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Useful information for coming to London
USEFUL LINKS:
CHANGING OF THE GUARD at Buckingham Palace: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday at 10:30-11am.
THEATRE AND MUSICALS. Last minute tickets: you can get last minute tickets at good prices for musicals and theatres. I recommend apps like TodayTixx or the website boxoffice.co.uk .
October in London! Welcome to autumn, the best season for this city. Cosy plans are coming up, a little rain, yes, but what would London be without that, beautiful sunsets and the city tinted in an orange tone perfect for photographs. And on top of that, if you come as a tourist, good news, it's low season. As the high season is over, this means that many attractions, museums or restaurants have more availability. Take advantage now to visit tourist attractions such as the Tower of London, the London Eye or Westminster Abbey, without so many people, as well as to go to musicals or make restaurant reservations.
1. SEE TOWER BRIDGE OPENING. Take advantage of the better season, which means that Tower Bridge opens more often. On average, it opens 800 times a year, but in summer it is much easier to see it, and this month it will open several times. Check the opening times on the website to match your visit.
3. VISIT SKY GARDEN OR HORIZON 22. Reserve a free ticket to watch the sunset from a skyscraper.
Remember to book well in advance. If you have run out of tickets, for both cases we recommend arriving around 10am, especially on less busy days (Tuesday to Thursday). In the case of Horizon 22 you can scan a QR code to get in a last minute queue.
Remember that it gets dark earlier (6.30pm approx), in case you want to time your visit at sunset.
4. BARBIE EXHIBITION (5 July - 23 February 2025). As a child, one of my dreams was to go to a Barbie Museum, and suddenly, this dream has come true because this July, she is bringing a unique Barbie exhibition to London, on the occasion of her 65th anniversary.
An exhaustive exhibition on the invention and evolution of this famous doll and some of her most legendary styles. If you are a fan of her or if she has had a childhood impact in some way, you cannot miss it.
The Design Museum, where this exhibition is held, has free entry, but the temporary Barbie exhibition costs £15.
5. BLACK HISTORY MONTH. This month commemorates black history and culture in all its forms and extensions, celebrating their struggle throughout history, so there are many plans, talks and events for it. It is recommended to enjoy these events. As a curiosity, it is celebrated in October as it marks the anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the Caribbean. The first time this month was celebrated was in 1987, just when the 150th anniversary of that event was celebrated.
Some interesting events:
- Here is the Eventbrite link with sessions, tours and walks discovering many historical and interesting facts, organized by the City of London.
- Many museums, like the Museum of London, have temporary exhibitions during this month (by the way, the Museum of London is undergoing renovations, I can't wait to see the final result, but they are temporarily in Docklands, it is one of the forgotten and most interesting ones).
- Black Culture Market , the weekend of October 5-6, to buy all kinds of products, from cosmetics to clothing or food.
6. LONDON LITERATURE FESTIVAL, 23 October - 3 November. Located at Southbank Centre (near the London Eye), it's London's literary festival, talks (including Keanu Reeves), events and a great gathering of people who love the written word.
7. DIWALI, OCTOBER 27. From 1 to 7 pm, there are thousands of events and the colorful and exciting Hindu festival of Diwali. It's free and a sight to behold, so if you're in London on those days, don't forget to stroll around the area.
8. COMEDY OF ERRORS . Until October 27th. One of Shakespeare's most famous comedies, at the Shakespeare Globe. Last chance this season to visit this theatre, as it closes in winter (except for Christmas). Don't miss the theatre of theatres. By the way, take advantage now as the Shakespeare Globe closes until spring (with a few small exceptions at Christmas).
9. HALLOWEEN. The big event in October. 100% recommended to experience it in London.
Go to a residential London neighbourhood, ask in a café or pub which street the mythical Halloween is celebrated on, and enjoy the decorations on the houses, the events that take place and the hundreds of children who go out into the streets dressed up, knocking on the doors of houses with the classic “Trick or treat”. Some put up decorations like in the cinema, with music, performances and a thousand other activities.
If you can't find any of these parties, you don't have enough time, or you don't come on that date but you want to enjoy some nice Halloween decorations, thousands of buildings and places in London are decorated with Halloween motifs from the end of September. The most legendary is the private (and very select) club Annabel's , which always wins the prize for the best decorated façade.
Many local shops and centres also prepare for Halloween, such as Kew Gardens , the Harry Potter studios, or areas such as Belgravia or Sloane Square, which decorate their streets with a Halloween theme.
