London Area in Christmas
Jul 13th, 2010, 01:41 PM
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London Area in Christmas
Hello! Thank you for taking the time to read this post. My Husband, brother-in-law, and sister-in-law are all planning a trip to visit another sister-in-law in London this Christmas/NYE. She is working in Heathrow as a nurse, and cannot make it home for the Holiday's. We are planning on arriving in London on the 25th, and staying until the 8th. We are all around 30 years of age, and enjoy anything physical, historical, and museum related.
My question is, are there any traditions or experiences that we should make sure to have while spending Christmas and NYE in London? Are there any great hostels or homes we could rent as a group to save on sleeping expenses? Any great areas to bar hop or parties to go to on New Years Eve?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
My question is, are there any traditions or experiences that we should make sure to have while spending Christmas and NYE in London? Are there any great hostels or homes we could rent as a group to save on sleeping expenses? Any great areas to bar hop or parties to go to on New Years Eve?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Jul 13th, 2010, 02:27 PM
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There's not much open in London on Christmas. (The next day, Boxing Day, some things will still be closed.) Will the sister-in-law be able to pick you up at the airport and feed you? The tube and buses are closed on Christmas. You could hire a car service, though I don't know if they would charge extra on the holiday.
If you're on a hostel budget and don't mind not being near the sister-in-law, I've stayed in two of the Astor hotels (astorhostels.co.uk) and been pleased. The four of you could book a four-person dorm room (all bunk beds). However, an apartment may actually work out just as well cost-wise and give you more space - there are lots of threads here about specific apartments and renting them in London. Check vrbo.com for starters.
Museums - tons of them. Check individual web sites for opening hours on Boxing Day and around New Year's (the British Museum is closed Dec 24-26 and Jan 1, for example). My two favorites are the Victoria & Albert and the National Portrait Gallery.
With almost two weeks, you could do some day or overnight trips easily. Bath, Oxford, Cambridge and Stonehenge are some of the more popular, but search around - there are plenty of options and it's important to see what jumps out to *you.*
If you're on a hostel budget and don't mind not being near the sister-in-law, I've stayed in two of the Astor hotels (astorhostels.co.uk) and been pleased. The four of you could book a four-person dorm room (all bunk beds). However, an apartment may actually work out just as well cost-wise and give you more space - there are lots of threads here about specific apartments and renting them in London. Check vrbo.com for starters.
Museums - tons of them. Check individual web sites for opening hours on Boxing Day and around New Year's (the British Museum is closed Dec 24-26 and Jan 1, for example). My two favorites are the Victoria & Albert and the National Portrait Gallery.
With almost two weeks, you could do some day or overnight trips easily. Bath, Oxford, Cambridge and Stonehenge are some of the more popular, but search around - there are plenty of options and it's important to see what jumps out to *you.*
Jul 13th, 2010, 03:00 PM
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Hi there! I spent the week before Christmas, 2009, in London and surrounding areas, leaving on the 24th. Here is my trip report:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...stonehenge.cfm
In fact, if you want a chronicle about everything related to London-in-the-Wintertime, just take a look at my profile because I asked quite a few questions about wintertime travel when I was planning my trip.
Anyway, we did almost all the typical stuff: London stuff (Tower of London, St. Paul's, Nat. Gallery, British Library, British Museum, Westminster Abbey, etc.), Stonehenge/Salisbury. We also went to Glastonbury. We had plans to go to Canterbury but it was inaccessible due to snow.
So you may find my trip report useful if you're interested in that sort of stuff!
I really enjoyed being in the UK at Christmas. It was bitterly cold and we had some snow-related issues, but there were very few lines, nearly no tourists, and never a wait. I didn't feel like I was one of a million tourist being cattle prodded through every sight in town!
A few pointers: if you plan on spending much time in London, pack more "spiffy" clothes. We expected rain and muck since we knew we would be out in the countryside on many days so we packed outdoorsy stuff, but then felt quite out of place at pubs in London in our big puffy jackets. Not that we received poor treatment at all, but I think we would have felt more comfortable in tweed rather than Gore-Tex.
