There are plenty of great places around the world, sure, but some shine a little brighter than others. Cities like Tokyo, New York, and Paris rightly have a big and well-earned reputation. Here in the UK, we have our own contender for ‘world’s best city.’ London might not be for everyone’s taste, it’s true, but there’s denying that it’s a world-class city that can be extremely enjoyable to visit.
And also extremely enjoyable to live in, too. If you’re lucky enough to find a well-paying job in the capital, then you’ll find that you have more or less everything on your doorstep.
In this blog, I am going to run through some useful tips for people who are moving to London. Take them on board, and you’ll be much more likely to have a positive time!
Read All About It
You may have visited London many times, but it’s worth remembering that there’s a big difference between visiting and living in a place. If you’re going to move there, then be sure to conduct some research about what to expect. A list of the top attractions will be useful when you’re visiting, but not all that helpful if you’re moving there. Instead, you’ll want to know about costs, the best places to live, how to get the most from living there, things like that.
Find a Temporary Place
You could spend your first weeks in a hotel, but if you’ve ever been to London before, then you’ll know just how expensive that could be. Thankfully, there’s another option. There are nearly always people who are subletting their room while they go travelling or have to spend some time working elsewhere. Renting their room when you arrive will give you somewhere comfortable to land and give you time to find your own place. And talking of which….
Find a Long-Term Place
It’s important to live in the right place no matter where you’re moving to. But it’s especially important when you’re moving to London. This city, after all, is gigantic. As such, you’ll need to think about where you’ll be working and make sure that you’re not a two-hour journey away. In general, you’ll find that you can make the most from your time in the city if you live somewhere centrally located. To take a look at what’s available near central London, take a look at the website of Madison Fox; they have listings in the Stratford area, which is close to everything you’d care to visit in the centre of the city. Once you’ve found your place, you’ll be able to dive into all that the city has to offer fully.
Look for ways to earn some extra money
The city can be a very expensive place to live. The good news is that there are lots of ways to earn extra money in London.
Explore the city
There is a lot to see and do in London. Public transport is generally inexpensive and reliable. You can use a credit or debit card on buses and the tube. Just remember to tap it when you get on and off. If you prefer you can buy an oyster card from any tube station and preload it with money. The City Mapper app is excellent for finding your way round. Mirthy# often has interesting free online talks about London and other cities given by blue badge guides.
Enjoy some of the tourist activities
When you first move to a new city it can be fun to pretend to be a tourist for the first few months. You may want to ride on the hop on hop off bus to get your bearings or take a Thames river cruise. You may also like to go on the London Eye or visit the Tower of London.
Whether it is afternoon tea at Harrods or a meal at the Sky Garden you should treat yourself to a few of the iconic London experiences. You will find discount vouchers on sites like Groupon, Buy a gift and Virgin Experience days.
If you would like to travel to the continent, you can be in Paris or Brussels in a few hours by Eurostar. Trains leave from St. Pancras station.
Give It Time
Finally, remember to give it time to settle in after you’ve made the move to London. It can be a lot of fun and highly rewarding, but you may need some time before you can make friends, get your bearings, and so on. You normally have to wait a few months before it really begins to feel like ‘home.’
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