My husband and I are flying to Rome in mid May and will have a 9 hr. layover at Heathrow (9:00 am-6:25 pm). Is this enough time to leave the airport and see a few sites? How far from Downtown London is Heathrow? Thanks in advance!

smagamble

enough time to leave the airport - yes. Time to see a few sites . . . maybe, depends on what you mean by "see".

If things go smoothly at immigration and you aren't stuck in a queue at Left Luggage for your carry ons, you'd probably get to central London by 11:30-ish and have to be back at the airport. by around 4:00. That means leaving London on the tube by around 3PM.

So you'd have time for a nice lunch and maybe walk around the general Westminster area (Big Ben, Parliament, Westminster Abbey, the Eye, Trafalgar Square).

Another option would be to take a bus or taxi to Windsor (7 miles from LHR) see the Castle, and have a nice lunch and cab back to the airport.

What a great idea! We've been to London 4 times but never made it out to Windsor Castle. Is it open year round? Thanks janisj!

http://www.windsor.gov.uk/faqs/opening-times

<i>Another option would be to take a bus or taxi to Windsor (7 miles from LHR) see the Castle, and have a nice lunch and cab back to the airport.</i>

Never understood why the Queen had the castle built so near the airport - perhaps Philip is a closet plane-spotter.

I would second (or third) the suggestion for Windsor Castle if you haven't seen it. Plus there is now a small cafe for visitors in the castle itself so you can save more time versus having to find lunch in town.