The London Eye

London Explorer Pass vs The London Pass - A Comparison

Your ultimate guide to the pass that'll help you get the best from London

So, you know you should get a attraction pass to maximise your money when visiting London, but you're not sure which one to go for. Don't worry, here's some top tips to help you make your choice.

Planning a trip to London and want to save on combined attraction admission? Compare two popular attraction discount passes: London Explorer Pass vs. The London Pass, to see which one is best for your trip and the attractions you want to visit. Be sure to check the website for both passes for the most current prices, available attractions, and more info relating to each product.

How the passes work & how you save

Big Ben in spring

The London Explorer Pass® lets you choose how many attractions you want to visit while The London Pass® lets you choose how many consecutive calendar days in a row you want to sightsee.

So for the London Explorer Pass, your savings are most dependent on which attractions you choose to visit, while The London Pass savings are highly dependent on how many attractions you're able to fit into the number of days you purchased.

With both passes, you could save up to 50% vs paying separately for each attraction at the gate.

London Explorer Pass

discover-breathtaking-london-skyline-featuring-shard

The London Explorer Pass includes admission to your choice of up to seven London attractions for one low price. The pass comes in several options, from two-to-seven London activities, tours and attractions, and you can pick and choose as you go from a selection of over 100 included options. Show your pass at each attraction and you're in, it's that easy. Savvy travelers can save up to 50% off combined admission and will pay nothing at the gate. All you need to do to maximize the value is make sure you visit all your attractions within 60 days of first using your pass.

The London Pass

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The London Pass includes admission to almost 100 attractions for 1–10 consecutive days. Simply choose attractions, tours and activities as you go and show your pass at each attraction to get in.

London Attractions Available on the Pass

Both passes include the option to visit many popular London attractions, but they don't offer exactly the same attractions. So, be sure to check each website for the most up-to-date information and make sure all the ones you want to do are included on your chosen pass. There's nothing worse than realising too late that you'll have to pay separately for one of your must-sees.

London Explorer Pass:

Choose from over 100 attractions, including:

  • The Lastminute.com London Eye
  • Hop-On Hop-Off Big Bus London Sightseeing Tour
  • Madame Tussauds
  • Westminster Abbey
  • Tower of London
  • Shakespeare's Globe
  • The View From The Shard
  • Wembley Stadium Tour
  • Kew Gardens
  • London Zoo
  • St Paul's Cathedral
  • SEA LIFE London Aquarium
  • Popular walking tours, river cruises and more!
  • and more

The London Pass:

Choose from over 90 attractions, including:

  • The Lastminute.com London Eye
  • Madame Tussauds
  • Tower of London
  • Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
  • Thames River Boat Cruise
  • Hampton Court Palace
  • Westminster Abbey
  • London Bridge Experience
  • Windsor Castle
  • London Zoo
  • Kensington Palace
  • Shakespeare's Globe
  • and more!

Let's recap on the pros and cons of each pass

London Explorer or London Pass?

With the London Explorer Pass, you can choose how many attractions you want to visit and take up to 60 days to decide what you want to see from an epic selection of over 100 attractions, activities, and tours. If that sounds good to you, grab a London attraction pass and save while you sightsee!

Alternatively, The London Pass allows you to choose how many consecutive days you want to spend visiting attractions in London, and then try to pack in as many as you can from a 90+ selection over the number of days you've opted for.

Casey Makovich
Go City Travel Expert

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best markets in london
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Best Markets in London

