Flights to London

London is the largest city and the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It is located on the banks of the River Thames at the head of its 80 km estuary that leads to the North Sea. The etymology of the name is essentially derived from a word attested in Latinised form as ‘Londinium’ in the first century AD. 

The City of London, colloquially called the Square Mile is the ancient historic core of the area of the Greater London Metropolis and still has boundaries that follow the limits of medieval times as it is just 2.9 square km. It is considered to be one of the most important global cities and has also been called the most powerful, influential, desirable, expensive, investment-friendly, sustainable, innovative, and popular-for-work city of the world. It is one of the biggest financial centres and is also the most visited city in terms of international arrivals along with having the busiest airport city system in terms of passenger traffic. The city has a very diverse variety of cultures and people and over 300 languages are spoken in the area. 

Tip: The city has a temperate oceanic climate and receives a significant amount of rainfall during the year so travelers are advised to prepare accordingly.

History of London 

London has a history that spans over 2000 years and has withstood civil war, plague, aerial bombardment, riots, terrorist attacks, and devastating fires. The credit for establishing the city of ‘Londinium’ as the first permanent establishment goes to the Romans who invaded Britain in 43 AD which grew because the largest Roman ships could reach this port city. The importance of the city as a port, however, ensured that the city would have a comeback. In the 1040s, London became a royal city after the conversion of a small monastery church into Westminster Abbey by King Edward the Confessor who later was named a Saint. 

The Great Fire of 1666 led to the rebuilding of the city after which colonization finally built the British Empire in the 18^th century. The city in the 20^th century saw the two world wars of which monuments remain as reminders of the loves lost. The cosmopolitan London of this new century with post-war immigrants is a multicultural and vibrant city with a rich heritage and history.

The London flight details and airport

London has six major airports London City (LCY), London Heathrow (LHR), London Gatwick (LGW), London Luton (LTN), London Southend (SEN), and London Stansted Airport (STN) which are at a distance of 14 km, 26 km, 45 km, 55 km, 63 km, and 64 km respectively from the city center. Gatwick is said to the best airport to fly into, Heathrow is the gate to the world for UK, London City is smaller in size but efficient and easy, Stansted is the hub for budget airlines, Southend is the smallest and most difficult to reach, and Luton has cheap flights but not the best reputation.

It is the world’s busiest airport system measured by passenger numbers and the second in the world in terms of aircraft movements. Over 60% of the air traffic of the United Kingdom is handled by the London airports and cheap flights to London are available from 14 domestic airports and 396 international airports. Various flights to London are offered by American Airlines, Air Canada, Air France, Etihad Airways, China Southern Airlines, British Midland International Airways, Air India, Jet Airways, and Air China.

Transportation in London

London has one of the largest urban transportation networks in the world, with a very well integrated bus, road, and river systems across the 32 boroughs of the city. The London Underground ‘Tube’ of getting around in the city along with the Overground train network that can be used to travel beyond the Tube is the de facto method for most visitors as there are Underground and Overground Stations within walking distance of most hotels. The famous frequent red buses of London are a great way to understand routes and more can be seen from their iconic top decks than from the underground Tube. There is the option of travel by river bus services and avoid traffic while getting incredible views of the city. One can also utilize the London trams, or the public bicycle hires scheme, or the taxis i.e. the iconic black cabs and the local minicabs. There is also the Emirates Air Line cable car for views over East London and Greenwich, including Cutty Sark, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, and The O2. 

Tip: Travelers can get a Visitor’s Oyster card through which they easily and efficiently pay for journeys on all the public transportations.

The best to see and do in London

London is one of those cities that has something for everyone; history enthusiasts will enjoy the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Churchill War Rooms and Westminster Abbey, theatre and art buffs will delight in the National Gallery and the West End Theatre District, and nature lovers can go visit Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. There are also the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Natural History Museum that are a must-visit for all. For those interested in grand architecture, the Houses of Parliament and St. Paul Cathedrals are the best places to admire the imposing grandeur of these old buildings that survived the Great Fire and the bombings in World War II. An extremely popular and well-known attraction of the city, the London Eye offers both a thrilling ride along with an unrivaled bird’s eye. 

For shopping, Camden Market and the Portobello Road Market are the most excellent places to go to. The former is a market comprised of over 200 stalls sprawled across multiple markets in the neighborhood selling everything from fashion to furniture to lots of food; while the latter is full of all kinds of merchants selling an assortment of flea market items like antiques, art, and jewelry. There are also several specific tours like the Liquid History tour that lets travelers immerse themselves in the pub culture of the English or the London Food Tour that takes you to the most classic culinary scenes of London like tea at Harrods or going to a chippy (a fish and chips store).

Then there is also the Piccadilly Circus which is the gateway to the buzzy world of London’s West End and a lively and exciting nightlife filled with bar and club hopping. There are several other places also that travelers must not miss out on like Soho, Hampstead Heath, the Thames cruise, Baker Street, Big Ben, The O2, Brick lane, Chinatown, Leicester Square and King’s Cross Station where one can visit Platform 9 ¾ from the Harry Potter World.

Tip: It is recommended that you stay for a minimum of 4 days in London to fully experience the city.

To fully experience all the innumerable sights and sounds of London, rather than spending hours on the internet researching all the attractions, tours, and direct flights to London, go for the Trip.com app which is a one-stop-shop for guaranteeing that you get the trip of your dreams with guaranteed bookings on flights, hotels, package tours, a safe portal for payments, a destination list that covers all the must-see destinations, sightseeing information, public transportation information and bookings and 24x 7 global support anywhere in the world.