Where Should I Start Sightseeing in London?

There’s no denying it – London is a pretty big city in every possible sense. Even if you were spending the whole month there, you wouldn’t have enough time to cram in absolutely everything you want to see and do. So where on earth do you begin when you’ve only got a day or two? The key is preparation. And then perhaps a bit more preparation. Playing it by ear and seeing where the day takes you is all very well and good. But if you go down this route, you might end up spending several hours in queues and a lot more money than you originally anticipated. So to help you out, we’ve put together some planning tips, suggestions for organised tours and info on how to get money off entry to some of the most popular London tourist attractions…

Planning and Paying in Advance

Although this tip applies no matter where you choose to go or how you buy your tickets, it’s worth emphasising the general benefits. Of course, a lot of people would much prefer to decide where they’d like to visit on the day, but when it comes to London sightseeing, this is by far the most expensive option. Even if you are buying your tickets direct from an attraction rather than getting a deal through a third-party site, they too usually offer cheaper prices when booking in advance.

However, if budget is your main consideration, then finding a great value tour operator is a must. Our City Sightseeing voucher codes help you save with a company that provides tours across the globe but there London page is a treasure trove of exciting days out. Book tickets to attractions such as the Tower of London, London Zoo and Kensington Palace and you’ll save heaps on the standard entry costs. Plus we currently have an exclusive code that will get you an extra 10% off. This is a great option if you have limited time but a few must-see places you want to tick off your to-do list.

Another advantage to planning your itinerary in advance is the sheer logistics of it all. London is a busy place and making the best use of your time means studying that tube map and those bus routes carefully. It’s no good booking tickets for two different attractions on the same day if they’re in completely different parts of the city. Advanced planning will avoid this problem and help you cram even more into your city time.

Hop On Hop Off

One of the best starting points for London newbies is the classic tour bus. This will get you the best of both worlds – a guided tour that takes in all the most well-known attractions (and some not-so-well-known) with the flexibility of being able to hop on and hop off the bus at your leisure if you want to take a wander. As you’d expect there are lots of companies operating these sorts of tours, so where do you begin?

If you want to choose from a number of different options and timescales, The Original Tour voucher codes are a good place to start. These online tools help you book one of their hop on hop off bus tickets in advance, and you can choose from 24, 48 or 72 hour tickets. And if you only have 1 day in London, their City Sampler bus tour ensures you’ll get see everything and then some in that short space of time. Off course, if you book in advance using one of our codes, then you can also get an extra discount on your ticket price – currently 15% off all bus tours.

What Does The London Pass Include?

There’s a good chance you might have already heard of this incredibly useful tourist pass but are wondering exactly how it works and if it will suit your travel plans. Rather than booking tickets to individual attractions, their passes give your blanket entry to more than 80 top London tourist spots. These include many of the favourites we’ve already mentioned plus attractions like Westminster Abbey, Churchill War Rooms and Kew Gardens. Plus, you can also add on travel costs if you choose to save more money and make it even easier to get around. But one of the very best benefits is that you get fast tracked entry to selected attractions on their list. This Skip the Line incentive is particularly useful if you have limited time.

To buy a pass, you just have to choose how long you want it to run for (up to 10 days) and whether you want it to include travel or not. You can then either download it onto your phone using their app, or arrange to collect it or have it posted to you. And using The London Pass voucher codes to claim an additional discount on your pass upfront can save you even more money on your overall costs. Because it is an all-encompassing pass, planning is incredibly important if you’re buying one of these. You are effectively paying upfront for a lot of entry tickets, so the more you visit, the more money you save.

Unusual Places to Visit in London

So far we’ve focused on the favourites, but what if you’ve already seen all of these and want something a little different for your next trip? You can still make use of the flexibility of a hop on hop off bus ticket, but take some time to research the lesser-known tourist attractions you’d like to visit and explore these when you get off the bus instead. Another thing you might want to consider is a themed bus tour. The Original Tour also offers a number of these to choose from including a Night Bus Tour and Kids’ Halloween Tour. On a similar note, there are many themed walking tours available if you’d like to compliment your bus trip. These cover absolutely everything you could think of from Jack the Ripper to East London Chicken Wing Crawls! And if you want to save even more money, you can put together your very own London walk. All you need is a bit of research and planning (yet again) and that all-important map.

If your UK trip covers further afield than the capital city, please do check out all the UK travel offers currently available on My Favourite Voucher Codes. These can help you save money on accommodation and transport as well as other package tours and trips. Just think of the amount of money you’ll be saving before your holiday has even started!

By Anna Scott, 18th September 2019