Is this itinerary doable for two first-timers to London?
May 10th, 2014, 02:07 PM
#1
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Is this itinerary doable for two first-timers to London?
We are two active 60+ yr old adults on our first trip to London at the end of June. Please critique our tentative itinerary. We welcome any suggestions. Our last day in London we kept pretty open to allow for some wiggle room to shop/visit a site we might have had to skip due to time running out.
Day 1 (Monday): Arrive at Heathrow at 7:30 AM
Take taxi (justairports.com) to lodging at St. Katharine Docks
Purchase Travelcards (7 day) from Nat’l Rail tx booth at London Bridge or Fenchurch St
Explore Kensington Palace & Gardens/ Hyde Park
Tea at Orangery
Harrods??
Day 2 (Tuesday): Tower of London at opening (9AM)/ Tower Bridge
St. Paul’s Cathedral
Globe Theatre?? (worth seeing???)
Westminster Abbey
Big Ben
Day 3 (Wednesday): Day tour already arranged for Cotswolds
Day 4 (Thursday): Buckingham Palace—changing of Guards
St. James Park,
Trafalgar Square—brass rubbings at St. Martin
Churchill War Rooms
Theatre in evening?
Day 5 (Friday): Greenwich or Kew Gardens (Any votes on which one to see??)
Ceremony of the Keys at 9:30PM (already have tickets)
Day 6 (Saturday): Portobello Road Market
British Museum
British Library
Day 7 (Sunday): Victoria & Albert Museum
Day 8 (Monday): Fly home
Thanks in advance for all of your help!
Day 1 (Monday): Arrive at Heathrow at 7:30 AM
Take taxi (justairports.com) to lodging at St. Katharine Docks
Purchase Travelcards (7 day) from Nat’l Rail tx booth at London Bridge or Fenchurch St
Explore Kensington Palace & Gardens/ Hyde Park
Tea at Orangery
Harrods??
Day 2 (Tuesday): Tower of London at opening (9AM)/ Tower Bridge
St. Paul’s Cathedral
Globe Theatre?? (worth seeing???)
Westminster Abbey
Big Ben
Day 3 (Wednesday): Day tour already arranged for Cotswolds
Day 4 (Thursday): Buckingham Palace—changing of Guards
St. James Park,
Trafalgar Square—brass rubbings at St. Martin
Churchill War Rooms
Theatre in evening?
Day 5 (Friday): Greenwich or Kew Gardens (Any votes on which one to see??)
Ceremony of the Keys at 9:30PM (already have tickets)
Day 6 (Saturday): Portobello Road Market
British Museum
British Library
Day 7 (Sunday): Victoria & Albert Museum
Day 8 (Monday): Fly home
Thanks in advance for all of your help!
May 10th, 2014, 03:39 PM
#3
I have to disagree w/ the lad. Day 2 is nigh on impossible. There is really no way one can manage the Tower, St. Paul's, the Globe and Westminster Abbey. The Tower + either St. Paul's or Westminster Abbey would be a full day w/ maybe one other smaller site. W/ a 9:00 start at the Tower count on being there til at least lunch time. Then travel time to either the Abbey or St. Paul's and touring them - that is the best part of your day right there. Both churches shut for visitors around 3:30/4PM so you would not have time for both on the same day.
Your day 4 is very light except that the guard change eats up a huge amount of time.
I also think you are overly optimistic re what you might accomplish on day 1. Assuming you can get into you flat in the AM, don't count on getting there until 10:30 or later. Then you'll be settling in, hitting the Waitrose or Tesco Express and heading out maybe 1PM and you want to travel all the way back across London to Kens Palace - while jet lagged.
Your day 4 is very light except that the guard change eats up a huge amount of time.
I also think you are overly optimistic re what you might accomplish on day 1. Assuming you can get into you flat in the AM, don't count on getting there until 10:30 or later. Then you'll be settling in, hitting the Waitrose or Tesco Express and heading out maybe 1PM and you want to travel all the way back across London to Kens Palace - while jet lagged.
May 10th, 2014, 05:13 PM
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Okay, so it would be best to move Westminster to Day 4 ??
London Walks offers a Buckingham tour. Would that save time in not having to get there far in advance to see the Changing of the Guard as well as afford a better viewing place?
What would you suggest as an alternative to Kensington on our arrival day?
London Walks offers a Buckingham tour. Would that save time in not having to get there far in advance to see the Changing of the Guard as well as afford a better viewing place?
What would you suggest as an alternative to Kensington on our arrival day?
May 11th, 2014, 01:12 AM
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Kew or Greenwich?
Greenwich is an old "small town" core around the Old Naval College, Cutty Sark and Maritime Museum, now surrounded by London sprawl. There is a huge park leading up to the Observatory and Blackheath beyond. The town centre has plenty of places to eat and drink. Part of the Old Naval College site is home to the University of Greeenich and Trinity Laban Academy (music and dance). There is always something going on.
