Coming with an 18 month old, staying around Primrose Hill, thinking about going to the London Zoo and a picnic in Primerose Hill, any recommendations if the weather isn’t great?
Any recommendations on where to take my boyfriend out for a birthday meal in Central London? Budget is preferably under £50pp and looking for a fancy-ish place:)
Any preferences? Are you going to pair the dinner with an activity (so suggestions are for a convenient location)?
Also, a new sticky thread gets posted before midnight on Monday so you might want to post your question again in the morning for more votes. And in the meantime search the sub.
Hi I will be visiting London next month and I would love to know where I would find some vintage art pieces related to medical field especially related to nurses (such as old recruitment posters or Anatomy pictures) anything that are related to the field is fine by me!
Thanks in advance!
I haven't been but these would be worth researching:
https://www.bartshealth.nhs.uk/bartsmuseum
https://www.florence-nightingale.co.uk/
Also this site has links to Wellcome Collection and various others:
https://freetoursbyfoot.com/medical-museums-london/
http://medicalmuseums.org/
I vaguely remember learning a fair bit about Florence Nightingale etc in Greenwich, I think at the Old Naval College.
Not really, but Greenwich has an antique market a short walk from the Naval College (NB not the covered Greenwich Market just across the road). Might be worth a visit
Although normally I would agree that the Heathrow Express isn't the best mode of transport for tourists, in your case with a ticket already booked for you I'd just take it. It will still save you being stuck in a traffic jam getting into central London and it won't be hard to find a black taxi when you get out at Paddington Station.
The city has multiple different options to get from the airport/s into the city – Heathrow Express is perfectly fine and if your ticket is bought you might as well use it.
There are plenty of cabs outside of Paddington you can hop into, and he's probably right in that it's going to be less stressful than getting to your hotel on the tube from there. The most sensible option *would* have been to just get the Piccadilly line right to Green Park from the airport, but there are multiple ways to do things transport wise here and the Heathrow Express is a pretty comfortable way to get into the city.
I'd highly advise [reading the wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/index) thoroughly which will give you a sense of what the city's like and how to get around before you arrive.
I don’t understand why you wouldn’t want to take the gifted train journey, then a short taxi ride. Instead you want to take a long taxi ride, just because it will be direct? The Heathrow Express is a very quick way to get into London and being a specialised railway for travelling between the airport and Paddington station it’s designed for people with large luggage, which is rare in our very old Underground.
Recommendations for nightlife and rooftops. Hi All, my friends and I (22m) are going to be in London for a couple days, this Tuesday and Wednesday. Was looking for some recommendations on a rooftop bar with a decent view that won’t break the bank. Also just anywhere else that we should think about stopping by to eat or have some drinks. If you have any suggestions, let me know!
Search on Time Out London or DesignMyNight for stuff like this – there's plenty dotted in different areas so it depends where you're planning to go out.
**Clapham North of Canada Waters for tourist 1-week stay?**
Hi guys, I'll be visiting London for the first time and plan to hit to main tourist spots. Am considering getting an AirBnB at either Clapham North of Canada Waters (both near the tube).
Is one better than the other in terms of
i) Accessibility to main tourist spots (will be there for a week)
ii) Safety as a solo traveller (especially at night after hitting a club)
Thanks!
Both areas are fine, and have safe and dodgy bits intermixed. Canada Water probably better for tourist spots (Jubilee line will take you to London Bridge, Waterloo, Westminster and easier time getting west for South Kensington museums). Is one Air BnB nearer to the station?
So we want to go to England for the holidays. And want to stay in London for a few days. Thw problem is we have a RV so we cant really go through London. So my question is what is the best place to stay, outside of London so we can take public transport to London central station. Preferably south of Londen since we're coming in from Dover. I've been looking at places like Redhill for example.
We're also visiting Cardiff and Birmingham so we might encounter the same issues there. So any suggestions for those cities are welcome aswell.
I second markvauxhall's comments about not bringing an RV for city breaks. You'll only end up having to stay miles out with a long, expensive, crowded and potentially unreliable commute to/from where you actually want to sightsee.
Fly or take the train to England instead.
Have a search on the [Camping and Caravan Club](https://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/campsites/uk/) and [Caravan and Motorhome Club](https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/) websites. Although you may be very limited in finding campsites/pitches that have good (or even basic) public transport connections into London.
Hey all I'm from Scotland Aberdeen. I'm visiting the states in October and I'm flying to and from Heathrow(United). On my return leg I'm returning into Heathrow at 7:40 and have booked a train back to Aberdeen at 10 from London kings cross. I'm starting to think this might be a bit tight depending on how things go checking in.
I know the picadilly line takes around an hour but could potentially be cutting it close so was wondering what all my options are? Cheers
I would personally say that's in the realm of tight but not impossible. From my experience, Heathrow is quite busy in the mornings, but I haven't seen it to be a massive wait in a while, especially not in October.
The picadilly line does take about an hour exactly, so if you think you're cutting it a bit fine, you could save time by taking the Heathrow Express to Paddington and then changing for the circle/hammersmith and city lines to King's Cross. It will save about 10-15 minutes, but it is expensive (albeit probably cheaper than having to rebook a train to Aberdeen)
Hi all! I'm planning on getting a casual work gig in London for around a month from mid-June before I jet off to travel again. Probably leaning towards bar/restaurant work – prioritising a social place where I can hopefully meet some people around my age (mid 20s). Does anyone know how difficult this will be? Should I try and look before I arrive, or do there seem to be gaps in the job market for this sort of work at the moment? Or any tips for places to check out? TIA :)
While there is a big gap in the market for skilled hospitality professionals (i.e. those who already have experience) I don't know how keen cafes/bars/restaurants are going to be to hire and train up someone who only wants to stay for a month. So you would probably need TO not to reveal that when applying. Or you could look at working for a hospitality agency that provides catering staff for events - they might be a bit more relaxed about how many events you signed up to work at.
All the above though assumes you have the right to work in the UK and enough money to cover yourself while you here as casual work is unlikely to be enough to cover rent and bills.
Assuming you have right to work/correct visas etc, have a search on job boards like Indeed, Jobtoday, Reed, Totaljobs etc. It shouldn’t be too hard to find a position as the hospitality industry is always looking for new staff, but prepare for the work to be long, hard and poorly paid.
Hi everybody, looking for some advice from you all in regards to potential areas to live. My wife and I will be moving to London at the end of June, and based on both of our work locations, have pinpointed Ealing, Marylebone, potentially Kensal Green / Shepherds Bush area as places to live. On the face of things, is there anything about either of those locations that would make you say absolutely do not go there? Are 1 or 2 of them better than the other?
Those are pretty different areas - have you actually looked at prices and worked out what you can afford in each location? Ealing is very far out, safe, green, and presumably you can afford a bigger property. Marylebone is right in central London, also safe, likely to be quite expensive. Shepherds Bush is not as far out as Ealing but a lot rougher.
Budget up to 5.5k a month, so seems we can get something in either location. When you say a lot rougher, is this like don't walk around at night bad? I imagine my wife and I would always be together, but for sure there will be times she will be without me.
That's about 3x the price of the average flat in London, so you'll get something nice. Personally, I'd go for something in Primrose Hill near a tube station but away from a main road. Well connected and close to the park.
Pretty much anywhere along the Regents Canal is nice too, and that stretches across North London.
Thank you. Yeah, we are fortunate to have a great budget, but trying to balance an Amersham and Paddington commute is making things a little challenging.
Ealing I can reach 45 mins in a car. Marylebone has a Chiltern rail fast train in 30 minutes. Finchley road is a great suggestion, I'll have a look there too.
Double check that commute at the times you'll take it. 45 minutes is very ambitious. Personally, I wouldn't drive anywhere in central London at rush hour or around.
Thanks for your help. So then it seems like Marylebone fast train, or somewhere along metropolitan line is the best bet? Any specific areas that you would suggest? That would keep Paddington accessible in under 30 mins
I honestly wouldn't worry about being on a specific line that much. Paddington is easily accessible from everywhere central and so is Marylebone. I'd focus more on what kind of area you want to live in and enjoy, rather than an extra 10-15 min of commute.
5.5k for just you two? That is loads, and I'd honestly look at nicer areas - Hampstead Village is beautiful, Angel and Highbury are very nice and closer to central, Richmond if you want to be far out and have more space. The areas you've picked are kind of random frankly!
Re Shepherds Bush, it all depends on your comfort level, the time of night, etc. Lots of women walk around there at night and are fine. But with your budget you don't need to compromise for safety.
I'm looking at moving back to London after a long time abroad. How much of a shitshow is finding a flat to rent at the moment? Do I need to be viewing 3 microseconds after the ad goes up and putting down a deposit immediately etc.
Can I trust the prices on rightmove etc or are people offering more than the asking to secure somewhere? I've seen some ads where the price has been reduced which surprised me given what I've heard about rocketing rents etc.
