Getting started
When to come
London is not as cold and wet as you might think! And there have been no sightings of the infamous London fog for many years now! In fact, Paris receives much more rain that London!
Nevertheless, it is worth timing your visit.
London, in the summer (June, July and Aug), can reach the hot and stickiness of Mediterranean cities. At this time of year, there is a great rush to the cooler suburbs of Wimbledon (Tennis) or near by Ascot (Horse racing) or Henley (Rowing) along with many summer music festival from Opera to Rock.
May is probably the most beautiful month of the year, as the many blossom trees of west London bloom and green richness of the London parks are at their best.
Equally, September can be a warm and more moderate month.
Days tend to be short and dull from November through to February.
Getting There and Accommodation
London is a easy city to fly to with a total of 5 international airports. Although some of these, such as Luton, can be over 1 hours journey away from the center.
For this reason, Eurostar - the express train service from Paris and Brussels which terminates at London Waterloo is a favoured mode of transport for any one who needs to get to the centre quickly.
Equally, Heathrow to the west and the smaller City Airport to the east (serving the financial district) offer the quickest routes into the city centre.
Heathrow has recently opened an express train service that reaches Paddington in London's West End in 15 minutes - the same 10 mile trip could take over 1 hour by taxi in the rush hour.
Gatwick and Stansted make up London's other two major international airports.
London is a surprisingly large city - ie. it sprawls for many miles. So don't be surprised if your journey takes longer than expected.
That coupled with the tightly knit streets of the centre (yes 'center' is spelt differently there) make a journey both a historical trip through time as well as lengthy and often unreliable!
London Accommodation
London is an expensive place to stay. Escalating property prices coupled with a relatively strong currency, mean that London is considerable more costly than other European Cities.
No where is this more pronounced than in its accommodation.
At the top end, you can stay in top London Hotels such at the Savoy Hotel or Dorchester Hotel for £350+ per night.
At the bottom end you can stay in one the many student and back packer hostels
Many visitors and business travellers these days select London Serviced Apartments instead. These offer the comforts of you own fully furnished apartments in the heart of London, combined with the ease and comfort of a daily maid service.
Alternatively see London Apartments accommodation service for more details and free help finding this kind of accommodation.
These are ideal for anyone who is planning on staying more than a couple of days or wants to avoid the excessive prices of hotels for longer stays.
Other useful sites include:4 StarLondon Apartments
London Apartments Rentals
