London

London is served by six airports, but only two really matter for most travellers. Heathrow (LHR) is the main international hub — the best choice for long-haul and transatlantic flights, with direct routes from dozens of US cities on British Airways, American, United, Delta and Virgin Atlantic, plus strong connections from Asia, the Middle East and pretty much everywhere else. From Heathrow, the Elizabeth line reaches central London in about 35 minutes for a flat fare, or the Heathrow Express gets you to Paddington in 15 minutes for a higher price. Gatwick (LGW) is the second-largest, handling a mix of long-haul, charter and budget carriers, with the Gatwick Express running to Victoria in about 30 minutes. If you're flying within Europe on a budget airline, you're more likely to land at Stansted (STN, Ryanair's main London base) or Luton (LTN, a Wizz Air and easyJet hub) — both are a bit further out, with the Stansted Express taking about 47 minutes into Liverpool Street and Luton needing a short DART shuttle plus train into St Pancras, around 30-40 minutes total. London City (LCY) is the smallest and most central, mostly used by business travellers and short-haul European routes, with a quick 20-minute DLR ride into the City and Canary Wharf. If you're coming from continental Europe, the Eurostar train is genuinely worth considering over flying: it runs directly into St Pancras International from Paris (about 2 hours 15 minutes), Brussels (around 2 hours) and Amsterdam (roughly 4 hours), station-centre to station-centre, with none of the airport transfer time or security hassle that eats into a short flight's time advantage.

The Tube is the backbone of getting around and it's faster than the map makes it look for anything within Zones 1-2 — just try to dodge the 8-9:30am and 5-6:30pm rush if you can, when carriages get properly packed. Skip queuing for an Oyster card unless you want a souvenir: any contactless bank card or phone wallet taps in and out just like Oyster, automatically caps at the best daily and weekly fare, and works across Tube, bus, Overground, DLR, Elizabeth line and most National Rail services in London. Buses are slower but great for seeing the city above ground, cost the same flat fare as a single Tube journey regardless of distance, and only take contactless or Oyster — no cash. From Heathrow, the Elizabeth line is the smart move: about 35 minutes into central London for a flat £15.50 tapped in with contactless, versus roughly £25 on the faster-but-pricier 15-minute Heathrow Express direct to Paddington. Black cabs are metered, reliable, and drivers genuinely know every back street (flag one down on a main road or grab one outside a big hotel), while minicabs should always be booked through an app like Uber or Bolt, never hailed off the street. On escalators, stand on the right and walk on the left — Londoners take this seriously — and always tap in and out on the Tube, Elizabeth line, Overground and DLR, or you'll get charged the maximum fare for an "incomplete" journey. On a clear day, the Uber Boat by Thames Clippers riverboat between Westminster and Greenwich or the Tower is a genuinely lovely, underused alternative to the Tube — same contactless payment, a fraction of the crowds, and free views of the skyline. And don't underestimate walking: the Tube map isn't drawn to scale, so stops like Covent Garden and Leicester Square, or Bank and St Paul's, are often a five-minute stroll rather than a train ride.

Citymapper was practically built for London and is still the best way to plan any journey across Tube, bus, rail and walking; TfL's own TfL Go app is a solid alternative, especially for live status updates and step-free routes. For rides, Uber and Bolt both operate widely across the city, and FREE NOW is worth having if you want to hail a licensed black cab through an app rather than on the street. Santander Cycles (still known to everyone as "Boris Bikes") are everywhere for short hops, with Lime e-bikes as a faster, dockless option. For food delivery, Deliveroo has the widest and trendiest restaurant selection, Uber Eats is a reliable backup with competitive pricing, and Just Eat is your best bet for classic takeaways — curry houses, chippies, pizza. If you're planning a day trip out of the city — Windsor, Oxford, Bath, Brighton — download Trainline, which aggregates all the National Rail operators and is far less confusing than trying to book direct through half a dozen different train company websites. And because London's best restaurants genuinely do book out (Circolo Popolare and Jacuzzi in Mayfair are a lost cause without one), get comfortable using OpenTable and each restaurant's own site to reserve a table days or even weeks ahead rather than turning up and hoping.

