What did you do last night? Well, we watched that episode of Anthony Bourdain in London, and although filmed over twenty years ago, one thing that remains true; “there is no other city like it in the world”.
Drenched in history yet firmly attached to the pulse of the future, London is a city that relishes in its contrasts; from East End grit to West End glamour, the royal splendour of Buckingham Palace set against the kinetic energy of Shoreditch’s graffiti-splattered streets, the solemnity of Westminster Abbey juxtaposed with the bustling rhythm of Borough and Billingsgate market – London is a city that serves up vibrancy in each and every one of its postcodes.
There’s the outstanding museums, theatres, and live music venues hosting the best artistic talents in the world. Its cosmopolitan spirit is embedded in its flavourful cuisine, too – from multi Michelin-starred dining all the way to street food vendors in its plentiful markets selling dishes from around the globe. If you’ve got a craving for it, London is serving it.
Moreover, London’s cultural tapestry is as diverse as the people who call this city home. As Paddington (that famous bear from deepest, darkest Peru) once said, “In London everyone is different, and that means anyone can fit in.”
London remains an endlessly fascinating capital, and undoubtedly one of the world’s greatest cities. If you’re planning a visit, then we’ve pulled together our top insider tips on how to make the most out of your trip to London.
Master The Tube, But Don’t Rely On It
The American writer James Geary once said that “London always reminds me of a brain. It is similarly convoluted and circuitous. A lot of cities, especially American ones like New York and Chicago, are laid out in straight lines. Like the circuits on computer chips, there are a lot of right angles in cities like this. But London is a glorious mess.”
While we completely agree with this sentiment, don’t let the glorious mess of streets put you off from walking. Our number one tip for getting around London is to walk as much as you can. Indeed, despite its massive size, London is a very walkable city, especially in Central, where you can often simply stroll from place to place with maps and signposts to guide you.
That said, the London Underground, or ‘The Tube’, as it’s known, is an efficient way to get around the capital. The trick is to avoid rush hour on the tubes, when people are going to and travelling from work, with all the steely focus and excess stress that entails.
Hop On & Off The Bus
London buses are also reliable and run like (relative) clockwork. If you want to experience more of London while you are travelling, buying a ticket on an open top bus tour is as sensible as it is cliched. Services that let you hop on and hop off at different stops so you can soak up the sights and then return to the route are a good option. The normal red buses are great for seeing the sights too. Easy and cheap (and in our view the best), two of our favourite routes include:
- The number 11: This bus begins at Liverpool Street and ends at Victoria Station. It passes many iconic must-see sights including St Paul’s Cathedral, Trafalgar Square, The Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.
- The number 73: Starting at Victoria and finishing in uber trendy Stoke Newington. Taking you past Buckingham Palace Gardens, Hyde Park, Marble Arch and along the whole stretch of busy Oxford Street and through Islington, you get to see London in all its glory.
Take A Day Trip
We’re only a few points in and we’re already leaving London! However, if you’re visiting the capital, one of the first things you need to decide is whether you’re going to take advantage of the city’s prime position and excellent transport links in the form of a day trip.
Indeed, there are also lots of great day trips from London, taking you all over the U.K. Some of our favourites include:
Oxford: The historic town of Oxford needs little in the way of introduction. From the famous dictionary to celebrated colleges made even more iconic by Harry Potter, Oxford is a household name around the globe. Just 45 minutes on the train from Paddington and around an hour and a half drive from Central London. The Oxford Tube shuttle bus service is perhaps your best bet here, though; it’s cheap, comfortable and efficient, running every 15 minutes, 24 hours a day.
Salisbury & Stonehenge: For a small city, Salisbury packs one hell of a punch culturally. There’s Salisbury Cathedral, which boasts the tallest church spire in the UK and the second tallest in Europe. What’s more, inside the cathedral you’ll find the best preserved copy (there are just four) of the groundbreaking document Magna Carta, which has sat in the cathedral’s Chapter House since 1215. Perhaps the highlight of the city and surrounding area, however, is Stonehenge, which is just 9 miles away from Salisbury. Catch the train from Clapham Junction, which will take an hour and fifteen minutes, and then take a short bus ride to Stonehenge from Salisbury station.
