geetika

DH & I will be in the UK from June 30 to July 7 before going on a cruise, we will have 3 full days in London and my plans are as follows:
Day 1 - British Museum & Library ( plus Tate Gallery? I know it'll be rushed but I absolutely must to see the Turners again! )
Day 2 - morning Westminster Abbey and Houses of Parliament, afternoon Buckingham Palace
Day 3 - National Gallery and Greenwich
Day 4 - leave for Southampton. via Salisbury/Stonehenge?

We arrive by train from Edinburgh early July 4th and will check into Hilton Paddington, after which we are free for the day. Now for my questions:
- we'll need an Oyster card, not a Travelcard, am I right?
- how does one get to Greenwich, is it better to go in the morning or afternoon?
- how early do I need to book the Vergers & Buckingham Palace tours?
- can we get last minute tickets for shows at Leicester Square or do we need to book ahead?
Thanks in advance for your suggestions and comments

PatrickLondon

>>we'll need an Oyster card, not a Travelcard, am I right?<<

Oyster PAYG would be the only sensible option, indeed.

>>how does one get to Greenwich, is it better to go in the morning or afternoon?<<

Train from London Bridge, or boat, or tube+Docklands Light Railway. I don't think it makes much difference whether you do Greenwich first or last in the day, but if it were me, I think I'd go down by train or tube+DLR in the morning and come back by the Thames Clipper boat to Embankment, walking up Villiers Street to the National Gallery. That's assuming you haven't exhausted yourself or moved something left over from Day 1, of course.....

texasbookworm

A Travelcard in available in two forms--a paper card (in a one day or 7 day version, purchased at a RAIL station) or "loaded" onto a plastic Oyster card.

An Oyster card is just a vehicle/means. It is a plastic card; you either "load" it with cash (PAYG) and top it up if you run low on credit on the card OR you load it with the Travelcard value/cost.

I would say an Oyster card is best for you this trip with some cash value loaded onto it. The only reason as far as I'm concerned to mess with purchasing paper Travelcards is if you are trying to avail yourselves of 2for1 offers, but your destinations don't use those vouchers I don't think. So yes, Oyster cards with cash, not with Travelcard values, loaded onto them.

We enjoyed getting to Greenwich by going to Island Gardens (was supposed to be via DHL but ended up being by bus because of line work) and walking under the Thames via the Greenwich foot tunnel which I THINK is reopened. Then after our morning in Greenwich we took one of the boats back up the Thames to near the Globe.

texasbookworm

DLR (Light Rail) not DHL. Fingers misfiring on the keyboard!

flanneruk

"can we get last minute tickets for shows at Leicester Square or do we need to book ahead?"

If they're popular, you obviously have to book ahead. If they're really popular, they'll have sold out already. If they're short of an audience, they'll be available at TKTS.

Early July predates our all going on holiday, so tickets for anything worth watching obviously sell out.

janisj

Unless you are booking a tour, Parliament is essentially a walk-by.

The verger tours are only booked by phone . . . I'd do it once as your times are firm, but a week in advance should be fine.

For the Palace -- book as soon as possible. Being a special Jubilee opening it will likely be booking up.

I'd go to Greenwich in the morning then head back into town in mid-afternoon. That is a Friday and the National Gallery is open late.

PatrickLondon

>>DLR (Light Rail) not DHL. <<

Well, I must admit I didn't think of the option of sending oneself as a parcel, but I suppose it's an option....

PatrickLondon

PS. The Greenwich foot tunnel is open most of the time, and it <i>looks</i> as though the works are nearing completion.

http://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/inf...3/foot_tunnels

AisleSeat

Assuming some Olympic ramp up at that time you may find crowds. Our favorite in London is to take in a show. Google it up online to see what's available and what you like. One night we always take one of the London walks, like Jack the Ripper, London Ghosts or Dickens. Enjoy your trip.

geetika

Thanks guys, that's a lot of info, am getting excited already! Taking the boat back from Greenwich sounds like fun, also the Jack the Ripper walk, didn't think of it.

Will play it by the ear about the shows, am sure we'll get tickets to Lion King, if nothing else.

Re Stonehenge, what do you say, have found diverse views on various threads ranging from must-see to not a big deal. We'll be 4 going down to Southampton, plus all our luggage, so we'll either have to get a cab or rent a big car, is the trip worth the expense? Personally I was disappointed to hear that nowadays one can't go up to the stones.

BigRuss

Uh oh, someone mentioned the JTR walk.

DUCK: here comes Janisj's lambasting of the tour!

janisj

I must since our cw no longer can . . . :'(

Please avoid the JtR walk. There are soooooooo many other worthwhile/fun walks. None (not a one) of the Jack the Ripper 'sites' still exists. So you spend the night walking through business/residential areas hearing things like "that car park is the site of . . ." and "The body of xyz was found where that office block . . ."

The residents in the area really don't appreciate the walk or the walkers.

Besides, do you really want to spend one of your few nights in London listening to explicit tales of women being disemboweled??

(BigRuss - did I do a good enough job )

AisleSeat

Janisj, is there anything you do like? Can you recommend a walk the comes up to your standards?

janisj

Uh - yes . . . As I said . . . >><i>There are soooooooo many other worthwhile/fun walks.</i><<

Just because that one is crap doesn't mean others are!

Just pick any of the <B>MANY</B> other London Walks. 95% of them range from very good to absolutely terrific (Over the years I've probably taken 30+ LW's, and yes <i>including</i> JtR w/ 'The Donald' . . . .)

historytraveler

Yes, please let JtR and his victims rest in peace.

I've done many of the walks and here are two of my favorites:

London's Secret Village (Clerkenwell)

Old Westminister

Or, just select a topic or area of interest.

AisleSeat

Jannisj, I guess that's why we used to have the old saying "different strokes for different folks". By the way which one did you say you like? ... And who's your reference to "the Donald" referring to, not Donald Trump, I assume..

lovs2travel

If you can move the Tate Britain until Friday, it is open until 11:00 p.m. on the first Friday of each month.

ElendilPickle

Donald Rumbelow, who is a Jack the Ripper expert.

Lee Ann

janisj

"<i>And who's your reference to "the Donald" referring to, not Donald Trump, I assume..</i>

Nope -- those who know much about JtR walks would know about Donald Rumbelow . . . (google it)

"<i>By the way which one did you say you like?</i>"

In no particular order:
• Inns of Court (though I haven't taken this one in about 10 years
• Hampstead
• The old Jewish Quarter
• Bloomsbury
• The Blitz
• any of the pub walks
• Mayfair

and there are several others

janisj

didn't see Lee Ann's post . . .