7 Useful Tips For Your First Time In London

London can be pretty overwhelming if it’s your first time visiting. A lot of tourists go to London every year to see their world-famous landmarks like Big Ben and Westminster Abbey, so it can be VERY crowded.

Here are 7 useful tips for your first time in London so you don’t get too overwhelmed and miss anything important. I’ll go through how to use the tube, what borough to stay in, where to eat, and what to see while you’re there. 

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

How Long To Spend In London?

Considering how much you have to see your first time in London, you can surprisingly see all the main attractions in one day if that’s all the time you have. Most of them are conveniently located within walking distance of each other. 

I wouldn’t recommend spending too much time in London England, unless you have a long list of things you want to see – most can be visited in two days.

1. Transportation From The Airport

If you’re arriving to London by plane, there are two airports you can arrive at: Gatwick and Heathrow. It usually depends on which airline you’re travelling with. But it’s important to know which one, especially if you have a connecting flight…

How To Get From Gatwick Airport To London England

If you’re landing in Gatwick Airport, it’s very far from the city. It’s about an hour’s drive, so it’s a bit too long (and expensive) to take a taxi. The easiest is to hop on the Gatwick Express which will bring you to Victoria Station in London. They have trains leaving about every 15 minutes and take about 30 minutes to get to London. Victoria is a large tube station that’ll connect you to other lines in London (so don’t worry if that’s not your final destination).

Buy your tickets beforehand to make it easier when you land, and also skip the lines. As a bonus, you’ll save 10% on your ticket price!

A cheaper option is to take an Easy Bus, but it will take longer.  You can find out more here. 

How To Get From Heathrow Airport To London

If you’re flying into Heathrow Airport, you’re luckier, it’s a bit closer to the city.

They also have the Heathrow express which will be the quickest way into the city. This train brings you to Paddington Station.

If you land in Heathrow, you can also skip the train entirely and take the tube directly to whichever station you need. It’ll be about 50 minutes, depending on where you’re headed. You can also opt for a taxi which will be about 40 minutes.

2. Understanding The Underground (A.K.A. The Tube)

London has one of the best transportation systems in the world. They have a great underground subway system (which they call the tube) and of course double-decker buses.  

The tube goes basically everywhere you need to go, I didn’t even need to get on a bus while I was there. For your first time in London, the tube might be confusing at first, but you’ll quickly get the hand of it and it’ll become second nature in no time. 

ProTip For Your First Time in London: Double Check The Trains!

It’s important to not to blindly get on any train at the station. Sometimes two trains can stop at the same station but end up at a completely different location. To know which train to get on, check what the last stop on the line is. This will tell you which direction the train is headed in.

Just in case, the front of the train always displays its final destination. And they have screens in the tube stations telling you how far away each train is  – so you’ll know if it’s your train pulling up or not.

Also, something else to be aware of are those white dots you see on the map, those are connectors. That means that if you get off at a dotted station, you’ll be able to connect to the other tube lines from there.

What To Know London: The Oyster Card

The Oyster card is their payment system (like the MetroCard in New York City, Opus in Montreal, or Charlie Card in Boston). It’s a rechargeable card that you buy once and refill it with money as needed.

You can buy an Oyster card at any underground station, and refill them from there as well.

But! In recent years they’ve updated their ticketing system so you’re able to use your credit card instead of the Oyster card if it has contactless payment capabilities (tap). This makes it so much easier to use the tube.

You don’t have to worry about adding money or that you won’t have enough for a specific trip. It automatically caps you at the daily or monthly limit. I used this, and it was great. I didn’t even have to think about it. 

Also, transport works as it does in New York. It’s separated into zones, so you have to make sure you keep your card while you’re on the tube because you need it to exit. It’ll charge you based on how far you’ve travelled.

3. First Time in London: Where to Stay?

Accommodations in London England can be quite expensive, especially if you want to stay in a good area. I could only afford to stay at hostels when I was there. And those weren’t even that cheap considering they were hostels.

What was important to me was cleanliness, safety, and location. I found two hostels that checked off my main requirements. And I would recommend both of them depending on what you’re looking for. They’re both about the same price per night.

