A Guide to London for Foreign Travellers (Simple English)

Hello. I am an English person. I lived in London, and my husband grew up in London.

I wrote this guide to London for my friend. Her English is very good. But many guides to London
have difficult English. Guides written in another language can have some mistakes or not enough
information. So, I made this guide.
The prices and times in my guide are from 2015. Maybe they will change.
My friend liked it a lot. Maybe it can help you too.
I hope this guide is easy to read. I hope you will enjoy London!

Places to Visit:

Oxford Circus, Picadilly Circus, and Leicester Square are very popular tourist spots.
They are very famous and you can see them on many postcards.

There are many restaurants in this area but they can be very expensive, because there are a lot
of theatres and tourists.
Oxford Circus has some good places to eat and drink, a mix of cheap and expensive.
Cheaper stores can be found away from the big main road, just go down a street to the right or
left.
Walking from Oxford Circus to Tottenham Court Road should take around 10~15 minutes if
you walk quickly. But there are many people and things to see, so maybe 20 minutes.
Soho and Carnaby Street are popular and famous shopping areas also, with many cafes and
lunch places that can be very delicious but not too expensive.
Liberty London is a very beautiful old department store.

It is famous for beautiful fabrics, and is quite expensive. But many people visit just to look!
It has been in London since 1875.
It is open from 10am until 9pm every day except Sunday. On Sunday it is open 12pm until
6pm.

In Kensington district, there are 3 very famous museums. They are very large. Many people
spend a whole day in just one of the museums!
They are the Natural History Museum (animals, countries, and ancient peoples), The Victoria
and Albert Museum (often called the V&A, full of the history of clothes, fashion, and art), and
the Science Museum (there are many science experiments and exhibits to see). All of the
museums are free to visit, but you can donate money if you want.

Natural History: 10:00am 5:50pm

V&A: 10:00am 5:45pm (but 10pm on a Friday!)

Science Museum: 10:00am 6:00pm

Kensington is a very rich part of London, so the houses can be very beautiful to look at.

However, there are also many good-priced cafes and places to eat.

The river is a very popular place to visit. You can see many famous sights just in a short walk.
If you start at Westminster station, you can see Big Ben and Westminster Abbey very
easily. Big Ben was built in 1859 and Westminster Abbey in 1090! They are used for important
events.

From Westminster station I think you can see the river Thames. Thames sounds like Tems,
with tem as in temple. It does not sound like them or they. There is no th sound and the a
sounds like an e! Even many English people say Thames incorrectly.
Across the river Thames, you can see the London Eye. The London Eye is a big Ferris wheel
that moves VERY slowly. You can get a great view from it, and one ride takes about 20~30
minutes. You stand in a box with maybe 10 other people, and all of the walls are glass, so you
can see in all directions.

Its open from 10:00am until 8:30pm. A normal ticket costs 20.95, but if you can buy it on
the internet it will be only 18.85. You can buy special tickets that let you pass the queue, or
have a tour guide, and they only cost 2-5 more.
There are some interesting bridges and open spaces here, and it is common to see street
performances, maybe dancers or actors. If you want to take a photo, some may ask for money.
Some performers will also ask for money if you watch for too long, so be careful if you do not
want to give any money! They are not common though.
Eventually you can see Shakespeares Globe theatre. They perform Shakespeare plays here.
They act the same as actors hundreds of years ago. Most tickets are cheap, but standing, which
is traditional. In the old days, only the richest people could pay to sit down. The Globe is in the
same place as the original building, and it looks the same. However, it is a new building because
the original was destroyed. There is no ceiling so you can see the sky. You can hear planes
flying, and if there is a little rain you will get wet. If there is too much rain, I think they will pause
the show.
Its open from 10:00am until 5:30pm

Next to the Globe is the Tate Museum of Modern Art. Its open from 10am until 6pm (but
open until 10pm on Friday) and its free to go in.
If you go past the Globe you can finally see London Bridge! If you cross London Bridge (or
another one nearby, because it can be busy) you will be very close to St Pauls Cathedral,
another famous building. Mansion House tube station is very nearby for getting home.

