The race to bid for front row or ringside tickets for the London 2012 Olympic Games is well and truly over, with the majority of tickets now allocated and a few “cheap seats” left up for grabs. But it’s not a necessity to have a ticket to any of the sporting events to enjoy the Olympic Games in London. There is plenty to see and do in conjunction with the games to allow visitors to still enjoy the atmosphere and excitement during this special time.
Some of the un-ticketed free events that spectators can revel in include the road cycling, Triathlon and a marathon. For those that can’t get up close and personal with the athletes as they run or cycle through the streets of London, there are plenty of live screenings planned across the city parks on cinema style outdoor screens. Victoria Park, Potters Fields and Hyde Park will all host big screens as well as special events as part of the Olympic festival. As well as being able to watch these events for free, visitors to London can also enjoy luxury private accommodation close to the games in areas such as Highbury and Islington with property exchange UK websites that offer the chance to swap homes for a week or two with any other homeowners that are registered with the scheme. A house exchangeis a perfect way to get close to the Olympic Games without having the restrictions of staying in a London hotel, and no doubt the price for staying in a hotel around the time of the games has a least doubled if not tripled this year.
Aside from the sporting events taking place in London during 2012, there will also be a fantastically buzzing atmosphere as the games will attract visitors from all over the world and pubs, bars and clubs will certainly take advantage of the extra footfall by putting on special events and exercising longer opening hours. West End Live, River of Africa Music Stage and a Wine Festival are all free events to look forward to in London this summer.
The Olympic Games committee have also taken steps to improve the surrounding areas of Hackney and also improve transport links, meaning it is now easier to travel around London and there are more pleasant outdoor spaces to enjoy. Of course the British weather can’t be guaranteed to be warm and sunny, however temperatures usually reach more than 20 Celsius and rain doesn’t fall as often as the Brits might let on.
