Travel Guide to London for First-Time Visitors
Are you heading to London soon? If you’re visiting from overseas and this is the first time you’ll be taking a tour of the capital, it’s likely you’ll have lots on the must-do list while you’re here.
To help you organise your trip, here’s a travel guide to one of the most vibrant, buzzing cities in the world.
Planning your stay
How long do you want to spend in London? This is a key jumping-off point when it comes to planning your visit. There’s a lot you can do in 48 hours here, but you’ll need to work out when in the year you want to spend those 48 hours.
The summer months are usually warm, so you can plan for lots of outdoor activities if you’re visiting from May to around September. However, even though the British winters can be particularly chilly, Christmas in the capital can be magical.
Consider where you want to stay, too. If you’re working out your budget, central London can be expensive as you’re paying for the proximity to the major landmarks and attractions. You might want to consider booking accommodation on the outskirts and taking the Tube into the centre.
Booking your stay even further out may require an overground train journey. For instance, you may want to book a stay in Watford or even further out and travel from there. If so, be sure to have some entertainment at the ready. Take a book with you, load up your favourite playlist or play some games like online bingo.
Travel in the city
The London Underground is probably the fastest and most efficient way to get around. But you might want to consider taking the bus if you want to stay above ground and see the city go by.
If you can, try walking to where you want to go. You’ll be surprised by how close some of the most iconic sights are to each other.
See the sights
Speaking of the sights, what do you want to see while you’re in town? Are you ready to go full tourist and take in Buckingham Palace and Big Ben? Or are bus tours you speed?
Take the time to decide what you absolutely want to see and research how long you’ll need to experience it in full. For instance, if you have a hankering for a day at the Tower of London, work out what you want to see in person while you’re there. You might want to discover everything there is to know about the Royal Mint or spend time in the White Tower.
By having a rough timescale in mind, you can be sure to tick off your bucket list.
Further out
Where do you want to go from London? Stonehenge, Bath, and Windsor Castle are popular day trips for many. Hampton Court Palace is a short train ride away from the capital or if you wanted to head to the seaside, you could continue to Brighton.
What do you have planned for your big London stay?
