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London is one of the most fascinating cities in the world. Founded by the Romans, it’s quintessentially British yet has an international flavor. I can’t help but want to go back and discover more.
Airports
Pick your airport. There are five international airports serving London: Heathrow (LHR), Gatwick (LGW), London City (LCY), Luton (LTN), and Stansted (STN). You can get to and from several cities around the world from London’s airport system.
Heathrow Airport
On my trips to and through the city, I’ve only flown into Heathrow. There are several restaurants and shops, queues for security weren’t nearly as bad as I had expected, and staff was friendly and patient every time I had a question.
Heathrow is a huge airport but I found it to be easy to navigate. Getting between Terminal 5 or Terminal 4 to Terminal 2 or 3, you can take a free shuttle train. To get between Terminal 2 and Terminal 3, you can walk in about 10 minutes. If you need to get between Terminal 5 and Terminal 4, you’ll have to take bus #482 or #490 from Bus Stop #7.
To get into the city from Heathrow, you have a few options. You can take the Heathrow Express, which is a direct train to Paddington Station in the city center. It takes only 15 minutes and costs £25 one-way and £37 return (as of October 2023). If you book early enough for a fixed date, it’s possible to get a ticket for just £5.50 (as of October 2023). A taxi can take about 45 minutes to an hour or more depending on traffic and your final destination, but could end up costing a fortune.
Finally, you can take the Underground on the Piccadilly Line and get to the city center in about an hour. It costs £6.70 for a single ride ticket in cash, or if you have an Oyster Card (see below), the standard fare is £5.50 (as of October 2023). Trains run about every 10 minutes, 24 hours a day.
Underground
To get around town, I always use the London Underground, also known as the Tube. It’s the oldest underground railway system in the world, opening in January 1863.
There are several tube stations conveniently located throughout the entire city, making it very easy to get where you need to be, or within very close walking distance.
To ride the tube, you need an Oyster Card. It can be purchased from a machine at any tube station or online. It can also be refilled at the machines or online. To use the Oyster Card, you touch in before the start of your journey and touch out at the end. This ensures you always pay the correct fare.
Double-Decker Buses
Believe it or not, I’ve never ridden on one of London’s iconic double-decker buses. Regardless of my lack of experience, they’re a great way to see the city. You can ride one of them by using an Oyster Card.
Black Taxis
London Black Taxis are another, more private way to get around, but they’re also the most expensive. There’s a minimum fare of £3.80 (as of October 2023), and it goes up by distance and time. There are no extra charges for luggage or additional passengers, but it costs £2 extra for telephone and online bookings, £3.60 if you take a taxi from Heathrow, and £5.20 for drop-offs at Heathrow (as of October 2023). You can pay in cash or with a credit or debit card. We only had a problem from one of the drivers when not paying cash. Also, we found fares to be quite consistent with Uber, but the taxi drivers were much more professional, courteous, and interesting.
Ferries
London has a ferry system on the River Thames. Take the River Bus, operated by Thames Clippers, by using an Oyster Card. There are also companies offering scenic river cruises.
Ham Yard Hotel
The absolute best hotel I’ve stayed at in London is the Ham Yard Hotel. It’s located in Soho, just a few minutes walk from Piccadilly Circus. It’s got an excellent staff, a rooftop garden, restaurant, spa, and 91 individually designed rooms and suites. It is, however, extremely expensive. I stayed there in July 2019 for four nights.
My room was phenomenal. It was extremely comfortable, spacious, and had an amazing bathroom. I really enjoyed the shower, and the bathtub with the TV was a nice touch.
Delmere Hotel
On a previous stay, I spent one night in October 2010 at the Best Western Delmere Hotel. It’s located a short walk from Paddington Station. My room was extremely small and definitely needed upgrading. Thankfully, it was refurbished in 2015.
Events
London always has something happening. For a schedule of events, nightlife, restaurant recommendations, entertainment, and more, check out TimeOut.
Football
Football lovers will be in heaven in London. There seems to be a club playing in just about every corner of the city. It’s a lifelong dream of mine to get to a game, which I hope to do in the near future.
Teams include Arsenal (Emirates Stadium in Holloway); Chelsea (Stamford Bridge in Fulham); Tottenham Hotspur (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in Tottenham); West Ham (London Stadium in Stratford); Crystal Palace (Selhurst Park in Selhurst); Fulham (Craven Cottage in Fulham); Millwall (The Den in Bermondsey); Queens Park Rangers (Loftus Road) in Shepherd’s Bush); Brentford (Brentford Community Stadium in Brentford); Charlton Athletic (The Valley in Charlton); AFC Wimbledon (Plough Lane in Wimbledon); Leyton Orient (Brisbane Road in Leyton); Barnet (The Hive Stadium in Canons Park); Bromley (Hayes Lane in Bromley); Sutton United (Gander Green Lane in Sutton); and Dagenham & Redbridge (Victoria Road in Dagenham). Many of the larger clubs offer stadium tours.
In Wembley you’ll find Wembley Stadium, one of the most famous stadiums in the world. It’s the traditional home of the FA Cup Final and the England national team. Wembley also offers a stadium tour.
