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🇬🇧 London Travel News 🇬🇧 ​ ​🚊 The Stansted Express, the train that goes between London Liverpool Street station and Stansted Airport, isn’t operating on weekends until March 23rd. Make sure to plan an alternative route, like a National Express bus! ​ 📚 These London literary spots have been shortlisted for the ‘Independent Bookshop Of The Year’ award – and one of them has only been open for eight months. ​ 💰 FYI – fares for the London Underground have just gone up by 4.6%, but bus and tram prices are staying the same.

Hi Reader,

People always ask me “how much time do I need in London?” and it’s honestly an impossible question to answer. You could stay an indefinite amount of time and still feel like you have so much left to explore 😩

Take it from me: I’ve lived here for over 11 years and still continue getting to know this city more every day. And I like to think I’m helping you do the same 💅

If you’re stopping by London for only a short while (I mean like, just a day or two), today’s London Letter is for you. I’ll cover everything you need to know to make the most of such few hours in the city…but I’m hoping you’ll come back for more.

Here’s what’s in store for you today:

📍 Where to stay in London that’s by the popular attractions
✅ Your guide to visiting the city in a very short time
😍 A tour that is SO worth it, even if you’re just here for a day
🍽 British dishes you’ll actually want to try
🚇 Your 101 guide to London transport

Let’s go ⬇️

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📍 Where to stay in London that’s by the popular attractions

If your time in London is limited, there is one key way to save time: booking the right area for your accommodation. Yes, staying in the outskirts of the city might be cheaper 💸, but if you have very limited time, I definitely recommend staying close to the popular attractions you want to see - but this doesn’t have to (completely) break the bank.

There are three great areas I suggest staying in that will have some of London’s most famous attractions within walking distance, all included in this guide on the top areas to stay in London near the big attractions… hotel recommendations included. 🏩

OK, now that accommodation is sorted, on to the next task on the list: how can you actually see the city in such a short amount of time?

That’s exactly what I answer in our latest video, how to see London in a day. So definitely give that a watch 😉

Plus, even if your time in the city is short, you can still do some really cool things. Wanna discover one of them? Keep on reading ⬇️

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🏰 This is the most special way to experience the Tower of London
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On this VIP Tower of London Tour, your own Yeoman Warder guide (who actually LIVES in the Tower) will take your small group around the grounds, telling you haunting historic tales as the sun sets over you.

But even more special is seeing the Ceremony of the Keys — a 700-year-old tradition of locking up the Tower for the night 🗝 No filming or photos are allowed, which means this is something that not many people have actually seen... but you can.

The VIP Tower of London Night Tour can be booked with Walks, but it has limited availability, so go snag your tickets before they're sold out on your travel dates.

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⚡️ Other helpful advice for your London trip

🍽 11 delicious British dishes to try in London - because your time is limited, but food options are plenty.

🚇 Important things to know before using London’s public transport - so you arrive prepared and don’t waste any time trying to figure out London’s complex system.

🧳 Where can you store luggage in London? - see our list of luggage storage locations, so you are free to explore and don’t have anything dragging you down.

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❓Question of the week

I saw this recently posted in our ​Facebook Travel Community​ 👇🏻👇🏻

This is a tricky one to answer because it varies greatly depending on if you have one of these passports which means you can use the E-Gates, which usually have a waiting time of around 10 minutes (although can be less, or much more if it’s peak travel season).

Otherwise, Border Control can take anywhere from 15-90 minutes, and there’s no way to predict how long it will be (like, arriving super early in the morning doesn’t guarantee speed).

If you pre-book a taxi (I recommend this company) they’ll use your flight info to track you and they’re prepared to wait in case Border Control takes a long time for you, so no stress.

Otherwise, you can call an Uber or similar service once you have your luggage, or you can go to the taxi stand and get a black cab, which will cost quite a bit more but will be convenient and spacious 🚕

BTW– luggage delivery is always SUPER quick at Heathrow, so you’ll never be delayed much due to not having your bags yet.

If you have a question you'd like me to answer in a future newsletter, reply to this email and I might answer it next week.

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What London area are you planning to stay in? 🤔 Central London: near the sights and landmarks you’ve seen in movies 💂‍♀️ East London: artsy, eclectic and buzzy for a glimpse into what London is like for those who live here 🎨 West London: posh, elegant and leafy 🌳 North London: music-inspired, good vibes 🎶 South London: diverse, unique and affordable 🍽

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Thank you for reading The London Letter ❤️ Jess Dante Founder, Love and London, Love and Paris and Voyagr​

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