sassy18

We'll be going to London early next year and I have a list a mile long of things I want to see but I'm not sure how to eliminate. We love museums, history, churches, and just learning new things. Here's the list of what I'd love to see. We have 7 full days.

Banqueting house
British Museum
Buckingham (walk by will suffice)
Greenwich (a maybe)
House of Parliament (want to tour)
London Eye
Museum of London (maybe)
National Gallery
National Portrait Gallery
National History Museum (I Love this sort of thing)
Hyde Park
St Pauls Cathedral
Sir John Soane's Museum (a must)
Somerset House (a must)
Tate Britain (worth it? interesting?)
Tate Modern (not into modern art just want to see everything I know I know)
Thames River Cruise
Victoria and Albert Museum (a must)
Westminster Abbey (a must)
Wallace Collection
British Library
Ben Franklin House
St Martin in the Fields

What do you guys think? Any help? Suggestions? Suggested itineraries? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

bilboburgler

Buckingham (walk by will suffice) Palace, I guess as the town is a little dull
Greenwich do you mean the town or the Museum or what?
Thames river cruise (I think I'd drop this) unlike many cities London has not turned its back on its river and so the various walks along the Thames are wonderful, the river (while very clean) is less exciting.

V&A can absorb a day easily, you will need to focus on your area of interest to enjoy it most.
The National History Museum is less exciting and only as good as another 10 world wide
Sir John Soane's great idea well worth 2 to 3 hours

sassy18

Anyone else think I should drop the river cruise?

I'll probably drop the national history museum if that's the general consensus.

V&A is a must as well as sir john soanes. Thanks for the suggested times.

nytraveler

I think you have enough sights listed there for 2 weeks not one.

London is a very large, spread out city and you need to allow for the time to get to and from various places.

Also, are you looking at quick whisk throughs - race around the Tower in an hour - or see it in depth with a tour by the Beefeatrs and visit all the buildings - perhaps 4 hours.

The Michelin green guide is an excellent resource - since it provides very detailed info about sights - including about how long it takes to visit. I would start with that.

Our philosophy in London is to see one major sight in the AM and one in the PM - and if we can see other things on the way from one to another.

sassy18

I'll check out the Michelin green guide. But I'm not interested in seeing the Tower of London but maybe that was just am example thanks for the help!

sassy18

how about this list, still too much for 7 days?

Banqueting house
British Museum
Buckingham Palace (walk by will suffice)
House of Parliament (want to tour)
London Eye
National Gallery
National Portrait Gallery
Hyde Park
St Pauls Cathedral
Sir John Soane's Museum (a must)
Somerset House (a must)
Victoria and Albert Museum (a must)
Westminster Abbey (a must)
Wallace Collection
British Library
Ben Franklin House
St Martin in the Fields

kmowatt

Get yourself a map of London and place the sites on it...see what is close to each other and go from there...I agree that one major site in the am and pm makes sense depending on length of time you want to give it. And then don't be worried to drop one if you days unfolds differently.

I'd still keep Greenwich and get there via the Thames Clipper...that gives you your "river cruise" still, and I think London viewed from the river is amazing...

sassy18

This will be my second time visiting, the first I was younger and don't remember much so maybe its better to take more time on things rather than see as much as you can cram in. thanks for the help. any other suggestions I'd really appreciate.

Havana128

What is the National History Museum?

texasbookworm

I second (or third) the advice above.

1. I can't imagine going to London for 7 days and not visiting the Tower, unless you completely remember it from your first visit. Is there some reason? It's tops on my list.

2.Use a mapping site, like google maps, as well as a paper map, and group your sites by geographic location. For example, the British Library and British Museum are a good pairing.

3.It's always a good idea to plan no more than 2 or 3 "major" sites per day, sites that you figure will take 2-3 hours ONCE INSIDE. Don't forget to allow transport/walking/standing in line/ticket-purchasing time when you do this.

4.Two websites to look at: walkit.com --for London. It will give more accurate times than googlemaps for walking. Also The Transport for London (TfL) site for Tube and other transport info.

5. Early next year--so need to check times that things are open (probably everything open just about most of the time, but check each site for your dates). Also remember the shortened daylight hours in London wintertime.

bilboburgler

Havana you are right Natural History (silly me)

Michael

The London Eye is worth it for the view of the city.

You might want to take a look at my trip report that starts in Lyme Regis and ends in London; click on my name to find it.

janisj

First - I'm just curious . . . With what you say interests you, why don't you want to visit the Tower? I would think a place like that would be very top on the list. More history there than most of your other sites put together.

Your second list is still awfully ambitious for one week but doable - at a dead run. Count on doing two major and maybe one minor-ish site most days. Sometimes you can squeeze in 3 major sites when two are very near each other . . . Like The National and National Portrait galleries (majors), and then St Martins in the Field (minor-ish) just across the way. But do count on a hour or more just transport each day w/ various tube/bus rides and walking. Plus an hour plus for lunch and tea/pub breaks.