Kew Gardens is a big, beautiful and historic botanical garden, with something to keep the botanically/garden-minded interested all the year round.
Greenwich is an old "small town" core around the Old Naval College, Cutty Sark and Maritime Museum, now surrounded by London sprawl. There is a huge park leading up to the Observatory and Blackheath beyond. The town centre has plenty of places to eat and drink. Part of the Old Naval College site is home to the University of Greeenich and Trinity Laban Academy (music and dance). There is always something going on.
Kew Gardens is a big, beautiful and historic botanical garden, with something to keep the botanically/garden-minded interested all the year round.
May 11th, 2014, 01:17 AM
#10
Marlene: yes, Westminster Abbey makes much more sense on day 4. But honestly, I'd really think about dropping the Guard Change. It's timing messes up everything and no matter whether it is on your own or w/ London Walks, it will shoot you whole morning.
Do the Abbey in the morning, maybe have lunch in their cafe and then walk over to the Churchill museum/Cabinet War Rooms. Both sites are quite time intensive. And both are better that the CotG.
On you arrival day, you probably should wait to see how you feel after the over night flight. You could just have a nice lunch in one of the many restaurants in the Marina, walk across Tower Bridge, walk along the southbank a bit, see the Shard up close (or even go up it if that fits in your budget). Borough market won't be open but southwark cathedral will be. Dinner in a cafe or pub along the river. Then back to the flat for an early evening.
Do the Abbey in the morning, maybe have lunch in their cafe and then walk over to the Churchill museum/Cabinet War Rooms. Both sites are quite time intensive. And both are better that the CotG.
On you arrival day, you probably should wait to see how you feel after the over night flight. You could just have a nice lunch in one of the many restaurants in the Marina, walk across Tower Bridge, walk along the southbank a bit, see the Shard up close (or even go up it if that fits in your budget). Borough market won't be open but southwark cathedral will be. Dinner in a cafe or pub along the river. Then back to the flat for an early evening.
May 11th, 2014, 02:13 AM
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Day 1 seems "odd". You go from Heathrow to St Katherine's then half way back again.
You'll see Tower Bridge every day you'll be in London, if you collect your tickets at London Bridge it's a short walk to The Globe from where you can walk across the Thames to St Pauls.
Kensington Palace & The Orangery (goodness knows why) could be added to the V&A day.
Westminster Abbey & Big Ben are very close to Trafalgar Square
You'll see Tower Bridge every day you'll be in London, if you collect your tickets at London Bridge it's a short walk to The Globe from where you can walk across the Thames to St Pauls.
Kensington Palace & The Orangery (goodness knows why) could be added to the V&A day.
Westminster Abbey & Big Ben are very close to Trafalgar Square
May 11th, 2014, 09:34 AM
#12
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Dotheboyshall---We wanted to experience an afternoon tea somewhere and heard the Orangery was nice and not too fancy. Any other suggestions?? We thought waking thru Kensington Gardens would be a good activity when dealing with jet lag.
Janisj--Your plan of walking across Tower Bridge and Southbank might be a better option for our arrival day. Thanks!
PatrickLondon--Kew would be my choice....maybe weather will dictate where we end up. Assume Kew would be more of an outdoor activity.
Janisj--Your plan of walking across Tower Bridge and Southbank might be a better option for our arrival day. Thanks!
PatrickLondon--Kew would be my choice....maybe weather will dictate where we end up. Assume Kew would be more of an outdoor activity.
May 11th, 2014, 10:08 AM
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Tea at the Orangery is indeed nice and not too fancy.
If you go to Portobello on Saturday, go early. It gets very busy. You could go to Westbourne Park instead of Notting Hill Gate, take a short walk down Westbourne Park Road past All Saints Road and start from the north on Portobello Road. You will start at the food market end. Blenheim Crescent has some nice little shops (including the bookshop of 'Notting Hill' movie fame) and Books for Cooks.
Continue on to Notting Hill Gate for the antiques and bric-a-brac.
If you go to Portobello on Saturday, go early. It gets very busy. You could go to Westbourne Park instead of Notting Hill Gate, take a short walk down Westbourne Park Road past All Saints Road and start from the north on Portobello Road. You will start at the food market end. Blenheim Crescent has some nice little shops (including the bookshop of 'Notting Hill' movie fame) and Books for Cooks.
Continue on to Notting Hill Gate for the antiques and bric-a-brac.
May 11th, 2014, 10:36 AM
#14
Re portobello road (I just did one of my regular 2 or 3 times a year visits yesterday AM)
Get there EARLY. Not every stall will be open yet but most will be. My general m.o. Is to get there by 8:30 at the very latest. Yesterday I was w/ 2 friends who are late risers - that plus the Circle and District lines being down all weekend meat we arrived about 9. We did the whole loop from the bottom to the top of the road and back. But by the end of the loop we really couldn't see anything. I told the girls we'd want to leave by 10 or 10:30 and they sort of pooh poohed the idea . . . That is until they saw the masses streaming in. We literally had to fight our way against the flow at 10:45. It was a total ZOO (like regularly) you really do need to get out by 10:30 at the latest.
