Your Ultimate Travel Guide To London

Quick guide to planning a trip to London

If you are planning a trip to London there are many things you need to consider beforehand to make sure your stay is going to be as pleasant as possible. Here is a quick guide and checklist you can use to make arrangements and have a safe and enjoyable break.

1. Decide which season to travel in

You need to know that weather in London, just like in the whole UK is pretty unpredictable. No matter which month you travel you will need an umbrella. You need to make sure you are taking with you different items of clothing that can be easily taken on or off. And you will definitely need an umbrella and a raincoat. As rains in London can come with heavy winds, a raincoat can come handy.

2. See what's on in London you would not want to miss

There is always something going on in London, let it be a huge concert or an exhibition, festival, you need to review your options. Obviously you have to consider during events hotel prices can be higher, so you need to make travel and accommodation arrangements on time. It is also advisable that you will get all your tickets at the same time and pre-book anything you need to to avoid disappointments.

3. Car hire

The travel network in London is very good and you can get around using public transport. So unless you love traffic jams, you will not have to hire a car at all. All you need is a network map for buses and the Tube to get around.

Transport from the airport

Heathrow

· National Express buses are available from Terminals 1, 2 and 3. They take you to Victoria station and also operate a scheme that takes you to to 21 hotels near Heathrow for only £4.
· Heathrow Express is a rail service that is run non-stop between Paddington station and Heathrow. A cheap and fast alternative to get into the city of London.
· Underground services are also connected to Heathrow Airport. The average journey time to London center is about 50 - 60 minutes. You might want to purchase a Travelcard for Zone 6.

Luton

· Luton Airport shuttle bus runs between Luton Parkway station and Luton Airport every ten minutes between 05:00 and midnight.
· Luton Airport Train is taking you to Luton Parkway and there you can connect to different services.
· If you have a train ticket to Luton Airport the shuttle is included in the price.

Gatwick

· Terravision Shuttle Bus is running every 30 minutes between Gatwick and Victoria station in London center.
· Stansted also has its own train station under the terminal building. It runs every 15 to 30 minutes daily.

Accommodation In London

The good news is that London has thousands of hotels and you can find the most suitable one for every budget. There are a few hundred 5 star hotels as plenty of travellers' budget hotels as well. That is what causes the main problem for most tourists, if you do not know the hotels and the location you can easily get disappointed.

The first thing you have to do is to check out the location. You do not want to be too far from the tube stations, but obviously might want some peace as well. Depending on your budget and requirements you will have to choose and book a hotel in advance. The best way to go is to use a hotel comparison website to book the accommodation in advance or ask your travel agent. You can get great discounts for over 7 days' stay and also will get an overview of the hotel, with exact location.

Hotels in London usually take a booking deposit over the phone or on the Internet, and you have the right to cancel within 48 hours before the arrival date.

To avoid disappointment you might also want to check customers' reviews on London hotel review sites.

Transport within London

Getting around in London is easier than you think, unless you are planning to hire a car. It is full of one-way streets and you it might take you longer to get somewhere than by walk. Not to mention that some streets in inner areas are charging you a flat fee for driving in. But you will be able to get around using public transport, and Tube maps are widely available in every station making it easier to find your stations.

Depending on how many places you are looking to visit, you can buy weekly Zone passes at any Tube station. Just ask the person at the desk, which one would be the best solution. You can also buy combined passes for Tube and buses, but you might not necessarily need that to get around London.

Some Tube tickets are also on offer as a part of a package. You can purchase discounted entry tickets to the most popular London attractions and get a Zone pass included in the price. Just ask for information in advance, the earlier you buy these packages, the more you are going to save. The most popular of these packages is London Pass, which can be purchased for 1, 2, 3 or 6 days and can save you a lot of money.

What to see in London

London Eye and the Themes

It is the greatest feature of London. It is the highest observation wheel of the World with 32 capsules. You can jump on for a 30 minute sightseeing that offers you breathtaking views of over 55 of London's greatest landscapes.

Buckingham Palace

This is one of the most popular tours, and not available all year. You do have to check and book in time to avoid disappointments. You will be able to see how a real queen lives and get an introduction to royal customs, too.

British Museum

The greatest museum in Europe. It has exhibitions from the stone age to modern times, and entry is free. You need to be aware that extra strict security rules apply and you might also need to pay if you want to see special exhibitions.

National Gallery

National Gallery is located on Trafalgar Square and features the most famous western European paintings from the 13th to the 19th centuries. The greatest names of art like Van Gogh, da Vinci are all found here and entry is also free.