When you tire of shopping in shops, buying your produce in the same stale supermarket, or want to find things you won't get on the high street, your first port of call should be a market. They offer lots of variety, and usually have delicious food and drinks on offer to help you refuel. That way, you can focus on the most important thing of all; shopping. London has so many markets on offer, which one is best for you? Read on, and discover the best markets in London, so you can decide for yourself! Featuring: Borough Market Old Spitalfields Market Brick Lane Market Camden Market Covent Garden Market and more! Borough Market Borough is arguably London's best-known market. Head there, and you'll find countless street-food offerings, refreshing beverages, and a winding maze of both indoor and outdoor market stalls. Whether you're picking up some fresh ingredients for your kitchen, or grabbing some food on your lunch break, Borough Market is a foodie's paradise! Southbank Centre Market A stone's throw from Waterloo Station, the Southbank has become one of the best places to visit in the city. Full of unique culture and experiences, it's a must-visit for those venturing into London from out of town. And their market is no different, offering a wealth of pop-up street food offerings and delicious drinks all year round. And, if you're looking to dig into a good book while you chow down, head over to the nearby book market and discover new and exciting worlds to dive into! And when you've seen and bought everything you want, there's the BFI around the corner for your cinematic needs, and even music festivals in the summer. Definitely one of the best markets in London. Spitalfields Market On the colder, wetter days we inevitably get in the capital, perhaps an indoor market would be preferable? Look no further than Spitalfields Market. Along with a wide variety of gourmet food trucks and pop-ups, providing everything from burgers to Asian cuisine, there are also cutting-edge clothes shops and jewellery boutiques. You'll also find vinyl and antique markets down there at certain times of the week. Brick Lane Market Just a few minutes from Spitalfields is its scruffy uncle. Brick Lane is an uncurated utopia of odds-and-ends, second-hand homeware, vintage apparel, and everything in between. Every trip is an exciting adventure, and you'll never know what the next stall could be selling. Oh, and as usual, expect a wide variety of food stalls offering tasty and varied cuisines. Given the slap-dash nature of the market, they don't have a website. So, you'll just have to head to Brick Lane yourself and see what all the fuss is about! Brixton Village and Market Row Home of the famous Electric Avenue from the famous '80s song, Brixton is one of the most diverse districts in London. Ergo, you can expect an equally diverse collection of world foods to be on offer. You're bound to find some delectable Caribbean jerk chicken, Italian bites, and fish dishes all over the place. And, on top of all that, you'll discover arcades full of craft jewellery, amateur art, and so much more. If you like your food spiced and your shopping unpredictable, it's easily one of the best markets in London! Portobello Road Market Nestled in the famous Notting Hill, you'll find the largest antique market on the planet! That's right; we're talking about Portobello Road. Now well over 200 years old, it's one of the city's longest-running markets. Here, you don't just get one or two markets; you get five whole markets for the price of one! Whether you're looking for fresh food, vintage garments, second-hand nick-nacks, or the aforementioned antiques, Portobello Road Market's got you covered. It's a shopper's paradise. And, once you've perused and purchased to your heart's content, there are a tonne of bars and restaurants in the surrounding area that are worthy of exploring. After all that shopping, you deserve a rest. Easily one of the best markets in London. Camden Market Next is one that needs no introduction. Camden Market is well known nationwide as one of the biggest and busiest markets in the country. Every weekend, thousands of people travel there to buy odds and ends, mixtapes, vintage offerings, and everything in-between. But like Portobello Road, Camden Market is actually a collection of smaller markets that intersect with one another. Head down to the market in Camden Lock, for instance, and you're likely to find higher-end boutique offerings from designers and artists, whereas other avenues will offer their own unique shopping possibilities. While it's definitely worth exploring from time to time, always prepare to deal with surging crowds of marketeers. Given recent events, that might not sound as appealing as it once did! Victoria Park Market Victoria Park may be best known for its music festivals, as it's the site of Field Day and All Points East Festival. However, it's also home to a lovely market that comes out every Sunday. Here, backed by trees and other flora, you'll find plenty of stalls with fresh fruit and veg, and maybe even some tasty exotic treats you won't find at your local supermarket! On top of all that, you'll find craft drinks from local creators, and cakes and other sweet treats to nibble on. And, since the park's right there, it would be rude not to go and eat them on the grass. Maltby Street Market Arguably the baby on this list, Maltby Street Market has only been around for just over a decade. But don't let that deter you, because it's fast becoming one of the best markets in London! Featuring a curated list of vendors, you'll find plenty of ingredients to buy and food to try. With the likes of Duck Frites, who fuse duck with other interesting cuisines, as well as Bangers Catering, who make the best sausage sandwich you've ever tasted, it's no wonder Maltby Street Market has become so popular, so quickly! Covent Garden Market And finally, we arrive at Covent Garden Market. This indoor market in Central is one of the city's most famous, with its distinct Victorian architecture, glass dome, and curved teal supports. An Apple Market in times past, it has now become a haven for craft accessories, art, sculptures, and much more. One to visit if you're in the area and the weather is looking unfavourable! And that's our list of the best markets in London!
Dom Bewley
Outdoor Activities in London
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Outdoor Activities London

