What to know before visiting London

London is that classic city that gives everything in every weather. I love that it is a holiday destination for so many people around the world and I get excited when I receive yet another DM asking for specific London tips. If I’m honest, my instagram DMs inspired this post and I thought to give all the tea on what to do know before visiting London.

Having lived in London for over 7 years, I’d like to believe that I have first hand knowledge of things to be aware of before you visit this gorgeous city. Even though we now live outside the city, we still work in London and a part of me feels that I will always have some sort of connection to this gorgeous city I used to call home. 

For everything you need to know before you book your trip or get on that flight to London, keep reading.

1. Book restaurants ahead

As much as people go around saying that British food is bland, London has some of the best restaurants in the world. From Michelin star choices to celebrity spots to street food, London has it all. It is no wonder there are a lot of food markets and halls dotted around the capital. Now, most restaurants operate on reservation policies. This is not to say that you cannot just walk in and get a table. Most restaurants save one or two tables for walk ins; however, to be guaranteed a table, book your slot ahead of time. Some reservations open up to 2 months before; leaving you enough time to book and even amend if you have to.

2. The underground is king

London is one city where the underground just works. You might be wondering what I mean by underground? This is the Train service that gets you from point A to B popularly known as the “tube” by Londoners. As with any capital city, London can get very traffic jammed especially in central London. The best way to get from one place to another even on the busiest summer afternoons is by the underground routes. The trains can get really busy in peak period especially if you are in and around the city or Canary Wharf where the work force is. However, save your taxi monies and consider the underground first. 

This also means that, if you are on a budget, where you stay in London does not really matter. The underground will get you around with no fuss. 

Important points to note while using the underground:

• Oyster cards used to be the requirement for tapping in and out of the train station. This is usually a prepaid card where the fare is deducted as you tap to get through the barriers. However, in the last few years, bank cards have now become the norm for payment on the barriers. In fact, I don’t remember when last I used my oyster card; I have used my bank card for the last 3 years at least. 
• There is a spending cap which means that no matter how much travel you do on the underground, you won’t be debited past a certain amount; of course this is all depending on the zones you travel though. 

3. Walking is better 

Yes, the underground is king but you know what is even more wonderful? Walking in London. I would say that I discovered walking around London during lockdown and loved it so much. Of course it is different now that tourism is open again but walking around is the best way to get around. For me who loves to notice buildings and flowers etc, walking fills my senses with happiness.

There are so many gorgeous walks depending on what you want out of your day. One of my favourite places to walk is around Notting Hill. This is where I’ll recommend to ditch the car; hop on the underground and once you’re in Notting Hill, just walk.

4. Transportation in London

We’ve discussed underground and walking; let me add to the transportation options. 

Cycling: I remember when they were called Boris bikes (perhaps he introduced them when he was Mayor of London) and the name has stuck with me. Now there are different bike companies around the city who rent the bikes etc. 

Uber Boats: There is the popular uber and then there are uber boats that are run by Thames Clippers. They make for a scenic ride through London’s waterways. 

London Red Bus: I think everyone who visits London will, at some point, have a plan to ride London’s red bus. They are functional and it is where you will find the Londoners. I’m not sure there is much to say about them lol but they are frequent, affordable and actually one of the best ways to see the city. If you are central, buses 11 and 24 are a treat to see some London monuments.

5. Weather 

It would come as no surprise when I say that it rains a lot in London. Surprisingly, I read somewhere that it actually rains more in Paris than in London. I’m not sure what to do with that information or whether I believe it lol. What I will say is that in the last few years, it has not rained as much; however, summer can be hit and miss. We had the best spring/summer of our lives in lockdown (2020) and since then, it’s gone downhill. In fact, last year, we struggled to have blue skies in summer; it was grey for most of June – August.

Anyway I have painted the picture so all I will say is that whether you are visiting London in summer or not, bring a jacket and umbrella. You might be lucky to catch one of those random heat waves (which all British people hate). You might also be lucky to have a lovely summer of blue skies for picnics. However to be fore warned is to be fore armed.

