England

London is one of the easiest big cities to visit, and I keep ending up there. I stopped over in September 2023 and again in September 2025, on my way between Sardinia and Amsterdam. It is huge, fast and rewards a few unhurried days on foot.

What I did

• Used London as a hub between Europe and the US, with an overnight stop in September 2023.

• Spent a few days there in September 2025 after Sardinia, before heading on to Amsterdam.

• Got around mostly by Tube and on foot, which is the best way to see how the neighborhoods connect.

Where to stay

• Shoreditch and Spitalfields: best for food, markets and nightlife.

• Soho and Covent Garden: the most central option if you want to walk to everything.

• South Bank: great for river walks and easy Tube access.

• Notting Hill and Marylebone: prettier, quieter streets with good cafes.

Getting there and around

• Heathrow: the Elizabeth line or the Piccadilly line on the Tube. The Heathrow Express to Paddington is the fastest.

• Gatwick: the Gatwick Express to Victoria or Thameslink to London Bridge, about 30 minutes.

• In the city: the Tube, buses and the Elizabeth line cover everything. Tap in with a contactless card or phone.

• Between cities: trains are fast and frequent to Oxford, Bath and beyond.

What to eat

• Full English breakfast.

• Fish and chips.

• A Sunday roast with Yorkshire pudding in a proper pub.

• Pie and mash.

• A curry on Brick Lane.

What to drink

• Beer: real ale at a proper pub, ideally a hand-pulled pint of bitter. London also has a great craft scene, and the Bermondsey Beer Mile is an easy afternoon.

• Wine: English sparkling wine from Kent, Sussex and Surrey is genuinely good. Denbies near Dorking is a simple train day trip from London.

• Cocktails: a Pimm's Cup in summer, a gin and tonic anywhere, and some of the best cocktail bars in Europe in Soho and Shoreditch.

• Spirits: London dry gin, with distillery tours across the city.

• Tea: a proper pot of English breakfast tea, and a flat white from the strong specialty coffee scene.

Don't miss

• A South Bank walk from Westminster to Tower Bridge, with Borough Market on the way.

• The British Museum and the National Gallery, both free.

• Sky Garden for the skyline. It is free, but book ahead.

• Columbia Road flower market and Brick Lane on a Sunday.

• A West End show.

Day trips and side trips

• Oxford, an easy train ride out.

• Bath and Stonehenge.

• The Cotswolds villages.

Festivals and events

• Glastonbury: Somerset, usually in late June. The biggest music festival in the UK.

• Creamfields: Daresbury, Cheshire, usually in late August. The UK's biggest dance and electronic festival, with house, techno and EDM across huge stages.

• Notting Hill Carnival: west London, usually on the late August bank holiday weekend. Huge Caribbean street party with sound systems and costumes.

• Reading and Leeds: usually in late August. Big rock, indie and pop lineups at two sites.

• Boomtown: near Winchester, usually in August. A festival built like a themed city, with lots of electronic and dance music.

• Parklife: Manchester, usually in June. Big city festival with dance, hip hop and pop.

• Isle of Wight Festival: usually in June. Classic rock and pop on the island.

• Wimbledon: southwest London, usually in late June and July. Queue for grounds tickets if you want the full experience.

• Chelsea Flower Show: London, usually in May. Gardens as art.

• Trooping the Colour: London, usually in June. The King's birthday parade.

• Bonfire Night: across the country, November 5. Fireworks and bonfires.

• New Year's Eve fireworks: London, December 31. Over the Thames, and ticketed, so plan ahead.

Music and dance

• Rock, pop and indie: London has legendary venues like the O2, Brixton Academy and small rooms across Camden and Shoreditch.

• Electronic and club music: London is a major house, techno, drum and bass and garage city. Fabric and Printworks-style warehouse nights are the reference points for the scene.

• West End musicals: the easiest big live show to book, and a classic night out.

• Pub live music: folk, jazz and covers bands in pubs most nights.

• Dancing: London has salsa, swing and ceilidh nights in pubs and community halls, and dance classes at studios across the city. Clubs in Soho, Shoreditch and Camden run late.

Photography spots

• Tower Bridge: blue hour from the South Bank.

• Sky Garden: the skyline at sunset.

• Notting Hill: pastel houses in soft morning light.

• Drones: registration is required, and central London and many heritage sites are restricted.

