The holidays are over, summer feels a world away, what’s the best way to cheer up? Start planning those post pandemic trips! So many things have been put on hold, especially travel, which is why we started our travel mishaps series. We want to prep all our readers and listeners so you are all prepared when we can all finally travel again! This week we are headed to London. Listen for all our insider tips for visiting London and some advice on what not to do in this historic capital of Great Britain.

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Transcript:

JQ: Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, this is what you think of when you dream of visiting London, but it is also one of the busiest, most crowded cities in the world. So there are a few things you want to know before you go.

Juliana: This is travel babies. We were just two sisters trying to travel the world in style, but sometimes things don’t go as planned. Each week we talk about the important travel topics to help you decide when, where and how to explore the world in style. I’m Juliana from Travel Juliana.

JQ: And I’m JQ from the travel blog jqlouise.com

Juliana: We are continuing our travel mishaps series and our New Year’s resolution is to share all of our travel mistakes with our travel babies so you can avoid all the things that have gone wrong for us while traveling

JQ: Over the years, we’ve learned a lot about where to go, where to eat and what to see. But even more importantly, we’ve learned about what not to do for the rest of this month we are discussing major cities that you should definitely go to, but we’ll be focusing on the mishaps you’ll definitely want to avoid.

Juliana: This week, we’re headed to London

Getting to London from Boston

JQ: Once again London is a city with several major airports Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted in London to the airport or all the airports you could be flying into. But from the U.S., you’ll most likely be landing in Heathrow or Gatwick.

Juliana: OK, so what airlines do you normally take when you’re flying from Boston?

JQ: So to London, we always take British Airways. I mean, British Airways is just it’s an amazing airline. They are business class service is just top notch. And from Boston, their routes are just so convenient.

Juliana: Right. And are there any other cheaper airlines that you normally take?

JQ: So, I mean, we haven’t taken any budget airlines in a while. But I know, you know, Norwegian used to have some great routes to London. I’m not sure what the situation is right now, but Norwegian typically flies into Gatwick, I believe.

Juliana: And what about if you’re flying from in Europe from somewhere to London?

JQ: So if you’re flying on British Airways, they have flights that go into both Gatwick and Heathrow. So I’ve done that a few times. But typically, if I’m flying to the U.K., I always go for British Airways. Keep reading for more tips for visiting London.

Getting from the airport to central London

Juliana: Yeah, it’s really great. So then once you’re in the airport, how do you normally get to the city, like from Gatwick or Heathrow?

JQ: So from either one they’re pretty close to the city center. So honestly, I just take an Uber. And the great thing is it’s pretty easy to find, you know, the Uber pick up spot because it’ll you know, if you go on Uber when you’re in the airport, it’ll tell you, OK, head to the Uber pick up zone. And in Heathrow, they have lots of, you know, signage and everything. So it’s super easy. And honestly, every time we’ve flown in it, we’re never at like a rush hour time. So it’s usually pretty cheap, like usually like forty dollars.

Juliana: OK, and how long is the ride?

JQ: I think it’s like a half an hour, 40 minutes max. There’s a little traffic. Yeah. It’s not too bad.

Tips for Visiting London – Where to Stay in London

Juliana: So where are some of your favorite places to stay. Like what neighborhoods. I know when we went together in 2017 we stayed in Mayfair, which was just a great option to stay, especially when it was our first time going.

JQ: Yeah, exactly. So Mayfair is that’s definitely one of my favorite neighborhoods to stay in. We’ve stayed there a few times actually. So it’s funny. Normally we go to London like once or twice a year, at least for a couple of days. It’s weird, we haven’t been there since 2019 but yeah, Mayfair, it’s an awesome neighborhood because it’s central but it’s also like a real neighborhood like you people live there like it reminds me of the Back Bay or something. Such a nice quiet high end neighborhood that’s also central to some of the major sites and lots of restaurants and it’s also close to the West End for theater and shows and things like that. So Mayfair is probably my favorite neighborhood to stay in. But we’ve also stated Knightsbridge and Westminster. Actually, the last time we were there was on our way back from Rome from our wedding. We stayed in London for a day the day after our wedding, and we over and we actually stayed in Kate Middleton’s favorite hotel.

Juliana: Oh, which one is that?

JQ: So that’s the Goring and it’s right around the corner from Buckingham Palace. So it’s actually one of the most famous hotels for royals to stay in.

