1st Visit to London. Looking for Feedback on My Itinerary.
 

My husband and I are arriving by train from York on Saturday August 24, departing from Heathrow on the 29th. First time visitors to the UK. I'm looking for feedback on my proposed itinerary. I would also appreciate any suggestions, additions, warnings, etc. We like walking, history, gardens and are trying to make the most of our limited time. The only event or sightseeing I have reserved or purchased so far is the theater on Saturday night.

This is my tentative plan:

Saturday - check in to apartment in Mayfair (very near the Green tube station). Get some groceries, maybe walk around Hyde Park/St James Park. Attend Come From Away at the Phoenix Theater.

Sunday - 8:00 AM Hop on Hop Off bus, afternoon visit to Churchill War Rooms, pub time perhaps?

Monday - British Museum, British Library and Westminster Abbey. Would like to see another play, maybe Mouse Trap?

Tuesday - Buckingham Palace, Victoria & Albert, Kew Gardens - unless common wisdom says Sunday would be a better day..

Wednesday - Tower of London , Lunch at Borough Market, Visit St James Cathedral.

Thursday - Bid adieu

Feel free to share anything that you feel is an essential, or that you think I've put in the wrong place? Thank you in advance for help.

HOHO Bus will be criticized heavily here but as a means of orientation with commentary and get on and off all day IMO a good thing to do for a stranger to London.

The London Eye not a Ferris Wheel Big Wheel in the Thames IMO is a great way too initially to orient yourself to the lay out of Great London - landmarks pointed out as you go around - may do first day. The large oblong cabins let you stand up as you go around and take in every direction.

Nice spacious itinerary - A nice walk is the South Bank Walk along the Thames between the Eye Over London and the Tate Modern - very neat place and free so can just go in for a short while if modern art ain't your bag - in only just to see this humongous Thames-side old power plant that has now been transformed into a world-class art museum with neat rooftop cafe and views for miles around. Take the Millennium Bridge over to The Tower area and St Paul's cathedral.

Getting mouse trapped? so so many neat current plays of all types. Check the TKTS Leicester Square West End Theatres half-priced ticket windows for cheaper tickets as theatres sell off left over tickets. https://officiallondontheatre.com/tkts/

Covent Gardens is always fun to go to for a spell if just to see the buskers.

>>Sunday - 8:00 AM Hop on Hop Off bus, <<

No, No, No!!! (meant in the nicest possible way :) ). IMO that is the worst use of your very limited time in London.

>>Tuesday - Buckingham Palace, Victoria & Albert, Kew Gardens - unless common wisdom says Sunday would be a better day..<<

Are you actually visiting the Palace? If so, what time are your tickets? If you just mean walk by and 'see' it you'll be practically next door when you visit the Cabinet War Rooms - it is just across St James's Park. Westminster Abbey, the War Rooms, and the Palace are all very near each other so you can easily do them on the same day - as long as it isn't a Sunday fr the Abbey. Kew Gardens from the V&A will take about 45 mins - the tube trip is just about 21 mins but the walk to/from the stations will add 20 more.

>>Wednesday - Tower of London , Lunch at Borough Market, Visit St James Cathedral.<<

Assuming you mean St Paul's Cathedral. this day is fine.

BTW . . . >>very near the Green Park tube station<<

>>Nice spacious itinerary -<<

I didn't see Pal's post - Unfortunately he apparently jumped in without actually looking at your itinerary and digesting where each site is and what makes sense paired with what.

I didn't see Pal's post - Unfortunately he apparently jumped in without actually looking at your itinerary and digesting where each site is and what makes sense paired with what.>

I read the itinerary a few times and thought a nice spacious - meaning not overloaded with sights - and only offered info OP did not have in their sights except HOHO buses which I and many tourists enjoy. But no my purpose was not to analyze every day just to add new things near other things OP is doing. Again nice spacious itinerary was in general. But looking over it like you I say the itinerary is excellent with some minor tweaks.

About the HOHO Bus Tours - veteran travelers especially seem to disdain these tours no matter what city it may be. But most seem happy with them and give these tours extremely good ratings: Like on Trip Advisor - https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...n_England.html read the reviews as some were not happy of course but most rate them very good. But for someone being in London 5-6 days it is a great start to getting to know city and getting on and off at some famous sights or for lunch, etc. As are the London Eye and a tour boat that goes up and down the Thames - those are neat too - seeing all the landmarks from the river.

Trip Advisor critiques the several main HOHO bus tours. And just seeing London from the open top of a doubledecker bus is a treat but watch the tree leaves!

