Annina2411

Hi there!
I'm new on this forum, my name is Annalisa, 25yo, I'm from Turin, Italy.
After founding a great offer on Ryanair's website, I booked a flight from Turin to London (2-8 dec 2017).
I'd like to have some info about London in that time of the year. It's cold? It's rainy?
We're used to travel in winter time, on jan 2016 we went in Paris for a week, and on dec2016/jan 2017 we spent two weeks in NYC. In Turin usually the weather is cold (0-5°C) and rainy, so I think we'll survive .
I know that this isn't the best time for the first visit in London, but I'm a big fan of Christmastime and I love to see the most beautiful cities of the world all lighted up for the holidays.

There it is some details about our trip:
We'll arrive in London Stansted at 11.15am on dec 2, we booked a private room on AirBnb located in Westminster Bridge Road, and the Stansted Express tickets.
The return flight is dec 8, at 6.50am, for saving some money we'll spend the last night in the airport, so the last "full day" of our trip will be dec 7.
I'm also a Potterhead, so I already booked the WBStudio Tour for tuesday, 5/12.
So we have 4 full days and 2 half-days available to visit the city... do you think it's enough?
Things we'd like to see: Westminster Area, Covent Garden, Camden Town, King's Cross area, Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace&the park, Kensington Garden&Palace, Oxford/Regent St., Ladenhall Marked, SkyGarden, Tower Bridge, City Hall, HMS Belfast, London Bridge, Borough Market...
We'll visit only this museum: Natural History Museum, Imperial War Museum, The National Gallery, The British Museum (this one, only if we'll have time).
Do you think it's workable?

I'd be happy to receive all your best advices, to organise at the best my trip.
Thanks!

Annalisa

bilboburgler

Ok, the weather, no one knows, imagine Turin but closer to the Atlantic so more wet and windy but further from the alps so less cold BUT generally more variable.

The trick to London in December is wear layers, and have two plans for each day, one for being inside and one for being outside.

Your overall plans is fine, but,
1) Check which days and times the markets are open (google it)
2) Which hotel are you staying in at Stansted?
3) you might like the V&A (Victoria and Albert) museum.
4) if you like shopping you might like Liberty http://www.libertylondon.com/uk/home which is close some of places you mention plus the lights are fantastic

Buon viaggio

Annina2411

Thanks, bilboburgler!

1)Already did, I made a draft for an itinerary based on the market's opening hours.
2)No-one, we'll arrive in the airport about 1am on dec 7 and we'll stay there until the check-in time, around 4.50am. I read online that is not a problem to get a nap on the chairs there are in the airport, it's true?
3)I already knew about this museum, but my fiancé is not a "museum-guy", so we have an agreement, 2 museum by my choice and 2 by his
4)Thanks, I added it on my list!

bilboburgler

https://www.sleepinginairports.net/l...minal=Stansted this might help

texasbookworm

Group your sites by neighborhood/area so you aren't trying to cover too much ground and waste time.

The British Museum should, in my opinion, be first on your list; it's one of the world's best and is huge and will have plenty to interest you both.

The other 3 museums are also top notch (I love the Imperial War Museum), but I wouldn't personally put the Natural History on the top of the list.

Tower Bridge is....a bridge you can't miss seeing, but going across it or up into the exhibit is not "necessary." However, you don't even mention the Tower of London--that should be on your list.

Tulips

Hi Annina, December is a great time to visit. Can't preduct the weather but I've often had good mild weather early December. London looks great then.
Many of the places you plan to visit are free, so good for your budget! Agree with British Museum - it's great. Rather than the Natural History I would do the V&A next door. This also has a lovely cafe.

If the weather is good consider cycling on the Sunday; it's not so busy on the roads then, and you can cross Westminster Bridge, do St James Park, Green Park, Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens. Or cycle along the river to Chelsea and do a loop back to Hyde Park for the Winter Wonderland. A nice thing to do on a sunny winter sunday morning.

Tulips

Well Winter Wonderland will probably not be open until later in the day, I think it opens 4 or 5 pm.

Annina2411

Omg, thank you so much for all your answers!

@bilboburgler: thanks! I think we'll try to go to the airport and see how it's the situation. We spent 48hours without sleeping when we leave for Paris, so I hope we'll find a way to spend the night!