Queueing is close to a national sport — join the back of any line without question and never push in. Tipping isn't automatic like in the US: many restaurants add a 12.5% discretionary service charge to the bill, and if they have, you don't need to add more on top (you can politely ask for it to be removed if service was genuinely poor). Pubs are a different world entirely — you order and pay at the bar, not from a server, and nobody tips for a pint. The classic tourist misstep is standing on the left of an escalator or blocking a Tube door at rush hour; both will earn you a few pointed looks. Shop hours can also be shorter on Sundays, so don't assume everything's open late. Cash is barely needed — contactless is accepted everywhere from market stalls to buses, so there's little reason to carry more than a small amount, and if you do need to change money, an ATM will give you a far better rate than the exchange kiosks at the airport. Tap water is perfectly safe to drink, though don't expect it brought to your table automatically at a restaurant — you'll need to ask. Pack a proper rain jacket rather than an umbrella if you can; London's wind turns cheap umbrellas inside out within a block, and the weather shifts often enough that layers matter more than any single coat. The permanent collections at the major museums — British Museum, Tate Modern, National Gallery, Natural History Museum — are free to enter, which does a lot of heavy lifting in an otherwise expensive city, though special exhibitions and popular shows do charge and are worth booking online in advance. And bring a UK plug adapter (type G, three rectangular pins) — it's not the same as the rest of Europe, so a standard EU adapter won't work.

Covent Garden and Soho put you right in the thick of it — walkable to the West End, Trafalgar Square and the river, with a restaurant on every corner and the Seven Dials Market a two-minute stroll away, though it's the most tourist-heavy patch of the city and priced accordingly, with weekend nights getting loud outside the pubs. Shoreditch is the pick for a younger, creative crowd who want nightlife and street art on the doorstep (think manteca and Nightjar just around the corner) and don't mind a livelier, noisier base with a short Tube or Overground ride into the centre — Old Spitalfields Market on a Sunday is an easy walk from most hotels here. South Bank and Bermondsey put you near the river and Borough Market, with easy walks to Tate Modern and the Globe, and a calmer, more local feel once you're off the main drag — Maltby Street Market is a five-minute stroll for anyone based around here. Marylebone is the quieter, more upscale option — handsome Georgian streets, easy access to Regent's Park, and a genuinely excellent coffee scene (WatchHouse is a reliable local pick), making it a good base for a slower, less frantic trip. For something more residential and garden-lined, Notting Hill and Kensington trade a bit of central convenience for leafy garden squares, pastel townhouses and a slower pace — good for families or longer stays, with Portobello Road Market on your doorstep come Saturday and a straightforward Central or District line ride into the centre.

Borough Market is the obvious pilgrimage — go hungry, graze your way through the stalls for fresh oysters and artisan cheese, and don't skip Bread Ahead Bakery on your way out for a doughnut still warm from the fryer. Soho is where London's food scene shows off: BAO Soho for Taiwanese steamed buns, B Bagel Soho for a proper late-night bagel, and The Devonshire if you want to see firsthand why everyone's currently obsessed with one pub. Tucked just behind Soho, Chinatown is worth a detour on its own merits — proper Cantonese roast duck hanging in the windows and some of the best dim sum in Europe, best eaten at a round table with a group so you can order widely. Right in Covent Garden, Bancone is the reliable pick for fresh, silky pasta if you don't want to wander far from the theatres. Mayfair does grander but no less fun — Circolo Popolare and Jacuzzi are the current see-and-be-seen Italians (book ahead or turn up right at opening), Mercato Mayfair's food court is a good low-commitment option, and The Mayfair Chippy proves good fish and chips doesn't need a seaside town. Shoreditch is the spot for something looser and more experimental — manteca for bone marrow and fresh pasta, Smoking Goat for fiery Thai-inspired barbecue, and Nightjar afterward for cocktails in a proper old-school speakeasy. If you're willing to go further out, it's worth it: Tooting and Southall, in south and west London respectively, are where London's South Asian communities eat, and the curry, dosas and grills there are a different league from the tourist-trap curry houses on Brick Lane — Brick Lane itself is still worth the trip, but go for a salt beef bagel from Beigel Bake at 2am rather than the curry.

