38 Essential London Travel Tips

Planning a trip to one of the world’s most famous cities? After multiple visits, I’ve put together all my top London travel tips to make things as smooth as possible for you!

I very distinctly remember the first time I ever visited London, I fully thought I’d move there some day. I had a long break and wound up staying with friends of friends at Royal Holloway University, and we spent one, all-too-short day visiting England’s capital. We did about as much as you can on a budget and in a bigger group on a damp October day, and I just remember being smitten.

After that day, it would be another decade before I visited again! This time I’ve been around three times over the last two years to see my friend, Caitlin, and to watch her cat. All in all, I’d say over my visits, I’ve had a good 2-3 months total really getting to know the city.

Even with all that time, London is massive, so I am by no means an expert nor have I visited everything on my list. I do think I could give a few decent London travel tips, though. If you’re just starting to plan, consider this below guide your one stop shop to figuring everything out. Enjoy!

38 ESSENTIAL London Travel Tips

When Booking Your Trip

1. The best time to visit London is…

Shoulder season. London weather is kind of all over the place with rain and blue skies, so don’t think visiting in summer is going guarantee sunshine. I’ve gone in January, April, May, August, September, and October.

Of those times, I’d say April/May were my favorite followed by September. Even if it’s on the grayer side, the city is still in bloom and very pretty. The temperatures tend to be mild enough that walking a mile or two is actually way nicer than getting on the tube. Not to mention, there’s a lot going on from the London Marathon to London Fashion Week to the Chelsea Flower Show. I don’t know — there’s just a fun liveliness to the city come spring!

2. Planning your itinerary

There are different ways to approach London depending on how long you have. It’s important to remember — this city is a lot more spread out than you’d think. To give an example, my friend and I went to a Sunday Roast near her place, and it was actually 30 minutes away between the bus and walking.

A Layover

Stick to one neighborhood. Wherever you choose to visit, know that it’ll take about an hour to get there and an hour to get back plus however long it’ll take to go through customs and security. (And trust me — Heathrow security on the way back in is more often a pain than efficient).

I would say for a layover, head to Paddington or Tottenham Court Road Station and check out the museums, shops, and restaurants within walking distance. Both are on the Elizabeth Line and will take you to a lot of top areas.

A Weekend

Between sightseeing, make time to visit one of London’s many outdoor markets on Saturday and reserve your spot for a Sunday roast. I’ll put together the ultimate weekend guide but just know you’ll want to make time for both of those uniquely weekend activities!!

A Week

Now you really have time to explore. My friend Elissa wrote this itinerary for me ages ago, and I’m working on updating it now that I’ve been. Your best bet is to cluster your days around different neighborhoods so you’re not wasting too much time getting everywhere. Also allot at least one day or two for a trip out of the city.

3. Choosing where to stay in London

If you look at a map of London, you’ll notice it kind of follows the Thames and is extremely long. When you choose where to stay for your first time, you’ll want to relatively central and close to a tube or bus station. Personally, I hate, hate getting to a new city and having to drag my suitcase a million miles, so I try to keep where I stay under 20 minutes from the nearest station.

Generally, here’s a look at where I’d book a hotel:

• SoHo – by Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Circus Stations, lots of shopping and restaurants in walking distance, super central to all the top spots
• Victoria Embankment Gardens – by Embankment and Charing Cross stations, on the Thames, gardens are quite pretty, central but a little quieter than the main neighborhoods
• Marlyeborne/Mayfair – Fancier area that’s central, near a lot of stops and the massive Regency Park (where all the aristocrats lived back in the day)
• Paddington Station – Right off the Elizabeth line, central, and usually a good station to travel out of the city from.

Now, if you want to stay somewhere “hip,” check out areas in East or North London. I’m not even gonna lie to you, though, I barely know anything about them and have only popped into meet friends at random bars or cafes.

4. Money Matters & Budgeting

For the sake of covering all my bases — London, like the rest of the UK, uses the British pound (GBP or £). It’s roughly 1£ = $1.30 but the rate’s fluctuated a lot and has nearly gone to 1£ = $1.