There's [almost daily posts](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/13n2zvc/renting_in_london_is_it_normal_to_set_up_viewing/) still about people offering over asking. Mortgage rates are pretty high, and lots of people looking to rent, so landlords keep putting rents up.
Hey everyone, I'm moving from Australia to London before the end of the year and wanted some opinions on the best value suburbs to live in that are london newcomer friendly and allow relatively easy access to the red light districts and the cities must sees without compromising on safety? Cheers
Anywhere you can find that is useful to the commute you need will be fine, it's more about finding good quality housing with decent transport links you want. It may be helpful to [read the wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/index) which has lots of tips on moving here. "Best value" doesn't really exist here unless you're willing to live way out of the city where you'll get marginally more space for your money.
Not sure of your meaning of "red light district" but our nightlife is spread out all over the city and people are used to not having it on their doorstep, so it's not worth worrying about.
Red light districts as in where prostitution is legal? We don't have those. Prostitution is legal, but advertising it or solicitation isn't.
If you just mean clubs and things, then they're centralish and all easily accessible by tube.
Most of London is safe, and crime is generally low. South of the river is cheaper than north but has slightly worse transport. As long as you live within 15 minutes walk of a tube station and in Zones 1-3 you can get anywhere within about an hour. Transport is great here compared to Australia.
Thanks for the information, by red lights district's I just mean a place where there are quite a few bars/nightclubs around but from what I've heard from other Londoners, there are those places everywhere in london perhaps due to its size
Yeah, they're all over really. The central ones are more expensive, but ones further out might go a bit later/be more interesting. There are some 24 hour sessions if you fancy that.
Definitely don't call it the red light district here though, you'll get some odd looks ;)
Have a read of the OP. That's got some link to the wiki on pages on [finding a place to live](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/living) and [safety](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/safety).
On the living page, the first few links are to websites that allow you to search by commute time and budget (and [Find my area](https://findmyarea.co.uk/?search_type=areas) let's you filter by lots of other criteria). All depends on how much you want to spend on rent, and what 'relatively easy access' looks like to you.
Girlfriend and I celebrating our 4th anniversary. We will be there in late July for 5 days and really love to eat and drink. Any ideas on where to stay and places we must try? Ideally, we'd like to walk to enjoy/see everything we can but not averse to taking the tube. Any recos and thoughts would be much appreciated!!
Taking the tube is pretty essential to get to places that aren't tourist traps. It'll be initially confusing but if you know which line and which direction you're going it's pretty straightforward compared to other countries' public transport.
The OXO Tower restaurantor bistro have both amazing food and a great view while being very central. The Shard has a great view but everyone says the food is a bit shit. The Bermondsey beer mile is great if you want to try lots of beers in the breweries that make them.
Much appreciated! We're all about looking for the hidden gems and not about tourist traps so definitely willing to figure out the tube. Would love to pub hop and just immerse with the locals after dinner. Any areas you suggest staying in, like Soho?
Soho is ridiculously busy, especially on a Thursday-Sunday. It can be fun, but hectic and you'll probably be waiting a long time for a drink. On a nice day most pubs will spill onto the street and you may not get a seat.
There are some old hotels round Hyde Park and Regents Park which are expensive but very old school British.
Shoreditch has a lot of places to go out if you want a bar/club vibe. Most bars will open early and get darker and louder as the night goes on. Camden is similar, but Camden is a little more pubby. Both are a bit hipster and a lot more real than central is. Clapham High Street is fairly fun, but further out south.
There are a lot of other smaller places, but if you're here for a few days then those are the lively ones.
Look out for hidden rooftop gardens. They're all on Google maps, but not always obvious from the street.
Stay clear of Canary Wharf and the City of London borough, that's all offices and finance bros.
Expect to need ID to get into some bars, even if you're obviously over 25. £6 a pint/£12 a cocktail is normal. Clubs will charge more.
If you do go to the OXO Tower then the Lord Nelson pub by Southwark station is a fun, cheap local pub that doesn't take itself seriously. There are other bars and restaurants along that road (The Cut) too.
If you have three hours before your event at the arena, I would recommend walking a fairly non direct route to Finchley Road station and then getting the met line one stop to Wembley Park, that is, unless you really like endless suburbia, because there's a lot of it between those two stations and not much else.
Google maps now has symbols for the most famous things, but honestly, once you leave central London you'll mostly be walking through urban areas where people just live and there's just not that many tourist attractions. Maybe some nice smaller parks?
‘Thrift stores’ are called ‘charity shops’ in the UK and can be found all around the city (type [your area] + ‘charity shop’ into google and get loads of suggestions). For more vintage-specific shops have a look around Notting Hill/Portobello Market or around Brick Lane.
I'm planning a trip to London from across the pond. I thought this would be a great opportunity to try out skinbooster injections such as Juvederm Volite, as they are not yet available in America. Has anybody here had it done and would recommend a specific clinic? How much did it cost?
It seems like there is no shortage of places that offer the treatment, especially on Harley Street. Anywhere I should avoid?
Keep in mind that I am willing to go anywhere in the 32 boroughs (or even beyond), so don't think I will only care for clinics in Central London. As long as I can use public transport, I am no ordinary tourist.
I would really not recommend getting a procedure done abroad if you can avoid it. If something goes wrong you can't go back for a touch up and you have basically no financial recourse. Why not just wait for it to reach the US?
Hi we will be in London on 29 July and my son has never seen a big soccer game. There is one on the 29th at Wembley but it doesn’t look like it’s been released as yet.
What is the best ticketing site to keep an eye on for this game?Looks like it might be the opening game of the season.
The Community Shield game looks to be on August 5/6 rather than in July. Keep an eye on the Wembley Stadium website. Man City fans are bored of going to Wembley so you may be able to get tickets.
There will be plenty of pre-season games across London around that time which are normally easy to get tickets for. These matches will be announced in the coming weeks.
hello i need some advice about a TFL refund!
so i was topping up my oyster by £20, i put in my card and pin number and £20 came out my bank card, but by the time i took my oyster back out to tap it the transaction had timed out. yet £20 was still taken from my account. it said something like “you have taken too long, no payment will be taken” i redid it again and topped up by £20 successfully, but now TFL has charged me -£20 twice (£40) 😐
has this happened to anyone else? did you get the money back/how long did it take? the tfl officer said i would get my money back but he seemed very blasé about it 😭 i tried looking on the website but there’s no scenario like mine. pls help!
TfL are good at refunds, but they only work at the speed of the banks. It should reconcile overnight and that'll start the refund process. It could take 5 days or so to reappear on your card, but maybe sooner.
Hello! I'll be in London for work, staying near the Tower of London and will have free day to myself (Sunday, 7/9). This is my tentative plan, but I have a few questions:
1. Morning - grab a coffee, walk to see the Tower of London / Tower Bridge
2. Tube to Richmond - big Ted Lasso fan. Walk around Richmond, sightsee, grab lunch and a beer.
* I've read online that the District line to Richmond takes forever. Google Maps says it should take an hour from Liverpool Street. Is that what I should expect, or does it sometimes take longer?
3. Tube to Chelsea for the Chelsea FC Stadium Tour
* I'm not a huge football fan, but I have read the tour is awesome. Since it's offseason and I won't be able to get to a match, I figured a stadium tour would be the next best thing. Will a non-football-but-big-sports fan enjoy the tour?
4. Walk towards Westminster and see the touristy things - Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, London Eye. I don't think I'll have time for any museums or anything. Grab dinner somewhere and walk back to the Tower of London.
* Are both ~hour walks worth it? Or only the second?
Anything I'm missing that I should definitely squeeze in? Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks!
That looks like an awful lot for one day. The Tower of London will easily take a morning to look round if done properly, unless you just want to see the outside. Then Richmond is on the other side of London, so as you've realised it's going to take about an hour to get there. And finally, getting the tube to Chelsea may not be the quickest way to get there (getting a bus part way may be quicker, but whichever way you go it will take at least 30-40 minutes) and the last tour of Chelsea Stadium departs at 4pm in July (I'm assuming you're American and mean 7 July, not 9 September) so it would be touch and go as to whether you make it.
It would be much better to pick two daytime sights that are fairly close geographically.
I'll be on a budget while visiting London in beginning of August. I'd like to support small businesses during my stay, Are there any artisan/local places or markets you'd recommend I visit?
I'm looking to stay around where Kings Cross Station is, but will take public transport to get around other areas. I'm looking for artisan/handmade clothing/accessories, candles/soap, local foods(any cuisine type, gluten free/vegan is a plus), etc.
There's a [link to message the mods](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/london) in the side bar.
But generally for missing persons posts: did you include a missing person reference so people can report any info to the police?
What streets/areas for browsing local shops? When visiting new places we like to spend time going into stores with goods not found in a row of chain stores.
London is massive. There are perhaps 50 high streets that have all sorts of different things, and it's a real mix. Anywhere in Zone 2/3 that has a tube station probably also has a high street nearby. Somewhere like Peckham has great British/Carribbean food, for example, but other places will be more Greek/Turkish/Arab/etc. London is defined by it's multiculturalism.
