Planning a long weekend in London March 31 through April 3. It is my husband an my first time in London. We are staying at the Rubens.
Thursday Plans - arrive, check-in walk around and pinch ourselves. Dinner and Phantom in the evening. Any inexpensive restaurant suggestions near the theater would be welcome.
Friday - AM - London Walk "Westminster, Buckingham changing of the guard, etc.
Afternoon, throught we would walk over to Harrods to do some shopping and see some of the Victoria and Albert Museum on the way back.
Evening - a London Walk "Pub Walk on the Thames"
Saturday - Tower of London in the am, then walk to St. Pauls, then (hopefully), a walk to the Temple Church and Ye Olde Curosity Shoppe -not sure if this is all walkable.
Evening - Jack the Ripper tour.


Questions: Is this too many London Walks?
Are we missing any "must see" places (It's so hard to decide)

Any help with transportation would help too!
Thanks

It sounds a good itinerary - I'd like to do it! You'll have to like walking, but if that's ok, then I see no problem.

Can you fit in a ride on the London Eye (Millenium Wheel) (londoneye.com) for great views over the city?

I always buy a 1-day travel card in London for zones 1 and 2 - it costs about £4.30 and gives you unlimited rides on the underground and buses. You can buy them at underground stations. Buy a map when you arrive that has an underground map as well, and if possible the main bus routes (the little fold out maps are fine). The buses usually have a list of destinations on a board over the door, so you won't go far wrong.

Have fun in London!

Original London Walks are great - but you want to do three of them in two days and you are only in London a total of three days. If you were there a week - maybe.

I'd personally want to see more of London and not spend so much of my time in group tours.

If it were me in this short itinerary, I'd definitely drop the Jack the Ripper walk. it is usually VERY crowded and there is really nothing left at any of the ripper sites. Basically you spend the time being entertained by a very good guide telling you "this is where XYZ used to be located"

The Westminster Walk and maybe a pub walk would be fine though.

Go on the Eye, wander through Covent Garden, walk through one or two of the parks, have lunch at the top floor restaurant at the National Portrait Gallery or in Covent garden or in the great court at the british Museum or someplace along the south bank.

actually i wouldnt mind doing a Walk each evening.they are very entertaining.one problem is that my feet will be worn out from the walking.when i returned from london i could barely walk.my advice would be to spend the few weeks prior to the trip going for walks around your neighbourhood to get in shape. we were very glad we had done this before our paris trip.some days involved miles of walking (versailles palace to MA's farm hamlet - why did she want it so far away?)

Looks pretty good.

Since you are visiting only one of them (which was probably a good call on such a short trip) I would visit Westminster Abbey instead of St. Pauls.

I would also do the British Museum instead of V&A, but you know your own tastes.

Keith

Since you are looking for suggestions...

I really liked the V&A, we had a nice lunch in their cafe too

Agree that Westminster is a must see, particularly with the Verger's tour, which I thought was great. If you are willing to give up the Tower of London, you could add the Cabinet War Rooms on your Westminster day (easily the most fascinating part of our visit)

In addition to the good advice you've already received, I'll ask if you're arriving in London from the US? If so and you're jetlagged, dinner and the Phantom may be a pretty woozy affair. A good meal, a warm theatre and music would do me in pretty quickly. I'd have a really light meal before the show. Hopefully you aren't too affected by jetlag.

I say take all of the London Walks if they are interesting to you but I'd arrive with contingency plans if the group is too large or the weather isn't great. London has so many fantastic galleries and museums. Great shopping.

Westminister Abbey and St. Pauls are both great places to see. I wouldn't rank one above the other.

Have a super trip!

I'll second obxgirl's concerns about your possibly being drowsy the first evening.

Otherwise this is a pretty good itinerary for a short time, although personally I'd try to get in more shopping...

I'd also forgo St. Paul's interior in favour of Westminster Abbey.

I love London Walks so don't see a problem with doing so many of them in a short time, but would consider a different one than the Ripper walk.

Have a great trip - this will just whet your appetite for more London!

Too much walking. It wears you out and consumes your limited time.

Take a taxi. If you don't mind mingling with <i>hoi polloi</i>, buy a bus pass for &pound;3 and ride all day anywhere.

Print out this map (color is recommended) and take it with you:

<b>http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/pdfdocs/cen_bus.pdf</b>

thanks so much for the great advice! We will add the London Eye, drop the jack the ripper and will use a taxi when we get tired of walking!

We are on an overnight flight from the US so will fit in some rest time between our arrival and the Phantom. We can just snack before and eat a bigger meal after.

You are the best!