London

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Quick Facts

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Population

7,556,900 (2007)

Dial Code

020

Coordinates

• Latitude: 51.500152
• Longitude: -0.126236

On Travellerspoint

• 13 London Apartments
• 21 London Guesthouses
• 88 London Hostels
• 108 London Hotels

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Introduction

Piccadilly Square, London

© All Rights Reserved Mavr8k

London is a cultural melting pot where people from around the world have found a home, a legacy of their colonialist past and a great contributor to its vibrant culture today: according to the 2001 census, over a quarter of the population of London was born outside the United Kingdom. Home to Big Ben, the Queen of the United Kingdom, the Tower of London and fish and chips in your local, London provides days of distraction for the first time tourist. For return visitors, London's size and diversity offer something new to see on every trip.

Neighbourhoods

London consists of the City of London, 32 boroughs and two liberties, which are informally divided into the following sub-regions.

City of London

How, you may be wondering, can there be a City of London within London itself? Because the modern municipality – the Greater London Authority – does not govern the actual City of London.

The City of London itself is located on the north bank of the Thames in the eastern part of the modern city centre. This was the Roman city of Londinium, and in its modern incarnation it is the world's largest international financial centre. It is a separate Ceremonial County from the Greater London and occupies a square mile, in comparison to the 609 square miles of Greater London. Its cathedral is St Paul's.

Central London

Big Ben

© All Rights Reserved adamandmeg

Central London, like any other city centre in the world, is the place where the hive of activities and sights are concentrated. There is no official definition for the Central London boundary. Colloquially, Londoners refer Central London as the Zone 1 of the city's public transportation fare zoning system. Zone 1 covers the City of London; part of the boroughs of Camden, Islington, Kensington & Chelsea, Lambeth, Southwark, and Tower Hamlets; and the City of Westminster.

The only borough with a city status within Greater London is the City of Westminster, a couple of miles upstream adjacent to the west of the City of London. This is the seat of government, and its protestant cathedral is the church of St Peter's, otherwise known as Westminster Abbey.

West London

West London is the area on the west side of London, on the north bank of the River Thames. The boroughs in this unofficial sub-division are Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, and Kensington and Chelsea.

North London

The London boroughs of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington are located in the area known as North London.

East London

The north eastern part of London – the east of the north bank of the River Thames – is commonly referred to as East London. The boroughs in East London are Barking and Dagenham, Hackney, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest. The Summer Olympics in 2012 will be held on this side of the city.

South East London

South East London, the eastern half of the south bank of the River Thames in London, is occupied by the boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lewisham and Southwark.

Popular attractions in the south east include the Cutty Sark, Maritime Museum and the Royal Observatory, home of 0° longitude, the Prime Meridian.

South West London

South West London is the western half of the south bank of the River Thames in London. The boroughs in this part of London are Croydon, Kingston upon Thames, Lambeth, Merton, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton and Wandsworth.

Sights and Activities

Museums and Galleries

London Museums Feature

There is no shortage of world class museums and galleries in London and best of all, many of them can be entered for free, although usually there is a "suggested" donation.

Central London

• British Museum is one of the world's great museums. Much content is loot from years of colonialism. It has especially notable Assyrian, Celtic, Egyptian, Greek and Roman collections, and it also houses the Elgin Marbles from the Acropolis of Athens, and the famous Rosetta Stone. Its Great Court is of architectural interest in its own right. Leave plenty of time to take it all in. Karl Marx wrote "Das Kapital" in the Reading Room.
• Sir John Soane's Museum is the house of Sir John Soane (1753-1837), an architect and eclectic collector.
• National Gallery houses over 2300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century. The collection, which also includes paintings of Leornado da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt and Vincent van Gogh, belongs to the British public. Entry to the main collection is free.
• National Portrait Gallery is a collection of portraits of historically important and famous British people.

West End

• Natural History Museum includes some of the finest collections of animals, stuffed and skeletal, past and present, in the world - including some spectacular dinosaur skeletons.
• Science Museum has a collection of over 300,000 items, including the famous Stephenson's Rocket, Puffing Billy (the oldest surviving steam locomotive) and the first jet engine.
• Victoria & Albert Museum is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design.
• Tate Britain has a fine collection of British work from medieval times to the present day, particularly notable for its Turner collection.
• Madame Tussauds has a collection of waxwork models of famous people in this museum set up by an émigrée from the French Revolution, Marie Tussaud. Be prepared to queue.

East End

• The Geffrye Museum is situated in a row of ex alms houses, showcases the lives of Londoners from 1600 to the present day.

Southbank

• Tate Modern has the largest collection of Modern Art in Europe, spectacularly located in the old Bankside power station.
• The Clink Prison Museum is a museum dedicated to The Clink, a notorious medieval prison from 1151 until it was burned down during the Gordon Riots of 1780.

South East

• National Maritime Museum is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Maritime Greenwich.
• Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park is where the line of zero longitude, the prime meridian, was finally established in 1884, to the chagrin of the French. Also the coordinate base for Greenwich Mean Time.

Parks and Gardens

Squirrel at Saint James's Park

© All Rights Reserved Hien

London has one of the largest ratio of park space per-capita in the world.

West End

• Hyde Park is a big breath of fresh air bang in the middle of London, with boating ponds and flower gardens. It also has the Diana memorial fountain. Another famous part of the park is Speaker's corner. In summer the park is sometimes used for big scale music events.
• Kensington Gardens is the western part of Hyde Park.
• Green Park is a small park just south of Piccadilly.
• St James's Park is a well-kept small park with views onto Buckingham Palace.
• Holland Park is a park in Kensington & Chelsea. It houses a famous orangery and the ruins of the Holland house.

North London

• Hampstead Heath is the largest park in London, with great views over the city from Parliament Hill.

South East

• Greenwich Park has good views of London from the hill in the park.

South West

• Battersea Park on the southbank of the Thames between Albert bridge and Chelsea bridge, and near to the Battersea power station.
• Richmond Park is a wild park on the outskirts of London with a resident herd of deer.

