinside the course I changed into going to take (consequently the want to get the Oyster Card.) However, when you get out of the traveller location across the Thames, you get to look London the manner the locals do. You can choose up unfastened maps of displaying strolling routes across the capital from any of London’s traveller statistics stores.

Snag last-minute theater tickets – You can get last-minute tickets to the theater from the professional sales space in Leicester Square. Availability varies each day, so make sure to get there early. And in case you don’t need to shell out a variety of cash to look The Lion King or Les Misérables, take a look at out smaller indicates and comedy nights at theaters like Leicester Square Theater, in which fees begin at approximately 17 GBP.

Skip the cabs – Taxis are surprisingly luxurious in London and might smash your price range. I stayed out beyond whilst the tube closed one night time and the taxi to my lodge changed into 31 GBP! If you begin taking taxis everywhere, you’ll emerge as spending loads of greenbacks according to day, so preserve this in thoughts.

Master the night time bus – In London, the tube closes round 12:30am (the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly, and Victoria traces do run all night time on Friday and Saturday nights). To keep away from taking luxurious taxis, ensure you get a map of the night time bus routes so that you can get again in your lodge/hostel at the reasonably-priced. These buses pass all around the town and into the suburbs.

Take a unfastened strolling excursion – London, like maximum massive towns in Europe, has a big selection of unfastened strolling excursions given at some point of the town. For a historic view of the town, strive New Europe, and for off-the-beaten-direction excursions, strive Free Tours via way of means of Foot.

Get the Taste Card – This diner’s membership card gives 50% reductions on hundreds of eating places in addition to -for-one specials. It can without a doubt pay off, mainly on any satisfactory food you need to have.

Get the London Pass – If you get the London Pass, you could experience get entry to to over eighty London points of interest, such as the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, and St. Paul’s Cathedral. A one-day byskip is 89 GBP, a -day byskip is a hundred and fifteen GBP, and a three-day byskip is one hundred thirty five GBP. You can get all of the manner as much as a ten-day byskip for 199 GBP despite the fact that they regularly have offers on giving reductions to this. This byskip makes for right financial savings in case you’re making plans on doing a ton of sightseeing! Other passes to be had consist of the London City Pass from Turbopass which incorporates an choice to upload shipping fees, and the London Sightseeing Pass.

Bring a water bottle – The faucet water right here is secure to drink so deliver a reusable water bottle to shop cash and decrease your plastic use. LifeStraw is my pass-to logo as their bottles have integrated filters to make certain your water is constantly easy and secure.

How to Get Around London

Public transportation – London has super public transportation and is the most inexpensive manner to get round. A one-manner fare at the tube in Zone 1 fees 6.30 GBP, however getting a Visitor Oyster Card reduces price lists to 2.50 GBP according to experience. No remember what number of journeys you are taking according to day, your Oyster Card caps your journey at 7.70 GBP for journey in Zones 1 and 2. This is relevant throughout all public transit, such as buses and trams, saving you a ton of cash.

The Visitor Oyster Card fees five GBP, and then you definitely pick out how an awful lot credit score to feature in your card. Remember that you could get again any closing stability on the stop of your trip.

The bus device in London additionally makes use of the Oyster Card and fees 1.sixty five GBP according to experience. However, an afternoon of limitless bus- and tram-simplest journey fees a most of four.ninety five GBP. Buses do now no longer take delivery of coins; you have to use both an Oyster card, a Travelcard, or your very own contactless charge card.

The tram device in London works the equal manner because the bus device, with rides costing the equal.

Bicycle – London’s public bike-sharing application is Santander Cycles. With 750 docking stations and 11,500 bikes, they’re to be had all around the town. Renting a motorcycle fees 1.sixty five GBP for as much as 1/2 of an hour and 1.sixty five GBP for every extra half-hour, aleven though you could constantly dock a motorcycle and take out some other one to restart the unfastened timer. 

Keep in thoughts, however, that London isn’t a outstanding bike-pleasant town, mainly in case you’re used to cycling with automobiles riding on the alternative aspect of the road!

Taxis – Taxis are effortlessly to be had, with fees beginning at three.eighty GBP and going up round three GBP according to mile (the tariff is greater luxurious at night time). Given how luxurious they are, I wouldn’t take one except certainly necessary.

Ridesharing – Uber is to be had in London however it nevertheless fees an arm and a leg in case you use it a lot. Stick to public transportation.

Car rental – Cars may be rented for 20-30 GBP according to day for a multi-day rental. However, visitors is horrible withinside the town so I wouldn’t hire a vehicle right here except you're heading out on a few day journeys. Remember that riding is at the left and that maximum automobiles have guide transmissions. There’s additionally a fifteen GBP day by day Congestion Charge for riding withinside the middle (7am-6pm Mon-Fri and noon-6pm Sat/Sun/public holidays) and parking is luxurious too. Drivers want to be 21 to hire a vehicle as well.

When to Go to London

London doesn’t get too cold, however it’s notoriously foggy and wet. Summer is height tourism season, and temperatures are the warmest in the course of this time — however hardly ever are they ever above 30°C (86°F ). London is bursting on the seams in the course of the summer, however the town has a a laugh, active atmosphere. People make the maximum of the nice and cozy climate and there are continuously lots of occasions and gala's occurring.

Spring (overdue March-June) and autumn (September-October) also are extremely good instances to go to, as temperatures are moderate and the town isn’t as packed. 

Winter lasts from December to February, and tourism crowds skinny out dramatically in the course of this time. Temperatures can dip under five°C (41°F), and fees are barely decrease as well. Expect gray climate and make sure to get dressed warmly.

Since it's far often wet right here, percent a mild rain jacket or an umbrella irrespective of whilst you go to.

How to Stay Safe in London

London is a secure town and the chance of violent crime right here is low. Scams and choose-pocketing can arise round excessive-visitors areas, mainly round traveller points of interest like London Tower and on crowded public transit. Pick-wallet have a tendency to paintings in teams, so live alert and be privy to your surroundings. Keep your valuables steady and out of attain always simply to be secure.

Solo tourists, such as solo lady tourists, must normally sense secure right here, however, the usual precautions apply (in no way depart your drink unattended on the bar, in no way stroll domestic by myself intoxicated, etc.). 

Although there aren't anyt any outstanding seedy neighborhoods in London, keep away from wandering round overdue at night time by myself — mainly in case you’ve had a pint or . As a further precaution, simplest deliver the cash you want whilst you visit the bar. Leave the relaxation of your playing cards and coins for your accommodation.