🗺 Tourism Information
The capital of the UK is one of the most visited cities in Europe, (With Paris being another) both for culture/entertainment and business. Its a modern metropolis in which everything goes. Society is open to pretty much everything, Expect to see all kind of people and scenes. At the same time the city co-exists with it's very classical and historical past. It's very fascinating to find hidden old fashioned buildings, shops and places of interest which can throw you back a few centuries.
The city of London can date back to as early as the year 50 AD when the first bridge, London Bridge, was constructed over the Thames river, made out of wood. Sure the city of London has the wow factor for the first time visitor, and you will want to come back time and time again!
The British capital has a very unpredictable weather forecast and as the whole country weather can change in a matter of minutes. London offers warmer temperatures by being a big city metropolis and average temperatures can range in the low 20 °C expect during the winter when it's gets colder and go down to an average of 10 °C.
The best time to visit London is recommended between March to November. However the summer months June to August can be much more expensive to visit and weather can be hot and muggy due to the higher humidity. The hottest months are May and June, with temperatures reaching into the 30's °C!
located airport, only 15 min to Canary Wharf Financial District in the East of London. It's mostly used by national airlines, including British Airways to business like destinations. Getting from the airport is hassle free, take the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) which takes you into Bank Station, where you can connect with other underground services.
Once in the city, getting around London is simple by the metro which they call "tube" by its tubular shape, or known simply by the Underground. If you are planning to stay in London for a longer time and want to use all the modes of transport then it's recommended you buy an Oyster card which can be found at the stations or travel centres. It's also possible to by one day passes (Paper Tickets) which will cost £12.50 for adults.
Transport in London is very costly, one of the most expensive in Europe. Note that the transport prices change in function of the times you travel. It is cheaper to travel after 9.30am and before 16.00pm. Also avoid the period between 16-19 pm as this is known as the peak time on weekdays. All weekend is off-peak. If you get a travelcard (Available now on Oyster card or on a contactless credit or debit card) it's cheaper to pay as you go, and automatically there will a price cap if you go over the daily price (about £12.50) or a weekly price cap.
Trains are also integrated into the Oyster card system, it's a good option if you stay away from central London as trains are convenient, quick and offer more sitting space.
Check times before you travel as they are not so frequent and services finish before midnight.
Towards the east of London, you will find the DLR, the Docklands Light Railway System. These driverless trains are very modern and comfortable. They connect central London at Bank Station to famous areas such as Stratford, Greenwich, Canary Wharf, London City Airport and the O2 Arena.
Below you will find the transport maps for London to download:
Double Deckers: London is famous for the iconic double decker bus. For a day travel pass it will cost £5 using only busses. However if you are located outside central London it can take a very long time to travel by bus as journeys are slow, and busses stop practically at every stop.
✔️Tip: If you are touring around London and don't want to spend much money on the expensive official tour busses, you can make your own itinerary by following the most popular bus routes. On this map below you will find the routes and the sites you can see along the way.
Black Cabs: London is famous for its Black Cab taxis, they have featured in many movies and are an iconic shape to distinguish them from other vehicles. IT all started with the Horse-drawn "hackney carriages" which began providing taxicab service in the early 17th century.
Today, they are modern diesel run cars, they are spacious, suitable for 4 passengers travelling behind the driver and are wheelchair accessible. You can also now pay with credit/debit cards as well as cash.
If you want to stop a cab, only stop the ones with the yellow TAXI sign on. Black cabs are metered and there is a minimum charge of £3 (as from 2020) You can travel around the London transport zone fares with these taxis only. Otherwise have to use a minicab (other licensed taxis) for longer trips.
Although they are a tourist attraction in themselves, a ride at rush hour can be pretty expensive. So it's advised to take them out of rush hours and share the price with friends not to get a hefty charge! Unfortunately fares are non negotiable like in other countries.
✔️Tip: When in central London it's always better to go by tube if you are in a hurry. London gets very congested and paying high fares for taxis are not worth it. Always try to walk around the city to enjoy and explore more than you would by public transport. However note that there is a lot to see in the city so it's always necessary to take some transportation at some point.
London Rent bikes: As with many European capitals you can rent a bike and the first half an hour is free (you need to pay an access fee of £2 for one day). It can be a fun way to explore the city and reaching further out. For more information check London Bikes. They are easily recognised by their red colour, and have plenty of docking stations all around the capital, with a phone APP making it easy to locate the routes, free docks and information about the service.