Always check the weather forecast. I use the BBC 14 day forecast as I feel it is the most accurate and updates as predictions change.

6. Queuing is mandatory

Ok, not really but Londoners absolutely love a queue lol. There is this unspoken rule that once you get to a spot, you start or join the queue. Jumping the queue is simply unacceptable and you could be heckled and shouted at if you do that. For a really busy city, London prides itself on being orderly at all times. This does not matter if it is rush hour or a quiet Sunday morning, Londoners will queue. Something I love is that foreigners and tourists are forced to abide by these unspoken laws as well. Londoners will not have it any other way.

7. London is expensive

This might be a controversial opinion but having lived in London for 7 years and as one who still works in the city; also after having travelled a fair bit, London is an expensive city. When people say that city so and so is expensive, I always do the math and tbh, London is up there with them. Hotels are incredibly pricey, fancy restaurants will charge 12-15% service charge and cocktails can be around £20 – £25 (ahem, Harrods I am looking at you).

Now, I know Harrods is fancy and service charge is usually at fancy restaurants. However, in comparison to many other places I have visited, London cannot escape the expensive tag. The only places I have visited that I thought were notably more expensive were Monte Carlo and Geneva. 

8. Lots of free things

Although London is expensive, there are a lot of free things to do. You can enjoy much of London’s attractions for free or heavily discounted rates. Some free things to do in London include museums such as:

• National History Museum – For kids and younger adults, the National History Museum is a really great one to visit for a day out. I found it fun and educative with lots of interesting exhibitions to pique the mind.
• Sky Garden
• Victoria and Albert Museum
• National Maritime Musuem
• The Science Museum

9. “Rat-city” London

It is impossible to discuss what to know before visiting London without including the city’s rat problem. This makes me chuckle but it is the reality. Rats in London are a menace. You will see them everywhere from the underground to the streets to wherever. I still stand by the fact that the rats are not as bad as those in New York and even Paris. Just don’t be surprised if you see them on the train tracks when you are underground.

10. Crime rate in London

How can I talk about London without mentioning the elephant in the room?! Unfortunately, and I’m sure it is much like any popular city, London is not without its own share of problems. One of which is its crime rate that some may arguably say is high. From phone snatching to weapon crime to car theft, London has a headline everyday.

The phone snatching is the one that will be relevant to tourists as they are the main targets. While it is easier to use your phone for map around the city, you have to be triple alert as it can be snatched in the blink of an eye. Weapon crime is a massive problem as well and there is a huge knife culture within the teenage community. However, it seems that they tend to target each other. It is still very scary tbh and while I would never discourage anyone from a dreamy visit to London, this is something to be aware of.

11. Escalator etiquette

Remember to always leave the left clear for those who want to walk up and down the escalator. If you would rather stand, stick to the right. As you might have deduced, Londoners are always in a hurry. So you will get a lot of “polite muttering” if you stand on the left and hold up the queue of those trying to walk up and down quickly. You’ll be lucky if it is polite muttering but sometimes, you will get yelled at to move to the right.

12. London is the gateway to a lot of places

One of the best things about London is its proximity to so many cool places. The transport system makes it an attractive base for people travelling through Europe. The Eurostar train for example gets you from London to Paris in 2 hrs. It also goes from London to Brussels and Amsterdam. Then within the UK, London is close to historic cities like Oxford, Winchester, Cambridge etc. There are popular London day trips to Bath, Cotswolds and many more places. So, if you are visiting London, make sure you don’t just stay in the city. Go somewhere else and experience the charm of Europe or stay local and experience other parts of the UK.

13. London’s green spaces 

I really love that even though London is a city through and through, it also has so many green spaces to enjoy. One of my best green spaces is Hampstead heath which I find so beautiful. There are gardens and parks dotted all around the city and in summer, these green spaces come alive with walks and picnics. 

A few other green spaces I love are Kensington Gardens, Greenwich Park and Hyde Park. 

