With over 5,000 hotels, 11,400 restaurants, countless attractions — including some of the most famous in the world — 272 subway stations, 19,000 bus stops and 14,800 or so licensed taxis, London is nothing short of a tourist wonderland.
However, for the uninitiated, it's often confusing and intimidating, and difficult to discern whether money is being wasted.
Step forward travel blogger Kalyn Franke, who can help prevent a potentially dazzling trip from being a disappointment.
How? Because she's revealed the "worst mistakes" that visitors to the UK capital make, from eating in a particular "tourist trap" district to buying tickets for certain famous tourist attractions.
Kalyn, who runs the Girl Gone London YouTube channel, is originally from Florida but has lived in Britain for 12 years, allowing her to view London as both a visitor and a resident.
Read on for her top tips for a trip to remember for the right reasons.
Mistake No.1 — buying a paper ticket for the London Underground (subway system)
Buy a paper ticket for London's subway system — aka the "Underground" or "Tube" — and for bus journeys and you're likely to pay a lot more.
Instead, buy an Oyster card (for a £7/$9 non-refundable fee) or use a contactless-enabled bank card to "touch in and out" at the barriers.
"You pre-load the Oyster card with money, and then when you tap into the Tube station, the cost comes from the Oyster card. When you use one, the cost of your journey is literally going to be half the cost of buying a paper ticket,” she said,
Contactless bank cards, meanwhile, work just like an Oyster card, with Kalyn pointing out that many Londoners have transitioned to them. After all, the charge per journey is the same.
However, she warns that some foreign travelers may be charged a transaction fee each time by their card issuer.
Mistake No.2 — taking black cabs everywhere
Classic "black cabs" are ubiquitous, and to get a licence, the drivers have to prove they know every street, junction and shortcut in a famously fiendish test called the Knowledge.
But Kalyn warns against using them too often.
The travel expert explains: "Yes, the taxi drivers for London black cabs know the city inside and out. They know every alley, every street, everything there is to know about how to get you from point A to B. And I'm not knocking that. However, they can be relatively expensive [up to 10 dollars a mile].
Mistake No.3 — always taking the Tube because the buses are too scary
Many visitors in London make the Tube [subway] system their go-to public transport option, with buses ignored because they're "too scary".
Kalyn explains: "Visitors tend to be scared of London buses, not because there's anything to be scared of, but because the map and figuring out how the buses work is more difficult than looking at the well-designed Tube map.
"My top tip — the 453 is a great route that takes you past some of the most iconic London attractions — for a fraction of the price of a tourist sightseeing bus. Just remember to get on at the doors at the front!"
Mistake No.4 — not realizing it's often quicker to walk
While Kalyn is a huge fan of the London transport system, telling The Independent it's "leagues ahead of public transport systems in America", she does advise visitors to check whether walking will get you from A to B more quickly.
The classic example is the Covent Garden to Leicester Square journey on the Piccadilly line, which can be completed above ground on foot in four minutes.
Mistake No.5 — eating out in 'super touristy' spots
Once you've reached Leicester Square, whether by Tube or foot, don't eat out there, warns Kalyn.
She remarks: "These areas are super touristy, which means that when it comes to the food and the pubs… they'll mostly not be worth your time.”
Does Kalyn have any tips for eating out in London?
She tells The Independent: "I love Ciao Bella in Bloomsbury or Da Mario in Kensington, as well as all of the London food markets that are more geared for locals, like Leather Lane market, near Chancery Lane Tube station, which has great food stalls mostly visited by local office workers during weekday lunchtimes."
Mistake No.6 — getting fish and chips in a pub
"There's a difference between getting fish and chips at a pub and getting fish and chips at what is known as a chippy, which is basically a takeout place that only does fish and chips," argues Kalyn.
She explains that at a "chippy", fish and chips is "the main meal" and "it's always going to be better [than a pub]", though she admits that "you can get good fish and chips in a pub".
Mistake No.7 — going to touristy attractions
Kalyn is not a fan of tourist attractions that aren't unique to London.
She comments: "Do your research and don't visit tourist attractions such as Madame Tussauds, Shrek's Adventure and the London Aquarium. “
Mistake No.8 —paying to see the view from The Shard
Kalyn doesn't knock the view from The Shard, but claims another equally spellbinding view is available for free.
She explains that a visit to the top of the 1,000-foot-tall Shard skyscraper is included in the worthwhile London Pass [prices from $100 a day, https://londonpass.com/], noting that if you have this pass, then "go up it".
But she adds: "If you don't have the London Pass, The Shard costs from $30/£22 to see the view. And you can see an equally great view for free from Sky Garden [on the 43rd floor of the 20 Fenchurch Street building, also known as the 'Walkie Talkie'], if you book in advance."
Mistake No.9 —messing with the royal guards
Visitors often think they can "mess" with the royal guards and "make a funny video with them", notes Kalyn, who believes this is a "stereotype put out there in the movies".
The royal guards can famously be seen up close at Horse Guards Parade but despite their bright red uniforms and huge bearskin hats, are not to be made fun of.
Mistake No.10 — going to London Bridge, thinking it's Tower Bridge
That famous bridge in London with the huge towers that you've seen in the movies? It's not London Bridge; that's Tower Bridge.
She adds: "There is a bridge called London Bridge, but there's nothing special about it [though you do get good views of Tower Bridge from it]."
Mistake No.11 — booking a central hotel
London doesn't have a central "downtown" area, so don't make the mistake of looking at a map of London and picking a hotel in the very middle.
Kalyn says: "People are used to cities that have a downtown with all the attractions that they might want to see. Central London is not like that. It has different rings, if you look at a Tube map. And when people ask where the major sites are, it's very difficult to answer, because some are nowhere near others. For example, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge are nowhere near the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.”
Mistake No.12 — thinking Londoners are rude
Don't feel afraid to ask a local for help, because Londoners aren't rude, insists Kalyn — "they're just busy".
And finally, a mistake-free itinerary
We asked Kalyn for her perfect day out in London.
She responded: "I love to be on the water, so I would start with a ride along the river, then lunch in a pub along the water — probably the Mayflower in Rotherhithe. In the afternoon, I'd visit one of London's iconic museums — the Science Museum is my favorite — and then finish with dinner and drinks in Covent Garden for people-watching and family-friendly nightlife."
For more from Kalyn, visit youtube.com/@GirlGoneLondonofficial.
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