Royal Palaces and Residencies

• Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of Britain's sovereigns since 1837. The State Rooms, the Royal Mews and The Queen's Gallery are open to public visits.
• Changing the Guard is the ceremony of hand-over of guards in the forecourt of the Buckingham Palace, usually consisting of Foot Guards in their full-dress uniform of red tunics and bearskins.

Queens Birthday - Guards

© All Rights Reserved adamandmeg

• Palace of Westminster is better known as the Houses of Parliament. It is the iconic landmark that represents not just London, but the entire United Kingdom as well. Until 1512, the site was a royal residence, but a fire forced Henry VIII to move out. However, the site remained a Royal Palace; therefore, its official title is the Palace of Westminster. Almost all of it now is newer than it looks: most of it burned down in 1834 and was rebuilt in neo-Gothic style. Today, it is where the two Houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (the House of Lords and the House of Commons) meet.
• Big Ben: The Clock Tower, the main part of the iconic landmark to travellers, is often referred to as Big Ben, the nickname of the bell housed within the 96-metre-tall Clock Tower. Big Ben's official name is the Great Bell. Tours to the Clock Tower are open to UK residents only and must be arranged through the local MP.
• Westminster Hall is the only major part of the ancient Palace of Westminster which survives in its original form. It survived the 1834 fire which destroyed the rest of the Houses of Parliament.
• Hampton Court Palace is a former royal palace built by Henry VIII, located in the London Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames, South West London.
• Tower of London: Once a fortress, a royal palace and also a prison (for high status and royal prisoners, such as future Queen Elizabeth I), this 1078 fortress built by William the Conqueror is now home of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom since 1303. This monument is located in Central London and is just a stone's throw away from the Tower Bridge on the north bank of the River Thames.

Other Sights and Activities

Tower Bridge

© All Rights Reserved tahir2u

• Westminster Abbey is one of the most important buildings in Britain. Founded by St Edward the Confessor and consecrated in 1065, it was not completed until about 1500. But architecturally it is a Norman cathedral. Monarchs are crowned here, and plenty are buried here. The Henry VII chapel, in an apse, is particularly fine.
• St Paul's Cathedral: This Anglican cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of London. Located on Ludgate Hill in the City of London, this present building is generally reckoned to be the fifth St Paul's Cathedral of London.
• The Inns of Court is located between the cities of London and Westminster, the four Inns of Court are the colleges of England's barristers, or specialist trial lawyers. Their open areas and gardens are open to the public and can offer welcome respite from the crowds. Middle Temple and Inner Temple are located to the south of Fleet Street; Lincoln's Inn is between Fleet Street and Holborn; and Gray's Inn is to the north of High Holborn.
• Tower Bridge is the most iconic bridge of London and is often mistakenly referred to by many as the London Bridge, which is two different bridges one locate 800 metres away upstream the River Thames. The other bridge was sold and relocated to Arizona after World War II.
• HMS Belfast: A 20th Century Royal Navy vessel, located in the Pool of London, between London Bridge and Tower Bridge.
• The London Dungeon: A recreation of various gory and macabre historical events about various tortures from the Medieval Age.
• London Eye: Nothing ocular about, it is a large and beautiful Big Wheel, located on the south bank of the river virtually opposite Westminster. Book in advance.
• Piccadilly Circus is a famous circular open space at a street junction in London's West End is in a central location close to major shopping and entertainment areas. Many famous movies have been shot in this popular meeting point.

Events and Festivals

Notting Hill Carnival

© All Rights Reserved StephenJen

• Notting Hill Carnival happens every August Bank Holiday in London and comprises a Kids Day, an Adults Day and a spectacular parade to rival Rio. There are plenty of stalls, selling foods from all over the world, but primarily remaining true to its Caribbean roots. There are live bands and DJs in the many sound systems set up in surrounding streets so you can continue to party long after the midday parade.

• The Championships, Wimbledon tennis tournament is held every year between late June and early July. Often called the "fortnight," the tournament is calendared so that it ends on the second Sunday of July and begins on the Monday, 13 days earlier.

• City of London Festival occurs each year in June-July and has done so since its inception in 1962. It offers a wide range of activities at indoor and outdoor venues across the square mile, all kinds of music, literature, visual arts exhibitions, guided architecture walks and much, much more. Many free events can be found on the program, so it needn't break the bank!

• The Mayor's Thames Festival takes place along the River Thames every September. The festival main spots are between Westminster Bridge and the amazing Tower Bridge and comprises street performers, markets, activities and eateries. The final day of the festival culminates in a night parade where thousands enjoy the parade of lanterns, performers and spectacular floats and a massive fireworks display.

Weather

London has a temperate marine climate, which is similar to the rest of the British Isles. There is generally regular although light rain throughout the year. The hottest month of July has an average temperature range of 13.6 °C to 22.8 °C. Although during the summers there can be random days that are extremely hot with the highest recorded temperature being 38.1 °C. The coldest month is January, which has an average temperature range of 2.4 °C to 7.9 °C. The driest month is February and snow is very rare London. Central London, because of the large urban area, has a micro climate making it slightly warmer then the surrounding area. This allows some plant life to grow in London that does not grow anywhere else in England.

Getting There

By Plane

London Heathrow

London Heathrow (IATA: LHR, ICAO: EGLL) is the largest airport in the London area, and many international flights will arrive at Heathrow. One of the world's busiest airports, Heathrow is crowded and known for outrageous lineups and lost luggage. Heathrow has five terminals. To determine what terminal you will be using, check out the which terminal information from the Heathrow airport website.

There are numerous options to get to and from Heathrow by train or bus.

London Heathrow Express

© All Rights Reserved Hien

The Heathrow Express is a non-stop train service that offers the fastest travel option to Paddington station in central London. Services run every 15 minutes and the journey time is just 15 minutes; 7 to 8 minutes more to and from Terminal 4. A standard single fare purchased online is £14.50 (£15.50 from ticket machine/office; £17.50 purchased onboard) and a standard return is £28 (£29 from ticket machine/office; £31 purchased onboard).