London's food identity isn't really one cuisine — it's the sheer range, and a lot of the best eating is immigrant food cooked for immigrant communities rather than for tourists. That said, a few things are worth seeking out specifically: a proper Sunday roast (roast meat, crisp roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and gravy) at a classic pub is as close to a required London meal as it gets — The Audley Public House or The Devonshire both do a good one, and it's worth booking ahead since Sunday lunch sittings fill up. Fish and chips is obvious but still worth doing properly — The Mayfair Chippy is a reliable, non-touristy pick. Pie and mash — a minced-beef pie, a scoop of mash, and a green parsley "liquor" sauce — is the original London working-class dish, served in old tiled shops that have barely changed in a century; the genuinely brave add a side of jellied eels. A salt beef bagel from Beigel Bake on Brick Lane, eaten standing up at any hour (the shop is open pretty much around the clock), is a proper East End institution — hot salt beef, mustard and a pickle in a chewy, still-warm bagel. For curry, skip the touristy strip of Brick Lane itself and head to Tooting or Southall, where London's South Asian communities eat: South Indian dosas and Sri Lankan hoppers in Tooting, Punjabi grills in Southall. Chinatown, tucked behind Soho, does some of the best Cantonese food and dim sum in Europe — go with a group and order widely. Afternoon tea is touristy by definition but still genuinely worth doing once, and Sketch's pink Gallery room turns it into a proper occasion rather than just a plate of finger sandwiches. And don't skip Borough Market for grazing — fresh oysters, artisan cheese, and a warm doughnut from Bread Ahead to finish.

Camden Market is the essential stop for vintage fashion, alternative style and sprawling food stalls — go early on a weekend before the crowds thicken. Old Spitalfields Market and Spitalfields Market cover a more polished version of the same idea, with independent designers, jewellery and a good weekend food market layered in. Leadenhall Market is worth the detour even if you're not buying a thing — a Victorian covered arcade in the City that looks like a film set (because it has been one). Portobello Road Market in Notting Hill is the one for antiques and collectibles, at its best on a Saturday when the full length of the road is open and the crowds spill out from the market itself. For proper spending, Knightsbridge and Harrods deliver old-school department-store grandeur, while Oxford Street and Regent Street cover the mainstream high-street and flagship stores if you just need reliable, familiar brands, and Carnaby Street just off Regent Street is the better bet for streetwear and independent labels. Maltby Street Market in Bermondsey is the locals' pick for small producers and a lower-key Saturday browse, well away from the tourist crowds.

Horizon 22 is the insider tip for skyline views — a free 58th-floor viewing platform in the City that most visitors don't know exists, so you'll dodge both the queues and the ticket price of the London Eye or The Shard. Seven Dials Market is a great one-stop for sampling a bit of everything without committing to a single restaurant. For something different after dark, book into The Top Secret Comedy Club for a proper night of stand-up, or head down into Cahoots Underground, a 1940s Tube-carriage-themed cocktail bar that's more fun than it has any right to be. Flight Club Bloomsbury turns darts into a genuinely great night out with mates, and Outernet London's giant wraparound screens near Tottenham Court Road are worth walking past even if you don't plan to stop. And for the classic London theatrics, Sketch's pink Gallery room for afternoon tea is as photographed as it is genuinely lovely. Don't let the free museums become an afterthought either — the British Museum, Tate Modern and National Gallery cost nothing to walk into and are genuinely world-class, so it's worth building in a couple of unhurried hours rather than a rushed one between other plans. Catching a West End show is worth doing even if theatre isn't usually your thing — same-day and day-of discount tickets are common through the TKTS booth in Leicester Square, so it doesn't have to be booked months out or at full price. And if you have a spare half-day, the boat or DLR out to Greenwich is a proper change of pace — the Cutty Sark, the Royal Observatory and the line marking the Greenwich Meridian sit above a park with one of the best skyline views of Canary Wharf and the City looking back.