A 24-Hour Layover in London
A Glimpse of the U.K.
When traveling the world to some of the planet’s most out of reach places, it is inevitable that you will end up in a major transport hub. If you find yourself passing through London, the temptation to explore the city is too great an opportunity to pass up. Especially if you have a long layover. The dramatic monuments of a once vast empire beckon you to explore the old-world streets and modern splendor of London.
With the world-famous “tube” transporting you directly from the airport to the heart of London, there is no excuse for wasting hours pacing back in forth in the grand transit halls. With an Oyster Card, you will pop up from under the earth like a gopher in the middle of Piccadilly Circus, in awe of the crowds and the fact that you are about to step foot on the iconic London streets. Even if your layover runs late into the evening, you can simply hop on the N9 night bus and make it back to the airport to catch your flight.
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Doing London Justice
It goes without saying that breezing through the sights of London is not giving this diverse city the justice it deserves. One could spend a lifetime exploring the modern additions and ancient relics tucked away within the folds of the city and barely scratch the surface of everything London has to offer. Being the envy of the entire world, hopeful travelers from every corner of the globe dream at night about cliche double-decker bus rides and hearing the chimes of Big Ben. With such a short time frame, you will have to cover the same amount of ground that some tourists dedicate weeks to exploring.
Fortunately for those who are wanting to hit all the major sites and get a taste of London, the most iconic places in the city are all situated along the River Thames. From the Buckingham Palace to the Tower of London, you can easily plan your short trip to showcase all of those legendary places which you have read out of storybooks since you were a child.
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The Charm of the City
You can check off the Globe Theatre and the Tower Bridge from your bucket list. But it is the mere ambiance and energy that flows through the city that will give you second thoughts about heading back to the airport and boarding the plane. While some cities have historical sites that stick out as a mere relic of the past.
Every city block of London embodies the very same centuries-old aesthetics. The Palace of Westminster and medieval churches fit right in with the classical apartment buildings of the city. Practically every street of the downtown is teeming with busy modern life in front of a backdrop of a city seemingly stuck in time.
Everything from the ornate windows of flats looking out over the city to dingy corner shops seem to work together to create an atmosphere that is uniquely London.
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Criss-Crossing The Thames
You are sure to surprise yourself which how much ground you are able to cover in such a short time in London. With countless bridges straddling the Thames River, your route will be snaking back and forth from bank to bank. As you bask in awe of the classical city streets and imagining Peter Pan jumping from the chimneys, you may begin to recognize how out of place you are in London.
With a large backpack strapped to your back, the romantic couples dining by candlelight next to the river and well-dressed vacationers. The tourists in London are not quite the same crowds you were used to while traveling through South East Asia or The Stans. Easily mistaken for a homeless person rather than a traveler, you may feel the luxury hotels and upscale pubs in London begin to loom over you as you shrink back down the back alleys.
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London After Dark
No major city after dark is totally safe. But if your extended layover runs over into the night, you won’t want to miss out on exploring the city just because the sun went down. With the glistening Shard on one side of the river and the Tower of London on the other, you can still explore the streets of London in a relatively safe environment. That being said, be sure only to stick to the touristy areas where there are sure to be more people about. Walking around with a backpack is sure to make you an easy target.
9 times out of ten, nothing will go wrong while wandering the streets of London at night. But with many bars in the area and unpredictable youth swaggering down the streets after hours, it will just take one wrong look for you to never make it back to your plane. It is ironic how many travelers who visit destinations deemed unsafe by Western standards will find more trouble on the streets of London than the bazaars of Lahore or Erbil.
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A Layover in London
If you are short on time or cannot afford a longer stay in the UK, an extended layover in Londer is the perfect way to see a stunning contrast of whatever far off country you are traveling from and a culture more close to home. As a city whose image is plastered up on the windows of travel agencies all around the world, London lives up to its reputation.
On the other hand, commercial pubs and romantic promenades can easily make one feel trapped. Unsuspecting tourists are blindly lured into a cage by the city’s antique charm, only to be milked of every pound and pence they got fumbling around in their pocket.
The museums and palaces almost seem better suited for a school field trip than for some travelers. And the dim-lit bars and streets cafes are best reserved for necking couples. One can not compare trekking the Himalayas to strolling down the streets of London. One style of traveling is not better than the other. They are simply different. It won’t be long, however, until your fascination with the dismal weather and age-old charm of London fades. Your feet will be hankering to tread a bit more off the beaten path.
