London

View of Parliament from the London Eye - Jan. 1, 2012 

One of my favorite cities. I love the mix of old and new, all the history mixed with the modern architecture. Another thing I love about it is how affordable it really is. It is the gateway to Europe as it is the cheapest city to fly into. (From a Toronto perspective at least.) The cheapest I have ever done it was about $550 tax included.That is cheaper than flying to most places within my own country! The reason for this is chartered airlines like Air Transat and Sunwing. Because they are not scheduled airlines, their prices are a bit cheaper and they fly in to London Gatwick airport which is much cheaper than London Heathrow, although it is a bit farther out from the city. 

Once you finally arrive at Gatwick there are 2 trains that run right into a Central London station called Victoria Station, I recommend the Gatwick Express. Upon arrival at the station it would probably be best, depending on how long you plan on staying in the city, to get an Oyster Card. This card gives you access to not only the Underground but the famous double decker red buses as well with just a tap of the card. Most of the time I didn't even have to take it out of my wallet, I loved it!

When it comes to seeing sights, if you are in a bit of a rush, I always recommend hop-on-hop-off passes. They not only educate you on your surroundings, in several languages, but also give you the freedom to see everything at your own pace. You must also remember that the Queen has also made many, if not all of the museums and galleries in the UK free giving you all kinds of things to do, besides shopping at Primark.

Another great thing about London is that it seems as if it is the center of the world. If you have the opportunity to be in the area for a great deal of time you are only about 2 hours from Paris on the Eurostar or 5 hours from Scotland on a Virgin Train. 

When you are in London the world, literally, is your oyster(henc why they call it an Oyster card). Where else in the word do they sell pizza for one pound, or three bottles of wine for ten pounds? When people say that London is "too expensive" they just don't know where and how to spend their money. Any city can gouge you, you just need a good travel agent to prevent that from happening to you! ;)