Millions of tourists take cheap flights to London each year. It's a world city, a leading light where new fashion trends emerge, bands try out, and money men in the "City" wheel and deal. It's also where street traders wheel and deal. London is renowned for its markets - from Columbia Road Flower Market to fashionable Portobello, foodie heaven Borough Market to funky Camden and, perhaps most famous of all, Covent Garden.
Its startlingly modern architecture stands beside medieval churches. Broad thoroughfares give way to dark alleys. The Thames sweeps through London, having carried kings and queens and exotic cargo from far-off lands in the past and, today, visitors seeing the sights on tourist boats.
The palaces of London - Buckingham, Kensington, Hampton Court and Kew - all in beautiful parkland settings, stand majestic, a far cry from the tower blocks of trendy Hoxton or reemerging (for the 2012 Olympics) East London.
The museums (mostly all with free admission), galleries stuffed with the best traditional and modern art, world-famous landmarks such as the London Eye, Big Ben and Houses of Parliament, and the vibrant street life all promise an unforgettable vacation.
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While London gets its fair share of grey skies, it rains less in the South East than it does in the rest of Great Britain. Spring weather (March to May) can be unpredictable with sun, rain and cloud. Average temperatures hover between 11 and 15 degrees (51-59 degrees Fahrenheit). Summers (June to August) are warm with average temperatures of about 20 degrees (68F) that can sometimes soar to 37 degrees (98F). Fall (September to November) weather is like spring weather, unpredictable. Winters (December to February) are generally mild if damp. Snow and freezing temperatures are rare in London.
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Peak Season:
Summer is the most popular time to visit. The weather is generally good (apart from the odd rain shower) and the parks and gardens are in full bloom. Events, Wimbledon for example, and cultural festivals generally take place during this time too. Spring and fall are also good times to seek cheap flights to London, the days are still long and temperatures mild.
Off Season:
Winter bites in January and February. The weather is grey and cold. Despite this, it can still be a good time to search for London flights. Museums and galleries are less crowded and London can be very atmospheric in wintertime.
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There are five major airports in and around London - Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London City. Most cheap flights to London land at Heathrow. All are well connected by train and bus. Travellers arriving on London flights can take the Tube into Central London. There are "express" trains too.
The Heathrow Express takes 15 minutes from Paddington to Heathrow, and is more expensive than taking the regular tube.
The Stansted Express takes 45 minutes from Liverpool Street.
The Gatwick Express takes 30-35 minutes from Victoria Station.
Luton Airport is not as well connected. A shuttle bus links the airport with Luton Parkway Station where travellers stepping off their London flights can connect to King's Cross Station.
There are also bus services with National Express and other providers.
Taxis are available at all airports. Black cabs are metered and are the most expensive option. Calling a minicab is cheaper.
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To see London at its best, take public transit and also go about on foot. The tube and buses are expensive if you don't have an Oyster card. Snap one up (for £3, refundable deposit) as soon as you can after disembarking your cheap flights to London and top it up after tube stations and stores all over London. Fares are almost halved if you have the card. The Oyster card works on bus, Tube, trams, Docklands Light Railway, London Overground and some National Rail services.
Black taxis are expensive too, but a tourist experience. London cabbies are known for their conversational skills. Tour buses that take you around different parts of London with a live commentary are a must-do too. Some of the companies offer hop-on, hop-off tickets so you can explore London in your own time and some offer free river cruises too.
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- London is, at its heart, a patchwork of different villages, each with their own feel. East London's frankly gritty Hackney or Stratford are worlds away from leafy, literary Highgate in North London or gentrified Notting Hill in the West.
- Public transport is expensive. To get around more cheaply invest in an Oyster Card after landing on cheap flights to London. The chargeable card costs £3 (the deposit is refundable) and is the best way of saving money on tube journeys. A single Zone 1 (Central London) journey on the Tube will cost £4, but £1.50 if you buy an Oyster card. Bus journeys cost £2 without an Oyster card, but 90p with a card.
- The best things about London are free. These include the extensive Royal Parks such as Hyde Park, Green Park, Kensington Gardens, The Regent's Park, Richmond and St James's Park.
- Major museums and art galleries are free too. These include the world-renowned British Museum, Natural History and Science Museums, Victoria and Albert Museum, Imperial War Museum and National Maritime Museum. There are also smaller, quirkier museums such as The Geffrye Museum, restored 18th-century almshouses with a number of period rooms from 1600 to the present day.
- You can eat your way around the world in London such is the number and variety of restaurants. For a proper curry head to Brick Lane in East London. For fish and chips, the traditional meal, head to Fryer's Delight in Holborn or Rock And Sole Plaice in Covent Garden.
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