Stay At The SoHostel London

When I stayed at the SoHostel in London, I didn’t even feel like I was staying at a hostel! It was so clean I had nothing to complain about. They even had a cleaning service that made the beds and changed the sheets every day. Breakfast was also included in the morning.

The area was also unbeatable. It was obviously in SoHo, but more importantly, it was less than a 5-minute walk from the tube (Oxford Circus, giving us access to 3 lines!). We barely even needed to take the tube because most of the attractions were actually in walking distance. 

Book your stay today!

Wombats Hostel London

I’ve also stayed at Wombats Hostel, in Southbank (near Tower Bridge), a completely different area compared to the SoHostel.

The rooms were still very clean, no complaints there.The main downside is that breakfast wasn’t included. They offered one, but you had to pay extra for it – and it wasn’t exactly cheap.

This hostel is known as a party hostel, and they have a great communal room. But the location was definitely more deserted being on the outskirts of the city, so we did have to use the tube more often than at the SoHostel.

Check availability and room rates. 

4. Main Attractions To See Your First Time In London

For your first time in London, you’re going to want to check off certain attractions. These are the must-see London sights that you won’t want to miss. 

Buckingham Palace, The Mall, & St. James Park

Buckingham Palace  is the royal palace of London, but did I even have to tell you that? You’ll want to spend some time admiring the building, and make sure to snap a pic in front of the gates.

If you can, try to be there around 10:45 when the ceremonial changing of the guard happens. There will be a procession along the Mall (the reddish street leading to Buckingham Palace). If you’re visiting London from mid July to October, they offer tours of the State Rooms as well. 

St. James Park is across the street from Buckingham Palace and it’s absolutely beautiful to walk around there. Stop for photo opportunities of the London Eye across St. James Park Lake, bring a picnic lunch…

Hyde Park, Princess Diana Memorial, & Kensington Palace

Hyde Park is London’s Central Park, it’s MASSIVE! You’ll find a lot of sights to see, make sure you have good walking shoes on! There are three tube stations just outside Hyde Park that will take you to different points of interest (Hyde Park Corner, Lancaster Gate, and  Queensway Station). 

My favourite attraction in the park is Kensington Palace, which is now a museum. You can see the Kings State Apartments and a temporary exhibit, which will change every year or so. 

There are also several monuments throughout the park, like the Princess Diana Memorial, Albert Memorial, and even a Peter Pan Statue!

Big Ben & Westminster Abbey

Big Ben and Westminster Abbey are arguably the top London attraction, and they’re conveniently located around the block from each other. 

If you didn’t know, Big Ben is actually the name of the bell inside the Tower. This building is part of the Palace of Westminster, which is home to the UK’s government, so you can’t just walk in. If you want to see inside, you’ll have to sign up for a tour. 

Westminster Abbey is the grand church where the royal weddings take place. You can buy tickets to go inside. Be sure to double check that they’re open when you’re going! I opted against visiting because the line is HORRENDOUS!

Tower Bridge & Tower of London

Tower Bridge A.K.A London Bridge, as most of you know it, is the infamous London Bridge that falls down! You can actually buy tickets to walk across, and look down on everyone below through the glass floor. You’ll also find out about its history and can see how the bridge works.

Next to Tower Bridge, you’ll find the Tower of London. It was a prison for a while and had a big impact on the history of London. But now it’s a main tourist attraction where you can see the crown jewels. Find tickets here. 

Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

If you’re a literature buff and are into Shakespeare you have to go to Shakepeare’s Globe Theatre. And even if you’re not, it’s still really interesting to visit. Keep in mind, this is a reconstruction, as the original burned down many… many… years ago.

You can pay for a tour and they’ll share a ton of fascinating information about Shakespeare and the time in which he lived. Or you can skip the tour altogether and buy tickets to actually see a performance in the theatre. 

Free London England Museums!

London is filled with museums, and the best part is, they’re all totally free! They have so many that you’re bound to find a museum that you want to visit you first time in London. They range from the Natural History Museum, The Tate Modern (art), The Victoria and Albert (my personal favourite), and the National Gallery. You should try to make it to at least one of these during your stay.

