4 Women Exploring London Dec 19-23
Dec 8th, 2013, 10:30 AM
#1
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4 Women Exploring London Dec 19-23
We have an apartment booked for 4 nights located in Kensington.
Two of us have enjoyed London in the past and it is the first time for the other 2. We are interested in anything to do with Christmas (shopping, lights, food, drinks, people......) during our stay. I've looked at skating at Sommerset House, the Christmas market on the South Bank, Coventry Gardens. We are open to all suggestions of what 'One must do while in London during the Christmas season.'
Thank you in advance.
Two of us have enjoyed London in the past and it is the first time for the other 2. We are interested in anything to do with Christmas (shopping, lights, food, drinks, people......) during our stay. I've looked at skating at Sommerset House, the Christmas market on the South Bank, Coventry Gardens. We are open to all suggestions of what 'One must do while in London during the Christmas season.'
Thank you in advance.
Dec 8th, 2013, 11:17 AM
#4
I don't have the dislike of Harrods like many who will post (I buy something there every trip to London) . . . But I personally would not go near the place during the christmas season. It is terribly crowded at the best of times - but at Xmas it is unimaginable. In fact they often have to close the Harrods exit from Knightsbridge tube station for crowd control.
Oxford street will be similarly crowded BTW
I'd try to get tickets to a Panto -- but they may be booked up by now
http://www.timeout.com/london/theatr...imes-in-london
Oxford street will be similarly crowded BTW
I'd try to get tickets to a Panto -- but they may be booked up by now
http://www.timeout.com/london/theatr...imes-in-london
Dec 8th, 2013, 02:19 PM
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Hi Tmurph,
For an elegant, smaller museum with a lovely dining room for lunch, I would suggest visiting the WALLACE COLLECTION, off Oxford Street not far from Marble Arch.
http://www.wallacecollection.org/
For the ultimate Christmas shopping experience (crowded though it will be) you might visit Fortum and Mason specialty store on Piccadilly, “provisioner to the Her Majesty.”
http://www.fortnumandmason.com/
Hope you gals have a great time in London….
For an elegant, smaller museum with a lovely dining room for lunch, I would suggest visiting the WALLACE COLLECTION, off Oxford Street not far from Marble Arch.
http://www.wallacecollection.org/
For the ultimate Christmas shopping experience (crowded though it will be) you might visit Fortum and Mason specialty store on Piccadilly, “provisioner to the Her Majesty.”
http://www.fortnumandmason.com/
Hope you gals have a great time in London….
Dec 8th, 2013, 02:23 PM
#6
I was in Fortnum & Mason's (and Harrods) at the very end of October and both were absolutely slammed. Will only get worse near Christmas. But you'll probably have a bit easier time at F&M - if you want to eat there be sure to pre-book.
Dec 8th, 2013, 04:19 PM
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janisj, I was also in F&M in late October and lasted about 10mins before I had to escape...and it was a Tuesday! So much for trying to beat the crowds. Waiting until March before I venture back in!
Bit I digress tmurph - if you are thinking of skating at Somerset House, then make sure you book online ASAP as it fills up very quickly. In fact, you'll likely find it is already booked on the days you're in London, so you'll have to be content with visiting, watching the skaters and sipping mulled wine. Not a bad compromise as it is a stunning place all year round, but moreso at Christmas.
Oxford Street will be packed, but if you can go a little later in the evening it will be worth it to see the Christmas Lights.
In Hyde Park, you can spend time at Winter Wonderland which is Christmas on steriods! It started a few years ago as a few German Christmas Market stalls but has expanded to an amusement area, skate rink and a plethora of wooden huts to eat drink and be merry in. Great fun - especially when it snows!
You may also be interested in the Geffrye Museum exhibit of Christmas Past
http://www.geffrye-museum.org.uk/wha...mas-past-2013/
Have a wonderful time!
Bit I digress tmurph - if you are thinking of skating at Somerset House, then make sure you book online ASAP as it fills up very quickly. In fact, you'll likely find it is already booked on the days you're in London, so you'll have to be content with visiting, watching the skaters and sipping mulled wine. Not a bad compromise as it is a stunning place all year round, but moreso at Christmas.
Oxford Street will be packed, but if you can go a little later in the evening it will be worth it to see the Christmas Lights.
In Hyde Park, you can spend time at Winter Wonderland which is Christmas on steriods! It started a few years ago as a few German Christmas Market stalls but has expanded to an amusement area, skate rink and a plethora of wooden huts to eat drink and be merry in. Great fun - especially when it snows!
You may also be interested in the Geffrye Museum exhibit of Christmas Past
http://www.geffrye-museum.org.uk/wha...mas-past-2013/
Have a wonderful time!
)
Dec 8th, 2013, 08:50 PM
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I forgot to add, there are church services and music concerts both at churches and concert halls to go to.
A good blog and events calendar you should look at is http://www.ianvisits.co.uk/blog/ There is all sorts of interesting London information on the site.
A good blog and events calendar you should look at is http://www.ianvisits.co.uk/blog/ There is all sorts of interesting London information on the site.
Dec 8th, 2013, 09:26 PM
#11
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"How about the illuminated trail and Xmas market at Kew Gardens?"
No-one knows, because this is the first year they've done either. You need to judge for yourself from how it describes itself.
Do note, though, that if you visit the gardens during daylight, you have to pay again (only more) to go into the illuminated trail, and that the trail is a pre-packaged walk through a tiny few selected bits of the gardens.
At the end of it, it's night and you're in Kew: an exceptionally pleasant residential area whose local conservation group fights fearsomely to keep almost completely free of tiresome modern incursions like restaurants, pubs or theatres. London north of the bridge is shabby: Richmond, one of London's nicest suburbs, is jumping and looks close on the map - but it's a lengthy bus ride away along a road where traffic is often nose to tail at 10 pm. It's a substantial trek from Kew Gardens to Kew tube station to get back to central London
No-one knows, because this is the first year they've done either. You need to judge for yourself from how it describes itself.
Do note, though, that if you visit the gardens during daylight, you have to pay again (only more) to go into the illuminated trail, and that the trail is a pre-packaged walk through a tiny few selected bits of the gardens.
At the end of it, it's night and you're in Kew: an exceptionally pleasant residential area whose local conservation group fights fearsomely to keep almost completely free of tiresome modern incursions like restaurants, pubs or theatres. London north of the bridge is shabby: Richmond, one of London's nicest suburbs, is jumping and looks close on the map - but it's a lengthy bus ride away along a road where traffic is often nose to tail at 10 pm. It's a substantial trek from Kew Gardens to Kew tube station to get back to central London
Dec 8th, 2013, 09:47 PM
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>> No-one knows, because this is the first year they've done either. You need to judge for yourself from how it describes itself. <<
I wasn't asking for an opinion, I was making a suggestion for the OP.
I wasn't asking for an opinion, I was making a suggestion for the OP.
