Planning an English Getaway? How To Begin in Classic London...

London is the easiest city I have ever traveled to on this side of the Atlantic Ocean. Recently, I booked a last-minute, cheap ticket for a quick get-away, remembering the lyrics to the song I sang as a little girl: London bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down...Once I arrived, I found the city to be truly amazing and diverse in every sense of the word. And to my surprise, there isn’t anything that is falling down. Instead, this global city is very well-connected allowing millions to move around freely.

London is arguably the only city in the world with an incredible, efficient transportation infrastructure (both land & air), allowing you to visit without relying on a GPS system or rental car. While you may choose to get around in a classic English black cab, their tube or bus system will do the trick. However, we recommend taking the tube as there’s one in every neighbourhood. Additionally, as London is one of the most accessible cities in the world, if won’t surprise you to also find more than 300 languages are spoken. Like me, you’ll probably ask yourself more than once during your visit: Where are they from? Are they speaking English, Español or Italian? Luckily, the primary language spoken and recognized in London is English.

If you’re planning a quick getaway like mine, you’ll need some last-minute getting there and travel information as well:

Getting There: You can fly into London Gatwick, Heathrow or Stansted Airports. But, while low-cost European Airlines, i.e. RyanAir, EasyJet, etc, may fly into Stansted for almost the cost of nothing, note that Stansted is the furthest airport from the city and you’ll spend a hefty fair on a car to transport you to London. Unfortunately, whichever airport you arrive into, you may spend an hour in a bus or cab. We recommend taking the bus or train into the city. Both Gatwick and Heathrow Airport have buses that take you to Victoria Station. Note: Although Stansted is the furthest airport, it takes the same time to get to the center. I paid 28 pounds round-trip for the London Express, which dropped me off at Liverpool Station (on the Circle line) - GREAT deal!

Accommodations: I recommend booking a hotel that is located at any tube station along the CIRCLE or CENTRAL line (see below)

Transportation Passes: Buy a travel card or pass for the amount of days you plan to be there. This will allow you to jump on & off the tube or bus line while saving money. Otherwise, you’re looking at paying £4 pounds each time you hop on or off. Ouch! Remember, you’ll have to purchase cards in “zones,” so check out your map before your purchase and figure out which zones you’ll spend the most time in. And remember, if you need help, the attendants speak English!

The CIRCLE & CENTRAL Lines feature the best of London:

St James' Park - Buckingham Palace (London Palace of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her lovely nephews Prince William & Henry). Time permitting; enjoy the ‘Changing of the Guard’ takes place daily at 11:30 a.m.

Westminster – Big Ben, Westminster Abbey & Houses of Parliament
This 700-year-old building is in the HEART of London. Everyone from kings, queens, statesmen and soldiers, poets, priests, heroes and villains make up the Abbey. It’s a must-see living pageant of British history. It’s also the same place where Princess Diana’s funeral took place.

Embankment – Walk towards River Thames and enjoy a river cruise or hop on the London Eye for a great view of the city. Or if nothing else, walking along the river is lovely on a sunny day! This tube stop is also close to Covent Garden - a cute shopping area with outside entertainment. From here you can visit Trafalgar Square (if you have time and enjoy the arts you can visit the National Gallery). You can also walk to Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square (where all major film premieres take place).

Baker Street – Mingle with the Queen, Amy Winehouse, Michael Jackson and Barack Obama while visiting Madame Tussaud's (the wax museum). This is the closest you’ll ever get to royalty.

Notting Hill - You saw the film with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, right? This classic residential London neighbourhood includes cute shops, cafes and restaurants where you can enjoy a hearty, delicious English breakfast! Antique lovers will want to walk towards Portobello Road Market, while die-hard shoppers will want to jump on Knightsbridge (one change of train on the tube) to see one of the largest and most famous shops in the UK – Harrod’s (owned by Mohamed Fayed – Dodi Al-Fayed’s dad - the guy Diana was with when she was killed). Plus, Michael Jackson was rumoured to spend a fortune there!

Bond Street - This stop is along Oxford Street, where you can choose to from over 300 shops. Wear comfortable shoes and carry a cash-filled wallet. You’ll need it!

St. Paul’s – Remember Princess Diana and Prince Charles’ “fairytale wedding”? Yes, it happened here July 29th, 1981. This jaw-dropping cathedral will have you in awe because of its size and sophisticated architecture.

The places I highlighted only scratch the surface of what London has to offer, but you’ll find the above itinerary is a great starting point. Once you get the hang of how the tube works, you’ll learn that the entire city is literally at your feet: Tower of London, the British Museum, Chinatown and everything in between. Luckily, you’ll save money when visiting the museums since they’re all FREE! Plus, if you’re trying to travel on a budget without spending a fortune on food – Don’t worry, London has food readily-available at every street corner for any budget.

Side NOTE: If you don’t want to be hit on the road – Don’t forget that the English drive on the other side of the road compared to drivers in the US and most of Europe! So LOOK out and ENJOY this fascinating global city!
Posted by Gal about the Globe at 9:05 AM