14. Independent cafEs

One thing I really love about London is the amount of independent cafes that are dotted around the city. It feels like a city that thrives on small businesses with the potential to expand beyond their dreams. I work in the city and every other month, there is a new independent coffee shop popping up. So even though the likes of Starbucks, Costa etc are popular, there are many independent coffee spots to get your fresh brew from.

15. History 

London is full of so much history and was a big player in the previous eras. This means that there is a lot of history dotted around the city. For example, places like Tower of London which once served as a prison and was where Anne Boleyn was executed in 1536; then there is Buckingham Palace that has been there since 18th century. Some of my favourite historic places in London are the mews. In previous years, mews were usually stable yards for horses and the cottages attached to them would be servants’ or horse keepers’ quarters. In present day, mews in Kensington for example house some of the most expensive properties because they are such an important part of London’s history.

Always look up as you walk around the city and you will see the juxtaposition of old and new buildings, side by side, and even atop one another. 

Read More: TOWER OF LONDON AND TOWER BRIDGE

16. No, you won’t see the royals 

A misconception is that once you visit London, you will bump into the royals. This is mostly untrue. One of the things to know before visiting London is that you will likely not see anyone from the Royal family out and about. In fact, most of the royals don’t live in London. Buckingham Palace is almost like an official residence of the ruling monarch. You might be lucky to catch a glimpse of them on one of their walkabouts. Or if you are around during one of the festivities – a royal wedding, funeral etc. Some people have been lucky to see Princess Eugenie in Waitrose but I’m not sure it is an everyday occurrence. 

17. The best time to visit London is anytime

This might be an unpopular opinion but the best time to visit London is anytime in the year. It is one of those cities that is alive for tourism regardless of season. It competes with the likes of New York and Paris in that sense. London is lush in spring; that’s when flower season commences and London is in bloom – blossoms, wisteria, roses etc.  Summer in London is actually a thing now – festivals, pop ups, carnival, al fresco dining, PIMM’S!! Wimbledon etc.

Then there is autumn which is very short but beautiful too; I think it is the best time for fashion in London. It leads us to winter which is romantic and all the Christmas decorations adorn the shops and streets. London is very pretty at Christmas (IMO, it is the best city for Christmas in Europe – lights, markets, things to do in general). London is vibey all year round; I guess the fact that it is multicultural contributes a lot to that. 

18. London Bridge is actually not the one you think it is

We all know the popular nursery rhyme “London bridge is falling down” and I’m sure you immediately think of the pretty blue bridge that sits next to Tower of London. I remember a lady asking me for directions to “London Bridge” and looked confused when I tried explaining the different bridges. That blue bridge that tourists flock to is actually “Tower bridge”. For some reason, it is known as London Bridge lol but there is an actual London Bridge. I am sorry to say that it is not as pretty as the other bridges in London but I thought to add that here FYI.

I wrote more about it here: LONDON’S PRETTY BRIDGES

19. Dress code

One thing to note is that a lot of fancy restaurants will have a dress code which is usually smart-casual. It is never too strict but things like football shirts, gym wear, gym trainers are not allowed in some places. This is especially if you are dining within the restaurants. I must say that in the last few years, it has relaxed a lot since people have complained about dress codes being restrictive. However, it is important to check the website of the bar, restaurant or club you are going to and confirm dress code so you can dress appropriately.

Otherwise, London dress code is mainly casual. It is a mix of street fashion and making an effort to look good. Again, typical city vibes. 

20. London is very child friendly

I love that restaurants, shops and everywhere in between caters to families. You will always friend a high chair in restaurants, kids menus and baby changing facilities. Coffee shops will offer you little babyccinos and have a mini cake or croissant for them. Green spaces, playgrounds, parks are just some of the free offerings for families. There are so many fun things to do in London with kids as well. The only problem is how to navigate the underground with a stroller; I found this particularly tricky. But I just downloaded the step free access maps for the underground and everything was well with the world again.

What to know before visiting London

I hope this gives you an idea of prepping for you London trip. Above all, come ready to have fun. There is something for every kind of traveller and I genuinely think it is such an all round city.

Enjoy London!

Bugo x