More time in London than I originally thought
May 3rd, 2005, 07:35 AM
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More time in London than I originally thought
Hi! I wrote a week or so ago about restaurant suggestions and you were all so helpful. I am going to London on a company trip. They have planned our itinerary, but I have now realized we have a lot more free time than I originally thought. I am hoping you all can help suggest things for us to do. They have us planned to do a double decker bus tour of London, the London Eye, see "We will Rock you", dinner at Kensington palace and a few other spots and go to Oxford. We are staying at St. Martins Lane in Covent Garden.
We come into London next Wednesday at 8am and have the whole day to ourselves. We have 2 other partial afternoons free as well. I prefer to walk to sights nearby. My husband and I enjoy art and history but we are on a budget... what do you all suggest?
We come into London next Wednesday at 8am and have the whole day to ourselves. We have 2 other partial afternoons free as well. I prefer to walk to sights nearby. My husband and I enjoy art and history but we are on a budget... what do you all suggest?
May 3rd, 2005, 08:25 AM
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Art and history on a budget and in walking distance of your hotel.... welllll...you're spoiled for choice. 
Here're a few to get the ball rolling:
The National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery are at Trafalgar Square;both are marvelous... both are free.
The British Museum is just past the intersection of Bloomsbury Street and Great Russell Street...more collections than you can shake a stick at.... free
Then for something artsy-history-ish and quirky there's Sir Johns Soanes House near the Holborn Tube Station..free
St Pauls Church(the one in Covent Garden) was designed by Inigo Jones' in the mid-1600's ...go inside and read all the memorial plaques on the walls,find the one for Vivian Leigh... free.
Here're a few to get the ball rolling:
The National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery are at Trafalgar Square;both are marvelous... both are free.
The British Museum is just past the intersection of Bloomsbury Street and Great Russell Street...more collections than you can shake a stick at.... free
Then for something artsy-history-ish and quirky there's Sir Johns Soanes House near the Holborn Tube Station..free
St Pauls Church(the one in Covent Garden) was designed by Inigo Jones' in the mid-1600's ...go inside and read all the memorial plaques on the walls,find the one for Vivian Leigh... free.
May 3rd, 2005, 08:38 AM
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Dinner at Kensington Palace? You just <b><i>have</i></b> to report back and let us know what that was like!!
Two of the great history-packed sites that I would recommend are the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey. They aren't free, but each has over 1000 years of history.
Two of the great history-packed sites that I would recommend are the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey. They aren't free, but each has over 1000 years of history.
May 3rd, 2005, 08:53 AM
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You're in a great area - and a very flash hotel, I might add. As a resident, make sure you go for a drink in the 'Light' bar in the foyet - it's only for residents and A listers, so be sure to say hi to Madonna. You'll spot it by the scary looking bouncers stopping people like me getting in.
And you can practically throw stones at the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery from your bedroom window.
And you can practically throw stones at the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery from your bedroom window.
May 3rd, 2005, 11:25 AM
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Many of the streets do wind and wiggle or change names mid-stream. If you had more time I'm sure you'd find it fun to get lost for a few minutes, but you don't want to get lost when your time to explore is limited.
I find it helpful to print out bits and pieces of map information in advance and tuck them in a pocket, that way I don't have to carry a fold- up map or an A-Z book .
Maybe you've already printed out directions to places you want to walk to, but if you haven't... then consider the following a bon voyage pressie.
Here's a link I made to a street map of the area in which your hotel is located
http://tinylink.com/?wZEylSw2vh ( The actual URL of the map is rather long to paste on this forum.)
When you get to the site, look for St Martin's Lane , it's in yellow on the map. See how near you're going to be to the National Gallery & Portrait Gallery?
See how you can walk north to the British Museum?
Look at the corner of New Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road...that's the Dominion Theatre where you'll be seeing " We Will Rock You".
You can look at and then print out other map sections , too...just use the blue, green , and red directional arrows to navigate.
Have a wonderful time and please come back here to let us know how much you love London. 
I find it helpful to print out bits and pieces of map information in advance and tuck them in a pocket, that way I don't have to carry a fold- up map or an A-Z book .
