London - Site List Triage -
Apr 24th, 2014, 12:15 PM
#1
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London - Site List Triage -
I will impose again on the community for a little more London input. We are in London for 5.5 days in August. I have identified the following 9 "sets" of sites I want to visit when we are there. I am guessing we don't have time to do all of this. Two questions -
a) Any recommendations on what I should drop from the list
b) Do my 'groupings' or 'sets' make sense
London Segments
1) Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Monument, Bank of England, St Pauls
2) Greenwich, Cutty Sark, National Maritime Museum, Royal Observatory
3) Westminster Abby, Big Ben, Parliament and Buckingham Palace, Cabinet War Rooms, Shepard Market, Handel Museum, Marble Arch
4) Trafalgar Sq, St Martin in the Fields, National Gallery, Leicester Sq, Piccadilly, Shaftesbury Ave, Soho Sq,
5) The Strand, Covent Garden Market, Royal Opera House, British Museum
6) Tate Britain, Sloan Street. Harrods, Royal Albert Hall and Memorial, Kensington Park and Palace
7) Millennium Bridge, Tate Modern, Globe Theater
8) Hampton Court
9) Oxford day trip
Thanks!
a) Any recommendations on what I should drop from the list
b) Do my 'groupings' or 'sets' make sense
London Segments
1) Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Monument, Bank of England, St Pauls
2) Greenwich, Cutty Sark, National Maritime Museum, Royal Observatory
3) Westminster Abby, Big Ben, Parliament and Buckingham Palace, Cabinet War Rooms, Shepard Market, Handel Museum, Marble Arch
4) Trafalgar Sq, St Martin in the Fields, National Gallery, Leicester Sq, Piccadilly, Shaftesbury Ave, Soho Sq,
5) The Strand, Covent Garden Market, Royal Opera House, British Museum
6) Tate Britain, Sloan Street. Harrods, Royal Albert Hall and Memorial, Kensington Park and Palace
7) Millennium Bridge, Tate Modern, Globe Theater
8) Hampton Court
9) Oxford day trip
Thanks!
Apr 24th, 2014, 01:32 PM
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Well some of your days are very busy and some not so bad.
Things I wold remove from the list:
Tower Bridge - nothing - it's a bridge
Greenwich day - cut it - not necessary for a first trip
Day 3 won;t take all day
Day 4 won;t take all day
Kill Albert Hall/Memorial (hideous) and Kensington Palace (not much when I was there - OK for a second trip - I would do the V&A before this)
Sloan St is just a street - nothing to see - so you can combine 5 and 6
You will need to give up at least one day trip - I would do Hampton Court starting early in the am and do some of the random things late afternoon/evening that day
And you still have too much for 5.5 days - you will need to go back again for the rest
Things I wold remove from the list:
Tower Bridge - nothing - it's a bridge
Greenwich day - cut it - not necessary for a first trip
Day 3 won;t take all day
Day 4 won;t take all day
Kill Albert Hall/Memorial (hideous) and Kensington Palace (not much when I was there - OK for a second trip - I would do the V&A before this)
Sloan St is just a street - nothing to see - so you can combine 5 and 6
You will need to give up at least one day trip - I would do Hampton Court starting early in the am and do some of the random things late afternoon/evening that day
And you still have too much for 5.5 days - you will need to go back again for the rest
Apr 24th, 2014, 01:59 PM
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Can't discern the point of what you're doing. E.g., you can see the Tower Bridge from the Tower area.
Guessing that your .5 is the arrival day?
1 and 7 can be done in one longish day. Go to the Tower (this will wipe out 3.5 hours), walk back to the Monument, eat lunch, visit St Paul's, walk across dementor bridge, visit Globe Theater, look at outside of Tate Modern (because the inside is modern art, which is a 50% accurate phrase).
3 and 4 is a day plus part of night. Go to Buckingham Palace early and mock the guards like every other yokel or just take pics, walk to Parliament Sq, look at the tall tower with the clock, enter place where royalty is crowned and tour, walk to War Rooms (www.daysoutguide.co.uk for discounts) and visit. That should wipe out the morning and part of the afternoon. Walk to Trafalgar Square, enter National Gallery of choice, visit St Martin, then walk up to Pic Circus/Leicester Sq area, pitter around. Covent Garden is thisclose to Leicester Square (walk - it's the shortest train stop in London from LSq to CG on the Piccadilly). Haven't been to the Handel Museum in 6+ trips to London. Marble Arch is . . . an arch, of marble.
For 5/6 - substitute Brit Library for everything else that is not Brit Museum, enjoy.
