Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Location: London in less than 24 hours

What can you do in London if you have just about 24 hours? Actually, there's plenty of time for a good sightseeing experience on a budget.

Human statue posing at Covent Garden

Pick a hotel close to everywhere and with easy access the tube (UK's subway). Covent Garden is a location of choice, because there's everything around it, from boutique shopping to restaurants to free street entertainment and it is super easy access to the tube! After you check in, take a quick shower to refresh after a long transatlantic flight and go out to explore, starting, of course, with the grounds of Covent Garden. Take a few moments to browse the shops and even buy some souvenirs, especially tea and the famous Thornton's toffee. You can't miss this delicious English toffee. Then, take the tube  to the Eye of London, the giant Ferris wheel. For a nice round about of London, you take a look at the city from the top. It's not very expensive, and the lines go by fast because several people fit in the non stopping wheel. There's time to take lots of pictures from the top, after all, you can see the Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Big Ben and the Parliament. It's somewhat better than a city tour, and the only attraction you need to pay to go if you only have less than 24 hours in London.

Take a walk from the Eye to the banks of the Thames, where you can stroll past the Parliament and  Big Ben. Take the tube to Buckingham Palace, where you may be able to see some excitement going around the grounds of the palace if royalty is in town! Stroll by the gardens nearby and walk to the first ever Hard Rock Cafe, the original London one; don't forget to buy your souvenir there. Their food is the same in all the cafes around the world, so skip the line and go for a more typical tea time in a local coffee shop, or if you prefer a pint, go to a pub on Piccadilly. Using the tube to move around saves you money and you can still see most of the sites!

Now you've seen London! Cheers!

http://www.thorntons.co.uk
http://www.londoneye.com/