London It is one of the most touristic European cities in the world, mainly due to the variety of options it offers for tourists. Today, with the amount of low cost airlines existing and the wide diffusion of the English language, most tourists choose to prepare the trip on their own.
Below you have an index with all the points that we are going to deal with in this article.
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Useful information
London It is the most expensive capital in Europe, so we recommend calculating your budget very well before leaving. Prices in London they are 50% higher than in Spain, for example.
In restaurants and hotels the quality-price ratio is usually not equitable; instead, all museums are free, except those run by the crown. In the article Budget to travel to London, you can get more information.
You should also be aware of the time difference. Between Spain and London, for example, there is an hour difference. As for the United States, the difference is six hours, as is the case with Canada.
With respect to Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Uruguay, London has three more hours, and with Venezuela, the difference is four and a half hours more in London.
Be careful with the dates you travel, because it can fall into public holiday and, therefore, that shops and major museums are closed. For this reason, below we name you the days that are considered public holidays in London:
- New Year 1st of January.
- Good Friday: variable date every year.
- Easter Monday: variable date every year.
- Saint George (St george): April 23rd. Saint George is the Patron Saint of England.
- Labor Day: May 1.
- Spring Festival: last Monday in May.
- Christmas Day: December 25.
- Boxing Day o St stephen's day: December 26. This day marks the beginning of the most important sales season of the year in stores.
What to carry
These are our recommendations for any tourist who is going to visit London soon:
- Documentation: ID, passport, visa, medical insurance, European Health Card, boarding pass of the plane… It is very important to make sure that we prepare the necessary documentation taking into account our nationality. For more information, we recommend you read the article Visa and documentation to travel to London.
- Property Amenities: Although the United Kingdom is a country that is part of the European Union (EU), it has not adopted the euro as its official currency and maintains the pound sterling (GBP). Therefore, before leaving for London we must exchange euros for pounds. It is recommended to carry not only bills, but also some coins.
- Addresses and telephone numbers of interest: It is also highly recommended to have the telephone numbers and addresses of the most important institutions, such as hospitals, tourist information centers, pharmacies ... In the article Addresses and telephone numbers of interest in London you can check all these data.
- Plug adapter: English plugs are different from those of the rest of Europe, so it is essential to carry at least one adapter to connect our electronic devices.
- Map and planned routes: Although this depends mainly on how long your stay is going to last, it is highly advisable to get a map to avoid getting lost, as London is a great city. We advise you from your country to organize the routes that you are going to carry out during your stay and to get a prior idea of how you are going to move around the city.
- International prepaid card: Calling your country of origin from London can be considerably more expensive, since it is an international call. For this reason, we advise you to get a prepaid card that allows international calls (roaming ). There are also rates that include data rates so that you can access the Internet from your mobile phone.
Finally, there are some cards designed especially for young people and make their trip more economical, such as the International Student Card (ESIC), the International Hostel Card, the International Youth Travel Card (GO'25 or IYTC) and the Card Young European Youth Card.
Clothes and accessories
There are a number of basic items regardless of the season of the year we go, mainly because the london weather it is very changeable.
Below we list what you cannot miss in your suitcase:
- Comfortable and breathable footwear
- K-way or raincoat
- Waterproof clothing
- Umbrella
- Outerwear (jackets, coats, sweaters, hats, scarf ...)
Although the clothing will depend on the time of year we travel, in general, the United Kingdom is a country where it rains very frequently.
When to go
The British capital is reputed to have a very unstable weather due to its oceanic-temperate climate. Many tourists report having experienced all four seasons of the year on the same day.
For this reason, although a series of peculiarities are distinguished in each season of the year, it is true that rains and this climatic instability are common characteristics at any time of the year.
- Summer: temperatures are between 18 and 20 ° C, and rarely exceed 30 ° C. The summer months are June, July and August. As we have already said before, even if it is summer, it would not be unusual to find a cold and rainy day.
- Fall: temperatures at this time of year range between 11 and 15 ° C. This season runs from September to November and is considered a mild and sunny season. Many consider it the ideal season to enjoy the warm colors offered by parks and gardens.
- Winter: temperatures are on average between 4 and 6 ° C, so, although it is not considered that winters in london be tough, yes you will need warm clothing Officially, the winter season covers the months of December, January and February.
- Spring: temperatures are on average the same as in autumn (11-15 ° C). It is considered the best time to visit London, as the gardens are filled with flowers. Spring in the UK starts in March and lasts until May.
However, it is possible to choose from the wide range of tourist attractions that the city has, since most are adapted for your enjoyment both on sunny days and on rainy days.
Shipping of suitcases by mail
More and more tourists choose to send their luggage by mail instead of checking it in with their airline, since they find many more facilities and advantages, including saving money and the absence of weight limits on your bags.
In addition, there is a higher percentage of luggage loss by airlines than by Transport, which, in addition, allow you to secure your bags.
If you choose this option, you must bear in mind that you will have to make the shipment before the departure of your flight so that it arrives at the same time. Therefore, this is one more step you must take in preparing for your stay in London.
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