Juliana: Oh, so cool.

JQ: So that was definitely an amazing experience and I really recommend it. I mean, the service at the Goring was just top notch. Everything you would expect a five star service. And, you know, it must be good if Kate Middleton stays there.

Juliana: Right. So any other favorite hotels?

JQ: So in Mayfair, the Athenaeum is an amazing hotel. We stayed there a couple of years ago and it’s right on the park. It has a gorgeous view. They actually have an amazing restaurant there as well. So that’s another one of our favorites that we definitely recommend. Keep reading for more tips for visiting London.

Tips for Visiting London – Travel Mishaps

Juliana: Yeah. So, OK, let’s get into more travel mishaps that easily happen when you’re in London. So a lot of people, you know, I see this on Instagram all the time. They’re taking photos in those red phone booths. And why is that a big mistake?

JQ: So, you know, I think for Americans, we all think of the red phone booths as like quintessentially British and quintessentially London, but really, since that they’re you know, they’re not used as phone booths anymore, like there’s no phones inside of them, they’re really dirty on the inside, their dirty. They’re not clean. There’s trash. And like anything else that’s disgusting could potentially be in here because they’re really just unused boxes on the side of the street.

Juliana: So anyone can go in them. Anyone uses them for whatever they want, basically.

JQ: Yeah. So I don’t recommend going inside of the phone booths. I mean, I think you can still get cute photos standing outside or walking past them.

Juliana: Right, because they used to be used as a phone booth. So it is something that’s like more historically an actual phone booth, but not anymore, like you said.

Keep reading for more tips for visiting London.

Getting Around London

JQ: Exactly and Juliana so I think the next mishap is taking too many taxis.

Juliana: I mean, taking taxis is like something that a lot of tourists probably consider, like really quintessentially British. But actually, it can take, you know, a lot longer than if you just hopped on the underground, you know, their subway system and especially like during rush hour, pre covid, you know, it can get really busy. London’s a huge city, so taking the underground is usually definitely faster than taking a taxi everywhere.

JQ: I agree. I mean, during traffic or even during kind of the dinner time rush, I remember we were stuck in traffic when we went on our trip together. We’re running around to different restaurants and bars and events and it took forever just to go like a couple of blocks, a couple.

Juliana: And I think, yeah, we were either in a taxi or Uber and it was just like so slow. I think we just got out and walked at one point. So it definitely is, you know, check if you can walk, if it’s too far to walk, take the underground and you know, taxis kind of like the last resort.

JQ: Yeah. I mean, I think it’s similar to Boston. I mean, London’s a lot bigger than Boston, but it’s also a great walking city. And you can see a lot on your way while you’re exploring. So I think this is the same as a lot of major cities, you know, try to use public transportation. If you can also feel free to splurge a little bit and take a few taxis just to have that kind of London experience. But, you know, make time for walking as well.

Keep reading for more tips for visiting London.

Tips for Visiting London – What to Do in London

Juliana: So what about seeing, like, big attractions? Because I know in a lot of big cities, you can easily end up waiting in long lines and it takes a long time. So what’s the best way to avoid that?

JQ: So in London, just like Paris and Rome and lots of other cities, there’s actually a lot of free attractions. So, I mean, that’s kind of my first tip is look for the things that are free where you don’t need any ticket.

Juliana Oh, yeah, that’s a great tip.

JQ: So like the British Museum, which is the biggest museum in one of the most famous museums in the whole world, is actually free for their mean permanent collection. I mean, there’s a few areas where you have to pay for, you know, special exhibit tickets. But to see most of it, it’s actually free.

Juliana: Yeah, that’s a great point. And I mean, if you if it’s not free, then you should definitely look online beforehand and see if you can buy your ticket in advance. And that way you don’t have to end up waiting in these long lines with for people who don’t have any tickets.

JQ: Yeah, I would recommend doing that for things like the London Eye or the Shard. You know, for some of these other things, especially where there’s timed tickets, you definitely want to preorder that in advance. So you’re not waiting in line. And then it also helps you plan your day because you know exactly what time you need to be there.

Keep reading for more tips for visiting London.

Travel Mishap – Where to Eat in London

Juliana: Right. OK, so now let’s talk about restaurants and food in London. So a lot of people always think that London doesn’t really have great food or it’s not as good as other European cities. But that’s actually kind of a mishap in itself, because I think a lot of times people just don’t end up going to the restaurants in London. I mean, they have tons and, you know, they have a ton of pubs everywhere. So you really need to experience, like the true local food.

