London

Getting There

The first point to note for American visitors is that there is a new requirement for Americans to register for a visa in advance of traveling to the UK. This can be done quite easily, lasts 2 years, and costs approx. $10 but must be done in advance.

Heathrow Airport

Located west of London, Heathrow is London’s largest airport. Nearly all intercontinental flights will pass through Heathrow airport, with a small number going to Gatwick. That being said, there are a lot of flights within Europe that arrive and depart from Heathrow as well.

• Option 1a: Tube – Piccadilly line stops at all terminals and goes into Central London where passengers can switch to other Tube lines if the Piccadilly does not take them to their destination. It is the cheapest option and takes about an hour to get into Central London.
• Option 1b: Tube – Elizabeth line stops at all terminals and goes into Central London. It runes every 15 – 20 minutes, and arrives at Paddington in about 30 minutes. There are stops along the way before Paddington, and into continues onward east past Paddington. You may need to switch trains at Paddington or an onward station (i.e. Bond Street or Tottenham Court Road).
• Option 2: Heathrow express – train from the airport to Paddington (about £25). The ride is about 15 minutes on a high speed train with wifi. If Paddington is not your final destination in London, switch to the tube to access other areas in the city.
• Option 3: Car or Taxi – this is not necessarily faster than options 1 and 2 as there is quite a bit of traffic that you will hit in the city. This is definitely the most costly option as well, and likely takes an hour at minimum.

Gatwick Airport

Found south of London, there are direct trains to Gatwick airport every 10-15 min from the main stations including London Bridge, Victoria, City Thameslink, Blackfriars, Farringdon and St Pancras. They range from 30-60 min depending on the station you get on at and train you select. The journey costs about $15. My preferred route is the Gatwick Express from London Victoria station to Gatwick airport which takes about 30-40 minutes.

Gatwick accepts some intercontinental flights, and is another London hub with a lot of flights to and from destinations in Europe. As some budget airlines fly from here, there are often flights to more obscure and specific airports than found at Heathrow.

London City Airport

London City airport is located on the east side of the city. It can be accessed by the DLR train lines fairly easily or you can opt to take a cab into the city. This would be more suitable if you are staying on the East side of London, otherwise you will sit in a lot of traffic driving across London.

This is commonly used by business travelers due to its close proximity to the City. The flights are mainly to other European hubs such as Amsterdam, Zurich, Frankfurt, and Geneva.

Luton Airport

Luton airport is north of London in the town of Luton. There are direct trains from the main stations in London (London Bridge, Blackfriars, City Thameslink, Farringdon, and St Pancras) that go to Luton airport. There is a fast train to Luton Airport Parkway, taking 30-50 minutes depending on where you get on or a slower train that takes closer to 75 minutes. From the station, there is now a train connecting the airport to Luton Airport Parkway station, making it especially easy to travel to London from Luton Airport.

This airport feels like it is older and has a lot of budget airlines like Easyjet and Wizzair flying in and out.

Stansted Airport

Stansted is found northeast of London and can be accessed via bus or train from Central London. There are trains from Liverpool Street station, but buses tend to be more frequently used by travelers.

Stansted also is known to have a lot of budget airline flights, specifically a London base for RyanAir.

Getting Around

Tube

The Tube is London’s metro system. It can get you close to just about anywhere in the city. Switches may be required but stations are well marked and one can easily switch from one line to another.

Traveling on the tube has never been easier, as it now accepts apple pay and contactless cards to tap in and tap out of stations for riders. For those who still prefer a physical ticket, you can purchase a single ride ticket from a machine at any of the stations. Alternatively, you can purchase an oyster card and put money on the card for numerous rides. It is easy to add money onto it, but only recommended for those who do not have or like using contactless or apple pay.

Make sure to keep your card handy as you need it to get into the station, but also to get out of the station after you arrive at your destination (tap in / tap out). Prices vary based on distance traveled (specifically how many zones you travel through) which is why it’s required to tap in and tap out.

Buses

The red double decker buses (not the ones designated for tours) and single level buses operate in the same way as the tube meaning you can use the Oyster Card, tap in with Apple Pay, or tap in with a contactless card. The main difference with the bus is it is a flat fare and thus, you do NOT need to tap out when getting off the bus.

Bikes

If you like to get around on a bike, London has these all over the city. From Boris Bikes to Lime Bikes to numerous other companies, there’s single use bicycles you can use to help navigate your way around the city.

