DURING my life I’ve been to countless cities in close to 50 different countries and, out of all of them, London is definitely among my favourites.
Although I wasn’t born in the capital, I moved here as soon as I possibly could and almost a decade later, I’ve learnt a lot about living in the most visited city in Europe.
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Sadly, not everyone who comes here has the same experience, meaning tourists will often make simple and sometimes costly errors.
So, to help them out before their visit, I’m going to list some of the things tourists should never do when coming to London, as well as some tips to make their breaks more enjoyable.
1. Standing on left side of escalator
This is something a lot of people get wrong and it really winds up people who live in the city.
One thing you need to know about Londoners is that they don’t like to hang about and you standing on the left of the escalator gets in their way.
The rules of the escalator are simple: stand on the right, walk on the left. Follow that and you’ll get along with the locals, no problem.
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2. Paying for the Shard when you can go to Sky Garden for free
There’s quite a few things you shouldn’t pay to do in London, but tourists end up doing it anyway.
One of them is the Shard, where a trip up to the viewing deck costs £28.
Across the river, you can go to the Sky Garden in the Fenchurch building, also known as the Walkie Talkie, completely free of charge and get a view that is just as good.
You just need to book it in advance to secure your time slot.
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3. Paying for bus tours when you can use the public buses and see the same sites
More needless tourist spending happens on open-top bus tours that go along the same roads as the public buses, which cost a fraction of the price.
You can travel as far as you like within 90 minutes on the regular buses for £1.75.
Websites like Visit Britain highlight which routes people should choose to see the best sights in the city.
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4. Taking the tube when you could take the Thames Uber boat
Getting the tube is an essential part of any visit to London, but it’s not always the best way to get from one place to another.
For instance, the route from Greenwich to central London is much more enjoyable on the Uber boat, which costs a little bit more, but provides an affordable sightseeing tour through the city.
You can view the Shard, Tower Bridge, St Paul’s Cathedral and other key landmarks from the river.
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5. Missing free attractions
One of the best things about London is the fact that most of its museums are completely free.
The Natural History Museum, the V&A, the Tate, the British Museum and the Science Museum are among those that don’t cost a thing to enter.
It’s very easy to spend an entire weekend seeing some of the city’s best sights, without spending a single penny.
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6. Missing out on some of the out-of-Zone-1 neighbourhoods
Central London is a great place to be and as a tourist, it’s understandable that you’d want to see the main sights.
But once you’ve seen Big Ben and Trafalgar Square, there are other places away from the centre that are well worth the tube ride.
Included in those are Hampstead Heath, where you can go swimming in the outdoor ponds, Brixton with its amazing markets and food and Hackney for its parks and breweries.
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7. Getting a rickshaw ride
After a few drinks in one of London’s many great bars, the opportunity to get a rickshaw ride back to your accommodation might seem like a good idea.
But there are plenty of horror stories about people being charged a fortune by unofficial rickshaw drivers, especially after they’ve had a few drinks.
It may sound like fun, but it’s definitely not worth the risk.
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8. Not researching the best fish and chip places
A trip to London wouldn’t be complete without trying fish and chips, but there are hundreds of places that don’t do the dish justice.
It’s well worth spending a bit of time before your visit researching the best places to get them.
Among those are Toff’s in Muswell Hill and Ken’s in Dulwich, while in central, London Fishcotheque is a great choice, as is the Seashell of Lisson Grove, where celebrities like Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder have previously eaten.
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9. Going to bad pubs
Much like bad chip shops, there are plenty of bad “London pubs” that will only be a waste of money instead of a good time.
It’s worth reading up on the best and most traditional boozers, instead of just going to the first King’s Arms or Red Lion you come across.
Among the best pubs in the city are the Mayflower in Rotherhithe, the Coach and Horses on Greek Street, in Soho and the Southampton Arms in Kentish Town.
The Southampton is favoured by its regulars for its selection of local beers and for its amazing pub snacks, including scotch eggs and roast pork sandwiches.
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10. Shopping on Oxford Street
A lot of people come to London to go shopping on Oxford Street, but it’s really not much different there to any other European city centre.
The best places to head for some retail therapy are the markets, like Spitalfields, Shoreditch and Brick Lane, where some of the best curries in the city can be found.
Elsewhere, Camden, Portobello and Camden Passage at Angel are equally as worthwhile.
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Meanwhile, this is how two people can spend a weekend in London for under £125pp.
And this London noodle restaurant is like actually visiting Tokyo.