Heathrow Connect is a stopping train service between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport, and calls at Ealing Broadway, WestEaling, Hanwell, Southall and Hayes & Harlington. Running every 30 minutes, one-way tickets are between £4.90 and £6.90, depending on the station.

Heathrow is on the Piccadilly line of the London Underground network, with three stops at the airport - Terminals 1,2,3; Terminal 4 and the new Terminal 5. There are two different train services; one stopping at Terminals 1,2,3 and Terminal 4, while the other at Terminals 1,2,3 and Terminal 5. Heathrow is in Zone 6 of the London transit network. Journey time to central London is under an hour and you shouldn't have to wait longer than 10 minutes for a train - even off-peak. A single ticket into central London (Zone 1) costs £4.

Heathrow Airport is served by an extensive network of local buses which operate from the central bus station. Some services also stop at Terminal 4. Srvices into west London are part of the Transport for London network. A single adult fare for anywhere in London is £2. The bus station is well signposted from Terminals 1, 2 and 3 and is located above the London Underground station. Access from Terminals 1, 2 and 3 is via underground walkways. The approximate walking distance from Terminal 1 is four minutes, from Terminal 2 is three minutes and from Terminal 3 is seven minutes. The routes from the airport can be found on this map. Information on services can be found at the TfL website or by calling +44 (0)20 7222 1234.

Taxis are available at Heathrow Airport 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. There are taxi ranks at all terminals, as well as taxi information desks inside. The average journey time is approximately 30 to 45 minutes, depending on traffic condition.

London Gatwick

Gatwick Airport (IATA: LGW, ICAO: EGKK) is the busiest single runway airport in the world, the second largest airport in the UK and the seventh busiest international airport in the world. Around 90 airlines operate from Gatwick's two terminals, serving around 200 destinations. London's Gatwick has two terminals, named North and South.

Train services from Gatwick include:

• Gatwick Express offers dedicated, high-speed travel to London Victoria station with a journey time of just 30 minutes. A standard single fare is £17.90 and a standard return is £30.80.
• Southern offering services to London Victoria, London Bridge, East Croydon and Clapham Junction. Southern takes 35 minutes to London Victoria. Prices are up to £11, but advanced purchase or travelling off-peak can reduce the price.
• First Capital Connect offering services to London Bridge, St Pancras International and other stations in southern, central and northern London. First Capital Connect takes 30 minutes to London Bridge. Prices are £9.00, but advanced purchase or travelling off-peak can reduce the cost.

National Express and easyBus both provide coach service to London from Gatwick. National Express costs as low as £6.80. easyBus costs as low as £2. Check both companies' websites for schedules and fares.

London Stansted

Stansted Airport (IATA: STN, ICAO: EGSS) offers services to and from Europe, with limited services to North America, Iceland and limited other destinations. In addition, there are services to a number of destinations in the UK.

Stansted Express provides services from Stansted Airport to London Liverpool Street station, with trains departing every 15 minutes with an average journey time of 45 minutes.

A cheaper option is easyBus, run by the easyJet company, which offers transport to and from central London from £2 each way. Other express coach services to London include the National Express and TerraVision (London Victoria and Liverpool Street).

London Luton

London Luton (IATA: LTN, ICAO: EGGW) is a major hub for low-cost carriers. Airlines using this airport include easyJet, Monarch Airlines, RyanAir and Thompsonfly.

The fastest way to get from the airport to the city is by train, which arrives at the St Pancras International Train Station in 30 minutes.

GreenLine Coaches and easyBus operate direct bus services to London.

London City Airport

London City Airport (IATA: LCY, ICAO: EGLC) is situated just 10 miles (16km) from the West End (the major shopping centre) and Westminster (location of main government offices), six miles (10km) from the City of London (the financial district) and three miles (5km) from Canary Wharf (London's newest business and financial centre).

London City Airport offers services to 31 European destinations, and is served by 12 airlines.

Getting there and away is easy by public transit with the Docklands Light Rail (DLR) operating for connections to the City and Canary Wharf.

By Train

UK - Eur a star

© All Rights Reserved nbennion

There are numerous train stations in London serving locations across the UK. Details on services can be found at the National Rail website.

International Services on the Eurostar via the "chunnel" currently arrive at St Pancras International Train Station from Brussels and Paris, and other destinations in France and Belgium. St Pancras International is served by the Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, Northern, Picadilly and Victoria lines on the London Underground.

By Car

London is well served by highways and roads into the town. Check out online maps like Google Maps for driving directions.

Drivers should note that the city is very busy, and traffic is a common problem. In addition, much of the centre of the city is covered by a congestion charge of £8 for any travel within the city centre on weekdays between 07:00 and 18:00, Monday to Friday (excluding holidays). For more details, check out the congestion charge information at Transport for London.

By Bus

National Express has coach services from major cities and towns in the UK and Europe.

By Boat

There are no ferries services directly into London, however a number of international ferry services run to coastal towns in the United Kingdom, and travellers can drive, take the bus or take a train from there.

Getting Around

By Car

With its narrow streets, busy traffic and congestion charges, most people leave the car at home and take the frequent public transport options.

Drivers should note that the city is very busy, and traffic is a common problem. In addition, much of the centre of the city is covered by a congestion charge of £8 for any travel within the city centre on weekdays between 07:00 and 18:00, Monday to Friday (excluding holidays). For more details, check out the congestion charge information at Transport for London.

By Public Transport

Underground sign, London, UK

© All Rights Reserved GregW

Transport for London (TfL) manages the bus, riverboat, tram and overground and underground train services in London. London uses a travel zone (PDF file) system, with crosses into other zones increasing the cost of fares. Informally, Central London is Zone 1 and the zone number increases as one travels farther away from the city centre.