Also, admit the possibility of snow. Most guide books and most people you talk to will say that snow in December is unlikely. Of course, the one year we decide to go we're stuck in the middle of a long period of snowfall that was quite a surprise to everyone! Luckily we were right in the center of town (on the Embankment) and snow rarely accumulates there so we had little trouble during our London days; in fact, it was quite amazing because instead of typical London rainy days we just had a little snow and sunshine all the time-- much better than rain! However, even as far in as Highgate there was a lot more snow, and we were prevented from getting to some of our day-trips because of it.
I would suggest having an itinerary that is flexible enough to change for weather. Mainly what I mean is, don't buy train tickets to Salisbury three months in advance. Just know that you want to go there, and then go on the first sunny day you have (assuming you have any). Same with hours. Some places have odd open/closing hours in the winter and you'll want to pick your itinerary with that in mind. At the same time, it is a good idea to have your trips grouped by location. For example, you can do National Gallery and Westminster Abbey on the same day since they are only a few blocks away from each other. What I did was have an "A" option, "B" option, "C" option for the days I was in London, and the options were grouped by geography. Then we picked which option for each day based on the weather forecast.
Railpasses....well, they aren't really worth anything IMO, except convenience. It was certainly not worth the money. The rail tickets are so much cheaper than the passes (you will want to price compare, of course, but for us it was no comparison). However, I was so worried about getting over there and not knowing how to traverse the trains that I decided to buy the pass so that at least one thing was taken care of. Little did I know that the train schedules are very easy to read and it is quite easy to buy tickets. So it just depends on how much you prefer convenience over budget, and also where you are going (some trains are far more crowded than others). Tube pass is really only worth it if you can do the price compare, but it is good to have it so that you don't have to fiddle around getting your card topped off. It certainly incentivizes using your pass!
We didn't do a lot of Christmassy stuff, but we did go down Oxford Street one night to see all the lights and enjoyed the Christmas carnival there. I believe there were also some Christmas plays on at the Globe Theatre if you are willing to sit outside (I'm sure they have space heaters).
If I were you and had all that time I would consider getting out of London for a few days. I really enjoyed my time outside of the city so much. A friend of mine got a cottage in the Cotswalds for her Christmas. Here's her trip report:
http://www.slowtrav.com/tr/triprepor...d=1748&index=2
To me, all of the UK is quite jolly at Christmas. There's mulled wine and cider everywhere you look, and it is not hard to get into the Christmas spirit at all! Covent Garden in particular is very Christmassy and quite fun. Good luck! Let me know if you have any more questions, and I might be able to help. Have fun!
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...stonehenge.cfm
In fact, if you want a chronicle about everything related to London-in-the-Wintertime, just take a look at my profile because I asked quite a few questions about wintertime travel when I was planning my trip.
Anyway, we did almost all the typical stuff: London stuff (Tower of London, St. Paul's, Nat. Gallery, British Library, British Museum, Westminster Abbey, etc.), Stonehenge/Salisbury. We also went to Glastonbury. We had plans to go to Canterbury but it was inaccessible due to snow.
So you may find my trip report useful if you're interested in that sort of stuff!
I really enjoyed being in the UK at Christmas. It was bitterly cold and we had some snow-related issues, but there were very few lines, nearly no tourists, and never a wait. I didn't feel like I was one of a million tourist being cattle prodded through every sight in town!
A few pointers: if you plan on spending much time in London, pack more "spiffy" clothes. We expected rain and muck since we knew we would be out in the countryside on many days so we packed outdoorsy stuff, but then felt quite out of place at pubs in London in our big puffy jackets. Not that we received poor treatment at all, but I think we would have felt more comfortable in tweed rather than Gore-Tex.
