A solo trip to London gives you a new perspective on the world’s greatest city. Whether you’ve been there before with family, on a group tour, or never been at all, traveling by yourself can be an exciting way to really experience the city. Going solo allows you to venture off the usual tourist route, to experience things at your own pace, to see more and do more.
Traveling alone is not always easy, and it’s not for everyone, because you have to make all the decisions, including telling yourself to stop and take a rest. But it can be a rewarding adventure. These tips are designed to help you make the most out of your days in London whether you are on a week-long vacation or on your own for a day or two in the city. As with any solo adventure, be safe, be smart, make sure someone back home has your itinerary (just in case), check in with the folks back home when you arrive, and then go enjoy yourself. Here are 10 suggestions to get you started on planning and getting the most out of your solo trip to London.
1) Pre-plan
Do your research. You’re an Anglophile, so you’ve been compiling a list of the things you want to see…places you’ve read about in a novel or seen in a movie. As you compile your list you might even discover a theme starting to emerge and you can build on that. Decide what time of year you want to go. Every season has its charm. For me, November is an ideal time to visit London. Good weather, few tourists, lower rates, flowers still blooming, and the holiday season is just beginning. Before you decide, check an online London events calendar so you can include a special event in your trip. Where else in the world would you be able to celebrate Guy Fawkes Day or thrill to the military pageantry of the queen’s official birthday? Be aware of bank holidays (usually a Monday) when some places will be closed, or mid-term school holidays, when the city can be especially crowded with tourists. If pre-planning sounds too much like work, consider how much you’ll appreciate your homework when you wake up in London feeling confident about what you’ll be doing that day!
2) Schedule your days
Make a day-by-day itinerary. Write it down with addresses and details. This lets you avoid the disappointment of arriving somewhere to find that it isn’t open that day! Group that day’s to-see /to-do items together within a general area so you can maximize your time and energy. For example, if your list of things to see includes a visit the British Museum and Charles Dickens’s house, see them on the same day, as they’re within walking distance. All that being said, stay flexible and pace yourself. It’s only you that you have to please! If possible, schedule a weekend into your visit. Saturday morning is the day to go to Portobello Market in Notting Hill or to eat your way through Borough Market in Southwark. Enjoy a slower-paced Sunday. Take a walk through St. James’s Park, or attend a service at St. Paul’s Cathedral or Westminster Abbey and experience them as the houses of worship that they are, instead of tourist destinations. Have a schedule and make sure you allow yourself to take advantage of opportunities. Also take some time to just sit and watch London live.
3) Build in planned events
Give your days some structure with scheduled events. This might be a play, a concert, or a reserved viewing time for a museum or galley exhibition. Reserve you tickets online for pick up when you arrive. Another way to add structure is by taking a walking tour. The tour company, London Walks®, offers walking tours of approximately 1-1/2 to 2 hours in length that are devoted to specific topics, including some evening pub walks. Most tours are offered on two different days during the week and no reservation is required. You just meet the guide at the appointed spot, pay a small fee and off you go. Walking tours are a good way to see a part of the city you might never go and to meet people from around the world who share your interests in London. A short tour can be a good cure for a twinge of loneliness. It’s always good to keep a tour company’s brochure with you so you can take advantage of a tour if you find yourself in the area with some extra time.
4) Choose your home base
Decide where you want to “live” during your stay. London is a city of neighborhoods, so find a hotel in one that suits your needs. In addition to price, consider what’s important to you: security, a central location, amenities? For a stay of a week or longer you might want to consider a short-stay apartment or a smaller neighborhood hotel. This will become your home in London, so look for something with convenient access to public transportation and lots of eating options nearby. Tour the area on Google Maps. My hotel choice is always close to the Tube, a bit off the main thoroughfare, small, and with a grocery store just around the corner.
5) Dress business casual
London is a working city. Dress like you’re on your way back to the office and you’ll be properly dressed for any situation. And, you’ll get better service. Yes, this works! Dress for comfort with a bit of flair. London is also a stylish city. Pull together some basic, interchangeable pieces (think layers for the weather and for versatility), good walking shoes (not athletic shoes), and make a wardrobe list for each day. Having a list allows you to think through your choices and pack the bare minimum with the maximum convenience. Again, less travel stress on you!
6) Get going!
