Visiting the City of London is an exciting experience. If you have travelled in Europe, you will find London to be pleasant (weather wise and otherwise).The city is easy to reach, by rail and mostly by air. London Heathrow is a busy airport, connecting to most cities around the globe. Once you land at Heathrow, you need a good place to rest. A night’s sleep and a good meal should be sufficient to prepare you for your day one in London.
As it often happens when you travel to a new city, you realise that you need something extremely urgently like a travel adapter, a cuff link or even graffiti supplies and there are very few places like London in the world that you can get them without much hassle. So, if you are in London, rest assured you are in one of the best cities in the world. Still, here are a few tips if you are travelling to London for the first time.
When to visit London?
The question often asked is what the best time to visit London is. While tourists prefer to visit city in July and August, the city is pleasant throughout the year. If you do not mind freezing temperatures, December is a wonderful time too. Also, peak summer does not guarantee you of truckloads of sunshine. When in London, carry your sun glasses and umbrella with you every time.
Where to stay?
When travelling to a new city, it is always a good plan to book your stay at place that is central and well connected. It holds true for a busy city like London that receives visitors from across the globe.
How to stay connected?
Staying connected with your loved ones is always recommended and banking your home operators’ international roaming service may not be a very good idea. Simply walk to a phone store, when you arrive and get connected with a Pay-as-you-go SIM card, which connects you back instantly. An added advantage of having a local connection is that you can access travel, cuisine and transport apps in a second and make most of your trip.
What to see in London?
Being a metropolitan city, London has a wide variety of attractions to offer. Planning your trip in advance is essential so that you do not spend most of your time travelling up and down the Underground Tube or in the Black Taxis. An added benefit of planning your trip is that you can order your London Pass or Oyster Cards etc. in advance. These cards come preloaded with some great discounts for attractions and transport modes in the city. So, not only do you save money when you travel, you are also saving time is getting your hands onto something so valuable when you reach there.
Street Art
If you are looking to do something different on your trip, we would definitely recommend the street art scene in the city. Though a busy city, London has lots to offer in terms of street art. You can explore them on your own or simply take a guided tour organized by travel operators. There are certain areas such as Shoreditch that are popular for this art and even Google Maps can help you find popular street art locations near you and how to get there. And if all this inspires you, just grab some graffiti supplies on your way out.
What to expect in London?
Reading up a little bit on the local culture is always useful. Using magic words like ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’ can work wonders in London and standing on the left of the escalator can get you frowns and stares. Cities have their own etiquettes, own slang and what is considered as normal. Reading up a little bit on these lines, will help you understand the city better and also not disturb the peace of the residents there.
How to travel across London?
Travelling in a big city like London can be a hassle. The city is well connected with its underground rail network, extensive bus network, black taxis and the new age taxi services like Uber. However, with maintenance works on rail networks on the weekend, reduced services of buses or bank holiday Monday can really one stranded in the middle of nowhere. This is why, it is better to well check before travelling and keep service numbers of taxis on speed dial.
The City of London has a lot of attractions from museums to annual events, nightlife to sports activities for all its visitors. With a little bit of preparation, you can enjoy a memorable trip to London.