As for budgeting and money matters, I would say London is expensive but not nearly as expensive as, say, New York City. Some things I’ve noted:

• The tube is kinda pricey – While the bus has a flat fee, the tube is a scaling fee where you’ll tap in and out. I find the fees rack up, so if you can, take the bus and walk to save on transport.
• Hotels will also be pricier – Unless you stay in a hostel, expect to spend a little more on hotels especially if you stay more centrally. Again, definitely nothing like staying in downtown Manhattan but more than other major European cities I’ve visited.
• Food can be done really cheaply – I mean if you’re really trying to do things on a budget, it’s beyond easy to find cheap eats. I’ll get into food below, but even the premade meals from the grocery stores are pretty good and can be as low as like 5£.
• There is no mandatory tipping – The only time I can remember tipping is if I used something like Ubereats. Otherwise, it’s not expected to tip in places like restaurants or tours.
• A lot of places have free entrance – One of the nice things about London is that there’s a lot you can do for free. Even just walking along the Thames will put some of London’s most iconic views right in front of you, and that is a completely free activity. All the major museums are also a free entrance; you may just need reservations.

5. Staying Connected

Easiest answer — prebook an eSIM and activate it once you’re there. Easy, peasy. If you don’t book ahead, just keep an eye out for the phone stores/kiosks on your way out of the airport.

6. Safety Concerns

I find London over all to be a fairly safe city. However, that said it is still a major city, so practice normal safety precautions. Keep an eye out for pickpockets in busier areas; don’t walk alone at night down random alleys, if you feel uncomfortable exit as soon as possible, etc, etc.

7. Book as much as you can in advance

London is busy and popular places get popular in the blink an eye sometimes. Once you’ve mapped out your itinerary, book ahead as much as possible. Restaurants, tours, museum entrances… Better to secure your place than miss out. And just know… any “hidden gem” you find on Tiktok will very likely no longer be a hidden gem by your visit.

Packing for London

8. Know that air conditioning is not really a thing.

Because London is relatively cooler all year round, don’t expect most places to have air conditioner. You’ll mostly be fine. However, it means some places can feel ridiculously stuffy, specifically the tube and the buses. Just keep this in mind when you’re packing.

8. Layers are key

If there’s ever a climate to practice your ability to layer, London’s is it. As I mentioned above, places can get really stuffy, so I really recommend light layers and then wearing a jacket that’ll provide most of your warmth. I personally run very hot, so wearing a wool coat, a knit sweater, and a top underneath in the winter means sweating on the tube! Instead, I’d wear a lighter knit sweater and a wool jacket that I can easily slip on and off and throw over my arm.

In general:

• winter – wool or puffer
• spring/fall – trench, jean, or Barbour-esque jacket
• summer – jean or trench

9. Wear walking shoes

London is very spread out but it’s really lovely to walk around. I distinctly remember walking two miles instead of taking the tube because the weather and my surroundings were so pretty, I thought, “Why not?” Even in drearier weather, everywhere is so beautiful, you’ll just want to wander around! Wear walking shoes so you’re always prepared.

I personally wear Veja or white Hoka sneakers with custom insoles or Birkenstocks in the summer. I do find Madewell’s Greta flats and Rothys square Mary Janes to be pretty comfortable but I wouldn’t wear only them for a week straight because they do still have a lot less support than a sneaker.

10. Do not forget the correct plug!

Just a reminder that the UK has, quite possibly the most annoying outlets in the world. They do not use the same as the US ones nor do they use the European ones but their own kind that are like twice the size. Obviously, you can easily pick up a converter or plug if you’ve forgotten yours but it’s always just good to have in case. You don’t need anything fancy, just something like this will do the trick.

Navigating London

11. Yes, things are opposite here

In general, this isn’t something I really paid attention to as a pedestrian because you’ll likely be following a crowd and there are are arrows at every crosswalk to remind you which way to look. But, just a reminder, walking and driving are opposite of the rest of the world! (And, yes, the driver’s seat will be on the right, not the left for those planning to rent a car).

12. Take note of where you fly into and out of

One of my least favorite things about London is the baffling amount of airports. In general, if you’re flying in internationally, you’re probably flying into Heathrow. However, this is not a guarantee, and these airports are at least an hour apart, so if you make a mistake, you could be shit out of luck.

If you’re flying from elsewhere in Europe, you’re just as likely to be flying in and out of Stansted or Gatwick as you are Heathrow.

