Tips to Avoid the Crowds On A Visit To London
London is a perennial favourite with tourists from all over the world. It attracts more than 17 million visitors every year who flock to see the many diverse and unique attractions that the city has to offer. It also is renowned for its shopping venues, entertainment and cultural events that add to its incredible charm.
The city is home to some of the best luxury hotels like The Marble Arch London by Montcalm among numerous other fine hotels. A hotel’s location is the primary factor to decide when choosing to stay at a hotel in the city. Staying at a central the location makes it easier to travel to the numerous attractions close to the city centre.
Contrastingly staying at a boutique hotel in Oxford or any other London suburb may be cheaper, but it will not allow convenient access to the many tourist spots within London. And the transportation costs will more counteract the cheaper accommodation costs. One frequent complaint among visitors to London is the hordes of people that are always to be found at the top tourist attractions. While this is certainly unavoidable, there are a few things to keep in mind to avoid the crowds when in the city like:
Skip prominent tourist attractions on weekends
If you want to enjoy a trip to the prominent tourist attractions in the city it is best to avoid visiting the more popular ones on the weekends. Saturdays and Sundays are days when even the locals visit the attractions with their kids in tow. The best time to visit the major attractions, which still will be crowded (although relatively less) is between Monday to Thursday. Of course you will need to check as to which days the attractions you plan to visit are open. While quite a few close on Sundays, there are some that remain closed on a Monday and Tuesday as well!
Time of travel is important
The last thing you would want to do is to get caught-up in rush hour traffic in London. Time of travel is something that needs to be given serious thought as the rush hour is between 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. in the mornings and from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the evenings. It is best to try to avoid boarding the London Underground or even visiting the popular areas of London at those times. The best time to buy tickets to travel on any public transport or to visit any major attractions is the period before or after the rush hour. Another benefit of arriving before an attraction opens to the public is that you can beat the long lines of visitors queued up.
Make bookings in advance
The most effective way to beat the crowds and long lines at tourist attractions is to buy your tickets in advance. It will help to visit the attractions before the hordes of other visitors who are queued up to buy entrance tickets. Of course this is applicable to those places that require the purchase of an entry ticket. This would include popular attractions like Madame Tussauds, The Tower of London and the London Dungeon which are known for their long queues and extended waiting times. On the other hand places that offer free access like galleries and museums e.g. British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern etc. do not have any waiting period. Another option which although slightly more expensive, but worth getting is a Fast Track Ticket to skip the waiting time!
Avoid public transportation (where possible)
It may sound improbable but the fact is it can be avoided to visit certain areas. For those who dislike crowded spaces or having to wait in a queue for a long time, a good alternative is to take a stroll around most of the attractions in central London. Quite a many of prominent attractions like Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, The London Eye and Piccadilly Circus are within walking distance. It would give you more time also to explore the sites at leisure.
Tour the city on a rainy day
As everyone from the locals to visitors love the English sun, you will find the streets and popular outdoor attractions crammed with visitors on any sunny afternoon. Contrastingly on a wet rainy morning most of the tourist spots are relatively less crowded. So if you want to beat the crowds and it is a wet rainy day, it is the best time to go about visiting the popular attractions around the city. While the weather may seem dismal, look at the bright spot in having lesser crowds at the places you plan to visit.
A few ways to beat the crowds at some of the top attractions in London
The British Museum:
Ø Preferably select a Sunday if visiting on the weekend which is less busy
Ø Other suitable days are Monday, Tuesday and on Friday (night)
Ø Best time to visit is early in the morning or alternately at the end of the day
The National Gallery
Ø The ideal time is early in the morning on a weekday. Visit the most famous pieces before the crowds tend to gather. Another suitable option is Friday late evening as the gallery is open till 21:00
Ø Avoid a visit during 15:00 to 18:00 when there is peak traffic
Ø In case of any exhibitions, book your timed ticket in advance
The London Eye
Ø Avoid the weekends, bank and school holidays
Ø Avoid the months between April-May, August, October (peak months)
Ø Avoid any major events or celebrations in London, as the place will have plenty of visitors
Westminster Abbey
Ø Avoid religious holidays, public and school holidays
Ø Wednesday is the best time to visit. Avoid Mondays and Saturdays which are the busiest
Tate Modern
Ø Early morning is the best time
Ø Avoid Friday and the weekend when it is the busiest
Ø During half-term or holidays visit on a Friday or Saturday after 18:00 hrs
Ø Wednesday is the most suitable for a visit