Critique of London Intinerary, Please?

Old May 13th, 2004, 07:22 PM
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Critique of London Intinerary, Please?

chicgal, I hope you have a wonderful trip. That said, I don't think you've scheduled enough time to get from one place to another. For instance, on Thursday, I don't think you're leaving enough time between the hop-on bus and the Globe Theatre to also see St. Paul's and have lunch at the pub.

On Monday, I don't think there's any way you will be able to see both museums and leave for the airport at 12:30. Unless the schedules have changed, both museums open at 10:00 AM - so you'd be better off to pick one and have a little more time to enjoy it - even at that, you will be rushed.

It's always surprising to find how much you need to add for travel time from one location to the other. London's very easy to get around in, but you still consume a lot of your time - whether by Tube, bus or taxi - or walking.
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Old May 13th, 2004, 07:34 PM
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some parts of your plan are nearly impossible:

- Walking from Victoria, seeing all those sites you list along the way, and hoping to get to the tower by 9a.m.

- visiting the Science museum and V&A before 12:30

- Trying to fit in St Paul's and lunch at the Cheshire Cheese between the bus tour and a 2p.m. performance

- on Sat. by the time you've toured Westminster Abbey, traveled, walked through Regents Park and surrounding neighborhoods, camden/little Venice, and the toy museum -- the British Museum will be closed.
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Old May 13th, 2004, 07:44 PM
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Well, I'm glad Janis said it, since she's much more of an expert on London than I am, but I was thinking everything she said!
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Old May 14th, 2004, 04:27 AM
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If you had children with you, the Science Museum has lots of hands on displays which would appeal to them, however, if it is an all adult party, go to the V&A, see the Vivienne Westwood exhibition in addition to the marvellous displays and exhibits.

I wouldn't bother with the National Portrait Gallery, spend more time at the National, and if you want another one - Tate Modern is fantastic.

I wouldn't bother with walking around Little Venice, the area is mainly residential, pretty, and that's about it, get a car to take you for a drive there if you feel that you must see it.

The British Museum could take five hours to look around, V&A has similar exhibits for the casual browser so I'd scrap one of these altogether.

Hampstead - pretty, green that's all.

You've included things which the return visitor, or visitor with two weeks time, might include.

I'd see much more of central London, go inside Buckingham Palace if it's opening coincides with your visit. See more of the important houses - 1 Picadilly - wonderful property and address. The Wallace Collection, etc. etc. In the W1 area everything is relatively closeby.

Rethink everything, get some more ideas from people here!
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Old May 14th, 2004, 05:15 AM
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You've got a LOT of walking included in your itinerary. I know London is a walking city, but will your feet be up to it - especially towards the end of your visit? London is the only place I've ever gotten blisters on the bottoms of my feet. And we don't normally schedule walking into our plans - it just happens getting from one place to another.

For example, walking from Westminster to the Tower is a very long walk. Will everyone in your party then have the stamina to spend several hours walking/standing through the Tower, then the museums in the afternoon. My feet and lower back hurt just thinking about it.

Thinking of proximity, you might want to rearrange your schedule to, say, plan to visit Westminster Abbey when you are walking around Westminster taking pictures (this area is also beautiful at night - the buildings are all lit up.) Why not spend that whole day in the Westminster area - start at Buckingham Palace, walk through St. James Park to Horseguards (the Cabinet War Rooms are also in this area), walk to Westminster Abbey/Parliament Square area - tour the Abbey get pics of Big Ben, etc... From Westminster Bridge, you can walk along the south bank of the Thames (past the London Eye) to the Jubilee footbridge (by the Charring Cross rail bridge), cross the river, stop in for a late lunch at the Sherlock Holmes Pub, then walk up to Trafalgar Square (National Gallery/Portrait Gallery/St. Martin-in-the-Field.)

