It's London Babyyyy

With the value of the euro against the pound, now is as good a time as any to visit London. I made the trip in December for four days.

Getting There

Ryanair were offering five euro flights one way with no taxes and charges. I flew into Gatwick airport. From here, there is a rail station with trains to Victoria station, the main station in London, which also connects with the London underground. The Gatwick express is a non stop train to Victoria station and a return ticket costs about £28. Southern trains take 40 minutes and a return ticket costs about £13.

Accommodation

I stayed in the Cumberland hotel which is a four star hotel situated by Marble Arch. The hotel was gorgeous and was perfectly situated, with easy access to Oxford Street and Piccadilly Circus. I booked the hotel at a special rate, 70% less than what it should be on www.hoteldirect.ie . Many websites offer special deals so make sure to shop around.

It's the eye that watches...

Eating Out

London has so many restaurants to offer, from Michelin stars to traditional fish and chip shops. I ate at a restaurant in China town, a meal for three consisting of starters, main course and drinks cost less than £40. A new phenomenon is the ‘Gastro Pub’ menu, pub grub gone posh.

Afternoon tea is also big in Britain and London has some beautiful tea rooms. Most of the top hotels offer a special afternoon tea menu; however, there are wallet friendly alternatives.

While at the British Museum, I stopped for afternoon tea in the Court Restaurant. The afternoon tea menu features sandwiches, scones and cream, and a selection of pastries

Big Ben is actually BIG

Must See

The West End:
No trip to London would be complete without a trip to the theatre in London’s famous west end; there are many magnificent shows to see for everyone’s taste. I saw the world famous ‘WICKED’, winner of three Tony Awards. Tickets can be pricey and are available online from www.ticketmaster.com. A more cost efficient way is to buy them last minute on www.lastmmitue.ie at a discounted price.

The Imperial War Museum:
I really liked this museum because it was very interactive. They have several simulations and recreations. Two I visited were ‘a London bombing’, this was a recreation of a London street being bombed during WWII and ‘life in the trenches’, a recreation of the trenches in WWII. Admission is less than £4 for students.

Other places I would recommend include Madame Tussauds, The Tower of London, Hyde Park, Kew Palace and the London Dungeons, if you’re willing to queue.
 

The Tower Bridge is classic

Shopping

If shopping is your thing, London definitely has it all, a trip to the world renowned Harrods is a must, if even just to see their breathtaking window displays. Also a must is the huge three story Topshop, which is like a department store in its self.

If you’re looking for something different the basement section offers a wide selection of clothing from upcoming designers for very reasonable prices. You will find that a lot of things are cheaper than at home.


 

The Residence of the Queen and Co.

Nightlife

Along the side streets of London's busiest daytime shopping streets, lies a multitude of clubs, bars, restaurants and cafes which spring into action at nightfall. There is music for every taste with jazz clubs, places playing soul music and alternative rock.

There are many specialty bars which dabble in fine wines and specialty ales, there are pubs for pints and stylish bars for cocktails and the price of drink is considerably lower than over here.

By Shana Meegan