Best Time to Visit

London is graced with a mild climate and, as such, can be visited at any time of the year. However, a few things need to be considered. Most of the royal palaces and residences, like the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace, are only open to the public during the summer months. Many of the city's most important festivals, like the British Summer Time Music Festival, also take place during this time. Late June to mid July is also when some of the best sales are on in shops around the capital. Spring is also a good season for a visit, since the weather is generally good and finding accommodation is both easier and cheaper (high season in London means a lot of tourists). And if you're not too bothered about the grey weather, then low season (January and February) can be a good option too, when there are fewer tourists and prices are lower.

Passport / Visa

Citizens of the European Union member-states, Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Switzerland, and Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) only require a valid passport to enter the UK. Residents of a further 10 countries do not require entry visas for stays under 6 months: the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, South Africa, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. Nationals of some further countries do not require a visa, but need to hold an entry certificate.

• Web:

  www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa

Airport — London City (LCY)

London City Airport is a single runway airport located 9.5km east of Central London, and serving mainly short-haul and business flights. The airport is on the Docklands Light Railway, which connects to London's Tube network at Canning Town, Stratford and Bank and uses the same price structure. Buses serve the airport too, with numbers 473 and 474 providing a connection to other East London destinations. You can also take a cab from the taxi rank outside the airport.

• Web:

  www.londoncityairport.com

• Address:

  London City Airport, Hartmann Road, London

• Phone:

  +44 20 7646 0000

• Subway:

  London City Airport DLR Station

London Gatwick Airport (LGW)

London Gatwick Airport is the second largest airport in the UK (Heathrow Airport is the largest), with two terminals: North and South. The fastest route from the airport into Central London is via the Gatwick Express, with trains departing every 15 minutes. The non-stop journey to Victoria Station takes 30 minutes. Try the trip planner on the official website to see which of the many transportation options works best for you.

• Web:

  www.gatwickairport.com

• Address:

  Gatwick Airport, West Sussex

• Phone:

  +44 844 892 0322

• Subway:

  London Gatwick Airport Train Station

London Heathrow Airport (LHR)

London Heathrow Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world, with five terminals. There are various ways to travel from Heathrow Airport to your destination. The cheapest and most versatile way of getting to and from the city centre to Heathrow is by tube. The fastest way is the dedicated airport train — the Heathrow Express — which takes just 15 minutes from Heathrow to Paddington Station and runs every 15 minutes.

• Web:

  www.heathrow.com

• Address:

  Heathrow Airport, Hounslow, Middlesex

• Phone:

  +44 844 335 1801

• Subway:

  London Heathrow Airport Train Station

London Luton Airport (LTN)

London Luton Airport is located just 56km north-west of Central London, and is a popular base for low-cost airlines. A regular shuttle bus transports passengers from the airport to the nearest station, Luton Airport Parkway, which takes about 10 minutes. From the station you can catch an East Midlands Trains or First Capital Connect service into Central London taking somewhere between 21 and 25 minutes. Other options include the easyBus express service, the Green Line 757 coach service to Victoria Coach Station or Terravision coaches to Victoria Coach Station. Each transport service stops at different destinations en route. A metered taxi ride to or from Central London costs around £80.

• Web:

  www.london-luton.co.uk

• Address:

  London Luton Airport, Luton, Bedfordshire

• Phone:

  +44 1582 405 100

• Subway:

  Luton Airport Parkway