In short
London is less a city than a collection of agglomerated villages, and that remains its logic: Shoreditch, Camden, Notting Hill, Greenwich, Peckham each have their own centre, market and feel. The City, the financial district, is an administrative territory separate from the town.
Westminster holds the institutions, Soho and Covent Garden the theatres, the South Bank the museums and concert halls along the Thames.
Arriving and getting around
Five airports, and the choice changes everything. Heathrow is linked by Underground and by the Elizabeth Line; Gatwick by direct train; Stansted and Luton are far out and need a dedicated train; City, to the east, is closest to the centre.
A contactless bank card is enough on the Underground, buses and urban trains: it automatically applies the daily and weekly caps, like an Oyster. Buses no longer take cash.
The Elizabeth Line, opened in 2022, crosses the city east to west and has shortened many journeys.
What it really costs
London is one of the most expensive cities in Europe, housing above all.
The major national museums are free: British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern, Victoria & Albert, Natural History, Science Museum. That is what makes a tight budget viable in a costly city — only temporary exhibitions charge.
When to come
May–September for the light and the parks. Winter is mild but very dark — night falls around four in December.
It rains often, but less heavily than its reputation suggests: fine, frequent showers.
What nobody tells you
Travellers from visa-exempt countries must obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before departure — Europe, the USA, Australia, Canada and other countries. It is required of every traveller, babies and children included, and costs £20 per person. It also applies in transit wherever you pass through UK border control; transit without crossing the border does not require one. British and Irish passport holders and residents are exempt. Check your own case on GOV.UK before booking — verified 23/09/2026.
The markets shape the weekends: Borough for food, Columbia Road for flowers on Sunday, Portobello on Saturday, Brick Lane on Sunday.
The royal parks — Hyde Park, Regent's Park, Richmond with its free-roaming deer — are free and vast.
Tipping is not systematic: many restaurants already add a service charge to the bill, which can be removed on request.