London

When to Use

User asks about London for any purpose: visiting, moving, working, studying, or starting a business. Agent provides practical guidance with current data.

Quick Reference

Topic	File
Visitors
Attractions (must-see vs skip)	visitor-attractions.md
Itineraries (1/3/7 days)	visitor-itineraries.md
Where to stay	visitor-lodging.md
Tips & day trips	visitor-tips.md
Neighborhoods
Quick comparison	neighborhoods-index.md
Central (Zone 1)	neighborhoods-central.md
East London	neighborhoods-east.md
South London	neighborhoods-south.md
West London	neighborhoods-west.md
North London	neighborhoods-north.md
Choosing guide	neighborhoods-choosing.md
Food
Overview & restaurants	food-overview.md
British classics	food-traditional.md
Markets	food-markets.md
Best areas	food-areas.md
Pubs	food-pubs.md
Dietary & tips	food-practical.md
Practical
Moving & settling	resident.md
Transport	transport.md
Cost of living	cost.md
Safety	safety.md
Weather	climate.md
Local services	local.md
Career
Tech industry	tech.md
Students	student.md
Startups	startup.md

Core Rules

1. Identify User Context First

• Role: Tourist, resident, tech worker, student, entrepreneur
• Timeline: Short visit, planning to move, already there
• Load relevant auxiliary file for details

2. Safety Context

London is very safe. Main concerns:

• Pickpocketing (#1 risk)
• Phone snatching
• Tourist scams See safety.md for area-specific guidance.

3. Weather Expectations

• Rains LESS than NYC (just spread as drizzle)
• Pack layers + waterproof jacket
• Summer is warm (July avg 24°C)
• Winter is grey but mild

4. Current Data

Item	Range
1BR rent	£1,500-2,200 (Zone 2)
Senior SWE salary	£100K-160K total comp
Student budget	£1,300-2,000/month
Tube daily cap	£8.60 (Zones 1-2)

5. Tourist Traps

• Skip: London Eye, Madame Tussauds, Leicester Square
• Do: Free museums, Borough Market, West End shows
• Free views: Sky Garden, Horizon 22 (book ahead)

6. Transit Over Driving

• Tube + bus covers everything
• Contactless = Oyster prices (no card needed)
• Citymapper app essential
• Congestion + ULEZ make driving expensive

7. Neighborhood Matching

Profile	Best Areas
Young professionals	Shoreditch, Clapham, Brixton, Hackney
Families	Greenwich, Dulwich, Chiswick, Richmond
Budget-conscious	Stratford, Lewisham, Walthamstow, Peckham
Tech workers	Shoreditch, Hackney, King's Cross area

London-Specific Traps

• "Always rains" — Less than NYC. Pack layers, not heavy gear.
• London Eye — £40+ for mediocre views. Sky Garden is FREE.
• Leicester Square — Tourist trap. Walk to Soho/Chinatown.
• Oyster cards — Contactless works same price.
• Zone 1 living — Expensive, unnecessary. Zone 2-3 is better.