Trip to London

London attracts tourists like a magnet. Everyone wants to see with their own eyes a red double-decker, a red telephone booth, Her Majesty's guardsman in a bearskin hat, Madame Tussaud's wax dolls, the Tower and Big Ben - what was discussed in school English lessons under the general heading “London is the capital of Great” Britain".

However, real London is not a textbook picture come to life. Ancient buildings here coexist with ultra-modern skyscrapers and panel houses, elite shops with flea markets, prim restaurants with unpretentious pubs. In the huge metropolis there is a place for the historical center, simple working-class areas, and ambitious new buildings - such as the London Eye and the Millennium Dome. A trip to London, one of the most unusual, dynamic and expensive cities in the world, will meet all your expectations and will certainly surprise you with something.

How to get to London?

Since Great Britain is island state and is located quite far from Eastern Europe, the most logical way to get to its capital is by plane. Several airlines provide direct connections from Moscow airports to London: Transaero, Aeroflot, British Airways and easyJet. Travel time is 4 hours. Only British Airways planes fly directly from St. Petersburg, delivering to London in 3.5 hours. Aeroflot, Transaero, S7 Airlines, UIA, airBaltic, Finnair, SAS and many other airlines have transfer options. Direct flights from Kyiv to London take 3.5 hours; direct flights are available from airlines such as WizzAir, Ukraine International Airlines and British Airways.

A large number of air travel offers can confuse both the inexperienced tourist and the experienced traveler. To find a suitable flight by best price It’s convenient to use the website Aviasales.ru. It contains a huge and well-systematized database of all available flights and their prices. In addition, Aviasales often contains information on promotions, discounts and special offers from airlines.

Where to stay in London?

The British capital is conventionally divided into 32 districts (boroughs), of which 12 boroughs form Inner or Greater London, that is, the historical center, and the remaining 20 are former outskirts that gradually merged into the city limits.

Hotels in London are quite expensive. Prices for public transport are also very high. Therefore, if your goal is to visit the main attractions, you should prefer the areas included in Greater London. In this case, the method of choosing a hotel further from the center in order to save money does not always work, since you can spend the entire difference on travel, plus you will also steal 1.5-2 hours of your time every day. So which area of ​​London is best to stay on holiday?

City

City deserves special mention. City of London is not one of the 32 boroughs and is a separate metropolitan area with special privileges. This is the very heart of London, which appeared within the boundaries of the ancient Roman city of Londinium. Today it is the largest financial center not only in Britain, but throughout Europe. Among the attractions located here are the Great Fire of London Monument, the London Stock Exchange and the Mary Ax skyscraper. Staying here is expensive, and is only worth it if you want to feel the rhythm of the capital or are here for work.

Can provide invaluable assistance in obtaining a visa to the UK. After all, even if you are sure that everything is in order with your documents, if you try to storm the British consulate on your own, a fiasco may await you. In this case, VisaToHome will become your best ally. From preliminary consultation to obtaining a visa, highly qualified specialists who know all the nuances and pitfalls of this matter will cooperate with you. What’s important is that you don’t have to make any effort to do this: VisaToHome employees will fill out everything themselves Required documents and they will bring your passport with the coveted stamp directly to your home.

How to get from London Airport to the city

London is served by 6 airports, two of which - Heathrow and City - are located within the city. Most international flights arrive in Heathrow Airport- the busiest airport in Europe. It is connected to the city center by:

• Heathrow Express train. This is the fastest way to get to London and takes around 15 minutes. Trains depart every 15 minutes from 5:00 to 23:45. The cost of a ticket when purchased at a ticket office or machine is 20 pounds, directly on the train - 25 pounds. A return ticket will cost £34 and £39 respectively.
• Heathrow Connect train. Paddington Station is a 25-minute drive away. Ticket price is 9.5 pounds one way, 19 pounds return.
• Metro (Piccadilly line). This is a cheap, but longer and less comfortable method. It takes around 50 minutes to get to Piccadilly Circus Station. Ticket price is 5.5 pounds, opening hours are from 5:10 to 23:45.
• National Express bus. Depending on the route, the travel time will be from 40 minutes to 1.5 hours. Opening hours are from 5:35 to 21:40, ticket price is 6 pounds.
• Night city bus No. 9 runs every 20 minutes from 23:30 to 05:00. In 1 hour 15 minutes you can drive to Trafalgar Square. Ticket price is 2.4 pounds.
• Taxi. A metered cab or minicab journey will take between half an hour and an hour and cost £50-80. Use only official taxi services and check approximate price before landing.

Of course, the easiest way is not to understand the features of the movement public transport, and order a taxi. Moreover, it’s not easy to “catch” him in the act, but book in advance on the KiwiTaxi website. pre order transfer guarantees that you will be met at the airport, seated in a comfortable car and quickly delivered to the desired address. Moreover, you will immediately know the exact cost of this trip, and this is perhaps one of the most important factors when ordering a taxi.

Car rental in London

Renting a car in London probably doesn’t make much sense – there are too many restrictions on entry into various areas of the city. But to travel around the surrounding area or Britain - why not? Just remember that in England you drive on the left. road signs Speed ​​limits are shown in miles, and the police are very strict with violators. However, if you are confident in your driving skills, Feel free to book a car in London on RentalCars.com. The selection of cars on this resource is very large, as is the price range, so you can easily choose something to suit your taste and budget. Read more about RentalCars.com in our review.

Urban transport in London

Public transport in London is quite expensive even compared to other places European capitals. The fare is tied to tariff zones, there are six in total.

A standard single journey ticket costs £2.40. Valid for all types of transport Oyster Card- a single travel card, the use of which significantly reduces the cost of one trip. When purchasing such a card you need to pay a deposit of 5 pounds. You can buy a one day pass for £8.8 Oyster Pay-as-You-Go for zones 1-2.

The Visitor Oyster Card London is a prepaid card that allows you to use all public transport for £8.4 per day. For 23 pounds you can buy a card with 20 pounds in your account, for 33 - with 30, and so on.

Red double-decker bus- one of the most recognizable symbols of London. In total, there are about 700 routes in the city, including 50 night routes (they have the letter N in front of their number). Ticket price for one trip is 2.4 pounds (1.4 with Oyster Card).