For travellers who are spending multiple days in London, the best choices are either an Oyster card, or a Travelcard. These are strongly recommended, because without them, ticket prices are obscene. Travelcard allows unlimited travels on the TfL network and is valid for either 1 or 3 days. Oyster is a stored value travel smartcard that you use on the TfL network. Simply "touch" the card on a card reader when you enter and exit the system and you will be charged the lowest fare. For Oyster Pay-As-You-Go card, daily charges are capped at the price of a Day Travelcard even if you travelled more than that. Stored value in the card can be topped up at all tube stations.

The TfL Journey Planner is a great tool to find the route, mode and journey time to get from one place to another. Maps are also provided to assist travellers find their way around.

Underground

Bank Station, London Underground

© All Rights Reserved Hien

The cash fare for a single journey on the tube costs £4 compared with Oyster card's fare of £1 to £2.50, depending on the zones travelled.

Refer to the Underground maps for the routes of the Underground lines.

DLR
The Docklands Light Railway is a driverless light rail service that serves mainly the South East London. Compared to other modes of public transportation which are built decades or even over a century ago, this railway is fully accessible, making access much easier for people using wheelchairs, or who have other mobility impairments, as well as people with young children in prams or with heavy bags.

Unlike the Underground system, the DLR does not have barrier gates where you touch your Oyster card or insert your ticket to enter or exit. Instead, it is an open system and travellers are trusted to purchase a ticket prior to boarding, or in the case of Oyster card users, a card reader is placed at the station entrance. Remember to "touch in" when you enter and "touch out" when you exit. Don't even think of taking a free ride as there are ticket inspectors on the trains who will not hesitate to slap you with a penalty for fare evasion.

Refer to the DLR maps for the routes of the DLR lines.

Bus and Tram
London has such a wide bus network that a Londoners knowledge of the routes is just as good as the next visitor to the city. The iconic red double-decker bus is a good way to travel around while still be able to see London compared to the Underground. Standing is not permitted on the top deck when the bus is full. All bus stops has bus route information and it is not uncommon to see two or more bus stops in a row serving different routes. There are bus services 24 hours a day. However, only certain trunk and N-prefix (indicating night bus) routes run throughout the night to most parts of London.

All London buses and trams has a flat fare of £2 for a single ticket if paid by cash, or 90p for Oyster card. Tickets can be purchased on board of most buses. You can also find road-side ticket machines on routes where buses do not sell tickets on board. So if you see a road-side ticket machine and you don't have an Oyster card, get a ticket first before boarding the bus.

Tram services are only available in Croydon in South West London.

Refer to the bus and tram maps for the routes in different areas of London.

Riverboat
Not entirely useful for commuters, but an enjoyable way to get around and see the traditional artery of the city at the same time, riverboats ply their trade between Putney in the west and Woolwich in the east, with several stops in the centre. This is a particularly good way to get to Canary Wharf or Greenwich.

Refer to the river route maps for information on the different riverboat services.

Overground
Overground is a sub-urban train service in London. It runs on ground level mostly in Zones 2 and 3. It has a lower frequency with train arriving every 15 to 20 minutes. The Overground also has no barrier gates like the DLR. Cash fares range from £1.50 to £4 for a single ticket while Oyster single fares is from £1 to £3.

Refer to the Overground maps for the routes of the Overground lines.

By Taxi

Taxis come in two varieties: licensed and unlicensed.

Licensed taxis (aka black cabs, officially Hackney carriages), are black with a yellow 'taxi' light on top In order to get a license, a candidate must pass a demanding test called The Knowledge. Essentially, he or she must know every street in London and how to get between them. So vast is this amount of spatial information that MRI studies have shown that your average cabbie has an enlarged hippocampus. So if you go by black cab, you can be confident your driver will know the way (although he may not want to go there: many cabbies get a nosebleed if asked to go south of the river). You can also be reasonably confident of your security and can take the license number of your driver if you wish to complain. The downside: you pay more.

If you travel in an unlicensed taxi, you will pay less. But you will need to know how to get to your destination, since you will probably have been in London longer than your driver, even if you are a tourist. And you will have no idea of the identity of the person driving you. Women on their own are especially advised to think carefully before using this means of transport.

By Foot

Greater London is a very large city, and it is not practical to explore all of it on foot. However, most of the sites of interest to tourists are in the centre of town. It is quite practical - and highly recommended - to walk between the central sites and then take public transport home. London is a very rewarding city to explore on foot, and both Westminster and the City of London are full of thousand-year-old nooks and crannies that can only be seen this way. Walking along either bank of the river is also recommended.

Several companies offer walking tours of the West End or the City. Almost every building in the centre has an interesting history to it, and this is one way to discover it.

Other rewarding areas for a day out on foot are the villages of Hampstead and Highgate and Hampstead Heath North London; Greenwich and Greenwich Park in South East London; and Kew and Hampton South West London.

By Bike

Provision in the UK for cyclists is pitiful compared to much of continental Europe. The Greater London Authority has carried out programmes to change that, and bicycle usage has increased sharply since the congestion charge for vehicles was introduced in 2002. Nevertheless, cyclists and motorists are constantly at loggerheads, and London is a challenging city for cyclists. It is essential to wear a helmet. Cycling around Hyde Park Corner offers a thrill comparable to that of parachuting. Heavy goods vehicles are particularly dangerous.

Cycle London, an initiative by Transport for London to promote cycling, provides information, guides and maps for cycling in London.

Eat

Like any big city, London offers a mass of choices. From £2 breakfasts in greasy spoon diners up to £200 meals in the restaurants of some of the top chefs in the world, there are many choices.

For an inexpensive lunch, check out chains like Eat or Pret A Manager, both of which offer sandwiches, soups and salads for under £5.

Brick Lane, the heart of Banglatown, is the Curry Capital of the United Kingdom and is known for its "Cheap and Cheerful" atmosphere. You often come across touts for the restaurants trying to tempt you into their establishment. This is the time to negotiate your per-head price and attempt for a round of complimentary poppadoms or drinks! A Brick Lane curry is a must for anyone visiting London!