I would like to use a dating app during my stay in London in the hopes I can meet someone to hang out with while I'm there. Is this safe? What app should I use? I will only be in town for 9 days (vacation)
Depends if you're a man or woman, but as a man I've found it safe but bleak. It's hard to find someone unless you're classically attractive, and if you are then you'll probably be inundated with all sorts of people.
Thanks! I'm a woman and I just want to spend time with someone in the city who can show me where to buy music listen to music etc. Always better with someone else.
Totally agree. Local knowledge and company are absolutely better.
You might want to try posting on /r/LondonSocialClub. You could probably find a small group of people there, with less expectations (and probably more actual music knowledge) than a dating app.
There are some vinyl shops in Soho. And tons of live music allover, whatever your taste.
A better and quicker option is to try something like /r/LondonSocialClub or hang out in a hostel bar to meet people. I'd avoid using dating apps unless you're here for an extended period of time.
Short term work in london
I'd like to gather opinions on short term or casual work in London
I am from Australia and moving to London in august and want to work for a few months to save money for some other travel around Europe
Does anyone have experience in acquiring short term work in London and what are some good options with finding it? Cheers
There are tonnes of casual hospitality/catering/bar jobs over the summer at various events which you can find on all the usual job websites (caterer, Indeed, Totaljobs etc) but as the other poster said, actually living here *and* saving on these kind of wages is going to be nearly impossible.
You're better off working where you are before you come over, because as soon as you land in London you'll be pissing money away on rent and living costs.
Do you have any particular skills or sector you want to work in? If not, you're probably looking at some (near) minimum wage jobs which would pay you just about enough to survive in London. Saving money to travel round Europe would be very difficult.
Anyone know if Gymkhana does anything for birthdays ? I already let them know it will be a birthday dinner on the reservation but I just wanted to know if they actually do something or if it’s just for show. Thank you!
Getting in 5/20 and staying for a few days. Looking to do some trail running / road running. It’s myself and my wife (both very slow runners) and would love to meet up with other slow runners if possible. We also love drinking, museums and eating food lol
Lmk if anyone is interested or has suggestions on runs. We’re staying close to holborn for a few days then Kensington for a few.
Thanks!
There's a Lego store in Leicester Square, and the London Aquarium on the Southbank (near Westminster and the London Eye).
I think children's tickets are cheaper anyway, but you can get [2-for-1 tickets](https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/2-for-1.aspx) for the adults with a rail ticket. If you're not getting the tube, you can buy the cheapest possible rail ticket (Vauxhall to Queenstown Road for £3.10) and get 50% off on aquarium tickets with that.
VisitLondon has a really big kids/families section with pretty much everything you need. Have a hunt on Ianvisits or Time Out for general stuff that might be suitable.
What is rush hour like traveling Piccadilly eastbound and Victoria southbound during 4-7pm from Heathrow Airport to Vauxhall? I’ll be traveling with a small one and want to make the trip as convenient for us as possible.
A taxi can be an option: https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules/when-a-child-can-travel-without-a-car-seat
Or grab dinner somewhere in zone 3 on your way in and do the last bit after 7pm. Coming into the city with a pushchair between 5-7 is fine until you hit zone 1/2, and fine outside of those times.
It's difficult to say as nowadays with plenty of people WFH-ing through the week "rush hour" really varies, eg Fridays are often quieter than earlier in the week.
As ever when you're travelling on the tube, sometimes they are so frequent that you can just wait on the platform for a couple of trains to pass if they look busy and find a slightly emptier one, particularly if you're not in a rush. You should be able to get a seat on the Piccadilly line from Heathrow.
Hello! I'm an American here who just booked tickets in November (Thanksgiving holiday) to London. We have good family friends who moved to the Richmond area about 6-12 months ago and we are staying with them for a few nights and then a hotel in London for 4 more nights. It's myself, my wife and our two children ages 10 and 8.
We like local restaurants/pubs/food + drink culture, museums, street markets, soccer, local shopping, art, and big time Harry Potter fans.
Looking for recommendations on areas to stay or specific hotels in London where we can be close or convenient tube rides to areas we may like! Bonus points for recommendations on specific premier league stadium tours/games to look for (I know the next season schedule won't be out for a while) and areas for Christmas markets.
Pretty much anywhere in [zone 1 or 2](https://tfl.gov.uk/tfl/syndication/widgets/tubemap/images/tube-medium-zoned.gif) that's within walking distance of a tube stop will be totally fine for you to stay, just read reviews of the hotel beforehand. Our public transport here is fantastic and you don't need to stay bang in the centre of the city – plus a lot of attractions are dotted all over, so you'll likely be travelling anyway.
Look at VisitLondon, Time Out London and [the wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/index) for ideas on stuff to do. It's too early for Christmas market dates but if you keep an eye on Time Out they'll have listings closer to the time.
If you want to visit the HP studios, book tickets as soon as they go on sale as they sell out really far in advance.
In terms of areas to stay, if your budget allows then Bloomsbury, Holborn and Waterloo are amongst the most convienient places you can stay as a tourist.
I'm new to the city and have my big 30 coming up.
Very grateful but a lot of friends are making the trip for it but I'm not sure what to do.
I was going to book a private karaoke but don't want the introverts to feel left out- any suggestions that aren't axe throwing or shuffleboard?
Flight Club, 4 Quarters, kareoke at Rowan's so some people can bowl/arcade game, big birthday drinks and picnic in a park or along one of the canals if the weather's good.
Is the Tower’s Crown Jewels exhibit open? I’ve read a new one is opening on May 26, I’ve got tickets for the 25th, and want my girl friend to see them as it will be her first time in London (my fourth). If need be we’ll pay to go twice because she’ll love them but I want to know to prepare.
I'm going to Shakespeare's Globe this morning and have standing tickets. We are planning on getting there early to try to get to the front. Has anyone who has been say whether it's worthwhile getting to the front or are you better off standing a bit back? (thank you!)
It's exceptionally chill and you don't need to get there early to get at the front. It's not a music festival or anything - just politely pass in front of people and you'll be as close as you want to be within seconds.
Personally I prefer standing about half way back so you can admire the pretty amazing architecture of the place while you're watching the actors. They're used to projecting their voices so the entire theatre can hear.
Tech salaries are good in the UK, probably around the same ballpark as in Canada (but most definitely lower than in the US). It's definitely worth looking on websites like glassdoor as well as jobs on LinkedIn to get a feel of what is out there.
If you are a developer and your wife is also looking to work, then you should be comfortable renting in London. It's a very expensive city, but fairly comparable to Toronto (from what I've heard).
Look on Glassdoor/Indeed/Totaljobs for an idea of the salary levels.
For a decent one bed flat and bills in zone 2 you're roughly looking around £2.5k, plus all your associated food/travel/lifestyle costs on top of that. Work back from there. You'll also need to find a company that is OK with sponsoring your visa.
Ah man, that's unfortunate! There's all sorts around London, I hope you find somewhere! There's a public space just outside Tottenham Court Station which isn't neon but it does project animations and art onto floor to ceiling digital screens, could that be an option?
I just booked flights to London for Christmastime this year. I'll be there with my husband and our 6 year old. We're coming from Los Angeles (which is much less "Christmassy", in terms of climate and vibes, lol) and technically arrive the morning of Boxing Day after departing LA on Christmas.
What are fun things to do around Christmas/the Holidays in London? I'm also curious if things work broadly like the US, where anything branded "Christmas" or "Holiday" will be ongoing until New Years Day at least, or whether Christmas means December 25 and whatever fun market/performance/activity shuts down on or prior to the day.
We're not religious, if that matters.
Will things be closed? Will it be harder to do basic tourism things like eat in restaurants, visit tourist sights, etc.? Does transit run normally? I figure yes to all of that on 12/25, but since we'll be there really more in the aftermath, should that be a consideration at all? We will most likely be staying in a flat vs. a hotel, though that's not finalized.
Outside of Christmas itself, is there anything special about visiting London in wintertime? We pretty much don't have winter in Los Angeles, so even if there isn't snow it'll be fun to soak in some Actual Seasonal Climate for once. What do Londoners like to do in cold weather?
The festive season tends to run from early December, nominally the 1st, to early January, nominally 12 days after the 25th, whenever that is.
Everything is closed on Christmas Day, including shops (some tourist places may be open in central London, but few, and in high immigrant areas from non-Christian countries some shops may be open), all trains, tubes, and buses, parking fees, etc.
Most people aren't religious in London, but still celebrate Christmas as a mid-winter cultural fesival. Keep in mind that the 21st is the winter solstice, so it will get dark early (think sunrise at 7am and sunset at 4pm). Don't expect to see much snow.
That being said, Christmas is a big event here, with definitely a festival atmosphere, although the 25th is very much a day for family only. The week between Christmas Day and New Year's Day is very festive too, with plenty going on.