London Underground- “the Tub”, which literally means “pipe”, is the oldest in the world. Celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2013, today it consists of 11 lines and 270 stations. The cost of one trip is 4.5 pounds (2.1 with Oyster Card).

Also in London there are Docklands Light Rail, "overground", trams and river buses, but most tourists do not use them: they connect remote areas and pass by the city center.

Bike rental in London

Boris bikes are named after London Mayor Boris Johnson, who launched a public bike-sharing system in 2010. Now there are more than 550 points in the city Barclays Cycle Hire, at each of which you can take or leave your bike. To register you will need a bank card. Access costs £2 for one day and £10 for 7 days. The first half hour of rental is free, every next 30 minutes the price increases: 1-4-6-10 pounds and so on.

Excursions in London

The website's travel planner will help you understand which attractions and in what order are most convenient to see. Plan your trip to London by noting the places you would like to visit and spreading them over several days of travel. Then download and log in using the same account as on the site. This way, your plans are synchronized between the web version and your smartphone, and you will receive a personal multimedia guide that will fit in your pocket and will work even without an Internet connection, which is very important in roaming conditions.

Don't like planning? Use ready-made routes for walking around London:

Tested for myself: the longer you get to know London, the more you want to know about it. In order to explore unknown corners of the English capital or look at them from an unexpected side, you should pay attention to the Excursiopedia service. The most diverse, interesting and original excursions are presented there. At each of them, you will be accompanied by a professional guide who will tell fascinating stories about the past, present and even future of London. Here are some great options as an example:

• Evening Thames Dinner Cruise– perhaps this is one of the most romantic adventures in London! Night lights, beautiful music, delicious food, and all this to the accompaniment of the quiet lapping of the Thames waves.
• Helicopter flight over London– there is nothing more epic in Britain than a bird's eye view of the capital. This is adrenaline, delight and admiration - “three-in-one”, nowhere else you will experience such sensations!
• Harry Potter Tour– not far from London there is a Warner Brothers film set where the legendary saga about a young wizard was created. You will see Dumbledore's office, visit Hogwarts, Hagrid's hut, Diagon Alley, the Ministry of Magic and many other attractions from Harry's universe.

Mobile communications and Internet in the UK

There are many places in London where you can connect to the Internet for free - these are cafes, restaurants, shopping centers, and even some metro stations. There are even trash cans with Wi-Fi. Keep in mind that many free networks require you to go through a registration process.

To connect to the mobile Internet, you can purchase “pay as you go” SIM cards from British telecom operators. For example, Three mobile allows you to get unlimited Internet, 3000 messages and 300 minutes of calls for 15 pounds. Orange offers for 10 pounds either 400 SMS and 1 GB of traffic, or 60 minutes of international calls, or 100 minutes of local calls plus 100 SMS. There are similar options for Vodafone.

Shopping in London

London is one of the world's fashion capitals and a real mecca for shopping lovers. However, the prices here are far from the most affordable. Main shopping streets - Oxford street(elite European brands), Regent street(everything from large department stores to small toy stores), Carnaby street(fashionable youth clothing), King's road(indie stores, avant-garde designer boutiques).
The districts are also famous for their retail outlets Picadilly(department stores, book supermarkets, souvenirs), Knightsbridge(expensive department stores and boutiques) and Covent Garden(affordable clothing and shoes of popular brands).

In central London, almost all shops are open from Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00, large department stores - until 19:00 or 20:00. In busy tourist areas, shops may also be open on Sundays. Then the street markets unfold - Portobello, Borough, Brick Lane and Covent Garden. Sales in London take place twice a year - in early January and in July.

English cuisine

"Oatmeal, sir!" - the first thing that comes to mind when mentioning British cuisine. Really, oatmeal (Porridge)- This is an essential part of the English breakfast, as are scrambled eggs and bacon, sausages, toast with jam and orange juice. Fish and Chips eaten at any time of the day or night: fish fillet fried in breadcrumbs with fried potatoes and pickled cucumbers is the national favorite fast food.

In almost all traditional dishes there is meat. Shepherd's pie, also known as cottage pie (shepherd's or country pie)- this is a casserole of mashed potatoes with minced meat, Suet Pudding- veal kidneys or meat baked in a special dough, cornish pasty– layer pie with beef and vegetables.

Let's not forget about roast beef with Yorkshire pudding. They are prepared together: a large piece of beef is baked on a grill, and molds with a special dough are placed under it, onto which hot meat juice drips. After lunch - from three to five o'clock - traditional tea drinking, for dessert - sweet puddings and scones.

In restaurants they usually tip 10-15% of the amount. It is also customary for taxi drivers to leave about 10%, but in pubs they never tip.

History of London

In 43 AD The ancient Romans founded the town of Londinium, which means “wild places”. Constantly repelling the attacks of the Britons, the settlers built and developed the city, and by the year 100 it had become shopping center islands and capital. However, in the 5th century the Romans abandoned Britain, leaving a prosperous city to the indigenous population.

In the middle of the 6th century, these lands were captured by the Saxons, who brought Christianity with them. For another five centuries after that, London constantly changed hands: it was owned either by the Vikings or by the Anglo-Saxons.

In 1066, the Norman Duke William the Conqueror became the first king of a united England. He created an army and navy, conducted the first land census, established legal regulations and launched active construction - in particular, he erected the Tower. William's work was continued by his heirs: this is how the Palace of Westminster and the stone bridge across the Thames appeared in London (it remained the only one until 1739).

By the beginning of the 14th century, the population of London exceeded 80 thousand people. Even after the plague epidemic, which in the middle of the same century reduced the number of inhabitants by almost half, the capital of Britain recovered quite quickly - so great was the economic and political importance of the city.

In the XV-XVII centuries, the position of London was unprecedented: thanks to trade with Russia, Northern and South America he grew rich at an incredible rate. The emergence of the East India Trading Company in 1600 ensured dominance over colonial trade.

The development of the city did not keep pace with population growth: due to unsanitary conditions and overcrowding, plague epidemics broke out every now and then in the capital. In 1665, the disease claimed the lives of 60 thousand people. Almost immediately after this, a new misfortune befell the city: the Great Fire of London of 1666 destroyed 60% of the city's buildings in three days (fortunately, there were not so many casualties).