The capital of England and the United Kingdom, is a 21st-century city but with rich history stretching back to Roman times. The city of Londinium, was the original name given back in the year 43AD when the Romans invaded the island and made this settlement, close to London Bridge, the birthplace for the future city. The small city soon begun to grow, the first imposing building was the Tower of London which acted as a fortress against future invasions. During the medieval times it gave London its most darkest history, when in 1665, rats on board trading ships brought bubonic plague into the city of London. Hygiene standards were very low, as it spread very quickly, if you caught it, the chances of surviving were very slim.Over the year that the plague rampaged, 100,000 people died. Then in 1666 a small fire, accidentally started in a bakery on Pudding Lane, was the cause of an enormous fire which lasted four days and wiped out 80% of London, known as the Great Fire of London. Now a days, the history of the event is reincarnated with live actors at paid-attractions to see London how it once was back in 1666! (London Dungeons)
The 18 and 19 century proved key to develop London as a major metropolis and create important improvements in medicine, sanitation, construction, clothing, rail and the Underground. London has always been in the lead of technology, architecture and science, therefore it's to no surprise that some of the greatest museums have unique collections spreading centuries into history.
London was badly attacked sadly during the Second World War when many buildings were destroyed or severely damaged and citizens had to emigrate abroad or even hide to live in the deep London Underground! (see image).
Thankfully, after the reconstruction London came back to life with an ever increasing demand for shopping, business, technology and efficient transport links. The city began to attract an important number of visitors for it's prestige, quality and services offered.
The tourism industry has evolved tremendously from the turn into the 21st Century as London is now one of the most modern cities and people come not only for tourism, but as a city to live and work. London offered what no other city could offer at the time, good wages, good quality of life, an open society and an epicentre for business and leisure.
Today, with the increasing popularity of London it's converted the city into a world renowned centre for shopping, entertainment, good restaurants, top attractions and sights, but with a very deep cultural and historical backdrop, evident in the many buildings dotted around the capital.
Visiting London is not a quick affair, it will take many days in fact if you want to see it all! Expect to find beautiful preserved public buildings, old medieval remains, classical buildings from the Victorian Era, monuments, museums, galleries, churches, national parks and open green spaces making it a very interesting city for all ages. There is always something to do even after sun set, with plenty of entertainment options to keep you going!
One main advantage of visiting London's famous museums is that they offer free entrance! Many might offer extra galleries or expositions, but the main exhibits and permanent exhibitions are open to everybody for free.
A day out in London will consist of a lot of walking, but in doing so, will ensure you see the famous sights of the city. Most visited places of interest are the London Eye, The Houses of Parliament (Big Ben), Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, Whitehall (10 Downing st), The Monument, St Paul's Cathedral, London Bridge and The Tower of London as the must see places to visit. The main museums in London are the Science Museum, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, British Museum, London Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, Tate Gallery, Tate Modern and the Maritime Museum in Greenwich.
Other places of general interest include Oxford Street and Regent Street (for shopping), Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square (entertainment), Covent Garden and Chinatown (entertainment and restaurants), Soho (Gay area) Bank and Canary Wharf (financial city), Camden Town (alternative area and markets) and Greenwich ( Time Zone 0 Meridian and Museums).
If you are looking for attractions London offers a wide range of days out and many venues spread across the city have special offers if you buy two or more attractions in one day. Popular attractions include The London Eye, Thames river cruise, Madame Tussaud wax Museum, London Dungeons, London Bridge Experience, London Sea Life Aquarium and and the Emirates Airline Cable Car.
In the next tabs of this guide you will find more information about each of the attractions types you are interested in seeing:
Important Sights ▼
Museums and Culture ▼
Entertainment options ▼
✔️Tip: London is famous for its theatres. Around Leicester Square you will see a ticket booth which offer good last minute deals on popular shows. After a long day of walking and visiting many sites what best but to watch a famous theatre show! Prices start from £20 per person at discounted rates. You can check deals and offers at londonboxoffice.co.uk
There are a number of cities and places of interest which lie very close to London and are very recommended to visit to spend a day out, or as part of a tour even.
These cities include famous names such as Oxford, Cambridge and Bath, but there are also many more towns which are located within good reach of the capital thanks to the good transportation links. (Brighton, Southampton, Bournemouth, Windsor or Stonehenge).
To find out more about these places of interest please visit our page of Other cities in the UK.
