Whenever you visit London, chances are at some point during your visit you will end up with a little (or not so little) shopping trip. And why wouldn’t you. There are plenty of stores, catering for all budgets and tastes. From high-end designer shops to well-known mainstream chains to the vintage and unique. So to help you pick the right shops for your taste and budget, here’s a quick overview of the best shopping places in London. If you are looking for plus size shopping tips for London, head over to my London Plus Size Shopping Guide.
London
‘When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life’ (Samuel Johnson).
Whether you are visiting London for the very first time or have been to London numerous times, London is always worth a visit.
I have called London my home for over a decade now. Let me share my experience with you and give you some insight into this greatest of all cities.
When planning a trip to London, ‘Which Airport for London‘, ‘Visiting London for the first time’ and ‘London on a Budget’ might come in handy for you.
A Pre-Christmas Trip to London
For me 1st November marks the turning point between ‘It’s far too early to think about Christmas’ to ‘Oh gosh, how can it be November already? Time’s ticking’… let’s officially kick off the season and start the Christmas cheer… NOW. Time to get all presents sorted and cookies baked. So let me tell you about London at Christmas time. In case you are planning a pre Christmas trip to London this year (although, if you do, please check the current travel restrictions).
Needless to say (but I will say it anyway) London is a travel destination all year round, but visiting London in the run up to Christmas feels extra special and an experience plenty of people seek every year.
To help you make the most of your pre Christmas trip to London, I’ve put together a little collection of things to do and see to get your Christmas spirits up.
Down the Tube – Secrets of the London Underground
The London Underground is one of the oldest in the world. The oldest parts recently celebrated their 150th birthday. And whilst it might not be able to compete with the modern, high-tech networks in some other cities, it surely has its very own charm and identity.
No it does not run 24/7… apart from New Years Eve. Although some lines have started a night tube service on weekends.
Yes it lacks air-conditioning on most of the lines (and only works half of the time on those chosen few)
No it does not come cheap, compared to some others.
But it is still one of the quickest ways to get from A to B when in London. And we do love it, even if we complain about it (we are Brits, that’s what we do).
If you are a tourist in this city, chances are you will use it a lot and completely rely on it.
So let me introduce some tube trivia and secrets of the London Underground to keep you entertained and busy during those rides.
Which airport is best for London?
Like many major cities, London has more than one airport. Six to be precise. Not all airlines fly to all airports, so depending on your route you might not always have a choice. However sometimes you do, so I thought it would be helpful to learn the pros and cons of London airports. To help you decide which airport is best for London.
Visiting London on a budget – even if you are broke
London is the greatest city in the world (well if you ask me, which is why I (and a couple of million other people) chose to live here. But London is also one of the most expensive cities in the world. And for many that is enough to scare them off. Money aside, London has so much to offer, it would be a shame to miss out on that … and not everything comes with a hefty price tag. So here are some handy tips on how to make the most of visiting London on a budget.
Stand on the Right – Rules for riding the London Tube
Almost five million people use the London tube network every day. If you’ve ever waited for a Central Line train on a Monday morning during rush hour, you’d be convinced every single one of those five million shared the very same platform with you that morning.
As long as us commuters stay amongst ourselves, it all works well. We move at a rushed pace, we know exactly where we want to go, where to stand on the platform to ensure the quickest exit when getting off. And we don’t need to consult a tube map, let alone ask someone for direction. But throw in some random tourists and this whole subterranean eco system falls apart.
If you are one of those nasty tourists, let me introduce some simple rules on how to survive your tube ride:
Tourist in my own city
I love London… and I have called London my home for almost a decade now.
But lately I have not seen much of it… other than the office and the route to the station. So last weekend we decided to tackle this and become tourists in our own city again, just for the day.
Ever since I can remember I have been in love with London. It has always been part of my life and a place I felt at home… long before I actually moved here for good.