London, restored by the beginning of the 18th century, was very different from the old one: wooden houses were replaced by stone ones, new areas appeared, the number of port docks increased, and finally, beautiful churches and palaces were built. International trade, in particular the import of sugar, tea, tobacco and silk, provided a constant flow of finance.

In the 19th century, London was the largest city in the world: its population exceeded 6 million people! In 1836 it appeared here Railway, in 1863 - the world's first metro. In 1851, the World Exhibition was a huge success. However, there was another side to life in the brilliant capital: millions of people huddled in unsanitary slums, barely earning a piece of bread. In the summer of 1858, the “Great Stench” occurred, caused by waste from all over the city being dumped straight into the Thames. Only after this did sewerage appear in the city.

Two World Wars caused great damage to the city, but by the middle of the 20th century London had regained its economic and political positions, and also became a trendsetter in the field of culture and art. “Swinging London” changed the idea of ​​beauty, setting the tone for musicians, artists and designers for many years to come.

It is important to know:

Holidays and non-working days:

“Banking”, i.e. public holidays:

Good Friday and Easter Monday

First Monday in May - early spring holiday

Last Monday of May - Spring Day / Spring holiday

Last Monday of August - Summer holiday

They are not holidays, but are widely celebrated:

Second Saturday in June - Queen's Birthday (official)

Elena Chistova and Olga Grigorieva came up with educational project for adults Vacation&Education, in which there is a minimum of boring study and a maximum of adventure. During your 11-day trip to England you will learn English. But new words and knowledge will be acquired not at the desk, but in pubs, museums and in conversations.

Especially for PRTBRT Olga and Elena gave useful tips about the city and made two for us walking routes in London: the main one with attractions and the second one with canals, a park and markets in Camden.

UK visa

It is better to start preparing your trip in advance. The first thing you will have to deal with is a British visa, it is more complicated and more expensive than a Schengen visa.

Some tips:

• Carefully read the questions in the application form: the visa application form is complex, even filling it out and collecting documents takes a lot of time. It is best to submit documents a month before your planned trip.
• Finance. All cash receipts must be confirmed by certificates, sponsorship letters and documents. When answering questions about money, all amounts must match (the embassy will actually count all your numbers and certificates with a calculator).
• All submitted documents must be translated into English. It is not necessary to order a professional translation - you can translate it yourself, through an online translator. The main thing is to translate everything, even abbreviations on stamps, and so that everything is clear. A notary's seal is not required.
• Air tickets have not been required at the embassy for a long time, and paper photos were canceled this year.
• Now you are being filmed right on the spot, and you are also asked to say your first and last name into the camera.

Transport in London

If you don't want to leave all your money on the London Underground, be sure to purchase at the box office transport card Oyster Card - it will become your best friend while you conquer the city: you can pay with it in the metro, buses, trams and commuter trains. The only category of buses that is not covered by Oyster is sightseeing buses with an open upper floor.
In the center, some stations are located so close to each other that it is better to cover this distance on foot.

Where to eat (and drink) in London

• At the markets. There are several well-known ones, such as Camden Market and Borough Market, as well as hundreds of local and farmers' markets. At the markets you will always be offered to taste the products, so do not deny yourself anything.
• Marks & Spencer are the best, but not fast food snacks. Buy here - eat in the park.
• Waitrose supermarket. The store's loyalty program offers its visitors free tea or coffee, for which you do not need to make any purchases from them.
• Mobile applications for check-ins - Drinki App or Match Pint, track offers from pubs and bars and feel free to claim a free cocktail or beer for your check-in.

Camden Market

London Attractions

All museums and galleries in Britain are free. The only exceptions are commercial (Madame Tussauds, Sherlock Holmes), theaters and public entertainment (such as the London Eye). We recommend buying tickets in advance online, they will cost a few pounds less.

Force majeure

Lost? Ask the taxi driver! When hired, taxi drivers take a city knowledge exam. The police and passers-by will also be happy to help you, the main thing is don’t be shy.
Did you leave something on the train? Call the lost and found office in the direction you were traveling. All information on the link.
Don't be afraid of anything, the British are not as cold and prim as they are described.

Routes around London

Classic and perfect

This route is not easy, but it will allow you to see almost all the sights in one walk. And, of course, take a lot of good photos.

We start from Trafalgar Square and walk along Whitehall, which smoothly flows into Parliament Street, and it stretches all the way to Big Ben. Your route has just begun, and you have already seen Trafalgar Square, the Royal Horse Guards, the Prime Minister's Apartment on Downing Street, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey.

Trafalgar Square

Sit on a bench on The Queen's Walk, sit among funny trees, listen to street musicians and watch the huge line of tourists to look at London from above.

The Queen's Walk,

Take a breath and move on. We walk along the Thames, meeting along the way street performers, musicians, book stalls, the National Theatre, art shops, sand figures, soap bubbles, sweet peanut sellers, pubs and cafes. We go to Tate Modern (if you still have energy, you can walk a little further and see Shakespeare’s Globe Theater). Then we climb the Millennium Bridge and, to the sounds of musicians, snacking on sweet peanuts, we go to St. Paul's Cathedral.

Millennium Bridge

Crossing the Millennium Bridge, we find ourselves as if in another world, because you are in the City - this is the historical core of London, formed on the basis of the ancient Roman city. During the Second World War, this part of the city was badly damaged during bombing, but the City was rebuilt, and now it is a major business and financial center of the whole world. It also has special historical privileges: the City has its own police force, the monarch can enter the territory only with the permission of the Lord Mayor; Since 1695, it has been vested with the rights of a separate city, it has its own government (12 governors).

View of the city from the London Eye

The Monarch requires a permit, but you can cross the Millennium Bridge without any problems and head (after visiting St. Paul's Cathedral, of course) along Cannon Street, observing the clerks in suits, trainers and on bicycles.

Go to the Monument metro station, there is a bulky high-rise nearby - you need the Sky Garden. There was a lot of fuss during construction (no one approved of it), and in the end it was allowed only on the condition that a free garden for walks and relaxation would be created for the townspeople in this building. You can get there by pre-booking free tickets on the website. The best part is getting to the Sky Garden at sunset.