My experience

London was a stopover city for me, never a long stay, and that suits it. You can do a lot in a few days if you stay central and walk. I would recommend it to anyone building a trip through Europe who wants one big, easy city on the route.

Cost of living

• Overall: London and Manchester: $$$$, about as expensive as New York. London is the priciest, and Manchester and Bristol are cheaper.

• Coffee: about $5

• Local lunch: about $15

• Dinner for two at a nice restaurant: about $140

• Beer or cocktail: about $8 / $17

• Ride across town: about $20

• Mid-range hotel: about $250 a night

• Furnished one-bedroom in a good area: about $3,300 a month in London's Shoreditch, $1,900 in Manchester's Northern Quarter

• Daily budget: about $120 budget, $250 comfortable, $500+ luxury in London, roughly 25% less in Manchester

London is expensive, but it does not have to be ruinous. Transit, pub lunches and the free museums keep the daily number manageable, and accommodation is the real cost. Prices are approximate in US dollars as of 2026.

Working remotely

• Wi-Fi: Fast and dependable almost everywhere, with fiber common in apartments and hotels and free Wi-Fi in most cafes.

• Coworking and cafes: London is the obvious base, with Second Home in Spitalfields and Huckletree plus cafes across Shoreditch, Hackney and Clerkenwell. Manchester has a strong tech scene and lower costs, and Bristol is a friendly, cheaper pick.

• Time zone: UTC+0, 5 hours ahead of US Eastern (4 hours for a few weeks in March and late October when daylight saving dates differ).

• Visa for longer stays: US citizens can visit for up to 6 months, and now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travel. There is no digital nomad visa. Check current rules.

• Nomad rating: 3 out of 5. Excellent internet and community, held back by the cost.

Good to know

• Language: English.

• Currency: British pound. Contactless works everywhere, including the Tube, so you rarely need cash.

• Plugs: Type G, three square pins, 230V. You need an adapter.

• Entry for US citizens: No visa for tourism, but the UK requires an Electronic Travel Authorisation before you fly. Check current rules.

• Best time to visit: May to September.

• Getting around: The Tube and Elizabeth line are fast. Uber, Bolt and FreeNow all work.

• Apps: Uber, Bolt and FreeNow for rides. Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat for food.

• SIM/eSIM: An eSIM from Airalo or Holafly is the easy route. Local prepaid is available from EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three. EU roaming plans do not always cover the UK.

• Water: Tap water is safe to drink.

• Tipping: 10 to 12.5 percent at sit-down restaurants, often added to the bill as a service charge. Not expected at the bar in a pub.

Useful phrases

No translation needed in England. A few useful words: cheers means thanks, the bill is the check, and mind the gap is the Tube announcement you will hear everywhere.

Nightlife

London nightlife starts in a pub and goes from there. The pint after work is a ritual, and from there the night can turn into a gig, a club or just a long conversation. Compared with the US, pubs close earlier, but the clubs and live music scene are among the best in the world.

• When people go out: Pubs are busy from after work around 5 pm and traditionally close around 11 pm. Clubs run from about 11 pm to 3 or 4 am, and Friday and Saturday are the big nights.

• Where the action is: In London, Shoreditch and Hackney are best for bars, clubs and live music, Soho is the classic West End night, and Camden and Brixton are good for gigs and DJs.

• The music: Everything from garage, grime and house to indie bands, jazz and pub sing alongs.

• Good to know: Central London drinks cost more than the rest of the country, and clubs often have a door policy and cover that varies widely. Dress smart casual and skip sportswear at the pricier places. The Tube runs all night on key lines on weekends. Use a licensed taxi or Uber, never a street minicab tout.

Meeting people

• Social scene: London is huge and people keep to themselves on public transport, but they open up in pubs, at run clubs and at coworking spaces. Shoreditch, Clapham and Camden are good areas for meeting people.

• Apps: Hinge, Bumble, Tinder and Meetup are the most common, and Bumble BFF and Facebook groups work for making friends.

• Etiquette: A handshake or a simple hello is normal. Punctuality matters, plans are often made a week ahead, and rounds of drinks or splitting the bill are both common.

• Stay smart: Meet new people in public places, keep an eye on your drink in crowded bars, and keep your phone out of sight near busy stations.

Staying safe

• Phone snatching from passing bikes happens in central London. Keep your phone away from the curb.

• Watch your pockets in crowded tourist areas and on busy Tube lines.

• Look right when crossing the road, since traffic drives on the left.