Post contributed by Abhishree, second year Law student
Are you visiting London for the first time?
Here is a list of things I would recommend after spending 10 months here:
1. Explore the landmarks (obviously) – London is home to many of the world’s most popular attractions. Go for a stroll in Southbank and see the London Eye, take a ride in it to get beautiful 360-degree city views! Walk about 20 minutes more and you will stumble across the famous London Bridge. And no, it’s not the pretty one with the two towers (that’s Tower Bridge) London Bridge is comparatively much more simple looking. Yes, we’ve been lied to. You can also see the Big Ben and Houses of Parliament in the City of Westminster.
2. FOOD! Being such a global city, London is a great place to try out a variety of cuisines. Visit local food shops to truly get the authentic flavours. Try to avoid overpriced places near the popular landmarks, you can get better food for more reasonable prices. But a landmark food place I would definitely ask you to visit is Borough Market – based in Central London – great food for great prices.
3. Always carry an umbrella and a light jacket- London weather is UNPREDICTABLE! You could check and recheck the weather app, plan your day and suddenly the sky will get clouded and you’ll feel the first dreaded raindrop on your head- avoid that, carry an umbrella.
4. Download Citymapper- This app is such a lifesaver for me, although Google Maps is good too. I personally prefer Citymapper since it is more London-based.
5. Get good shoes- London is a city for walking. Be prepared to hit your step goal everyday. Although London has great public transport links, walking is a very common (and by far my favourite) way of commuting. And – London is beautiful to walk in, it’s never a boring walk, so it’s a win-win situation!
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