Being one of the most expensive cities in the world, London can clear a bank balance in the blink of an eye unless you’re careful and know how to explore wisely. Here’s how to make the most of your London trip for one.
There are a wide variety of historical monuments to visit, a plethora of shops to raid and millions of places to dine so it is no wonder that many people leave the city with battered purses. There is a way of exploring the city without having to remortgage your house; you can quench your cultural thirst, wade through mountains of history and fill your stomach with an array of delicious foods for a mere pittance; the tip is just to know where to go.
How to Travel Around
Once you get into the city from the hotels near Hounslow Central station, London offers a wide variety of ways to travel around; you could take a taxi and experience London traffic, take a bus tour where you can combine sightseeing and getting around the city, you could take a ‘Boris Bike’ and travel the sights yourself while detouring through the luscious parks or you could quite simply walk. The cheapest and by far the best option is walking around the city; this may seem absurd due to the sheer vastness of London, however, London hides many secrets up its sleeve and the only way to unveil them is by foot. Take a stroll and drink in the views, uncover some quirky side streets hiding several small shops, enjoy a break in a small cafe in a lesser known park and see how many blue plaques you can find on various buildings in the city.
How to Eat for Cheap
Eating out in London is possibly one of the biggest expenses but it is also one of the places where the biggest savings can be made. It is so easy to try fine dining, Michelin-starred restaurants in the UK capital because they are in abundance, however, you can save money and still give your tastebuds a real treat. Street food can be found in droves all around the city streets; from sugared nuts to chips to hot dogs, the list is truly endless. Even though it is advised to check cooking surface and state of the pre-bought food, most street food vendors pride themselves on providing the public with some tasty treats.
If street food isn’t your thing, then why not take your tastebuds on a trip around the world. London is known for its rich culture and the diverse choice of foods are testament to that; cuisines such as Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Chinese and Middle-Eastern dishes come at affordable prices so why not try something new?
Where to Stay
The first thing to address is where you’re going to lay your head during your stay in the city; the main London hotels are extremely pricey however, it is all about location, location location. Grand Park Hotel London Hounslow is a good way to go as it is minutes away from Heathrow airport and it is a stone’s throw away from Hounslow East tube station that connects straight to the city. Once your train arrives in the heart of London, you will be within walking distance to all of London’s main attractions including Hyde Park, Kensington Palace, Oxford Street and Marble Arch.
Places to Visit
Admission fees for iconic London landmarks can be extortionate, it can really put a financial strain on your trip. Even though they have to be seen at some point in everyone’s life, they can be spaced out over a few days or even a few trips. Many of the sights have ongoing deals which allows you to buy tickets in bulk for discounted prices so check their websites for savings. Also, many of the West End theatres have spare tickets available for their shows which are then passed on to ticket seller booths that can be found all over London; you will be able to experience incredible shows such as The Phantom of the Opera, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and Wicked for a fraction of the price. Find discounts for London theatre tickets here.
There are several places to visit where admission is completely free and you are guaranteed to be lost for hours and hours, enveloped in culture and history. Places such as the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the V&A museum hold a vast range of interesting artifacts ranging from the beginning of time up to the most modern technological discoveries while the National Gallery, in Trafalgar Square, holds centuries of fine works from Masters such as Vincent Van Gogh, Renoir, John Constable and Michelangelo and all can be viewed for free.
As the saying goes, the best things in life are free and London is no exception. Some of the most beautiful parts of the city are free and come in the forms of its Royal parks such as Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, Richmond Park and The Regent’s Park and Primrose Hill. Come rain or shine, these parks are breathtaking; Kensington Garden is littered with memorials of the late Princess Diana while Richmond Park is home to wild deer and stag which can usually be found at sunrise. If you want to see London from a different angle, traipse to Primrose Hill, the highest natural point in the city and where the skyline will allow you to truly appreciate the spectacular city that is London.