Planning your trip to London

London throughout the year receives foreign tourists coming either on vacation or business. If you are on a business trip your concern is more on attending meetings, giving presentations, completing your job in time, and having a smooth and safe journey. For a vacation trip the concerns are many and hence involve extensive planning. Travelling options, visa requirements, accommodation, communication, health issues, tourist guidelines, and safety are areas that need to be sorted out thoroughly before beginning a London visit.

Why should you go to London?

London is a historic city with plenty of diversity, excitement, activities and attractions. Though this great city could be visited any time of the year, summer is the best time as the outdoors is green and enjoyable and your activities could be significantly more. The attractions of this city are too many to resist. From historic buildings like Westminster Abbey or the Houses of Parliament to the modern Shard, London is full of diverse architectural creations. Museums in London are another reason for visiting this city. British Museum, Science Museum, Natural History Museum, National Maritime Museum, Imperial War Museum are among the more renowned attractions of this city. The River Thames with its Tower Bridge is another reason for visiting this city. London Eye, a giant Ferris wheel draws huge number of crowds every day.

London offers activities that are inspiring and exciting. A show at the London Theatre followed by a dinner cruise down the Thames is an ethereal experience. London greets millions of sports lovers every day. Lords, among the greatest cricketing venues is located in London. Wembley, an iconic football stadium is a proud possession of this city. Every year Wimbledon witnesses matches of top-seeded players.

Parks and playgrounds in this city are well maintained and offer myriad number of activities for every member of a family. Hyde Park, Hampstead Heath, Richmond Park, and Kew are some of the renowned and extensively foliated open spaces in London. This capital city is a shopper’s paradise. There are many overseas visitors who travel to London only for shopping. Oxford Street, Portobello Road, and Harrods offer unmatched shopping experience.

The hospitality of London with abundant accommodation options for every budget, and innumerable restaurants is just great. Not only do you get authentic English cuisine but genuine recipes from all over the world.     

Getting to London

London has several options of reaching. When you plan a trip to London, your going and coming needs to be decided.  Except for neighbouring countries, flights are the best option of reaching this place. London could be reached by buses, trains and even boats from neighbouring countries such as France, Belgium, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Northern Ireland. A thorough planning is necessary as availability of tickets is vital for any vacation.

Staying in London

London is one city where you could choose among luxury resorts, economy hotels, guest houses, and bed & breakfast for staying. City Hotels London has their website through which bookings could be made online. Hotel booking portals are also there for online booking of guest rooms. Online booking even entitles you to fabulous discounts and other offers. Depending upon your preference and budget you could complete your booking online. For vacations, it is advisable to stay in guest houses as they are much cheaper as compared to hotels. An early booking is desirable for getting early bird benefits, and also avoid last minute disappointments.

Using transport in London

London has one of the best transport networks consisting of surface and metro train, public bus, and cabs. Within the city you might buy composite cards to commute as this allows commuting in metro, bus, tram and boat. These cards stay valid for 24 hours, 1-week, 2-weeks and 1-month. A London Pass is meant for 1 person and is non-transferable. This is particularly beneficial for tourists.  

Personal safety

Personal safety or safety during travel is always a concern for tourists. Before going out it is always advisable to plan your route of commuting. If using cabs, then care must be taken that they are registered. In London vehicles follow ‘keep to the left’ rule. While travelling, especially when walking, headphones should be avoided as they reduce awareness and increase the chances of an accident. At night, dark roads should be avoided.

At a bar or restaurant it is advisable that moneybags and purses be kept out of sight, preferably under the table. Many restaurants have clips under the table for securing handbags, briefcases or other belongings. In case you are enjoying Montcalm afternoon tea, check with your friends whether they have safely reached their destination or not. Accepting of food or drinks form strangers is absolutely forbidden.

While making payments, be careful of covering the keypad so that keying in stays out of sight of others standing close by. Bags and purses should be kept close to the body so that it becomes difficult to snatch.  Mobile phones, cameras, and other handy gadgets should be kept away from sight, preferable inside bags or pockets when not in use. Whenever in emergency, promptly call 999, 112, or 101.

How to not look like a tourist while in London

Tourists are always a vulnerable segment of population. They are an easy target for pickpockets, snatchers, and hoodlums.  It is always wise to follow the saying ‘while in Rome, be like a Roman’. In London people are polite, and usually wish ‘good morning’, ‘afternoon’, or ‘evening’. It is better to make this a habit and greet with a more casual ‘morning’ than ‘good morning’. Saying a ‘hello’ would be appropriate, especially with younger people. Londoners always speak softly and their voices could hardly be heard from a distance. At a public place like shop, restaurant, or a taxi, always speak in a low tone. While introducing yourself it is better to accompany that with a handshake.

While travelling in a bus or train, or when you are in a crowded place avoid eye contacts. Londoners by nature are evasive. Do not carry an umbrella but wear a hat. Wearing a hat in this city is normal as the weather changes frequently. A trench coat is a better option than an umbrella.