How to Plan Your Trip to Visit London
Are you thinking or have you already started planning your first trip to London? I have got you covered! I share everything you need to know before visiting London in this article. Follow all my detailed steps, and you will know how to plan your trip to London and make the most of your holiday.
London is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe. It has been attracting visitors worldwide since ancient times, so why not book a holiday and plan your next trip to London?
There is such an abundance of things to do in London, like visiting some of the most famous museums in the world, galleries, parks, and gardens.
It is home to some of the world's most famous landmarks, such as Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, St Paul's Cathedral, and Piccadilly Circus.
In my "The Most Complete Guide of London", you will find all the articles you need to plan the perfect trip to London, while in this article, there are all the tips and answers to some of the most asked questions about this famous city.
Like always, I give you everything you need to plan the best vacation without the need to look further!
CONTENTS OF THIS ARTICLE:
When to Visit London?
How to get to central London from every airport
Are Tap Water and Food Safe in London?
Is London Safe for a Solo Woman Traveller?
Duty-Free Allowance to the United Kingdom
Where to Book Transports in London
Where to Book Tours and Activities in London
Is it Easy to Find Wifi in London?
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Tips: As soon as you book your next adventure, buy good travel insurance in case you need to “unfortunately” delay, extend or cancel your trip. I recommend SafetyWing. An excellent insurance company to cover everything about your travel.
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What is the Time Zone in London?
The United Kingdom is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) only during winter. The GMT zone has the same hour offset (GMT+0) as the Western European Standard Time Zone.
When Daylight Saving Time starts, the whole of the UK is on British Summer Time (BST), which is GMT+1.
These changes happen on the last Saturday of March and the last Saturday of October.
What is the Currency in London?
The official currency of London is the sterling. Almost every shop and restaurant accept card payment, also market stalls, and street artists (even street artists).
Some places only accept card payments so you won't have any problems.
Always carry with you some cash, just in case. I always recommend getting a prepaid Revolut card for travel, it is easy to use, and you can change as much money as you want in the local currency at the best rate.
Check here the actual currency change
Can I pay with Dollars or Euros in London?
During your holiday in London and in the rest of the United Kingdom, you will only be able to pay with sterling (also called pounds).
My advice is to always travel with an excellent prepaid card like Revolut Card to exchange your money into the local currency (through the card app) and by doing this, save money to spend to enjoy this fabulous city.
Do I Need Any Vaccinations to Visit London?
You should ask your family doctor before travelling to the United Kingdom and ensure that you receive all of the appropriate vaccinations.
Make sure you’re up to date on recommended vaccinations for your home country, and look at The Travel Vaccines and Advice here.
Which Voltage and Adaptors Are Used in London?
For the United Kingdom, the associated plug type is G, which is the plug that has three rectangular pins in a triangular pattern.
The United Kingdom operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz. I recommend you buy a universal travel adaptor. You will need a voltage converter and plug adaptor to use other appliances.
Check the Plug adaptor that I use here.
When Should I Visit London?
This is one of the first questions you need to answer yourself. Let me tell you more about all the best times to visit London:
The Peak Season in London is from June to the beginning of September when the weather is nice, sunny and warm (even too hot, like today, the 18 of July, while I am writing this article, there are 38 degrees, and I hate it). During summertime, the city gets full of tourists, you have to queue for too long to enter every attraction, and prices are higher than the rest of the year.
December is a very crowded month when London gets fully decorated with millions of lights and decorations. It is a marvellous experience to visit London during Christmas, but it can be freezing, extraordinarily crowded, and much more expensive, so keep that in mind. Also, don't forget that everything is closed on Christmas day, and neither is public transport working (because everybody deserves to celebrate with their family). I advise visiting London in November when all the decorations are already out, and the weather is warmer than in December.
From January to March, it can be rainy, windy and freezing even for two weeks in a row, so I highly recommend avoiding the winter months.
The best months to visit London, not only in my opinion, are April, May, the second half of September, October and November.
Do you want to know more about London?
Check out “The Most Complete Guide to London“ here and read all the articles I wrote about it.
How to Move around London?
There are many ways to visit London and explore this beautiful city, let me tell you more about them...
Can I Explore London By Foot?
I think walking is always the best option for visiting the city.
I advise you to get a map and divide all the areas of the city by the number of say you have to explore it so you will discover a new area every day.
I usually take public transport to get to that area (if far from my accommodation) and then walk around wisely, seeing all the places and museums I want to see.
This way, you won't need a daily or weekly travel card. Just pay as you go and save money.
Is It Easy to Move Around London by Bus?
Buses in London are very easy to use and efficient. Most of them have an upper deck where you can sit in the front and see the streets from a higher level.
This was my mom's favourite way to see buildings and take pictures. You can get everywhere by bus, so it is an option to go from your accommodation to the area you want to visit (if that area is not too far).
How much does it cost to move around London by bus in 2022?
The Oyster Card (London transport card) costs itself £5. The cost is £1.65 for a journey of up to 1 hour, and you can change buses during that hour. The daily cap for tram and buses is £4.95.
One day bus & tram pass is £5.20, 7 day is £23.30, monthly is £89.50. You can get your Oyster Card in every tube Station or at an Off Licence shop.
At the end of your holiday, you can get a refund at any Tube Station of up to £10 and the £5 deposit for the card.
Is It Easy to Move Around London by Metro/Tube?
Moving around London by Tube (London Underground) is the faster way.
London's underground line is very vast, and it connects every area of the city, but at the same time, you won't see what is between them. You can travel around using the same Oyster card you use for the buses.
I suggest you take the Tube only if you have to be fast and go to a different area; otherwise, the bus is the most scenic option for tourists.
Tip: Keep in mind that some tube stations look very far on the map but in reality, they can be as close as 5 minutes walk from each other, so always use City Mapper app when exploring the city.
How Much Costs the London Underground in 2022?
The London Tube peak fare is from Monday to Friday (not on a public holiday) between 06.30 and 09.30 and between 16.00 and 19.00.
Off-peak fare is at all other times and when you travel from a station outside zone 1 to a station in zone 1 between 16.00 and 19.00, Monday to Friday.
Prices of one-way fare tickets off-peak and peak in London from March 2022:
Zone 1: £2.40
Zone 1 & 2: £3.00 weekly £38.40
Zone 1 to 3: £2.80-£3.40 weekly £45.20
Zone 1 to 4: £2.90-£4.00 weekly £55.20
Zone 1 to 5: £3.20-£4.80 weekly £65.70
Zone 1 to 6: £3.30-£5.30 weekly £70.30
Zone 2 to 6: £3.30-£5.30
You don't need to purchase a weekly pass for all London areas. All of the main attractions are in zone 1 and 2.
Tip to save money: if you stay a week in London and want to save money on accommodation, you can book one in zone 3, and purchase a weekly tube ticket for only zone 1 and 2. Just catch a bus from your accommodation to reach the closest station in zone 2 and pay only the tube for zone 1-2. The bus journey for every London zone is included in the price.