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I don’t know what it is about it, but I absolutely love London. And I say that as someone who hates big cities. I struggled so much more in Edinburgh, Scotland than I ever have in London, despite London being bigger and more populated.

Basically, London is one of my two favorite destinations (so far, at least), with Oman being the other. Very different, I know, but there are reasons for both. But there’s no escaping that London can be very difficult for people with anxiety. It’s huge, there are tons of people, you have to find your way around, there are so many options, it’s expensive, it’s crazy, it isn’t the safest place…

Just like any other place, London isn’t a destination for everyone. Some will love it, some will hate it, and others will genuinely not care. But having anxiety or getting easily overwhelmed shouldn’t restrict your prospective destinations. Maybe you’d love to visit but need some tips or reassurance, or just an idea of which parts to go to. Being on a budget could restrict you a little more, since London is one of the most expensive cities in the world, but there are ways to manage that, too.

So let’s get into it, then, shall we? Like always, this is entirely based on my own personal experience. Suggestions will be places I’ve been or activities I’ve done. None of this is sponsored, and if you disagree or want to suggest activities of your own, please (respectfully) leave a comment about it! Also, I apologize for any outdated or awful quality photos. I used quite a few from a couple years ago, while there was significant construction and before I was any good at photography.

London’s Huge — Where are you going?

That depends on the vibe you want, your comfort/security level, etc. I’ve heard from Londoners I know that, when visiting the city, you should try to avoid the southern parts. Most of the big tourist attractions will be in central London (City of London, Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, and Camden are big ones). If you’re into the royal scene, then Westminster will probably be for you. Prefer the edgy and artsy? Go to Camden. Wanna see the big, modern city? Walk around anywhere, really, but you could focus on City of London/central London.

Unless your preference is for vast nature or peace and quiet, you’ll find something for you in London. (If that is your preference, go here instead!) You have museums, old and new architecture, tours for every interest, theatres, a variety of food and shopping, markets, concerts and events, parks, and more. While I can advise you stay toward north or central London, I can’t advise you much further than that because I don’t know you. You’ll have to do some of your own research to narrow down your options.

What are some of the major attractions?

A part of me was tempted to say, ‘Oh, that’s easy’ and provide a list, but then I realized (again) that I don’t know you, and I barely know London. So this won’t be exhaustive, but it will include the things I, my family, and Google have always heard about with London, since that should cover at least a decent amount of the ‘major’ spots.

• Buckingham Palace and any other significant royal spots
• Big Ben/Elizabeth Tower
• Houses of Parliament
• Tower of London
• Tower Bridge
• Westminster Abbey
• St. Paul’s Cathedral
• Somerset House
• The British Museum, Natural History Museum, and Victoria and Albert Museum (as well as the huge number of other museums scattered across the city)
• National Gallery
• Tate Modern
• The London Eye
• Sky Garden
• Kew Gardens
• London Zoo
• Camden Market
• The West End
• Piccadilly Circus

What’s worth going to or doing?

Because London is expensive and touristy, there are plenty of places that just aren’t worth the cost or crowds, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find an alternative.

For example, the London Eye isn’t worth it. It just isn’t. You spend too much money and too much time in line for a view largely restricted by the rest of the Ferris wheel. Instead, you could go to the Sky Garden or find another rooftop with a view near it. These are free/cheap options with better and less obstructed views than the London Eye. If you’re planning to go, I’d recommend trying to get in (up?) around sunrise or sunset. When I went to the Sky Garden, I made it in just before sunset, saw the city in the daylight, and watched the city transform as all the lights turned on. I will say that, whether you choose the London Eye or the Sky Garden, they aren’t as difficult for acrophobes as they seem. I really struggle with that phobia, and I had little to no issue with either.

I’d say wandering around Westminster could be nice if you’ve never been to London. A lot of the major tourist attractions are there. Once you’ve found one of the major places, it’s pretty quick and easy to get to most of the others. You can snap a few pictures, show all the locals you’re absolutely a tourist, and check those spots off the bucket list without having to enter any of them.

Bus tours are a major waste of money. When I visited with some other family members, they wanted to do a hop-on-hop-off bus. Don’t. You can take the same journey at a fraction of the price using public transportation. Why waste your money if you don’t have to? I’m pretty conflicted about boat tours because those depend so greatly on the weather and what you want from your trip. If you want to sit and listen to some interesting trivia while seeing several of the major bridges and maybe some landmarks, then look into them. If you’d rather not pay for that, then find something else.

Museums and galleries can be great options on a budget. A ton have free admission, and there’s such a huge variety of them throughout the city. You honestly could spend days checking them all out. I can recommend the British Museum, and the Natural History Museum seems cool, too. If you have any particular interests, look them up. There’s probably at least one museum or gallery for it somewhere in London.

