After Milan I decided to stop over in London for a quick two-day break. Even with the British Pound at a 15-year high against the US Dollar, I was still fortunate enough to find a hotel with a reasonable rate of under US$200 per night (which is well above my budget for any other country). With a budget in mind, here are the things that I did for a minimal amount of money:
Walk Along the River Thames.
I started at the Chancery Lane tube station and walked toward’s St. Paul’s Cathedral and nearby Paternoster Square. The cathedral is now going through a £40 million (US$80 million) renovation in time for its 300th anniversary celebration next year. Across the street was the Millennium Bridge, which connects St. Paul’s to the Tate Modern, which was my ultimate destination. The Tate Modern, however, ended up being a disappointment. The installations were so far apart and the place just seemed empty. No money wasted though, as most British museums are free with donations optional.
I then walked along the riverside towards the Houses of Parliament, passing by the London Eye and the Tower Bridge in the distance. The evening was just perfect enough for picture-taking, so I took the opportunity to take as many pictures as possible. This was definitely one of the most scenic walks in London, with so many of London’s popular sights along the way.
[+] read more
After Milan I decided to stop over in London for a quick two-day break. Even with the British Pound at a 15-year high against the US Dollar, I was still fortunate enough to find a hotel with a reasonable rate of under US$200 per night (which is well above my budget for any other country). With a budget in mind, here are the things that I did for a minimal amount of money:
Walk Along the River Thames.
I started at the Chancery Lane tube station and walked toward’s St. Paul’s Cathedral and nearby Paternoster Square. The cathedral is now going through a £40 million (US$80 million) renovation in time for its 300th anniversary celebration next year. Across the street was the Millennium Bridge, which connects St. Paul’s to the Tate Modern, which was my ultimate destination. The Tate Modern, however, ended up being a disappointment. The installations were so far apart and the place just seemed empty. No money wasted though, as most British museums are free with donations optional.
I then walked along the riverside towards the Houses of Parliament, passing by the London Eye and the Tower Bridge in the distance. The evening was just perfect enough for picture-taking, so I took the opportunity to take as many pictures as possible. This was definitely one of the most scenic walks in London, with so many of London’s popular sights along the way.
Shop at Local Markets.
Most people are probably familiar with the Portobello Road Market at Notting Hill, where antiques and fashion rule. I decided to try something a little different and went for the Old Spitalfields Market, located near the Liverpool Street tube station. At this market you will find stalls selling everything from fashion accessories and clothing by aspiring young designers to banana nut bread. There are even food stalls nearby for those who need to re-energize. For the flea market, there is also the nearby Brick Lane.
While you are at Old Spitalfields, do check out two places. The first is Munchkin Clothing, which is a childrens’ clothing company with fun designs that are hand-sewn onto the T-shirts. When I saw them I just had to buy one for £14 (US$28) for a special baby that I know. Their current website does not do the products justice, as what they had out on display at the market were much more colorful with variety. The other place is the one in the picture below, but I somehow misplaced the business card for the stall… so if you are the owner and are reading this, please let me know so that I may provide the proper credit!
Tube: Liverpool Street (Hammersmith, Metropolitan, Circle and Central lines)
Explore the Tube.
As with any other city, I always love to explore the tube (therefore one of the many reasons for the site “metro” snapshot). Being the oldest mass transportation system in the world, the London Underground has been going through an overhaul. Many of the stations have been given facelifts with new tiles and signage as a part of the makeover. Call me weird, but I just enjoy going from line to line and seeing the decor at each station.
Oh yes, the next time you visit London, make sure you get an Oyster card. This is a touch-and-go stored value card that will automatically calculate the best fare for you. It is also cheaper to use the Oyster card even if you are just taking one ride on the tube. For example, a single fare in Zone 1 is £1.50 on the Oyster card but £4 if you pay by cash. In any case, you will never pay more than the equivalent cost of a day pass on any given day if you use the Oyster card. There is a refundable deposit for the card itself, but you can reclaim the money by returning the card before you leave London. It’s a great money saver.
[-] minimize