JQ: London. I mean, pubs are huge, like there’s pubs on every corner. And that’s true for the rest of the UK as well. But, you know, a lot of them are actually part of large chains. So if you get stuck going to one of these chain pubs, then the food’s not going to be that great. It’s like, you know, it’s average kind of chain restaurant food. But if you find the really cool, locally owned pubs, they can have some amazing, like traditional British food.

Juliana: Right. And another kind of mishap that a lot of tourists fall into is tipping in restaurants. They actually don’t expect to be tipped at all. So, you know, if you want to tip in, the food was really good. You had a great experience. That’s fine. But they don’t expect it at all.

JQ: Yeah. So just, you know, the culture. I mean, in the UK, you don’t have to tip, so, you know, you’re not expected to. And, you know, that’s kind of built into the price. So just keep that in mind. But then, you know, when you’re looking for restaurant recommendations, I mean, try to read like local London food blogs and that kind of thing. Like look for like local and. Rather than advice from, you know, foreign people visiting London, because you’ll get a totally different perspective.

Keep reading for more tips for visiting London.

Tea Time in London – Tips for Visiting London

Juliana: Yeah, exactly. And I know one of my favorite places that we went in 2017 was  the Intercontinental. And we actually went for tea time, which was another amazing British kind of tradition. And foods that they have, you know, they have the little sandwiches and the little desserts and the tea is just amazing. So that’s actually something you definitely want to experience when you’re there, too.

JQ: I totally agree. I think experiencing a classic tea time in London is something you have to do. And, you know, just like the pubs, there’s lots of options for experiencing tea time. And I think as a tourist, it is such a treat to go to one of these five star hotels and have kind of a really high end tea time. But there’s also, you know, more affordable options and a lot of restaurants as well. But, you know, some of our favorites, you know, the Intercontinental had an amazing one. We’ve had one at the Goring. The Four Seasons has an amazing time. The Athenaeum has an amazing time. Just do your research and usually you need a reservation for these because it’s super popular for Londoners and for visitors. So definitely make a reservation ahead of time so you can visit, you know, a really beautiful spot and for some delicious tea and snacks.

Juliana: Yeah. And it’s something so quintessentially British, too. So that’s why I think it’s just a must a must do when you’re there.

JQ: Definitely. And I just think this if you’re going to splurge on something, I would definitely splurge on one of these afternoon teas. And they usually come with champagne and lots of sandwiches and desserts and special treats. So it’s just definitely a kind of a treat yourself afternoon.

Juliana: Right. And I mean, it’s definitely a full meal. It’s quite a bit of food and drinks. So it’s you can treat it like a lunch or dinner basically.

JQ: Yeah. I think that’s actually a really good tip because I think when Americans think of tea time, they think, oh, it’s just going to be tea and a few snacks. But I mean, at most of these places you’ll get a huge tower of sandwiches and cookies and scones and all the rest of it. So I would skip lunch the day that you go to tea time.

When to Visit London – Tips for Visiting London

Juliana: Yeah, for sure. OK, so the next thing that I think not a lot of people really consider is when they should go to London. So when do you think is the best time to go JQ?

JQ: So I think people always assume that the best time to go to Europe is in the summer, but that’s actually just like the high season. So there’s a lot of people that go in the summer, but it’s definitely not the best time to go. I think honestly, for most of Europe, I mean, the shoulder season in the off season is the better time to go. And in London, that means the winter. So, you know, it’s a lot better because there’s small crowds. The flights are a lot cheaper. And honestly, in London, you have a really good chance of having some nice weather. I mean, I think most people think of London as being rainy and foggy and cloudy all the time. But every time I’ve been to London in the winter, it’s always been sunny. Like, honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever been to London when it’s rained in the winter.

Juliana: Right. I know. And when we went, even though it’s cold like it is here, it’s still if you get some great sunny weather like you’re talking about, you’ll just spend the entire day outside. It’s a great city to walk around in. It’s looking at all the houses are so pretty. And of course, if you’re trying to see museums or sites, it’s just great weather to walk around. And so definitely don’t underestimate going in the winter.

JQ: Exactly. And the other thing is, you know, their winters aren’t that cold. Like they’re not as cold as what we have in boston.

