Why London works on a bank holiday
Most of us have been to London at least once, usually for a gig or a match. Going for a proper long weekend is different. You can choose a couple of neighbourhoods, walk them properly and leave the Tube map in your pocket. With flights from Dublin, Cork, Shannon, Knock and Kerry, it’s the most connected city break we have.
The trick is to pick your airport carefully. Heathrow and London City are closest to the centre, while Gatwick and Stansted are often cheaper but further out. Price the train or coach transfer before you book, because a cheap fare into Stansted loses its shine once you add an hour each way.
Free museums worth your time
London’s national museums are free, which makes it far better value than its hotel prices suggest.
- The British Museum: start with the Rosetta Stone and the Egyptian rooms, then wander.
- The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, home to Van Gogh’s Sunflowers.
- Tate Modern on the South Bank, in a converted power station, with a free viewing level at the top.
- The Natural History Museum and the Science Museum in South Kensington, ideal with children.
- The V&A for design and fashion, and one of the most beautiful museum cafés anywhere.
Markets and neighbourhoods
Borough Market near London Bridge is the city’s best-known food market and best visited before noon. On Sunday, Columbia Road Flower Market in the East End is a burst of colour, and nearby Brick Lane and Spitalfields are full of street food and vintage shops.
For a slower day, walk the South Bank from Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge, take the boat or train out to Greenwich for the park and the observatory, or follow the canal from Little Venice to Camden.
Seeing a show
A West End show is one of the great London treats. For big musicals, book well ahead. For bargains, try the TKTS booth in Leicester Square or apps that sell same-day seats. Many theatres also run daily ticket lotteries for cheap seats.
Getting around
Tap in and out with a contactless card or your phone on the Tube, buses and trains. Fares are capped daily, so you’ll never pay more than a day ticket. Buses are cheaper than the Tube and you see the city as you go. The top deck of a double-decker through the West End is a sightseeing tour for the price of a bus fare.
A three-day plan that doesn’t exhaust you
Day one is for the South Bank. Drop your bags, walk from Westminster Bridge past the London Eye and the Southbank Centre, and stop in Tate Modern before crossing the Millennium Bridge to St Paul’s. Finish with dinner around Borough or Bermondsey, where the railway arches are full of small restaurants and taprooms.
Day two goes to Bloomsbury and the West End. Give the British Museum the morning while you’re fresh, then walk through Covent Garden and Soho for lunch. If you have a show booked, an early dinner nearby saves you racing across the city. If not, Chinatown and the bars of Soho will keep you busy.
Day three depends on the day of the week. On a Sunday, go east for Columbia Road and Spitalfields. On a Monday, when some markets are quiet, head to Greenwich by riverboat instead, or spend the morning in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens before your flight. Leave a generous gap for the airport transfer, because bank holiday engineering works on the rail lines are common.
Eating without overspending
London can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. Pub lunches, Indian food on Brick Lane or in Tooting, and the food stalls at Borough or Maltby Street are all good value. Many central restaurants run set lunch menus that cost a fraction of dinner. A Sunday roast in a proper pub is worth planning a day around, so book ahead on bank holiday weekends when the good ones fill up.
Tap water is free in any restaurant if you ask, and a meal deal from a supermarket makes a perfectly good picnic in one of the royal parks.
Where to stay
Stay central if you can, because the time you save is worth the extra money. The South Bank and Bankside are great for walking, King’s Cross is well connected and good value, and Shoreditch suits a younger, livelier weekend. On a tighter budget, look near a Tube station in zones 1 or 2 rather than further out.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a passport to fly to London from Ireland?
Irish citizens don’t need a passport to enter the UK under the Common Travel Area, but airlines require photo ID and most insist on a passport or passport card, so bring one.
Which London airport is best from Ireland?
Heathrow and London City are fastest into the centre. Gatwick and Stansted often have cheaper flights but longer transfers, so compare the total cost.
Is London expensive for a weekend?
Hotels can be, but the free museums, parks and markets keep daily costs down. Book rooms early for bank holidays.
Are London shops and museums open on bank holiday Mondays?
Most are. The national museums and big shops usually open as normal on UK bank holidays, though some smaller shops and markets close. The UK and Ireland don’t always share the same bank holidays, so check the dates for both.
