by Chris Tattersall

Created on: November 15, 2008   Last Updated: January 31, 2012

Being British I have visited London for short business and pleasure trips over the past twenty years, and have learned that a visit to London, whether it be a business trip or vacation for pleasure is soon defined as just pleasure, a guilty pleasure for the business traveller: Work should not be this much fun. There are some tips however to making the most of a trip to England's capital city.

Geographically, London is a relatively small city, therefore walking in London is a good option. For example, between Leicester Square (famous for its cinemas hosting movie premiers), and the London Eye (a huge Ferris wheel with the undisputed best view of the city), one will walk past Trafalgar Square, Downing Street and the Houses of Parliament, which is a fantastic journey of discovery. A longer walk could be incorporated with a detour from Trafalgar Square along the Mall to Buckingham Palace.

Another excellent walk is from the London Eye, travelling east along the south bank of the river Thames, past Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and the Tate Modern to Tower Bridge, then back along the north bank and past the Tower of London.

To make the most of a visit to England's capital, a tour should be taken, consider an open-top bus tour or boat tour along the river Thames in order to see all the sights. Time can then be devoted to areas of interest to you, but attractions such as the British Museum, the National Gallery, or Science Museum are excellent and should be considered, as all are hugely interesting and have a variety of fantastic exhibitions. Of course, do not forget to visit Harrods in Knightsbridge for quality gifts, or indeed Hamleys Toy Shop on Regents Street.

A visit to London's West End with its numerous theatres is a must. Half price theatre tickets can be purchased from a booth in Leicester Square, although choice maybe a little bit restricted. Also in the West End and easily reached from central London is Covent Garden which has a number of excellent shops, bars, restaurants as well as street entertainment, a market and the Royal Opera House.

London's Transport system is complex but comprehensive (bear in mind that the map of the tube system often bears no resemblance to the actual distances between stations). The ideal form of transport however is the London taxi as the taxi drivers (or cabbies') are extremely knowledgeable, the price of a journey is therefore often worth the information gleaned from these people alone, who are always more than happy to impart their advice.

Basing oneself in or around Leicester Square is a good choice, with the Radisson Edwardian group of hotels for example. However, cheaper accommodation in London (and indeed all around the UK) can be found with such hotel chains as Travelodge or Premier Inn. HeathrowAairport also has these hotels and can be a good option for a short trip to London thanks to the Heathrow Express train service.

Visiting London isn't a vacation it's an event, an event to be savoured, exploited, enjoyed and repeated.

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