The Tower of London

The Tower has some great features and exhibitions are featured all over the year. This is where you can find the Crown Jewels. You can also walk through the East walk and enjoy the spectacular views of the city.

Madame Tussauds

At Madame Tussauds, you can meet the world's most famous faces. From Shakespeare to Britney, you'll meet the most iconic figures of showbiz, sport, politics Royalty. You can sing along with Kylie; shake hands with Rooney. You can even meet the Queen herself.

Victoria and Albert Museum 

It is one of the most famous features of London. This unique museum is featuring paintings, and the most remarkable Medieval Renaissance galleries with the most valuable surviving treasures from the era.

Big Ben

Big Ben is the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster. It took 13 years to build and was finished in 1856. The staircase goes up to the top level giving you excellent views. It also has several rooms, even a prison cell. The clock tower is not open to the public, however you can get great views to the Big Ben from the London Eye.

Activities in London

Family activities

If you are traveling with kids there are plenty of family day packages available in London. But if you are planning a day out on your own with children, your best choice is Horniman Museum. It has plenty of stuffed animals and an aquarium to keep children occupied. There are also Busy Bee activities designed for under 5's. Entry is free.

There is also a Peter Pan day out on offer in London with loads of places to visit, including London Zoo and the Great Ormond Hospital.

Culture

There are numerous theaters offering quality plays in London. You can find cabaret, drama, comedy, dance, ballet in London venues and some attractions have a special offer for a dinner included, so do go ahead and check out the offers that are the most appealing. The bad news is: it is not going to be an easy choice. West End is one of the best places to go and see the most popular musicals, and there is always a great ticket offer available through travel agents or ticket agencies.

The best places to look for tickets for comedy and Burlesque:
Bethnal Green Working Men's Cub
Bistrotheque
Comedy Cafe
Comedy Store
The most famous theatres in London are:
Shakespeare's Globe
Savoy Theatre
Victoria Palace Theatre

Night life

The best place to catch a glimpse of London's night life is to walk through the Soho at around half past eight. You will find plenty of offers for entertainment: burlesque, movies, night clubs, disco and comedy shows. The Soho is also full of traditional pubs and restaurants that will let you forget about the outside world and get a share of real British ways of entertainment.

Shopping in London

One can easily get addicted to shopping in London. With high quality shops and great brands for most tourists the main attraction is the number of shops concentrated in one street and the huge choice of brands and designer names. It is easy to get lost in the crowd, though and spend a whole day browsing different department stores in the city of London.

Oxford Street is a real Shoppers' paradise. You can find the largest department stores of H&Ms, Zaras, Urban Outfitters and large department stores such as John Lewis, Debenhams and Selfridges. You need to be aware of pickpocketers and the traffic when you are planning a shopping trip to Oxford Street.

If you are more interested in markets and local features, London can offer you just that as well. Camden Market in weekends is one of the busiest markets in Europe. You can find anything from flee market offers to clothing, fresh meat, vegetables and gifts. If you are looking to avoid the crowd, try to visit Camden Market on a weekday.

Warnings about traveling to London

London is one of the most expensive cities in the world. You also need to know that it is a multi-cultural European capital, that said you might come across many nationals from all over the world. To see the real Londoners' life you should aim to visit places less known to tourists.

You should be aware that you are likely to come across pickpocketers, beggars and you will have to build up a strategy to avoid them or defend yourself. Make sure you are keeping your money, valuables and handbag safe and never show off your whole batch of notes on the street. Keep a small amount with you and keep the rest safe.

Night life in London can be fun but also an absolute nightmare. Make sure you are planning ahead, booking everything from tickets, taxi, restaurant, especially if you are picking a busy time. It can get very busy and people can get aggressive in the crowd. So if you are not prepared make sure you are avoiding busy areas day and night.

Crossing the road can be a challenge for most non-British tourists. Although “look right” is painted on the road everywhere you still have to remind yourself if you are wanting to stay safe.

British Pounds is a currency that is changing value every day. Make sure that when you are planning your journey to London you will take care of the foreign exchange in advance, as it is much more expensive to do it at the airport or in the City.

Final warning: you need to make sure you do get in touch with your country's British Embassy to find out about any new regulations. Airports can have extra security alarms from one hour to another. Also immigration rules do change often, so better safe than sorry, you will need to find out everything before your travel to avoid nasty surprises.