London Inspired Tattoos and Where to Get Them + Pro Tips!

Planing a city break or a long vacation in London? Good for you! Make sure to visit all the attractions, get your selfie in front of Big Ben, take a peak through the Buckingham Palace fence, you just might spot the Queen, visit the National Gallery, take a ride on the London Eye. Take the best of your time and bring back many memories! Some memories you’ll keep in your phone, some in your head, but would you also like to keep them on you skin, forever? Get a London inspired tattoo!

London is a unique place, with its architecture and history, a melting pot of cultures from all over the world, it’s no surprise a lot of visitors get inspired to get a London tattoo. Here are some amazing examples we found to inspire you. BTW, don’t be a tourist and just walk in to the first tattoo shop you find. Ask a few people for recommendations on where are the best tattoo artists in London, after all, locals here know what makes for a good tattoo.

Pro Tip 1: Where are all the Tattoo Shops in London

London has a rich history of tattooing, so there are many tattoo parlors with incredibly talented artists around every corner. Most of the popular ones can be found in and around Camden Town, a popular district in northwest London. New shops are popping up all over the place and you can find many cool tattoo places in Shoreditch in East London. With a plethora of eclectic restaurants, market places and artisan coffee shops, this is the spot of the moment!

If you do you research you’ll find many amazing places where to get the tattoo outside of central London. It’s definitely not a waste of your time to take to less ‘popular’ neighborhoods, you’ll find great artists, a more relaxed atmosphere and get to know more of the city.

Pro Tip 2: Avoid Tourist Traps

Just be careful your new London inspired tattoo doesn’t end up a horrible memory. Check the shop, look up reviews, make sure they make you feel comfortable. A lot of the shops in popular parts of the city treat people, especially tourists, like cash-cows, so make sure you make a personal connection with your tattoo artist before you commit.
No matter how small your tattoo is, a good artist will take the time to talk you through it and make you feel comfortable.

Pro Tip 3: Make sure the shop is licensed!

All tattoo establishments in The United Kingdom must be registered and licensed by the local authority. The license must be displayed in a visible place in the shop. If you don’t see a license, make sure to ask the artist or the shop manager about it. No license? Do NOT get a tattoo in that place.

Pro Tip 4: Book your Tattoo Ahead

It’s always a good idea to do the research and contact a few artists beforehand, talk to them and decide who to book with even before your trip. The artists will usually require you to pay a deposit fee to secure your reservation, and tart working on your design. Good artists are usually booked weeks if not months in advance, so make sure you plan ahead.

Pro Tip 5: Cheap Tattoo in London? Can be done!

London is an expensive city, and the tattoos there aren’t cheap either. A tiny tattoo will cost about $60, a palm sized one can be as much as $300, those are the average tattoo prices in London based on size, but a lot more can go in to figuring out the price of a tattoo, such as the leve details, placement… If you don’t want to splash out on a custom design, ask the artist if they have any available flash tattoo designs featuring London. Unlike a custom tattoo design, flash is something the artist will have designed previously and use it on multiple clients. It will cost less, but it will not be unique to you – you might run in to people with the same tattoo.

Pro Tip 6: Tipping your Tattoo Artist

Tipping is not required, but if your tattoo artist made an effort to make your tattoo experience a (positively) memorable one, a small token of appreciation is always a good idea. Depending on the price of your tattoo, offer a 10-20 percent tip, even if it’s just for a pint of beer after work.

Pro Tip 7: Tattoo Aftercare

Talk to your artist about what will be best aftercare for your tattoo. The artist will apply a protective ointment on your fresh tattoo and cover it with clear film. Do not remove the film for the recommended time, at leas a few hours. When you first remove the protective film, gently wash the tattoo with lukewarm water and a little antibacterial soap. DO NOT RUB! Keep the tattoo moist with an ointment. After a few days the tattoo will start to heal, and it will start to itch and get all scrubby. DO NOT ITCH!

There you go, you are now ready to get your trip to London be forever in your mind and in your skin!

London Inspired Tattoos