Where To Eat:
London can be very expensive but also there are many good places to eat. Most times, when you
buy food it will not come with a drink or sides. You can ask for tap water which is free, but you
have to ask. If a meal comes with sides or a drink, it will say on the menu. Bigger meals will often
include potato, salad or rice. If a meal sounds good, but you want to change the side meal,
usually you can ask. So if you see somewhere selling chicken and French fries, you can ask for
salad or rice instead of French fries. Most places will try to help.
For lunch, it is easy to find a caf and have some cakes, pastries or sandwiches. Most small
places will sell sandwiches for 2-4, maybe you will get a drink or snack also.

Supermarkets and stores such as Boots, Tesco (Homeplus) and Sainsburys sell a meal deal.
You can have a sandwich (actually 2-3 sandwiches in a box), pasta salad, or noodle salad. Then
you choose a drink, and snack (potato chips or chocolate) for around 4. Its a very good price
and tastes good. But you have to find somewhere to eat. Also you have to read the rules
carefully. Not all of the food will be in the meal deal so they might charge more.

Some popular cafes and snack shops are Greggs and Costa. Costa is similar to Starbucks and
sells many coffees and cakes. They are a little bit cheaper than Starbucks. Other coffee shops are
Pret a Manger and Caffe Nero. Pret a Manger has very nice food and the coffee is very strong.

But I have not been to Caffe Nero. But you can find many good, small coffee shops in London.
Small shops will usually be a little cheaper.
Greggs is more like fast food. They sell sweet and savoury pastry and baked food. Its not healthy
but its very cheap. Most things there are 1-3 and it will be hot. Many people enjoy going to
Greggs for a fast snack they can carry around. They also sell hot drinks.

Wasabi is an Asian fast food restaurant (It is supposed to be Japanese, but I dont think it is) that
will give you a big cup or box of rice with a topping. You can choose what to have. It will be about
4-6 but it is very big! Most times I will eat half then keep what is left to eat later. Some Wasabi
stores will have seats and tables. They can be open until maybe 8 or 9 pm.

For a big meal, Wetherspoons is very popular. It is a pub and restaurant, so you can buy
alcoholic drinks here as well as coffee. They also sell traditional English style food, and the price
is very good. Every day they have a special offer, so some days they will sell curry for a cheaper
price, some days maybe steak or chicken. Because it is a restaurant it is nice to sit down and
relax.
In some of the restaurants you choose a table and there might be a number on the corner. You
choose your food then go to the bar to order and they will give you a sign for the waitress to see.
The waitress does not take your order. But in others she will.
Most meals cost about 3-6 and maybe there will be a size option. You can have a large or
small meal if you are very hungry or not too hungry. They are usually open until 10 or 11pm,
but you should order food before 9 or 10pm

Many pubs sell hot food these days. It can be very good, and it is often traditional English food.
Usually, there will be a sign outside (it is common to have a chalkboard) advertising food. If you
are not sure, you can ask inside at the bar if they sell hot food.

If you can find somewhere that sells a roast dinner, Sunday Roast, or Sunday carvery,
this is my favourite English food and very good for the cold weather. It should not cost more than
7 for a large plate of meat and vegetables. Some places will charge up to 15 but it is not
worth it.

Fish and Chips is also traditional, with lots of salt and vinegar, but it is very greasy, and
sometimes it is not delicious. Restaurants like Wetherspoons are usually good, but traditional
places do not have many seats and your food will be served in a paper package. Fish and chips
should not cost more than 8-10.

Nandos is also very common and popular. But it is not English food. You can buy spicy chicken
and rice or French fries. You can choose different flavours and it is a good price for a lot of food,
and it is easy to find a store. A meal for one will cost 8-15.

