(London) “Save up to 50% on your tours and choose from over 90 activities in the British capital. »
The London Pass offer is sure to appeal.
We then assure that by purchasing this discount card which gives access to “its most Instagrammable monuments” and “its best-kept secrets”, we will discover “the best of London”.
So we got the five-day package for one adult and one child for 229 pounds ($388.27 CAD). The price varies depending on age (adult or child) and number of days.
So, is it worth the cost or not?
Actually, it depends on what kind of traveler you are. And what type of little travelers you are sightseeing with.
During a nine-day mother-son stay in London, we fulfilled Son’s dream of following in the footsteps of Harry Potter by visiting different filming locations – including the Warner Bros. studios. – where the film saga was filmed.
First downside here: the popular studios – which are expensive to visit – are not among the attractions for which we get a discount with the London Pass.
Another big disappointment for families looking to save money: the popular London Eye – Europe’s tallest Ferris wheel at 135m tall – isn’t included either. Now, all the children passing through London obviously want to go there.
In South Bank, on the banks of the Thames, you board one of its 32 glass pods for a 30-minute tour. We are treated to a magnificent view of the parliament, just opposite, but it all goes by very quickly… at an exorbitant cost: 85.50 pounds ($146.45 CAN).
Son loved it, but let’s say a discount wouldn’t have been an option. Same disappointing observation for the archipopular London Aquarium and London Dungeon, also located in South Bank.
To arrive at the number of “over 90” activities, the London Pass offers very niche ones, such as a visit to the Fan Museum or even a cricket stadium.
That being said, if you are the hyperactive traveler type – visiting several attractions per day – or, like Son, have prepared a long, very long list of “not to miss” places in the British capital, it there are savings to be made.
But if you like wandering around museums and exploring neighborhoods on foot, stopping here and there at a cute café or a nice-looking pub, the London Pass may not be for you. Indeed, the most popular museums in the British capital, such as the British Museum, the National Gallery or the National History Museum, are free (except temporary exhibitions). And it’s easy to spend several hours there (so less time to do the tours included in the London Pass if you’re only spending a few days in the British capital).
So we maximized our visits. During this marathon, let’s highlight several favorites. Among them, two sure hits with children: the zoo and the Tower of London. The latter, a medieval fortress, served over the centuries as a royal residence, observatory, arsenal, menagerie, prison and… place of execution. These two visits alone take at least half a day each because there is so much to see (and walk!).
After all, these attractions were included in our package, so why not take a look? Let’s mention the tour of the interior of Tower Bridge. Without the discount, we would have been content to admire it from the outside.
However, Fiston loved his route of exhibitions presenting his rich history, especially since it was perfectly adapted to children (both informative and entertaining!). And he will remember for a long time his passage on the emblematic glass-floored footbridge perched 42 meters high.
The London Pass also gave us the opportunity to vary our means of transport to discover the different districts of London. We were entitled to a ticket valid for one day aboard a panoramic bus with multiple stops (hop-on/hop-off type). And on a second day, we took advantage of the same concept, but this time on the water, aboard a river shuttle (Uber boat).
Son particularly loved what we called “our Thames cruise”, during which we were able to get a different perspective on several iconic sites and neighborhoods in London. We passed Westminster, Enbankment, Blackfriars and under London Bridge, among others.
Without the London Pass, we would have favored traveling by tube – more economical – but the river shuttle was more pleasant, especially since we chose a sunny day. Yes, yes, it’s possible during the London autumn!