Walking

As London is a very large city, I would not dare to say its fully walkable. That being said, for those who enjoy being on their feet and exploring this way, it’s very possible to do a lot of walking while also using some of the other modes of transit noted above.

Black Cab / Uber

For when all else fails, there are ubers and taxis / black cabs all around the city. This can be especially helpful for the early hours of the morning or late hours of the evening. It’s also helpful when traveling to less busy areas or where transit really is not an efficient option. That being said, it’s also important to caveat that there is a lot of traffic in central London and thus, if considering taking a car through central London, it may take longer than the public transit option.

Accommodations

London is a huge city with all different types of neighborhoods. If you are visiting for a short period of time, I recommend staying Central and walkable from a Tube station.

Areas I’d recommend staying:

Central London:

• Covent garden is about as central as it gets. With this location comes high prices and busy areas. From here it will be a short journey to most of the main tourist hot spots.
  • Convenient Tube stops to look around: Covent Garden, Goodge Street
• Marylebone is my favorite place in central London to spend time in and to recommend for visitors. It’s a nice neighborhood in the center for the city meaning it has the perks of being central, but offers cute coffee shops, boutique stores, lots of restaurants, and is less touristy than the more central Covent Garden
  • Convenient Tube stops to look around: Bond Street, Marylebone, Baker Street
• Fitzrovia: An alternative to Covent Garden and Marylebone, that provides the perks on central location, but likely comes at a slightly lower cost and less busy area would be Fitzrovia.
  • Convenient Tube stops to look around: Oxford Circus, Regents Park
• Mayfair: If money is no object, well then Mayfair is the place to stay. This is one of the nicest neighborhoods in London, if not the nicest. It has high-end luxury shops and hotels, and is based in the center.

Northwest Central London:

• Notting Hill is a tourist and local favorite with the colorful flats dotted throughout the neighborhood. It’s a great area to walk around and an easy tube ride (20 mins) to reach the center of the city.
  • Convenient Tube stops to look around: Notting Hill Gate, Bayswater, Queensway

Southwest Central London:

• South Kensington and Kensington are common areas for visitors to stay as they are very nice while still being accessible to the city center. Similar to Notting Hill and Marylebone, it offers a variety of cafes in the area to enjoy a morning stroll, and is also close to Hyde Park. It also is about a 20 minute tube ride to the city center.
  • Convenient Tube stops to look around: South Kensington, Gloucester Road, High Street Kensington
• Chelsea: more expensive and less accessible into the city, it’s a lovely area to be based. However, as the transit connections are not as good here and therefore require more time to reach central London destinations, it’s not usually a recommended area to stay for first time visitors.

Northeast Central London

• Aside from Islington, this area is not where I’d recommend new visitors to London stay. While Islington is nice, some of the other neighborhoods around it are not as enjoyable to stroll through on a walk. This area is a better place to go out for dinner or drink, but not to stay

Southeast Central London

• Around London Bridge is another area to consider staying for accessibility to some commonly visited London spots. Tower Bridge, Borough Market, and the South bank walking path are all easily accessible from this area. However, make sure to stay quite close to the recommended stops below as the vibe does change quickly neighborhood to neighborhood in South London
  • Convenient Tube stops to look around: London Bridge, Waterloo (OK for transit options) but comes with a city transit feel

Specific Hotels to consider:

Hotel Xenia

Area: KENSINGTON / EARL’S COURT

Marriott property, part of the autograph collection, located in Kensington. The hotel is located 10 minutes from Earl’s Court and Gloucester Square tube stations. It is quite easy to get here from Heathrow airport. The hotel is cute and simple for a nice stay in London. The area is also very nice and a lovely place to stay. One aspect to note is that the rooms are very small.

The Dixon Tower Bridge

Area: LONDON BRIDGE

Marriott property, also part of the autograph collection. The hotel is located minutes from the Tower Bridge and an easy walk to the London Bridge tube station. This hotel has larger rooms and a fitness room. The hotel is very nice and somewhere I would easily stay again. It is very easy to get here from Gatwick airport or London City airport.

JW Marriott Grosvenor Square

Area: MAYFAIR

Marriott property and luxury hotel located in Mayfair. This hotel is incredibly nice, and not inexpensive. Being in Mayfair, the location is great as the area is nice to walk around. The Marriott lounge and the fitness center here are both great additions to this property.

London Marriott Marble Arch

Area: MARYLEBONE

Marriott property found right near the Marble Arch tube stop, just a few minutes from Oxford street. It’s tucked away off the main streets, and has easy access to the nice neighborhood of Marylebone. This is a good option for good central location.

