Things to do in London after the Olympics

The spectacle that was the London 2012 Olympics is now but a fading memory, and along with the athletes, many tourists will now be heading back to their respective countries. If however you find yourself in London with a few extra days to spare, then now’s the perfect time to do a little sightseeing. In an effort to kick start your post-Olympic holiday, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favourite attractions in the city.

No visit to London would be complete without a trip to Buckingham Palace. Probably one of the world’s most well-known royal residences in the world, Buckingham’s 19 state rooms are open to the public until early October. Head over to the front gates before 11:30 in the morning and you may find a good spot to view the changing of the Queen’s Guard.

For a view of the city that simply can’t be beaten, the London Eye is the place to go. Open daily, and until about 21:00 in the summer, the London Eye is the largest observation wheel in all of Europe. Its 32, glass-sided pods make one full revolution every half hour. Grab a spot on the north side of your pod and you’re guaranteed views of the city like you’ve never seen before. More than 3,1 million people visit the London Eye each year.

If you’d rather keep your feet on terra firma, then be sure to head on over to one of the city’s many, bustling street markets. The Camden, Portobello and Greenwich Markets are favourites in this regard, and tens of thousands of tourists, and locals, visit the trio each weekend. See if you can pick up a good deal, or head over to the markets just to see what’s on display.

Madame Tussauds is another one of London’s must-see attractions. This famous wax museum features hundreds of life size replicas of celebrities, historical figures, royals and sports stars – including many of the athletes from the London Games, like Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt and British gold medallist Jessica Ennis.

If you’re looking to explore the more cultured side of London, head over to Britain’s national museum of modern and contemporary art, the Tate Modern. Towering over the River Thames, this refurbished power station now contains works by some of the world’s most influential artists. Have a bite to eat at one of the gallery’s restaurants and admire the scenery.

If you’re looking for something to do in London after the Olympics, then we hope this list gave you a few ideas. But for more detailed information about these attractions, as well as hundreds of other places of interest in London, head over to Hummba and download our London City Guide. It’s available on iPhone and Android, and packed with quality travel content from Frommer’s Unlimited.

Let us know what you think of our London picks, or make a few suggestions of your own in the comments below. See you in Rio de Janeiro 2016!

Happy travels!

Hummba’s Top Apps for the London Olympics

The London 2012 Olympics unofficially kicked off last week, with the women’s football event playing out in front of a 25-thousand strong crowd at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The Games only officially opened however on Friday, with a Danny Boyle spectacular. A fitting tribute to Britain’s biggest ever sporting event, wouldn’t you say? But with the excitement of the opening ceremony now over, what else is there to do in London besides watch 204 nations compete in the Games over the next two weeks?

Here at Hummba we’re firm believers in the versatility of mobile apps, and that’s why we’ve compiled a list of some of our favourite apps, just to make your life a little bit easier while you’re in London. Let’s get to it...

XE Currency Converter:
Probably the best currency converter available at the moment; it’s free and it’s incredibly easy to use. Available on iPhone, Android, BlackBerry and Windows mobile devices, the XE Currency Converter certainly covers all the bases. It uses live exchange rates and will help you keep track of your money while you’re in London.

JiWire WiFi Finder:
If there’s one thing you can be assured of when you travel to another country, it’s that roaming data charges will cost you an arm and a leg. Enter JiWire’s Wi-Fi Finder. This Wi-Fi registry features nearly 800,000 locations all over the world where you can get your mobile device online free of charge. More than 180,000 of these are in the United Kingdom, so if you’re looking to save a few ‘Bob’ on data charges while you’re in London, then get the app and head for the nearest hotspot.

Tube Map:
London has one of the best public transport networks in the world, but it can all get pretty confusing if you’re new to the city. Download Tube Map onto your iPhone or Android and you’ll be cruising the Underground like a local in no time at all.

Hummba:
Let’s face it, London’s a pretty big place, and finding your way around can be quite a daunting task. That’s where we come in. Hummba has a comprehensive London City Guide that uses your mobile’s GPS location to point you in the right direction. The guide features hours of detailed audio content about hundreds of tourist attractions, restaurants and accommodation facilities in London. If you’re looking for something to do other than watch the Games, then download Hummba and explore the city to the fullest.

London 2012 Olympics official guide:
Last but not least, the official apps of London 2012 are also well worth a look. You can join in and share your experience at the Games, follow the latest results, or keep the kids busy with the London 2012 game.

So there you have it, Hummba’s top apps to have during the London Olympics. Let us know what you think of any of these apps in the comments below, or feel free to make some suggestions of your own. What apps can’t you live without when you’re on holiday?

Enjoy the Games, and happy travels!

It's going to be a big year for London...

Few people will argue that London is not the place to be in 2012. The London Olympics are expected to be some of the most watched sporting events in history and Queen Elizabeth II’s upcoming Diamond Jubilee has already got the entire country in the mood for a party.

Celebrations in honour of the Jubilee are set to begin already on the 6th of February. This will mark the 60th anniversary of Elizabeth’s ascension to the British throne. The real show however is only scheduled to kick off in June, just a few weeks before the Summer Olympics.

Britons will be graced with a four-day holiday and a Diamond Jubilee concert produced by Gary Barlow (one of the head judges on the X-Factor reality television show). A maritime parade of more than 1,000 boats will make its way up the River Thames and the Queen herself is expected to join the flotilla atop a golden barge. Events have also been organised in several Commonwealth countries around the world, including Australia and Canada.

London hosted the Olympics back in 1908 and 1948, and with this year’s event it will become the first city to host the modern Games on three occasions. Kicking off on the 27th of July and running until the 12th of August, the London Olympics will be a big tourist draw card for the entire United Kingdom. Music lovers will also be pleased to hear that English rock legends Pink Floyd are expected to reunite to perform at the Olympics and Sir Paul McCartney will also make an appearance at the Games.

If you’re looking to experience one of 2012’s hottest holiday destinations, London really should be at the top of your list. Download our free audio travel guides to help you discover more about the must-see attractions of London, or let us guide you on a walking tour of the city.