How to Do & See MUCH More of London on Your First Visit

Last updated on December 14, 2020

London’s such a huge city that many first-time visitor barely scratch the surface. From tips on which areas to stay in to advice on getting around the city, this post is here to help you out with this and help you develop a better strategy and make sure you see and experience as much of London as possible on your first (or even 101st) visit.

Be Picky About Where You Stay

The location of the accommodation you choose will have a major impact on your ability to see as much of London as possible. You’ll need to make sure that you are picking hotels in convenient locations and central in relation to the things you’d like to see. For example, it wouldn’t make much sense to stay in Wimbledon if you’re looking to spend most of your time exploring the West End. Instead, finding accommodation in Westminster would make a lot more sense.

Of course, though, you won’t just be looking for one place to stay; you will be looking for many. There are loads of excellent hotels, hostels, and serviced apartments to choose from in London, giving you the chance to tailor your journey to your exploration needs.

Services like Airbnb can also really help with this, providing you with the means to contact property owners that will offer cheaper accommodation than the chain hotels you’re able to find.

Consider Hotel Hopping

It’s important to make sure you’re choosing locations that are close enough to the sights you want to see. And it’s also worth considering moving from hotel to hotel, allowing you to stay in multiple areas during your London staycation, based on what you want to see and do.

But remember, sticking to a small handful of residences is still a good idea, and will ensure that you don’t end up spending your whole time in London moving from hotel to hotel.

Master London’s Tube Network

Next up, it’s time to think about transport. London is one of the most congested cities in the world, with far too many cars driving around for the slim and winding roads you’ll find at its heart. This will make it hard to get around if you decide to hire your own car, and it can be better to rely on public transport options that give you less control but will get you from A to B much faster.

London’s tube network is excellent for this, with stations across the city that can take you to some of the most popular parts of the city.

Alongside the Tube, you could also consider the idea of hiring a bike to get around London. While some of the city’s roads can be quite dangerous on a bike, more and more cycle paths are being added to its roads all the time, giving you the opportunity to see the city without having to trap yourself in a metal box.

Using a bike as your main form of transport will make it harder to transport your luggage, but will make it easier to find accommodation.

Supercharge Your Itinerary with Tours and Skip-the-Line Entry Tickets

Once you’ve got your accommodation and transport under your cap, it will be time to start working on your London itinerary. You will need to make a list of all of the places you’d like to visit, connecting them to accommodation that will be close enough to enable you to see them.

You can also maximise your time – and see/do much more – by joining London tour groups. From fascinating walking tours to action-packed river cruises, you can really do more with your time by allowing a local expert to guide you.

And yes, it’s most definitely worth spending an extra pound or two on skip-the-line tickets! No one wants to travel all the way to London only to spend half their time waiting in line (especially when it’s raining!).

Planning your trip out like this will give you the chance to make the most of the limited time you have.

Lighten Your Load

This planning won’t be over until you’ve considered all of the challenges you might face along the way, though. Luggage storage in London is a common service, with a lot of companies offering services.

This can enable you to leave the bulk of your luggage in a central location while only carrying the things you need with you. Handling problems like this proactively will be another excellent way to make the most of the time you have in London.

With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to get started on your multi-stay adventure across London. This sort of trip will always be a challenge to plan, but the work will be well worth it, as you will get the chance to see the city of London like never before.