Note: The priority pass lounge at Heathrow isn’t worth it and usually booked up. But the one at Gatwick was really nice. Also Heathrow in general is just an overcrowded, stressful airport with not enough seating or restaurants and way too many luxury designer shops. WH Smith is its only saving grace.

13. Use the tube to get into the city.

Taxis and rideshare apps are super expensive and will take just as long, so your best bet is to take the tube and go from there! If you have options, the Elizabeth Line is the newest line and by far the nicest.

14. Opt for the bus over the tube.

Both can get kind of stuffy but the bus is at least scenic and you can sit on the top floor take in the views. Also the bus is a flat fee and the tube is a scaling fee!

Both are tap-friendly. I believe you just need to tap in the bus and not tap out; the tube is tap in and tap out.

If you have a contactless credit card, you do not need to buy an oyster card or get your tickets at the kiosks. Just double check your card doesn’t have international fees.

15. Need a restroom while you’re out?

For those of you who need the loo often when traveling, Visit London actually has a whole guide to public toilets that’s kind of cracking me up with how thorough it is.

Also oddly enough I remember paying for a public toilet in college and loving how clean it was but I don’t remember seeing them around on my last visits. To be fair, though, I was usually eating a cafe or visiting a museum while out, so I always knew I could go to those bathrooms and wasn’t in dire need of a public one. I wonder if I just never noticed them because I didn’t need one or they phased them out!

16. All in all, Google Maps is nice and reliable.

When it comes to navigation, I found Google Maps to be perfectly reliable with times and routes. You don’t need to download anything extra otherwise!

17. Getting outside of London

If you have time, I always highly recommend getting out of the city and doing a day trip or multi-day trip elsewhere. In my time, I’ve explore Windsor, Birmingham, Bath, and Seven Sister Cliffs, and there’s so many more places I’d like to go!

It’s super easy to get train tickets online. I’m pretty sure I’ve just bought all my tickets on Trainline. Just keep an eye on specific stations because London, of course, has a bunch!

Also: If you go somewhere like Seven Sister Cliffs, just know you’ll still want to buy tickets online even if it seems like you can just tap your credit card on the tube to get there. After it passes Gatwick, it’s a separate charge and you could get a fine! (Thankfully, the guy checking tickets on my train was nice!)

Figuring Out What to Do in London

18. Keep calm, carry on, and map things out.

See what I did there? *Laughs in millennial*

Anyway, the key to planning your London activities is to sit down and map everything out. As I’ve said repeatedly — this city is very spread out! I don’t know why but it it took me until maybe my second to last visit to finally feel like I had a grasp on its layout and where all the neighborhoods were in relation to each other. I can’t imagine going through everything for the first time.

Just make a list of everything you want to do and start starring them in Google Maps. Mark your hotel as “Want to Go” so it pops up as a green flag and sticks out among the sea of stars. This way you’ll get a visual on where everything is in relation to the other and you’re not sitting on the Tube because you thought it’d be a good idea to visit Shoreditch the same day you want to have tea at The Lanesborough.

19. All the classic London sights are worth seeing

If you’re the kind of person who’s afraid of being seen as a tourist (even though you probably are if you’re reading this list), then let me remind you that the classic London sights are very much worth seeing. They’re also pretty much all free unless you want to go inside.

Yes, the Big Ben is cool to see for the first time! Don’t let snarky British teenagers make you feel bad for being excited seeing that iconic Houses of Parliament and Big Ben from across the Thames or wanting to get a picture in a red telephone booth. Take the time to walk around the area and enjoy it all!!

20. Yes, you should absolutely visit a few museums.

Again — most of these museums are free! And while we all dog on the British Museum for showcasing everything but British artifacts, a lot of the museums in London are objectively worth wandering around. The interiors alone are stunning.

Definitely do not skip the National Gallery or National Portrait Gallery. I personally am obsessed with the V&A Museum and could still spend hours there even though I’ve been twice. Also Tate Britain always has the coolest rotating exhibits. I swear every time I see their ads in the tube, I wind up paying to check them out.