Maybe you've already printed out directions to places you want to walk to, but if you haven't... then consider the following a bon voyage pressie.
Here's a link I made to a street map of the area in which your hotel is located
http://tinylink.com/?wZEylSw2vh ( The actual URL of the map is rather long to paste on this forum.)
When you get to the site, look for St Martin's Lane , it's in yellow on the map. See how near you're going to be to the National Gallery & Portrait Gallery?
See how you can walk north to the British Museum?
Look at the corner of New Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road...that's the Dominion Theatre where you'll be seeing " We Will Rock You".
You can look at and then print out other map sections , too...just use the blue, green , and red directional arrows to navigate.
Have a wonderful time and please come back here to let us know how much you love London.
May 4th, 2005, 04:57 PM
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If you've not been before, see if you can take a trip (tour?) out to Stonehenge and Bath.
I usually take black jeans on vacations with me and feel comfortable in many different circumstances - whether others are dressing "up" or "down". In fact, they are the mainstay of my traveling wardrobe.
I usually take black jeans on vacations with me and feel comfortable in many different circumstances - whether others are dressing "up" or "down". In fact, they are the mainstay of my traveling wardrobe.
May 4th, 2005, 10:21 PM
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With one or two trivial exceptions that don't concern most visitors (the Royal Enclosure at Royal Ascot for example), Britain in general - and London above all - simply <b> doesn't do dress codes, except for the one rule that you wear what you want and it's no damn business of anyone else's</b>.
This simple (and spectacularly obvious to anyone who looks around them anywhere in London at any time) fact is often denied by people on this board, who'll trot out utter fabrications like "you'll get better service if you wear..." or "you really ought to wear..." or "but you'll look better if you..."
The most charitable explanation for these fantasists is that they're blind. Wear the clothes you want.
This simple (and spectacularly obvious to anyone who looks around them anywhere in London at any time) fact is often denied by people on this board, who'll trot out utter fabrications like "you'll get better service if you wear..." or "you really ought to wear..." or "but you'll look better if you..."
The most charitable explanation for these fantasists is that they're blind. Wear the clothes you want.
May 5th, 2005, 06:30 AM
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Flanneruk, you make an excellent point. I have always found it funny to read these posts about how one must wear black at all times in London and one must never wear jeans because you will be identified as a dirty stinking tourist and beaten, robbed, and otherwise mistreated. Anyone who has been to London or any other part of England knows that denim is quite popular, and that the dress codes (with perhaps the exception of some pubs banning football kits [soccer shirts])are pretty lax.
I remember well the first time my wife and I went to the theatre in London - both of us dressed up, you know, suit and tie and evening dress, etc - and my god we were among the FEW dressed like that. The majority of the audience was in jeans and sweaters or at best slacks/skirts and shirts/blouses. Learned a valuable lesson there.
I remember well the first time my wife and I went to the theatre in London - both of us dressed up, you know, suit and tie and evening dress, etc - and my god we were among the FEW dressed like that. The majority of the audience was in jeans and sweaters or at best slacks/skirts and shirts/blouses. Learned a valuable lesson there.
May 5th, 2005, 10:42 AM
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If you are looking for a medium-priced restaurant, try Brown's (not the hotel) on St. Martin's Lane near Leicester Square. Two of my favorite menu items are the steak and mushroom pie and sticky toffee pudding. The pudding is especially good.
May 10th, 2005, 10:13 PM
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Xpi6tiva,
Yes jeans are acceptable on a night out in London. To a certain extend I agree to what Flanneruk and Curt are saying however, as a female, I want to be sure I FEEL that I look the part and fit in. Its not about what other people think! Its how I feel. And you will feel good in a sexy pair of jeans with a glitzy or evening top with the right jewellery, belt and strappy heels. Jeans are a good option.
Yes jeans are acceptable on a night out in London. To a certain extend I agree to what Flanneruk and Curt are saying however, as a female, I want to be sure I FEEL that I look the part and fit in. Its not about what other people think! Its how I feel. And you will feel good in a sexy pair of jeans with a glitzy or evening top with the right jewellery, belt and strappy heels. Jeans are a good option.
