Crowds of people, Christmas lights, and shopping-overkill! This is the time before Christmas in London. Everywhere it’s really overcrowded! In the tube, on the streets, of course in all the nice Cafés and Restaurants. Anyway! Nothing brings me more in Christmas mood as a weekend in my favorite town in advent (or earlier). At twilight, it’s simply beautiful. And in London, it will be dark in November at 4 pm.. Here are a few impressions from Regent Street with Christmas angels and Old Bond Street with the opulent Christmas decorations by Cartier. It is just a glimpse, shot with my Smartphone.
And here are my 10 Top tips to survive a day of shopping:
1. Have a good breakfast. You’ll find Costa Coffees, Starbucks, Prêt-à-Mangers on every corner. Have fresh coffee or tea and cold or hot breakfast. At Pubs like Weatherspoons or Nicholson's you can go Full English for a decent price. We love Costa Coffee, the coffee is always terrific and is served in porcelain cups. You can have your black in S, M or L, whereby L is more of a soup tureen with 2 handles. Add delicious Toasties or something sweet, perfect breakfast.
2. Wear sensible shoes. London is literally a hard plaster. So choose boots (or trainers) made for walking. It is incredible just how many stairs you will encounter on the main tube lines.
3. This leads to the next point: layering does make sense! In the tube, as well as in department stores and shops it feels like 35 degrees even in winter. And outside, just 5 degrees. So you want to put on clothes that can be easily slipped on and off. How Londoners survive this without catching every cold is a complete mystery to me.
4. London is really HUGE. If your shopping you want to concentrate on a specific area. You can easily spend one day at the Shopping Heart of London between Oxford and Regent Street without feeling bored. And the next day you could try the East End or Notting Hill with the famous Portobello Road Market or posh Chelsea or many Boroughs more.
5. Take your break. After 2-3 hours it’s good to calm down a little. Here, especially the restaurants in the major department stores are highly recommended. You could try Comptoir Libanais at John Lewis or the fancy Tea Room at Libertys.
6. Harrods is clearly a “must-not-have” for me. I find Harrods much too large and too posh. You can have a look at all the Luxury Brands in other stores like Debenhams, Selfridges or Liberty.
7. If you want to dine out, book a table in advance.On weekends it gets crowded, especially in the evenings and around Theatreland. (And in Soho and Covent Garden – you get the idea). You can easily book any restaurant you like on bookatable.co.uk.
8 London is a vibrant city with many highlights. Actually it would be a shame not to take a look at all the Highlights. Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, London Eye, British Museum, Tate Modern, National Gallery, Science Museum and many more are waiting for you. A cheap way to explore London offers the London pass. With the London, pass you have free admission to more than 60 attractions and fast - track admission for many others. Get your London Pass here:.
9 Look for a Hotel in tube zone 1 or 2. Prefarably one on the Central Line. The Hotel might be a little more expensive, but the Tube is cheaper.
10. Speaking of tube: you can buy a Tourist travel card or a rechargeable Oyster card. For the oyster, you have to pay a deposit of 5 GBP and can upload the card again and again. The travel costs are capped. In zone 1 or 2, you pay maximum 6.50 GBP per day with the Oyster card AND: you can go not only use the tube, but also the famous red Roadmaster buses, DLR, London Overground and National Rail.