21. If you’re in London over the weekend, go to an outdoor market.

London is market city! Actually a lot of markets are open every day of the week, so if there’s one you want to visit, see if you can go on a random Wednesday for smaller crowds. I’ll go over them in another post but some popular ones to get you inspired:

• Borough Market – the most famous one. I ran through here and it’s very cool! I will not lie, I wish I’d tried those chocolate-covered strawberries because other versions I’ve tried in London are, in fact, way better than just chocolate and strawberries.
• Camden Market – use to be known as alternative and cool but pretty is gentrified at this point. Still cool but just know it’s always, always so busy and a lot of the stuff you can buy in the market isn’t anything amazing or high quality.
• Portobello Market – in the famous Notting Hill. Nice market with lots of options. I did, indeed, get a quilted jacket from the Blue Door spot that went viral on Tiktok. I went in the offseason and had a nice experience with fair prices but I saw that people who went in summer were way over charged, so just check out recent reviews before you go.

22. If you love broadway, than, yes, go to the West End!

NYC has Broadway, London has the West End, and yes it’s very worth it to see a show if you have the time and the funds! I’m mad at myself for not making time to see Six but I did see And Juliet. If you’re on a budget, your best bet is to try for rush tickets via Today Tix.

And just a reminder — theater etiquette is not the same as concert etiquette! No one is paying to hear you sing or watch you dance!!

23. Embrace London’s cute neighborhoods

Like I said above, sometimes it really is just nice to wander around London because the architecture is just so beautiful. Besides the big landmarks, I really recommend familiarizing yourself with the city’s different neighborhoods.If you want a book rec, I have London, Block by Block, which is absolutely adorable.

Also, if you are a Notting Hill fan and wondering if it’s actually worth it to visit; I am here to tell you it is, in fact, very worth it to go. The neighborhood is as charming and pastel-colored as it seems. No 90s Hugh Grant sightings, though, soz.

24. Absolutely get outdoors!

There are so, so many green spaces and public gardens in London, I wish it was easy to travel with a picnic basket and blanket so I could take advantage. If you’re visiting in nice weather, give yourself an afternoon to just relax in one of these spaces.

Some of my favorites:

• Battersea Park – My friend lived near here so I often went for my runs around park before getting a matcha from Joe & the Juice after.
• Primrose Hill – Right above Regent’s Park (also lovey) and a cool place to see the city skyline. If you can, go around sunset.
• Camden’s Canal – Look for the canal in Camden; it’s kind of near the market. This is a nice place to come and sit for a while by the water! Lots of people will be around you but not in a suffocating way. I remember just coming here to read while waiting to meet a friend.
• Hampstead Heath – Come here when you go to Sunday Roast at The Spaniards Inn. It’s massive and so lovely. Also a good spot for wild swimming, though I haven’t been.
• Hyde Park – A classic near Kensington Palace. Another friend and I walked all around this park catching up.

25. If you want to enjoy sports in London…

Not a clue lol. Well, I can tell you Passyunk Avenue bars are fantastic if you’re a Philly sports fan and their take on cheesesteaks isn’t half bad (homemade cheese whiz).

I don’t know about specific stadiums and buying tickets (my advice would be to go to your preferred team’s website and see what they have linked). However, as a little tip for any of these stadiums, take a look at their hospitality packages. These are VIP-type packages and for an American, the prices aren’t bad at all. This is how I booked my birthday Taylor Swift concert in Wembley, and what I paid was significantly less than what I heard others paid in the US for their regular seats!

26. Enjoy the fact that London is a major literary city!

And to round out this section (I promise I have a whole other post with specific things to do), I have to urge you to enjoy all things literary. As an English major, I was living. The London bookstores alone… Phew!

Another cool things to look out for are the blue plaques. There’s over a thousand in the city and will tell you a bit about a famous Londoner who lived in the building. If you have an author you love, see if they have some blue plaques and if their homes are near where you’re visiting. I don’t know, it’s pretty cool to see the place where George Eliot once lived in Chelsea!

Eating & Drinking in London

27. Nothing quite like pub & Sunday roast culture

Nothing like a British pub! Specifically on a Sunday when you can enjoy a delicious and hearty Sunday roast. If you visit on a Sunday, you absolutely must reserve a roast for dinner. Either look up the pubs around you or look up some more famous ones. I mentioned it above, but for something more special, I loved The Spaniards Inn in Hampstead Heath and not just because Lord Byron visited often.

