Are you prepared for your amazing vacation to London? Even if you are a seasoned traveller, the beautiful capital can seem daunting at times and learning the social norms and etiquette is half the battle! As you start to plan your next trip to London take a look at HFH’s list of Dos and Don’ts and you are sure to experience London as the locals do!

Houses of Parliament

Dos:

• Stand on the right, walk on the left – particularly important at the underground stations!

• Wear a hood or have an umbrella handy as London weather has a mind of its own.

• Invest in an Oyster Card! As we mentioned in one of our previous blogs, you receive discount fares on travel when you purchase an Oyster Card. You also cannot use cash on any London transport anymore, and an Oyster Card is a fast and simple solution rather than buying a paper ticket! Oyster Cards can be purchased at London Underground Stations.

• Wait for people to disembark underground trains (tubes) before hopping on.

• Book tickets in advance (or even before your stay in one of our London vacation apartments) to famous attractions such as the London Eye, Sea Life London, London Dungeons, Buckingham Palace, Tower of London and London theatre shows to avoid long lines or even missing out!

• Many parts of London are best seen on foot or are easily accessible by tube or bus, make sure you bring comfortable walking shoes!

• Visit the local supermarkets at lunch time. They offer sandwiches and other ready to eat meals which are just as fresh (if not fresher) than in other places, so for a couple of pounds it’s a great alternative for a snack!

High Street Kensington Underground Station

Don’ts:

• Avoid travelling at peak hour (7:30 to 9:30am & 5:00pm to 7:00pm).

• Don’t fumble in your wallet for your ticket when you reach the barriers at train stations – have your ticket or Oyster Card ready when you approach.

• Don’t be scared to ask for directions, Londoners are quick to offer help to visitors.

• Don’t rely on the tube past midnight. Underground trains stop operating at midnight. If you’re out late, look into night buses, or making taxi arrangements.

• Don’t hesitate to take the double decker buses instead of the tube. Truthfully they are not as speedy, however they offer incredible views of the city – make sure you bag the front seats!

• Don’t miss out on the many free attractions London has to offer! The British Museum, Hyde Park, and Natural History Museum are just to name a few.

• Don’t confuse the London Bridge with the Tower Bridge, and one must see both!

• Don’t assume all attractions are open all year round. Unfortunately sights such as Buckingham Palace, Big Ben or the House of Parliament have shorter opening hours in the winter months (or may even close) or require advanced booking.

Natural History Museum
We can all agree London is a spectacular place to travel to! Here at HFH we think London is best enjoyed by doing it like the locals; living the way they do in one of our London vacation apartments, shopping the way they do, eating the way they do and most importantly experiencing London the way they do. Don’t stand out like other tourists and use our helpful list to immerse yourself in the London culture as soon as you hop of the plane!

Big Ben

If you have any questions about anything to do with London please leave us comment!