Hello from London. I'm AKIB, and I've been living in the city for over a decade. I explored, ate and boogied every nook and cranny,
I'm going to tell you eight of the biggest packing mistakes tourists make when traveling to London.
We have a London packing guide that tells you what you need when visiting London. It includes a digital printout that categorizes London by season, London weather by month and shoe buying recommendations, And a list of all the essentials you need while visiting this magnificent city. It includes all the essential information that is perfect for first-time visitors to London.
We have a London packing guide that tells you what you need when visiting London. It includes a digital printout that categorizes London by season, London weather by month and shoe buying recommendations, And a list of all the essentials you need while visiting this magnificent city. It includes all the essential information that is perfect for first-time visitors to London.
If you’re coming to London, you’re going to do a lot of walking, like a lot. Our public transport is great, but we don’t have parking. So we do a lot of walking to the station and around town. So you need good walking shoes. Otherwise your feet will hurt a lot. Remember, London is an old city, so there are lots of cobbled streets and our pavements aren’t that great. So the last thing you want to do is sightsee in the hills. We also recommend packing a pair of waterproof shoes.
We don’t tend to wear rain boots around town, but London weather is very unpredictable. And yes, it’s raining a lot. So as long as your shoes are waterproof, you’ll be fine. It’s a case of sightseeing though. When we go out in the evening, we like to dress up a bit. So if you’re eating out, it’s totally legit to pack a pair of heels.Â
As mentioned, the weather in London can change a lot, and we have seasons here, so I’d recommend going to your weather app and checking a few days before you visit to make sure you’re clean and ready. My biggest recommendation above all is to pack layers. Weather varies a lot.
Even in a day, you can go outside the tube, to a museum. You will need three completely different outfits. It can be really cold outside and boiling on the tube. I also see people assuming they will be able to wear a sundress and nothing else if they come in August. But even in summer in London, I’d recommend packing layers.
Think about what you’re doing while you’re here. If you’re on a more casual trip, you don’t need something that’s a little too fancy-schmancy.
But if your itinerary calls for dinner, somewhere a little more extravagant, you’ll want to dress up a bit. Also, FYI, you don’t really need a swimsuit in London.
Bonus tip, always pack an extra outfit in your carry-on in case your luggage gets lost.
I promise it will save you a lot of stress. Generally, I would recommend you to bring the smallest size suitcase. London is extremely chaotic and our transport is short and busy. It’s also not crazy accessible, so anything you can do to make yourself as smart as possible will help you avoid stress. Larger suitcases are also more expensive on flights, so packing a smaller suitcase will save you money, especially if you’re here for a short trip.
However, you’ll want to bring a suitcase. You can leave some space for souvenirs. You’ll definitely want to buy a few things, and the last thing you need is some last-minute stress when you realize you don’t have enough room for all your stuff. London is a huge city, so make sure you have a bag big enough to pack everything you need for the day.
You may want to carry a reusable water bottle.
You can fill it up at water filling stations or pubs and cafes. A reusable coffee cup. Many cafes will give you a discount if you use your own cup. Layers like sun cream and extra hats, scarves, jumpers. Portable phone charger. Finding somewhere to charge your phone in London can be a nightmare.
And you might want to use apps on your phone like Citymapper or our Itinerary Maps Link to description. and headphones. If you want to be a true Londoner and plug yourself in and ignore the world.
Usually, a hotel is going to provide these for you, but I’d recommend calling ahead, so you don’t get caught short. If you are staying in an apartment or with your friends, you may need to pack these with you.
But overall, hotels will provide hair dryers and towels for you. However, if you prefer to use washcloths, you may want to bring them along. It is not a norm for British hotels to provide these.
But again, give your hotel a ring so you’re not shortchanged. I know we all like to think that we are very organized and that we obviously don’t forget anything, but I would really recommend, just in case, printouts of things like your passport, your credit and debit cards. Incidents happen, things get lost. There are pickpockets. Better to be safe than sorry. If you prefer to keep physical copies of things, be sure to keep them separate from everything else, or have a virtual backup on your phone or email. Also ask for the address of where you are working just for peace of mind.
If you’re traveling to London from abroad, you’ll need a couple of plug adapters so you can use your technology. In the UK, British plugs look like this. So you will need a plug adapter that looks like this. In the UK, a power operator is about 240 voltage, not 120 like in the US. So you’ll want to check that your appliance is a dual voltage before arriving in the UK, otherwise it could be dangerous.
What does dual voltage mean?
This means your device can operate on both 120 and 240 volts without any problems.
such as this. Most laptops and phones these days are dual voltage, but it’s best to check before you leave. You can actually get a converter to convert single voltage to dual voltage, but we wouldn’t recommend it. Heads up. We use different plugs here in the UK to the rest of Europe.
So if you are planning a long trip, you may want to bring different plug adapters with you. Otherwise, you’re going to be stumped. You have been warned. British customs are very strict. So if you try to bring things through customs and security, they will pick you up on it. This is knives, meat, dairy, even some plants won’t make it, and rough diamonds, if you have them lying around. You’ll also want to check your medication as it may be a controlled substance in the UK. You will need to carry it on your person and get a letter from your prescribing clinician.Â
Otherwise, it has turned you off. British security is also really tight. This means you want to check that your luggage meets the travel requirements before attempting to go through security. Do not bring more than 100ml of liquid. They will take them from you. A quick note, the 100 milliliter limit does not apply to items such as baby formula, items for medical purposes, or items with special dietary requirements.
Be prepared to bring proof though. And obviously, if you want to catch baby formula, you need to keep your baby with you. Sharp objects like 6 cm long nail files will also dislodge you if you try to carry them on your carry on. But don’t panic, we are a major city. Anything you can’t bring, you’ll be able to buy in London. And you are ready to go.