You have 17 sites - so as long as you don't hit any glitches - doable in 7 days but I personally wouldn't be able to keep up that pace for a full week w/ no down time at all.

Banqueting house
British Museum
Buckingham Palace (A walk-by is all that is possible since it isn't open when you are there)
House of Parliament
London Eye
National Gallery
National Portrait Gallery
Hyde Park
St Pauls Cathedral
Sir John Soane's Museum
Somerset House
Victoria and Albert Museum
Westminster Abbey
Wallace Collection
British Library
Ben Franklin House
St Martin in the Fields

But again -- no Tower of London is a real surprise. Not that you'd have time for it - count on half a day.

suze

Follow kmowatt's suggestion. Get a map of London, and mark the location each thing on your list. That way you can group things together to plan your days, and maybe eliminate some that are of lesser interest AND out of your way.

This is nothing special for London, but how I'd approach seeing any city I wasn't familiar with for the first time.

GoSox

Tower of London is a must do in my opinion - involves history, churches - and as was noted above, you can get to Greenwich by water. We did this several years ago with our son and daughter. We all found the museum to be fascinating and the town was charming. I think we did it in a half day.

Check out how many places you want to see are covered by the London Pass so you will not have to wait in line for tickets and asmission. Some places on your list are free.

janisj

>>Check out how many places you want to see are covered by the London Pass . . .<<

Absolutely NOT! Not a good idea at all. The London Pass is very expensive and since the OP mentions "We" they'd need to buy at least two of the silly things. The LP doesn't pencil out for most visitors -- but <u>especially</u> not for the OP since so many of her mosts are either free or not covered.

For a "we" (I.e. at least two) the Days Out 2 for 1 discounts would be a much MUCH better deal than a London Pass.

http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/2for1-london

IreneL

What about the Churchill War Rooms? I think with 7 days in London, you could also swing a trip to Stonehenge. I would cut out a museum or two to make room to visit Stonehenge.

lanejohann

We also are going to London for seven days and I have bought National Geographics "Walking London -the best of the city' to help us plan an itinerary
It is divided into districts and marks out a walking route and connecting tubes etc
it lists opening times of museums and also where to eat when youre in a particular locale
it is not heavy to carry around...unlike the eyewitness books that are similar...and has loads more info
I picked it up for 20aud from dymocks

my g/f who lived in london alerted me to a few must-dos
Blackfriars Abbey..to visit the cathedral associated with catherine of aragon ( we love the tudor period)
also behind selfridges store there is a medieval war museum...marlborough
we will also head up to hampton court in Harfordshire

we will also look to buy Halftics before 11am at leicester sq for cheap show tickets
for our shopping needs she has directed us to:
"River Island" in Oxford st
Primart
Zara opposite Harrods
Topshop and H&M stor

on a trip back in 2005 i had only six days in london and the first thing i did was do the hopon/off bus which gave me a great orientation
it was 16 pounds back then ..so not the most economical way to travel but it was a tour of sort...and most of the time i scored a bus with a live guide rather than just audio headpieces
it had three routes..( look for the different coloured triangle on the front of the bus- i picked them up near leicester sq from memory but you can board along their routes)

we stayed in picadilly circus in an awful hostel of the same name ...great location so this time im spending more ...my daughter and I will stay at the premier inn leicester sq..very central..for 153 pounds per night
(260aud)..thats not cheap either but for us the location is very important...right on the picadilly line so we can arrive from heathrow airport with no dramas hopefully

we also booked this hotel for our last night ( we will be leaving london for a tour but returning for one night and meeting OH before the three of us fly out to dublin the next day) ...ive booked a family room in the same hotel for 161 pounds...decided against the hyde darlington that is out at sussex garden and went for the central location again

I also have been recommending a wonderful documentary ive been watching on youtube...the history of britain narrated by simon schama
so interesting...everything falls into place and places like the tower and other significant sites really start to take on meaning
good luck with your trip!

janisj

<B>lanejohann: </B> Some confusion there

>>we will also head up to hampton court in Harfordshire<<

Hampton Court Palace is not up in Harfordshire (or Hertfordshire for that matter) Hatfield House is . . . But that is a completely different place . . .

>>Blackfriars Abbey..to visit the cathedral associated with catherine of aragon ( we love the tudor period)<<

Do you mean Westminster Abbey?

lanejohann

oh thanks for that Janisj...i was scribbling notes on the phone and either I or my friend got confused..sorry to muddle anyone

as for the westminster abbey vs westminster...blackfriars was mentioned by my friend in relation to catherine of aragon...something to do with the divorce issue ..ill have to research that now that you have raised the question
I wasnt really familiar with black friars so thats why it stuck in my mind...i am familiar with westminster abbey
ill go check!