Essentials for your trip to London

by Katie Sykes
(Brighton)

If you are visiting London for the first time, you will want to make sure that you have everything prepared before you head off to this large and bustling capital city. If you are taking a day trip and visiting a lot of tourist attractions, or even better spending a weekend away in London, then there is plenty you can to do prepare to ensure your time is enjoyable.

1. Plan your transport
Think about how you will get around London. There are several options: walking, the tube, taxis or buses. It isn’t really possible to cycle easily around London’s roads as they are so busy. Walking around London can take a long time, as the river Thames separates the North and South and can only be crossed by using one of the famous bridges across the water, unless you want to take a ferry ride in which case you can catch one every 10 minutes or so from various locations.

If you are planning to take the tube, you’ll need to get a tube map to navigate around the underground railway system. These can be picked up from any train station near London, but also printed from the internet for international visitors. Tube stations are well spread across the city and easily identifiable with their clear signage.

2. Think about your navigation skills
If you are planning to buy a tourist map, make sure you familiarise yourself with it before you travel. Londoners move quickly and keep themselves to themselves, and don’t often take kindly to people standing in the middle of the street with a huge map. It will make you look vulnerable too. If you have a smart phone, there are some great apps that can be downloaded to give you an interactive street map and will look much more subtle than a paper map, as well as being a lot easier to use.

3. Buy tickets in advance
Not only can you purchase train tickets on-line to receive sizeable discounts, but using daily deals sites like Kelkoo Deals it is also possible to buy vouchers ahead of time for London attractions and restaurants. Some attractions will let you straight in without queuing if you have already have tickets, as will restaurants if you have previously booked, saving your more time to explore the city.

4. Visit the theater If you’re staying in London for the evening, a trip to the West-End is highly recommended. Also known as ‘Theatre-Land’ there are many different shows to see most starring celebrities and with fantastic stage production. You can even treat yourself to some of the popular musicals like Les Miserables with cheap theater deals if you buy ahead on-line. A couple of hours at one of these magical shows can leave you with an exciting and lasting memory of your trip to London.


Photo provided by TJ Morris - Flickr