Also, admit the possibility of snow. Most guide books and most people you talk to will say that snow in December is unlikely. Of course, the one year we decide to go we're stuck in the middle of a long period of snowfall that was quite a surprise to everyone! Luckily we were right in the center of town (on the Embankment) and snow rarely accumulates there so we had little trouble during our London days; in fact, it was quite amazing because instead of typical London rainy days we just had a little snow and sunshine all the time-- much better than rain! However, even as far in as Highgate there was a lot more snow, and we were prevented from getting to some of our day-trips because of it.
I would suggest having an itinerary that is flexible enough to change for weather. Mainly what I mean is, don't buy train tickets to Salisbury three months in advance. Just know that you want to go there, and then go on the first sunny day you have (assuming you have any). Same with hours. Some places have odd open/closing hours in the winter and you'll want to pick your itinerary with that in mind. At the same time, it is a good idea to have your trips grouped by location. For example, you can do National Gallery and Westminster Abbey on the same day since they are only a few blocks away from each other. What I did was have an "A" option, "B" option, "C" option for the days I was in London, and the options were grouped by geography. Then we picked which option for each day based on the weather forecast.
Railpasses....well, they aren't really worth anything IMO, except convenience. It was certainly not worth the money. The rail tickets are so much cheaper than the passes (you will want to price compare, of course, but for us it was no comparison). However, I was so worried about getting over there and not knowing how to traverse the trains that I decided to buy the pass so that at least one thing was taken care of. Little did I know that the train schedules are very easy to read and it is quite easy to buy tickets. So it just depends on how much you prefer convenience over budget, and also where you are going (some trains are far more crowded than others). Tube pass is really only worth it if you can do the price compare, but it is good to have it so that you don't have to fiddle around getting your card topped off. It certainly incentivizes using your pass!
We didn't do a lot of Christmassy stuff, but we did go down Oxford Street one night to see all the lights and enjoyed the Christmas carnival there. I believe there were also some Christmas plays on at the Globe Theatre if you are willing to sit outside (I'm sure they have space heaters).
If I were you and had all that time I would consider getting out of London for a few days. I really enjoyed my time outside of the city so much. A friend of mine got a cottage in the Cotswalds for her Christmas. Here's her trip report:
http://www.slowtrav.com/tr/triprepor...d=1748&index=2
To me, all of the UK is quite jolly at Christmas. There's mulled wine and cider everywhere you look, and it is not hard to get into the Christmas spirit at all! Covent Garden in particular is very Christmassy and quite fun. Good luck! Let me know if you have any more questions, and I might be able to help. Have fun!
Jul 14th, 2010, 03:13 AM
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I love London at Christmas-time! The city is quite empty, because there are few tourists and a lot of locals travel. But that just means there is more room, and cheaper prices, for you!
Be very aware that if you arrive on the 25th that EVERYTHING IS CLOSED. People told me this before we arrived on the 25th, and I thought they were joking. We did manage to catch a bus to Paddington, but then had to walk all the way across town to our hotel (we don't take taxis on principle).
There are a few small restaurants open, but I would highly recommend using OpenTable to find a guaranteed reservation. Some of the smaller places will only do a fixed price meal, which is no good if you just want some soup.
Also, the double-decker tour bus DOES run on the 25th. It's actually a great day to do that, because there is no traffic and it's a nice way to get a first-glimpse of the city. It will also give you a better idea of what you want to go back and explore again.
If you can get tickets to go see a Panto, that is the one really traditional Christmas thing they do. It's like a cheesy play, where everyone calls out "He's behind you!" to the bad guy. But there is singing and dancing and it's a ball.
My favorite thing to do is walk down Regent Street. They put up cool lights above the street every year, and some of the shops do window displays.
Have a fabulous trip! This is our blog we've been keeping about being Americans living in London. It might give you some ideas about what you want to see (click on the "Within London" category in the cloud at the bottom).
www.changehere.wordpress.com
Be very aware that if you arrive on the 25th that EVERYTHING IS CLOSED. People told me this before we arrived on the 25th, and I thought they were joking. We did manage to catch a bus to Paddington, but then had to walk all the way across town to our hotel (we don't take taxis on principle).
