Last Updated on November 27, 2016 by Fiona Maclean
Three ways to make the most of your London Visit
Visiting London, whether for the first time or on a return trip, can be quite overwhelming. Our Capital City has a history dating back to Roman times and there are a wealth of places to visit and things to do.
What’s the best way to make the most of your trip? Well, you might start with a London City Pass from Turbopass. With the London City Pass, you get a booklet of vouchers that you can use whenever you want within a ten-day period. So, even if you’d planned to take the river cruise, you can change your mind if it rains or if you just fancy doing something else – and just postpone for another day. The vouchers cover the cost of some of London’s best attractions too.
I’d strongly recommend making sure your London City Pass includes the Visitor Oyster Card option. The Oyster Card is a smart card issued by Transport for London which is specially designed to allow you to travel around London for less. You can buy yours as part of your London City Pass. With your oyster card, public transport around London becomes easier, faster and cheaper – tickets for the underground and DLR are heavily discounted. Right now, if you paid to travel from Oxford Street to St Paul’s, a single ticket would cost you £4.90 while you’d only pay £2.40 with your oyster card. And, most London buses don’t take cash at all. The Oyster Card also has its own set of discounts, from free drinks when you eat in certain bars and restaurants to 2 for 1 theatre tickets.
There are three things I advise all visitors to London to do. And all of them are made easy with the London City Pass.
1. Travel along the Thames
First, take a river cruise. Your London City Pass includes one for free. City Cruises offer great guided tours along the river – I’d recommend boarding at Westminster (you can take a look at the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and Westminster Cathedral at the same time). Then, depending on your own itinerary, you can stay on the river cruiser up to the Tower of London, or continue up to Greenwich, where you’ll find the National Maritime Museum, the Royal Observatory and the historic Meridian line which divides the Eastern and the Western Hemispheres of the Earth. I love the river cruises offered by City Cruises – there are indoor and outdoor decks and, travelling along the river with one of their excellent guides, you’ll have the opportunity to really learn about the history of London without having to burn through your shoe leather, at a gentle pace and yet, taking no more than an hour or so of your time.
2. See London from on high
Secondly, go up onto the Viewing Deck at the Shard. Again, this is free of charge with your London City Pass and you’ll also get Priority Entrance and be able to skip the queues. The Shard offers a 360-degree view around London. Make sure you take a look through the intelliscopes – rather special viewing telescopes which come with a computer monitor. You can home in on a particular building and click to find out more about it – heritage and current use. And, you can also play god and change the time of day just with the click of a button – so you can see what a particular place would like at night or early in the morning for example.
3. Step back in time and go to jail!
Finally, do make sure you visit the Tower of London. With your London City Pass, you get a ‘Central London Royal Pass’ which will let you into the Tower, the Banqueting House and Kensington Palace free of charge as well as giving you fast track entry. All three are worth a visit for their splendid architecture and fascinating heritage. The Tower of London is arguably the most iconic building in London and one where during the peak holiday season you can have to wait for admission. So, your London City Pass with the inclusive fast track entry will really help!
The London City Pass comes with a number of vouchers for free admission to London attractions. And with discounts on yet more – including special guided walking tours. It’s an excellent way to make the most of your budget when you are visiting London. It’s flexible – you can do as much or as little as you like within a ten day period – and it is very convenient – you’ll find you can skip queues!
There are three different price options too.
STARTER (£79.90) lets you enter 7 of the main attractions.
CLASSIC (£99.90) additionally includes access to the Shard viewing deck.
BEST (£129.90) adds the Shard, the Banqueting House and you do not have to choose between Tower of London and Kensington Palace.
Definitely a must-have on any visitor’s shopping list for London. You can get your London City Pass online before you travel too!
Disclosure: This post is written in conjunction with London City Pass
Thinking of visiting London? why not pin this post for later!
I’ve not been to London in so long but I love it – the London Eye is amazing!Would love to do a boat trip along the Thames.
I haven’t been the Tower of London in so long even though I live in London, I can’t even remember what it’s like! Must take another visit – these are great tips 🙂
The Tower of London and St Pauls are two of my fave places in London. Still haven’t visited the Shard yet.
Love this post! I live pretty far from London so always love visiting!
Even though I live so close to London there are still so many parts I’m yet to discover x
I was in London for work last week and luckily had some time to look around. It’s such a gorgeous city.
This pass sounds great, it includes many of my must – visit places I recommend to people!
You can see so much of London from walking down the Thames, it almost takes you through the ages from ancient, past and then present in buildings alone x
It’s my hometown but there’s nothing like spending a day as a tourist and seeing what a great city we have here in the UK.
Despite living so close to London and spending so much time in the centre I have never been to the tower of London or been on the Thames, this is crazy. I need to change this x
I spent a week in Bergen this summer and bought a Bergen card – well worth every penny. I had no idea such things were done in cities across the world, and this is the first I’ve ever heard of a London City Pass – I am so getting one of these the next time I’m in London! What a great idea to save money, and to help plan one’s sightseeing trip.
Lots of great tips. I haven’t spent time in London for pleasure in ages, but this post is making me miss it.
The London City passes seem like a great idea for those visiting London and want to do a bit of site seeing. There is so much to see aside from the main attractions.
I’m a huge fan of the boat ride along the thames. With City Cruises, you get a guide. There’s also a river bus service which is quite fun, but without the glamour of City Cruises
Its true London can be overwhelming. I think that a trip to the Tower of London is absolutely a must though xx
Some awesome tips you’ve shared. I have lived here half my life and not yet had a proper wonder around London or the attractions
Would you believe that I am almost 32 and never visited London before. I would love to go and visit all the lovely attractions, especially Big Ben
Wow Natasha! Mind you, mum, who DID work in London just after the war, brought a friend of hers to London for the day a few years back. Her friend was in her 70s, lived in Norfolk and had never been to London. Mum took her to the Royal Academy and for tea at Fortnums. They had a ball!
Some great tips here, London can be so overwhelming I know when I go there is just too much to see and do that you actually end up doing nothing.
I haven’t stayed in London for ages. Your top tips are really useful. We’re thinking of visiting London some time in spring with our boys.
These are great tips! Even though I live in London I really want to try out the London Pass – I love touristing in my own city!
Seeing London from up high is amazing – I’ve never been up the Shard but I went up to the viewing platform of Tate Modern on my last visit and it was fantastic.
A friend & I, said how we need to explore London even though she’s an ex native and we pop in / out we just go where we crawl all the time and there’s so much to actually see & discover.
Those of us who live in London are often the worse!