How much do airport layovers frustrate you? Yes, me too. But sometimes they simply can’t be avoided and you have to find things to do to avoid being completely bored out of your brain.
Whether you’ve got a layover of around 8 hours or you are having to stay overnight. Perhaps at the Park Grand London Heathrow – it is unlikely you will want to sit around the airport waiting. You’ll want to get out and do things so here is my guide to seeing London on a long Heathrow layover.
London is pretty easy to access from Heathrow Airport . You can choose to use the London Underground, the Heathrow Express train which is faster but more expensive than the Underground, a London Black Cab or a guided tour.
You will want to keep to specific areas if on a shorter layover so that you aren’t the opposite side of London to what you need to be however if it is longer, you can visit different parts of London throughout the day.
There are plenty of places to see in London during a long layover. Buckingham Palace is perhaps the tourist destination most people want to see. Not only can you see the palace but you can also visit the beautiful place that is St. James Park.
Other things that tourists always want to see are the Coca-Cola London Eye, the Tower of London and Big Ben. Even if you’re from the UK, nothing beats being a tourist in your own capital city. The most interesting places to see are definitely the ones that are full of rich history. It is so interesting to learn more about what the capital city has to offer.
Seeing London during a layover needn’t be expensive either. There are many free attractions that you and your whole family can visit. Museums and galleries across the city are free. Visit the Tate Modern to see modern and contemporary art (note: some exhibitions do require tickets though)
Visit the British Museum and see the Rosetta Stone or the mummies from Ancient Egypt; or head to the Natural History Museum to see the permanent dinosaur exhibition. There is so much to see and do, so much culture to embrace and so much to learn from.
I will state that it is important to have a plan of action – knowing your routes are vital, depending on the transport you take. The London Underground links you to the whole of the capital so if you are looking to head over to the other side of the city, this is perhaps your best bet, transport-wise, to ensure you can easily get back to Heathrow.
Layovers are often boring and this is hopefully a reminder that they needn’t be – there is so much you can do whilst waiting to catch your next flight – and without taking any heavy luggage around with you too.
Have you ever experienced a long layover? What did you do during that time?
*collaborative post*
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