The High Street in Angel has an array of choices – even if you don’t know what you feel like eating! Everything is covered – from French to Turkish.

• Le Mercury is a wonderful example of a restaurant with affordable prices and delicious French cuisine! The place is small, so you may have to wait for a table (even during the week) if you don't make any booking. Address: 140A Upper Street, Islington, N1 1QY. (Tube: Northern line: Angel) Tel: 020 7354 4088

Drink

Prices for a pint of beer in a pub range from £2 in the outer areas of London to £3.50 in the centre and at tourist areas. Clubs can charge significantly more, and drinks can cost £10 and above.

• Wetherspoon pubs generally offer reasonably priced drinks and food, though admittedly the atmosphere can be less than inspiring in some of them.

• Edinboro Castle pub in Camden is great for a pint or two if you're around the North London. They also have a great menu and a lovely big beer garden for when the sun comes out. Address: 57 Mornington Terrace, Camden, NW1 7RU (Tube: Northern line: Camden Town or Mornington Crescent) Tel: 0207 255 965

• Gordon's Wine Bar is the oldest wine bar in London and has been serving London drinks (and meals) since 1890. Its a unique atmosphere and great experience for a night out in London. Address: 47 Villiers Street, just up from Embankment tube station. Right next door to Charing Cross and a stroll across Hungerford bridge from Waterloo. Open from 11.00am to 11.00pm every day other than Sunday which is 12.00am to 10.00pm.

Sleep

London is one of the most expensive cities in the world, and as such finding places to sleep can be pricey. However, with some advanced planning an accommodation option can be found for most budgets. With the extensive tube and train system, travellers can stay a little further out of the city and still be close to the action.

Private rooms in hotels, B&Bs and studio apartments in flats can be found around London for £40 a day and up. Areas with lots of hotels and B&Bs include Earl's Court and Paddington. Travellers can also check out Gumtree for listings of short term vacation rentals in flats in the city.

London is home to some of the most luxurious hotels outside of Dubai (where it seems, have cornered the market on luxury hotels).

Many upscale accommodations can be found in Mayfair in the West End, including The Ritz and Claridge's Hotel, both renowned for the lavish accommodations.

