In cities like London, there is so, so much to see and so little time to do it – especially since many travellers spend only a few days there.
Along with the must-sees like Buckingham Palace and St Paul’s Cathedral, the little bits and pieces that might not sit right at the top of your to-do list give you a feel for the character of London – make you fall in love with it.
It is possible to combine the biggest and best of London with a few bits and pieces that will help you get a real taste of what the city is all about, and we’re here to help make sure you can fit it all in by maximising each and every minute.
- Research!
There are some places where it is perfectly acceptable to arrive with no firm idea of what you would like to do, where you can simply ask the receptionist to point out some must-sees and go from there. Working in a London hostel, I witnessed many times that our receptionists were left rather lost by this question as there is simply too much to see and do for someone who doesn’t know you to be able to offer direction.
Before you arrive, take some time to have a look at the different attractions London has to offer and decide which matter the most to you – do you want to soak up the city’s bloody history at the Tower of London, or is it more important to snap a pic crossing Abbey Road? Are you interested in the many free museums and galleries, or would you prefer to browse local markets and shop in Carnaby Street?
- Visit different boroughs
London is comprised of many areas so different from one another they may as well be separate cities – as they once were. You are probably familiar with the pastel-coloured terrace houses in quirky Notting Hill, which are within walking distance of Kate and William’s home in South Kensington – where you will find much grander streets lined by stately whitewashed houses along with cute cafes and high street shops.
Heading north of Oxford Street and Piccadilly Circus you will pass through the leafy Bloomsbury neighbourhood, full of coffee shops and quiet garden squares, before hitting the grimy neighbourhood of Camden, home to markets, food and more tattoo shops than one person could ever need. To the east is Shoreditch, where some of London’s best nightlife awaits along with a wide range of international restaurants.
Visiting just a few of these areas – or any of the numerous others we haven’t mentioned – will show you just how diverse this city is.
- Eat wisely
The worst thing you can do is stumble into the first restaurant you see. Just like its people, London’s cuisine varies greatly. You could eat out every night for a year and not visit the same place twice.
Go to Brick Lane where you can enjoy curry at one of the many Indian restaurants that make the neighbourhood so famous, before taking the spooky Jack the Ripper tour. Eat a pizza at Franco Manca, where the menu that changes daily is so good even real Italians approve.
Make sure you stop in a pub for some fish and chips – your visit would hardly be complete without a pint and some pub grub.
- Buy tickets to at least one show
If theatre or musicals aren’t your thing then buy the cheapest ticket you can find and open up to the experience anyway. West End is home to a range of shows so vast there must be something that appeals, and having so much choice at your fingertips – and knowing when the show is over you could see a different one the next night, and the next, is one of the best parts about London.
For a truly unique London experience, buy a £5 standing ticket for a show at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. These spots offer the best view of the stage and if you have never seen Shakespeare performed live before you are in for a treat, plus the standing ticket allows you to experience what it was like back in William’s day.
- Make a plan of attack
In the expansive city of London, it only makes sense to hit attractions, restaurants, museums and neighbourhoods within walking distance of one another rather than darting about to whatever suits in that moment.
If you know you want to visit the Tower of London, plan to eat lunch at the Borough Market – one of the oldest and largest in the city, then walk along the River Thames back toward the Tate Modern. If you want to explore Notting Hill, hit Jamie Oliver’s Recipease for brunch then wander through Kensington Gardens all the way down to the Museum of Natural History.
Courtney Gahan is a serial expat, traveller and freelance writer who has bartered with Moroccan marketeers, seen the sun rise at Angkor Wat and elbowed her way through crowds on NYE in NYC