Hilton London Hyde Park

Area: NOTTING HILL / BAYSWATER

Located right across from Hyde Park and next to the Queensway station, this is a good option for those looking to stay closer to Notting Hill with accessibility to the center of the city easily.

Residence Inn London Tower Bridge

Area: LONDON BRIDGE

This hotel is meant for longer staying guests as it includes amenities like washer and dryer in the basement and rooms have a mini kitchenette. Rooms also have pull out couches for guests when desired. This location is likely the most affordable of those noted here and is also in a nice location. It is easily accessible from Gatwick with its proximity to London Bridge station. Being on Bermondsey street means there are plenty of cafes, restaurants and bars within walking distance.

Great Northern Hotel

Area: KINGS CROSS

Another Marriott property, this hotel is located right next to King’s Cross and St. Pancras International train station. This hotel is more like one you stop in and stay one night for rather than multiple nights. The hotel is simple, but feels old. This hotel will be one of the cheaper options provided as well. If traveling to other areas in England, the proximity to the train station is not to be overlooked.

Sea Containers Hotel

Area: SOUTH BANK

Sitting on the south bank riverside near the Blackfriars bridge, this is a hotel that comes with a big price tag. The location keeps it very central and the hotel is high end.

Artist Residence

Area: VICTORIA / PIMLICO

This boutique hotel is nestled away in the neighborhood of Pimlico. On the map, this area is notable as very central, but should also be noted this is a highly residential area. It means it will be quiet in the evenings, and you will use the tube to travel to many places throughout the city. Fortunately, it’s not far from the Victoria station. This is a cute and quaint hotel in London, and one I personally would stay at if visiting.

Above includes my recommended areas to stay and some hotels I can attest to. That being said, many of you may be interested in learning a bit more about other neighborhoods, especially those who’ve visited London before. See below for some information about different neighborhoods in London.

CENTRAL:

Westminster 

Central London borough with some of the key tourist attractions including Big Ben, Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, St. James Park, and Trafalgar Square.

Victoria

Exclusive community located in Central London. Despite its extremely central location, it’s largely residential

Covent Garden

This neighborhood is part of London’s greater West End area. Neil’s Yard, Covent Garden Market, and the Royal Opera House are all in this area.

Soho

A lively area in Central London, part of London’s greater West End area known to be the entertainment area and theater district. Soho has exotic nightlife and extensive shopping including Regent street, Oxford street, Liberty department store, and Carnaby street. Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus are both located in Soho along with Kingly Court in Carnaby.

Mayfair

Upscale area in West London with many expensive shops, gourmet restaurants, and elegant housing. It is known to be one of the most expensive areas in London and provides exclusive shopping and luxury stores. Grovesnor Square, Bond Street and Burlington Arcade are all here.

Marylebone

Another classy area located near Mayfair with a less snobby stereotype. The area has luxury shopping and nice streets to wander through.

CENTRAL NORTHWEST:

Notting Hill

Neighborhood in West London known for its colorful houses throughout the area. Notting Hill is full of cute cafes and trendy restaurants. The high-end area has many nice restaurants and boutique stores. Notable attractions in the area include Portobello Market, Churchill Arms, and Westbourne Grove.

Kensington

Affluent area in West London with unique architecture. Nice area to stay in or stroll through. Harrods, Kensington Gardens, Kensington Palace and Hyde Park are a few key sites in the area.

CENTRAL SOUTHWEST:

Chelsea

Nice area in South West London, located just north of the Thames. Chelsea is a quaint and beautiful area with boutique shops, colorful apartments, and nice restaurants. Sloane Square, King’s Road, and Battersea Park are all found in Chelsea.

South Kensington

Located on the Southern side of Hyde Park, this area is known for its white architecture. It’s a very nice neighborhood with many local coffee shops, small restaurants and local spots to enjoy.

Knightsbridge

Upscale retail and residential district in London

CENTRAL SOUTH:

Southwark

Located just South of the river on the East side of London, Southwark is one of the oldest boroughs in London. Borough Market, Maltby Street Market, The Shard, Tower Bridge, Bermondsey street, and Bermondsey street beer mile are a few key attractions in the area.

South Bank

The South Bank is an area just South of the river. The London Eye, Tate Modern, Millennium Bridge, Shakespeare’s Globe, and the path along the south side of the Thames are key to this area.