There are a few small restaurants open, but I would highly recommend using OpenTable to find a guaranteed reservation. Some of the smaller places will only do a fixed price meal, which is no good if you just want some soup.
Also, the double-decker tour bus DOES run on the 25th. It's actually a great day to do that, because there is no traffic and it's a nice way to get a first-glimpse of the city. It will also give you a better idea of what you want to go back and explore again.
If you can get tickets to go see a Panto, that is the one really traditional Christmas thing they do. It's like a cheesy play, where everyone calls out "He's behind you!" to the bad guy. But there is singing and dancing and it's a ball.
My favorite thing to do is walk down Regent Street. They put up cool lights above the street every year, and some of the shops do window displays.
Have a fabulous trip! This is our blog we've been keeping about being Americans living in London. It might give you some ideas about what you want to see (click on the "Within London" category in the cloud at the bottom).
www.changehere.wordpress.com
Jul 14th, 2010, 01:27 PM
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"we don't take taxis on principle"
Does this only apply to Black Cabs in London or to yellow taxis in NYC as well? Does it apply to minicabs?
An interesting principle, one I have not run across before.
Does this only apply to Black Cabs in London or to yellow taxis in NYC as well? Does it apply to minicabs?
An interesting principle, one I have not run across before.
Jul 14th, 2010, 02:13 PM
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We spent Thanksgiving 2009 in London and were thrilled that most of the Christmas decorations were up. What an experience! Definitely check out the department store windows...they are amazing! At first I did not think of purple as a Christmas color...by the end of the trip I was completely enchanted with it.
Jul 14th, 2010, 02:33 PM
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Odd not to take taxis on principle considering that most cab drivers are hard working men, in London the Black Cab drivers are tested on the best routes to take in the city to get you to your destination in the most efficient manner, and in both London and New York numerous cab drivers are immigrants working hard to obtain a living for their families as strangers in a strange land. At a loss for which principle is contrary to those issues . . .
Jul 15th, 2010, 11:51 PM
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I hate taking taxis unecessarily b/c of the cost and London taxis are ridiculously inexpensive. Precisely, BigRuss, because of the extensive training that they have to go through! I don't think the principle is that hard to grasp, in my opinion. Methinks you are reading a bit too much into Asterodeia's post. I'll take the occasional mini cab and black cab if I have to (or work is paying), but I would rather take 30 minutes longer getting home than pay 20 quid for a taxi. Personal preference (or principle!).
Jul 16th, 2010, 03:10 AM
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New year bar hopping isn't really how it happens - most places (even little pubs) are ticket only on NYE, as London is rammed with people. There is a big street party/firework display on the Thames though, gets very crowded, but pretty safe and fun as long as you get there early enough to find a space and you don't mind getting cold!
Jul 16th, 2010, 04:08 AM
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Definately go and see a pantomime - probably he one Christmas tradition that's unique to the UK. They are plays primarily aimed at children, but with plenty of sly jokes for adults. Pretty much every theatre puts on a panto over Christmas and the best ones include some pretty famous celebrities (Sir Ian McKellan, for instance, was in panto a few years ago).
Pantos are based on fairy tales - Aladdin, Dick Whittington, Babes in the Wood, Cindarella etc, and always feature common characters and set pieces:
1) The Pantomime Dame. This is always an older man dressed up as an outrageously bad transvestite.
2) The romantic female lead - normally a princess or similar
3) The romantic male lead, usually played by a woman dressed in tunic and tights. Yes really. Dads love the bit where the romantic leads kiss at the end
4) A baddy, who you must boo and hiss whenever he appears on screen
5) The female lead's best friend, usually a young, rather stupid, but endearing young man
6) Some stock phrases which the audience shouts at the people on stage: 'he's behind you', 'oh yes he is', 'oh no he's not' etc
7) At some point the Dame will throw sweets (candy) into the audience
8) At some point the audience will be invited to singalong to a funny song, with the Dame dividing the audience into two halves to sing against each other.