I also leave you the episode of the podcast A Tea with Juliet , about Halloween that we recorded last year, with stories of ghosts, haunted London pubs and secret societies.
10. VAN GOGH, POETS & LOVERS EXHIBITION. Until January 19, at the National Gallery, you can see some of Van Gogh's most legendary works, such as The Starry Night , his famous self-portrait , or The Room .
Tickets start at £24. Please note that although the museums are free, temporary exhibitions cost between £10 and £25.
11. OKTOBERFEST. Another of the big events of this month, the famous German festival also comes to London, and there are few things that the English like more than beer, so any excuse is good.
12. VISIT THE GALEÓN ANDALUCÍA . The Galeón Andalucía will be in London until October 6. Visit this replica of a 17th-century Spanish warship in St. Katherine's Docks. You can come and see it from the outside, or buy a ticket and go inside too.
13. BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE (BFI) FESTIVAL. The 68th edition of this film festival is taking place from 9 to 20 October. You can attend interviews, events, screenings and much more. Tickets start at £10. Top actors flock to this festival, where they celebrate the seventh art in style (and if you've come on a tour with me, you know that the dramatic arts in London are at a very high level).
This year's guests include Alfonso Cuarón (director of the third Harry Potter film), Lupita Nyong'o, and Zoe Saldana.
14. A GETAWAY TO THE COUNTRYSIDE. Autumn is a great time to visit the countryside, because the colours are beautiful, the days are still a bit long and the feeling is authentically cosy without having the cold of the winter months. Take advantage of the opportunity to discover other places outside the city or the English countryside (Cotswoods). You can get to many beautiful and charming places by train, such as Bath or Oxford .
You can also discover other places, which I always highly recommend, such as Whistable , Brighton , Canterbury or Winchester .
If you want to discover small, charming villages, green landscapes or historic sites, you will need a vehicle, as the roads are narrow and buses and excursions do not usually reach all of these towns.
We can help you with our excursions to the countryside. Contact us so we can design a route that suits your tastes and time. These are generally one-day tours, so we leave early and return late, but you have complete freedom to choose the times. This service includes pick-up (and drop-off) at the accommodation. Please note that the groups must be small, with a maximum of 6 people.
15. LONDON TOUR WITH JULIET'S BRIDGE. And, of course, a London tour with Juliet's Bridge. We always make sure that our tours are not the typical ones, but rather an experience like going to the theatre or the cinema. Come, relax, forget about social networks, WhatsApp or maps and we will help you discover the city and explore this capital in a unique and special way, with curiosities, anecdotes, details and lots of entertaining history. You can book our free tours here , or book a private tour (in this case we add more stops and can include reservations for museums, restaurants or viewpoints).
16. AUTUMN PHOTO SHOOT IN LONDON. If you want beautiful photos, this is the best time. If you also take advantage of the Golden Hour, you will use those photos for years, perhaps a lifetime. It is easy for the camera to capture cozy and pleasant feelings, because you will feel them.
I can think of many scenarios to take these photos, but after many sessions in London, I will save you time and leave you with some of the best:
- Richmond Park. You may even see deer behind your photos, which will make it even more special. It's the largest park in London, so the autumn colours of the trees or a beautiful sunset will look amazing here.
- Notting Hill. There is no season that does not suit this neighborhood. But its colorful houses are sure to be waiting for you to take a photo with some colorful accessory and a coffee in your hand. Perhaps the Alice store is also perfect as a background or maybe a good photo looking at antiques and discovering treasures at the famous Portobello market.
- Primrose Hill. One of my favourites, a little park on a hill, with views of all of London. Here you will have all the perfect elements for the photo we are looking for: park, autumn colours, and London in the background.
- Big Ben. Great photos are always taken near Big Ben. If you stand in front of the park next to Westminster Abbey, at dusk, you will have a photo so that your grandchildren can enjoy your travelling and adventurous spirit and dream of being like you when they grow up.
- National History Museum. Probably the perfect building for a photo shoot. This building has magic and is unique in capturing the light, and I repeat, autumn is going to help by giving it the best.
Remember that we also offer professional photo sessions in London. We have created packages, but you can talk to me and I will advise you and help you find the best place or time.
If you're planning to do this, this is when you'll get the best results. And if you're visiting, you can't miss this unique souvenir of your trip.
Here is the link to the sessions:
https://www.julietsbridge.com/products/london-photoshoot
As you can see, October is an exciting month in London, and it awaits you with a thousand plans and things to do and discover, and so do I.
👩🏻🦰