CENTRAL EAST:

The City

This is largely the financial district within downtown London. The nightlife is fairly scarce here as people go into the area for work and leave at night. A few top visited sites include Tower of London, the Sky Garden, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and the Monument. Tower Bridge stretches between The City and Southwark.

Shoreditch

This is an artsier area found in East London. It is known for a younger nightlife scene with many bars and clubs.

CENTRAL NORTH

Camden Town

Camden is definitely different than many other neighborhoods in London. It is located North and has an edgier and eclectic vibe. The area has numerous markets, shops, pubs, and areas with live music. Camden Market, Regent’s Canal, Regent’s Park, and Primrose Hill are all within the area.

Kings Cross

Area in North London with one of the city’s main train stations. Nearly all tube lines run through King’s Cross and right across the way is St. Pancras International, another large train station.

Venturing out of Central:

NORTH:

Hampstead

Quaint and affluent residential area in North London, known for Hampstead Heath (park). The neighborhood is a bit hilly compared to other areas of London, which is a nice change.

Belsize Park

Hampstead’s neighbor, another local neighborhood with niceties dotted throughout the neighborhood but very much has a local feel.

WEST:

Holland Park

Named for the park it sits near, this is another very nice neighborhood. It’s just a stop past Notting Hill, but starts to get very residential and quieter here, this is a lovely spot to wander through if visiting the park or taking a big London walk.

SOUTHWEST:

Fulham

Located just north of the river, this area is another more residential area. Offering some great pubs and local cafes, it’s a spot you’ll likely venture into if visiting a local in the area.

Putney

Jumping across the river from Fulham, Putney sits on the South side of the river. Benefitting from a riverside location, and inching closer to Richmond Park, this area tends to be home to those who still want the city life, but who also enjoy the big parks and getting out of London to the Surrey Hills.

Richmond

The final spot to note in SW London is Richmond. Known to be the end of the District line, the area of Richmond is a lovely area with the perks of still having the city at reach by the tube, but then having the option to avoid the hustle and bustle of the city center. There’s a really nice downtown area, and it sits along the canal. Not to mention, it’s home to Richmond Park, the park in London known to cyclists and for having deer all throughout the park.

SOUTH:

Clapham

A very residential area, home to many young professionals, Clapham has a nice big park known as Clapham Common while also offering an array of nightlife options, restaurants, cafes and more.

Brixton

Edgier and more out there than Clapham, Brixton is an area with a lot of life to it. With breweries, markets, and gig halls, it has a livelier feel to it that comes with living in a city rather than a residential feel

EAST:

Hackney

Borough in East London with more focus on art and its edgier vibe, the area has a bit of quirkiness to it.

Greenwich 

Far South East Borough in London well known for Royal heritage and a view of London along with the Prime Meridian line.

Duration

The main sights of London can be seen with 3 days. That being said, it’s also a destination where there’s always more to do. Depending on your interests, and additional plans, it’s a place someone could also easily spend a full week when considering day-trips outside of London, museums and exhibits to visit, restaurants to enjoy, and maybe even a getaway outside of London for a few nights. As a London resident, there’s a lot more information on this website about London and how to take advantage of whatever amount of time you decide to spend in this wonderful city.

Weather

Now there’s no doubt that the UK is not known for it’s good weather. For many, when visiting London, they’re surprised the weather is better than expected. However, be prepared and pack a rain jacket and / or umbrella. If it rains, it’s unlikely to last the entire day or duration of your visit. Usually London experiences light rain, and rarely experiences very big, long-lasting storms. Thunder and lightning are rare! The temperatures tend to be quite mild. Although the summer months can see some heat waves, it does not usually last long. In the cooler months, it’s rare to stay below freezing for more than a few days, and if it does drop below freezing, it stays right around this temperature.

Time of year

As one does not travel to London for good weather, it is a city which can be enjoyed any time of the year. In the winter months, when the weather is not as kind, there are plenty of museums and indoor options to explore. That being said, my preference would be to visit in or around the summer months. In spring and the lead up to summer, the flowers in the parks start to bloom and the locals are out and about enjoying any sunshine and nicer weather that London has. The summer months has all of London strolling through the parks, grabbing drinks at outdoor pub gardens, and exercising outdoors. As the leaves begin to change in the autumn, London’s parks are a beautiful place to walk around.