Buy an Oyster card travelcard for getting around on public transportation! Do it. You’ll save time, money and frustration. Some Tube stations don’t have attendants and some bus routes no longer accept cash payment for fares. Arm yourself with a good street map in book form. This is indispensable for both pre-planning and exploring after you arrive. My recommendation is The London Mapguide published by Penguin. Why a map book instead of your trusty smartphone? Because your phone will get you from point to point, but wandering lets you see more. Get your face out of the screen, look around, you’re in London! Familiarize yourself with the Tube map and learn some basic bus routes and you’re good to go. Also, London is an extremely walkable city and it is sometimes faster to walk than to take the Tube. If you’re new to London, take a bus tour to get orientated. It’s a useful thing to do on arrival day when you’re a bit jet-lagged.
7) Live on a cash basis
London is pricey. When you’re trying to figure out the conversion rate and have the convenience of using a debit card, it is easy to go over budget. For me at least, cash gives me better control over my spending. Only bigger purchases go on the credit card and the debit card is reserved for cash withdrawals. VISA and MasterCard are the credit cards of choice in London. Remember to notify your issuing credit card company or bank that you’ll be using your debit and credit card in the UK before you go! Get enough “walking around” cash for two or three days at a time from an ATM instead of using your debit card for everyday expenses. Your debit card should work at any ATM without a problem. And ATMs are everywhere, so stick with a major financial institution like NatWest, Barclays or HSBC. There are no additional fees at most ATMs in train stations, but your bank may charge a hefty fee for each transaction. You already know this, but it bears repeating: Don’t put your money or bank cards all in one place, like your wallet.
8) Plan a day trip outside the city
City life and traveling alone can wear you down. Recharge mid-trip by getting out of the city for a day. There are numerous tour companies offering day trips to places like Stonehenge, Stratford-on-Avon, Oxford, or Bath. Or go by yourself by train or motor coach and wander on your own. Leave in the morning and you can be back in London for tea. Traveling outside of London is fairly easy with an efficient railway system linking many towns. Take a trip to the countryside, even if it is just a visit to the rolling hills of Hampstead Heath, a trip to Hampton Court, or taking a water taxi (not the tourist river tour) to Greenwich for the day. It’s a great refresher.
9) Eat cheap
You can eat cheap without ever setting foot in an American burger chain. Plus, going solo you won’t feel compelled to have a sit-down meal three times a day. Eat when you want, where you want. London has lots of affordable dining options. The Café in the Crypt at St Martin’s in the Fields is my go-to place for lunch or tea when I’m near Trafalgar Square. Many places have take away (carry out) and most grocery stores offer prepared foods to go. Stake out the local pub and eat at the bar. Dine at a museum café. Make lunch your big meal of the day and you’ll save money. Buy fresh fruit at a street market and some snacks from a grocer or chemist for your hotel room and you’re all set. Most hotel rooms will have an electric kettle for heating water. Travel with your favorite tea and some packets of gourmet instant coffee for a quick start to a busy day.
10) Give yourself a catch-up day
While in London you’ll undoubtedly discover new places you want to visit. Write them down, including the address. Toward the end of your trip give yourself a day (or maybe two) to do the things you’ve added to your list. By this point in your trip you’ll know what state your travel budget’s in, so this is the time to shop or to splurge, perhaps on dinner at that elegant restaurant you spotted. Wasn’t Simpson’s in the Strand Sherlock Holmes’s favorite place to dine?
Here’s a bonus tip – Make a list of things to do NEXT time
Once is never enough. London has always been a fascinating, vibrant, multi-cultural city. It is rich in history, literature, architecture, art, culture, music, food. It sets trends, it changes, and yet some things never change. Once you’ve experienced it, you want more. Go back, alone or with someone, and experience London again.
J.C. Warrington is a writer and avid solo traveler living in Richmond, Virginia.
PHOTOS by J.C. Warrington
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I’ve been to London, on my own, many times. It’s actually a great city to travel solo. A few things I would add to the list. If you go to a pub and want to have a casual conversation with somebody, sit at the bar. That’s one of the few places in English society, where strangers feel comfortable enough to do that. The farther away from the bar you sit sends the message you want to be on your own.