On your Thursday, I would eliminate the hop off bus tour since it sounds like you don't intend to hop-off anyway - kind of an expensive bus ride. And you've already planned to see most of the main sites. I would just plan on spending the morning at St. Paul's. This can take a few hours, especially if you take the audio tour and plan to climb up into the dome. Then have lunch at Ye Old Cheshire Cheese (great pub!) Then you can cross the Millenium footbridge and be right there at the Globe for the 2PM show. Or, if you don't think you want to spend that much time at St. Paul's, take the morning tour of the Globe, go take a quick tour of St. Paul's, lunch, then the play.

Check the hours for Somerset House to see if you'll have time to tour it after the play.

We're planning a trip to London this June and we're planning to see the Little Venice area for the first time. The Original London Walks has a Sunday walking tour of Little Venice. We are planning to take that, then take a canal boat ride from Little Venice, through Regents Park and London Zoo to Camden Locks. I have web links for the canal boat companies - e-mail me if you want me to send them to you ([email protected]) Maybe if you wanted to see Hampstead Heath, you could do that Sunday morning before the Little Venice walk.

Kay
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Old May 14th, 2004, 06:17 AM
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"On the second day, am not stopping at each site, but just walking past them (photography purposes only) to the Tower."

I rcently walked much of this stretch 'just to take pictures' and believe you will still find yourself stopping and taking more time than you think. Particularly if you get lucky with the weather.

Much of this route, you will find a photo op every few feet.


Have a great time!

Keith
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Old May 14th, 2004, 06:45 AM
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At least as of last week, the Pollack's Toy Museum appeared to be shut, perhaps for good. There's a sign on the door saying "Closing Down Sale." I stayed around the corner on Tottenham St. and walked by it at least twice a day and never saw any activity.

Their website doesn't make clear what happens next.

IMHO, you're not missing much. We visited two years ago the place needed a really good cleaning. Some of the exhibition cases had broken glass, dead bugs, toys that had fallen off their perches. It was dirty, not just lovingly tattered and the proprietors were, well, mean. After leaving my daughter said she wanted to go back at night and rescue the toys!

I really like the National Portrait Gallery. Don't skip it if you have time to keep it in your schedule.

I'd definitely choose the V&A over the Science Museum. You've got the equivalent experience at home in Chicago and there is nothing in the world like the V&A. The Westwood retrospective is excellent and should still be there in July.
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Old May 14th, 2004, 09:10 AM
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I think your morning walk is ok. I don't think it would be a big deal if you stopped to take a few more pictures and arrived at the Tower 15 or 30 minutes after opening, as heretical as that sounds on Fodors. With the constant admonition here that we MUST arrive at opening, it will soon reach the point that everybody does it and arriving mid-morning becomes more advantageous. The last time I visited, I arrived at 11:30 and the queue was about 5 minutes.

I don't really get spending a morning of such a short visit in Hampstead. The Heath is nothing but a large park with footpaths, a great getaway for people trapped in inner city apartment or tenement living, but for a visitor from the States??? And Hampstead itself is just a nice residential neighbourhood; you could do as well wandering around Chelsea or Belgravia.

I think the portrait gallery is more worthwhile than the National Gallery. And I agree with the comment that there are science museums everywhere, but there is only one V&A. You may want to check whether it is possible to bring your luggage to the V&A, leaving it at the cloak room, and going directly from there to the airport. More time in the museum and saves the time of having to go back to the hotel.
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Old May 14th, 2004, 06:31 PM
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chic, I agree with your general approach and fully endorse your walk across Regent's Park and on to the canal towpath. If there was a bit of extra time and it was a clear day, I would even suggest walking up Primrose Hill before starting on the towpath.

I have thought a bit about your question, what is your favourite park? I think my answer is, the one I am near at the time. When I stayed in Chelsea, I got to know Battersea Park quite well. When I stayed in Kew/Richmond, Richmond Park became my favourite. When I stayed on Seven Sisters Road, Finsbury Park, shabby and worn and poorly cared for as it is, became my park. And the past couple of visits when I have stayed along Bayswater Road, I got to know Hyde Park and Kensington Garden quite well. But maybe, Regent's Park is best of all.

Anyway, you have a good three days there. I hope you will drop a few things and savour the place more, but if not this visit, other times.
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