Holidays in London

The city gets decorated around Christmas time, all throughout the city and for this reason, the festive time is a great time to explore London. If visiting around the holidays, check out the list below for some ideas on where to take-in the holiday cheer:

• Regent Street and Oxford Street are lined with a continuous beautiful display of lights
• Covent Garden puts up a large tree outside
• Kew Gardens puts on its annual light walk and show where visitors can book tickets to walk through the gardens in the evening and see all the light decorations the gardens have put up
• Hay’s Galleria and Camden Market also have Christmas trees up for the holiday season
• Winter Wonderland is a giant fair assembled in Hyde Park with festive activities.
• Some restaurants get especially festive. A few to note from previous years include 34 Mayfair and Daphne’s.
• Christmas Markets are scattered throughout the city as well with a few to note: Christmas market at South Bank near the London Eye, in Leicestar Square, Christmas along the river starting at the Tower Bridge and running past Hay’s Galleria, and some markets out in Kingston
• Churchill Arms pub has quite an extravagant set of decorations
• Fortnum & Mason often puts up a large advent calendar among its windows
• Luxury shops on Bond street get into the spirit with big displays on the likes of LV, Cartier, Tiffanys, among others

Language

English is spoken in the UK. Funny enough, there are a lot of different accents despite the small size of the country.

Currency

In the UK, British Pound is the currency used. Fortunately, cash is never needed when visiting so one can depend on using cards for payment

British Food

Another thing the Brits are not necessarily well-known for is their food. Some well-known British foods to try on your visit include:

• Fish & Chips: any pub will serve this! Note, chips are what Americans would call thick fries / steak fries
• Sunday Roast: a traditional meal served at pubs on Sundays. It usually includes a cooked meat (often a sirloin, chicken, or turkey), slow roasted vegetables and potatoes, and a yorkshire pudding (also known as a pop over). There are of course other options, but this is the standard roast. It’s a great tradition so do not miss trying a Sunday roast!
• English Breakfast: typical brunch option including some variety of these foods served each on their own eggs, vegetables, sausages, beans, and more
• English Breakfast Tea: Black tea, which Brits often add milk into
• Sticky Toffee Pudding: delicious dessert made from dates that’s a must try!
• Pies: pastry stuffed with meat or vegetable into small pies

Tips from a local Londoner

• Great to visit some of the markets in London. Borough market is a famous one near tower bridge (best not to go on Saturday when it’s really busy – or go early in the day). Maltby market is also nearby tucked away on a small street (open Friday / Saturday / Sunday). 
• Camden market is another cool one with tons of food stalls and shops – the area around it isn’t my favorite except walking along the canal to primrose hill is nice. There’s a nice little view of London from Primrose Hill and then the street called Regents Park road next to Primrose Hill has some cute cafes, spots for brunch, and pubs 
• There’s pubs on every corner so you have to grab a pint somewhere, hopefully you’ll have nice weather and can enjoy some in a nice beer garden
• The Sky Garden is a cool view of tower bridge and of the Shard. FREE but you need to book and bookings open up 3 weeks in advance so check this out if interested
• Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and the London Eye are all minutes from each other so great to walk between. Buckingham palace also isn’t far so can easily walk between these all to check off some of your main tourist stops! Walking along the south side of the Thames (river) under the London eye can be nice. You can walk about a mile from the London Eye to Borough Market and grab a snack there and continue onto see Tower Bridge 
• Hyde Park and Regents Park are a personal favorite just for a walk with a coffee
• Spend a morning in Notting Hill, walk down Portobello Road (the book shop from Notting Hill the film is on this road too). Lots of nice cafes or spots for brunch here and the area is known for lots of colorful flats. From Notting Hill consider walking slightly south to the Churchill Arms which is a pub that’s always covered in beautiful flowers 
• If you want another nice area to explore outside of the touristy area of central London, Chelsea is very nice. Sloane Square and Kings Road are the focal point of Chelsea for a point of reference. I also love Pavilion Road 
• Carnaby is a lively area with lots of restaurants, pubs and pedestrian only roads; close to Piccadilly Circus as well as the famous streets: Regent Street (this one is pretty) and Oxford Circus (big shopping street but I avoid it because it’s so busy) 
• Covent Garden is about as central as you can get in London. There’s a market at the center of this area and another area with lots of pubs, shops, cafes, and restaurants 
• Lots of West end shows if you want to check out one for an evening (typically much more affordable than in the US I’ve found) 
• If you feel like something different, there’s an area near Tower Bridge that’s referred to as the Bermondsey Beer mile where there’s about 15-20 breweries that are under the train tracks. They’re walking distance (all within about a mile stretch) and can hop between them for a drink. The Barrel Project is one I like. Also near Maltby Market if want to grab a bite and then a drink