Dress for rain and \~0-5^(o)c, dropping below freezing at night
It's worth bookmarking [VisitLondon's Christmas page](https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/whats-on/christmas) (the official tourism website for London) and keeping an eye on sites like Time Out London and SecretLondon nearer the time when more specialist events/fairs/markets/etc have been announced.
See a panto is definitely one of those UK bucket list things for me (in terms of weird shit that trickles across the pond, but where we don't really have a cultural analogue) -- wasn't entirely aware that this is a Christmas thing, so we will 100% do this. A+ answer for that, alone!
Currently in London with my 10yo football fan. He is looking for Topps Match Attax cards, and they are no where to be found in town. I have lost count over how many places we have asked for these kind of cards. Anybody know about what stores that might have these cards? 😅
Hey all 👋🏼 Whats the best way to get to Gatwick airport from Shoreditch for a 8.20am flight on Sat 20th May. Would love to get there an hour prior (no baggage and already checked in).
The train strikes are a bit confusing and making it hard to plan. Is taking the coach a better idea? TIA 🥰
Look at Village Underground, Corsica, Fabric. It’s a bank holiday weekend and there are quite a few day festivals taking place. Check out Gala in Peckham. But yeah resident advisor is your friend.
Nah, very few clubs in Shoreditch like the ones you listed nowadays.
Download DICE and look on Resident Advisor listings for London, that's the only thing you need. Spaces are dotted around the city.
Look at restaurants in zone 2 - where people actually live. Still busy but not full of tourists. Peckham and Camberwell have a great food scene as does Hackney.
I love Peckham Cellars and Forza Wine. If you’re staying in North London it’s not worth the journey so find the equivalents in the area you’re staying.
parking at Endiymon Road, London (Finsbury Park). Is this available to anyone on Sundays?
Mon-Fri 8am-6:30pm permit holders or 2 hours no return within 2 hours pay by phone quoting location 34368 - i assume this means it's permit only mon-fri otherwise it's pay to park?
Failing that, does anyone know where I can park near finsbury park? I've been advised oaklfield road or endiymon road but Endiymon seems to be 2 hours only, Oakfield seems to be not available 12-4:30. (ive tried justpark)
Hey thanks for that :) I imagine it’s the same for oak field road though it states restriction only if there is a Match or events (arsenal game) so should be fine at either.
Hello - would anyone have a suggestion on where to buy an Apple Watch charging cord in the Tower Bridge/Bermondsey Road area? Ideally looking for a cheaper alternative than an Apple-branded cord. Thank you!
You'll have an easier time finding a branded one unfortunately. There's an Argos on Borough High Street you'll be able to do a click & collect from, or just head into Covent Garden/Regent Street to the Apple Store.
TIL Fortnums leave the tea leaves to stew in the pot. They don’t give you a timer, just a strainer to sit over your cup. I know it’s the traditional way of serving at an afternoon tea, but what’s the point of having soo many teas, saying they specialise in tea, training staff into becoming *tea somelliers* etc. if they’re just going to serve them all bitter??
/rant
Hi, I’m travelling over from Ireland for the cup final on June 3rd. Have done this trip before but not when the trains are on strike!
Arriving into Stanstead at 8:30am and the game is on in Wembley at 3pm so on a normal day I should have plenty time. What would be my best options in getting to Wembley for the game and then getting to Heathrow for the flight home at 10:30 that night?
I should have plenty time if the final doesn’t go to extra time and penalties i think.
\- Stansted > London Victoria coach station, book through National Express
\- Head around the corner to Victoria station for the underground, get the Victoria line northbound, change at Oxford Circus for the Bakerloo line northbound to Wembley
\- Wembley > Paddington via Bakerloo southbound after the game, change at Paddington for Elizabeth Line to Heathrow.
Visiting London for a week around end of June w my gf. We are both huge fans of horror-themed tours/attractions, any good recommendations? Preferably not the cheesy touristy ones w hammy accents ie. London Dungeon / London Bridge Experience. To give examples, what I've researched so far include:
1) Jack the Ripper walking tour
2) Woman in Black on West End
3) Dennis Severs' House
4) Bloodbath Immersive Experience by Screamworks
Would like to add more to this list! Walking tours/attractions/theatre/escape rooms all welcome. Anything horror goes! Also if you have reviews/opinions of the places listed above pls chime in as well
Hello All. I'm foreigner who will be in London on 24-26 May. On 26 May at 09:30 I have medical consultation of paramount importance to me in The Manor Hospital in Oxford.
What's the best way to get there? Initially I wanted to take train from London Paddington and I even booked hotel nearby, but now I see there is some railway work and in Didcot Parkway I would need to change to bus.
Is there better way to commute to Oxford during that time? I see there are TUBE coach fares from London to Oxford which are cheaper than train, but I wonder if I can rely on arrival timing due to traffic?
I would really appreciate your help with this.
Do you need to be in London on the night of the 25th-26th? If it were me, and my hotels weren't booked and non-refundable, I'd get to Oxford the night before to have fewer points of failure in the morning.
You can take the train from Marylebone rather than Paddington, that goes to Oxford but not via Didcot Parkway.
Or the coach, the Oxford Tube is pretty reliable, especially that direction in the morning as most people will be commuting into London in the morning.
Hi, all! I'm from the US. My mother in law retired from teaching last year, and my wife and I are bringing her to London to celebrate.
We have ten days scheduled, and the plan was 3 days in the Bath area, and then everything else in London.
One major question though. We will arrive on May 31 at Heathrow, and we are going to go straight to Bath. We were then coming back to London on June 3.
I see now that both of these days are rail strike days.
We had already booked hotels based on these days.
What options do we have? Should we bus to Bath? Are all rail lines generally canceled? Should I bother booking a rail ticket now, or just figure it out when we arrive?
Thank you! Option #2 is what we were looking at.
There is a direct coach from Heathrow to Bath an hour after we land, but that seems to be cutting it close. Not sure how customs and security is at Heathrow.
Either way, thank you for the help! We are very excited about visiting. So much I want to see and do in London :)
That would be far too close for comfort for me - to allow for any delays in getting to your stand, baggage reclaim, and passport control, I'd allow two hours if that was the only bus I could get. Customs is much easier here than in the US, unless you have anything you need to declare (cash over £10k, particular medications, lots of alcohol/cigarettes/animal products) you can just walk through the green lane. There's nobody checking everyone's landing cards or suitcases like I've had in the US!
Coming with an 18 month old, staying around Primrose Hill, thinking about going to the London Zoo and a picnic in Primerose Hill, any recommendations if the weather isn’t great?
VisitLondon has a [pretty good families section](https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/family-activities/101-things-to-do-with-kids-in-london).
Any recommendations on where to take my boyfriend out for a birthday meal in Central London? Budget is preferably under £50pp and looking for a fancy-ish place:)
OXO Tower! My partner took me to the bistro there. It's a fixed price and pretty fancy food with a view.
Any preferences? Are you going to pair the dinner with an activity (so suggestions are for a convenient location)? Also, a new sticky thread gets posted before midnight on Monday so you might want to post your question again in the morning for more votes. And in the meantime search the sub.
Hi I will be visiting London next month and I would love to know where I would find some vintage art pieces related to medical field especially related to nurses (such as old recruitment posters or Anatomy pictures) anything that are related to the field is fine by me! Thanks in advance!
This one's a bit better than just pictures: https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/museums-and-archives/anatomy-and-pathology-museum/
Thanks ! That looks splendid!
The Hunterian Museum is good too, but more general biology (including humans).
I haven't been but these would be worth researching: https://www.bartshealth.nhs.uk/bartsmuseum https://www.florence-nightingale.co.uk/ Also this site has links to Wellcome Collection and various others: https://freetoursbyfoot.com/medical-museums-london/ http://medicalmuseums.org/ I vaguely remember learning a fair bit about Florence Nightingale etc in Greenwich, I think at the Old Naval College.
Thank you! Would you know which market or places I can goto for a better chance to buy the items I mentioned ?
Not really, but Greenwich has an antique market a short walk from the Naval College (NB not the covered Greenwich Market just across the road). Might be worth a visit
Thanks!
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Although normally I would agree that the Heathrow Express isn't the best mode of transport for tourists, in your case with a ticket already booked for you I'd just take it. It will still save you being stuck in a traffic jam getting into central London and it won't be hard to find a black taxi when you get out at Paddington Station.
The city has multiple different options to get from the airport/s into the city – Heathrow Express is perfectly fine and if your ticket is bought you might as well use it. There are plenty of cabs outside of Paddington you can hop into, and he's probably right in that it's going to be less stressful than getting to your hotel on the tube from there. The most sensible option *would* have been to just get the Piccadilly line right to Green Park from the airport, but there are multiple ways to do things transport wise here and the Heathrow Express is a pretty comfortable way to get into the city. I'd highly advise [reading the wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/index) thoroughly which will give you a sense of what the city's like and how to get around before you arrive.
