First Time In London: Things you need to know

London is England’s capital and it’s a huge city. Visit London can take you at least one week and more. If you are visiting London for the first time you should read my itinerary to visit the city in 4 days.

FIRST TIME IN LONDON

ACCOMODATION

You are planning a trip to London for the first time and you don’t know where to start? First of all, you need to know that London is made in zones. Zone 1 is the central one where most of the attractions are. Then you have zone 2, zone 3 and so on. My suggestion is to book your accommodation in zone 1, even if it’s more expensive. You will save money on transport and you won’t waste time traveling. The best way to book is by booking or Airbnb. 

You can decide to book your accommodation in north, west, south or east London. I would suggest you look at the attractions you are interested in, and decide which area fits you. However, if it’s your first time in London, the West or East area is the most ideal for your journey.

TRANSPORT

London transport is a huge argument, therefore I have decided to write an article focused only on that. London is full of transport possibilities. Underground is the best way to get around. On Friday and Saturday night, some of the lines are 24 hours. On Sunday underground close sooner than usual. Buses are everywhere and most of them are overnight. My advice is to avoid rush time either by bus or underground. Rush time is between 8 and 10 am and between 5 and 7 pm. Tube – Transport for London is a helpful website to check lines service.

Taxis (cabs) are widespread but more expensive than other transport. You can call them on the street paying at the end of the journey. However you can call a cab using Uber, Kapten or Bolt application. In this way the journey will cost you less for sure. It’s really simple to use them and it’s a good saving if you are traveling with other people. For calling a cab you need to put your card detail and it’s gonna take your money through the phone.

Above all, Citymapper is the best app to move through the city. It tells you how long it is gonna be your journey, how much it costs and the fast possibility you have to arrive in a place.

FIRST TIME IN LONDON: MEAL DEALS

It can be awkward but if you know how to move to London, you will save a lot of money on food. If you are looking for a quick breakfast/lunch, Pret, Costa, Starbucks are the best options. Supermarkets have good deals too: less than 5 pounds for a sandwich-drink-snack combo. Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Marks & Spencer are my favorite. Fast food is everywhere especially McDonald’s, Burger King, Five Guys, and KFC. 

Every restaurant has lunch deals, like a fix menù for a very cheap price. Tripadvisor is a good website to check a good restaurant nearby. Eating in a restaurant is usually more expensive because of the service charge. Tips are common, especially in pubs or bars where there is no service charge. You can tip with notes or by card.

Pubs are also a good choice to eat well and save money. every pub has deals pizza-drink or burger-drink. Pubs have a nice choice of bears and plenty of choice of food: steaks, fish and chips, puddings and so on. Wetherspoon is a big chain of pubs and it’s really cheap. Avoid pubs on weekends in evening times, it’s super crowded.

Markets are a good choice for a quick lunch too. Street food is everywhere and it’s nice to try something different. Some of the most common markets to eat well are Camden Town and Old Spitalfields. Poppie’s is the best chain to eat Fish and Chips in London.

ATTRACTIONS DEALS IN LONDON

London museums are free of charge. National Gallery and British Museum are in the center. The first one is famous especially for Van Gogh Sunflowers. The British Museum holds an important Egyptian collection. In the Kensington area, you find the National History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. The first one is perfect if you are traveling with children. V&A Museum is known for its decorative and design collection and a huge amount of sculptures. Tate Modern, in the city, deserves some of your time if you like modern and contemporary art. 

The other attraction like Madame Tussaud, London eye, London aquarium and so on are expensive. Therefore, the best way to save money and to do not waste time queuing is to buy tickets online. When you buy tickets online you can buy attraction combos saving some money on both of the attractions!

Musical tickets are a bit expensive too. The London theatre website is the principal site where you can buy tickets. Sometimes you can save some money buying tickets in the stalls in Piccadilly, Covent Garden or Leicester Square.

MONEY EXCHANGE

Knowing where to change money is important. My advice is to change as less money as you can. You can pay with card everywhere in London. Revolut card is good to use if you are abroad. ATMs are everywhere but do not withdraw/exchange money at the airport: it’s more expensive. Covent Garden, Oxford Street, and Piccadilly are full of Exchange money shops.  

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