Make the most out of your London Pass
Whether you are a first time visitor to London or you’ve been before but haven’t managed to see some of the more popular attractions and landmarks then the London Pass might be the perfect choice for you. London is a very popular place for people to visit, and literally millions of tourists pass through the city each year. There is a whole variety of exciting things to do and places to go, and you can find everything from rich history to unique landmarks.
The London Pass is basically a sightseeing city pass which gives you either free access to over 60 of London’s greatest attractions. You can choose the length of time you want the pass to be valid for, starting at one day passes and going up, and you get a greater discount on the overall cost of the card the longer you plan to use it. Of course the whole idea is that the London Pass saves you money, so the more attractions you see the greater the saving you can make. The trick with using the pass is to find a balance between making sure you really get to see your chosen attractions and not just rush around them and making sure you use your pass enough that it saves you money in the long run.
Once you’ve purchased the pass you just need to show your card at the ticket office or entrance of the attraction and you will be allowed in. There are also additional benefits to having the London Pass such as Fast Track Entry at some of the city’s most popular attractions such as the Tower of London, London Zoo and Kensington Palace. This can be key if you want to cram as much as is feasibly possible into your day out as you can skip the queues of tourists at the ticket office and head straight into the attraction.
We believe it is entirely possible to get your money’s worth, whether you’ve got one day or four days to get around London and do some serious sightseeing. If you only have one day you are going to want to commit at least 2 hours to each attraction to make sure you get the most out of your time inside; perhaps upping this to 3-4 hours if you have younger children who aren’t able to walk around as fast and who would benefit from longer and more frequent break times. If you booked a central London hotel like the Shaftesbury Hyde Park International you would be well placed to step out of your hotel’s front door first thing and immediately make use of your pass.
Likewise staying somewhere such as the Shaftesbury Hotel Hyde Park means that wherever you finish up, you will only be a short tube ride journey away from that comfortable bed where you can relax after your busy day spent exploring.
But with over 60 popular attractions to choose from, how on earth do you whittle it down to a realistic amount to visit? Especially if you want to make sure you are getting the most out of your London Pass? Here are our top 4 suggestions of must visit places when you plump for the London Pass:-
The Tower of London
Undoubtedly this is one of London’s best attractions and also one of the most popular. For that reason we would suggest heading here first thing when it opens at 10am. Aside from the security checks which all visitors must go through you will be able to use your pass to fast track through the queues and get inside quickly. The most frequented attraction within the Tower is the Crown Jewels and by lunchtime you will often find the queue to be out of the door so head there first if you don’t want to be jostling for a glimpse of the Queen’s crown. The Tower of London has one of the most diverse and unique histories and is a special place indeed to visit. You could easily spend the entire day here and have only just scratched the surface but even with 2 or 3 hours you can get a lot done and it’s well worth starting your day off here.
Tower Bridge
Just a short walk away from the Tower of London is another of the city’s iconic landmarks; Tower Bridge. Your London Pass will let you explore the Tower Bridge Exhibition where you can discover the history of the Bridge, how it was built and its significant throughout the ages as well as allowing you access to the Glass Floor walkway, the Tower Bridge’s newest addition. Not only that but you will get to experience a panoramic view across the River Thames and London’s skyline.
Westminster Abbey
This stunning Abbey is situated next to the Houses of Parliament and is, in actual fact, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the stained glass windows to the Gothic stone work and everything in between, this is a beautiful building which will leave you speechless. Perfect for those with an interest in the Royal Family; this was the location of Kate and Wills wedding and has also been the place in which every British monarch has been crowned since the 11th century.
Kensington Palace
Rounding off your day at Kensington Palace will put you within walking distance of your Hyde Park hotel so is a great choice. This beautiful palace is the official London residence of William and Kate and has been a home to the Royals since the 17th century. It was the childhood home of Queen Victoria and there is a wonderful exhibition documenting her life here. The Orangery is also worth visiting in its own right; another great London landmark.
