{"id":27561,"date":"2018-11-13T11:23:30","date_gmt":"2018-11-13T16:23:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/?p=27561"},"modified":"2023-02-02T12:37:43","modified_gmt":"2023-02-02T17:37:43","slug":"travel-to-london-on-a-student-budget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/travel-to-london-on-a-student-budget\/","title":{"rendered":"Traveling to London on a Student Budget"},"content":{"rendered":"

London is a great destination for college students for a trip of any length. I had an amazing experience there — \u00a0really unparalleled in my lifetime — when I spent three months studying abroad in my junior year.<\/p>\n

Although London can be very expensive, there are plenty of ways to experience the city on a budget.<\/p>\n

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Affordable housing<\/b><\/h2>\n

The most pressing cost is always housing, and it is easy to find cheap spots to stay in London. If you are traveling with a group, I recommend looking for a place on Airbnb. Usually, it is possible to find places that are both cheaper and more comfortable than a hotel room. If you are traveling alone and don\u2019t mind staying in a shared space, you can stay at a youth hostel, where you can often rent a bed for as little as $15-20 per night. Look at Hostelworld<\/a> for cheap rooms anywhere in London.<\/p>\n

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Budget eats<\/b><\/h2>\n

Despite the poor reputation of British food, London has become something of a food hub in recent years. This is due in no small part to the diverse makeup of the population. Approximately one-third of Londoners are born abroad, making the city one of the most multicultural in the world. London\u2019s immigrant populations — hailing from Jamaica, Ghana, Pakistan, India and many other countries — have brought delicious food to the city.<\/p>\n

In particular, London is known for its many Indian restaurants and curry houses. Some of these dishes have become so deeply ingrained in British culture that they are now considered staples of British cuisine. For example, chicken tikka masala, a dish originating in India, has been called England\u2019s national dish.<\/p>\n

While there are plenty of world-class restaurants throughout the city (including four of the top 50 restaurants in the world in 2018, according to the annual World\u2019s 50 Best Restaurants<\/a> list), if you are a student, chances are you are going to be looking for some budget eats, of which there are plenty.<\/p>\n

London\u2019s outdoor food markets are some of the best places to eat in the city, and it is easy to do so for less than \u00a310. The best sandwich in the world — the duck confit sandwich at Le March\u00e9 du Quartier<\/a> — is served for only \u00a36 at Borough Market in Southwark<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Image: \u00d8yvind Holmstad [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>Meanwhile, the crazy lamb jalfrezi burger at Baba G\u2019s<\/a> in Camden Market pulls in at a close second. If you think that I am being hyperbolic, I dare you to try either one of them and disagree.<\/p>\n

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Image: en:User:Grim23 [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>I also love traditional British food, so there are few cheap meals that are more satisfying than a hearty plate of fish and chips. In my experience, the Fryer\u2019s Delight<\/a> — a hole-in-the-wall shop in London\u2019s Holborn area — is a must-go.<\/p>\n

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Image: Andrew Davidson [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikipedia<\/figcaption><\/figure>[divider]<\/p>\n

Public parks<\/b><\/h2>\n

In warmer months, London\u2019s many public parks can be a nice respite from the city. Hampstead Heath<\/a>, a massive, untamed wilderness set just north of central London, is my personal favorite. Characterized by its rolling grassy hills and massive size, Heath feels more like a nature reserve than a city park.<\/p>\n

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Image: Loz Pycock [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>Closer to central London, you can find some of the more manicured Royal Parks of London. Regent\u2019s Park<\/a> is a beautiful space that was historically used as a hunting ground for the royal family. Now, it contains the London Zoo, a massive pond containing ducks, herons, and swans, and even a university (Regent\u2019s University London).<\/p>\n

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Image: ed g2s \u2022 talk [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC BY-SA 2.5], from Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>Hyde Park<\/a>, Green Park<\/a> and St. James\u2019s Park<\/a> are among other Royal Parks worth visiting.<\/p>\n

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Sightseeing<\/b><\/h2>\n

My favorite thing to do in London (or in any city for that matter) is simply walk around and enjoy the sights. If you want to hit some of the major sights in London in one day, I recommend starting at the Tower of London<\/a>, the historic castle constructed by William the Conqueror all the way back in 1078 and served as the royal family\u2019s residence — as well as a prison — for hundreds of years.<\/p>\n

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From there, you can walk across Tower Bridge and along the Queen\u2019s Walk all the way down to Lambeth Bridge, which is situated near historic sites like the Palace of Westminster<\/a>, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey<\/a> and Buckingham Palace<\/a>. It\u2019s a long walk, but it will take you past many of the historic sights in London.<\/p>\n

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Tower of London\/Big Ben<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The Palace of Westminster<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Westminster Abbey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Buckingham Palace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Museums<\/b><\/h2>\n

If you are interested in some of London\u2019s world-renowned cultural attractions, general admission to all of the city\u2019s major museums is free.<\/p>\n

This includes the Tate Modern<\/a>, one of the premier contemporary and modern art museums in the world; the British Museum<\/a>, which houses incredible artifacts like the Rosetta Stone and parts of the Parthenon; and the National Gallery<\/a>, which houses a diverse collection of paintings from some of the great painters in history, including Leonardo Da Vinci, Raphael, Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, Jackson Pollock, and many others.<\/p>\n

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Image: Ham [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC BY-SA 2.5], from Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>[divider]<\/p>\n

Theater<\/b><\/h2>\n

Theater is embedded into English culture in a way that is not in the States. To many Brits, going to a play is not a special event but a common way to spend an evening, comparable to the way we Americans look at going to the movies. So it should come as no surprise that London theater is some of the best in the world, whether you\u2019re at a West End musical, a Shakespeare performance at the Globe, or at one of the city\u2019s many black box theaters.<\/p>\n

Going to a show can be expensive — particularly if you\u2019re looking at some of the more popular shows on the West End — but there are deals around if you know where to look.<\/p>\n

At Shakespeare\u2019s Globe<\/a> — a reconstruction of the original Globe Theatre that housed Shakespeare\u2019s playing company in the 17th century — you can get standing tickets to any given show for only \u00a35. Provided that you\u2019re okay with standing for over two hours, this is as good a deal as you will find — entrance to an iconic theater and Shakespeare for the cost of a plate of fish and chips.<\/p>\n

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Image: Diego Delso [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>I also strongly recommend looking at some of London\u2019s small and black box theaters. Oftentimes in these more intimate settings, you will end up seeing more cutting-edge and experimental performances. There are so many great smaller venues throughout the city.<\/p>\n

I recommend checking out The Vaults<\/a>, an Off West End performance and alternative arts space constructed in unused railway arches underneath Waterloo Station in London. The space — and any performance you will see there — is guaranteed to be unlike anything else you\u2019ll find in the city.<\/p>\n