Brighton: Brighton comes alive in the sunnier summer months with sunseekers and day trippers converging on its pebbles, bars, beachside eateries and renowned gig venues. It’s regularly named as the Happiest City in the UK, and is known as London-by-the-Sea for its cosmopolitan yet coastal vibe.
Catch the Gatwick Express from London Victoria or the ThamesLink from London Bridge, both of which will take you into Brighton city centre in no more than an hour.
See The Big Sights
No trip to London is complete without snapping a selfie with Big Ben in the background or admiring the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. Especially if it’s your first time in the city, you’ll want to see as many famous sights as possible.
This walking guide designed by Tourist England, which covers Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London, is one of the best ways to see the main sights.
Try to make space in your itinerary for major museums, like the British Museum and Natural History Museum. Covent Garden is a charming, must-see spot to shop and dine, while Oxford Street is famed far and wide for its many massive stores and upscale boutiques. The world – or, at least, the city – is your oyster.
Stroll Through London’s Parks & Have A Picnic
Did you know that London is made up of roughly 50% public green and blue space, including 3,000 parks totalling 35,000 acres? Indeed, from Hyde and Regent’s Park to Green Park and Richmond Park, London is a city of parks.
London parks are more than just expanses of green; they are Londoner’s gardens, home to historic monuments, picturesque lakes, stunning gardens, and even herds of deer. Summer sees the parks come alive with concerts, festivals, and other events, making them the city’s cultural hubs.
If you visit on a sunny day, do as a Londoner would do and have a picnic in the park. If you want to picnic with a view, then head to Greenwich Park, which offers a spectacular skyscraper view of the city. If you’re feeling indulgent, you can even treat yourself to a pre-made picnic hamper Fortnum & Mason. Or, just do as Londoners do, and grab yourself a couple of cans…
Read: The IDEAL packing list for a trip to London
Don’t Miss London’s Quirkier Attractions
The big landmarks are absolutely worth seeing, but London has so much more to offer if you scratch the surface just a little. It’s wise to include a couple of quirky or oddball attractions in your travel plan to make your trip truly memorable and different from all the other tourists strolling the city streets.
Examples of the more unusual things to see in London include browsing the neon light gallery of ‘God’s Own Junkyard’ and visiting The Victor Wynd Museum of Curiosities (otherwise known as the The Little Shop of Horrors) in London Fields. It houses a bizarre collection of oddities from around the world, including shrunken heads, taxidermy, and strange artefacts.
Enjoy These Quintessential London Meals
Fish & Chips: Although mostly associated with the seaside, most historians agree that the first chippie opened its doors in London thanks to a Jewish immigrant named Joseph Malin. As such, sampling a fish and chip meal is a London must.
Rock and Sole Plaice in Covent Garden is London’s oldest chippie still in operation. However, a favourite for Londoner’s is Poppies in Spitalfields, which has been in the fish and chips business since 1945. Besides the main event, we also recommend ordering a portion of the jellied eels. These slimy little critters have long been an emblem of London’s culinary scene for decades, and the owner is still keeping the memory alive here by having them on the menu.
Pie & Mash Shop: Pie and mash has been a part of the London’s culinary history since the 19th century, reflecting the city’s working-class roots. The pie consists of a minced-beef filling, which historically contained leftover scraps of meat and vegetables, baked in a pastry crust. It is served with mashed potatoes and a thin green parsley sauce called liquor, which, despite its name, contains no alcohol. Some of the most famous pie and mash shops in London include:
- Goddards at Greenwich: This is a family-run business that’s been in operation since 1890. They serve traditional pie, mash, and liquor seven days a week.
- Manze’s: Offering pie and mash since 1902, this shop has three branches around London. Their original location on Tower Bridge Road is the longest continuously operating pie shop in the city.
- F. Cooke: Open since 1862, F. Cooke is one of the oldest businesses serving pie and mash in London. Their Broadway Market shop is particularly famous.