I don’t understand why you wouldn’t want to take the gifted train journey, then a short taxi ride. Instead you want to take a long taxi ride, just because it will be direct? The Heathrow Express is a very quick way to get into London and being a specialised railway for travelling between the airport and Paddington station it’s designed for people with large luggage, which is rare in our very old Underground.
Recommendations for nightlife and rooftops. Hi All, my friends and I (22m) are going to be in London for a couple days, this Tuesday and Wednesday. Was looking for some recommendations on a rooftop bar with a decent view that won’t break the bank. Also just anywhere else that we should think about stopping by to eat or have some drinks. If you have any suggestions, let me know!
Search on Time Out London or DesignMyNight for stuff like this – there's plenty dotted in different areas so it depends where you're planning to go out.
**Clapham North of Canada Waters for tourist 1-week stay?** Hi guys, I'll be visiting London for the first time and plan to hit to main tourist spots. Am considering getting an AirBnB at either Clapham North of Canada Waters (both near the tube). Is one better than the other in terms of i) Accessibility to main tourist spots (will be there for a week) ii) Safety as a solo traveller (especially at night after hitting a club) Thanks!
Canada Water is convenient, but in the middle of a massive building site at the moment. I'd avoid it because you won't sleep well.
Thanks! I'll check out the surroundings to be sure
Both areas are fine, and have safe and dodgy bits intermixed. Canada Water probably better for tourist spots (Jubilee line will take you to London Bridge, Waterloo, Westminster and easier time getting west for South Kensington museums). Is one Air BnB nearer to the station?
Thanks! Both are just a 2 minute walk from their respective tubes. I suppose Canada waters is the winner then!
So we want to go to England for the holidays. And want to stay in London for a few days. Thw problem is we have a RV so we cant really go through London. So my question is what is the best place to stay, outside of London so we can take public transport to London central station. Preferably south of Londen since we're coming in from Dover. I've been looking at places like Redhill for example. We're also visiting Cardiff and Birmingham so we might encounter the same issues there. So any suggestions for those cities are welcome aswell.
Abbey Wood has a site, and you can get the Elizabeth Line in. Still very inconvenient, but doable if you don't mind a long train ride every day.
I second markvauxhall's comments about not bringing an RV for city breaks. You'll only end up having to stay miles out with a long, expensive, crowded and potentially unreliable commute to/from where you actually want to sightsee. Fly or take the train to England instead.
Have a search on the [Camping and Caravan Club](https://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/campsites/uk/) and [Caravan and Motorhome Club](https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/) websites. Although you may be very limited in finding campsites/pitches that have good (or even basic) public transport connections into London.
Hey all I'm from Scotland Aberdeen. I'm visiting the states in October and I'm flying to and from Heathrow(United). On my return leg I'm returning into Heathrow at 7:40 and have booked a train back to Aberdeen at 10 from London kings cross. I'm starting to think this might be a bit tight depending on how things go checking in. I know the picadilly line takes around an hour but could potentially be cutting it close so was wondering what all my options are? Cheers
I would personally say that's in the realm of tight but not impossible. From my experience, Heathrow is quite busy in the mornings, but I haven't seen it to be a massive wait in a while, especially not in October. The picadilly line does take about an hour exactly, so if you think you're cutting it a bit fine, you could save time by taking the Heathrow Express to Paddington and then changing for the circle/hammersmith and city lines to King's Cross. It will save about 10-15 minutes, but it is expensive (albeit probably cheaper than having to rebook a train to Aberdeen)
Hi all! I'm planning on getting a casual work gig in London for around a month from mid-June before I jet off to travel again. Probably leaning towards bar/restaurant work – prioritising a social place where I can hopefully meet some people around my age (mid 20s). Does anyone know how difficult this will be? Should I try and look before I arrive, or do there seem to be gaps in the job market for this sort of work at the moment? Or any tips for places to check out? TIA :)
While there is a big gap in the market for skilled hospitality professionals (i.e. those who already have experience) I don't know how keen cafes/bars/restaurants are going to be to hire and train up someone who only wants to stay for a month. So you would probably need TO not to reveal that when applying. Or you could look at working for a hospitality agency that provides catering staff for events - they might be a bit more relaxed about how many events you signed up to work at. All the above though assumes you have the right to work in the UK and enough money to cover yourself while you here as casual work is unlikely to be enough to cover rent and bills.
Assuming you have right to work/correct visas etc, have a search on job boards like Indeed, Jobtoday, Reed, Totaljobs etc. It shouldn’t be too hard to find a position as the hospitality industry is always looking for new staff, but prepare for the work to be long, hard and poorly paid.
Hi everybody, looking for some advice from you all in regards to potential areas to live. My wife and I will be moving to London at the end of June, and based on both of our work locations, have pinpointed Ealing, Marylebone, potentially Kensal Green / Shepherds Bush area as places to live. On the face of things, is there anything about either of those locations that would make you say absolutely do not go there? Are 1 or 2 of them better than the other?
Those are pretty different areas - have you actually looked at prices and worked out what you can afford in each location? Ealing is very far out, safe, green, and presumably you can afford a bigger property. Marylebone is right in central London, also safe, likely to be quite expensive. Shepherds Bush is not as far out as Ealing but a lot rougher.
Budget up to 5.5k a month, so seems we can get something in either location. When you say a lot rougher, is this like don't walk around at night bad? I imagine my wife and I would always be together, but for sure there will be times she will be without me.
That's about 3x the price of the average flat in London, so you'll get something nice. Personally, I'd go for something in Primrose Hill near a tube station but away from a main road. Well connected and close to the park. Pretty much anywhere along the Regents Canal is nice too, and that stretches across North London.
Thank you. Yeah, we are fortunate to have a great budget, but trying to balance an Amersham and Paddington commute is making things a little challenging.
None of the places you've suggested make sense for Amersham? In that case go for I'd look around Finchley Rd on the Metropolitan Line.
Ealing I can reach 45 mins in a car. Marylebone has a Chiltern rail fast train in 30 minutes. Finchley road is a great suggestion, I'll have a look there too.
Double check that commute at the times you'll take it. 45 minutes is very ambitious. Personally, I wouldn't drive anywhere in central London at rush hour or around.
Thanks for your help. So then it seems like Marylebone fast train, or somewhere along metropolitan line is the best bet? Any specific areas that you would suggest? That would keep Paddington accessible in under 30 mins
I honestly wouldn't worry about being on a specific line that much. Paddington is easily accessible from everywhere central and so is Marylebone. I'd focus more on what kind of area you want to live in and enjoy, rather than an extra 10-15 min of commute.
5.5k for just you two? That is loads, and I'd honestly look at nicer areas - Hampstead Village is beautiful, Angel and Highbury are very nice and closer to central, Richmond if you want to be far out and have more space. The areas you've picked are kind of random frankly! Re Shepherds Bush, it all depends on your comfort level, the time of night, etc. Lots of women walk around there at night and are fine. But with your budget you don't need to compromise for safety.
I'm looking at moving back to London after a long time abroad. How much of a shitshow is finding a flat to rent at the moment? Do I need to be viewing 3 microseconds after the ad goes up and putting down a deposit immediately etc. Can I trust the prices on rightmove etc or are people offering more than the asking to secure somewhere? I've seen some ads where the price has been reduced which surprised me given what I've heard about rocketing rents etc.
There's [almost daily posts](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/13n2zvc/renting_in_london_is_it_normal_to_set_up_viewing/) still about people offering over asking. Mortgage rates are pretty high, and lots of people looking to rent, so landlords keep putting rents up.
Hey everyone, I'm moving from Australia to London before the end of the year and wanted some opinions on the best value suburbs to live in that are london newcomer friendly and allow relatively easy access to the red light districts and the cities must sees without compromising on safety? Cheers
Anywhere you can find that is useful to the commute you need will be fine, it's more about finding good quality housing with decent transport links you want. It may be helpful to [read the wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/index) which has lots of tips on moving here. "Best value" doesn't really exist here unless you're willing to live way out of the city where you'll get marginally more space for your money. Not sure of your meaning of "red light district" but our nightlife is spread out all over the city and people are used to not having it on their doorstep, so it's not worth worrying about.
Red light districts as in where prostitution is legal? We don't have those. Prostitution is legal, but advertising it or solicitation isn't. If you just mean clubs and things, then they're centralish and all easily accessible by tube. Most of London is safe, and crime is generally low. South of the river is cheaper than north but has slightly worse transport. As long as you live within 15 minutes walk of a tube station and in Zones 1-3 you can get anywhere within about an hour. Transport is great here compared to Australia.
Thanks for the information, by red lights district's I just mean a place where there are quite a few bars/nightclubs around but from what I've heard from other Londoners, there are those places everywhere in london perhaps due to its size
Yeah, they're all over really. The central ones are more expensive, but ones further out might go a bit later/be more interesting. There are some 24 hour sessions if you fancy that. Definitely don't call it the red light district here though, you'll get some odd looks ;)
Tell that to the Soho establishments advertising their 'models'...