I really enjoyed the Victoria and Albert Museum. The different exhibits there range from jewellery and fashion to food and cars. Oh, and did I mention that entry to the museums is totally FREE!!??

5. Main Shopping Hubs In London England

Being one of the major fashion capitals in the world, there’s no shortage of shopping here. From designers, commercial stores, to local markets, and boutiques, you’ll find it all. Doing a little shopping is a must for your first time in London!

If you’re looking for an outdoor markets and unique stores, you’ll want to go to Portobello Road (Kensington Market), Covent Garden, and Camden Market. 

At the Kensington Market on Portobello Road, you’ll find antique shops all along the road. This is one that even if you’re not into shopping, you have to come here you’re first time in London to see the beautiful pastel coloured homes.

Covent Garden is more centrally located in London. You have the local market that’s set up every day. But then you have permanent stores all around.

Camden Market is a local market in Camden. It’s not in the main city centre. This is one that if you have some extra time is worth checking out.

For more main stream shopping, Soho is the shopping epicentre of London. Soho has  all the brand name shopping stores you could ever want.

But, whatever you do, you have to make a point to stop in at Harrods your first time in London. You may have heard of it before, it’s pretty famous. It’s London’s major department store and it sells everything. And when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING!

Even if you don’t have anything to buy it’s such an experience to see. Every room is a different department and has a different theme to it. My favourite room was the food and sweets department.

6. Where To Eat In London England

London England is filled with so many different cutures that all brought their delicious food to enjoy. The two best food experiences in London for a first timer are the Borough Market, and Brick Lane.  Borough Market is a great local food market with so many different options, you’re bound to find something you like. We ended up at the Pie-minister for mini shepherds pies that were TO DIE FOR.

Even if you don’t end up eating on Brick Lane you have to go for the experience alone. It’s kind of like Boucher street in Brussels, if you’ve ever been there. Except here, it’s all Indian restaurants.

Prepare yourself for a quite unique adventure. As soon as you walk by a restaurant, there’s someone standing outside trying to haggle with you to get you to eat there. But here’s the best part, it’s your job to get yourself the best deal! If you start to walk away, they’ll throw in bottles of wine, extra appetizers, you name it! Literally, you can say you’ll eat there if they throw in an extra glass of wine.

If you’re looking for a more normal eating experience your first time in London head to Sherlock Holmes Pub. I really wanted to eat here during my trip. We tried, but it was PACKED! It looked like the place to be, and the ratings aren’t bad. So if you do happen to get in, let me know how it is!

I also recommend trying Poppies if you’re in the mood for some fish and chips. It’s a fun 50s diner vibe, with even better food, and reasonable prices. 

7. What To Know London: Where Are The Best Free Views?

My advice, skip the London Eye, you can get much better views of the city completely free of charge.

The Tate Modern in London has a rooftop terrace giving you a 360 degree view. Like I said, the museum is free, so you can go in, skip the exhibits and go straight for the panorama view. 

Alternatively, not too far from the Tate Modern is the Shard. There’s a restaurant at the top of the building that you can dine in. It’s expensive, but order one drink and enjoy the view. Okay, so it’s not totally free but – hey you have to get your night started at some point, right?

A bit more out of the way, but totally worth it, is Primrose Hill. In the borough of Camden (so you can explore Camden and the market at the same time), go to the park and make your way to the top of the hill for an outstanding view of the London skyline.

Bonus Tips For London! Escape The City For A Day

The city can get pretty overwhelming at times. So it’s a good idea to plan at least one day trip during your stay.

I went to visit Hampton Court for the day – the old summer palace of the royal family. The grounds are spectacular. And it’s just one train ride away, about 35 minutes. Make sure to buy your tickets online before you go to skip the lines. 

There are so many other organized day trips from London that you can go on, depending on your interests. See more on Viator.com here.

Let me know if I missed any important advice for traveling to London for the first time. And if you like what you read, it would help me out a lot if you could share with your friends and family.

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Last update on 2024-05-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API