London England Travel Guide

London is a popular tourist destination and also my home city. It’s not known for being budget-friendly, but there is always a way if you plan and research. So in this blog post, I have decided to create a London England travel guide.

Location: United Kingdom, North-West Europe
Official Language: English
Closest Airports: Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted
Currency: British Pound (GBP)
Weather: Rain…rain…rain… and 3 weeks of sun.
Famous Food: Fish & chips, English Breakfast

Travel Tips

1. I would advise booking attractions in advance wherever possible. London is a very crowded city and the queues for tourist hotspots can be long. The same goes for some popular restaurants, which require you to book a table online beforehand.

2. Are you landing at Heathrow Airport? I would advise skipping the Heathrow Express train service if you are on a budget. London Underground also runs from this airport and will cost a lot less. Heathrow Express tickets average at around £25 for a single journey, whereas taking the underground will cost you less than £5. I wouldn’t advise taking a taxi to leave from this airport either, as a £5 charge will be added on top of your journey cost. This charge was introduced by the government last year and applies to any car dropping off passengers at the airport.

3. The weather is unpredictable, and temperatures can fluctuate a lot within the space of 24 hours. I would recommend having an umbrella, sunglasses, and a scarf with you for this trip. I would also advise comfortable walking shoes that are “waterproof” as the rain can be heavy sometimes.

4. Download the Citymapper app. This will show you possible routes, journey times, and prices. You cannot buy tickets on the bus. I have seen tourists try to do this numerous times in central London. You can either pay with a contactless bank card, Google/Apple Pay, or an Oyster card.

5. Always stand on the right side of the escalator…especially in train stations. London is a very busy city and we tend to walk fast. The left side of the escalator is for people who want to walk up/down quicker.

Cheap Attractions

As a tourist, there are actually plenty of things you can do on a budget. No London England travel guide could be complete without some money saving activity ideas. I thought it would be a good idea to compile a list of cheap attractions in London.

1. The British Museum– free.

2. Sky Garden– this is free but you will need to book a few weeks in advance. If there are no spots left, then go to the Garden at 120 (you don‘t need to book this one)

3. Victoria and Albert Museum– free.

4. Shakespeare Globe Theatre– you can sometimes get “yard” tickets for £5 if you are willing to stand.

5. Richmond Park– free and famous for its deers!

6. IFS Cloud Cable Car– £10 return ticket.

7. The changing of the guard– free and lasts for 45 minutes.

8. Oxford Street– This is a famous shopping street. It can be budget friendly if you shop in Primark or TKMaxx 😉.

9. Tate Modern– free art gallery.

10. Camden Market– Full of everything. Food, clothes, and arts/crafts.

Places to Eat

London is a very multicultural city, so as a result, you can find cuisine from all over the world. Visit Brick Lane for Indian food, Brixton for Caribbean and South American food, Chinatown for East Asian food, or Wood Green for Turkish food. If you want to eat traditional English food in London, I would recommend going to a pub. Many pubs serve a traditional “Sunday roast” on a Sunday afternoon. The best fish and chips tend to come from chippies (chip shops), where they cook it in front of you and many of these are usually takeaway only.

1. Borough Market– popular food market with cuisine from all over the world.

2. Seven Dials Food Market.

3. Mercato Mayfair– a food market in an old church.

4. Naked Soho– erotic-themed restaurant.

5. Mildred’s– vegan restaurant chain.

6. Bill’s– British restaurant chain.

7. West Cornwall Pie Co– traditional English pie stands in multiple locations.

8. Abeno- Japanese restaurant where most food is cooked at your table in front of you. You will need to book by phone and pay a £10 deposit online.

9. 50 Kalò- this has been labelled as the best pizzeria in London among Italians. You will need to book online.

10. Patisserie Valerie– bakery cafe where you can also find traditional English cream tea with scones.

Easy Day Trips

Train travel in England is quite expensive compared to many other European countries. So I would recommend booking in advance wherever possible because you can sometimes find cheaper deals. I use The Trainline website because this will show you the cheapest provider and allow you to compare options. Megabus & National Express buses are other options which are usually cheaper than using the train.

If you are lucky to be in London during our 3 weeks of sun, then you might want to visit one of our seaside towns. Brighton, Margate, Ramsgate, Bournemouth, Southend, and Whitstable are all a train ride away from London.

1. Dover– a coastal town famous for its white cliffs.

2. Bath– UNESCO protected city famous for its Roman spa/baths.

3. Oxford– is famous for its university and medieval architecture.

4. St Albans– historic city. Famous for its cathedral, and the birthplace of hot cross buns.

5. Hastings– historic seaside town.

6. Canterbury– a city with medieval architecture.

7. The Cotswolds– green hills and golden-coloured houses in a collection of villages.

8. Cambridge– is famous for its university colleges and punting on the river.

9. Windsor– famous for its castle and Legoland.

10. Rye– is known for its cobblestone streets and oast-style houses.

Thank you for reading my London England Travel guide. If your travels in Britain take you further than England…then you may want to read about my trip to Edinburgh, Scotland.

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