If like me, you like city trips, then London is a great place to be. You can never get enough of the city. Whether you would like to visit museums, attraction centres or historical places, the city has them in abundance. If you’re contemplating on taking a trip to London and want to know some of the interesting places to go or stay, check out my list below.
Hotels to Stay
Depending on your budget, there is a wide variety of hotels to choose from. And if you’re on a budget, you can check out Comfort Hotels. They are reasonably priced and well situated in the city. They also have parking spaces, free wifi connection and breakfast is included in the price. In addition, they clean the room daily and change the towels, bedsheets, and give other supplies such as toilet paper, coffee, tea, milk, sugar, and water boiler.
Another budget hotel to look out for is Travelodge, they are similar to Comfort Hotel but do not include breakfast in your booking. Apart from that, you would have to pay for your own internet which cost about £3 for twenty-four hours. The internet is stable and very fast. Another option is to rent a room or an entire apartment on a weekly basis, you can find such places on websites such as flat-club.com, roomorama.co.uk, and many others.
Where to shop
If you like shopping on the high street with shops that cater for a wide range of prices to suit different budget, then Oxford Circus is the best place to be. The best way to get there is with the underground (tube). You can also go with the bus if you do not mind the traffic. And a little bit of warning, driving there with a car would be a big mistake for you as you’ll have to pay congestion fees for your parking. And the traffic can be horrible as well. If you prefer the open markets, Portobello Road Market is open throughout the week. There is also Brixton and Camden Markets, as well as much more.
Things to Do
There are so many things to do in the city. If you love museums, the British Museum is a great place to be. The museum has a great collection of work from all over the world that you would have to plan ahead what you are interested in seeing. Otherwise, you would need a whole week to see everything there and follow the history behind each piece of work. There are many other museums in the city and most of them offer free entrance. You’ll only have to pay if you’re visiting a special exhibition taking place.
Another interesting thing to see is the Tower Bridge, a suspension that crosses the River Thames. You can choose to go up the bridge for a fee of about £9.00 for an adult. If you do, you’ll enjoy a beautiful view of the city’s landscape and maybe make some lovely photos as well. Also around the corner is the famous Tower of London. It cost about £20.00 to go inside and see all of the histories that lie inside the castle. Some of the things you’re sure to see in the Tower are royal palaces, prison, armoury, zoo, and much more.
If your love entertainment and media, the BBC Tour is a good place to visit. You will see the newsroom and get some inside and background history on the BBC. You’ll also do some exercise like reading a TV news broadcast and making a radio play (drama). You are allowed to record the news and play. You’ll also visit other studios and get the chance to see the royal mic as well. The cost for this tour is about £14 for an adult.
Buckingham Palace is another place to visit. What you can expect to see are the State Rooms (these are rooms where the monarchs welcomed, entertained and rewarded their subjects as well as dignitaries), the Picture Gallery(displaying some of the best paintings the within the royal collection), Changing the Guard (A colourful British ceremony that last for about 45 minutes), the Garden Shop (where you can buy items inspired by the Royal collection), as well as the garden cafe where you can enjoy some refreshment at the end of your tour. You can pick up an audio gadget to provide you with a lively guide during the tour. Apart from the little tour inside the palace, there are so many other things to see around the neighbourhood. The famous Piccadilly Square and Trafalgar Square is also close by.
Where to Eat
London has a wide range of international cuisine that you can treat yourself to and it would be difficult to start making a list as this depends on your taste. Whether you’re looking for Indian, French, Chinese, Greek, or many other cuisines, the choice and offers are endless.
London is a city of treasure filled with great venues, events, attractions and hidden corners to explore. While this article cannot provide you with all that there is to do in the city, I hope it gives you some valuable info to plan your next trip to London. Also feel free to add some of the things you’ve enjoyed in the city by leaving a comment below.