 Juliana: Definitely not. You don’t have to wear a huge puffer coat all the time like you do here. You can you know, and London is pretty stylish, too, like as a city, it’s very cultural. So you can kind of play around with your winter fashion and it’s really fun.

JQ: You can wear stylish winter coats like you don’t need to wear big parkas because it never gets below like forty or forty degrees or thirty five degrees, like it’s never really below freezing. Yeah. I think the winter people underestimate it because they think it’s cold, but if you’re coming from New England, it’s not going to feel that cold to you. So it’s actually a nice time to walk around and explore, like Juliana said. And then typically there’s some amazing flight deals as well.

Juliana: Yeah, because it’s kind of the off season for tourists. It’s really great to look for flights in the wintertime or especially just after the holidays, I think is the best time to go because the it won’t be so packed because a lot of people might want to travel during the holidays. So going right after is a great time to go.

JQ: Yeah, I mean, January is normally a great time. And I know you and I, Juliana, we went actually over the long weekend for Martin Luther King weekend a few years ago, and that was just the perfect time to go because it’s a long weekend holiday for us, but it’s not a holiday for them. So there’s no holiday crowds. And the weather was great. I mean, I’m looking at the pictures now. We had blue skies the whole time we were there.

Keep reading for more tips for visiting London.

Visit the West End

Juliana: Yeah, all the time. And then one other thing I wanted to mention, too, was, you know, besides seeing all the sights and getting to see some of the pubs and try the different times, one other thing that you should definitely do when you’re there is just really experience the culture. London has so many really great, really funny kind of comedy clubs and nightclubs like that where they have performances. And we went to Cafe de Paris when we were there and it was so funny and just so much fun. So I think, you know, really try and experience the London culture.

JQ: Don’t just get caught up in the touristy stuff. I mean, try to experience, you know, some of this world class, you know, culture and entertainment that London has because, you know, there London, West End is as famous as Broadway. I mean, they have international shows, plays, theatres, operas, comedy shows like they have everything. So whatever you’re interested in, London probably has something to offer in that zone. So check out tickets. And again, if you’re going in the off season, I’m sure you can score some great deals. So hopefully, you know, next year when we can travel again in the winter, definitely. Look at London. Yeah, absolutely.

Juliana: OK, and you know, lastly, when people think of London, I think a lot of times they think of the royals and that whole kind of royal culture. So how can normal tourists experience that culture when they’re there?

Keep reading for more tips for visiting London.

Tips for Visiting London – Visit the Royal Mews

JQ: So, you know, I think the first thing that comes to everyone’s mind is Buckingham Palace. But honestly, like Buckingham Palace, it’s kind of like the White House, like you’re not really going to get to see anything like that you haven’t already seen on TV or on the Internet, honestly. So I would definitely like walk by it, take a quick photo outside, but usually it’s pretty crowded. The place that I would recommend going is right around the corner. It’s called the Royal Mews. So the muse is actually where all of the queen’s carriages and her horses are kept and it’s super affordable for only ten pounds. You can visit and go on a guided tour and the guided tours are included with the ten pound ticket. This is where you get to see all of those elaborate, like golden carriages and you get to get right up next to them.

Keep reading for more tips for visiting London.

Juliana: Yeah, I’m looking at the photos here on your blog and it’s so gorgeous and so intricate and so, you know, quintessentially British like that is a really cool tip.

JQ: And you can even see the carriage that Prince Harry and Megan Mark road entering their actual wedding. You can go right up to it and see it. And you can see the coronation carriage, which is that gigantic gold carriage that the queen rode in when she was coronated as queen like 50 years ago.

Juliana: Yeah, it’s just such interesting and it’s so cool that they have all of this, you know, four tours basically on display for tourists. It’s really great.

JQ: It’s awesome. And we actually went there in the summer and it wasn’t crowded. So this was like peak high season and it wasn’t crowded at all because it’s kind of a hidden gem. You know, it doesn’t come up as one of the top ten London sites. But really, you get to see a lot of royal stuff. You get to see the queen’s horses. And it’s just a nice little tour to go on in the center of London.

Juliana: We hope you like their discussion of what travel mishaps to avoid in London. Hopefully when we are able to travel again, these tips will help you have the vacation of a lifetime. Catch us next week and we’ll talk about travel mishaps to avoid in New York City. Thanks, Jacqueline.

JQ: Thanks, Juliana.