When it comes to visiting the UK, you may come with a strict budget in mind. You are determined to only spend what is truly necessary to your travels, such as on a few interesting venues and restaurants, a hotel room and a potential travel pass for commuting on the tube around the city.
However, once you enter London, you may be faced with the temptation to spend a little more on your trip than what you were originally expecting. If you do not want to blow your budget, here are some of the best ways that you can traverse London’s most cultural spots without blowing all of your money along the way.
Booking Online
Before you even set foot within London, you need to be thinking about the sort of exhibitions and venues that you want to go and see. The reasons why the lines are so long outside of tourist traps is due to the fact that people do not think about booking in advance.
Instead, they simply turn up on the day and ask for tickets to get instead. With a little bit of early thought, you can skip the queues and save on ticks by booking online. Some tourist locations even give a discount for doing this. For instance, the London Eye tickets are actually 10% cheaper online.
Purchasing a London Pass
Purchasing a London Pass (or even an oyster card) can be a fantastic way to get around the city if you are planning on seeing some of the main cultural sites. This includes:
• The View from the Shard
• The Tower of London
• London Zoo
• Tower Bridge
• Madame Tussauds
• West Minster Abbey
• Windsor Castle
The pass is a fantastic addition for any first time London tourists and you can even use it to skip the long ticket line at the venue itself. In addition to this, you can even use it to save money on transport as it will allow you to use the “Hop On, Hop Off” Bus to travel from venue to venue.
As you can only see the attractions listed on the card, that means you cannot stray from your original sightseeing plans. If you intend to visit some of London’s lesser known historical monuments, or do not want to sightsee at all, then this may not be the card for you. But if you are ready to explore London’s treasure trove of attractions on your own, with a friend or even with a Cheap London Escort, then this pass would certainly be for you.
Free Venues
Whilst it can be nice to traverse the tourist scene, a lot of London Venues are extremely expensive to visit. It does not matter how niche the venue’s target audience is, if you intend to travel around a capital city then you have to expect high prices.
One way you can avoid any entry fees is by sticking to free venues to keep yourself entertained during the day. This can be as simple as looking at the exterior of a famous London building, perhaps watching the “Changing of the Guard” or even go to some of the top art galleries and museum for a quick visit. These include:
• The Tate Modern
• The National Gallery
• The British Museum
• The Southbank Centre Art Complex
These cultural venues are all completely free of charge and make for fantastic days out by yourself or with your families. If you are lucky enough to have a sunny day on your travel days, then why not also take the time to explore some of London’s Scenic Parks? Not only are these venues also free, but they also have a fantastic array of art installations and idyllic environments that are ready for you and your loved ones to settle inside for a delicious picnic. These parks include:
• Hyde Park
• Kensington Gardens
• St James’s Park
• Regent’s Park
• Hamstead Heath
Going to one of these al-fresco environments is a great way to get away from the hustle and bustle of London Life. You may feel a little overwhelmed by the busy commuting world of London, which is why it is sometimes good to just get away and relax in a quieter area of existence, especially if you can go there for free.
Pick a City Centre Hotel
Whilst you may think that you are saving money by booking a hotel that lies just outside of London’s city centre, you may actually find that the amount of travel you have to do in order to reach your hotel will force you to stretch out your budget. Avoid spending money on the commute and instead, use your funds to venture into some of the quirkier areas of London.
The best places you can go to find cheap accommodation is actually through Airbnb. Most of the venues are extremely similar to London Hotels. The only difference is that you will be living like a true London Local.
Cheap West End Tickets
If you are looking for a way to insert a little culture into your trip without having to spend an arm and a leg, you can actually go to see a West End Theatre Show by buying your tickets in advance! Book as soon as possible and you will find you will be able to get a great deal on your ticket.
However, if you do leave it until last minute, be sure to visit TKTS booth in Leicester Square. They aim to sell as many tickets as possible for big shows in London, thus you may find that you are able to score some sweet tickets, just as long as you do not mind the sort of show you go and see on the day!
Have fun romping around London!
No matter where you go in London, at the end of the day you are there as a tourist and you are expecting to have a good time. That is why you deserve to see as much of London’s culture as you possibly can. If you are less frivolous with your spending then there is more chance that you will actually be able to stay in your budget and visit the biggest London venues. Have fun!
Love traveling.
