Packing List For London, England

packing list for london
Max
Max 
Updated
| 5 min read

London is a much-favoured tourist destination. It is famous for Big Ben and innumerable other tourist attractions. It’s true that tourists and travellers spend a lot of time wondering what to carry or pack when visiting London. There are a lot of things to consider such as a light cardigan or sweater, cold gear items are helpful in winter temperatures, jeans or trousers, lightweight t-shirts, sweatshirts, socks, swimwear, shoes, underwear and boots. We have researched and selected the most important things you need to carry to London depending on the weather. Scroll below for our top 10 list of basic things to pack when visiting London. Here’s your packing list for London, UK.

1. English currency, avoid Scottish currency notes

packing list for london | english currency, avoid scottish currency notes
Source: Pixabay

Welcome to this beautiful city of London and also the capital city of England. The city Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster has made it a very popular tourist destination. Apart from this landmark, London is flooded with many attractions such as Churchill War Rooms, Body Worlds at the London Pavilion, the view from the Shard, Buckingham Palace tour, Houses of Parliament, plus much more. When planning to visit London, make sure you are familiar with the local currency to make your transactions easy. It is advisable to avoid Scottish currency notes for they are misunderstood by England shops and you may not get served if you don’t have the appropriate currency.

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2. Raincoat

packing list for london | raincoat
Source: Pexels

London is one of the cities that experience rainy days throughout the year. Weather data shows that even in the height of summer there’s a chance of a shower in London every three days. Regardless of the weather there a number of activities to enjoy in London such as catching a board game in Haggerston, visiting a traditional covered market, playing pool at an old skool, take in a matinee at the theatre, plus many more. To make sure you are able to enjoy the activity of your choice, shop for an overly-casual rain jacket to take care of all your rainy days wants.

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3. Electric adapter

Cheater plug edited
Source: Photo by user Cheater_plug.jpg used under CC BY 3.0

If you are visiting London for the first time, make sure you carry an electric adapter with you for British outlets and American electronics are a bad combination. The electric voltages used in Britain are higher than those used in the States meaning you can easily get an electric shock if you plug your devices in an active power outlet. Additionally, you should be aware that to make a power outlet work in London and other UK parts you will be required to flip a switch, they are not automatic like those in the States. Just a reminder, never assume that the power is off!

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4. Waterproof boots

packing list for london | waterproof boots
Source: Pexels

The London weather changes from light drizzles to hardy rains, so when looking for shoes to wear in London winter, be sure to buy waterproof boots. In London, they experience cold and rainy seasons from December to February so a good comfortable pair of boots, whether knee high or ankle length means that you not only stay warm but with the wet weather you are comfortable. In case you are looking for a good stall to purchase a great collection of comfortable boots you can check out top shops like ASOS, Amazon, Dorothy Perkins, and M&S.

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London Tour Guide

Robert Woolf

Robert Woolf

I am a London tour guide and my tours include talking about people who have shaped the city plus the many connected places such as Hampton Court Palace, The Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, the commercial centre of the city: the City of London, and London’s world class museums and galleries. I have been guiding for 12 years. I am a licenced London Blue Badge Tour Guide, a City of London Guide, and a Westminster Guide. The reviews I receive from clients speak of their enjoyment from the local knowledge and the humour I bring to my tours. Born within sight of Hampton Court Palace, I am a Londoner and apart from 2 years in the Middle East, I have worked in this capital city all my business and tour guiding careers. I have travelled widely and I appreciate what appeals to visitors coming to London. I can tailor my tours to interest children. I guide couples, families and larger tour groups. I particularly enjoy visits to Westminster Abbey, where I also volunteer guiding students and children through its wonderful interior – on my tours you will hear about monarchs, why scientists and poets are remembered, the architecture and religious history. The Abbey is the story of England. Come on an engaging and fun tour with me. There is so much to show you !