The other thing I would suggest is renting a small apartment. There are quite a lot of apartment hotels that have cropped up int he last few years that have rooms with a small kitchenette in them. They are a little more expensive but you save a lot if you eat many of your meals in. It also gives you a feel of what living in London is like. You can also live in an actual residence by booking through Airbnb, either a whole flat to yourself, or a room in the home of a Londoner.
I’ve found the British reserved but friendly for the most part. If you ask for directions, when lost, they’re pretty helpful. Also, if you need to know where the nearest supermarket, grocery store or chemist is (drug store) they’ll point you in the right direction and often give you tips on the best one.
There are some great books out there on eating cheap in London as well as ways to find quiet spaces in a very busy city. I agree with the author, do your research ahead of time and see what’s open and plan accordingly. A big thrill is to to see Buckingham Palace when the state rooms are open in late August to early October when the Queen is in Scotland on holiday. The same with some of the stately homes of Britain, many of which are a short train ride outside the city.
This article came up at exactly the right time. I’m making my first ever trip to London in October, and it will be a solo trip. If anyone has any additional suggestions, please add them to this page.
Excellent tips! Most of my time in London has been on my own, and this tends to be how I travel too — particularly, planning ahead of time so I know opening and closing times, available tours, etc. This gives you options with flexibility, since with things like London Walks you don’t have to pay or make reservations ahead of time, so if you find yourself wanting to change your plans, you can simply rearrange things to suit yourself. On the other hands, it can be fun to plan a big splurge or two for a trip. Mine have included a chocolate tour, going to see Guys and Dolls, and the Pret-a-Portea at the Berkeley Hotel. The last was expensive, but my reservation was at 4:30 so I considered it dinner, and they not only included a savory course as well as the sandwiches, scones and sweets, but they also encouraged you to have extras of things you particularly liked, and packed up leftovers in a stylish to-go box. It was a real treat.
Another tip for eating cheap is that you can buy more than snacks at the chemist or grocery store — there are some excellent meals available. I’ve had really inexpensive lunch deals from Boots, and sometimes I pick up salads, sandwiches or main courses from the grocer for dinner.
This is just brilliant, the best advice I have ever read for a solo London trip. The reason I say this is, that practically every single suggestion you have given, I have already done. Of my 16 trips to London, seven have been solo and fabulous . Every single thing you suggest is spot on, as the Brits would say . Always have a day out of London. I have seen all of those close locations on day trips, except Cambridge and that is on the list. I rent a flat or stay at a central hotel. I alternate between neighborhoods, Kensington, Knightsbridge, Westminster and lately East London. I buy groceries at M&S or one of the other ready to take away meals. I eat constantly at The Café Crypt. I stroll the Borough Market and attend evensong at St. Paul’s and Westminster and other churches. I watch TV news, read the papers, talk to people in the parks and window shop. I go to my favorite pub once each trip for Fish and Chips with mushy peas. I walk and walk until I cannot walk anymore and have to rest. And on and on and on. You are making me homesick for London. I just want to pack and head off again. I am never lonely and enjoy each and every day, some planned , some not so much . Standing outside the National Portrait Gallery to see Duchess Kate was not planned but what fun it was, followed by a candlelight concert at St. Martin in the Fields. On that occasion I just missed George Clooney around the corner in Leicester Square but I can live with that! As a woman alone in a huge city I feel very safe. I don’t take foolish chances but I also do not allow the fact that I am a woman alone to slow me down . I met a whole group of British men after the Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Cenotaph and they were astonished that I was over there on my own, thought I was very brave and said they were scared to death of London & only came in groups – so funny and such a fun experience meeting them and chatting. The British take Armistice Day very seriously and honor their fallen so movingly. It is a wonderful ceremony to experience in November. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this city and will want to visit it until the day I die.
Hi Maureen,
Thanks for the post. I am planning my first ever trip to London in August for about 10 days with my teenager daughter. Would request you to suggest an itinerary for the first-time visitor. Where to stay, places to see etc.We do not like package tours but like to explore places on our own.
Thanks
Such
SK I just sent you a very long response with itinerary but it appears to have disappeared! Can you respond and let me know if you got it? I’m not sure what happened to it.
