London apartments and short-stay accommodation – plan your stay in London
England’s capital city of
London is one of the most diverse, bustling and exciting cities in the world. Home to over 8 million people, London stretches as far as the eye can see and there are many different areas, communities and corners of the city that are exciting and different. London feels like several smaller towns all packed closely together, such is the unique nature of each of these communities. London is steeped in history and there are many museums that pull together London’s journey over the centuries. There are many hotels and hostels spread out across Central London and the surrounding boroughs of
Camden,
Shoreditch,
Kensington and
Islington. Apartments and rooms in London are available for rent if you would prefer to see London from a different angle. Staying with a Londoner will give you a unique insight into what it is like to live in one of the world’s great capital cities.
Fun Facts
Over 300 languages are spoken in London and over 25% of the population of the city was born in another country!
London’s population of 8 million is larger than most countries in Europe!
London’s 409 subway escalators cover a distance equivalent of two journeys around the world every week.
The first
fish and chips shop was opened in London in 1860.
London’s most famous shop, Harrods, once used a cobra to guard a pair of sandals worth £62,000.
80,000 umbrellas are lost annually on the London Underground.
Things to do in London
Where to start? London has a huge number of world class attractions that you’ve probably grown up hearing about. The problem is not what to do in London but deciding what to fit in during your stay. How do you choose between visiting
Big Ben,
Buckingham Palace,
The British Museum,
The Tate Modern and the
London Eye? London is full of amazing sights and sounds – make sure you look out red double decker buses, black taxis, fish and chip shops and cosy London pubs. We know visiting London is quite an overwhelming experience and you probably have an idea of what you’d like to see. We’ll go through what we did on our last visit to the English capital to give you an idea what a typical day of sightseeing could involve.
We started off our day with an English breakfast in a typical greasy spoon cafe, close to our hotel on Brick Lane, Shoreditch. This area is currently known as London’s ‘hipster’ area and you’ll find lots of vintage fashion shops, cool boutiques and record shops along Brick Lane’s side streets.
We then took the London Underground to Southwark, where we immersed ourselves in the Tate Modern, located in a former power station. The Tate Modern is free to enter and is spread across several floors. It focuses on modern art and is amongst London’s most visited attractions. We could have spent hours in this cavernous museum but we managed to tear ourselves away before lunchtime. We decided to walk off our rather large breakfast along the banks of the River Thames. The sun was shining and we were afforded some stunning views down the river towards Tower Bridge and The City.
After our walk we decided to get lunch in near-by Borough Market. We’d heard good things about the area and we found ourselves spoilt for choice with eating options. It was hard to choose between the wide range of good value restaurants and cafes but eventually settled upon a small deli. We ate freshly made sandwiches followed by a cup of tea.
Next, we decided to take a ride on the London Eye. This huge Ferris wheel located further west along the banks of the River Thames is an essential attraction for anyone who has not been to London. It’s a great way to get your bearings, appreciate the size of London and get away from London’s hectic lifestyle.
Evening was approaching by the time we got off the London Eye and unsurprisingly we were getting hungry again. If there’s one thing to be said for travelling and sightseeing – it makes you hungry! We took a tube to Oxford Street and spent a while in Soho, weighing up the various food options. We decided to go to Yalla Yalla, a Lebanese food restaurant located in the heart of Soho. We ate a tasty lamb kebab that was very reasonably priced.
Next on our list of things to do was to see Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus, both a short distance from Soho and Oxford Street. We wanted to see the bright lights of London. We toyed with the idea of seeing a film or a show in one of the many cinemas and theatres on Leicester Square, but decided instead to experience London’s nightlife as it was already 9 o’clock.
We started off at The Harp in Covent Garden, CAMRA’s current pub of the year. We enjoyed a couple of pints of real ale and soaked up the atmosphere of a traditional English pub. We then moved on to the Brew Dog brewery pub in Camden, keen to try their legendary craft beer. We finished the night off London’s most famous nightclub, Fabric. It’s a brilliant club and it was hard to decide between there and Heaven, Madame Jojo’s and KOKO, all respected clubs in their own right.
We hope we’ve given you an idea of what you can achieve in a day in London. Of course it could have been quite different, and there are plenty of alternative sights you can see including
Shakespeare’s Globe,
Madame Tussauds,
Big Ben and
Winston Churchill’s Britain at War Experience. The most important thing is to have fun, don’t exhaust yourself by rushing around.
Getting Around
London is served by several airports –
Heathrow Airport,
Stansted Airport,
Luton Airport,
Gatwick Airport and
London City Airport. All five of these airports are in close proximity to Central London and connect the city with nearly 400 international destinations. You can reach the centre of London within 30 minutes from each airport, usually via bus. The London Underground is the best mode of transport for getting around London. Buy an
Oyster Card, it’s cheap to buy and will greatly reduce the cost of your travel around London. You can use it on the Underground and London Buses. London Taxis are good value and good if you’re lost.
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