Welcome to the Royal City of London! While I can’t guarantee that you will run into the queen herself, I can guarantee that these 5 steps will give you the royal experience. London can be expensive if you don’t navigate it correctly. Here are some tips to live like a Royal while on a budget.
- Buckingham Palace
Head straight to Buckingham Palace for your chance to see the royals. There is always something going on out front and you never know what or who you might see. The changing of the guards happens at 11:00am but get there an hour early so you can get a good view.
- Visit all the free museums
There is so much to see for free in the London Museums. These include: The Museum of London, the British History Museum, the Natural History Museum, The science Museum, The National Gallery and the Tate Modern!
- Oyster Card
Don’t waste your money on a taxi! Taxis in London traffic can add up super quick. Make a stop at the airport or any metro station and purchase an oyster card! This prepaid card will save you up to 50% of your metro rides. The Metro looks a little confusing at the first glance, but once you get on, it’s not hard at all! There is an even an app to download to better help you navigate the Metro and watch your prepaid balance.
- Snag a last-minute theatre ticket
Of course, you have to see a show while in London and I recommend one of the classics such as Wicked, Les Misérables, and Lion King, and Phantom of the Opera. Head to Leicester Square and find the TKTS booth. They sale tickets at half price on the day of the show and discounted tickets up to a week in advance.
- Camden Market
Spend the day walking around Camden Market. There is so much to explore in these several market areas. There are 6 markets and each one has a different feel. Camden Lock Village is the most famous, Camden Lock Market offers food from all over the globe, The stables market offers a vintage gothic feel, the Bucks Street Market is full of a clothing and jewelry, Camden High Street is full of shopping and pubs, the Buck Street Market also focuses on jewelry and clothing, and the Inverness Market has local fruit and vegetable markets. There is a lot to see so dedicate the whole day to people watching, buying a souvenir, then grabbing a drink and some street food and siting down for live music from all around the world.
