48 Hours In London
London is the home of history, Harry Potter and the beloved Queen Lizzie. It’s on every Aussies bucket list, but the question we all have in mind, what do we do in London in 48 hours? And how much will I need for this venture to the other side? Planning and budgeting for travel can be stressful, especially when you have no scooby doo on how much it is looking to cost you. Which is why Pelikin is here to help you with your London travel budget, tips to help save some pennies while you are there and must-do’s for your England venture.
Flying To London
With London being the absolute opposite side of the planet, the travel time is tough. Whether you’re flying from Sydney, Melbourne or Perth you’ll be looking at a lovely 24-33 hours in the air before you land in London town.
Flying to England will require a flight swap. The layover doesn’t have to be too long depending on the airline you chose. The usual base stops are Singapore, Adu Dhabi or Dubai. With flights costing around $1000 return if you catch them on a cheap month.
Must-Do’s In London
The top tourist attractions in London include the London Eye, The Tower of London, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, House of Parliament, Camden Markets, London Bridge, Westminster Abby, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus and Hyde Park.
The great part is, most of these you don’t actually have to pay to see, meaning more travel money to play with. Of course, if you want to buy some food or souvenirs you will have to open that wallet but on the whole, you can always grab yourself some sarnies from Sainsbury’s and save yourself the pounds.
Buckingham Palace
Start by taking a trip to Buckingham Palace to have tea with the Queen (well not really), but you can’t go to England without trying to get a glimpse of the iconic idol herself! Plus the palace is located right in the centre of the city so it is a good starting point to get yourself on your feet.
Big Ben
Westminster Abby and the House of Parliament, are very close together so take a quick trip to both. At the House of Parliament you will also get to see the Big Ben himself. If you are tight for time you don’t need to take a trip inside Westminster Abby or the House of Parliament, you can get plenty of stunning snaps while standing outside.
The London Eye
If you aren’t afraid of some heights and want to get the best view of the city then The London Eye is a must! But if you wish to ride the London eye then it is 1000% recommended to get yourself pre-booked. Not only will it be cheaper but it will save you a lot of time waiting around in the 30 foot que’s. The best place to book your London eye experience is on the official website here. The tickets will cost you about £27 of your travel money. You can get the option of skipping into a fast-track entry for an additional cost, which is a good way to save time during your travels.
Art Museums
If you art-obsessed then London is your place. With so many galleries, museums and exhibitions you’re spoilt for choice. The best part about it, is there are FREE and you can be sure to squeeze in a quick visit. The best ones to add to your bucket list include The National Gallery, The Tate Britain, The British Museum, The Tate Modern and The National Portrait Gallery.
Camden Lock
Camden Lock is one of the world’s most famous markets. Join the hustle and bustle of London by visiting 1000 unique shops, stalls, bars and cafes. Retro or vintage, goth or steampunk, whatever your cup of tea is, you’re bound to find something you love at Camden Markets. Fill yourself up with food, treat yourself to some goodies or just watch the wild entertainment of the Londoners. It’s an experience you won’t want to miss when exploring England.
The Best Bars in London
Whether you’re looking for a cheap pint or a classy cocktail, England is famous for loving their alcohol and it is evident all around the city. If you’re looking for a sophisticated sip then head to The Shard London, The Rooftop St. James or any of the bars in the street of Shoreditch London. If you don’t fancy splashing all your travel cash then the cheaper bars in London include Simmons, Kanaloa and Thirst Solo.
Travelling Around London
As much as you may want to ride within the iconic red London buses and black cabs, they are not always the most cost-effective. Plus with Uber being banned in the middle of London city it means travelling in London can be a pain in the butt when you’re on a tight schedule. Like all main cities, your best bet is taking the famous London underground.
Get yourself an Oyster card (quite like Opal and Myki), this will let you top up for your trips and take the lines around the city. This is the cheapest form of transport so you can make the most out of your travel money. The customer service team is super helpful when you’re trying to figure out which train to catch so don’t fret as someone will always be on sight.
We recommend buying a 2 day visitor pass which will let you take all the trains to the main locations.
Eating Out In London
Depending on where you decide to dine-out will obvs affect the cost. Hot-spot tourist attractions in London, such as Westminster, Trafalgar Square, London Bridge and The London Eye will cost you much more than say eating around the outskirts and inside streets. Food isn’t necessarily expensive in London, not as long as you are thrifty with where and what you get. There will always be many supermarkets such as Sainsburys, Tesco and Aldi where you can pick up some sandwiches and snacks to take around with you for the days you don’t want to splash the cash.
But when travelling England, you must try traditional English food. These include:
- English Breakfast. The famous English breakfast consists of bacon, fried egg, sausage, mushrooms, baked beans, toast, grilled tomatoes, and accompanied with tea or coffee. It doesn’t have to cost you a small fortune. In fact, the English breakfast can be bought from almost any cafe. They say that the greasier the cafe looks, the better the English breakfast will be (and cheaper obviously).
- Fish and Chips are a famous English meal. Although they are more popular by the English seaside, you will be able to find fish and chips shops all around the streets in London. They aren’t usually a meal you sit in to eat and they aren’t an expensive meal.
- Afternoon tea is an old, classy English tradition. It will be more expensive especially if you got to places such as The Ritz and Harrods. But you can usually find a lovely local place to serve you up the delicious dish. English tea will consist of small sandwiches, cakes with unlimited English breakfast tea or coffee.
- Pint and pie. Another classic English meal would be to dine in on a pint and pie in an old English pub. Once again this shouldn’t cost you more than $20 a dish. Traditional English pies include steak and ale, but for all the veggies out there, most places provide delicious leek and potato options.
Plus remember not to eat before taking a trip to the famous Camden Markets. With over 100 stalls of the most delicious dishes worldwide you will want to stuff yourself with as many bites you can consume.
Travelling with Pelikin
Don’t get tricked out with those awful transaction fees while overseas. Make sure when travelling you get your hands on Pelikin’s awesome prepaid travel card. We even have the GBP in its own currency wallet, making it super easy for you to move, manage and spend your travel money when visiting London.
Haven’t signed up to Pelikin yet? Find out more about our awesome Travel card here. Or get it now;
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