By the way, the route is not over yet. We leave the Sky Garden and in a couple of minutes we find ourselves at the Tower - one of the oldest buildings in England and one of the main symbols of Great Britain. As the Duke of Edinburgh wrote in his book dedicated to the 900th anniversary of the Tower: “During its history, the Tower of London has been a fortress, a palace, a repository of the royal jewels, an arsenal, a mint, a prison, an observatory, a zoo, and a place that attracts tourists.”
We go again to the Thames and see the last attraction on this route - Tower Bridge, large and majestic. There are even sometimes exhibitions inside its towers. Walk with importance across this 126-year-old drawbridge.

Next, I suggest you go to any good pub (and there are many of them), order yourself something to eat and drink and breathe out - you have seen the main attractions of great London, places familiar from childhood from books, films and songs.

The route is romantic and carefree

Camden Town

Camden Town is located in north-east London and is one of the most inspiring places in the British capital.

Here is the most famous swap meet country, on weekends up to 100 thousand lovers of antiquities and unusual things flock here. In fact, there are even several markets: Camden Lock Market, Camden Canal Market, Inverness Street Market, Camden (Bute Street) Market and Camden Stables Market. The oldest is Camden Canal Market (existing since 1972). When in London, be sure to stop by here for stylish shopping and exotic food.

Camden Canal Market

Camden Lock Market

Legends say that Amy Winehouse herself worked as a designer at the market - she sewed and sold clothes. Her presence is particularly felt in this area: it is home to one of her favorite pubs, and the house where she was found dead in 2013. Last year, a life-size sculpture of Amy with a rose on her head was installed at the market.

Next, tired of the noise of the market, we will head along the canal to the Little Venice area. Yes, here you will see boats that look magical and stunning. In fact, the British often use them as summer cottages and come here to relax on weekends.

Amy Winehouse Monument

It's hard to write about London. We hear so much about this city from school as part of our study in English, that by the time of a trip to the British capital, a huge list of attractions that need to be visited has accumulated, so advising something to someone is simply a lost cause. I will skip the standard recommendations about the Tower and the British Museum, and will talk about those places that are usually tucked at the end of guidebooks, but are definitely worth a visit on a solo trip.

Visit the prime meridian

Tourists rarely reach Greenwich, and the area itself is considered one of the few areas modern London, where the indigenous people of the capital live. Those who like to explore the life of the locals should step away from the park and walk along the nearby streets to see how on a lazy Saturday morning the British, despite the gloomy weather, sit outside the cafe and drink coffee, holding The Daily Telegraph in their hands.

Museum fans should go to the Greenwich Observatory, where they will tell you about chronometers, astronomical clocks, and even “time balls.” And then just go for a walk in the park: there are few tourists, so the walk will be much more pleasant and calmer than in the same Hyde Park.

Go to a musical

For some reason, going to a musical is a mandatory part of the program in New York, but not everyone goes to London productions, and yet the main author of the most famous musicals, Andrew Lloyd Webber, is British, and his creations were first embodied in British capital. However, the most iconic musical is not the creation of the famous composer or even any other English production, but Les Misérables, which has been on the West End stage for more than 30 years.

When you come to any musical, don’t be surprised by the choice of actors: the British advocate diversity in everything, so Jean Valjean is easily played by an African-American, and Fantine is played by a Chinese actress.

Browse for curiosities at the Notting Hill Flea Market

On Saturday, you should definitely go to the Notting Hill area, where the famous Portobello Market flea market hums and noises from morning until five in the evening. There are antiques here, and young designers trying to make a name for themselves, and philatelists with numismatists, and farmers with their trays of cheese and other foodstuffs - you only have time to look around so as not to miss anything. While walking around the market, don’t miss the full-fledged shops, often hidden behind hastily laid out counters.

And be sure to just take a walk around the area, especially Lansdowne and Westbourne Grove.

Eat street food at Borough Market

After visiting Tate Modern, there is no need to rush back to the City, no matter how the Millennium Bridge beckons you. Instead, take a stroll through Southwark to Borough Market for some tasty, inexpensive food. Borough Market attracts delicacies and the best farm produce from across Britain, but it comes with a price tag to match. But ready-made food, which is sold here in trays and corners, will be very cheap, and most importantly, it will be delicious: here you will find Indian tandoori, Vietnamese noodles and traditional English meat pies, which you are tempted to wash down with Pimm’s with fresh cucumber.

The market is open on Wednesday and Thursday from 10:00 to 17:00, on Friday from 10:00 to 18:00 and on Saturday from 8:00 to 17:00.

Walk through unknown museums

London is rich in museums: for archeology lovers there is the British Museum, art historians should rush to the National Gallery, and fans of the history of fashion and applied art should definitely visit the Victoria and Albert Museum. But no less interesting are the less popular museums, among which I especially remember the Design Museum and the John Soane Museum. The first one does not have a permanent exhibition, but there are amazing large-scale exhibitions (that’s how I got to the Paul Smith exhibition). The second was once the home of the architect John Soane, who was an avid collector of antiques and art, so the museum is outlandish both in terms of architecture and the exhibits on display (entrance to the museum is free, by the way).

Watch a movie in an unusual place

Since 2007, London has had a very unusual format for watching films - Secret Cinema. The point is this: you buy a ticket to an announced film (the date is known in advance), but you will only find out where you will watch the film a couple of days in advance, when you receive a secret message. It could be anything: the roof of a house, a hospital or a bunker. There is also the Tell No One format, when you buy a ticket without even knowing what awaits you directly - a film, an opera or a concert.

All information about upcoming events, as well as buying a ticket, can be found on the website.

Leading museums like the National Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum are completely free to enter, so you can safely plan a visit without breaking the bank.

All museums have free WiFi, which makes it possible to do without an audio guide.

In British pubs it is not customary to drink inside, especially if the weather outside is good, so you can safely grab a pint of beer and stand at the narrow counters outside (if, of course, you find a place, because even on a weekday, jacket-clad Londoners occupy local pubs).

If you don't like to walk or plan to actively use public transport, then it makes sense to buy an Oyster card: with it, trips will be much cheaper.

Every Monday evening there are free stand-up shows in the bar at the Stratford End Theatre.

Harry Potter fans should get to King's Cross Station, where near the entrance they decorated a wall with a trolley driving into it and the treasured inscription "Platform 9 3/4".

One of best views The view of the city opens from the observation deck of the Sky Garden skyscraper, which can be accessed absolutely free by prior registration on the website.

