Deals/London

London, United Kingdom Travel Guide

London is one of those cities where you could spend a month and still feel like you barely scratched it. World-class museums (free!), a food scene that's been quietly incredible for years, and enough history to fill a semester.

📅 Best: May, June, September🌡️ 55–75°F💱 British Pound (£)

Things to Do

Hit the free museums first

British Museum, Tate Modern, Natural History Museum, V&A — all completely free. Start with whichever is closest to your hotel and just show up. No reservation needed for most.

Walk the South Bank from Tower Bridge to Westminster

This 3-mile walk along the Thames passes Shakespeare's Globe, Tate Modern, the London Eye, and endless street food stalls. Best on a clear afternoon.

Get cheap West End tickets day-of at TKTS booth

The official TKTS booth in Leicester Square sells same-day tickets at 30-50% off. Queue opens around 10am. Don't buy from the sketchy reseller shops nearby.

Borough Market for lunch on a weekday

Skip the weekend crush. Tuesday through Friday the market is open and manageable. The scotch eggs from Ginger Pig and the grilled cheese from Kappacasein are legendary.

Take the Overground to Columbia Road Flower Market on Sunday

Open 8am-2pm Sundays only. The entire street fills with flower sellers, the cafes spill out, and the energy is pure East London. Go early and bring cash.

What to Avoid

The Tube during rush hour

8-9:30am and 5-6:30pm the Central and Northern lines are unbearable. Walk, take a bus, or shift your schedule by 30 minutes to avoid the sardine experience.

Currency exchange at airports or tourist areas

The rates are terrible. Just use your debit card at ATMs (Monzo, Wise, or Charles Schwab have no foreign fees) or pay by card everywhere — London is nearly cashless now.

Restaurants in Leicester Square

Tourist central with tourist prices. Walk 5 minutes in any direction — Soho, Covent Garden side streets, Chinatown — and the food gets dramatically better and cheaper.

Black cabs for long distances

They're iconic but expensive. Uber is usually 40-60% cheaper for the same journey. Save the black cab experience for a short iconic ride, not the airport transfer.