If this all sounds nuts, it's because it is.
If you like shopping, then the big Christmas Sales usually start on Boxing Day - head to Selfridges to join in the madness.
Pantos are based on fairy tales - Aladdin, Dick Whittington, Babes in the Wood, Cindarella etc, and always feature common characters and set pieces:
1) The Pantomime Dame. This is always an older man dressed up as an outrageously bad transvestite.
2) The romantic female lead - normally a princess or similar
3) The romantic male lead, usually played by a woman dressed in tunic and tights. Yes really. Dads love the bit where the romantic leads kiss at the end
4) A baddy, who you must boo and hiss whenever he appears on screen
5) The female lead's best friend, usually a young, rather stupid, but endearing young man
6) Some stock phrases which the audience shouts at the people on stage: 'he's behind you', 'oh yes he is', 'oh no he's not' etc
7) At some point the Dame will throw sweets (candy) into the audience
8) At some point the audience will be invited to singalong to a funny song, with the Dame dividing the audience into two halves to sing against each other.
If this all sounds nuts, it's because it is.
If you like shopping, then the big Christmas Sales usually start on Boxing Day - head to Selfridges to join in the madness.
Jul 22nd, 2010, 10:58 AM
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This might be a late follow-up ... but I choose not to take taxis because I already pay for a monthly Oyster Card. In my mind, if I then choose to take a taxi, I am paying for that trip TWICE. Once on my Oyster, and once in a cab.
I am also a big fan of the car-free lifestyle. I choose to live my life in a way that doesn't impact the environment by personal transit. Just like some people only buy organic or local food, or other people recycle their bottles.
I am definitely NOT doing it to "hard working men" who drive taxis down. I rather pity them, spending all day cooped up in a car fighting the traffic. And yes, I respect "the knowledge" and all the hard work that goes in to driving a cab, but that doesn't mean I have to patronize that business.
But again, it's a personal choice. I respect your right to travel the way you wish, and I'd ask you to respect mine.
(You can pretend I'm standing on Speaker's Corner if you have to.)
I am also a big fan of the car-free lifestyle. I choose to live my life in a way that doesn't impact the environment by personal transit. Just like some people only buy organic or local food, or other people recycle their bottles.
I am definitely NOT doing it to "hard working men" who drive taxis down. I rather pity them, spending all day cooped up in a car fighting the traffic. And yes, I respect "the knowledge" and all the hard work that goes in to driving a cab, but that doesn't mean I have to patronize that business.
But again, it's a personal choice. I respect your right to travel the way you wish, and I'd ask you to respect mine.
(You can pretend I'm standing on Speaker's Corner if you have to.)
Jul 22nd, 2010, 10:07 PM
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Good for you! I don't know why anyone would assume that by choosing not to take taxis you have something against hard-working taxi drivers (and, by the way, there are some women with the knowledge too). Does someone who takes taxis and not public transport have something against the hard working men and women of London Underground or London Buses (where there is a long history, by the way, of hiring immigrants)?
I personally find taxis to be expensive, not necessarily that fast (especially in London traffic), sometimes verging on unsafe (mostly NYC with the crazy driving), and uncertain (price is not fixed ahead of time, locations to get a taxi not always clear, or taxis not always available, etc.). Like Asterodeia, I also find that whenever I've paid for a transport season ticket of some sort (whether an annual ticket at home or a multi-day ticket when visiting other cities) it doesn't make any economic sense to pay for a taxi.
I personally find taxis to be expensive, not necessarily that fast (especially in London traffic), sometimes verging on unsafe (mostly NYC with the crazy driving), and uncertain (price is not fixed ahead of time, locations to get a taxi not always clear, or taxis not always available, etc.). Like Asterodeia, I also find that whenever I've paid for a transport season ticket of some sort (whether an annual ticket at home or a multi-day ticket when visiting other cities) it doesn't make any economic sense to pay for a taxi.