Useful sites:

Visit London - Official guide to London. Here there is mainly information for tourists, you need to look for useful information, however, there are also wonderful lists like “101 secret place London".

Secret London - a wonderful blog from locals, with tips on bars, restaurants and other activities in the British capital.

iknow.travel - a site on which I look for useful information from Russian-speaking locals when planning any trip, in the case of London it is simply a storehouse of useful recommendations.

London Inheritance - a site for those interested in the history of London.

Theater Monkey - scary as the plague, but terribly useful site for theatergoers, where you can find information about all productions and discounts on tickets.

Just Opened — a food site that tells about all the significant openings in the city’s restaurant life.

Bonus: schedule by day to get everything done

For your first independent trip to Britain, where the main point of visit is London, it is worth setting aside ten days, of which the first six days (including the day of arrival) are for exploring the capital itself, and the others for trips around the surrounding area. Based on my trip, I can recommend this schedule:

Day 1.

Arrival, accommodation and half a day for walking in the Westminster area. What you will see: Buckingham Palace(no entry), Westminster Abbey, St. James's Park, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square.

Day 2.

Museum day. What to see: National Gallery (free), British Museum (free), John Soane Museum (free). Walk through Soho, Chinatown and Bloomsberry. Harry Potter fans can walk to King's Cross Station.

Day 3.

Walk around the City. What to see: St Paul's Cathedral, Sky Garden, Fleet Street, 30 Mary Ax Tower (aka the Gherkin), Spitalfields Market. In the evening to a musical.

Day 4.

Let's explore South coast. What to see: London Eye (I wouldn't spend money), Tate Modern (free), Millennium Bridge, Southwark Cathedral, Shakespeare's Globe Theater (excursion paid), Millennium Bridge, Borough Market, Design Museum (paid). In the evening, head back to the Southbank Center for a great spot overlooking the Thames.

Day 5.

In the morning on Portobello Road to the flea market, from there on foot through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park Victoria and Albert Museum (free).

Day 6.

We're going to Greenwich. What to see: Cutty Sark, Royal Observatory Greenwich and Prime Meridian, Royal Nautical College.

Day 7-10.

Trips around the area, which I will talk about in the next post.

Tatiana Solomatina

A week in London

Guest post

It so happened that I ended up in London at the beginning of February, and this is a very serious test. You can talk as long as you like about the terrible weather in England, but as they say, it’s better to see and feel once... Dank climate: damp, windy and rainy. All the delights at once - when you leave the house, the cold penetrates to your bones, no matter how warmly you try to dress. This makes adjustments to travel routes and forces you to stop more often to warm up and drink a cup of hot coffee or tea.

I solo traveler, so I planned everything myself and didn’t depend on anyone. I had 7 days to see London, not a lot of money and a great desire to get to know the capital of Great Britain better. I can honestly say that I really liked my first acquaintance, and I had thoughts of coming again and taking a more thoughtful walk around the city. There is so much more I want to see.

I must say right away that London is a very expensive city. Very! Especially for tourists. If you walk along tourist places, then such a walk around London is an expensive pleasure. Entry tickets cost from 16 to 25 pounds, which you agree is quite expensive. I can advise you to choose a few places that are significant to you, and you can’t imagine London without visiting them. Otherwise, you should prepare for serious financial expenses. But this is relevant for independent tourists, if you are traveling with a group, some problems will not affect you, because you already know which excursions are included and what you need to see.

We landed at Heathrow unsuccessfully. No, there was nothing wrong with the plane. But a flight from Bangladesh arrived right in front of us and passport control we stood firm. Each of the Asians carried a pile of documents. It looked like they were all going to study at Oxford or Cambridge, or receive a million-dollar inheritance. The officers at passport control, most of whom were also not born Anglo-Saxons, understood this very well and checked the papers with the utmost corrosiveness. There are a lot of Sikhs among the officers. For the eyes it is quite an interesting sight, the shape and the twisted turban on the head. After suffering for almost an hour, receiving luggage and purchasing ticket, I headed to the center.

The Oyster card can be used to pay for travel on the tube, bus, tram, walking along the Thames on the KPMG Thames Clipper, and even on commuter trains. Buying a card will significantly lighten your wallet, but your transport movements will no longer depend on paper tickets. On the London Underground you won't have to worry about which zones you're traveling through. For any transport, the lowest fare is charged. Once a certain amount per day is debited, the rest of the trips will cost nothing. For an Oyster card this amount is even less than a Day Travelcard. You can buy it from kiosks at tube stations, Heathrow Airport and information centres. You can pay by card and top up your balance in cash or by card. The security deposit for the card is £5. When leaving London, you can return the card at the ticket office and get the deposit back along with the remaining balance. I put in £50 straight away, plus a deposit of £5. I’ll say right away that I spent almost everything in a week. Yes, transport in London is not the best a budget option. Just the trip from Heathrow to the apartment where I lived, which is practically the center, cost 11 pounds.

I want to say right away that I rented a room from a girl. The apartment is cozy, although the room is small, I liked it. The most important thing is the location, 5 minutes from the metro and close to the center.

The hostess was a vegetarian, which is understandable in principle, since she is a second generation ethnic Indian. But I had no intention of frying the pieces of beef. A couple of sandwiches for breakfast, with English tea and delicious fragrant honey, was enough for me. I did my shopping near my house in a small supermarket. Judging by the assortment of the supermarket, the British either do not cook at all or eat only semi-finished products. But I found very tasty grain bread and Cheddar cheese there, which I bought for breakfast. It’s also impossible not to mention the excellent lightly salted salmon, which I really liked, as a light dinner with a green salad. The hostess is a very pleasant and sociable girl. Even with my modest knowledge of English, we understood each other, she gave me some practical advice on what to see and where to go in the evening.

Since, in principle, I was not going to sit at home, I got up early, had breakfast and immediately left for the center. Having walked around and seen enough, she returned in the evening tired and happy with the day. I also tried to have dinner at home. This significantly reduces costs, which was important to me. As English restaurants, this is still a disappointment. To put it simply, it’s expensive and tasteless. And this is not just my opinion. Friends who had been to London more than once were interviewed. If it’s important to you, then I recommend small eateries, of which there are a sea all around. A very large selection for vegetarians and lovers of organic products. Well, among coffee shops, Italian coffee houses are the leaders for me. Where you can drink great coffee and even have a snack if you want.