28. Eating in London a budget

While London has a plethora of fine dining and fancy eateries, it also is a mecca for cheap but delicious eats! As I see it, you have two options: grocery stores and cheap eateries.

Since I stayed in London longer term, I frequented Waitrose, Sainsbury, and Mark & Spencers pretty often! I know M&S and Waitrose are the fancier grocery stores but by American standards, even they were extremely affordable. You can try a lot of British dishes straight from their premade meal section for under 10£, and they’re genuinely quite tasty. Plus, look up British snacks and sweets and shop away! I will say Taylor Swift was right, squashies are very addicting.

Your other option are classic cheap eats. I won’t get into the Chinese takeaway debacle, of which I have never tried, but other options include kebab shops and chicken shops!

And, of course, when all else fails, you will never be far from a Greggs.

29. Afternoon tea is worth the indulgence.

I mean if you’re going to enjoy an afternoon tea, what better place to do it? They can seem fairly expensive but keep in mind that most will refill your tray at least once and you’ll be able to take home leftovers. Even if you don’t like tea, most places offer coffee, hot chocolate, or other drink alternatives too!

There are a lot of different places you can go, so shop around online to see which ones are the best. I liked B’s Bakery Bus for the novelty of being aboard a double decker bus, and I really loved the luxury of tea at the Lanesborough. I asked my afternoon tea aficionado friend her favorite, and she recommended that one. If you’re lucky, you’ll meet Lilibet!

30. Embrace London’s ethnic food scene

Here’s the deal. Nando’s and Dishoom are considered normal, almost “overrated” London franchises. I need you to look up what both those places are and come back to me. Yes, British food gets a bad rep but London food? With its absolute melting pot of cultures in one city? You get a place like Dishoom being franchised and wildly popular!! You get somewhere like Nandos being so common, most Brits can rattle off their order without thinking.

I strongly recommend checking out London’s ethnic food scene and tasting it all. Just pick a country and start figuring out how to fit all the restaurants in. I mean, Chinatown alone… Also one of my favorite creators, Keith Lee just did a London food tour and hit up so many places I wish I’d known existed!

31. Can you order food delivery easily?

Yes, UberEats exists as do a million other food delivery services. The most famous one to me is Just Eat because of all their “Love Island” ads haha.

Most delivery services are fine! The only one I will say is on my perpetual shit list is Deliveroo. The deliverer never dropped off my food; I have no idea where he could’ve dropped it because I ran all over the damn neighborhood at midnight trying to guess, and I never got my money back. I will never forget and I will never forgive you, Deliveroo.

Shopping in London

32. You can find pretty much everything you need.

If you’ve forgotten a toiletry or something back home, I can almost guarantee you’ll be able to find it or an equivalent in London. It is, after all, a giant, international metropolis. You should absolutely be fine going into a Boots to get whatever brand you’re missing.

33. Check out Lisa Eldridge’s make-up while you’re here.

If you know me, you know I am a huge Lisa Eldridge fan, and I’ve been a viewer of her Youtube before she even had a make-up brand! Her lipsticks are my favorite, and the True Velvet Ribbon is my perfect red. When she started coming out with foundations and eye shadows, I knew I wanted to buy. However, I suck at figuring out color matches so I waited until I was in London and could try things on in person.

Around Christmas, she tends to have a pop-up in Convent Garden. That’s where I picked up all my make-up (foundation, highlighter, eye shadows, lip gloss, more lipsticks…)! However, since she’s expanded, she’s also in Liberty London, Selfridges London, and a bunch of Space NKs. You can even make an appointment for one of their in-store how-tos which is so lovely.

34. Perfumes tends to be cheaper in London.

Here’s a little tip my friend told me and I’m passing on to you — luxury perfumes tend to be a little less expensive in London than elsewhere. I picked up Le Labo for about $100 less than I would’ve in NYC. Wait until you get to the airport and check out duty free for the best possible savings. The only ones they didn’t have in the airport were city exclusives.

35. Check out all the cool, smaller British brands when you go.

As an avid fashion fan, I’ve accumulated quite a number of British brands that I want to check out in person. I’m not talking the typical Barbour or Burberry but newer, smaller brands. Unfortunately, I can’t fit into quite a few of them, but there are much more that I can.

