Can someone suggest some really good and affordable sightseeing tours for London. Im leaving for next week.

For an overview take one of the two companies hop-on hop-off bus tours. There will be lots of tour information at your hotel for guided bus to to places within or outside of London. Check with your concierge. If you are not staying where they have one go to a larger hotel nearby where they do. Don't forget ot take a walking tour. Jack the Ripper is my favorite.

Are they expensive because Im on a tight budget?

Poppy

Check out www.walks.com. This is a great London tour company and no they are not expensive.

The 2 hop on/off tours I know of are www.theoriginaltour.com and www.bigbustours.com. They are similar in tour and price.

As far as being expensive, just about everything in London is expensive (except the family metro pass which was a bargain). It's been a couple of years since I've been there, but we did enjoy the big bus tour. They also offer fast track admission to the tower of london. The line there could be long, so this advantage is worthwhile.

London is quite large. These bus tours do give a good overview. Once you are somewhat familiar with the lay of the land, use public transportation. It's quick, easy and inexpensive.

The ultimate in affordability has to be a bus pass from Transport for London (7 days for &pound;11) and a map of <b>Key bus routes and tourist attractions in central London</b> from here:

<b>http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/pdfdocs/tourist.pdf</b>

Dozens of free guides to the sights can be picked up at a Tourist Information Office, which can be found here:

<b>http://www.britainexpress.com/TIC/London.htm</b>

How to use the London bus system:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34685947

One good thing for folks like us who have to watch our budget is that the museums in London are free and there are a lot of them for just about any taste.

I found some good things here:

http://london.walks.com/

Poppy,
If you click on the new Trip Report with photo at the top of the page and then scroll down the Fodors List on the right hand side of the page there is a good do-it-yourself walking tour of London - if that interests you.

Well - since everything in London is in English - and it;'s quite easy to get around - with public transport everywhere - I would think your best deal would be a transit pass and a good guidebok.

There are several great paperback walking guides to London. Any Borders, Barnes and Noble or even small local book stores will have some in stock or be able to order one for you.

A walking guidebook and a transit pass will get you everywhere and you'll have full descriptions of the sites along the way. This will be the most economical way.

London walks are good too - w/ small fees.

The hop-on-hop-off bust tours aren't too expensive and give a good overview of the whole city plus a boat ride on the Thames.

But if you are on a really tight budget just a walking guide and a transit pass . . . .

On this page of Fodors site I used their search for “London walk tour” and for “London walks”, and found four useful notes thus

Questions about London Walks. Author: gopack Date: 07/20/2005, 12:29 pm London walks Check out www.walks.com. This is a great London tour company and no they are not expensive.

Author: MFNYC Date: 12/06/2005, 10:44 am The 2 hop on/off tours I know of are www.theoriginaltour.com and www.bigbustours.com. They are similar in tour and price.

Normally I *love* the Original London Walks, but I'd choose carefully for the British Museum walk.

Author: janisj Date: 11/14/2005, 01:10 am Personally, I think the tours run by the museum itself are more geared to children and families than the London Walks ones.

Welcome to London
Ben Haines
[email protected]

Long time no see, Ben.

I hope all is going well for you.

Keith