The markets depend on which ones you go to. Some are really small and not worth going out of your way for. Others are much larger. I actually enjoyed Camden Market despite how busy it was. If you’re into vintage clothing and jewelry, you’d probably love it. There’s a pretty nice variety of good food, too. I will say, though, that it’s tricky if you’re overwhelmed by crowds or smells (the main ones I remember were leather, oranges, oud, and perfume). It’s a little confusing to navigate, especially once it gets busy, so you might go in circles. But every now and then, you’ll wind up somewhere new.

Places like Piccadilly Circus are full of shops, but they’re really just busy squares. Piccadilly Circus feels a lot like London’s version of Times Square, for example. Don’t get me wrong, there are some neat things to see. I like to pretend I’m not an adult and browse the Lego store and M&M World if I’m around Piccadilly Circus. But if you’re used to cities, I don’t think there’s anything spectacular about these spots.

(I’m so sorry, I can’t figure out how to make this smaller yet.)

Any events I’d recommend?

I don’t go to many events, but I can recommend a couple. If there’s going to be a concert, performance, show, etc. in London while you’re going to be there, then check it out! Might as well.

Personally, I think West End shows are worth it. You can often find reasonably priced tickets to decent shows, even the day of. However, be aware that some of the theatres are older, and may be very steep. I struggled at the Lyric Theatre, feeling like one stumble would send me all the way from the balcony to the stage. Once you’re settled in your seat, it isn’t quite as bad, but something to be aware of. (I’m not sure if you’d count this as an ‘event’, but it’s a performance that might not run for long, so I’m including it here.)

One I didn’t expect to find (or go to) is the silent disco in the Natural History Museum. It was actually really fun. There were several ‘bars’ for anyone who drinks (but there’s no pressure to!) and the music was great when I went. Besides, how neat is it to jam to great music under multicolored lights and a giant skeleton on the ceiling? This is something that might be more enjoyable with friends or a partner, but I went alone and didn’t drink and still had a great time, so don’t rule it out if you’re traveling solo.

Where should you stay?

Budget + safety + convenience + preference. These will greatly filter where you stay.

Are you on a lower budget? You’ll probably be in a smaller hotel, a hostel, and/or outside the center of the city. If your budget’s a little higher, you may stay in a less small hotel and/or in central London. Don’t get me wrong, you can find modern hotel rooms in central London for low prices. I’ve done it. You just might need to book them earlier.

Are you traveling alone or in a group? Are you a man or a woman? How confident do you feel in cities? If you’re more nervous, you might need to increase your budget a bit to get into a more central or safer area. Of course, cheap options aren’t always unsafe, especially if you use common sense and caution. I’ve stayed in two central boroughs and one a little further out and had no issues with any of them. Two of those trips were as a solo woman, too.

Where do you want to go and what do you want to do? If everything you have planned is in the same area, then it would make sense to look for accommodation there. If things are more spread out, then maybe look for a central point. Or try to find accommodation with easy access to public transportation to get you around.

Preference will play a huge role in your budget, I think. If you want a room to yourself, you’re going to have to pay more for it. If you prefer more space, you’ll need to cough up. Have high standards? It’ll take a chunk of your savings, but you’ll definitely find something. Even in hostels, if you want a female only or male only dorm, you may need to pay a few extra pounds per night. (If you’re a solo female traveler staying in a hostel, I would recommend paying that tiny bit extra for the security of it.) No matter what you want, you can find it. Just be mindful of your total trip budget. You can’t always have it all.

Time for real talk: is London safe to visit?

I wish this was easy to answer. You should absolutely be cautious in London, and be aware of your surroundings. Keep a hand on your bag in crowded areas. I saw plenty of people wearing backpacks on their fronts walking around busy squares.

I think this really boils down to using common sense and being mindful of which parts of London you’re in. It isn’t the safest place in the world, far from it, but there are much more dangerous places to be. There have been moments where I’ve been a little uneasy about being out, especially by myself, but I usually have no problems there alone.

If you aren’t comfortable in certain areas or at certain times of day, then schedule things to fit into a safe, comfortable schedule for you. Trust your instincts. If your gut is telling you something is wrong, you don’t need to justify to anyone why you’re leaving. Paranoid about something or someone on public transport? Get off at the next stop and wait for another train, bus, etc.. Safety comes before sightseeing, and minor inconveniences to your plans are better than emergencies that could’ve been avoided.

I don’t say any of this to scare you. London genuinely can be a great place to visit, alone or with others. I know telling an anxious person not to worry after listing precautions to take might be wasting my breath, but it’s true. If London were really that bad, people wouldn’t travel there. Young people, solo travelers, women, etc. wouldn’t travel there, but they do. Sometimes the world is worth the anxiety.