Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Planning a London Itinerary
London is not a city for following set itineraries. With so much to experience, there's ab-
solutely no need to march the cliched tourist trail. This guide isn't going to be obtuse and
start outlining potential itineraries, claiming that they offer the best of London. As a very
very rough overview; Central is for the famous sights, head East to party and see the city's
most creative side, go North for elegance and great dining, try West for shopping and regal
splendor, and venture South for the alternative and local. Or best of all, get a glimpse of it
all. Here are a few easy tips to consider when thinking about what to see and do in London:
•
London is seriously chaotic and overambitious itineraries can easily lead to
frustration and grumpy faces. Trying to see too much in one day often means
spending the whole day on the Underground and just a few brief moments
enjoying the experience. Even if your time is short, try not to rush and re-
member to soak up the atmosphere.
•
A huge proportion of London attractions are free. They're low risk options for
your itinerary. Pay £20 and your expecting the attraction to deliver value for
money, so most people walk around bored for two hours trying to justify the
spend. If you don't like a free museum or gallery you can just leave.
•
Try to see different sides of London. While most visitors stick to Central Lon-
don, the city has many faces to discover, Just taking a morning to head out
East or North will provide a completely new set of impressions.
•
London is huge and crossing it with the Underground usually takes at least an
hour. Zigzagging across the city is tiresome so it's better to choose a different
area for each day.
•
Avoid the touts, whether they're selling theater tickets, open top bus rides, or
discounted museum entrance. None of it offers the good side of London.