- G. Kelly: This family-run shop on Bethnal Green Road has been open since the early 20th century. All their pies are handmade on the premises.
- A. Cooke’s Pie and Mash: Originally opened in 1899 in Shepherd’s Bush, this beloved spot had to close their original location in 2015. Fortunately, they reopened in the Goldhawk Road market in 2018.
A Full-English: The first ‘greasy spoons’ started to appear on East London high streets during the last half of the 19th century. As such, London is of course famous for its caffs, and is home to dozens of proper old school ones serving Full English breakfasts to hungry (or should that be hungover?) Londoners.
Join them at one of the places featured in our roundup of the best fry-ups in London…
Read: Fancy a fry-up? The best sausage, bacon, eggs & the rest in London
Pre-Theatre Menu
The art of the prix fixe set menu has been perfected in London and ‘pre-theatre dining’ is a fabulous experience adding to the city’s vibrant theatre culture. It’s also a wonderful way to enjoy some of London’s top restaurants at fantastic prices. Some of our favourite pre-theatre menus include the ones at Social Eating House, Bocca Di Lupo and Wild Honey.
& The Rest Of London’s Extraordinary Dining Scene
Just fish’n’chips and fry-ups London isn’t. London’s capital is thriving with culinary delights, and teeming with ingredients and preparations from every corner of the globe.
While there are stellar restaurants all over London, arguably the best place to find yourself hungry in the capital is Soho and the West End. The diversity here is remarkable, offering a global array of cuisines, from classic British fare to exciting international dishes. The area proudly hosts Michelin-starred establishments alongside budget-friendly options, catering to all tastes and wallets.
There’s just something about Soho’s energy pulsing around its bustling eateries, with workers spilling out from the pubs and bars onto the streets in the evening; a vibe that can’t be beaten. Let us direct you to our roundup of 20 of the best places to eat in Soho for more on that.
Read: 6 IDEAL beginner’s tips on dining out in Soho and Central London
Must-See Markets
London markets are a must visit, too. There’s something for everyone. Portobello Road Market is an antique lover’s dream, boasting unique vintage finds. Columbia Road Flower Market is a visual delight with blooming displays. Camden Market is perfect for alternative fashion and vibrant street food. Greenwich Market, set within a World Heritage site, offers arts, crafts, and mouthwatering street food. Yep, as we said, there really is something for everyone.
The big one, of course, is Borough Market. It’s a market of international repute, dating back more than 1000 years and stocking some of the finest produce the city has to offer. It’s no surprise that discerning nearby restaurants stock their shelves, walk-ins and larders here. Fresh fruit and vegetables are at their brightest and most inviting in Borough Market, with fervent traders broadcasting their merits and extolling their virtues.
Another favourite for us is Spitalfields Market, which has a slicker, smoother feel than some of the more cobbled together markets in the city, but that’s not its detriment at all. It’s large, covered (great for sheltering from the ever present London rain) and has a great variety of the good stuff, both in stall and fully-realised restaurant form.
Visit London’s Diverse Areas
London, a melting pot of cultures, is home to myriad diverse neighborhoods, each with its own distinct charm. If you want to make the most out of your trip to London, pick a couple and explore them.
Brixton, brimming with Afro-Caribbean influences, boasts a vibrant covered market, iconic street art, live music venues, and global cuisine. Camden, the hub of alternative culture in the city, presents a blend of punk rock history, colourful markets, live music, and eclectic eateries.
Venture east to Shoreditch, an oasis for hipsters and techies, famed for its street art, trendy coffee shops, vintage stores, and vibrant nightlife. Then there’s Mayfair, synonymous with luxury and offering high-end shopping, world-class art galleries, and Michelin-starred restaurants.
Each district provides a unique lens into London’s kaleidoscopic cultural palette. Visiting these areas will not only experience the city’s rich past and bustling present, but also revel in its diversity, proving London to truly be a world in one city.
If it’s your first time, you may want to stay more central, so let us direct you to our article on 5 iconic places first timers should visit in Central London.