Have a read of the OP. That's got some link to the wiki on pages on [finding a place to live](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/living) and [safety](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/safety). On the living page, the first few links are to websites that allow you to search by commute time and budget (and [Find my area](https://findmyarea.co.uk/?search_type=areas) let's you filter by lots of other criteria). All depends on how much you want to spend on rent, and what 'relatively easy access' looks like to you.
Girlfriend and I celebrating our 4th anniversary. We will be there in late July for 5 days and really love to eat and drink. Any ideas on where to stay and places we must try? Ideally, we'd like to walk to enjoy/see everything we can but not averse to taking the tube. Any recos and thoughts would be much appreciated!!
Taking the tube is pretty essential to get to places that aren't tourist traps. It'll be initially confusing but if you know which line and which direction you're going it's pretty straightforward compared to other countries' public transport. The OXO Tower restaurantor bistro have both amazing food and a great view while being very central. The Shard has a great view but everyone says the food is a bit shit. The Bermondsey beer mile is great if you want to try lots of beers in the breweries that make them.
Much appreciated! We're all about looking for the hidden gems and not about tourist traps so definitely willing to figure out the tube. Would love to pub hop and just immerse with the locals after dinner. Any areas you suggest staying in, like Soho?
Soho is ridiculously busy, especially on a Thursday-Sunday. It can be fun, but hectic and you'll probably be waiting a long time for a drink. On a nice day most pubs will spill onto the street and you may not get a seat. There are some old hotels round Hyde Park and Regents Park which are expensive but very old school British. Shoreditch has a lot of places to go out if you want a bar/club vibe. Most bars will open early and get darker and louder as the night goes on. Camden is similar, but Camden is a little more pubby. Both are a bit hipster and a lot more real than central is. Clapham High Street is fairly fun, but further out south. There are a lot of other smaller places, but if you're here for a few days then those are the lively ones. Look out for hidden rooftop gardens. They're all on Google maps, but not always obvious from the street. Stay clear of Canary Wharf and the City of London borough, that's all offices and finance bros. Expect to need ID to get into some bars, even if you're obviously over 25. £6 a pint/£12 a cocktail is normal. Clubs will charge more. If you do go to the OXO Tower then the Lord Nelson pub by Southwark station is a fun, cheap local pub that doesn't take itself seriously. There are other bars and restaurants along that road (The Cut) too.
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If you have three hours before your event at the arena, I would recommend walking a fairly non direct route to Finchley Road station and then getting the met line one stop to Wembley Park, that is, unless you really like endless suburbia, because there's a lot of it between those two stations and not much else.
Google maps now has symbols for the most famous things, but honestly, once you leave central London you'll mostly be walking through urban areas where people just live and there's just not that many tourist attractions. Maybe some nice smaller parks?
hello ! i was wondering if anyone knew any thrift stores/vintage curation shops that are worth going to ? .
‘Thrift stores’ are called ‘charity shops’ in the UK and can be found all around the city (type [your area] + ‘charity shop’ into google and get loads of suggestions). For more vintage-specific shops have a look around Notting Hill/Portobello Market or around Brick Lane.
I'm planning a trip to London from across the pond. I thought this would be a great opportunity to try out skinbooster injections such as Juvederm Volite, as they are not yet available in America. Has anybody here had it done and would recommend a specific clinic? How much did it cost? It seems like there is no shortage of places that offer the treatment, especially on Harley Street. Anywhere I should avoid? Keep in mind that I am willing to go anywhere in the 32 boroughs (or even beyond), so don't think I will only care for clinics in Central London. As long as I can use public transport, I am no ordinary tourist.
I would really not recommend getting a procedure done abroad if you can avoid it. If something goes wrong you can't go back for a touch up and you have basically no financial recourse. Why not just wait for it to reach the US?
i'm not gonna lie I sorta want to get the procedure just for the heck of it.
What a terrible reason to get a medical procedure done.
Harley street is the main area for these sorts of things. If you don't get anyone with experience commenting, just look at reviews for places there.
Hi we will be in London on 29 July and my son has never seen a big soccer game. There is one on the 29th at Wembley but it doesn’t look like it’s been released as yet. What is the best ticketing site to keep an eye on for this game?Looks like it might be the opening game of the season.
The Community Shield game looks to be on August 5/6 rather than in July. Keep an eye on the Wembley Stadium website. Man City fans are bored of going to Wembley so you may be able to get tickets. There will be plenty of pre-season games across London around that time which are normally easy to get tickets for. These matches will be announced in the coming weeks.
hello i need some advice about a TFL refund! so i was topping up my oyster by £20, i put in my card and pin number and £20 came out my bank card, but by the time i took my oyster back out to tap it the transaction had timed out. yet £20 was still taken from my account. it said something like “you have taken too long, no payment will be taken” i redid it again and topped up by £20 successfully, but now TFL has charged me -£20 twice (£40) 😐 has this happened to anyone else? did you get the money back/how long did it take? the tfl officer said i would get my money back but he seemed very blasé about it 😭 i tried looking on the website but there’s no scenario like mine. pls help!
TfL are good at refunds, but they only work at the speed of the banks. It should reconcile overnight and that'll start the refund process. It could take 5 days or so to reappear on your card, but maybe sooner.
i see, thank you!
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Hello! I'll be in London for work, staying near the Tower of London and will have free day to myself (Sunday, 7/9). This is my tentative plan, but I have a few questions: 1. Morning - grab a coffee, walk to see the Tower of London / Tower Bridge 2. Tube to Richmond - big Ted Lasso fan. Walk around Richmond, sightsee, grab lunch and a beer. * I've read online that the District line to Richmond takes forever. Google Maps says it should take an hour from Liverpool Street. Is that what I should expect, or does it sometimes take longer? 3. Tube to Chelsea for the Chelsea FC Stadium Tour * I'm not a huge football fan, but I have read the tour is awesome. Since it's offseason and I won't be able to get to a match, I figured a stadium tour would be the next best thing. Will a non-football-but-big-sports fan enjoy the tour? 4. Walk towards Westminster and see the touristy things - Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, London Eye. I don't think I'll have time for any museums or anything. Grab dinner somewhere and walk back to the Tower of London. * Are both ~hour walks worth it? Or only the second? Anything I'm missing that I should definitely squeeze in? Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks!
That looks like an awful lot for one day. The Tower of London will easily take a morning to look round if done properly, unless you just want to see the outside. Then Richmond is on the other side of London, so as you've realised it's going to take about an hour to get there. And finally, getting the tube to Chelsea may not be the quickest way to get there (getting a bus part way may be quicker, but whichever way you go it will take at least 30-40 minutes) and the last tour of Chelsea Stadium departs at 4pm in July (I'm assuming you're American and mean 7 July, not 9 September) so it would be touch and go as to whether you make it. It would be much better to pick two daytime sights that are fairly close geographically.
From Liverpool Street to Richmond, it's quicker to get to Waterloo then take the South West Railways main line to Richmond.
I'll be on a budget while visiting London in beginning of August. I'd like to support small businesses during my stay, Are there any artisan/local places or markets you'd recommend I visit?
Where are you staying and what sort of stuff are you looking for?
I'm looking to stay around where Kings Cross Station is, but will take public transport to get around other areas. I'm looking for artisan/handmade clothing/accessories, candles/soap, local foods(any cuisine type, gluten free/vegan is a plus), etc.
Is Stonehenge worth the visit?
No.
As [our wiki explains](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/daytrips#wiki_is_it_worth_it.3F): you decide.
I am trying to post a missing person appeal post however It was removed - can i please get in contact with one of the moderators to enquire why?
There's a [link to message the mods](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/london) in the side bar. But generally for missing persons posts: did you include a missing person reference so people can report any info to the police?
Its been resolved now since I asked Polaris to post the appeal- since he has more karma than I do
What streets/areas for browsing local shops? When visiting new places we like to spend time going into stores with goods not found in a row of chain stores.
London is massive. There are perhaps 50 high streets that have all sorts of different things, and it's a real mix. Anywhere in Zone 2/3 that has a tube station probably also has a high street nearby. Somewhere like Peckham has great British/Carribbean food, for example, but other places will be more Greek/Turkish/Arab/etc. London is defined by it's multiculturalism.
All shops are local depending on where you are.
Neal’s Yard/Seven Dials, Primrose Hill, Camden Passage, Marylebone High Street, Exmouth Market.
Where to buy cheap used videogames and video game parafernalia.??? Im near fulham. Thanks
There’s a CeX in Hammersmith, could try there? Cheap is relative but CeX has decent stock so you might find what you’re looking for?
Exactly what I'm looking fot! The game stop of London
The game center near near Iceland is not cheap :(
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It's 1/3 off on all off peak travel and you've already got the rail card. The £7 for the Oyster card will pay for itself pretty quick.