Forget Harrod's except the food halls. Go to Jermyn Street and Saville Row. You could go to the Library/Museum for the morning and early pm then go to Jermyn Street etc. in mid to late afternoon. You don't have to go to Pic Circus/Leicester Sq area just once.
Dump the Oxford day trip.
Guessing that your .5 is the arrival day?
1 and 7 can be done in one longish day. Go to the Tower (this will wipe out 3.5 hours), walk back to the Monument, eat lunch, visit St Paul's, walk across dementor bridge, visit Globe Theater, look at outside of Tate Modern (because the inside is modern art, which is a 50% accurate phrase).
3 and 4 is a day plus part of night. Go to Buckingham Palace early and mock the guards like every other yokel or just take pics, walk to Parliament Sq, look at the tall tower with the clock, enter place where royalty is crowned and tour, walk to War Rooms (www.daysoutguide.co.uk for discounts) and visit. That should wipe out the morning and part of the afternoon. Walk to Trafalgar Square, enter National Gallery of choice, visit St Martin, then walk up to Pic Circus/Leicester Sq area, pitter around. Covent Garden is thisclose to Leicester Square (walk - it's the shortest train stop in London from LSq to CG on the Piccadilly). Haven't been to the Handel Museum in 6+ trips to London. Marble Arch is . . . an arch, of marble.
For 5/6 - substitute Brit Library for everything else that is not Brit Museum, enjoy.
Forget Harrod's except the food halls. Go to Jermyn Street and Saville Row. You could go to the Library/Museum for the morning and early pm then go to Jermyn Street etc. in mid to late afternoon. You don't have to go to Pic Circus/Leicester Sq area just once.
Dump the Oxford day trip.
Apr 24th, 2014, 03:12 PM
#4
I think nytraveler misunderstood your post. As I read it you have the wish list of 9 groupings . . . and 5.5 days to do them. Right?
You have about 10-14 days worth of sites there.
Initially I'd drop the Handel Museum, Piccadilly/Shaftesbury Ave/Soho Sq (if you go to the theatre one night you'll see them then), the Strand (its just a street), Kensington Palace (unless it is one of your 'musts'), Sloane Street, Albert Hall except from the outside and across the road from the Albert Memorial, Oxford (sorry but you simply don't have enough time).
You'll still have to cut some things - count every 'biggie' taking the best part of half a day. That would include travel times and stopping to eat. Your biggies include the Tower of London, St Pauls, Greenwich, (which really takes more than 1/2 a day), Westminster Abby, Cabinet War Rooms, National Gallery, British, Tate Britain, Tate Modern, Hampton Court . . . Leaving you not much time for anything else.
You have about 10-14 days worth of sites there.
Initially I'd drop the Handel Museum, Piccadilly/Shaftesbury Ave/Soho Sq (if you go to the theatre one night you'll see them then), the Strand (its just a street), Kensington Palace (unless it is one of your 'musts'), Sloane Street, Albert Hall except from the outside and across the road from the Albert Memorial, Oxford (sorry but you simply don't have enough time).
You'll still have to cut some things - count every 'biggie' taking the best part of half a day. That would include travel times and stopping to eat. Your biggies include the Tower of London, St Pauls, Greenwich, (which really takes more than 1/2 a day), Westminster Abby, Cabinet War Rooms, National Gallery, British, Tate Britain, Tate Modern, Hampton Court . . . Leaving you not much time for anything else.
Apr 24th, 2014, 11:37 PM
#6
Drop
Monument, Bank of England,
Shepard Market, Handel Museum, Marble Arch
Trafalgar Sq, Leicester Sq, Piccadilly, Shaftesbury Ave, Soho Sq,
The Strand, Royal Opera House, British Museum
, Sloan Street. Harrods, Royal Albert Hall and Memorial,
, Tate Modern
Above all drop Harrods, if you must see a shop as a place of interest go to Fortnum and Masons http://www.fortnumandmason.com/
Number 2 is a long day
Monument, Bank of England,
Shepard Market, Handel Museum, Marble Arch
Trafalgar Sq, Leicester Sq, Piccadilly, Shaftesbury Ave, Soho Sq,
The Strand, Royal Opera House, British Museum
, Sloan Street. Harrods, Royal Albert Hall and Memorial,
, Tate Modern
Above all drop Harrods, if you must see a shop as a place of interest go to Fortnum and Masons http://www.fortnumandmason.com/
Number 2 is a long day
Apr 25th, 2014, 03:20 AM
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Depending on how long you 'need' to spend in museums, and whether or not you 'need' to go 'into' some of the others I think you are fine with 'seeing' all that in 5/5 days.
