A trip to London with your loved one or group of friends to see a London theater show is one of the best ways to spend a short weekend break. The glitz and glamor of the West End, a great meal, a nice hotel, a wonderful theater experience – what better way is there to relax and have fun?
To make your trip as enjoyable as possible, here are a few top tips on how to get the best from your trip to a London West End show.
Getting to London
The first thing you need to ensure is that you can get to London on the date you want, and that there are tickets available for the theater on the date you wish. There would be no point in booking a train or flight only to discover the evening performance of Chicago was sold out three weeks earlier.
There are numerous ways of getting to London from all parts of the UK and London has 18 mainline train stations, 6 national and international airports, and several national bus stations. Take your pick, but bear in mind that travel pricing is more competitive now than it has ever been, so book early and chop around to ensure you get the best deal. Discounts for booking online is often a good way of saving money further.
Theater Tickets
Booking online or by telephone is really the only way to go about this if you want to ensure you get the best theater tickets in advance for the show of your choice.
There are numerous websites that provide this service, but make sure when you do book up, you know where you are sitting before you pay. Often the online companies are allocated seats in certain sections so you could end up with a restricted view or at the rear of the stalls without realizing it. Make sure you have a map of the theater handy and book by telephone to eliminate these problems.
Hotels
There are literally hundreds of hotels at all levels of comfort and price in and around London, so be wary you don’t end up in a hole in the ground when you thought you were booking a weekend in the lap of luxury.
Obviously, large chains like the Hilton will be able to offer you top-notch accommodation, but for those of us without limitless pots of cash, how can we ensure we book a decent hotel without too much cost?
Again, booking online through reputable agencies is advisable to ensure your booking goes through securely and you have a wide selection to choose from. Word of mouth in the hotel business is something never to be overlooked, so ask your friends before you book if there is anywhere they could recommend – hotels love nothing more than having new guests as the result of a recommendation.
Eating Out
It is said that Greater London has more eateries within its boundary than there are in the whole of the UK put together. Competition in the food industry has never been hotter and it is now possible to enjoy a wonderful meal for much less than you could ten years ago.
There are all kinds of culinary treats for you to choose from in London; everything from Japanese to Moroccan, Turkish to Greek, or Chinese to a traditional British slap-up meal – and they all want your business.
Many restaurants, particularly in and around the vicinity of the West End, offer special pre-theater menus, where you can take advantage of the many offers they have on set meals. So treat yourself to that special meal, get dressed up and enjoy some cocktails before or after meal – or both – then enjoy your West End show fully satisfied.
Traveling in London
Getting about London is easier than most people imagine, in fact, the only people who really complain about it are the commuters who have to travel through it each rush hour.
London has around 19,000 registered taxis, making your trip to the theater generally inexpensive given the cost that taking your own car would incur in congestion and parking charges.
By far the easiest and most convenient forms of transport in London are the Tube and bus services. Both of these are cheap and run regularly to most parts of the city center until late at night, and both are generally quite safe for the theater go-er to travel on. The West End itself has numerous Tube stations, all within walking distance of most of the theaters.
If you concentrate on these five tips, you can be sure that your weekend theater trip to London will go down a treat, and you’ll want to be back to do it all again very soon.
This article was written by Bret Robson for Viagogo.co.uk, a leading European ticket hub. Viagogo connects buyers and sellers of tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and more. Viagogo also guarantees all the transactions, so if you are looking for tickets online, Viagogo is the place to go!
United Kingdom is one of the favorite tourist destinations in the world and attracting tourist from across the world. Edinburgh and London are two wonderful cities of UK and among the most popular tourist destinations in the world tourism map.