Hint since you are staying out at the marina - in the 4 or 5 times I've stayed there, the tower hill station has been closed on weekends twice. If that happens you can take the #15 bus down to St Paul's and then catch the central line to Notting hill gate.
. . . AND yesterday was crappy weather. If it is a nice day in June the crowds will be worse.
Get there EARLY. Not every stall will be open yet but most will be. My general m.o. Is to get there by 8:30 at the very latest. Yesterday I was w/ 2 friends who are late risers - that plus the Circle and District lines being down all weekend meat we arrived about 9. We did the whole loop from the bottom to the top of the road and back. But by the end of the loop we really couldn't see anything. I told the girls we'd want to leave by 10 or 10:30 and they sort of pooh poohed the idea . . . That is until they saw the masses streaming in. We literally had to fight our way against the flow at 10:45. It was a total ZOO (like regularly) you really do need to get out by 10:30 at the latest.
Hint since you are staying out at the marina - in the 4 or 5 times I've stayed there, the tower hill station has been closed on weekends twice. If that happens you can take the #15 bus down to St Paul's and then catch the central line to Notting hill gate.
. . . AND yesterday was crappy weather. If it is a nice day in June the crowds will be worse.
May 11th, 2014, 11:17 AM
#15
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Janisj---Any way of knowing ahead of time if Tower Hill Station will be closed?? Thanks for the bus # tip. Assume our Travelcard works for the bus lines as well.
Tulips--Thanks for reaffirming our choice for tea and Portobello route!
Tulips--Thanks for reaffirming our choice for tea and Portobello route!
May 11th, 2014, 11:32 AM
#16
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Okay---I'm beginning to be convinced to skip the Changing of the Guard...but a photo of a Guard is a tourist must! I've read where you can get up close to a Guard at St. James' Palace. Is this still true? Do they stand guard there 24/7??
May 11th, 2014, 05:17 PM
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Find out when London Walks does a walk that includes changing of the guard if you really want to see them walk right past you without having to stand in line for hours to see nothing but other people.
Kensington Palace is just meh in my opinion and I think a lot of others agree. Plus my son got food poisoning from the Orangery--he ordered a shrimp salad and it was bad. Tea and cake is okay there but if you want a fancy afternoon tea then I recommend you book at one of the posh hotels like Claridges.
If you want to see a fantastic palace, I highly recommend Hampton Court Palace--wonderful gardens and great palace rooms to explore plus the tudor kitchens etc. Not far from London at all--30 minutes by train from Waterloo Station I believe.
The Churchill War Rooms are excellent but on your Trafalgar day you include brass rubbing at St Martin in the Fields but not the National Gallery or National Portrait Gallery?
Also don't underestimate the time needed for the Tower of London. We spent 5 hours there. There is a lot to see--get there early--see the crown jewels, then circle back to the front to go on a Beefeater tour. Don't miss the White Tower with the arms and armour and the other buildings to explore.
Enjoy and it would be nice if you write a trip report when you return.
Kensington Palace is just meh in my opinion and I think a lot of others agree. Plus my son got food poisoning from the Orangery--he ordered a shrimp salad and it was bad. Tea and cake is okay there but if you want a fancy afternoon tea then I recommend you book at one of the posh hotels like Claridges.
If you want to see a fantastic palace, I highly recommend Hampton Court Palace--wonderful gardens and great palace rooms to explore plus the tudor kitchens etc. Not far from London at all--30 minutes by train from Waterloo Station I believe.
The Churchill War Rooms are excellent but on your Trafalgar day you include brass rubbing at St Martin in the Fields but not the National Gallery or National Portrait Gallery?
Also don't underestimate the time needed for the Tower of London. We spent 5 hours there. There is a lot to see--get there early--see the crown jewels, then circle back to the front to go on a Beefeater tour. Don't miss the White Tower with the arms and armour and the other buildings to explore.
Enjoy and it would be nice if you write a trip report when you return.
May 11th, 2014, 08:57 PM
#19
Oh meant to add - the posh hotels are great for afternoon tea . . . But they are MUCH more expensive. The Orangerie is fine for tea, but there are other moderately priced places for nice afternoon teas.
May 12th, 2014, 03:24 AM
#20
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Europeannovice--This is what is so great about this forum! Hampton Court Palace was totally under our radar. In looking at photos of the palace and gardens on-line, it looks magical. Now, I'm giving serious thought to visiting HCP over Kew Gardens. In reading about travel there, it appears we will need Travelcards for zones 1-6. Love this suggestion--thank you!!
