First time to London
 

I would love input from anyone that could guide me in places to go /shopping to do (good deals)and things not to miss out on in London. I will be going there for the first time next week and would LOVE to already have some good knowledge on how to spend my days. I will have about 5 days to explore on my own.

I would start with a good guide book to see what the highlights are and what you want to see.

Check www.londontown.com for some ideas.

I always tell people to spend at least 1/2 a day at the Tower of London...I think its the best sight here.

Also check out www.walks.com for great and cheap guided walking tours.

http://www.fodors.com/world/europe/e...ure_30003.html

http://www.fodors.com/world/europe/e.../shopping.html

http://www.fodors.com/news/story_3438.html

To give you an idea, here is what I planned for my brother and his fiance:

Day 1 - arrive, walk along the Thames south bank and relax

Day 2 - (this day has to be a Friday due to the guided tour below) Tube to Trafalgar Square (Charing Cross) and then walk down The Strand to St Pauls (there is lots of shopping). Afternoon take the London Walk St Pauls tour.

Day 3 - Royal Westminster - see Buckingham Palace and walk through St James' Park. Afternoon London Walks tour of Westminster Abbey. (I thikn this is now in the mornings on Monday so I would reverse this)

Day 4 - London Walks Stonehenge/Salisbury Explorer Day

Day 5 - Tower of London, shopping in The City

Day 6 - Borough Market (has to be a Thurs - Sat) for lunch, walk around London Bridge area in the afternoon

Day 7 - Soho,Leicester Sq and Covent Garden area

I'd highly suggest getting a guidebook and also searching this forum for anything with London in the title or post. Google London sites. Go to Londontown.com and browse for things that catch your eye.

What are you interested in? What's your budget for shopping and entertainment? Someone who loves art and theater would dislike suggestions made for someone who has no interest in either and prefers architecture and history. What area of London are you staying in?

Some things for you to research include:

Tower of London, St Pauls Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, British Museum, Tate, V&A, Buckingham, Changing of the Guard, day trips to Stonehenge, Bath, Canterbury, Dover, etc. There are tons of art galleries and museums. Shopping depends on what you're interested in and what your budget is... thrifty or designer names?

You need to give more information before we can even attempt to help you. :)

SuzanneS09: two suggestions . .

1) just a "housekeeping" thing. But I'd e-mail Katie at [email protected] and ask her to remove the trip report tag. This isn't a trip report -- that is what you'll post after you get back :)

2) Since we know nothing about you, give us more information. Your age, interests, what places you already plan on visiting, type of shopping you want (clothing, street markets, antiques, whatever)

Avoid Penge.

You have been warned.