Property	Address	Type	Phone	Popularity
'Bestplace' in Paddington	308 Edgware Road	Hostel		75
'Bestplace' in Waterloo	41-42 Cosser St	Hostel		79
A to Z Hotel	150 Horn Lane, Acton	Hotel		69
Abercorn House Hostel	28 Bute Gardens Hammersmith	Hostel		63
Access Apartments Bayswater		Apartment		52
Access Apartments City		Apartment		74
Access Apartments Earls Court	16 Leinster Square, Bayswater	Apartment		68
Access Apartments Euston	Check in at 16 Leinster Square, Bayswater	Apartment		81
Access Apartments Maida Vale		Apartment		65
Access Apartments Marble Arch		Apartment		78
Ace Hotel (Kensington)	16-22 Gunterstone Road, West Kensington	Hostel		81
Acton Town Hotel	109-113 Gunnersbury Lane, London W3 8HQ	Hotel		75
Aelita Guest House	16 Stadium Street	Guesthouse		63
Airways Hotel Victoria London	29 St. Georges Drive, Victoria	Hotel		60
Alexandra Hotel	1 Sussex Place	Hotel		-
All Star Hostel	39 Chatsworth Rd, Kilburn	Hostel		72
All Star Private Studios	Willesden Green	Apartment		81
Amsterdam Hotel	7 Trebovir Road, Earls Court	Hotel		73
Antigallican Hotel	428 Woolwich Road	Hostel		78
Anwar House	31 Collingham Place, SW5 0QF	Guesthouse		62
Aquarius Hotel	20-22 Hogarth Road. Earls Court	Hotel		66
Arriva Hotel	55-Swinton St	Hotel		63
Ashlee House	261-265 Grays Inn Road, Kings Cross	Hostel		73
Astons Apartments	31 Rosary Gardens, South Kensington	Apartment		-
Astor Hyde Park	191 Queensgate, South Kensington	Hostel		84
Astor Kensington	138-140 Cromwell Road, Kensington	Hostel		81
Astor Museum Inn	27 Montague Street, Bloomsbury	Hostel		84
Astor Quest	45 Queensborough Terrace, Bayswater	Hostel		79
Astor Victoria	71 Belgrave Road, Victoria	Hostel		76
At Home B&B	20 Denbigh Road, Ealing	Guesthouse		83
Balham Lodge	204 Bedford Hill, London	Guesthouse		83
Barkston Youth Hostel	1 Barkston Gardens, Earls Court	Hostel		64
Beaconsfield	357 - 359 Green Lanes	Hotel		67
Belmont Hotel	104 Sussex Gardens	Hotel		62
Belsize House	40 Belsize Park Gardens	Hostel		70
Berjaya Eden Park Hotel	35-39 Inverness Terrace, Bayswater	Hotel		79
Best Western Burns Hotel	18/26 Barkston Gardens, Kensington	Hotel		90
Best Western John Howard Hotel	4 Queens Gate, Kensington	Hotel		83
Best Western Lodge Hotel	52-54 Upper Richmond Road, Putney	Hotel		-
Best Western The Cromwell Hotel	110 Cromwell Road	Hotel		-
Bowden Court	24 Ladbroke Road, Notting Hill	Hostel		68
Brent X Hotel	165, Preston Hill, Kenton	Hotel		-
Budget London Apartments	Willesden Green	Apartment		77
Budget Mapesbury Hostel	30 Chatsworth Road	Hostel		73
Campus Accommodation @ QMUL	Westfield Way	Hostel		80
Central Hostel	26 Princes Square	Hostel		69
Central House	14 Queens Parade	Apartment		61
Channins Hounslow Hotel	41 Hounslow Road, Feltham TW14 0AU	Hotel		-
Chelsea Guest House	372 & 374 Wandsworth Road	Guesthouse		68
Chester Hotel	27-29 Longmoore Street, Victoria	Hotel		66
Chiswick Court Hotel	39-41 Bath Road	Hotel		71
City Hotel Carlton	90 Belgrave Road, Victoria	Hotel		70
City Hotel London	12-20 Osborn St	Hotel		80
City YMCA, London	2 Fann Street	Hostel		73
City YMCA2, London	8 Errol Street	Hostel		70
Clink Hostel	78 Kings Cross Rd	Hostel		77
Comfort Inn SW8	87 South Lambeth Road	Hotel		76
Conifers Guest House	5 Argyle Road, Ilford	Guesthouse		57
CPS North London Flat-share	Aspect House 16 Wilmer Place, London	Apartment		58
Cranbrook Hotel	22/24 Coventry Road, Ilford	Hotel		67
Crestfield Hotel	2-4 Crestfield Street	Hotel		72
Curzon House Hotel	58 Courtfield Gardens, West End	Hotel		65
Diana's Guest House	89 Exeter Road, Walthamstow	Guesthouse		53
Dolphin Inn	44 Norfolk Square	Hotel		61
Dover Castle - New Cross Inn, Hostel	323 New Cross Road	Hostel		76
Dover Castle Hostel and Bar	6a Great Dover Street	Hostel		70
Dover Hotel	42/44 Belgrave Road, Victoria	Hotel		77
Dylan House	14 Devonshire Terrace, Lancaster Gate	Hotel		-
E17 Guesthouse	35 Stainforth Road, Walthamstow	Guesthouse		61
Earls Court Garden Hotel	36 Earls Court Gardens, London	Hotel		49
Ebury House Hotel	102 Ebury Street, Victoria	Hotel		40
Elephant and Castle Guest House	23 Oswin Street	Guesthouse		59
Elizabeth Hotel	37 Eccleston Square, Victoria	Hotel		87
Elmwood Hotel	19 & 20 Argyle Square, London	Hotel		69
Elysee Hotel	25/26 Craven Terrace	Hotel		77
Enrico Hotel	77-79 Warwick Way, Victoria	Hotel		77
Euro Lodge Clapham	90 Clapham Common, Southside	Hotel		47
Express by Holiday Inn Park Royal	Victoria Road, North Acton	Hotel		82
FCT Bed	180 Bow Common Lane	Guesthouse		73
Forest Gate Hotel	105 Godwin Road, Forest Gate, E7 OLW	Hotel		33
Forest House	70-74 Green Lanes Forest House	Guesthouse		53
Gay Hostel	164 Victoria Street	Hostel		72
Generator Hostel London	Compton Place Off 37 Tavistock Place, WC1	Hostel		79
Georgian House Hotel	37 St George's Drive	Hotel		74
Globetrotter Inn London	Ashlar Court, Ravenscourt Gardens Hammersmith	Hostel		81
Goldsmith's House	Park Village East, Regents Park	Hostel		75
GRANADA Europe Hotel	56-57 Kensington Gardens Square	Hotel		55
Grapevine Hotel	117 Warwick Way	Hotel		66
Hanover Hotel	30 St. Georges Drive, Victoria	Hotel		65
Hayesthorpe Hotel	48-52 St Augustines Avenue, South Croydon	Hotel		78
Henley House Hotel	30 Barkston Gardens, Kensington	Hotel		83
Holiday House Hotel	47/48 Leinster Gardens, Bayswater	Hotel		62
Hollingbury Hotel	106 Craven Park, Harlesden	Hotel		69
Hootananny Hostel	95 Effra Road, Brixton	Hostel		74
Hopfan Bed and Breakfast	192 Central Park Road	Guesthouse		73
Hostel 63	63 Princes Square, Bayswater	Hostel		65
Hostel 639	639 Harrow Road	Hostel		57
Hostel Rio	218 Seven Sisters Rd, Finsbury Park	Hostel		43
Hotel Earls Court	28 Warwick Road, Earls Court	Hotel		69
Hotel Meridiana	43/44 Argyle Square, Kings Cross	Hotel		-
Hotel Olympia	49, Earl's Court Square	Hotel		-
Hotel Sergul	87 Shepherds Bush Road W6 7LR	Hotel		80
Hourglass Hotel	131 Beaconsfield Road	Hotel		65
Hunters Meet	Chelmsford Road, Hatfield Heath, Bishop's Stortfor	Hotel		93
Huttons Hotel	53 - 55 Belgrave Road	Hotel		78
Hyde Park Court Hotel	48 Norfolk Square	Hotel		66
Hyde Park Whiteleaf Hotel	66-68 Inverness Terrace, London W2 3LB	Hotel		59
IES Student Residence Hall	Manresa Road at Kings Road, Chelsea SW3 6NA	Hostel		73
International Student House	229 Great Portland Street	Hostel		78
Islington home bed and breakfast	52 hemingford Rd, Islington	Guesthouse		98
James House Hotel	108 Ebury Street, Belgravia	Guesthouse		73
Journeys Greenwich	86 Tanners Hill, Deptford	Hostel		60
Journeys Kings Cross St. Pancras	54-58 Caledonian Road, Kings Cross	Hostel		75
Journeys LONDON EYE	73 Lambeth Walk	Hostel		71
Journeys Queen Victoria	118 Wellington Street, Woolwich	Hostel		70
Journeys Smoking Barrels	204 Manor Place, Kennington	Hostel		73
Journeys Wishing Well	79 Choumert Street	Guesthouse		67
Kensington Park Apartments	58 Kensington Court, London W85DG	Apartment		64
Kensington West	25 Matheson Road, Kensington	Hotel		69