Since it was very cold and I wanted to see a lot, I took a tourist bus. There are several tour buses operating around London, so take your pick. I took the Hop-in Hop-off and did not regret it. The excursions are recorded by professional announcers with musical accompaniment. You will hear historical facts, urban legends and jokes. In general, you won't be bored. The excursions are recorded in different languages, including Russian. There are guides on certain routes; in such cases, the tour is in English. This is very good for those who want to improve their language skills.

The ticket is valid for 24 or 48 hours, during which time you can freely leave the bus and board any other one on the same route. Stops are located at the main attractions. But there are some conventions. Buses operate from 10 am to 7 pm. You won’t be able to drive the entire route and see all the sights in detail. The interval between buses is approximately 40 minutes in winter. Time is wasted waiting, so you won't be able to use buses instead of public transport. Along with your ticket you will be given a route map and headphones. In winter, it is very cold on the second floor of the bus. You can't stand on the bus, but you can take pictures and admire London from the height of the second floor of the bus. In winter it gets dark early, so after 16:00 it will be difficult to enjoy the views from the bus window. You can buy a ticket on the company’s website, from the driver, or from travel agencies, which are plentiful in the center. My ticket also gave me the right to travel along the Thames on a river bus, which was also very useful. And I was lucky when I decided to take a ride along the Thames - the sun came out. The walk along the river lasts about 40 minutes. It’s not the season in winter, there are practically no queues anywhere, and where there were, it wasn’t more than 10 minutes long.

If in summer you can get around almost all of London on foot, the city is amazingly oriented for pedestrians and walking around London is a pleasure, then in winter the weather is not conducive to long walks. Of course, you have to walk a lot, the shoes should be comfortable, but in small steps. We looked at the monument and went in to warm ourselves. We reached another attraction and froze again. If you get to London in good time years, then I recommend that you take a walk and walk around the city. Take a walk near Regent's Park and look at expensive mansions and ancient buildings. The area is quite touristy, with famous red telephone booths and impressive Royal Mail cabinets. All this retro, which tourists are so fascinated by, really looks appropriate and not deliberately. Once again reminding me what Moscow could have been like if it had not been demolished, rebuilt and torn apart, squeezing profit out of every scrap.

Go to any pub in the evening, drink beer, choosing at random from numerous varieties. The ability of the British to be proud of what others would prefer to forget is also very interesting feature. In one of the English pubs there was an inscription that the criminals next to the scaffold drank their last glass of beer here. Visit the oldest toy store, even if your children are grown. Hang around the five floors dedicated to the joy of children, it's worth it. Maybe your inner child will want to buy a teddy bear...who knows. Admire the gloomy severity of the Tower, the splendor of the royal gardens, the splendor of London's shops in Piccadilly. Don't forget to throw twopence into the Thames, I did this on the water bus next to the famous Tower Bridge.

If I simply looked at the London Eye and other attractions, such as Madame Tussauds, Westminster Abbey without going in or buying tickets, then I could not help but go to the Sherlock Holmes Museum. The museum is located at 221 Baker Street. This address is known to everyone who at least once in childhood heard about the great detective. Not every literary hero can boast of his own museum.

The literary hero lived at a fictitious address; at the time of writing the work, such a house did not exist in London. But then, when Baker Street was completed, the company that occupied part of the building was forced to hire a separate employee to handle correspondence addressed to Sherlock Holmes. The museum was opened in 1909 and was located at number 239. A company called 221 Baker Street was organized to hang a sign on the house. Later, city authorities legalized the name, and the museum received a postal address. If you want to write a letter to the great detective, the museum will receive it.

The museum, housed in a late 19th century Victorian tenement house, was furnished based on descriptions from the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The main entertainment for tourists is taking photographs in the living room.

You are allowed to sit in an armchair by the fireplace and try on Watson's bowler hat, or the famous cap of Sherlock Holmes.

There is a souvenir shop on the ground floor of the museum. Admission is free. It is in the museum of souvenirs that you will find a photograph of Russian actor Vasily Livanov, who was awarded in 2006 for his contribution to art. There you can also see photos of Rina Zelenaya and Vitaly Solomin. It took me 10 minutes for a leisurely inspection and photo, the rooms are tiny. In one of the rooms there are wax figures of heroes. I hung around in the store for another 10 minutes. It was winter and there were very few people. In the summer there is a queue of an hour long wait. If you don’t want to see the museum, you can just go into the store and look at the souvenirs; interestingly, the sellers are dressed in historical costumes.

If you go downstairs you can get to the historical toilet... It is free, but otherwise the prices for everything are high. I tried on the cap, took a photo with the pipe, but didn’t buy anything. It’s mostly tourists from Japan who buy it; I can’t imagine wearing a cap on the streets of Moscow, but a keychain for 17 pounds is too much. A ticket to the museum can be bought in the gift shop and costs £15. The museum is located next to the Baker Street metro stop, where at the exit there is a monument to the great detective, with whom you can and should take a photo. There is an arrow on the pedestal indicating the direction to the museum, from the metro exit to the right.

At the traffic light you need to cross to the other side and walk straight for 5 minutes. Next to the museum is the Beatles store. Come in, you won't regret it. Take a look, you might want to buy some souvenirs. At the same metro station, just to the left, is the Madame Tussauds museum. I didn’t go inside because I’m not a big fan. wax figures, I’ve already visited one of the museums once, and that’s enough for me.

But there are several places where you simply must visit, and it will be free for you. One of these places is the National Gallery. This is exactly the place that simply needs to be visited. Even if you have little free time, even if you are not a fan of museums and don’t understand anything about painting. This is one of the most significant museums, which was founded on the collection of a native of Russia. And the collection of paintings deserves your attention and admiration. You can rent an audio guide and listen to information about the paintings in Russian. The gallery is very large, there are more than 2500 paintings and almost every one is magnificent. To be honest, I will go to London again precisely to wander around the National Gallery. Of course, walking around museums for a long time is tiring, but you can always leave and come back the next day. All museums in London are free. You can donate if you want, but it's up to you.

