Items tagged with midweek-breaks-on-a-budget

Part 1 of a 3 part series of ideas for Midweek Breaks on a Budget The midweek breaks problem: You have a week off work coming up soon and you want to take full advantage. Neither of you can afford anything really expensive. With a budget of around £500 between you just what is possible? Here is the first of 3 ideas that will give you a good break but won’t over stretch the budget. This one might surprise you! London theatre breaks mid week I can just imagine your reaction, “London? Isn’t that going to be really expensive? Shows? Are you nuts?” Well, I’m not nuts and I’m about to try to prove it. A midweek break for 2 in London, 2 nights in a hotel and, tickets for a West End Show and rail travel from somewhere like Leeds could cost you as little as £140 each. You’d actually do better spending a little more on the hotel and getting one right in the centre near the theatres. Much more fun and the less time you spend on the tube the better! That would start at about £200 each and often includes a full English breakfast. Places to eat in London on Midweek Breaks It’s true, you can easily spend a fortune eating out in London but you don’t have to. And I don’t mean just eat nasty take-aways either. London, even in the West End or Covent Garden is full of pleasant, reasonable places to eat. In fact it can be easier to find such a place in London than in somewhere like Leeds or Manchester! There are good chains like Cafe Rouge, Giraffe and Eat but you should be able to find something a bit more adventurous. restaurants for midweek breaks Book one meal with your break When you book a theatre break with hotel stay and show tickets included, it’s easy to add a pre-show dinner, either at the hotel where you will be staying or at a suggested nearby quality restaurant. These meal deals or add-ons are all set up to make sure you have an relaxed restaurant dinner and can still arrive at the theatre in plenty of time to take you seats well before the show starts. The restaurant bill is then included in the total cost of your break and it’s usually very good value. Find restaurants for yourself I could recommend a few West End restaurants but in London things change constantly. Places change hands, cooks move on, old favourites close and new ones open. You can find every style of food from French to Japanese via Vietnam and Cornwall! Here are some tips to consider before walking in off the street:

Have a good look at the menu display board. Is is the kind of you food you fancy? Is there a special menu deal and if so what exactly is included Are you happy with the price? Check there are no hidden’extras’(VAT, Service etc) Don’t be shy! Peer in through the windows and see who is already eating. If nobody at all, that’s not always a bad sign if it’s still very early evening but some places are crowded from late afternoon with people coming straight out from work. If there are diners eating within sight, or waiters carrying food to table then have a nosy glance at the food itself. In just a second you can often get an impression if it looks appetising, artistic, not quite right, too big or too small. Look at the tables and chairs offered to see if you think you will be comfortable and not too squashed together. Once inside make sure the table you are offered isn’t too near the door or, worse yet, the toilets. If it is just say refuse it, you will usually be offered another one and nobody takes offense.

There’s no reason why you can’t eat well and not spend too much even in the heart of London. Read more about this topic at our sister site Theatre Breaks Magazine 5 Things to Do in London on Midweek Breaks Well, there are just so many and lots of them cost either very little or nothing at all. If you are on a tight budget then it might be wise to avoid the shops. London shops pay top prices for their rents so they can be a little expensive. A little window shopping won’t hurt though, just don’t get tempted. Here are just a list of 5 suggestions for things that cost very little or are free: River cruises are quieter on midweek breaks

A hop on hop off Thames river cruise. A great way to see the city and costs very little. Art Galleries – they are free! Tate Modern is a favourite. There is usually something interesting and often fun(!) in the Turbine Hall. It is also ideal if you combine it with the river cruise. From the Tate walk over the Millennium Footbridge, get one of the best views of the river and go and have a look round St Pauls. It really is quite stunning. The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben are really best viewed from the river. The roads and pavements around them will be heaving with people mid-week so you get a much better view from a boat. A walk in St James Park. Costs nothing but will provide you with some great views and a little oasis of calm and quiet in the busy city.

One more tip, if you are feeling like exploring more of London get yourselves Pay-as-You-Go Oyster Cards and learn to use the tube. You can even hop on a Routemaster bus with it! Just avoid the busiest stops and peak times if you don’t like being squashed.

London Breaks

Midweek Breaks on a Budget Part 3

Midweek Breaks on a budget Part 1

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