King's College Hall - King's College	King's College London Champion Hill	Hostel		-
Kings Hotel	36-37 Argyle Square, Kings Cross WC1 8AL	Hotel		69
Langland Hotel	29-31 Gower Street, Bloomsbury	Hotel		55
Lidos Hotel	45 Belgrave Road, Victoria	Hotel		70
London Backpackers	8/10 Queens Parade Queens Road, Hendon Central	Hostel		74
London Holiday Stay	48 Berkely Road, Manor Park	Apartment		59
London Home Stay	57 Manor Road, South Norwood	Guesthouse		-
London Home Stay Eltham	1A Dunvegan Road	Guesthouse		82
London House Hotel	81 Kensington Garden Square, Bayswater W2 4DJ	Hostel		84
London Private Rooms	Willesden Green NW2	Guesthouse		59
London Shelton Hotel	60 Wightman Road	Hotel		93
London Stay	236 Limes Avenue, Chigwell	Apartment		44
London Town Hotel	15 Penywern Road, Earls Court	Hotel		77
Lonsdale Lodge	2b Lonsdale Road, Wanstead	Guesthouse		71
Lord Kensington Hotel	38 Trebovir Road, Earls Court	Hotel		77
LSE Bankside House	24 Sumner Street SE1 9JA	Hostel		73
LSE Butler's Wharf	11 Gainsford Street SE1 2NE	Hostel		77
LSE Carr-Saunders Hall	18-24 Fitzroy Street W1T 4BN	Hostel		78
LSE High Holborn	178 High Holborn WC1V 7AA	Hostel		83
LSE Passfield Hall	1-7 Endsleigh Place WC1H 0PW	Hostel		82
LSE Rosebery Hall	90 Rosebery Avenue EC1R 4TY	Hostel		77
MacDonald Hotel	45 - 46 Argyle Square, Kings Cross	Hotel		81
Marble Arch Inn	49-50 Upper Berkeley Street, Marble Arch	Hotel		73
Mary Rose Hotel	36-50 High Street St. Mary Cray, Orpington Kent	Hotel		70
Meininger City Hostel & Hotel London	At Baden Powell House 65-67 Queen's Gate	Hostel		76
Melita House Hotel	35 Charlwood Street, Victoria	Hotel		80
Melville Hotel	42 c/o 38/39 Argyle Square, Kings Cross	Hotel		62
Metro Hotel	7 Craven Road, Paddington	Hotel		74
Mowbray Court Hotel	28/32 Penywern Road, Earl's Court	Hotel		74
My Pad	33/34 Leinster Gardens	Hostel		79
Myoe Guesthouse	6 Lena Gardens, London	Guesthouse		81
No.8	305 High Rd, Willesden	Hostel		60
Norfolk House Hotel	585 London Road Thornton Heath, Croydon	Hotel		68
Northfields Hostel	264 Northfield Avenue, London	Hostel		64
O'Callaghan's	205 Earls Court Road	Hostel		65
Olympia Rooms	27 Matheson Road, Kensington	Hotel		-
Orchard Hotel	86-90 Sussex Gardens	Hotel		-
Paddington Hotel	28 Gloucester Terrace	Hotel		67
Palmers Lodge	40 College Crescent Swiss Cottage	Hostel		86
Park Hotel Essex	327 Cranbrook Road, Ilford	Hotel		62
Park House Women's Hostel	227 Earls Court Road	Hostel		73
Peckham Lodge	110 Peckham Road	Hotel		61
Piccadilly Backpackers Hotel	12 Sherwood Street, Piccadilly	Hostel		68
Pickwick Hall	7 Bedford Place, Bloomsbury	Hostel		81
Quality Hotel Wembley	Empire Way Wembley, Middlesex	Hotel		-
Queens Hotel Euro Group	122 Church Road, Crystal Palace	Hotel		68
Regina House	110 Gloucester Road	Hostel		61
Revive Family Lodge	89 Hounslow Road Feltham, Middlesex	Guesthouse		72
Rose Court Hotel	1-3 Talbot Square, Sussex Gardens	Hotel		-
Rosedene Hotel Victoria	119 Ebury Street, Victoria, Westminster	Hostel		72
Royal Court Apartments	51 Gloucester Terrace	Apartment		60
Royal Hyde Park Hotel	106/110 Queensway, London	Hotel		74
Royal Norfolk	25 London Street	Hotel		-
Sara Hotel	15 Eardley Crescent	Hotel		77
Servite Houses- Robbins Hall	Gardiners Close, Enfield	Hostel		56
Sheriff Inn	Reception: 117 Warwick Way	Hotel		67
Sir John Cass Hall	Sir John Cass Hall 150 Well Street	Hostel		57
Sleeping Beauty Motel	543 &586 Lea Bridge Road, Leyton	Hotel		79
Smart Camden Hostel	55/57 Bayham Street, Camden	Hostel		69
Smart Hyde Park Inn	48 - 50 Inverness Terrace, Bayswater	Hostel		66
Smart Hyde Park View	11 Craven Hill Garden	Hostel		70
Smart Russell Square	71 Guilford Street	Hostel		72
So Apartments	34A-36 Kilburn High Road	Apartment		82
St Christopher's Camden	48-50 Camden High Street, Camden NW1	Hostel		76
St Christopher's Greenwich	189 Greenwich High Road, Greenwich	Hostel		77
St Christopher's Orient Espresso	59 Borough High Street	Hostel		77
St Christopher's Shepherds Bush	Belushis Bar 13-15, Shepherds Bush Green	Hostel		78
St Christopher's Southwark	121 Borough High Street	Hostel		78
St Christopher's Village	165 Borough High Street	Hostel		82
St George Hotel	46 Norfolk Square, Paddington, W2R102	Hotel		68
St. Athans	20 Tavistock Place Russell Square	Guesthouse		83
St. Christopher's Hammersmith	28, Hammersmith Broadway, Hammersmith	Hostel		78
Stainforth	141a High Street	Guesthouse		40
Stratford Hotel	43 Romford Road, Stratford	Guesthouse		69
Surtees	94 Warwick Way	Guesthouse		83
The Bell (Quality)	High Road, Bell Common, Epping	Hotel		56
The Bird's Nest	32 Deptford Church Street	Hostel		73
The Central Hotel	150 Barking Road, East Ham	Hotel		48
The Central Hotel	150 Barking Road	Hotel		37
The Court Hostel	194-196 Earls Court Road, Kensington	Hostel		71
The Guesthouse	14 Bullivant Street	Guesthouse		62
The Langorf Hotel	20 Frognal Hampstead	Hotel		70
The New Dome Hotel	51 Camberwell Church Street	Hotel		77
The Parkcity	18-30 Lexham Gardens, Kensington	Hotel		92
The Royal Bayswater Hostel	121 Bayswater Road	Hostel		66
The White House	Market Place Abridge	Guesthouse		68
The Windmill	50 Acton High Street, Acton	Hostel		65
Tony's House Hotel	30 Norfolk Square, Hyde Park	Hotel		67
Torquay Hostel	1 Torquay Street	Hostel		67
Tudor Court Hotel	10-12 Norfolk Square, Hyde Park	Hotel		67
umi	16 Leinster Square, Bayswater	Hotel		82
University of Westminster Halls - Alexander Flemin	Alexander Fleming 3, Hoxton Market, London N1 6HG	Hostel		77
University of Westminster Halls - Furnival House	Cholmeley Park, off Highgate Hill	Hostel		82
University of Westminster Halls - Wigram	84-99 Ashley Gardens, Thirleby Road	Hostel		77
University of Westminster Halls-InternationalHouse	1-5 Lambeth Road, London SE1 7DQ	Hostel		70
University of Westminster Halls-Maryleybone Rd	35 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LS	Hostel		84
Vegas Hotel	104 Warwick Way, Victoria	Hotel		55
Victoria Inn	65-67 Belgrave Road, Victoria	Guesthouse		76
Victorian Apartment	157 Drakefell Road	Apartment		91
West Cromwell Hotel	66 West Cromwell Road	Hotel		74
West Two London	22-23 Kensington Gardens Square	Hostel		63
Westminster House Hotel	96 Ebury Street, Victoria	Hotel		75
Windsor House Hotel	12 Penywern Road, Earls Court	Hotel		67
YHA London Central	104-108 Bolsover St	Hostel		87
YHA London Earls Court	38 Bolton Gardens SW5 0AQ	Hostel		78
YHA London Holland House	Holland Walk, Kensington, W8 7QU	Hostel		73
YHA London Oxford Street	14 Noel Street, Soho, W1F 8GJ	Hostel		73
YHA London St Pancras	79-81 Euston Road	Hostel		85
YHA London St Pauls	36 Carter Lane EC4V 5AB	Hostel		77
YHA London Thameside	20 Salter Road, Rotherhithe	Hostel		75
York Hotel	8 York Road, Ilford	Hotel		60
The Hoztel	218 Uxbridge Road, Shepherds Bush, W12 7JD	Hostel	+44 20 8740 5064	-
Andaz Liverpool Street London Hotel	Next to Liverpool Street Station, East End	Hotel	+44 20 7961 1234	-