It is also very exciting to visit the British Museum. This is a paradise for those who love Egypt and mummies. Everything that could be stolen from the tombs of the pharaohs is all here. But you also need to have strong nerves, since mummies are a rather difficult sight. I can recommend the Victoria and Albert Museum. Take a look, you'll like it. Of course, you also need to visit the Tower and take a photo with the London Eye, a Ferris wheel that was built to celebrate the new millennium and was due to be demolished after 5 years of existence, but fit into the city landscape so much that it became an integral part of London. As one of the symbols of the city, it is filmed a lot, no less often than the famous Piccadilly Circus. London Eye capsules are almost transparent and offer a 360-degree view. The floor is closed, which adds comfort at height. The cabin accommodates 25 passengers. It seems very light, but weighs about 10 tons. There are a total of 32 capsules in the wheel, just like the suburbs of London. If you want, you can go for a ride, but this is not a pleasure for everyone, I just watched and took pictures from the side.

Since I really love the Doctor Who series and am a fan of the Harry Potter series, I was interested in looking for places that I associate with these characters. If you are also interested, then London is just a museum under open air, where there are a lot of places that are mentioned in the Harry Potter books, or in the Doctor Who series. There are even separate routes for Harry Potter lovers, not to mention the fact that you can visit the museum, which is located outside the city. But I left that for the next trip.

Visit Chinatown, and if you like Chinese cuisine, then you definitely need to come here. My friend came to visit me for 2 days and we had an unforgettable Chinese-style lunch. The Peking duck was delicious along with other Chinese dishes. It seems, why go to a Chinese restaurant in London? But believe me, it's very tasty. And yes, I never decided to try fish and chips... Well, I can’t bring myself to eat French fries and deep-fried fish... Simply because my stomach will remind me of itself later. But you need to visit pubs, the more, the better. In an English pub, especially, people don’t sit, but stand and talk, and drink very, very much... During the evening, we usually pass through several pubs, drinking a glass in each... I can say that the only ones who ordered small glasses of beer were my friend and I, the bartender asked again and took out mugs from somewhere under the floor, apparently they were not popular, everyone around was drinking from large mugs.

And one more interesting observation: when girls go to a pub, they basically ignore the weather; I myself saw flocks of girls and women in light dresses and barefoot sandals walking from one pub to another. For me it was beyond my comprehension. And one more observation: the curvier the girl, the shorter the skirt. In general, English fashion is merciless. Very, very amateurish. Although everyone looks more or less decent on the street, in the store the strange combinations and colors make your eyes pop. And if you like something, it is usually accompanied by a price tag with wild numbers in pounds, and most likely Italian brands.

I also wanted to say about the apartment in which I lived. The sink and bathroom cannot leave anyone indifferent. Like us, the British do not wash their hands under running water. To begin, they plug the sink drain, draw water, and wash their hands with soap. Then remove the stopper and dry your hands with a towel. However, they do not rinse their hands. Using the same principle, they wash and wash dishes without rinsing. But, as my landlady told me, they are now building houses with not 2 taps, but one mixer. But there are still very few of them and the British adhere to traditions.

That's my whole story. For myself, I decided that this is my first visit to the UK, I really want to fly again and explore in more detail the places that interested me. I hope that I was able to interest you in my story and that you liked it.

Natalya Sadova (Moscow region)

CITY PER DAY 05.14.19 7868 11

London is animated pictures from an English textbook: Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, red telephone booths and double-decker buses.

Antonida Pashinina

rode around London on a double-decker bus

Transit passengers fly through London to the USA or Canada. Some tourists even I have been to London twice - and I advise you. Eight hours between flights is enough to get to know the capital of Great Britain.

I have compiled an 8 km route through the main attractions of the city. It starts at Buckingham Palace and ends at the Sky Garden observation deck. Along the way you will see the main places of London: Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey, Palace of Westminster with Big Ben, London Eye, Millennium Bridge, Shakespeare's Theatre, Borough Market and the Tower of London. If time is short, I advise you to limit yourself to a walk along the banks of the Thames from London Eye to Borough Market or take a ferry ride along the river.

How to get to the center. Heathrow Airport is an hour's journey from central London by tube. To do this, I advise you to buy an Oyster travel card - an analogue of the Moscow Troika. According to it, a ticket costs 5.1 £ (422 R) during peak hours and 3.1 £ (256 R) at other times. When purchasing Oyster you need to make a deposit - £5 (413 RUR). This amount and the unspent balance can be withdrawn at the end of the trip in the metro terminal.

Rush hours - on weekdays from 6:30 to 9:30 and from 15:59 to 19:00

Buckingham Palace- the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II. The state rooms are open to visitors in summer and September. Entrance costs £25 (2067 RUR), an audio guide is included in the price. Tickets are sold on site, but I recommend buying them in advance on the website to avoid queues.

Tourists love to watch the changing of the guard at the palace. This is a solemn ceremony: for 45 minutes, the Royal Guards in red uniforms and bearskin caps march to the music of a military band. There are a lot of spectators, so it is better to reserve your seats in advance by checking the schedule on the official website. From April to July the ceremony is held every day, in other months - every other day. In bad weather the event may not take place. Sometimes the changing of the guard is canceled 15 minutes before the start.

Near the square is the National Gallery - one of the most visited museums in the world. Masterpieces by Rubens, Vermeer, da Vinci, Van Gogh, and Botticelli are exhibited there. The entrance is free.

Scotland Yard and Household Cavalry Museum. If you walk from Trafalgar Square along Whitehall Street, you will see the headquarters of the London police - Scotland Yard - on the left. To the right of it is the Palace Cavalry Museum. This is not the most significant attraction, but tourists love to take photos with the cavalrymen. Many even try to pet the horses while the imperturbable, stony-faced guards look into the distance.

Westminster Abbey- a Gothic temple with high walls, columns, a vaulted ceiling and magnificent stained glass windows. British monarchs, famous writers and scientists were crowned and buried here. Charles Dickens and Isaac Newton are buried in the abbey.

The most vivid impression of my London trip was the organ concert in the Abbey. Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata and Debussy's music sounded in the twilight of the cathedral, and it seemed to me that I was the heroine of an old film exploring a Gothic temple.

A ticket costs £21 (RUR 1,737) on the website and £23 (RUR 1,902) at the box office. Admission to concerts and services is free. To get to the concert, I got in line 20 minutes before the start, and I got... a good place. Taking photographs inside is prohibited.