@texasbookworm: yes, I printed a huge map of London, marked all the interesting spots and divided them for area!
The order of the museum is casual, I just wrote them down, so the Natural History is not the first of our list!
We won't go up on the Tower Bridge and I miss to write about the London Tower. We'll see it, but just from outside. The tickets are a bit expensive and this should be a "low cost trip" (that explain the selection of only free museum and the sky garden).

@Tulips: The Natural History is the museum picked by my fiancé, so it's untouchable LOL We rather spend time walking on the streets, so we choose to pick two museum each and enjoy the city.
Thans for the advice about the cycling, I thought it would be too cold for doing it! I write it down!
Good to know also about the Winter Wonderland opening hours, I didn't think about it!

janisj

>> London Tower. We'll see it, but just from outside. <<

You can't really see anything from the outside. Sort of like seeing the Vatican from outside the walls.

You can get into the Tower for half price
https://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/2for1-london

If you bought your Stansted train tickets on arrival they would be all you'd need -- but I am not sure the ones you can pre-purchase have the national rail logo that is required. If they do -- sort of looks like two lines with a Z across them -- then you are covered for the 2for1 discounts. Look at the website and print out any vouchers you might want to visit (the Tower of London vouchers may not be available until later in the Autumn)

If your express tickets don't have the logo, you can buy a one day travel card from a train station (not a tube station) to qualify.

jamikins

The Tower of London is, in my opinion, the best site in London and well worth it! Expect to spend at least half a day there. Arrive first thing when the doors open, then head straight for the crown jewels (ignore the free tours for now). You will likely be seeing the crown jewels on your own. Once you are done that circle back to the entrance and pick up an included beefeater tour. This is definitely worth the time and money!

PatrickLondon

Christmas lights: Oxford St and Regent St are the ones everyone goes to see, but they don't always live up to expectations (last year's were much more up to the mark, though); you could try also looking around Seven Dials and Covent Garden, and possibly Carnaby Street.

PalenQ

If your express tickets don't have the logo, you can buy a one day travel card from a train station (not a tube station) to qualify.>

As asked for mine and others' info cannot you buy say a national rail ticket between two London stations - a return ticket good for however long you will be doing 2 for 1s - like a return ticket from Kings Cross to Faringdon- next station south of Kings X?

Curious as that would be cheaper than buying one-day Travel Cards?

???

janisj

The one-day travel cards will cover all the tube and bus and DLR travel as well so no need to purchase extra 'throw away' tickets.

PalenQ

it would depend on then if someone is taking Transport for London that day I see but for someone who walks all over may be better to buy a return ticket between London stations.

Thanks for answering and that makes sense yet you do have to bother with going to stations to get the paper travel cards - could one buy travel cards for a certain day in advance? Negating going to stations that day? I assume yes and that makes it all so easy and yes you have unlimited within zones TfL transit that day.

Annina2411

I already have the Stansted Express tickets and they have a little blue National Rail logo on them (only on the printable version, on the mobile version they haven't).
I'm afraid to put too many attraction on my lists and not have enough time to see them all. This is the reason because we decided to see the London Tower only from outside.
I made a selection of things we'd like to see and in 5 days I think it's impossibile to see every important attraction of London, am I right?

jamikins

You are definitely right - you know what you want to see so stick with your interests. London will still be here if you want to come back and see more!

Annina2411

@PatrickLondon: I didn't saw your post, sorry!
Carnaby St and Covent Garden are on my list, I just added Seven Dials, thanks!

For everyone: what do you think about Portobello Market? I read about it online, but I can't make an idea. Someone says that is only a "trap for tourist", others says it's unmissable... I'm not a fan of vintage (in particular), so we'll go only for a walk I think, not to buy or shopping...
I'm asking since it has specifics opening hours, and I'd like to know if it worth to go in opening hour or if it's nice going even only for a walk in the neighbourhood.

jamikins

Do you like crowds? It gets horrendously busy later morning and afternoon. If you are interested (if you are not interested in vintage I think there are better ways to spend your short time in London) then head there very early.

Annina2411

We hate crowds :/
People who push, and do a lot of elbowing is not for us.
At this point could be an idea going there very early, even before the opening, walk on the neighbourhood and then go somewhere else.

jamikins

What are you trying to achieve? There are lots of lovely neighbourhoods to walk through. Notting Hill is a bit out of the way. Seems like a waste of precious time when there are better ways to use it on a short trip no?

You can see the crowds by googline Portobello Road Market, I dont know if this link will work:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=po...iw=985&bih=446