4 Nights in London - Itinerary Details
Aug 26th, 2016, 12:02 PM
#21
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janisj - does this seem more feasible?
Day 3 (Thursday): Borough Market (10:30am-1pm). Sandeman's Free Tour of Royal London (2pm-4:30pm) - Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, Nelson’s Column, The National Gallery, St. James’s Palace, Buckingham Palace, The Mall, Victoria Memorial, St. James’s Park, Horse Guards Parade, Churchill War Rooms, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament. Attend Westminster Abbey 5pm Evensong after the walking tour. Overnight in London.
Day 4 (Friday): Tower of London (9am - 12am) visit the Crown Jewels and then join a Yeoman Warder Tour. Fish and Chips lunch. St. Paul's Cathedral (2pm-3:00pm). National Gallery (3:30pm-5pm). In the evening, enjoy a nice dinner and attend a 7pm West End Show. Overnight in London.
Day 3 (Thursday): Borough Market (10:30am-1pm). Sandeman's Free Tour of Royal London (2pm-4:30pm) - Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, Nelson’s Column, The National Gallery, St. James’s Palace, Buckingham Palace, The Mall, Victoria Memorial, St. James’s Park, Horse Guards Parade, Churchill War Rooms, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament. Attend Westminster Abbey 5pm Evensong after the walking tour. Overnight in London.
Day 4 (Friday): Tower of London (9am - 12am) visit the Crown Jewels and then join a Yeoman Warder Tour. Fish and Chips lunch. St. Paul's Cathedral (2pm-3:00pm). National Gallery (3:30pm-5pm). In the evening, enjoy a nice dinner and attend a 7pm West End Show. Overnight in London.
Aug 26th, 2016, 01:31 PM
#23
>>Given the information above, is there a different way you might arrange things?<<
Not really but you have your reasons. To me that walking tours sounds awful (well maybe not <i>awful</i> but pretty much a time waster). You will be walking through half of central London in 2+ hours w/ no time inside anything. It would be fine as an intro -- IF you had 4 or 5 more days to actually visit places.
>>janisj - does this seem more feasible?<<
Better but still not great IMO. Look at a map of London -- IF you had longer in London, criss crossing the city multiple times is OK. But on a short trip the less extra travel/wasted time the better. On your new plan you are:
Day 3 - Kensington > across all of London to Southwark > back across much of London to Covent Garden (walking tour all over including Trafalgar Sq) > Westminster > Kensington
Day 4 - Kensington > across all of London to Tower Hill (which is directly across the river from Southwark where you were on day 3) > lunch somewhere > St Paul's > Trafalgar Sq (where you were on day 3) > Kensington to freshen up > Covent Garden (where you were on day 3) or Soho for a play > Kensington.
As you can see you are jumping around a lot. If you arrange things more geographically similar to my suggestion (or lots of other versions) it will net you a lot more time for seeing/doing and less time traveling.
Not really but you have your reasons. To me that walking tours sounds awful (well maybe not <i>awful</i> but pretty much a time waster). You will be walking through half of central London in 2+ hours w/ no time inside anything. It would be fine as an intro -- IF you had 4 or 5 more days to actually visit places.
>>janisj - does this seem more feasible?<<
Better but still not great IMO. Look at a map of London -- IF you had longer in London, criss crossing the city multiple times is OK. But on a short trip the less extra travel/wasted time the better. On your new plan you are:
Day 3 - Kensington > across all of London to Southwark > back across much of London to Covent Garden (walking tour all over including Trafalgar Sq) > Westminster > Kensington
Day 4 - Kensington > across all of London to Tower Hill (which is directly across the river from Southwark where you were on day 3) > lunch somewhere > St Paul's > Trafalgar Sq (where you were on day 3) > Kensington to freshen up > Covent Garden (where you were on day 3) or Soho for a play > Kensington.
As you can see you are jumping around a lot. If you arrange things more geographically similar to my suggestion (or lots of other versions) it will net you a lot more time for seeing/doing and less time traveling.
Aug 26th, 2016, 02:31 PM
#24
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Forget planning every second of every day and let serendipity happen too- I love just walking around London - say Hyde Park or Green Park and maybe having a picnic- London is much more than museums and major monuments -have a rough itinerary but don't be too programmed - it may be raining one day and that is great for museums - clear weather nice for a stroll.
My favorite walk in London is the South Bank Walk from the London Eye to the Tate Modern Gallery and over the bridge there to St Paul's- there are main sights along the way - Globe Theatre and Tate Modern and Borough Market is just farther along the walk.
Again sit on a bench and watch the stream of boats on the Thames and admire the London skyline across the water.
If you do not cover everything on your laundry list well there is always next time.
I often enjoy walking between main sights more than the actual sight itself - the Tube you see nothing of London - if not into walking take buses- great views from their upper decks.
My favorite walk in London is the South Bank Walk from the London Eye to the Tate Modern Gallery and over the bridge there to St Paul's- there are main sights along the way - Globe Theatre and Tate Modern and Borough Market is just farther along the walk.
Again sit on a bench and watch the stream of boats on the Thames and admire the London skyline across the water.
If you do not cover everything on your laundry list well there is always next time.
I often enjoy walking between main sights more than the actual sight itself - the Tube you see nothing of London - if not into walking take buses- great views from their upper decks.
Aug 26th, 2016, 03:01 PM
#25
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Thanks janisj and palenq, you make some great points. Taking everything into consideration, we've decided on the following:
Day 1 (Tuesday)
Flight
Day 2 (Wednesday)
Arrive LHR at 1pm
Fish and Chips
London Eye
Overnight in London
Day 3 (Thursday)
Tower of London
Borough Market
St. Paul's Cathedral
Walk back towards the London Eye via Southbank
Overnight in London
Day 4 (Friday)
The National Gallery (go inside)
Big Ben
Houses of Parliament
Westminster Abbey (go inside)
Buckingham Palace
St James's Park
Afternoon Tea
West End Show
Overnight in London
Day 5 (Saturday)
Cotswolds Day Trip
Overnight in London
Day 6 (Sunday)
Early afternoon train from London to Bath
Based on the location of the above sites, we think it is best to base ourselves in a more central hotel like Amba Hotel Charing Cross - seems walkable to many places.
Day 1 (Tuesday)
Flight
Day 2 (Wednesday)
Arrive LHR at 1pm
Fish and Chips
London Eye
Overnight in London
Day 3 (Thursday)
Tower of London
Borough Market
St. Paul's Cathedral
Walk back towards the London Eye via Southbank
Overnight in London
Day 4 (Friday)
The National Gallery (go inside)
Big Ben
Houses of Parliament
Westminster Abbey (go inside)
Buckingham Palace
St James's Park
Afternoon Tea
West End Show
Overnight in London
Day 5 (Saturday)
Cotswolds Day Trip
Overnight in London
Day 6 (Sunday)
Early afternoon train from London to Bath
Based on the location of the above sites, we think it is best to base ourselves in a more central hotel like Amba Hotel Charing Cross - seems walkable to many places.
