Posted 21 June 2023 in Travel wanderlust

London calling: 14 reasons to plan an English holiday

A visit to London is a must for everyone as this is one city that will make you fall in love with it so much that you’ll want to keep coming back. With stunning architecture, gorgeous gardens, magnificent towers, busy streets, many shops, and some iconic sites, London is everything dreamy.

Hop on a double-decker bus and enjoy the sites of the city, travel in the underground metro, spot the iconic black taxi, and pose for an amazing photo inside the red telephone booth. Indisputably, a visit to London will bring everything you have read about or seen on screen to life in an opulent and classy manner.

Steeped in history, London has some of the most famous museums, iconic cricket stadiums, parks and gardens, palaces, and bridges. One of the oldest cities in the world, London is extremely modern while preserving its values. London’s art scene; the spectacular and grand productions of theatre like Wicked, The Lion King, and The Cursed Child; exhilarating nightlife; and the food, make the city simply the best.

If you’ve decided to travel to London, then we insist that you definitely try and cover the following during your vacation.

Must-visit places in London

Museums

London is home to some of the best museums in the world. For history buffs, lovers of art, and admirers of architecture, a visit to London’s many museums is a must.

Victoria and Albert Museum

One of the world’s leading museums of art and design, it is located in South Kensington, London’s most posh locality. Containing about 2.3 million artefacts, the museum is a treasure trove of architecture, paintings, sculptures, ceramics, jewellery, and textiles from all over the world.

Timings: The Museum is closed on Monday and Tuesday. It is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.
Fee: There is no entry fee. The museum is free for everyone to explore.

National History Museum

One of the city’s most important museums, the National History Museum has over 70 million specimens from all over the world. There are many significant collections like the ones of James Cook about his explorations over the Pacific, and Charles Darwin’s from his voyage on HMS Beagle. The Mineral Gallery, containing some 1,30,000 specimens of minerals, also has some impressive meteorites, including a 3.5-ton Cranbourne meteorite from Australia. Another interesting must-see at the Museum are the displays on dinosaurs.

Timings: National History Museum is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:50 p.m.
Fee: The entry to the museum is free.

Tate Modern

Housing contemporary and modern art, Tate Modern is one of London’s busiest and most spectacular museums. With quirky pieces, a visit to this museum is a must for art lovers. The permanent selection of paintings contains Waterlilies by Monet, Figure Dans Un Fauteuil by Picasso, and paintings by Paul Klee.

Timings: The museum is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Fee: Entry to the museum is free. There are no charges to view the permanent exhibits, however, the temporary ones could be chargeable.

Parks

The parks of London are most visited, and are very well planned and developed. With beautiful ponds/lakes, abundant ducks and spectacular swans, and towering green trees, the parks are a great place to enjoy a picnic or take a leisurely stroll.

Hyde Park

Spread over 350 acres in the heart of the city, Hyde Park is one of the four Royal Parks and offers a plethora of activities like boating, swimming, tennis, walking, jogging, and skating. The Serpentine is a beautiful glittering lake inside the park and is surrounded by innumerable species of trees and flowers. The park is famous among ornithologists and birdwatchers.

There are some good bars, cafés, beverage shops, and restaurants inside the park serving delicious refreshments and snacks to visitors. Every year during winters, the park gets transformed into a magical Winter Wonderland with breathtaking Christmas decorations, beautiful lights, and thrilling rides.

Timing: The park is open from 5:00 a.m. to midnight every day.

Kew Gardens

London’s largest UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kew Gardens is home to the most diverse collection of plants along with a scientific research centre. The Palm House is an iconic glasshouse that has an exotic rainforest; Waterlily House has gigantic and gorgeous water lily pads; and the Princess of Wales Conservatory has 10 of the world’s climatic zones. The 60-ft-high Treetop Walkway offers a spectacular bird’s-eye view of gardens and soars into the canopy of trees.

Timings: Kew Gardens are open every day from 10:00 a.m. onwards. Closing time varies depending on the season.
Fee: Adults pay £18 per ticket, while the entry fee for children is £6.

Bridges

London has some of the world’s most iconic bridges and a walk across them is a beautiful and awe-inspiring feeling.

Tower Bridge

All of us are familiar with the nursery rhyme “London Bridge is falling down.” Well, the Tower Bridge of London is the same bridge and it does indeed “fall down.” One of London’s most iconic landmarks, Tower Bridge is a bascule bridge that opens up from the middle to let larger ships and carriers pass. Visit the website to find out the Bridge’s opening timings to witness the spectacle.

When you visit the Tower Bridge, walk across the stunning glass floor, taking in the beautiful sights of London. View the engine rooms and see how the bridge operates.

Timings: Open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Fee: There is no fee to watch the bridge from the bank of the River Thames. However, to visit the Bridge, adults must pay £10.60, while the charges for children between 5 and 15 years are £5.30.