Edinburgh is a capital city of Scotland and famous for its historical monuments and traditions. The city is perched on the series of extinct volcanoes and rocks crags. The monuments and castle dominates the city center skyline. These historical evidences tell the story of thousand years of history, mystery and tradition. The modern art galleries, bars, clubs and restaurants make a city complete cosmopolitan city of Europe. The Scotties wine is world famous. The city also houses world class accommodations from Luxury to cheap Edinburgh hotels Category. Thistle, Boreland Lodge, Grassmarket Hotel, Kaimes Guest House, Links Hotel Edinburgh (The), Murrayfield Hotel, Royal British Hotel, Cairn Hotel Bathgate, Castle Apartments Edinburgh, Clarendon Hotel, Ben Craig House and Best Western Braid Hills Hotel are few of many other cheap hotels in Edinburgh.
London is another most popular city of European Union. London is a capital city of England and the United Kingdom. Being a one of the best tourist destinations London has many reasons behind this credit. The most popular entertainment area of London is Leicester Square, where London and world film premieres are held. It is also called London theater district and tourist can find variety of cinemas, clubs, bars and restaurants. The world’s longest shopping street ‘Oxford Street’ (nearly one mile long) also located in the London. London also offers a great variety of cuisine due to its ethnically diverse population.
London also houses enough amount of accommodation in all popular categories from luxuty to cheap London hotels. Some popular cheap hotels in London are Acacia Hostel, Corbigoe Hotel, Earls Court Gardens Hotel, Airways Hotel, Alexandra Hotel, Belgrave Hotel, Berkeley Court Hotel, Bickenhall Hotel, 196 Bishopsgate Hotel, Abba Queen’s Gate Hotel, Abbey Court Hotel, Admiral Hotel and Americana Hotel.
London may be an expensive place to go to for a vacation, but that doesn’t mean travelers on a budget cannot enjoy this English capital. It is possible to see London affordably if you know where to go and what places can give you free activities you can enjoy.
When in London, the first thing you should do is to buy a travel card. This will help you save much on transportation and you could use it in trains, buses, and trams. The London transit system could prove to be expensive if you buy tickets individually. The travel card will go along way, and sometimes, there are extra perks that go with each purchase of a travel card, especially for the tourists.
Most would assume that the best way to move from place to place in London is to use the train. You should know that London is best viewed on foot. London is a walkable place and doing that will allow you to spend more time appreciating everything that is London – the sights, the historical centers, secret gardens, and other significant landmarks in the city. Walking will also save you much on transportation.
Here are some ideas for the London tourist on a budget:
Municipal museums and art galleries in London are free of charge. Check out the famous stopovers like the British Museum, National History Museum, Tate, National Gallery, and the National Portrait Gallery.
Explore the many parks and greeneries. Go up the Primrose Hill to view the city skyline.
Tour the 17th century Kenwood House in North London
Do not miss the changing of guards at the Buckingham Palace. This is one of more famous must-sees in London that are free of charge.
Instead of going to the designer shops, which flood London, you can go to the famous markets like the Borough Market. This is located under the London Bridge and it is the place to go for those who love food and eating.
Visit the market on a Saturday for the stalls that sell a lot of organic food, yummy pastas, cheeses, and really tasty and meaty meals. Markets include the Smithfields, and the Old Spitalfields Market.
For those who would like to shop for clothes, the less expensive places to go to are Portobello, Camden, and Petticoat Lane markets. Aside from clothes, you would also find vendors of DVDs, antique furniture, and some souvenirs or novelty items.
For those who would like to experience the theaters of London, it is important that you check online sites like the Discount London Theater, which sells theater tickets at really cheap prices.
It will also help you save money if you have booked your vacation early.
Aside from the expensive hotels, London also offers cheaper accommodations. There are hostels that can be your cheaper alternatives to hotels.
Book your hostel accommodations early. They usually fill up during Fridays and Saturdays. These hostels get booked 2 weeks before so, it really is important that you carefully plan your London vacation in order to save more money.
It’s the perfect time to book London theatre tickets. The tale of connected love stories by David Eldridge, which was first shown in September 2000 at the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, is scheduled to open on July 25 this year at the Duke of York. Its previews will start on July 15.