Tours by Robert

5. Knit sweater or warm coat

Oasis, Debenhams, Sutton, Surrey, London
Source: Photo by user A P Monblat used under CC BY-SA 4.0

When looking at warm clothes to wear in London from December to February, you simply cannot forget adding knit sweaters or a warm coat. Make sure you purchase a versatile range of knitwear which can be worn for any occasion including easy-to-wear cotton, soft cashmere, extra fine Merino, plus more. For a perfect match, pair your knitwear London outfits with a pair of comfortable boots and a warm coat. If you are looking for a place to purchase any of the outfits visit some big shops such as Uniqlo’s collection selling very beautiful jumpers, Marks & Spencer and Amazon for sportswear, and Reiss for all knitwear collections.

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6. Party outfit

packing list for london | party outfit
Source: Pexels

If you are looking forward to attending a party in London you can try the following outfits, for a glamorous look, crushed velvet fuchsia mini-dress paired with heeled Chelsea boots and a leather biker, and metallic knit dress. For high-octane try gunmetal skirt paired with a leather jacket and stiletto boots to strike a balance between low-key and polished style. For men, you can try the wool blazer over a checked Oxford with some vintage-inspired boots and luxe sports bomber and a Chevron Merino wool sweater as London gets increasingly cold. When you have all or any of these items, you are good to go to any London party.

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7. Comfortable flat shoes

comfortable flat shoes
Source: Pexels

London is a beautiful city flooded with a lot of things to do and see. While planning for a day out in London you may need a flat shoe since you’ll be on your feet all day navigating a mix of pavements, brick, or crossroads and you won’t want to risk wearing uncomfortable heels. It’s also nice to look cute around London city! To ensure this cuteness, check out the Bella Marie collections which come in a dozen colours adding spice to your outfit and giving you that good feeling of comfort and safety. Come and explore the city of London in class.

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8. Selfie stick

Selfie Stick
Source: Photo by Flickr user R4vi used under CC BY-SA 2.0

London is flooded with very attractive sites including Westminster Abbey, the view from The Shard, the Coca-Cola London Eye, Up at The O2, Old Royal Naval College, the All England Lawn Tennis Club, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Emirates Stadium Tour and Museum. Tourists may want to pull out a selfie stick and capture something for memories. Be beware that selfies are not allowed in some place mostly for security purposes. Some of the banned attractions include the Football Stadia, Alton Towers plus some more. Not to find yourself breaking laws visit www.Canibringmyselfiestick.com, which tells you which attractions ban them and which attractions permit them.

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9. Pair of sunglasses

pair of sunglasses
Source: Pexels

The weather in London is most of the time cold and rainy, but this doesn’t mean that there are no sunny days. Good news is, there are some great sunny, and warm-weather months. During such months London is among the best and beautiful cities in the UK and you may need sunglasses to shade yourself from those sun rays as you enjoy exploring every corner of London. If you are looking for the best collection of sunglasses check out the Burberry Trench Sunglasses line packed with a wide selection of sunglass designs to protect your eyes from the rays without breaking your vacation budget.

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10. Photography gears

Photography Gear (#28594)
Source: Photo by user mark sebastian used under CC BY-SA 2.0

London is a very photogenic city so you’re definitely going to want to bring some kind of photography gear with you on your trip. London’s photography setup is most likely overkill for most, but for more advanced photos, carry with you a more dedicated camera and ideally a tripod. While packing your photography gears don’t forget to bring with you a few accessories such as spare batteries, spare memory cards, a UV filter for the lens, and a dedicated bag or case to protect all your accessories. In case you don’t have a dedicated camera bag invest on a camera insert that goes inside your daypack or carry-on.

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Create memories in London

create memories in london
Source: Pexels

If you are planning to visit London anytime soon, then there are some things that are a must you pack or you will have a hard time exploring this vibrant town. In order to park the required tools, check out the list above. Enjoy yourself in London.

Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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