Traveling London alone and on a budget tight budget?

Question

Am looking for info regarding cheap food and entertainment and also tips on areas to avoid as a woman (50YO) alone, like high crime areas, slums, etc...

Answer 1

First some budget and safety tips.

Holiday Inn Hotels are really good value and tend to include breakfast. You can have a really hearty meal and take some muffins etc out with you for lunch. Alternatively there are many Tesco Metro stores, Marks and Spencer Just Food and Boots where you can get a sandwich and a drink deal for a couple of pounds. Many Pizza and Chinese restraunts do a fixed price buffet also. If you want to see shows at the theatre try Lastminute.com they have tickets for a tenner and other special offers.

As for safety it's the same as all other large cities. Stay in the tourist areas in the evening and if you feel uncomfortable in a strange area, hail a cab. There are a few dodgy places south and east of central London but nothiing for you to worry about. Keep your money safe on your person in a money belt or neck purse.

Now for the nice part.

There's lots to see.and visit. Here's a brief list of the main attractions.

Palaces - Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Hampton Court Palace. All of these are open to visitors.

Museums and Galleries - Natural History Museum, Science Museum, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, The Tate and Tate Modern, British Museum, Imperial War Museum.

Famous Buildings and Monuments etc - The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, Whitehall and Downing Street, Clarence House, St James Palace, Tower of London, Trafalgar Square, Marble Arch, Monument, Tower Bridge, London Eye.

Churches - Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral, St Clement Dane, Temple Church, Saint Martin in the field.

There's such a lot to see I can't possibly list them all here. I'd recommend an Eyewitness Travel Guide as they're very comprehensive and include attractions, opening times, photos and maps.

Try the website for The Original London Walks as they do loads of guided tours around the city, They're very cheap and you can take Jack the Ripper, Harry Potter, The Da Vinci Code, Charles Dickens, Museum and Ghost walks. They are very good indeed and you get to see the places lots of tourists don't eve know about.

Travel by tube or bus, It's cheaper than by taxi and very convenient. You can get travel cards from your nearest tube station.

The main shopping streets are Oxford and Regent Street. You can try New Bond Street for Designer labels. Camden for alternative clothing. There's a big mall in Brent Cross also.

As for food, there are places to eat everywhere. China Town in Soho is good and Brick Lane for Indian Food in particular.

There are lots of public parks and green areas in London. I'd recommend lunch al fresco if it's fine.
Have fun.

Answer 2

Hi, Here's what I always pass along!
Wow...you're in for a treat! Wear good walking shoes because London is a superb walking city. Bring a good map of the city and begin. Be a happy tourist and first hop on one of the major red double decker tour buses which afford you a perfect overview of London and you can "hop on and off" as often as you please...some for two days! I love www.theoriginaltour.com ! Highlights (see www.londonwalks.com): National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, Tate Modern Museum, London Eye, Covent Gardens (great shops n restaurants), St. Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, see a play!, Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Tower of London.
Know London has many beautiful parks which can be your oasis when needing a rest. Kensington Gardens in one of the world's wealthiest areas - See Princess Di's Kensington Palace and shop Kensington High St. and wander up Church St. for boutiques and such. Nearby: Royal Albert Hall, Science Museum, Natural History Museum and Victoria & Albert Museum. Hyde Park connects to Kensington Gardens. Explore Chelsea for boutiques as well. St. James Park - beautiful, sole restaurant inside. Green Park - high tea at the Ritz, Fortnum & Mason, Picadilly Circus (think Times Square). Shopping streets: Oxford, Bond, check for weekly markets...BUY "TIMEOUT LONDON" weekly magazine. Boat trip on the Thames - a must. Don't forget - you can take the EUROSTAR Chunnel train to Brussels or Paris for day trips (2.5 hrs +/- each way!) Hope this helps. Have a fantastic time! :)

Answer 3

I go alone all the time, I save my money on food by buying take away sandwiches and drinks (they have them at all the Boot's chemists and Tesco food stores, to name a few) and picknicking in any of the many parks I find while exploring. Tiffinbitt's are good for quick Indian meals that are very affordable, and there are multiple locations. I am also a female who travels alone, and I always feel comfortable there--a great castle to check out is in Arundel, cute little town about an hour from London by direct train.

Answer 4

Hi,,, i went to college there.. and the food... hmmm it depends on what you want... there is a italian resturant in the Soho called the Spagettie factory,, its good and cheap.... try the fish and chips also...

Do most of your sightseeing during the daytime..but i had no problems at night.. except the taxis dont pick you up.....

Dont go to the South side of town.....

You will be ok,,ask questions at your hote..... check out the British Museum,,,, St Pauls ,, and Madam Tusaads wax museum,,

My rule of thumb.,,, most hotels have continental breakfast.... eat a huge breakfast.... light lunch,,, and have a good supper....

Good luck...