Visiting a big city like London can be a bit daunting. With so many attractions, it can be difficult to choose how and where to spend your day. To help you decide, the Arte Stays team has put together a list answers to frequently asked questions as our top tips for visiting London.
N.B. This information should be read together with our blog ‘Essential information for corporate travellers to London’, to get the most from your stay.
Getting around
London has an excellent public transport system with trains, tube trains, and iconic red buses – all of which use the Oyster card (like a credit card that you load with money), or contactless payments. There are also black cabs, services like Uber, and other private hire taxis for getting around. For more on this and airport connections, take a look at ‘Essential information for corporate travellers to London’.
Money
The currency in the UK is the Great British Pound, also known as the Pound Sterling. Although it is advisable to carry a little cash for small purchases (smaller stores may require a minimum spend for a credit card payment), the UK is mainly a cashless country, with major credit and debit cards accepted for most purchases – even black cabs!
Tip etiquette is to add 10-15% to the restaurant bill, either on your credit card or in cash. Other services to tip include taxi drivers, hairdressers and hotel staff.
Weather
London can be very wet and cold during the winter (although it is rainier and colder in Manchester!), with bright and warm summers. During the summer, the clocks go forward one hour to take advantage of long, balmy summer evenings – something that can seem quite strange to visitors from countries near or on the equator.
Arte Stays top tip: Pack layers to cover every eventuality.
Best time to visit
London is a 24/7, 365 days of the year city but visit in the spring and autumn for fewer crowds and smaller queues. Summer is the most popular time of year but has longer days. It is cold in the winter but very festive in December. New Year’s Eve fireworks on the Thames are spectacular!
Connectivity
Business travellers to London need data to work remotely, access apps and stay connected with loved ones. Even when visiting London for pleasure, data gives you access to museums and attractions while on the go, to check prices, opening times, special events etc.
One of Arte Stays’ top tips for visiting London is to buy a data-only SIM card. These are available everywhere – supermarkets, small convenience stores, phone stores, chemists and at the airport. Prices vary according to the network and data amount, but when travelling around the city, you will find it invaluable!
Good to know
Arte Stays serviced accommodation comes complete with high-speed Wi-fi connectivity, for remote working or connecting with family during the evenings and weekends.
“What are the must-see attractions? “This is definitely one of our most frequently asked questions! London offers so much for the visitor, it is impossible to include everything here, but here are our favourites! One of our top tips for visiting London is to do a little research beforehand and prebook if you can, as this will ensure you don’t miss out or waste time queueing.
Historical attractions
The Tower of London
Buckingham Palace
Westminster Abbey
St. Paul’s Cathedral
Hampton Court Palace (or any of the Royal Palaces!)
The Globe Theatre
The Houses and Parliament and Big Ben
If you are interested in seeing the Changing of the Guard, we would advise you to check online, because this is not a daily occurrence.
Museums
British Museum
National Gallery
Tate Modern
Victoria and Albert Museum
National History Museum
Royal Academy of Arts (events and exhibitions)... and many more!
Parks
For a big city, London has lots of green places to relax and unwind from the stresses of a busy day whether you are a tourist or a business traveller!
Hyde Park
Regent’s Park
Greenwich Park
Shopping
Kensington High Street
Oxford Street, Regent Street, Bond Street
Covent Garden
Harrods
Liberty London, iconic store on Great Marlborough Street
Eating out
You can eat any cuisine in the world in London from Brick Lane’s curry mile to Chinatown and Little Italy. Push the budget and eat at iconic restaurants like The Ivy, The River Café, The Ritz (for Afternoon Tea, of course!), and Langan’s Brasserie. However, one of our top tips for visiting London from overseas is to try a British classic like fish & chips, Sunday roast or bangers (sausages) and mash (potato), in a traditional pub.
So there you are! Our top tips for visiting London. And where to stay? Talk to the friendly Arte Stays team about our serviced accommodation properties in east London. We welcome guests to our character-filled properties, complete with all mod cons and the comforts of home. Take a look at the Arte Stays website to discover our unique properties for yourself. We can’t wait to welcome you to this fantastic city!
Comments