Start looking up unique brands (and not just fast fashion tat!!) and see if they have pop-ups or physical stores in London. I find British sizing is pretty different to US sizing (beyond just the numbers meaning different sizes), so it’s way more helpful to be able to try things on without needing worry about returns.

Some brands:

• Pink City Prints – I find this brand so colorful and fun! I follow them on Instagram, and I know they’ve done at least one pop-up in the city, though they’re mostly online.
• Damson Madder – Newly obsessed with this brand and have already purchased quite a few pieces both from their online store and via Poshmark. They’re sold in Anthropologie, so you can definitely find them here in the US, but for fun just keep an eye to see if they do an pop-ups in London while you visit!
• Haus Dahlia – I’m so in love with Emma’s dreamy, fantastical aesthetic!! It’s a bit tricky because she hand makes everything herself, so quantities are limited. However, just keep her brand in your mind if you want anything.
• House of CB – This is the brand that every British influencer wears at least once, and you see them in the dress and think, “Holy shit, she’s hot.” But in, like a classy way. I went to their store but sadly nothing fit!
• Odd Muse – I always liked this brand’s designs and find the founder really inspiring, so I am adding it to this list. However, their sizing runs crazy small, and I was very unimpressed when I visited their shop in London. It’s very small and had at least three people working. I was the only one in the store and not a single person so much as greeted me let alone asked if I needed help with anything. Kind of a standoffish air in general. Hope it’s just a one off and if you visit you have a better experience!
• N.Peal – Luxury cashmere. I only know about this brand because one of my favorite influencers, Peony Lim, did a collaboration with them. Out of my budget but their pieces look gorgeous and their flagship is in the beautiful Burlington Arcade!

Getting Excited for London!

36. Review some of London’s history

As always, I strongly recommend brushing up on the history of a place before you go. Luckily for me, London and the United Kingdom were pretty interwoven into my general history education over the years, so it’s just a matter of remembering what I learned!

Not to mention, I, like most nerdy millennial women, had a huge Tudor phase that predated the Jonathan Rhys Meyers show and tore through nearly all the Philippa Gregory books. Oh, and a Shakespeare phase. Big Willy Shakes fan over here. I was very excited to run along the Thames to the Globe and see it for the first time!

Anyway, brush up on British history whether through books or shows or a random Youtube video. The benefit of London being such a popular city means it’s been talked about ad nauseam on every platform imaginable.

37. Some book recommendations for you

What kind of semi-book influencer would I be if I didn’t have a list of London-set books to recommend to you? In fact, I should really write a post to feature all of them, but for now I’ll share the following:

London Travel Guides

• Moon London Walks
• London Block by Block
• Nostalgic London
• Great Pubs of London
• Experience London

Books Set in London

This list could genuinely go on forever, so I’m limiting to just a few. I will say I believe most Sophie Kinsella books are at least partially set in London, and I’d recommend every single one of her books any day of the week (even the ones I don’t love, I still like because it’s her). Also from the few I’ve read, Beth O’Leary books also tend to be set in London!

• Bridget Jones series by Helen Fielding
• Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal
• It’s Not You, It’s Me by Mhairi McFarlane
• Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
• Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

38. And, of course, some TV shows and films to watch!

Books are my first love, but when it comes to travel, I’m such a visual person, I really find a ton of my inspiration from watching TV shows or films. Part of why London stuck with me so strongly is because it’s exactly where Betty ends up at the end of “Ugly Betty” and I used to have that finale scene saved to my laptop to watch repeatedly for inspiration!

Anyway here’s a quick list for your viewing pleasure. I know I’m missing a million titles because that’s just much London has popped up in my personal entertainment over the years!

• Notting Hill
• Love Actually
• Bridget Jones series
• Finale of “Ugly Betty”
• “Sherlock”
• “Bridgerton”
• One Day – series and film
• “Ted Lasso”
• Paddington Bear
• James Bond movies

Also notable — any and all BBC period dramas even if they aren’t set in London. You really can’t go to England without watching “North & South” and falling in love with Richard Armitage!

And there you have it — all the London travel tips I could think of! If you have questions or think I’m missing anything, let me know below!

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