Millennium Bridge

Nicknamed Wobbly Bridge, Millennium Bridge is exclusively for pedestrians who are looking to cross the River Thames, linking Bankside and the city of London. The Bridge offers spectacular views of St. Paul’s Cathedral, which is located on one end of the bridge. For fans of HarryPotter, this is the same bridge that was showcased in the sixth movie.

Monuments/ iconic places

The monuments of the city are spectacular and iconic to say the least. A visit to London will be incomplete without marvelling at the same.

London Eye

The London Eye is one of the city’s most highly rated tourist attractions. Towering over the city from a height of 135 m, it gives a panoramic view of the city. Ranging about 25 km in all directions; hop inside a cabin and enjoy the 30-minute ride.

Timings: London Eye is open from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. every day.
Fee: There is no entry fee to see the monument from the outside. To take a ride in the capsule, the entry fee for adults is £27, while the charges for children are £24.50.

Big Ben

One of the world’s most famous clock towers, Big Ben is a popular place to get pictures clicked and is attached to the House of Parliament. A walk on Westminster Bridge makes for great views of Big Ben and the House of Parliament.

Buckingham Palace

The official residence of the royal family of England, Buckingham Palace is a must-visit for anyone who is visiting London. During certain periods, visitors can tour 19 State Rooms of the palace, and view spectacular paintings from the Queen’s personal collection. The Queen’s jewellery is also on display during these tours.

Changing of the Guard, a popular free event, takes place at the Palace gates every day from 10:45 a.m. onwards for up to 45 minutes. Be sure to arrive early to secure a place with a good view.

Timings: It opens daily at 9:30 a.m. Closing time varies, depending on the season.
Fee: To visit the State Rooms, adults pay £25, while the fee for children is £14.

Madame Tussauds

The world’s largest wax museum, Madame Tussauds displays wax statues of famous people - politicians, leaders, actors, historical figures, and musicians. With smaller versions in many cities, the one in London is the most famous. For Indians especially, pose with the statue of Hrithilk Roshan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Aishwarya Rai. Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Mahatma Gandhi, and others have statues in the museum as well.

Timings: This museum is open to visitors from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Entry fee is £34 for adults and £29 for kids

Kings Cross Railway Station

One of the city’s busiest terminus, Kings Cross Railway Station is an architectural spectacle. Made famous by Harry Potter, do go on a search for platform 9 ¾ while you are at the station.

Trafalgar Square

One of the city’s most important and bustling squares, Trafalgar Square is located in the centre of the city. The National Gallery of London is at one end of the Square and there are four lions which guard a marble column, holding a lot of historical significance. There are two fountains in the Square which light up at night.

Iconic streets

There are some streets of London that everyone must visit, even if it is just for a stroll. With Covent Garden, Neal's Yard, Oxford Street, Regent Street, Soho, Bond Street, and South Kensington, the list of places to visit in London is just endless.

If you are looking to enjoy a meal while sitting in an open square with bright lights, impromptu street performances, and wonderful music, Covent Garden is a must visit. During Christmas, the entire area is lit up with bright lights.

For shopaholics, Oxford Street is the place to head to. Here, you can find luxury goods, high street fashion, and affordable fashion, all on one street. Start from one end of the Tottenham Court Road and walk right down to Oxford Street till you reach Marble Arch, the other end.

Travel tips

While travelling to London be mindful of the following:

Be careful while travelling on the Tube or the bus. Get an Oyster Card, which is the prepaid card essential for travel on the city’s public transport.
Make all reservations and bookings in advance. Last-minute bookings to London tend to be expensive.
Travelling to London requires a visa. Make sure you have all documents ready and apply for your visa before your travel date.

How to get there?

London is well connected via road, railways, and air.
IndiGo operates flights from India to London. The city has five airports namely Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, City Airport, and Luton. Heathrow is the main airport of the city with LHR as the airport code. Hop on an IndiGo flight and relax in luxury as you cruise over the skies and arrive in London.

The best part about London is that no matter who visits, the city welcomes you. A visit to this city will thrill you and fill your heart with joy, the way meeting an old friend can. Visit London and you will leave a piece of your heart behind and want to keep travelling to this marvellous city.

Best time to visit

The best time to visit London is during the early spring months of March through May as the temperature is not extreme and the parks are in full bloom with lush green leaves and beautiful flowers. Late spring, from May to August, is the peak tourist season.
If you are fond of cold weather, then visiting London during winters is simply amazing, especially during Christmas. Additionally, you can visit The Winter Wonderland held annually at Hyde Park.

Weather

You must be familiar with the gloomy London skies. However, the city’s climate is warm and temperate. The annual rainfall in the city is about 700 mm. The average annual temperature of the city is around 11 degrees. During the winter months, night falls early, sometimes almost as early as 4 p.m. During summers, the sky is brightly lit till about 8 p.m.