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Travel Tips

London owes its timeless appeal to its unique idiosyncratic ways. With a dense historic urban fabric, it is the preferred tourist destination of the world.
    
April and May are the months in which London’s luxuriant gardens are in full bloom and the daylight stretches into early evening.  The advantage of traveling to London in the spring is that the airfares are lower than in the summer. However, the weather is unpredictable so visitors can expect some spring showers. Because London is a popular destination in summer, expect higher airfares and make sure to book your room ahead of time. Even though it is warm, July and August can get rainy with overcast skies. The rich colours and crisp air make London a lovely place to be in the autumn, when rates drop again. Winter is when London is a bargain. Cozy up in an inviting hotel and enjoy the festive winter.

Whatever the season may be, visitors to London should pack a rain jacket, sunglasses, and a formal suit for fine dining. If you plan to take your laptop along, the electric supply in London is 240 volts, so an electrical adapter will be necessary. United States nationals only need a valid passport to travel to the United Kingdm, but they can register at the U.S. Consulate in London. For more information, call the British Embassy.

While in London, visit the top attractions and shop at Oxford Street which is rated as the busiest shopping street in Europe with a turnover of more than £5 billion per year. Explore more than 300 trendy and chic shops on this street. Another popular area is Leicester Square, which can sometimes have more than 250,000 pedestrians.  It is known as the busiest spot in the world, and it is also a favorite for events such as movie premieres.

London is rightly called the food capital of the world because flavors from around the globe can be discovered in the restaurants and bars here. Before you plan to dine, check out the prices of the food and drink at the restaurant of your choice which usually include 17.5% VAT. Most places add a 10% to 15% service charge to the bill, but if nothing has been added, go ahead and leave a 10% to 15% tip.

After dining if you wish to take a cab to your hotel, you can flag one on the road or call for one (020 7272-0272 or 020 7253-5000). Because the charges will accrue from the time of your call, the meter will read more than the standard £3.80 minimum charge. For this reason, it is not practical to call a taxi from very far away.