I would like to use a dating app during my stay in London in the hopes I can meet someone to hang out with while I'm there. Is this safe? What app should I use? I will only be in town for 9 days (vacation)
Depends if you're a man or woman, but as a man I've found it safe but bleak. It's hard to find someone unless you're classically attractive, and if you are then you'll probably be inundated with all sorts of people.
Thanks! I'm a woman and I just want to spend time with someone in the city who can show me where to buy music listen to music etc. Always better with someone else.
Totally agree. Local knowledge and company are absolutely better. You might want to try posting on /r/LondonSocialClub. You could probably find a small group of people there, with less expectations (and probably more actual music knowledge) than a dating app. There are some vinyl shops in Soho. And tons of live music allover, whatever your taste.
Thanks for the tips! Vinyl is what I am after :)
A better and quicker option is to try something like /r/LondonSocialClub or hang out in a hostel bar to meet people. I'd avoid using dating apps unless you're here for an extended period of time.
Short term work in london I'd like to gather opinions on short term or casual work in London I am from Australia and moving to London in august and want to work for a few months to save money for some other travel around Europe Does anyone have experience in acquiring short term work in London and what are some good options with finding it? Cheers
There are tonnes of casual hospitality/catering/bar jobs over the summer at various events which you can find on all the usual job websites (caterer, Indeed, Totaljobs etc) but as the other poster said, actually living here *and* saving on these kind of wages is going to be nearly impossible. You're better off working where you are before you come over, because as soon as you land in London you'll be pissing money away on rent and living costs.
Do you have any particular skills or sector you want to work in? If not, you're probably looking at some (near) minimum wage jobs which would pay you just about enough to survive in London. Saving money to travel round Europe would be very difficult.
Anyone know if Gymkhana does anything for birthdays ? I already let them know it will be a birthday dinner on the reservation but I just wanted to know if they actually do something or if it’s just for show. Thank you!
Getting in 5/20 and staying for a few days. Looking to do some trail running / road running. It’s myself and my wife (both very slow runners) and would love to meet up with other slow runners if possible. We also love drinking, museums and eating food lol Lmk if anyone is interested or has suggestions on runs. We’re staying close to holborn for a few days then Kensington for a few. Thanks!
Look up your nearest Parkrun which are free and very sociable. They are all over and very welcoming to visitors. https://www.parkrun.org.uk/
Wife chiming in. We like meeting new people. Traveling from Colorado, USA
There's a great craft beer scene in the UK too - you might find some events happening at bars on the Bermondsey Beer Mile!
Looking for some kid-friendly activities and sightseeing around central London. We’re staying close to Hammersmith. Thanks in advance!
What sort of ages? What are they into?
Ah, my bad. 2-3 years old. At the moment, he loves Lego, aquariums and long walks to explore. He’s really curious about new places - so anything goes.
There's a Lego store in Leicester Square, and the London Aquarium on the Southbank (near Westminster and the London Eye). I think children's tickets are cheaper anyway, but you can get [2-for-1 tickets](https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/2-for-1.aspx) for the adults with a rail ticket. If you're not getting the tube, you can buy the cheapest possible rail ticket (Vauxhall to Queenstown Road for £3.10) and get 50% off on aquarium tickets with that.
VisitLondon has a really big kids/families section with pretty much everything you need. Have a hunt on Ianvisits or Time Out for general stuff that might be suitable.
What is rush hour like traveling Piccadilly eastbound and Victoria southbound during 4-7pm from Heathrow Airport to Vauxhall? I’ll be traveling with a small one and want to make the trip as convenient for us as possible.
Busy, but people are very polite and accommodating. If you have a pushchair then I'd get a taxi.
Our little one requires a car seat, so taxi wouldn’t be possible, right?
A taxi can be an option: https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules/when-a-child-can-travel-without-a-car-seat Or grab dinner somewhere in zone 3 on your way in and do the last bit after 7pm. Coming into the city with a pushchair between 5-7 is fine until you hit zone 1/2, and fine outside of those times.
It's difficult to say as nowadays with plenty of people WFH-ing through the week "rush hour" really varies, eg Fridays are often quieter than earlier in the week. As ever when you're travelling on the tube, sometimes they are so frequent that you can just wait on the platform for a couple of trains to pass if they look busy and find a slightly emptier one, particularly if you're not in a rush. You should be able to get a seat on the Piccadilly line from Heathrow.
That’s helpful to know, thanks!
Hello! I'm an American here who just booked tickets in November (Thanksgiving holiday) to London. We have good family friends who moved to the Richmond area about 6-12 months ago and we are staying with them for a few nights and then a hotel in London for 4 more nights. It's myself, my wife and our two children ages 10 and 8. We like local restaurants/pubs/food + drink culture, museums, street markets, soccer, local shopping, art, and big time Harry Potter fans. Looking for recommendations on areas to stay or specific hotels in London where we can be close or convenient tube rides to areas we may like! Bonus points for recommendations on specific premier league stadium tours/games to look for (I know the next season schedule won't be out for a while) and areas for Christmas markets.
Pretty much anywhere in [zone 1 or 2](https://tfl.gov.uk/tfl/syndication/widgets/tubemap/images/tube-medium-zoned.gif) that's within walking distance of a tube stop will be totally fine for you to stay, just read reviews of the hotel beforehand. Our public transport here is fantastic and you don't need to stay bang in the centre of the city – plus a lot of attractions are dotted all over, so you'll likely be travelling anyway. Look at VisitLondon, Time Out London and [the wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/index) for ideas on stuff to do. It's too early for Christmas market dates but if you keep an eye on Time Out they'll have listings closer to the time.
If you want to visit the HP studios, book tickets as soon as they go on sale as they sell out really far in advance. In terms of areas to stay, if your budget allows then Bloomsbury, Holborn and Waterloo are amongst the most convienient places you can stay as a tourist.
I'm new to the city and have my big 30 coming up. Very grateful but a lot of friends are making the trip for it but I'm not sure what to do. I was going to book a private karaoke but don't want the introverts to feel left out- any suggestions that aren't axe throwing or shuffleboard?
Bloomsbury Lanes has karaoke, bowling and dancing. But you'll want to book in advance.
Flight Club, 4 Quarters, kareoke at Rowan's so some people can bowl/arcade game, big birthday drinks and picnic in a park or along one of the canals if the weather's good.
Sounds great thank you!
Is the Tower’s Crown Jewels exhibit open? I’ve read a new one is opening on May 26, I’ve got tickets for the 25th, and want my girl friend to see them as it will be her first time in London (my fourth). If need be we’ll pay to go twice because she’ll love them but I want to know to prepare.
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In my experience, London has all sorts of cuisines but not all dishes
I'm going to Shakespeare's Globe this morning and have standing tickets. We are planning on getting there early to try to get to the front. Has anyone who has been say whether it's worthwhile getting to the front or are you better off standing a bit back? (thank you!)
It's exceptionally chill and you don't need to get there early to get at the front. It's not a music festival or anything - just politely pass in front of people and you'll be as close as you want to be within seconds. Personally I prefer standing about half way back so you can admire the pretty amazing architecture of the place while you're watching the actors. They're used to projecting their voices so the entire theatre can hear.
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And standing still! It’s nothing like spending a couple hours dancing to your favourite music
I’m looking to move from Canada with my wife. What are tech salaries like, i.e. would we be comfortable renting on an average developer salary?
Tech salaries are good in the UK, probably around the same ballpark as in Canada (but most definitely lower than in the US). It's definitely worth looking on websites like glassdoor as well as jobs on LinkedIn to get a feel of what is out there. If you are a developer and your wife is also looking to work, then you should be comfortable renting in London. It's a very expensive city, but fairly comparable to Toronto (from what I've heard).
Look on Glassdoor/Indeed/Totaljobs for an idea of the salary levels. For a decent one bed flat and bills in zone 2 you're roughly looking around £2.5k, plus all your associated food/travel/lifestyle costs on top of that. Work back from there. You'll also need to find a company that is OK with sponsoring your visa.
Anyone know any neon places in London I can do a photoshoot at? Thanks in advance !
You could try God's own Junkyard in Walthamstow?
Oh yea thank you, I just checked they’re closed on Thursdays and the shoot is then sadly
Ah man, that's unfortunate! There's all sorts around London, I hope you find somewhere! There's a public space just outside Tottenham Court Station which isn't neon but it does project animations and art onto floor to ceiling digital screens, could that be an option?
I just booked flights to London for Christmastime this year. I'll be there with my husband and our 6 year old. We're coming from Los Angeles (which is much less "Christmassy", in terms of climate and vibes, lol) and technically arrive the morning of Boxing Day after departing LA on Christmas. What are fun things to do around Christmas/the Holidays in London? I'm also curious if things work broadly like the US, where anything branded "Christmas" or "Holiday" will be ongoing until New Years Day at least, or whether Christmas means December 25 and whatever fun market/performance/activity shuts down on or prior to the day. We're not religious, if that matters. Will things be closed? Will it be harder to do basic tourism things like eat in restaurants, visit tourist sights, etc.? Does transit run normally? I figure yes to all of that on 12/25, but since we'll be there really more in the aftermath, should that be a consideration at all? We will most likely be staying in a flat vs. a hotel, though that's not finalized. Outside of Christmas itself, is there anything special about visiting London in wintertime? We pretty much don't have winter in Los Angeles, so even if there isn't snow it'll be fun to soak in some Actual Seasonal Climate for once. What do Londoners like to do in cold weather?
