Planning a weekend in London but don’t know how to make the most of your stay? Don’t worry…help is at hand!
If you’re in London for a relatively short stay then you’ll want to make sure that you see the best of the city – here are a few tips on how you can have the best visit possible.
Firstly, plan ahead and make sure that you book accommodation that will best suit your interests. You’ll probably fly in to one of the 3 largest airports (Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted) but it’s probably best to book a hotel in a more central location, rather than close to any of the airports. That’s not just for reasons of noise – each of the airports are a little way out of the centre, so booking a hotel in a more central location will leave you more time to enjoy your stay.
You should also book your hotel to suit your budget and your requirements. If you’re intending to spend your days out sight-seeing and your evenings eating out or going to catch a show then it may be that you’ll barely be in your hotel. If that’s the case, then why not opt for a slightly cheaper hotel and maximise your available budget by spending the money that you save on entertainment.
There’s plenty to see in London and the biggest problem that you’ll have will be narrowing down the options. It’s worth getting a good map of the city, as you’ll find that a lot of the central locations are within easy walking distance – this means that you can make better use of your time, as you’ll see plenty above ground that you’d otherwise miss if you were on the Underground.
As an example, Buckingham Palace, the Cabinet War Rooms, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey are all within easy walking distance of each other. That means that you can cover those attractions relatively easily. In fact, once you get to the Houses of Parliament, you’ll also be able to see the London Eye, which is also easily reached by crossing Westminster Bridge. Pre-book attractions where possible. When it comes to spending a weekend in a city, it’s important to be organised. Pre-booking attractions and pre-arranging routes around London may feel like a bore when you’re sitting at home but it will save you plenty of time when you reach the city.
There’s plenty to do in the evenings, with the various London shows always being popular. The heart of London’s theatre land is to be found in Shaftesbury Avenue and you’ll also find plenty of eating options nearby (particularly in Soho and Covent Garden). Many of the top restaurants have websites, so you can pre-book these too before arrival in London, if a particular one has caught your eye. Many restaurants will offer pre-theatre menus: these are served before show times, ensuring that you can get a meal before heading off to the theatre.
To sum up, the key to having a great experience in London is to plan your stay in advance. Get a good map, find a centrally located hotel and pre-book as much as possible.