This is great advice! I’ve been four times to London on solo trips and have done all of the things that are recommended. I’ve stayed at the same hotel, near Paddington Station, each time and consider it my London neighborhood. I know how to use the public transport in the area, how to walk through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens to get to things I want to see. Each time I go I plan the trip. But I also will scrap a day’s plan in an instant if it’s a gorgeous weather day and I just want to walk the parks and people watch. I’ve found people in London very friendly for women traveling alone. I don’t think I would have enjoyed the city nearly as much if I’d have traveled with a group. One thing I would highly recommend is a boat trip up the Thames to Greenwich. I had a fabulous outing on my last trip. Also, I balance out the cost of a London Pass compared to individual tickets to see the items that are on the list and most always get the Pass for at least part of the stay. I’ve also gotten a Transport Package each time so that I can ride the buses and underground for at least 6 of the days I’m there. If you’re planning on a day trip out, I would suggest not combining too many things into one day. On my last trip I did a day trip on a bus that combined Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Bath. There was way too much time on the bus and I wish I would have just done two of them and given myself a full day in Bath or perhaps overnight. Great advice!
Hi, I loved your article. I just bought myself a solo flight ticket to London. This will be my first time traveling to London and first as a solo girl to another country. I am from Ohio, USA. What hotel did you stay in near the Paddington area? I’m trying to find safe hotels. Thanks for any advice.
I went solo this June and had the time of my life. It was the best thing I’ve ever done for myself. I have always been fascinated by London and a 10 day trip wasn’t enough. I wouldn’t be surprised if someday I ended up living there. With all that said I’ll share my journey, maybe you’ll find something that helps.
So I’m a 30 yr old female and felt very very safe. I stayed in the Generator Hostel which is central near the Russell Sq and Kings Court Tubes. I can’t say enough good things about this hostel. The staff was excellent and it’s was fun hanging out with guests from all over the world. It was great to be there alone for the fact that it had a fun bar and being alone it prob wasn’t safe to walk home after dark with a buzz. Also if I had stayed in a hotel I wouldn’t have met such cool people. I made several Facebook friends and it’s fun to see what there up to.
I went to Stonehenge during the summer Solstice. It was amazing! One weekend in June u get to party with 20-30000 people Inside the stones. Totally free and sans fence. Totally epic.
I got lost- a lot! Soon my mantra was I’m not lost I’m just misplaced. But without getting lost I would never have seen cool little cobble streets in Kensinton. Speaking of Kensington if your a fellow Whovian go to Earls Court St. and find a real blue police box. I waited but The Doctor never showed 😉
I really had bad luck with food. I would like a redo on that one. The time change was a bit extreme for me personally, so everything I ate didn’t taste good. Oh and watch out for musterd. Maybe it’s cause I’m American, but I’m a total condiment whore and poured yellow mustard all over this [expensive] burger. It was the hottest grossest mustard ever. So hot I compared it to Lucifers piss. Needless to say the £10 burger was ruined. Bring a jar of peanut butter if your picky.
London museum was cool and free. (Small donation expected).
Camden Town Market was fun actually I went back twice. Lots of Punk and rockabilly shops plus a flea market like tent city where I could “dickker” but don’t do that in the shops just the tent town.
Day trip to France I could have lived with out. If Id had a friend it would have been better. But I know no French and felt very alone and couldn’t wait to get back to my London.
Walk along the Themes after walking around the Tower of London. Didn’t go in but I wanted to save stuff for next time. Same with Abby road – missed it but there’s next time.
Do the tube. It’s very intimidating at first but you’ll get the hang of it. Bus is also great bc you can actually see the nethhborhoods.
Do it. Just go. Save your money it’s really expensive. But if u live off beer and chip like I did you’ll saw a lot of money. The nicest people you’ll ever meet and never want to forget.
That’s my trip in a nutshell. Thanks for reading
Well I thought I was the only one who liked London so much they would go there solo. I’ve done it twice and enjoyed it so much both times. I have also followed just about all these tips except I still use my credit card more than cash. I am a Tudorphile so my visits are centered around that theme. Both times my budget priced hotel was within walking distance of a Tesco (purely by chance), where I bought snacks, drinks and Badedas shower gel (since the hotel provided only tiny bars of soap). The Oyster card was so convenient for traveling around the city, but I agree sometimes walking can be more efficient.
I find that traveling solo I don’t eat as much because I’m so busy with sightseeing and also don’t like to eat alone in restaurants (but I’ll try Cafe in the Crypt based on these comments). I eat a good breakfast at the hotel and I am good until dinnertime or later. I think it’s the adrenaline of the city that keeps me going!
