People often say that in order to travel, all you really need is the desire to do so. There are of course many other requisites, but nothing beats the will of a traveler who wants to see the world and will stop at nothing in order to get out there and experience it all. Sometimes people are put off just by the idea of making a budget for traveling and get discouraged thinking that their goal may be out of their reach; however nowadays traveling is becoming more and more affordable, especially if you plan everything properly in advance looking for the best deals on airfare, accommodations and places to eat that will give you the best value for your money. Here at Royal Holiday travel we always bring you the best tips to help you save on your vacation and this article is no different. Let’s take a look at some activities to do around London with emphasis in culture, social life and family that will not break the bank but at the same time will ensure you remember the great time you had when visiting the city.
London is one of Europe’s most visited and representative cities and has been the backdrop to numerous movies, music videos and enough advertising to make the looks of the city to iconic that you would be hard-pressed to find someone who wouldn’t recognize London from a picture or wouldn’t know what to expect as far as atmosphere.
Even though London life can be quite expensive, there are places available for all kinds of public that are either free to visit or quite affordable. These places can be museums, gardens and other attractive locations around the city that are open to the public.
Museums
The British Museum is of course at the top of the list. This wonderful place is very popular amongst tourists who want to see all the artifacts and treasures of ancient Egypt like mummies and weapons of war; you can also find many paintings of famous artists like Goya, Picasso and Caravaggio amongst many others. You do not have to pay in order to enter the British, but you do have the option to give a donation to contribute with maintenance and upkeep of the museum. Seasonal exhibits do have a price and they feature special shows and local artists. The museum is open to the public everyday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
The National Gallery, is another great place to visit known for its cultural riches it’s famous western European painting collection. Audio guides are available to the public and offer commentary about all the different works of art that are exhibited here. The main audio guide takes you through a two-hour tour describing the most important pieces in languages like Italian, English, French, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Korean, Portuguese and Dutch. Some exhibits do have an entry fee but they are truly worth it, other than that, a voluntary contribution is enough to get you in the doors. The National Gallery also has a few great places to grab a bite while you are visiting like the National Dining Rooms, the National Café and the Espresso Bar, this last one is perfect to just have some coffee and a snack.
The Victoria And Albert Museum, have a collection of more than 2.000 objects from all over the world and is the only museum that shows and documents more than 3,000 years of decorative art history. The place is filled with surprises, especially if you are fond of antique furniture, sculptures, paintings, wood and metal etchings, fine glassware and more.
Other museums that also offer free entrance are the Imperial War Museum, where you can find artifacts from the First World War; the Tate Modern, The Museum of London and the Natural History Museum amongst others.
Parks and outdoor attractions
Image courtesy of Hernán Piñera at Flickr.com
London is a large city, and being such means that there are many places like gardens and parks where you can enjoy clean air and nature; they are also nice to visit during any time of the year.
Hyde Park, for example, is considered one of the oldest parks of London and has become a great venue for concerts, public shows, gathering and many more. Anniversaries of the Royal Family are celebrated here.
Green Park may be simple but it does bring on a lot of peace sitting by the hundreds of trees you can find here. The park is located away from traffic and all the city’s noise.
St James Park is another great choice if you want to sit by the water and see all the different birds that make it their favorite spot. This is a great spot to take some pictures of the Buckingham Palace as well and you can spend a great afternoon relaxing with your loved ones.