Work

Before making plans to move to London and start working, make sure you are legally entitled to work in the UK so you do not face any legal difficulties by accidently breaking the law. There are a number of ways you can apply for work permits and visas, and of course, this is also affected by your Nationality. Check out the different types of work permits and visas here to make sure you are entitled to work when you move to London.

With a number of UK and international companies based in London and a large population requiring goods and services, there are a lot of job options in London. Check out Monster or gumtree for job listings. Also,The Guardian Newspaper is also a major advertiser for skilled professionals - check out their website or pick up a copy in any News-seller on a Wednesday for the biggest selection of jobs!.

Learn

London has the largest population of students of any city in the UK. Here is a list of some of the more popular universities.

• University of London is the largest university in London with over 135,000 students on campus, with another 40,000 studying off the main campus. The university is split into different colleges, which specialise in different subjects. Many of these are world-class: the London School of Economics has a great reputation in the social sciences, Imperial College in science and technology, University College London in law and so on.
• University of the Arts London is a very good art school with other non art programmes as well.
• London Business School, a constituent college of the University of London, offers very highly-rated postgraduate degrees in business.
• Brunel University is in West London and is a great school.
• City University is known for making very good workers out of their graduates and their alumni earn very high salaries.
• Royal College of Art is the only postgraduate arts university in the world.
• Royal College of Music is a great music university in London.
• Conservatoire for Dance and Drama provides higher level vocational education in dance and drama at several different places.

Keep Connected

Internet

For free Wi-Fi, check out the map maintained by Londonist. A number of bars and restaurants offer Wi-Fi service with a purchase, and will usually advertise this fact. You may need to get the security key from the service counter.

McDonald's also offers free Wi-Fi connection in its restaurants across the UK.

Internet cafés can be found throughout London, and charge between £1 and £2 per hour, usually payable in 30-minute segments.

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

The mobile network operators in the UK are O2, Vodafone, T-Mobile, Orange and 3; and often have store fronts in most shopping areas. There are also other "re-branded" mobile phone service using the infrastructure of the mobile network operators. The Carphone Warehouse is an independent mobile phone retailer with stores around the country.

Mobile phone service plans are usually packaged as Pay-Monthly for post-paid plans, and Pay-As-You-Go for pre-paid plans. Pay-monthly plans usually come with a 12- or 18- month contract, while Pay-As-You-Go plans require top up of credit, which can be done at ATMs, kiosks and convenience stores with a "Top-Up" logo displayed.

International Telephone call centres can be found around London, allowing you to place calls using a land line and pay for the call. These are often co-located with Internet Cafés.

Post

The Royal Mail provides postal services in the United Kingdom. The Royal Mail's store fronts are called Post Office and offer services ranging from sending letters and packages to foreign currency exchange. Use the branch locator to find the nearest Post Office branch.