We’re not exactly devoid of things to do in London, and on a first visit that is exactly what you want. Around every corner is a new experience and a new site to see, so making sure your ready for everything London throws at you should eb top of your list. Whether that means finding the best shortcuts, finding the best money savers or simply losing yourself to the experience of London, there’s plenty for you to prepare before your visit. London city life has a faster current than the Thames itself, so keeping up is key when making the most of those London Hotel special offers.
Know how to use your oyster card
When buying an oyster card, you’re suddenly faced with a range of possibilities, loopholes and catch 22s. Navigating the tricky terrain of the oyster card can mean that you are unaware of certain rules and aware of others. If you know that each fare zone, reaching up to zone 9 on the London rail and underground service, has its own price to it, and that depending on where you’re travelling to and from you’ll be spending different amounts of money, then you’ll begin to get to grips very quickly.
Alongside this, it’s a good idea to keep in mind the different caps on the oyster card, depending on whether you have a discount rail card attached to it.
There are also peak time fares to consider, which rise a single tube journey price between the hours of 6.30 and 9.30am and 4 and 7pm.
Quite a lot of rules to remember, right? Don’t worry you’ll get the hang of it.
Download citymapper or another similar app
London is truly a labyrinthine city and knowing where to start when it comes to finding your way round can be daunting. Whilst the street maps are helpful, and tube and bus services reach almost every street, there is still more you can do. Apps such as Citymapper and google maps can help you find your way around the city and more importantly, find the quickest and simplest routes to your destination, whether that be a half mile walk away or 15 miles away in a distant borough.
If you can, walk!
Once you reach the city centre, everything is surprisingly close together. Whether you’re staying at the M by Montcalm in Shoreditch or up near Kings Cross, you can find your way around as most of the city centre is within a square 4 miles. If you can, this means that you can walk across the city centre and instead of using the Underground or main road bus services, explore the parts that you wouldn’t usually see.
Making the most of free London
Making the most of free London means making the most out of the art galleries, museums and shows at your disposal. Whether you want to see a free underground gig at Dalston’s Shacklewell Arms, a comedy show work in progress in Camden, some of the worlds most cherished artefacts on museum row or the British Museum or some enthralling modern art at the Tate, there are many options in the city where you needn’t spend a penny.
+44(0) 7525 594 562
