How to Pack for a Trip to London

By eHow Travel Editor

Rate: (7 Ratings)

Home of the Queen, the Underground and a great cup of tea, London is also famous for fog, rain and drizzle, so pack accordingly.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Carry-on Bags
Garment Bags
Luggage Sets
Travel Clothes
Umbrellas
Travel Adapters And Converters
Passport Services
Backpacks
Duffel Bags

Step1

Prepare for cool, damp weather year-round.

Step2

Pack business attire appropriate to your line of work. Suits are a business staple for men. For women, hose are a must with suits.

Step3

Think casual for taking in the sights and sounds of the city. Jeans, khakis, T-shirts and sweaters are common attire.

Step4

Bring a blazer and slacks (men) for dining out or taking in a show. Women will impress in a dress or skirted outfit.

Step5

Pack an all-weather winter coat, long underwear, turtlenecks, boots, socks, gloves, scarf and a hat if you plan to be there between November and March. Wear rubber-soled shoes to avoid slipping on any ice.

Step6

Opt for lightweight wool, heavier cotton and fleece clothes for easy layering during the summer months. Pair summer attire with walking shoes to sightsee comfortably.

Step7

Take two pairs of shoes. If one pair gets wet, you won't be obligated to trudge around with soggy feet.

Step8

Pack an umbrella and a raincoat no matter what time of year you go.

Step9

Bring an appropriate power adapter to recharge batteries for computers, phones and small appliances.

Tips & Warnings

Bring a carry-on bag that includes all necessities you might need in case your luggage goes astray: passport, a change of clothes, all medications, spare contact lenses or glasses, all forms of money and any important documents.
Pack to accommodate your needs. Leave superfluous items at home.

Comments

Anonymous said

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on 6/30/2006 Do not wear white tennis shoes, wear trendy earth tone shoes (6/2006). If you use a map, use London A-Z (you can pick them up at newsstands once in UK). I have never had any problems using a map - even tourists from other parts of England and Scotland use them, so no big deal.

Anonymous said

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on 3/20/2006 Pack shoes that you would feel comfortable walking in for an entire day. Transportation in London is not cheap, so you will find yourself "a pied" often. Although you may be tempted to wear sneakers, they are not very comfortable if you encounter rain.

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 If you're visiting in autumn, winter, or spring, packing polo sweaters and woolly jumpers may not be wise! Once you get indoors everyone has their heater's on full blast. Most people wear one or two layers underneath, and top it with a good warm waterproof coat or jacket. And you don't need to get all worked up about dressing business-like. Would you rather take all that effort to look like a businessperson who is uncomfortable, or would you prefer to dress casually and look like any other person walking past? Oh, and shorts are definitely not practical!

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 Trust me, when it`s summer you don`t want to carry everything but the kitchen sink. An umbrella is a must but you can usually buy a small one which does the job quite cheaply although make sure the frame is sturdy or the winds of London would easily break it. Clothes wise, in London these days almost anything goes, most people are too busy to notice. The summers are usually changeable weather but the winters AND autumns are very cold mostly so wear clothing which will keep you warm in a freezer, it can and normally gets THAT cold, but isn`t too heavy to carry when the weather will eventually turn warmer.

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 Carry your umbrella with you...everywhere. You see businessmen and women doing this all the time. It may be sunny when you step out to run errands or hit the shops, but chances are it will rain at least once before you make it back!

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