London for Introverts – A Calm English Adventure

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Are you thinking of going to London but are worried that it might be too much for you as an introvert? Then don’t worry anymore!

London is a wonderful place for introverts if you know which areas to seek out and which ones to avoid.

You can go all day (or days) without talking to anyone – except for the odd ticket sales person.

General Information about London

First, here are a few things about London before we dive into the nitty gritty of exploring the city as an introvert.

As you probably know, London is the capital of the United Kingdom. It’s located in the southeastern part of England.

And the River Thames flows right through it. Allowing you to relax while looking at the water from many points in the city.

It is a highly densely populated city with over 9 million people.

London’s history dates back to Roman times when it was called Londinium.

It is a highly walkable city. You can explore many famous attractions without having to take a cab or the tube.

The transportation system is brilliant in the city – even if you don’t have to take it every day. There is the tube (subway), buses, and trains. Within London, you can just use your credit card or the Oyster card to get around.

You can buy a London Pass. Depending on the attractions you want to visit, you might be able to save some money.

Last but not least, London—the whole UK, really—is moving towards a cashless experience. Have some spare cash in your pockets, but don’t take too much, as a surprising number of stores only take cards these days.

Best Places to Visit as an Introvert in London

In my opinion, London is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The contrast between old beautiful buildings and stunning modern buildings is always an incredibly draw for me.

And even though a huge number of people live there and many tourists walk around, it’s usually not too crowded (do avoid the tubes at rush hour, though, but I’ll get to that later).

One of my favourite places in the city is Tower Bridge. Firstly, the bridge itself is stunning.

But secondly, walking along the River Thames from the bridge to London is just amazing. You can walk along the river on both sides and enjoy the views.

I can also recommend doing a tour of the Tower of London. Its history is fascinating and you’ll be able to see the Crown Jewels.

Walking around the area of Buckingham Palace and St James’s Park is also always a pleasant experience. 

If you really don’t like crowds, then I would avoid the times of the Changing of the Guards. That always attracts a lot of people. It is pretty cool to see though. 

Here are the times for the Changing of the Guards – to avoid or plan.

Another wonderful park to explore is Hyde Park. You can forget that you’re in London in this wonderful space.

If you like churches or, in general, stunning buildings, then I can recommend St. Paul’s Cathedral. The ticket isn’t cheap at £25 per person, but it’s really worth it.

The cathedral is usually not too crowded. You can also go up the dome and have a great view of London. 

Just a tip: in general, the toilets of St. Paul’s Cathedral are located underneath and can be accessed without entering the cathedral, meaning there are free and clean toilets in the centre of the city.

I can also recommend walking around Big Ben, Parliament Square, and Westminster Abbey. It’s very walkable and big enough to accommodate the crowds.

Another area I love in London, which is a bit further out and requires public transport, is Greenwich.

Especially with Greenwich Park, you have a lovely view over the city, and you can even visit the Observatory if you want.

And again, walking along the River Thames is so calming and usually not too busy.

If you like museums, then I recommend visiting all the major museums in London. My favourites are the British Museum (located at Trafalgar Square), the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the V&A, and the Tate Modern.

These do tend to get a bit more crowded, but not too much. And everyone is just looking at the exhibitions anyway, so you don’t have to worry about interactions.

And best of all, they’re all free! I do love that about London.

Be aware that not all museums in London are free, but many are.

Places that you might want to avoid but are worth a visit

As London is such a tourist city, there are many people. And the previous places are usually very much tolerable when it comes to crowdedness. 

The following places are more crowded, so if you really can’t stand crowds then I’d avoid them.

If you’re OK to an extent or if it’s OK if you prepare yourself, then I would still visit them as they’re definitely worth a visit.

There are several markets in London, and my favourite one is Camden Market. There are so many incredibly delicious food stalls, quirky cafés, and even an underground theme park.

Especially during good weather, Camden Market tends to get very crowded, and the food queues are quite long.

The same goes for Borough Market. It is not as nice, in my opinion, as Camden Market, but it is more centrally located.

Chinatown is also an interesting area, but it can get quite crowded as it’s closely located to the theatre district.

If you’re not desperately in the mood for Chinese (Asian) food then I’d probably avoid that area.

You have probably heard of Uber, but you might not have heard of Uber Boats. And to be honest, I don’t know why they’re called UberBoats as you can’t order them. They’re just normal ferries that connect London.

But they are great fun to be on if you like fast boats. Depending on the time of day and year, they can be fairly full. That’s why I put them on the ‘Maybe’-list.

Covent Garden is also a maybe. It’s a beautiful area. I love the buildings there, but there are many people who think the same.

Places not suitable for Introverts in London

And now the last part of this overview. The places that are not particularly introvert-friendly.

This is just my opinion and other introverts might disagree completely with me, but I want to give you my impressions to make a decision that is a bit more informed.

The first area I’d recommend skipping is Soho. I’ve walked through Soho, but I didn’t particularly enjoy it. There are many bars, loud people, and a bit out there stores.

I just don’t like being in an area where I can suddenly hear people yelling because they’re drunk.

This might be surprising, but my second area to avoid is Canary Wharf. This is the business district of London.

It’s not a bad area if you want to go shopping, but it doesn’t offer many serene places and during the day, there are loads of business people there, especially during lunch hour.

I’m slightly biased here because I’m afraid of heights, but I would also not recommend the London Eye.

The ride takes about 30 minutes and you’d be surprised how many people fit in such a capsule. 

I went there during Covid, so it wasn’t very crowded but it definitely can be. And then you’re stuck with 25 people for 30 minutes and you can’t get anywhere.

There is some seating, but not enough for everyone, and when you’re seated, you can’t enjoy the views. 

If you really like shopping and want to experience a surreal store with incredibly expensive items, then ignore this recommendation. If you shopping is not your thing, then I recommend skipping going through Harrods. 

To be honest, I like going past it during winter when the Christmas lights are on, but I avoid going it.

Soo many people, so little space, and so many things that I’m afraid to break and be bankrupted. 

It also smells of perfume and is just an overall overpowering experience. 

If you do want to go, I’d suggest going in the morning to avoid the rush. They do have nice (expensive) restaurants and cafés where you can have breakfast.

Another shopping area that is a bit too crowded for my taste and also doesn’t offer much else than shopping is Oxford Street.

Many big names are located there and it’s not a small street, so you do have some space, but it’s still too much for my introverted self.

There is also a lot of traffic, so you don’t only have the walking crowd but also the driving crowd.

London for Introverts – Recap

This is the end of London for Introverts. Many places in London should be and can be visited even as an introvert. 

The parks are introvert-heaven; just walking through the attractions like Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and along the River Thames is wonderful.

There’s something for everyone, but there are also places that should be avoided. The markets are foodie-heaven, but confined spaces mean crowded areas.

I still think that London is a perfect travel destination for introverts if you avoid a few areas. Still, mostly, it’s really accessible and a dream to explore.

I hope this post inspired you to visit London and see this gorgeous city.

I can say that I truly love London.