My splurge on my last trip was seeing the plays Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies back to back at the Aldwych Theatre, and getting a photo taken with Nathaniel Parker who played Henry VIII. Reading all the comments here has made me miss London all over again, can’t wait to go back!
Maureen has it right! I would also like to highly recommend London Walks. Some of the best times, before I have even arrived in London, have been trolling through their website and reading all about their tours. They also do day trips out of London. I can recommend them also. Very well run, time efficient and affordable.
Also try the crypt restaurant at St. Paul’s Cathedral!
I have traveled alone to London over ten times now and think it is best place in the world for solo travel. I completely second the use of Penguin’s London Mapguide, which is my bible when I’m there (I have a smartphone but still rely heavily on this Michael Middleditch mapguide) and I also suggest using pubs as not only a great place to meeting people, but also as a relatively inexpensive way to eat. I usually eat most of my meals in pubs and that keeps the price of the trip down, while also providing some socialization and great London history.
Great advice! I was in London a month ago for the first time, also travelling solo. Can’t wait to get back though. What I do in the meantime: all the places I ‘forgot’, didn’t have time for or which I discover(ed) after my last trip, I save them on Google Maps. Those places will appear as yellow stars the next time you view London on Maps and when I go back, I hope it will help me make my itinerary. (I just added Café in the Crypt!)
Brilliant article, lots of good tips and at the right time: I’m gonna be in London in 20 days and I’m gonna be there on my own. Also enjoyed all the comments from girls travelling there alone, I was a bit worried about that but now I’m kinda relieved. I’m Italian, it’ll be a nice chance to practice and improve my English. Ah I just can’t wait cos I love London so much and I’m so excited to be back there!
I adore traveling alone in London. One additional tip I’d add if it’s your first trip: things take longer than you might plan, so keep your schedule reasonably loose – you won’t make it through the National Portrait Gallery or the V&A or the Tower or most other destinations in an hour or two, at least not if you want to take your time and really investigate and enjoy them. The suggestions to plan things in proximity to each other and to keep a day or two free for things you miss or want to revisit are great ones.
I have been to London on my own at least a dozen times; only a couple of times with friends. My last trip was last year, and it really might be my last: London is not very English anymore, I find. And that is very sad. I live in New York City, and I see different-looking people every minute of the day, and I love that, but in London I didn’t see all that many English people…in fact, I even took the train to Oxford for a week’s stay and I was the only person in my train car who spoke English! Did not hear a word of it spoken by anyone else until I got to Oxford for my summer school course. As for London advice: it’s always farther than it looks on the A to Zed maps, it always takes longer than you think it will, and it always costs more than you think it will. Oh, and do try the packaged sandwiches at Marks & Spencer: fresh, tasty and inexpensive.
I’m about to take my second trip to London, and I can hardly wait. It will be somewhat different, as it’s been a good 30 years since the last time I was there. The London Eye didn’t exist, there were no Oyster cards (just those little tickets), and the skyline is different now, but it’s still going to be fantastic. I’m visiting family like I did before, so I’ll get to stay in a house and not a hotel. I’ve missed England so much!
One thing I found handy when planning my trip was this link: http://www.wetooktheroadlesstraveled.com/2014/02/create-cutsom-itinerary-map-with-google-maps.html
It gives you very good instructions on how to make a Google itinerary map. You can see just where things are in relation to each other. I did one for London and another for Cardiff, as I’ll be spending some time there too. Since I’m avoiding the obvious tourist things this time and things that I already did, I have marked a lot of shops and pubs and restaurants I’d like to visit (including Cafe in the Crypt mentioned in the post).
Besides Wales, which I’m very excited about, I’ve planned a quick jaunt up to Inverness on the Caledonian Sleeper to visit Loch Ness (two bucket list things in one!). It’s worth it to get out of the city. Last time, my family members took me to Wiltshire to see Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral, and Avebury, and also Brighton as well. This time I’d like to go see the White Cliffs of Dover.
Oh, there’s so much loveliness there. You better believe I won’t be waiting as long to go back again. I’m going to scour this post for tips as people add comments. I’ll have so many itineraries I’ll have to plan a yearly trip. 😀
Thanks for all the information. I have been reading lots of websites that talk about all the pickpockets. I was scared to travel by myself. You all have made me feel a lot better.