Before You Say 'Tally-ho!' - Five Tips for a Better London Vacation

chillibreeze writer — Anuja Pradhan

Need an editable PowerPoint map of England

A vacation in London is must-do for many, and rightly so. The city is overflowing with culture, art, food and people, making for an enthralling holiday. The best time to visit the city would be between April and July when the sun beams over the magnificent metropolis and makes the cityscape look cheerful and inviting. But before you say ‘Tally-ho, I’m off”, here are a few useful pointers to get the most out of your London vacation.

Get a travel pass
Whether you’re in town for a day or for a week, make sure you get a travel pass whilst you’re in London. The city has excellent public transport and the right kind of travel pass will not only allow you to travel via tube but it’ll also give you access to the city buses, over ground trains and certain tourist attractions.

There are two types of passes that are widely available in London, the Travelcard and Oyster card. Both the passes function similarly with a slight (usually negligible) difference in tariff. You can get travel cards that are valid from one day to one year, depending on your need. London is divided into zones with zone 1 being the city centre and the other zones emanating in an outward circle.

Most of the tourist attractions lie in zones 1 and 2 so get a travel pass that gets you across these zones and you’re good. Traveling by cabs is not only expensive but it’s usually time consuming, so unless it’s a really short distance, the London tube or the bus is your best option!
Skip a few popular tourist attractions
If you’re not on a group tour, it might be well your worth to skip a few popular tourist attractions that really don’t live up to the hype. Madam Tussaud’s Wax Museum, for example, is certainly avoidable. The queues are long, the tickets are pricey and the museum itself is smaller than you would imagine. Instead, why not consider using that time to visit the London Tower that is in the same area? India’s Kohinoor diamond is on display here.

Another attraction you might consider skipping is the London Eye. Undoubtedly, it does offer some spectacular views of the city but the long queue and the overpriced tickets really don’t seem worth the trouble. The ride in itself lasts for an extensive (and somewhat boring) half an hour, most of which is quite dull unless you’re willing to shell out a few extra quid for an audio guide (that’s right, it’s not included in the ticket!). Consider visiting a museum instead, they’re quite entertaining and usually free throughout the country.
Grab a cheap meal on the go
Exploring London is quite expensive and time consuming, so if you’re looking to save a few quid and some time, consider grabbing a quick sandwich/roll on the go. Most departmental stores (Tesco, Sainsbury’s, etc) will stock freshly made and reasonably priced meals that are ideal for the bustling tourist. Another option would be to pop into a take away restaurant to grab a quick bite that’ll cost you only slightly more. There are many ‘kebabs’ and ‘fish and chips’ take away shops all across the UK offering affordable meals that will appeal to the Indian palate.
Be prepared for extreme weather
You’ve undoubtedly heard about the erratic weather in the UK but it is quite easy to underestimate its unpredictability. It’s possible to have four seasons in a day in the UK, you could go from warm sun shine in the morning, to a spell of heavy rain in the afternoon, to powerful winds in the evening to an unbearably cold night. Since tourists are likely to spend most of the day away from their hotel, it’s best to carry an umbrella and a coat with you at all times.
Take a day trip
Even though a week may not be enough to fully explore London, consider taking a day trip away from the city if you have the time. Skip a few London attractions if you must and head out to see the countryside. The English countryside is breathtakingly beautiful, mesmerizing and really shouldn’t be missed. It gives one a chance to see the softer side of the country, away from hustle-bustle of the city.

Just a few hours by train will get you to the charming town of Bath where you can spend the day exploring the ancient Roman baths (some as old as the 4th century BC) or walking the streets that Miss Jane Austen once walked. You could also take a day trip to the historic town of Oxford, just a few hours away from London. Walk around the renowned university and visit the grounds where a few of the Harry Potter movies were filmed. If you book ahead, you’ll be able to get economical train or bus tickets from London to these places and back.

So there you have it, with these tips in mind and a little more research, you’re all set for an unforgettable London experience!

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Chillibreeze's disclaimer: This is a contributed article and was published on Chillibreeze in June, 2011. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article. The relevance of the facts and figures cited (if any) could change after a period of time.

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—About our writer:

Anuja Pradhan holds a master's degree in Marketing from the UK and is currently based in Pune. She has previously worked with Disney but left her day job to pursue a writing career and has since been published with DNA. Anuja now spends her days pondering and writing about culture, travel, fiction, music, books and F1. She firmly believes in the existence of the Loch Ness monster, Nessie ("she's not really a monster, she's just misunderstood").

Before You Say 'Tally-ho!' - Five Tips for a Better London Vacation

chillibreeze writer — Anuja Pradhan

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