“You’re going to eat terribly,” “Don’t forget to bring an umbrella,” or “Remember to walk ALWAYS on the left.”
If you’ve ever considered moving to London—or just planned a trip—chances are someone hit you with one of these classic warnings. These phrases are repeated so often that they begin to sound like facts. But how much truth is there in them?
Let’s delve into some of London’s most enduring urban legends and examine how reality holds up.
1. Fog every single day? Not quite
Victorian-era films would have you believe that Londoners used to wade through dense clouds of fog daily, with visibility so poor you could barely see a few feet ahead. It makes for great cinematic drama—the perfect cover for a fictional Jack the Ripper—but not so great for accuracy.
While fog was once a significant issue, especially between the Industrial Revolution and the 1950s, it wasn’t a natural phenomenon. What people called “pea soup fog” was thick, greenish smog caused by coal-burning factories and residential chimneys. It was so heavy and sticky that it clung to your skin. After major environmental reforms (including a post-1952 “Great Smog” crackdown), London’s air became much cleaner.
Nowadays, seeing actual fog in London is rare—so rare that you might live here for years without encountering a single ghostly morning.
2. The food is terrible? Only if you let it be
Let’s be honest: even the proudest Brits might admit that traditional British cuisine isn’t exactly world-famous. But claiming that you’ll eat poorly in London is just outdated thinking.
The city has transformed into a global food capital, and not just because of its own evolving cuisine. London is a melting pot, and its food scenario reflects that. From street food to fine dining, from Afghan to Nigerian, you’ll find more culinary options than you can imagine.
Curious travelers can even explore the city’s flavor map on a food tour, London-style, tasting everything from market-fresh produce to modern takes on classic fish and chips.
Chances are you’ll eat incredibly well in Europe—if you know where to go. Therefore, there is no better option than taking a food tour in London or Rome.
So next time someone tells you, “You’re going to eat terribly in London,” or “Rome is all pizza, gelato, and nothing else,” take it with a grain of salt. Or better yet, book a guided food tour of Rome, grab your fork, and discover how wrong those myths are.
3. Red phone booths everywhere
You’ve seen the Instagram photos: leaning into a red phone booth, grinning beside a double-decker bus, or posing next to two stoic bobbies. The reality? London has fewer red telephone boxes than most people think.
There are just under 1,000 left in the city, many of which are strategically placed in tourist hotspots. British Telecom has phased most of them out due to low use and high maintenance costs. They’re more of a nostalgic photo op than a functional part of city life now.
4. Big Ben: The world’s most accurate clock?
For more than 150 years, Londoners trusted Big Ben to tell the perfect time. Even the BBC used its chimes to sync broadcasts. But in recent years, Big Ben’s reputation has taken a tiny hit. Mechanical wear has caused timing glitches—sometimes as much as six seconds off.
Engineers are working on it, but while Big Ben remains an iconic symbol, it’s no longer the most precise timekeeper in the world.
5. It rains all the time… right?
Here’s the one everyone believes. “Don’t forget your umbrella!” they say—and while it’s not the worst advice, it’s based on a bit of a myth.
Yes, London has over 100 rainy days a year, but the actual amount of rainfall is relatively low—about 600mm annually. Compare that to Rome (805mm), Istanbul (844mm), or even Buenos Aires (1,146mm), and you’ll see London’s reputation might be a little overblown.
Rain here tends to come in short, scattered bursts rather than heavy downpours. What likely fuels the myth is the gray, cloudy sky—London gets only about 1,460 hours of sunshine a year. So while it might look like it’s always about to rain, often it just… doesn’t.
Also Read: What is the average property rent in London?