Palace of Westminster and Big Ben. Castle - majestic building, where the British Parliament meets. The interior decoration somehow reminded me of the St. Petersburg Hermitage. The excursion costs £26.5 (2191 R), an audio guide can be purchased for £19.5 (1612 R). If you go to a public debate, they will let you in for free. True, then the visit will be limited only to the lobby and the House of Commons or the House of Lords.

The most famous tower of the Palace of Westminster is the Elizabeth Tower. Many call it Big Ben, although in reality Big Ben is only a 13-ton bell inside the tower.

Unfortunately, until 2021, Big Ben is closed for reconstruction and is completely hidden behind scaffolding. The Parliament website explained in detail how the main London landmark is being restored. For example, the authorities plan to install an elevator in the tower and improve the fire safety system.

£61m

will be spent on reconstruction

"London-eye"- Ferris wheel on the banks of the Thames. A ticket on the website costs £27 (2233 RUR), on the spot - 30 £ (2481 RUR). I didn’t ride it, but instead went to the free observation deck. I'll tell you about it further.

Right next to the Ferris wheel there is a pier for water buses - pleasure and passenger buses depart from London Eye along the Thames river boats. For example, a ticket to the Tower on the Thames Clippers city ferry costs £7 (579 R). It is paid by Oyster card.

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Millennium Bridge - pedestrian bridge across the Thames, which was built in honor of the third millennium. It is the Millennium that is destroyed by the Death Eaters in the Harry Potter film. This is a subtle English joke on the designers: when the bridge was first built, it was shaking and had to be reconstructed. The structure is now safe. Notice the little pictures under your feet: a local artist is painting on chewing gum stuck to the bridge. It doesn't sound like much, but it looks nice.

Opens from the bridge beautiful view to St. Paul's Cathedral, which is located on the other side of the Thames. This is the residence of the Bishop of London. Under the dome of the building there is the famous whispering gallery: even if you say a word very quietly, the echo will reflect it at the other end of the gallery. A ticket on the website costs £17 (1406 RUR), at the box office - 20 £ (1654 RUR). Services can be attended for free, but during the ceremony it is unlikely that you will be able to climb under the dome.

"Globe"- a theater recreated according to drawings and the remains of the foundation, where Shakespeare’s troupe played. In summer, performances are held in the open-air courtyard, and in winter they are moved to the covered part of the building. The cheapest tickets are standing for £5 (413 RUR). The theater offers excursions all year round; a tour costs £17 (RUR 1,417).

Borough Market- the oldest market in the city, where you can eat or buy cheeses, sausages or honey. There are queues for food. A beef sandwich costs 6.5 £ (538 R), a cinnamon bun costs 2.5 £ (207 R), a donut with cream costs 3 £ (248 R), a glass of organic milk costs 1 £ (83 R). The market has step-seats where you can eat.

Tower - london fortress with 900 years of history. In the center is the White Tower, which William the Conqueror built after seizing the English throne in 1066. Over the years, the fortress was overgrown with new protective layers: ditches with water, thick walls and tall towers. Throughout its history, the Tower has been a fortress, a palace, a mint, a treasure repository, a prison and a zoo - and now it is a museum. A ticket costs £29.5 (2440 R) at the box office and 24.7 £ (2043 R) on the website.

£24.7

costs a ticket to the Tower on the fortress website

Sky Garden is an observation deck, winter garden and cafe on top of a skyscraper. Tickets are free but must be booked in advance.

In my opinion, this is a great way to end a long tour of London.

Details Food. Lunch or dinner in a pub or cafe will cost an average of 10-20 £ (927 -1854 R). From local cuisine

It is worth trying the traditional breakfast, pudding, mince pie with a side dish of mashed potatoes and the famous “fish and chips” - fish and potatoes fried in batter. Tourists also often order Scotch eggs, wrapped in minced meat and fried in batter. The dishes are simple, but very nutritious and high in calories. To avoid paying for a drink, you can ask for tap water.

Traditional English tea - 5 o'clock tea - with small sandwiches, cakes and scones with cream and jam costs about £20 (1654 RUR) per person. It’s so filling that you don’t want to have dinner afterwards. You can limit yourself to just tea and scones with cream - on average it costs 6-8 £ (496 -661.333 R).

£20

costs on average for tea with small sandwiches, cakes and scones with cream and jam

If you want to save money, buy ready-made food in stores. The second course, sandwich or soup costs 2-3 £ (165 -247.5 R), a salad will cost about 4 £ (331 R), a package of berries - 2 £ (165 R), a bottle of water - 0.5 £ (41 R) . Prices for products whose expiration date is about to expire are reduced - this is indicated on the packaging. I bought a pack of donuts for £0.16 (R13) instead of £0.79 (R65), and they were fresh and delicious. Many stores also have a meal deal - several products at a fixed price with a discount. The set includes one dish, a snack and a drink. All together will cost 4-5 £ (331 -413.75 R).

At the popular bakery Brick Lane Beigel Bake, bagels with red fish and cream cheese sell for £2.2 (182 R), and a slice of cheesecake for only £0.90 (74 R). At the Foodilic buffet you can eat as much as you like for £7 (579 RUR). The menu has both vegetarian and meat dishes. There are Pret a manger cafes on literally every corner. I bought a huge sandwich there for only £3.35 (277 RUR). It's cheap for London. Public transport.

In the metro, the card is applied to the reader twice: at the entrance and exit. If you do not swipe your card at the exit, the system will write off more money. On the bus, the card is applied once at the entrance.

The advantage of paying for travel with an Oyster card is that the system charges no more than £7 per day within the first and second zones. Once you reach this limit, the rest of the trips that day will be free for you.

Museums. One museum in London requires at least two hours. Login state museums free, tickets are sold only for individual exhibitions. For example, at Tate Modern, entry to an exhibition of paintings by Pierre Bonnard cost £18 (1,489 R).

You'll have to pay a few pounds to check in your clothes or bag.

Sightseeing tours for the main parts of the exhibition can cost up to 30 £ (2481 R). But volunteers and museum staff conduct free themed tours for everyone. For example, at the British Museum I was on free excursion about the afterlife of Ancient Egypt. To get on such a tour, you do not need an appointment, and the schedule can be checked on the website.

Spending per day in London - £36.05 (2534 RUR)

Directions	17.2 £ (1422 R)
Food	£14.85 (RUR 1,228)
Souvenirs	£4 (331