If you order just tea you will get a classic English Breakfast tea. Many places will serve the milk
and sugar separately so that you can add it yourself. But some places might mix it for you.
Builders tea is my favourite. It is a slang name for English tea with a lot of milk and a lot of
sugar. I think it is very similar to Milk Tea in Asian Countries.
If you want green tea or any other kind, you have to ask for herbal tea or a specific flavour. There
are many flavours in coffee shops and supermarkets, and they are usually the cheapest thing on
a menu. In many places, tea will be about 1-2. I think it is cheap because everyone drinks it!
Tipping is optional. You do not have to tip. If the staff do a good job, it is common to leave a 510% tip. But only if they do a very good job. If you give a tip, be sure to try give it to the waiter
or waitress. Some people might refuse a tip, but this is often just good manners. If you say again
they will usually take it. If they still refuse, dont try again. Some places do not allow staff to take
a private tip and they might get in trouble.
Tip Jars can be seen in some places, but they share the money with everyone or give them to a
manager or chef, so some people do not use these very often. Similarly, if you pay with a card
the machine may ask if you want to add service, or add a tip. You should also say no, because
the staff often do not receive this tip. The big company that owns the restaurant will get the tip.
Staying and Travelling in London:
Travel in London can be very expensive, so if you have a lot of time it can be good to walk.
Central London is quite small. If you know where you are going you can walk from one side to
another in only a few hours.
If you dont want to walk, or cant, an easy way and the cheapest way to travel in London is with
an Oyster card. Oyster is a . You can get one from big train stations, and some convenience
stores. I think train station is easier and safer. I think the staff will be more familiar with tourists.
It costs about 5, plus some extra money for travelling. If you return your Oyster card when you
leave, you can take the 5 back. One journey on an Oyster card will cost about 2 to 4. Any
journey with cash will cost 4 or more. If you use an Oyster card many times in one day, it
should not cost more than 8. It will stop charging you and the rest of your travel for the day will
be free.

There are also Travelcards, which are paper cards that work for 1 day only. You can use it as
many times as you like. They are good if you will be making more than one journey in 1 day. You
can also get a Travelcard that lasts for 5 or 7 days.

This website has some good information about travel cards in London
http://visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/
If you use a Travelcard or Oyster Card, be aware of the zones in London. London public transport
has 9 zones. Zones 1, 2, and 3 are closest to the centre of London and many famous sights.
Zones 7, 8, and 9 are the furthest away, and usually only where people live. Some Travelcards
only work in a few zones. The more zones the card can work in, the more expensive it is. With an
Oyster Card, you will pay more for a journey from Zone 1 to Zone 7, than a journey from Zone 1
to Zone 2.
The bus is the first choice after walking, but it can be slow, because traffic in London can be very
bad. Most buses in London now require an Oyster card or Travelcard. You cannot pay with
cash. There are a few night buses that work after the Tube has closed. One journey on the bus
is the same price. It does not matter what Zones you go to.

The Tube or Underground is the quickest way to travel. It is quite easy to read the map. The
trains are very small and can be very hot, especially in summer. If you will take a long trip on
the Tube in the summer, try to bring a bottle of water with you. I like to stand near the doors,
because if there are a lot of people it can be difficult to get off. I think the Central line (red line) is
the most uncomfortable. It is the oldest and is very deep underground, so it is hot and small. (Its
not too bad, but many people complain)

Sometimes a subway is not a train station, but a tunnel path that goes under a road so that
people walking can cross without stopping traffic. We also call it an underpass.
If you get lost, usually there will be some staff in the area where you wait for trains, or near the
exits. They can help you. Most times they are very friendly, but these days some staff have a
hard time. Their job can be uncomfortable and it is very busy. Sometimes people are very rude to
them, so maybe they will be a little rude too. It is not their intention to upset you, so try not to
worry.
Many stores have free wi-f (maybe you have to make an account first) and some stations at the
underground also have wi-fi while you are waiting. But the trains do not have wi-fi and there is no
phone signal underground.

A nice place to stay in London is a Bed and Breakfast (or B&B for short). They are like hotels,
but they are usually owned by a family. Sometimes the name will say hotel, but they are often
smaller than a hotel, and not so fancy. Many times they are normal houses that have been
changed into a small hotel. Because of this, they are cheaper than a hotel. Bed and Breakfast
means you get a bed to sleep in, and breakfast in the morning. Many B&Bs have a very friendly
service, so you can talk to the owner or other guests and they will help you out and tell you good
places to go.

Hostels are usually for younger people, a big group, or people travelling with a very small
budget. They can have a shared room. Sometimes the beds will be stacked, like on a ship.
Usually each bed will have a curtain for privacy. Hostels are the cheapest. Some hostels will have
individual rooms. But maybe the bathroom is shared.

There are many hotels in London. Popular names are Ibis, Premier Inn, Best Western. Another
good option is AirBnB https://www.airbnb.com/. Some hotels are very cheap, and others are very
expensive.
All of the prices will be higher when you are close to the centre of London. Sometimes it is
cheaper to sleep further away and travel on the subway for a short while.