You know how it is. Sometimes, it's fun being inside. The feeling of relief when someone else cancels plans you really weren't up for attending. Meanwhile, you get to stay inside guilt-free, splaying out on the sofa absorbing terrible TV like an unsociable husk. It's magical. Other times, you've got that pep in you, that desire to get out there and show the world who you really are. You're an outdoors person. You like going outdoors and doing things outside of those doors. And, if you're living in London or are visiting the English capital, you might be wondering what outdoor thing to do. Well, wonder no longer, for we have curated this list of the very best outdoor activities in London. So read on, get inspired, and find something new to do today! Featuring: Parks Rooftop drinks See a film Urban escapes Animal hangouts and more! Go to a park Let's start with something so cheap it's free. Walking, the human's favourite mode of physical transport. Walking is excellent for both the body and mind, getting those endorphins pumping and breathing in some fresh air. And where better to get your step on than at a park? Trees, grass, tiny woodland critters. Parks really do have it all. And in London, you're simply spoiled for choice. Hyde Park, Victoria Park, Ally Pally, Finsbury Park, and Regents Park are all heavy hitters in the London park department. Want something smaller? Try Barnard Park and Islington Green in North, Shoreditch Park or London Fields in East, Ladbroke Square Garden or Holland Park in West, or Clapham Common in South. Wherever you are, there are big and small green places all around. So get up, go out and find them! Simple yet effective, parks walks and hangouts are some of the best outdoor activities in London! Check out a rooftop bar If the weather's right, the sun's out, and the clouds are on holiday, why not grab a cool refreshing drink at one of London's many rooftop bars? You've got low-key affairs like The Castle and Vagabond, which offer no-frills terrace drinks and tasty bites. For higher-energy trips, head to Brixton Beach or Bussey Building, which both offer great drinks, pumping music, and great party vibes. Or, if you want to be active while on a rooftop sipping cocktails, try Skylight in Tobacco Dock or Peckham. You can play a few rounds of croquet or boules with your friends as the sun shines down on you. Who ever knew that throwing or smacking balls with a mallet could be so much fun? Go there, and you will know. See a film beneath the stars Yes, you read that right. Films, but outside. That's techinically an outdoor activity in London, right? If you simply can't be without the talking pictures, you can make them an outdoor activity too! Relive the glory days of drive-in cinema. You've got plenty to choose from too. Perhaps the biggest one around is Rooftop Film Club. With venues in Stratford and Peckham - at the good old Bussey Building - they're the best in the business. Showing a mix of old classics, Oscar winners, modern films, and musicals, you're sure to find the perfect flick to watch under the stars. You could probably sing along too, if you're so way inclined. Alternatively, check out Film4's 'Summer Screen Festival' at Somerset House for an eclectic mix of cult classics, new releases, and lesser-known indie hits. Or, if you're feeling courageous, why not take to the sea with 'Movies on the River'? Adorably, they play an assortment of river-based films like Wind River, The River Wild, and Mystic River. River-ting. A little wordplay never hurt anyone. See the sights on an open-air bus Does the thought of sitting down outside yet moving around sound like fun? Why not hop aboard an open-air bus tour of the city? You'll get the chance to see the city's sights with the wind running through your hair, or what's left of it. You'll pass iconic London sights like the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge, and Buckingham Palace. And thanks to a handy, informed guide, you'll learn all about them too. It's like school, but fun. And outside. An escape room, but outdoors So, you're looking to outdoor activities in London, are you? Well, how about this doozy? London is under threat, from hackers or something. Do you have the wits and smarts to save the city? If you answered 'yeah, sure,' why not check out Urban Missions? This outdoor escape room slash scavenger hunt takes place entirely outdoors. You work for The Agency, a shadowy organisation that stays in the shadows. Your task? Use WhatsApp to receive clues and codes, then use your brains to solve them. This adventure will take you all through the city, just like a real phone detective. Groups of two or more must work together to solve every clue, unlock every code, and save London from an unknown threat. Are you up to the task? There's only one way to find out. Try it for yourself and see what you're made of. Go to the zoo And, finally, why not add some fauna to your outdoor adventure? Walk, talk, and other things with the animals at London Zoo! There are a whopping 20,000 animals for you to mingle with from all over the planet. All you cat lovers are in for a treat. You can visit Land of the Lions, a space dedicated to the majestic and sadly endangered Asiatic Lions. There are only 400 left on the planet, which is incredibly sad. Alternatively, if you like your cats with a few more stripes, go see Tiger Territory, which is dedicated to Sumerian Tigers. Learn about their day-to-day habits, and the issues we have with conserving their natural habitat. Or, if you sleep all day and the night is your time to shine, go check out Night Life, an entire exhibit dedicated to the exotic critters that own the night. On top of all that, you've got gorillas, penguins, butterflies, and even kid-friendly offerings like The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Here endeth the list of all the best outdoor activities you can experience in London. So go forth, and be active. And outside.
Dom Bewley

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