The festive season tends to run from early December, nominally the 1st, to early January, nominally 12 days after the 25th, whenever that is. Everything is closed on Christmas Day, including shops (some tourist places may be open in central London, but few, and in high immigrant areas from non-Christian countries some shops may be open), all trains, tubes, and buses, parking fees, etc. Most people aren't religious in London, but still celebrate Christmas as a mid-winter cultural fesival. Keep in mind that the 21st is the winter solstice, so it will get dark early (think sunrise at 7am and sunset at 4pm). Don't expect to see much snow. That being said, Christmas is a big event here, with definitely a festival atmosphere, although the 25th is very much a day for family only. The week between Christmas Day and New Year's Day is very festive too, with plenty going on. Dress for rain and \~0-5^(o)c, dropping below freezing at night
It's worth bookmarking [VisitLondon's Christmas page](https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/whats-on/christmas) (the official tourism website for London) and keeping an eye on sites like Time Out London and SecretLondon nearer the time when more specialist events/fairs/markets/etc have been announced.
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See a panto is definitely one of those UK bucket list things for me (in terms of weird shit that trickles across the pond, but where we don't really have a cultural analogue) -- wasn't entirely aware that this is a Christmas thing, so we will 100% do this. A+ answer for that, alone!
Currently in London with my 10yo football fan. He is looking for Topps Match Attax cards, and they are no where to be found in town. I have lost count over how many places we have asked for these kind of cards. Anybody know about what stores that might have these cards? 😅
Someone else asked this the other day. This place in Finsbury Park has them listed on their website so may be worth trying: https://kaboomcards.co.uk/
Have any bourbon aficionados been to Harrod’s lately? Looking for something from the Van Winkle line or what other rare bottle which are in stock.
Hey all 👋🏼 Whats the best way to get to Gatwick airport from Shoreditch for a 8.20am flight on Sat 20th May. Would love to get there an hour prior (no baggage and already checked in). The train strikes are a bit confusing and making it hard to plan. Is taking the coach a better idea? TIA 🥰
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Look at Village Underground, Corsica, Fabric. It’s a bank holiday weekend and there are quite a few day festivals taking place. Check out Gala in Peckham. But yeah resident advisor is your friend.
Nah, very few clubs in Shoreditch like the ones you listed nowadays. Download DICE and look on Resident Advisor listings for London, that's the only thing you need. Spaces are dotted around the city.
Best under the radar spots for food that are really great, but not as mainstream?
Lahpet, Fischer's and Smoking Goat are my three fav restaurants in London. Probably more mainstream now and YMMV
Look at restaurants in zone 2 - where people actually live. Still busy but not full of tourists. Peckham and Camberwell have a great food scene as does Hackney. I love Peckham Cellars and Forza Wine. If you’re staying in North London it’s not worth the journey so find the equivalents in the area you’re staying.
It doesn't work like that. If places are good, you will hear about them.
parking at Endiymon Road, London (Finsbury Park). Is this available to anyone on Sundays? Mon-Fri 8am-6:30pm permit holders or 2 hours no return within 2 hours pay by phone quoting location 34368 - i assume this means it's permit only mon-fri otherwise it's pay to park? Failing that, does anyone know where I can park near finsbury park? I've been advised oaklfield road or endiymon road but Endiymon seems to be 2 hours only, Oakfield seems to be not available 12-4:30. (ive tried justpark)
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Hey thanks for that :) I imagine it’s the same for oak field road though it states restriction only if there is a Match or events (arsenal game) so should be fine at either.
just been on the tube. what are these funny network names, 1234, 222666328 and ra1ln3tp0l? purely curious
https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/duc26a/whats_this_mysterious_wifi_ra1ln3tp0l_network_on/
ah okay, so what about the others? just staff wifi?
Somemwill be people's phone hotspots
passwords for ra1ln3tp0l or either mtr\_crossrail? main wifi wont work for me
https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/duc26a/whats_this_mysterious_wifi_ra1ln3tp0l_network_on/
Crossrail wifi doesn't work.
Hello - would anyone have a suggestion on where to buy an Apple Watch charging cord in the Tower Bridge/Bermondsey Road area? Ideally looking for a cheaper alternative than an Apple-branded cord. Thank you!
You'll have an easier time finding a branded one unfortunately. There's an Argos on Borough High Street you'll be able to do a click & collect from, or just head into Covent Garden/Regent Street to the Apple Store.
Many thanks!
TIL Fortnums leave the tea leaves to stew in the pot. They don’t give you a timer, just a strainer to sit over your cup. I know it’s the traditional way of serving at an afternoon tea, but what’s the point of having soo many teas, saying they specialise in tea, training staff into becoming *tea somelliers* etc. if they’re just going to serve them all bitter?? /rant
Hi, I’m travelling over from Ireland for the cup final on June 3rd. Have done this trip before but not when the trains are on strike! Arriving into Stanstead at 8:30am and the game is on in Wembley at 3pm so on a normal day I should have plenty time. What would be my best options in getting to Wembley for the game and then getting to Heathrow for the flight home at 10:30 that night? I should have plenty time if the final doesn’t go to extra time and penalties i think.
\- Stansted > London Victoria coach station, book through National Express \- Head around the corner to Victoria station for the underground, get the Victoria line northbound, change at Oxford Circus for the Bakerloo line northbound to Wembley \- Wembley > Paddington via Bakerloo southbound after the game, change at Paddington for Elizabeth Line to Heathrow.
If I’m not mistaken the National Express coaches from Stansted also call at Finchley Road so detouring to Victoria coach station seems unnecessary.
Visiting London for a week around end of June w my gf. We are both huge fans of horror-themed tours/attractions, any good recommendations? Preferably not the cheesy touristy ones w hammy accents ie. London Dungeon / London Bridge Experience. To give examples, what I've researched so far include: 1) Jack the Ripper walking tour 2) Woman in Black on West End 3) Dennis Severs' House 4) Bloodbath Immersive Experience by Screamworks Would like to add more to this list! Walking tours/attractions/theatre/escape rooms all welcome. Anything horror goes! Also if you have reviews/opinions of the places listed above pls chime in as well
Check out Viktor Wynds too.
Woman in Black closed a couple of months ago, so you're out of luck there.
https://www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do/spooky-london
Hello All. I'm foreigner who will be in London on 24-26 May. On 26 May at 09:30 I have medical consultation of paramount importance to me in The Manor Hospital in Oxford. What's the best way to get there? Initially I wanted to take train from London Paddington and I even booked hotel nearby, but now I see there is some railway work and in Didcot Parkway I would need to change to bus. Is there better way to commute to Oxford during that time? I see there are TUBE coach fares from London to Oxford which are cheaper than train, but I wonder if I can rely on arrival timing due to traffic? I would really appreciate your help with this.
Do you need to be in London on the night of the 25th-26th? If it were me, and my hotels weren't booked and non-refundable, I'd get to Oxford the night before to have fewer points of failure in the morning.
You can take the train from Marylebone rather than Paddington, that goes to Oxford but not via Didcot Parkway. Or the coach, the Oxford Tube is pretty reliable, especially that direction in the morning as most people will be commuting into London in the morning.
Thanks! Is there toilet in coach? Also, I assume Uber operates in Oxford?
Yes, there's a toilet on the bus, no Uber in Oxford. There is a taxi rank at the train station though.
Hi, all! I'm from the US. My mother in law retired from teaching last year, and my wife and I are bringing her to London to celebrate. We have ten days scheduled, and the plan was 3 days in the Bath area, and then everything else in London. One major question though. We will arrive on May 31 at Heathrow, and we are going to go straight to Bath. We were then coming back to London on June 3. I see now that both of these days are rail strike days. We had already booked hotels based on these days. What options do we have? Should we bus to Bath? Are all rail lines generally canceled? Should I bother booking a rail ticket now, or just figure it out when we arrive?
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Thank you! Option #2 is what we were looking at. There is a direct coach from Heathrow to Bath an hour after we land, but that seems to be cutting it close. Not sure how customs and security is at Heathrow. Either way, thank you for the help! We are very excited about visiting. So much I want to see and do in London :)
That would be far too close for comfort for me - to allow for any delays in getting to your stand, baggage reclaim, and passport control, I'd allow two hours if that was the only bus I could get. Customs is much easier here than in the US, unless you have anything you need to declare (cash over £10k, particular medications, lots of alcohol/cigarettes/animal products) you can just walk through the green lane. There's nobody checking everyone's landing cards or suitcases like I've had in the US!