Hello all of you London experts - we are going to be taking a day trip from Paris to London this summer and I am looking for advice. I know that we can't see the city in a day - we just want to get a little taste. Right now we plan to arrive around 9:30am in London, then want to do a museum in the am (British Museum), then lunch, then maybe Buckingham Palace in the pm, then snack (tea?) and back to Paris on a 6pm train.

The train arrives and leaves from St. Pancras. Is my plan doable? Also I would like to ask for any restaurant recommendations for lunch (around either the British Museum or Buckingham Palace). I would love to find a mid-range place for lunch that is comfortable and also traveler friendly - we'll be with our two teens and will be looking for a nice leisurely meal since we'll be on the go all day. I also thought I saw that the train station in London has a champagne bar and wonder if is this a place where we might find something to eat (and maybe have a cocktail) before we catch our train?

Thanks in advance to all for your advice.

Hi dlejhunt

Your plan is entirely dooable but will be tiring.

The food at the British museum is great but for a really good lunch go to the restaurant in the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square. There are several fooderies but my favourite in on the upper floor of the Sainsbury Wing. Plate glass windows look out onto the Square and the food is excellent in both quality and value. To help, as you face the building its the wing on the left.

Depending on the time of year go on the tour of the Houses of Parliament rather than Buckingham Palace. Its just down from Trafalgar and is a quintessential glimpse of London and its history

Unless the British Museum is a must see/do, my recommendation for a "taste" of London would be -
tube from King's Cross/St Pancras to Hyde Park Corner
walk via Constitution Hill to Buckingham Palace [ changing of the guard is 11:30am ] -
http://www.royal.gov.uk/RoyalEventsa.../Overview.aspx
walk via The Mall to Trafalgar Square
walk via Whitehall past Downing Street to Westminster [ Big Ben, Parliament, Westminster Abbey ]
if out of time/energy - tube Westminster to King's Cross/St Pancras
if not -
Thames cruise Westminster to Tower Pier - http://www.citycruises.com/rrrinfo.php
or tube Westminster to Tower Hill to visit Tower of London/Tower Bridge
tube from Tower Hill to King's Cross/St Pancras

For a light lunch, try any "Pret A Manger" [ there are 2 around Trafalgar Square ] - http://www.pret.com/
Cheap option for 2 or more tube trips is the day off peak pass [ zone1/2 - £5.60 ] - http://www.tfl.gov.uk/

Although I am a great fan of the National Portrait Gallery, I find its restaurants overhyped in terms of both food and the view, and it will add needless steps to your day.

The British Museum is an architectural triumph, among the greatest you can see across the Atlantic. I cannot think of a more worthwhile destination in London.

I think Buckingham palace is quite worth skipping, but I wouldn't substitute a more extensive sightseeing tour. Just something more interesting (Houses of Parliament would do it for me).

If it's a nice day, I would recommend Inn the Park in St. James Park for lunch.

http://www.innthepark.com/

If the weather isn't great for a park stroll, I would recommend either Rock and Sole Plaice, an easy walk far from the British Museum

http://www.london-eating.co.uk/5325.htm

or in between Big Ben and Buckingham Palace, I'd recommend the Fuller's Ale & Pie House in the Sanctuary Inn:


http://www.fullershotels.com/rte.asp?id=25

http://www.fullershotels.com/rte.asp?id=27

If you stick with your plan to see Buckingham Palace and want tea, the Goring Hotel right behind the Palace does a very nice one:

http://www.thegoring.com/afternoon-teas.htm

I think you have a very doable plan because your ambitions are so modest.

Sorry for my typo above: Rock and Sole Plaice is an easy walk from the British museum, not far at all.

PS: If the only train you can catch back to Paris is 6pm, then tea at the Goring is probably too time consuming.

For a taste of London, you might consider going straight to the Tower of London, then catching tube to Westminster area JUST FOR WALK-BY PHOTOS of Big Ben, Parliament, maybe even Buckingham Palace, then catch bus or tube to British Museum and spend whatever time you have left there before catching train back. My top two favorite things in London are the Tower and the British Museum, but I'd never try to do both in one short day, but you might try to squeeze them both in IF you drop tea which would be time-consuming (can grab a spot in the Museum, though) and spend time inside the Tower rather than inside Buckingham. But you may have very valid personal reasons for choosing the Palace over other things. So--but you might think about "doing" the British Museum last before getting back to the station.

Thanks all for the advice.

So, perhaps - British Museum and then "walk-by" in Westminster area - then back to Paris? We all love museums but the palace was my wish, and I would be just as happy to see the outside and then see some of the other London landmarks (and they will provide great photo ops for the Christmas card, that is, if I manage to get them out this year).

Thanks for the restaurant recommendations - I am going to check them all out.

Love the forum, thanks Fodorites!

Try to get the Tube to Westminster Station then leave by the Bridge Street exit. The vista is well worth it.

I'd not plnn on seeing chnging of the guards. To get any kind of view you need to be there early and stand unitl they arrive. When it's done, you'll wonder why you bothered.

But do like idea of starting from there , down the Mall, Westminster Abbey, House of Parliament, Big Ben, up to Trafalgar Sq (with a look at 10 Downing, Horses Guard, Banqueting Hall), could lunch in crypt of St Martin in the Fields), walk over to Convent Garden...walk up to British Museum. That is a FULL day, but it could be done.