5 things you did not know about London but should
Are you about to visit London? Of course, the city needs to be on any traveller´s bucketlist. Seeing the Tower Bridge in real life and visiting the Buckingham Palace is a great experience. Just like before any other city trip, you need to do your research before starting the journey. What places are best to visit? Which is worth my visit and what sightseeing stops can I skip? What are some insider tips about travelling to London? Are there any things you did not know about London?
Still, there are some points which barely any travel guide or travel book tells you. Here are the best 5 things you did not know about London but should know before exploring the city!
What you did not know about London: You need to be aware of the thieves
Let´s start with the most important topic when travelling to London – the thieves. Yes, the danger of being robbed out are higher in every city but London still is a hotspot for pickpockets. Especially in the center of London, thefts are happening on a daily basis and not rarely the victims are tourists who do not pay enough attention.
If you become aware of the danger in the streets, you might start noticing some small warnings or signs. Watch your handbags! Keep your belongings safe! Some street musicians will warn you during their performance to watch out if you are standing in the crowd.
And still, this does not keep you safe until you learn the hard way. It is well-known that Central London is controlled by thieves groups. This makes it impossible for you to get your belongings back after you notice they are missing.
And be aware: even if you think that phones are not worth being stolen anymore, they still are.
It is therefore essential to know this before you are travelling to London and keep your belongings as safe as possible. Do not put your phone or wallet into the pockets of your jacket. Do not wear a bag which ia open or just hangs over your shoulders.
The best tips to be safe from thefts:
- Put your phone in a case with a string and wear it under your jacket
- Do not carry your ID unless it is necessary
- Do not carry a huge amount of cash or multiple credit cards
- Wear a smaller hand bag and hold it close to your body
- Watch out when standing in a crowd
Especially the crowds can be crucial. In central London, especially around China Town and the Picadilly Circus you will most likely stop multiple times to listen to street artists. And that’s when the thieves start working.
Just be aware!
What you did not know about London: Get yourself an Oyster Cards as a tourist even though you are only visiting for a few days
The Oyster Card is the key to using the London Underground. You can transfer as much money as needed on the card to pay for the drives with the Tube. By entering the Tube station, you pass the check point where you automatically pay with the Oyster Card.
Many travellers doubt getting themselves an Oyster Card as they are only visiting for a few days. And still, this is the most important item if you are exploring London. To get the Oyster Card for visitors you need to pay approximately 20 euros. By using the card in the Tube you get a small discount on your drives which makes it already worth it.
Plus, it is easier than paying the exact fee every time you use the Underground System (which is gonna be a lot).
Make sure to order yourself an Oyster Card online before you plan your trip to London and you are ready to start your adventure!
What you did not know about London: it can be quite expensive
A city trip is mostly not known to be incredibly cheap. Yet, you can always adapt the trip to your own budget and make it suitable for what you are willing to spend. Of course, you can do the same in London and choose a budget accommodation and some delicious street food over a fancy hotel and nice restaurant. Still, London can be quite expensive, especially when it comes to sightseeing.
Some sightseeing attractions in London do not require a ticket with a high entry fee. You can visit the Tower Bridge for free, you can look up to the Big Ben for free and you can even watch the change of guards at the Buckingham Palace for free. But apart from that, be prepared for some really high fees.
If you want to see the famous Westminster Abbey from inside and experience one of the most beautiful churches, you need to pay 22 pounds, which is almost 26 Euros. 26 Euros for entering a church?
If you want to get the unique experience of driving with the London Eye once in your life and see the city from above, you need to pay between 32 and 47 Euros.
The entry fee for the Madame Tussauds in London (which is one of the best in the world) is nearly 36 Euros.
These are just some examples on the prices in London. Of course, you can always skip on these sightseeing highlights and focus on the free attractions instead.
You should know: You are dependent on public transport
Visiting London and visiting all the most important places will make you realize: you really do need the public transport. “You can just walk your way through the city” – no you cannot. The distances between the different highlights of London are quite far which makes it impossible to explore the city by foot. You are totally dependent on transportation such as the Tube, a bus or a taxi.
Some travellers do prefer to walk through a city (not only to save money but as well to really experience the life in the streets). But in London, you will use the Underground multiple times every day. This is good to know in advance as it makes the planning easier and you can reach different locations quicker.
And last but not least: There are multiple international airports – and one is quite far outside the city
You all might have heard from the London Heathrow Airport. This is probably the most famous airport in England and the biggest one in London. But there is another international airport. For some travellers, the question is: to which one am I even flying?
This might depend on from where you are coming. The long-distance flights coming from bigger international airports usually land in Heathrow while smaller flights coming from Germany, other parts from the UK, Spain or France will fly to the so-called London Stansted.
Stansted is located outside the city and it takes an about one-hour drive to reach the airport or vice-versa, the city of London. The Stansted Airport is not a small airport, but actually very busy. For some visitors it might seem like a surprise that they now need to take the bus to London. To avoid being surprised about another one-hour drive and waiting in the line to enter the bus, make sure to check this out in advance.
Of course, landing in Stansted Airport is not a disadvantage, but you need to know in order to plan your drive to the city and to make sure you arrive in time for your flight back home. This point on the list of things you did not know about London can actually be crucial for planning your arrival.
For more information on travelling London, check out The 11 Things to do in London that you should know about.
