If you are planning to go to London for a holiday, that’s great! London is one of the best places that almost everyone has on their bucketlist. If you are about to check this one out, here’s some essential London tourist tips you should keep in mind. Clue: overrated places to go in London that you should avoid and the better alternative.

1. Westminster on the South Bank

We get it, the view here is stunning but trust us, you won’t get a nice picture here because it’s too crowded.

Alternative: If you keep walking down the South Bank, and go on to the roof garden at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. Be welcomed by the fountains at the Southbank Centre and pose on the pier for photos with Tower Bridge in the background. Better view, we reckon.

2. Oxford Street

No matter how hard you try you will get lost within the great amount of people who are also planning to meet someone directly outside Oxford Street tube station. With the shops here everywhere you look, shopping is not as convenient as it seems to be.

Alternative: Covent Garden, Carnaby Street.

3. Buckingham Palace

Yes, this place should absolutely be part of your places to see as the park is beautiful, the palace itself is spectacular, The Mall with its flags just screams “BRITISH”.

But please, never ever stay here all day long except when there is newsworthy events like the Changing of the Guard or the Trooping the Colour. Research when you should go, turn up at an event, see it, and leave.

4. Saturday Borough Market

Borough Market is actually good! Everything is made from quality ingredients, many locally sourced, and sold by happy vendors offering free samples. So why should it be avoided on Saturday? Because every tourist knows it is there too.

Alternative: Broadway Market or the Real Food Market (directly behind the Southbank Centre), or Borough Market on a weekday.