Welcome to London, England, one of the most fascinating and historical cities in the world! It is also the gateway to some of my favorite walking holidays: the Cotswold Way, the Coast to Coast (post to come) and many more.
Plan to spend several days exploring the bustling city of London. Ride a double decker bus, watch the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace, check out the Tower of London, explore Westminster Abbey and so much more!
Get up early to explore the historic streets before the crowds arrive to soak up the atmosphere, and then take a city walking tour to learn about the history and culture of London. Below are some of the best tours offered by my affiliate City Experiences, the city tour company I trust to give me an excellent overview and experience of whichever city I am visiting. Check out some of their tours below. Using my links helps to support the show at no additional cost to you – thanks!
Key places to visit in London:
Big Ben Buckingham Palace
Westminster Abbey Tower of London
As a major world capital, London is a foodie’s dream! Be sure to take a London Walking Food Tour while there.
After exploring London, be sure to allow time to take a walking holiday [a ‘walking holiday’ is where you walk historical rural paths from one village to another — and where your luggage gets moved daily to your cute and comfy inn].
Check out these UK adventure travel walking holiday podcasts:
The Coast to Coast Ways – England (to come Fall ’23)
Best Walking Tours and Things to Do in London
Take a day trip from London to Stonehenge!
If you have time, be sure to take a day to visit Stonehenge, a prehistoric monument that, on the summer soltice, aligns perfectly with the sun!
The vertical stones are about 13′ high and 7′ wide with lintels on top. How did they move them??? What were they for? Human remains dating from 5000 BC possibly indicate a burial site.
Where to Stay in London
London is a VERY popular tourist destination with over 30 million visitors per year! There are accommodations in every price range, but frankly, London accommodations are expensive, so brace yourself.
Here are my recommendations for Luxury, Three Star and Budget lodging in London. Or use the Booking or VRBO links below to customize your search.
Luxury London Recommendation: Shangri-La The Shard is London’s tallest hotel with unparalled views and luxury.
Three Star London Lodging Recommendation: Premier Inn London County Hall is in the heart of London, minutes from the London Eye (in the Shrek Adventure building).
Budget London Lodging Recommendation: Travelodge London City is your best value for the dollar for downtown London. This family friendly hotel is about a half mile from the Tower.
Even ‘budget’ London is expensive! Here are links if you want to explore other London accommodations:
Booking.com VRBO for apartment rentals
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When to Visit London
You can visit London year round, but some months are definitely more pleasant times to visit London than others.
The best time to visit London is in the spring, when the weather is pleasant and before the summer crowds arrive. In the winter, London never freezes or has anything but a quick dusting of snowflakes, but it does get cold. So be sure to bring a warm jacket as the temperatures tend to hover between the 40’s and 50’s F during winter. Of course, always pack a rain jacket and umbrella as most days you will have a 25-30% chance of rain with late fall and early winter being slightly wetter.
Plan and Book Your Flight to London
The main international airport serving London England is Heathrow (LHR). It is located 14 mi (23 km) west of Central London. There are direct flights from throughout Europe, and from many major US cities. In addition to Heathrow, there are several small airports served by the budget airlines, but they are quite a ways from London, so you need to add in the added transportation cost in addition to losing so much time of your vacation. Even though they’ll show up as ‘London’ in your search, they can be as far as forty miles away, and with London traffic, you could lose a half day!
I like to just get to Europe the least expensive way and then take a transfer flight or train from there.
If you are switching airlines, allow for delays by maybe spending the night in your first destination.
How to Get from Heathrow airport to Central London
The cheapest and best way to get from Heathrow to Central London is via ‘the Tube’, aka the London underground. It will take you less than an hour and trains run every ten minutes. You catch the train under Heathrow terminals 2/3, in addition to both Terminals 4 and 5. It costs under $10 USD.
However, if you prefer a taxi or bus, here’s how to make your plans. Beware London traffic – road transportation is NOT recommended!
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London Checklist : Planning your Trip
1. Choose which tours you want to do to determine how many days you want to visit. Are you planning a walking holiday while you are in the UK? (You’ll be happy you did:)
2. Choose approximate dates. You can go year ’round, but try to shoot for spring/early summer. Avoid the summer crowds!
3. Search and book your airfare.
4. Book your lodging.
5. Plan your airport transfer (Hint: Take the Tube!)
6. Buy your Travel Insurance
7. If you are planning a Walking Holiday, please consider my affiliate One Foot Abroad. Use Promo Code ATA5 to get a 5% discount off of any One Foot Abroad walking or cycling tours!
8. Then visit Trailblazer Wellness and mention Active Travel Adventures to get 10% Off any at-home custom training program so you are well prepared for your adventure!