The Tower of London will take at least 2-4 hours but the Tower Bridge is something most people just look at or walk across. There is an exhibit but you certainly don't need to go in and do it in order to enjoy seeing the bridge. St Pauls will also take a few hours if you want to look at everything and climb to the top. Did you want to climb the monument (pretty similar view to St Pauls) or just see it? On that day you could probably also have time to visit Borough Market (great place for lunch) which is on the south bank but near those other things. The other things in that area are the Tate Modern, Globe Theater and Millennium Bridge. How long do you spend in museums - some people could spend hours in the Tate but if you just want to see a few highlights (it's free so lots of people just pop into museums in London for a short time). Also did you plan to tour the Globe Theater or just 'see' it? Depending on the answers to these questions, all these things could be done in one day.
So you basically need to answer the question "how long do you plan to spend IN" some of these places. Some of the places won't take long at all because they are streets or squares or bridges which you'll just walk around. But you have a fair number of museums on your list and people vary greatly how long they like to spend in museums and that's the key to whether or not you can fit all this in.
As for the 'day trips'. Oxford will take all day but I think it's 'worth' it. Greenwich I did in half a day but I didn't go into the observatory. Hampton Court I have not done (am going this summer) but most things I've read says it's 'about 3/4 of a day' trip. In 5.5 days I don't think you have time for all of these plus the things on your list (unless you drop some or most of the museums).
The Tower of London will take at least 2-4 hours but the Tower Bridge is something most people just look at or walk across. There is an exhibit but you certainly don't need to go in and do it in order to enjoy seeing the bridge. St Pauls will also take a few hours if you want to look at everything and climb to the top. Did you want to climb the monument (pretty similar view to St Pauls) or just see it? On that day you could probably also have time to visit Borough Market (great place for lunch) which is on the south bank but near those other things. The other things in that area are the Tate Modern, Globe Theater and Millennium Bridge. How long do you spend in museums - some people could spend hours in the Tate but if you just want to see a few highlights (it's free so lots of people just pop into museums in London for a short time). Also did you plan to tour the Globe Theater or just 'see' it? Depending on the answers to these questions, all these things could be done in one day.
So you basically need to answer the question "how long do you plan to spend IN" some of these places. Some of the places won't take long at all because they are streets or squares or bridges which you'll just walk around. But you have a fair number of museums on your list and people vary greatly how long they like to spend in museums and that's the key to whether or not you can fit all this in.
As for the 'day trips'. Oxford will take all day but I think it's 'worth' it. Greenwich I did in half a day but I didn't go into the observatory. Hampton Court I have not done (am going this summer) but most things I've read says it's 'about 3/4 of a day' trip. In 5.5 days I don't think you have time for all of these plus the things on your list (unless you drop some or most of the museums).
Apr 25th, 2014, 07:50 AM
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More great input - Thanks. Looks like I will need to make some drops. I am still struggling with the prospect of dropping the Oxford trip - I think we may play that decision by ear.
It is funny how many people hate Harrods. The only appeal for me is the food rooms- but perhaps that isn't enough to justify the time cost.
It is funny how many people hate Harrods. The only appeal for me is the food rooms- but perhaps that isn't enough to justify the time cost.
Apr 25th, 2014, 08:14 AM
#10
>>but perhaps that isn't enough to justify the time cost.<<
The food halls are definitely worth seeing IMO (but I personally think not as impressive as they used to be). But it really depends on your time -- as it is you are trying to fit a size eleven foot in a size five shoe.
The food halls are definitely worth seeing IMO (but I personally think not as impressive as they used to be). But it really depends on your time -- as it is you are trying to fit a size eleven foot in a size five shoe.
Apr 25th, 2014, 09:50 AM
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Remember it is your holiday, if you REALLY want to go to Oxford, keep it in but you may have to cut things out from your London wish list. Also if you are in Knightsbridge I would absolutely pop into the Harrods food halls..... I agree ref Fortnum and Mason ( best Christmas puds) IMHO and great food hall. Really Sloan street is just that, a street with expensive shops... Not really a tourist destination although you could have a walk down the kings road, up to Sloan Sq and then just walk up Sloan street to Harrods. But that wouldn't be on my top 5 things to do in London!