In addition to this, there’s the West End premiere of the fabulous “Under The Blue Sky” starring Lisa Dillon, Francesca Annis, Dominic Rowan, Chris O’Dowd, and Catherine Tate. The West End of London is the epicenter of show biz! The Theatre land of London is one of the favorite tourist spots of the UK. So, it’s no wonder that fans line up for hours at the box office without even a slight frown on their faces to book London theatre tickets. For those who hate waiting, the internet or the phone are always there to book tickets.
It’s possible to book London theatre tickets at cheaper rates. You can enjoy fabulous shows like “Lion King,” “Mamma Mia,” and other smashing hits without spending too many dollars. Besides these shows, the other hits running at present are “Chicago,” “Wicked,” “Sound of Music,” “Les Miserables,” and “Phantom of the Opera.”
So, if you’re on a trip to London at present, you’re gonna have the best time of your life! Do not forget to include West End in your list of visiting places. London is the hub of theatre. It boasts of more than 50 world-class productions running at any one time. And this is not all. You can have access to ticketing services that are experts in providing you with the best seats of the theatre. They are apt in making your theatrical experience a truly memorable one.
Besides calling the ticketing services, you can book London theatre tickets from the box office, from the ticket booth located in Leicester Square, and from the ticket agents. The box offices are usually open from 10 in the morning. They close half an hour after the commencement of evening show.
If you opt for the ticket booth at Leicester Square, you can get discounts on tickets for the current day show. The booth is open from 10 in the morning to 7 in the evening during weekdays and weekend. On Sundays, it’s open from 12 noon to 3 in the afternoon. This is the sole official booth of London. It’s run by the Society of London Theatre. Although you might not get tickets for each and every show, you can certainly get tickets for the sensational hits. You can even log on to its website for more information.
If you wish to book London theatre tickets for the current day show, the ticket booth as well as the box office is the best place. Your trip to London is almost incomplete without watching a show at one of the dazzling theatres of the nation. So, get ready to experience Broadway, its outstanding artists, and enthralling productions. Enjoy!
If you are in London and are looking for a means to make the whole family enjoy, then you can choose amongst the many London theaters available. Most of the London theaters are huge, comfortable and well equipped so that you can have the best movie experience possible. London theaters display a wide variety of movies. From cartoons to Bollywood productions, London theaters take care of the needs of every category of people. Should you be an Indian residing in the UK, you may be able to watch the latest Indian movie releases on the giant screen.
London theaters exist in a wide variety and you could be spoilt for the choice trying to point out the best one. Some of the London theaters are named as follows: The Adelphi Theatre, The Apollo Theater, The Almeida Theater, The Donmar Warehouse and the Fortune Theater among lots of others. The Adelphi Theater is a 1500 seats theater opened in the year 1806. It is found in the City of Westminster. After its opening, the theater had been rebuilt and renovated several times. It as well had several names in the past alike other London theaters. It is one amongst the many London theaters which plays comedy and musical productions.
London theaters are fascinating as practically all of them have a glorious history. Likewise, the Apollo Theater had been the first one to be built during the Edwardian period. It is a Grade II listed theater and is also situated in the City of Westminster. The Apollo Theater opened its doors during the year 1906 and can accommodate around 796 people on four levels. That said, London theaters date back to the ancient era and can be mythical at times. London theaters have unique interior decorations and these add up to give you a distinctive movie experience.
Moreover, as said before, London theaters exist in a variety of types. London theaters not only play movies but they play dramas as well. If you want to go to such a theater in London, The Almeida Theater can be your answer. The Almeida Theater is a 325 seats Studio Theater opened during the eighties. It gains its name from the street in which it is found. More precisely, it is found in the London Borough of Islington. It is amongst the wide range of London theaters that produces dramas. So, if you are a fan of dramas, be sure to head to the Almeida Theater to have a nice time.
London theaters can give you a lot in terms of fun and excitement. Irrespective of your age, you might be able to have a relaxing time in one of the many London theaters within your reach. What about the Fortune Theater? This theater is as well found in the City of Westminster near Covent Garden. It can hold around 432 people on three levels and was erected during the year 1922. Many London theaters had different names in the past which have been changed gradually. The Fortune Theater has endured the same fate and plays a wide variety of movies these days.