The nightlife in London is some of the best in the world, offering pulsating dance floors at famous clubs and more chilled out and intimate music lounges and bars. Hardcore party animals will love the clubbing scene, complete with well-known local and international DJs, while the countless bars and cosy independent theatres feature an impressive mix local and international live music acts. London is arguably the best possible travel destination for lovers of live music, and on any given night there will be an international or local band playing in more than one of the many venues.
🌈The West End in particular is home to many bars, clubs and restaurants, and Soho is one of the trendiest and coolest places to drink. This is also where most of London's gay bars and clubs can be found.
The perpetually cool Notting Hill and Portobello Road areas also areas where large crowds gather looking for a more relaxed atmosphere. Those in the mood for a quiet drink and some conversation should head down to one of the many traditional English pubs scattered around this cosmopolitan city, where they can enjoy some of the finest ales, stouts, ciders, and malt whiskies on offer in the world. It's also often possible to combine pubbing and clubbing as many of London's bars these days have clubs and dance floors inside them, transforming them into miniature nightclubs and ushering in a new era for those 'heading down to the pub'.
The West End is also known as 'Theatreland' and those in the mood for Broadway-style theatre shows should head down to the Lyceum Theatre or the Queen's Theatre to catch a show or musical. And while in the area, culture lovers can enjoy an evening at Covent Garden watching the Royal Opera or the Royal Ballet, while lovers of classical music can sample the delights of Albert Hall. There is also plenty of local theatre outside of the West End with young professionals and amateurs performing anything from classic plays to cabaret and also many comedy shows are in and around London.
✔️Tip: The best thing to get an idea of what is going on, head to Leicester Square, where many of the city's information centres are based and can tell you about what is on, sell discounted tickets for last-minute shows and give advice on queries and tourism related questions!
🛍️ Shopping
London is a global shopping destination, and in fact, many visitors, only come to London to shop! The city provides a myriad of shopping experiences, with no shortage of popular chain stores, designer boutiques, artisan shops, eclectic markets and interesting finds. Visit the renowned Oxford and Regent streets for big brands like Gap, Zara, Topshop, H&M and United Colours of Benetton. Bond Street and Mayfair are suited to a more high-end shopping trip, where designer goods and luxury boutiques abound.
London is also renowned for its markets. Camden Town in North London has become one of the most visited attractions in London and is a haven for alternative sub-cultures, with stalls and shops selling outrageous retro outfits, colourful accessories and eccentric party attire. For an enjoyable weekend outing, Portobello Market is a gem (look out for the Farmers Market in the vicinity). The Notting Hill market, made famous by the romantic Hollywood film, offers many attractive coffee shops, independent retailers and cheap stalls selling clothing, jewellery and music.
Foodies won't be disappointed with London's weekend markets, Borough Market adjacent to London Bridge is dedicated to gastronomy, visitors can sample homemade pâté, buy fresh cherries, olive oil, sweet cakes and the like. Southbank Centre Market offering fantastic street food and multiple ethically-minded eats, and Maltby Street Market, with a broad selection of delectable international food and drink, are open on weekends.
❗Attention: The markets in London, most often feature local and authentic products, produced and made in the UK. This means that markets, are not cheap places where to buy food and other goods (like it happens in many other countries like Spain, Italy, etc). Markets in London, are orientated to visitors and tourists, as well as locals, with prices quite inflated. If you want to buy local food and general groceries, this can be bought at the major English supermarket chains such as Tesco, Marks and Spencer, Waitrose and Sainsbury's. Alternatively you can also buy cheaper food and groceries at convenience stores across London, especially in ethnic communities.
For a budget traveller visiting London can be a bit of a challenge. The city is hugely in demand and there is a infinite amount of accommodation types and prices. Hostels would be the obvious choice but at shared rooms.Hotels are very expensive in the city centre and cost between £45 and £120 for normal average hotels. The trick is to stay further away from the city and prices will drop to about £30 per night but make sure you are located close to a tube station.
Alternative accommodation thanks to Airbnb would be a good solution and stay with local residents.
For many students coming to london for exchange programs there are plenty of University Rooms which offer good prices. Must need documentation and agreements before you travel as this can not be booked on a turn up basis.
London is a huge city and it takes time to visit, enjoy and explore everything that has been mentioned on this guide. A good and adequate time to spend in London is 5 nights for your visit to be worth it and see most of the sites. But even up to a couple of weeks would be enough to keep you going every day and see all the city has to offer and take a few trips out of London to the nearby cultural and historical cities.
