London

Overview

London is enormous, but the Underground makes it feel manageable. The trick is picking two or three neighborhoods per day rather than trying to cover the whole map — a morning in the museums of South Kensington, an afternoon along the South Bank, an evening in Soho, and you've already seen three very different versions of the city.

Getting There

Heathrow (LHR) connects via the Elizabeth line or Piccadilly line directly into central London in 45–60 minutes. Gatwick (LGW) has the Gatwick Express to Victoria in 30 minutes. An Oyster card or contactless bank card works across the entire Tube, bus, and rail network.

Top Things to Do

• The British Museum, Natural History Museum, and Tate Modern are all free to enter — budget a half day for each.
• Walk the South Bank from Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge, stopping at Borough Market along the way.
• Catch a play at a smaller theatre off the West End for a fraction of the ticket price and just as much talent.
• Spend a slow afternoon in Hampstead Heath for a view over the whole city from Parliament Hill.

Local Tips

Stand on the right on Underground escalators — it's a genuine social rule. Many pubs stop serving food by 9pm even if the bar stays open later, so eat dinner earlier than you might elsewhere in Europe.