I actually really liked Hampton Court ( in fact I drive past it today and it still looked magnificent even in the rain! )
Why don't you make a list of of "non negotiables" and go from there. Whenever I go somewhere new I always decide on what are the things I HAVE to see and work those into my days and then realistically see if I can add in the nice to haves ( and you also need to add in some free time for the gems you find you didn't know existed.......
and great food hall. Really Sloan street is just that, a street with expensive shops... Not really a tourist destination although you could have a walk down the kings road, up to Sloan Sq and then just walk up Sloan street to Harrods. But that wouldn't be on my top 5 things to do in London!I actually really liked Hampton Court ( in fact I drive past it today and it still looked magnificent even in the rain! )
Why don't you make a list of of "non negotiables" and go from there. Whenever I go somewhere new I always decide on what are the things I HAVE to see and work those into my days and then realistically see if I can add in the nice to haves ( and you also need to add in some free time for the gems you find you didn't know existed.......
Apr 25th, 2014, 10:05 AM
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I did Greenwich in half a day (including the Observatory) but I was by myself and am a fairly fast walker. After that I took a train to the fairly new Docklands Museum which was fascinating. Second trip to London, though.
Concur with the above that you can do much of what you really need to see (as opposed as what you want to see) as it won't take all that long, and concur with most of their cuts.
Concur with the above that you can do much of what you really need to see (as opposed as what you want to see) as it won't take all that long, and concur with most of their cuts.
Apr 25th, 2014, 10:57 AM
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A lot of this stuff is drive by/walk through, as others note above, even on a Hop On Hop Off bus.
Do make this your trip. Close your eyes, relax, say "London" to yourself, and try to visit the pictures that form in your head.
If you like music, the Handel house is wonderful; don't miss it. And you will get to see the flat, in the same building, where Jimi Hendrix lived 200 years later.
If you listen to the Proms on the internet and wish you could go, you will get far more thrills from seeing the Royal Albert Hall than the Crown Jewels. Go to a concert at Wigmore Hall.
If I could return to only one more place in London before I die, it would be Sir John Soane's Museum at twilight, followed by the Tate Modern, inside, thank you very much, and either the Wallace Collection or the National Gallery to see the Arnolfini Wedding. British Museum? British Library? Meh.
I think the various changings of the guards (Buckingham Palace, Horse Guards, the Tower) are Worth It but the only thing I really remember about the Tower is the tiny Norman Chapel
I always go to Jermyn Street to buy shaving soap at Floris, my wife always goes to Fortnum and Mason for tea. These are our London, and after a few visits you will have yours.
I have been going to London since Christmas, 1954, when a lot of modern London was still bomb sites, empty blocks full of the rubble of buildings destroyed by German bombs. So that's 60 years ago, and I haven't seen it all yet, though I have been in some outlying places, for sure. So, see what you love, enjoy what you see, and budget to go back.
Do make this your trip. Close your eyes, relax, say "London" to yourself, and try to visit the pictures that form in your head.
If you like music, the Handel house is wonderful; don't miss it. And you will get to see the flat, in the same building, where Jimi Hendrix lived 200 years later.
If you listen to the Proms on the internet and wish you could go, you will get far more thrills from seeing the Royal Albert Hall than the Crown Jewels. Go to a concert at Wigmore Hall.
If I could return to only one more place in London before I die, it would be Sir John Soane's Museum at twilight, followed by the Tate Modern, inside, thank you very much, and either the Wallace Collection or the National Gallery to see the Arnolfini Wedding. British Museum? British Library? Meh.
I think the various changings of the guards (Buckingham Palace, Horse Guards, the Tower) are Worth It but the only thing I really remember about the Tower is the tiny Norman Chapel
I always go to Jermyn Street to buy shaving soap at Floris, my wife always goes to Fortnum and Mason for tea. These are our London, and after a few visits you will have yours.
I have been going to London since Christmas, 1954, when a lot of modern London was still bomb sites, empty blocks full of the rubble of buildings destroyed by German bombs. So that's 60 years ago, and I haven't seen it all yet, though I have been in some outlying places, for sure. So, see what you love, enjoy what you see, and budget to go back.
Apr 25th, 2014, 06:28 PM
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Nice post, Ackislander. London is my favorite city, and I agree that that there are apecial things we do to make it
"our" London. We buy chocolates at Carbonnel et Walker, go to the theater, have afternoon tea at Richoux and a dinner of Steak & Mushroom Pie and Sticky Toffee Pudding at Brown's Restaurant, and attend Sunday morning worship at St. Paul's.
Rholt, please do a trip report and let us know what you enjoy the most.
"our" London. We buy chocolates at Carbonnel et Walker, go to the theater, have afternoon tea at Richoux and a dinner of Steak & Mushroom Pie and Sticky Toffee Pudding at Brown's Restaurant, and attend Sunday morning worship at St. Paul's.
Rholt, please do a trip report and let us know what you enjoy the most.
