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.mdfor 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.