Well at LEAST you dropped your usual recommendations for Mme Tussauds and the Dungeon!

Not sure why you insist on posting and advising about places you haven't been in years or decades and don't even like very much?

If you are near Green Park, don't miss Shepherd Market; very nice area with restaurants and pubs.
And get cheese from Paxton & Whitfield on Jermyn Street!

PalenQ Thanks for your comments and ideas.

Janisj. Thank you for your reply. Yes I did mean St Paul's and Green Park
On Sunday morning, is there something you would suggest in place of the 8;00 am HOHO? Sunday seemed a little trickier to plan given that Cathedrals are out and museums will probably be more crowded.
Yes I would like to visit Buckingham Palace. Have not booked tickets yet as I wanted to get my plan in order.

Tulips, thank you for your reply. Will definitely check our Shephard market and get some cheese!

Sunday comments. Crowded.... well they are pretty big and there are lots and lots to visit, as well as parks. For cathedrals, you can go to a service, for example, if you check the websites you will get an idea of access opportunities. How about going to Greenwich, the hill is a great place to view London from, the museums are good and the Vietnamese restaurants are good.

You might also like a walk up the canals or river of London, if you plan it well you can catch a train back after seeing how a large city stretches out on Sunday.

Greenwich is a great idea; there's a shuttle on the Thames that you can take.
Or go to a less-well known museum such as the Wallace Collection. Be there when it opens (I've never seen it busy at any time), and go on to Marylebone farmer's market to pick up some food for your apartment. Then go for lunch at the Cavendish on New Cavendish Street. That's your Sunday sorted :-)

Rather than walking the canals you could take a boat - https://www.londonwaterbus.com/ or Jason's Trip

Rather than riding the HoHo use this bus map to pick a good route on a regular bus which will be very much cheaper (you are getting an Oyster card, right?) and probably less crowded: Attachment 2592

I always think of Kew Gardens as taking a full day, but I suppose it could fit in half a day.

Another place for a good view of London is Hampstead Heath. The Heath is home to https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/...laces/kenwood/ Hampstead itself is nice to wander around and has several house museums, Or there are the Highgate cemeteries on the other side of the Heath.

>>Sunday seemed a little trickier to plan given that Cathedrals are out and museums will probably be more crowded.<<

Not that much more crowded really - there ARE more casual visitors, but almost no school groups so it is about a wash IME.

>>Yes I would like to visit Buckingham Palace. Have not booked tickets yet as I wanted to get my plan in order.<<

I would book the Palace tickets ASAP and then depending on what day/time you nail down there, visit the Churchill museum that same day. since they are quite near each other. So if you get a morning Palace tour do the Cabinet War Rooms in the afternoon - or vice versa. Eat lunch in between either someplace like the Wolseley or Buckingham Arms or . . .

https://www.visitlondon.com/things-t...markets-london

Sunday markets are great! And I love London - been there about 50 times but due to medical problems not in seven years. Yet certain things are timeless.

Cheers!

A thread I started several years ago -- again many things are timeless:

https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...h-gems-925598/

I think a ticket for the Eye is 25 quid. You can get a fabulous view of London from the top of the free-to-enter Tate Modern, which is just a walk across the Millennium Bridge from St Paul's.

Also near St Paul's is Michelin-starred St John. I would much rather dine her for a memorable meal than at Borough Market. I dont really understand the appeal for food stands. I guess it is on trend to queue up for a bag of donuts.

Near Green Park Tube Station is the Wolseley. You should have breakfast there.

Thin🕴

There are a few smaller restaurants in and around Borough Market where you can sit for a meal but I do have to recommend the cheese toastie at Kappacasein at Borough Market. Super delicious. And worth standing in line to get.

I do agree about breakfast at The Wolseley - beautiful place and right at the Green Park station! Kew Gardens will still have the Chihuly glass exhibits installed while you are there. The pub near the train station (Tap on the Line) has great food, if you are looking for a meal before or after Kew Gardens.

You will be close to Hide which has a wonderful bar downstairs, if you are into craft cocktails (or great wine) it's a great spot. It's right on Piccadilly near the Green Park tube station. They take the name literally so the door to the restaurant is easy to miss.

Yes, maybe I am just too posh, but I don't like to queue up for food. People in NYC queue up for Shake Shack in Madison Square Park, and whilst the hamburger there is good as far as fast-food burgers go, I would not stand 20 minutes for one.

Now, Hide is a place I would visit.

Thin🍷