texasbookworm

Yep, I, despite having read the fact, was disappointed with how far we were actually kept from #10; there's no photo op or anything--plus you'd be going in the opposite direction from the Bridge and the South Bank (and Eye) after leaving Westminster/Big Ben, so I'd suggest skipping that detour. (If it's a got-to-see-it-for-myself spot, you might go by there early/first and then head to Westminster Abbey and keep going in one direction the rest of the day.)

Check out walkit.com for some interesting times/directions/distances/maps of walking around London. It's my new favorite-site-of-the-day as I'm still fleshing out our next-summer time in London.

nytraveler

IMHO too much. And I think you'll be getting to some things a they close unless you job the whole time. Several times you're taking the tube for ridiculously short distances. (Central London is OLD and has small blocks - IMHO it rarely makes sense to take the tube fewer than 3 stops (between time getting there, getting down to the platform, waiting for a train and the reverse - it's 15 minutes max from any stop to any other).

Agree the pick our your major activity for each day and do that first - so if you run out of time you will be missing things that matter least.

Get to the Palace early - very - to see much.

Hyde Park is not much - even in nice weather - some plants, grass, paths and a lake - no real activities. And walking from Kensington Palace to Knightsbridge is about 10 times as far as Trafalgar to Covent Garden (which is a shopping mall primarily with tschotkes). When we took my teen/tween step-daughters to London they loved it. OK as a stop to have lunch.

Also - don;t look at closing times - look at last entry times - which may be as much as an hour earlier.

bachslunch

I'll say it again -- dallison, I think your itinerary is perfectly fine. In fact, I pretty much did your proposed Saturday basis (Tower of London followed by St. Paul's), but instead of the Globe Theater I added in two minor brief pop-in churches along the way (All Hallows Barking, St. Mary Le Bow), a late afternoon visit to Dr. Johnson's House after St. Paul's, and an evening visit to Parliament after dinner. Efficient use of time, and I saw boatloads of great stuff. I just don't get the impression some folks have here that the OP's day is manic rushing-around madness. If a person is like an acquaintance of mine who only goes to one attraction per day when he travels and then "meditates on what he saw," well that's a different story. But I'm not thinking the OP is that kind of tourist.

Will enthusiastically second going to Masters Super Fish, which I liked better than Rock and Sole Plaice -- the latter shows up in many London guidebooks, the former doesn't.

Am thinking whether one likes Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens depends on what one wants out of a park. It's certainly not Central Park, but I found it plenty pleasing enough -- especially the Italian Garden, Prince Albert Memorial, and some of the statuary. It's a very wide-open area, as opposed to the smaller Green Park (lots more trees and not a lot of flowers) and St. James's Park (maybe more traditionally lovely, nice water space in the middle with plenty of waterfowl and flowers). Regent's Park has a similar spacious feel to Hyde Park, by and large.

You could always experience the London Eye in the evening on Friday, which may allow a more leisurely feel to that day.

#10 Downing Street is pretty much a walk-by, and there isn't much to see. Parliament/Big Ben is also a walk-by unless you decide to attend one or both legislative sessions in the late afternoon or evening (when I went around mid-evening, there was no wait at all and I was actually able to see both houses of Parliament). Am thinking getting to Westminster Abbey when it opens is best, as lines can get long there. Ditto for the Tower of London -- getting there when it opens is best.

janisj

<B>Thursday, January 7, 2010</B>
>>1. @ 11:30am Buckingham Palace, changing of the guard (takes ~40 minutes, arrive at least 30 minutes early)<<

To see anything, you will have to be there more than 30 mins early. If the weather is nice plan on at least an hour ahead. And if the weather is nasty maybe 45 mins - but who wants to stand out in the rain for more than an hour?

>>2. Afterwards, walk down the mall to Trafalgar square. Shopping<<

What shopping are you expecting at Trafalgar Square? Except for the gift shops in the National Gallery, there really aren't any stores of interest.

<B>Friday, January 8, 2010</B>
>>2. Big Ben/Parliament<<

You don't have to 'schedule' this. They are across the street from the Abbey. You wouldn't be able to miss them.

>>3. #10 Downing Street<<

You will be sorely disappointed. You cannot see <u>anything</u>. All you will see are a couple of uniformed police and baricades.

>>Walk across Westminster Bridge to London Eye (about 1 mile)<<

Not even close to a mile. And if you skip Downing St, it is barely 1/4 mile from Big Ben to the Eye.

Cholmondley_Warner

Seconding the 10 Downing St - you can't get in and you can't see it from Whitehall.

However I would still walk down Whitehall from Westminster to trafalgar Sq and see the Cenotaph, Banquetting Hall, Horse Guards Parade and the Admiralty - all worth seeing in their own right. (You can get into the Banquetting hall but the others are still working buildings).

dallison

I think you're all getting a bit caught up in the detail of the report, as opposed to actually looking at what we're doing each day. I'm a technical writer for a living, so of course I focus on detail. I probably should have stripped some of that from the post.

Since I've been to London twice, I'm returning to the sites for my friend (who requested no churches and very few museums, so I don't think we're going to spend hours in either).

But, actually, when you get past my (admittedly poor) map reading skills, the days break out like this:

Day 1, changing of the guard, Royal Opera House and Tea.

The other things are just walking around and seeing parts of London. And, why wouldn't I want to see Trafalgar Square? It is the 4th most popular tourist attraction on earth.

Day 2, Kensington Palace (which we might not even go in), Westminster Abbey, and the Eye.

Day 3, Tower, Globe, and possibly St. Pauls.

I don't understand how this is way too much. It's the first week in January, lines shouldn't be too long, and we're young and in good shape.

And to answer some of your questions, if you look above (in my very hard to read post), you'll see that I do have last admission times listed. I see how it got lost in all the other stuff I have listed. And, no, I'm not one of those travelers who sees one thing a day and reflects on it.

And, yes, I realize that I'm being a bit defensive, but it seems that many of the posts are reactionary rather than helpful.

I do, however, greatly appreciate the posts that are helpful and the information about walkit.com. I'll try to work on not planning to take the tube for a few blocks.

dallison

Oh, and before anyone reacts to the no churches or museums statement, I know I can convince her to visit a few and it's my fault that she doesn't want to see any. I took her to Rome and Florence with me, and you should have seen that itinerary!

dallison

Oh, shopping, that's not at Trafalgar square, that's a remnant from re-ordering when I had Bond street shopping on the itinerary. I cut it out. See, I can edit!

christycruz

Your pace isn't faster than my pace was, and I tend to travel slow. I think your last post elucidates how reasonable your plan is.

My sister and I loved the tea room on the Kensington Palace grounds (The Orangery).

We also fit in a play in the evening.

Have a great trip!

jent103

I think your itinerary is fine. Fitting all three things in your day 3 might be difficult depending on how much time you spend at each, but it seems that you realize that and have contingency plans.

I didn't see where anyone was saying that you shouldn't see Trafalgar Square; janisj did say there wasn't much shopping around, which is entirely true. Trafalgar Square's one of my favorite spots.

janisj

"<i>I didn't see where anyone was saying that you shouldn't see Trafalgar Square; janisj did say there wasn't much shopping around, which is entirely true. Trafalgar Square's one of my favorite spots.</i>"

absolutely! Your post clearly combined Trafalgar Sq w/ shopping. That is what I commented on -- not a word was said anywhere about not visiting Trafalgar Sq. Now you have clarified the shopping bit was a mistake.

dallison

You're both very right. I misread janisj's post, and I apologize for my response. I should have mentioned that in my clarification.