Comments are appreciated on the following 3 days in London (arriving Friday evening and departing Tuesday morning). We have 3 complete days and evenings.<BR><BR>Day 1. Saturday. <BR>Leave hotel near British Musium by 9AM. Take tube to Portobello Market. Spend a few hours wandering there and Notting Hill area. <BR><BR>Head southeast toward Kensington Palace. Depending upon weather and inclination spend an hour or so in the Palace or just wander around. <BR><BR>Walk through the Park towards Harrods. Spend an hour or so there.<BR><BR>Walk towards Buckingham Palace and then along the Mall. Maybe stop in the Park.<BR><BR>Depending upon the time, wander the Westminster sights.<BR><BR><BR>Day 2. Sunday.<BR>Tube to Tower of London. Depending upon inclination tour the Tower or just walk the area. Over to Tower Bridge.<BR><BR>Walk towards – Broadgate. Snack there.<BR><BR>On to St Bartholemew the Great, Museum of London and area around.<BR><BR>St Paul’s. It’s Sunday so there could be some issues here.<BR><BR>Make our way toward National Gallery, Portrait Galley, Trafalger square and other sights in the area until evening.<BR><BR>Day 3. Monday<BR>Depending on how much we’ve already seen (and of course inclination) possibly Hampton Court in the morning. Possibly not.<BR>If not Hampton court then British Musium, Russel Square, British Library (wife is a librarian)<BR>Shopping areas – some of Oxford, New Bond, Regent, Charing Cross, etc.<BR>Wander back down to the Whitehall, Parliament, Westminster Abbey area again to see what has been left out.<BR><BR>Evening show – My Fair Lady or My One and Only.<BR><BR>This seems like a lot of walking but we were in NY Thanksgiving and walked (and walked) for 4 days and had a great time.<BR><BR>It’s possible we won’t make it inside any castles or we may. Is that against the law?<BR><BR>Comments appreciated.<BR>

You wil probably get a lot of nit picking suggestions "do, this, no, do this, etc" But in three days you won't see everything (or even a fraction) so your ideas are fine. As you know - it is a LOT of walking and if the weather is evil you won't want to spend that much time outside so have a lot of alternate plans.<BR><BR>One concern is Portabello Rd - if you don't leave your hotel until 9AM. The stalls open by 5AM and by 10AM the place is so packed you can't see anything. So either get there early or do something else.

Don't worry, it's not against the law to visit England without seeing any castles. Basically, your itinerary is do-able as log as yo'ure up for LOTS of walking (I assume you've looked at a map and checked its scale) AND you don't expect to see anything in depth. You sound like you'll be happy as browesers. Did you know that Harrod's has 23 restaurants within it? <BR><BR>The various museums and attractions that you list for your second day are all wonderful and each could easily occupy a half-day, so if you stick to this itinerary just be prepared for experiencing only a glimpse of what places like the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery have to offer.<BR><BR>One suggestion -- the Tower of London opens at 10 AM on Sundays and at 9 on other days, so if you want your days to be as long as posisble, you might consider switching that chunk of itinerary for another day.

With only 3 days in London, I wouldn't go to Hampton Court. There is much to see not on your list. Definitely do see the Tower of London. Yes, the St. Paul's area is not best on a Sunday. First there are services in the cathedral that limit tourist sightseeing and it is a business district with many restaurants and stores closed on Sundays.<BR><BR>Consider seeing the Victoria and Albert Museum and a ride on the London Eye.<BR><BR>I think this is much too much walking, myself. You should use the tube and a few taxis, too.

Thanks for the quick replies so far.<BR>I'll explain why I planned it as such.<BR><BR>Saturday because of Portobello. If I can convince my wife to skip that I would shift the days around.<BR><BR>I don't really expect to go to Hampton Court. While it is different, we were in London many years ago and went to Windsor.<BR><BR>I also expect to jump a few taxis and the tube.<BR>I would have planned less weekend and more weekday but we're stopping on our way back from Italy (Rome and Sorrento) and that's the way it worked out.<BR><BR>If we change the days and we go west on Sunday, then Harrods would move to Monday somehow.<BR>

this one right here?<BR>

Thanks for the advice.<BR><BR>We discussed Portobello Market. Shopping is really not a priority. If it's too crowded we'll just move on and wander the Notting Hill area and go towards Kensington Palace from there.<BR><BR>Good idea about moving the eastern swing to Monday morning from Sunday. The Tower Bridge and Tower of London might be easier then than on Sunday. Monday will also be better for St Paul's.<BR>I'll try to put the Museums on Sunday. Now there's a shopping tour that's a problem. Too much of Monday will get used up.<BR>I think I'm trying too hard to keep things in areas. The west and the east. I may have to do some zig zagging such as skip Kensington Palace on Saturday and possibly go back on Sunday.<BR>

I was not impressed with Harrods at all. I found it to be just another department store. It was no different than Macy's or any other store of that kind. However, I live in New YOrk and have many such stores here and maybe that is why I found it no different than any American department store.

London Itinerary - 3 Days - Comments Please<BR> <BR>Myer [email protected]&gt;<BR><BR>Day one. Harrods to Marble Arch is fairly dull, Marble Arch to Buckingham Palace is very dull, and Buckingham Palace is a large, dull, grey, nineteenth century, building. The walk along the Mall is boring. So here goes. From Harrods a number 52 bus (best views on top, covered by your tube railpass) to Victoria. Ten minutes walk north to the Royal Mews and the Queens picture gallery. Glance at Buckingham Palace. A hundred yards along Birdcage past the Guards barracks, then north into St James Park to admire the Queen?s ducks and to have coffee in the pavilion. Near Westminster, two bus stops westwards on Victoria street, stands the Albert pub, with good cheap pub lunches downstairs and a carvery with lunches and suppers at 15 pounds upstairs.<BR><BR>Day two. You speed your visit to the Tower if you buy your entry ticket at any tube station the day before. The walk to Broadgate is a good idea. At Trinity Square Gardens you want to strike north through the small lanes, and for this you need a detailed street atlas. At your arrival airport you can buy the ?SuperScale London A-Z: My copy two years ago cost four pounds. I doubt you can snack in Broadgate on a Sunday, but you can next door in Liverpool Street station, a triumph of restored Victorian architecture. From Liverpool Street to St Paul?s, again, the big streets are fast but dull: the tiny lanes are delightful. Busses 11 and 15 run from St Paul?s to the National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, with views (from the top) of St Martin in the West, the tower of St Bride?s, Fleet Street, Prince Henry?s Room, the Law Courts, and the Savoy Hotel. You quit the bus at Charing Cross station.<BR><BR>Day three. There?s nothing to see on Russell Square (which indeed is closed just now for replanting), except the tower of the Senate House, our most fascist building (featured in Ian McKellan?s fine film of ?Richard III?). The British Library is spiffing, and free, and global, and might take hours. If you go down to the basement of the School of Oriental and Szfricajn Studiews north of the British Museum on Monday at lunchtime you?ll find a choice of a waiter-served meal at 12 pounds or so, wine extra, or a range of exotic and tasty dishes at three pounds in the student self-service refectory. Oxford Street and Regent Street are just streets of big chain stores, and Charing Cross is a railway station, good for sleeping car reservations to Budapest, but not for shopping. You may have meant Covent Garden, a gimcrack ?tourist attraction? of expensive boutiques that hope they?re in fashion. Which leaves New Bond Street as a good idea (and old Bond Street as a better one). For unusual (and expensive) shops, good for window shopping, I?d again take my detailed street atlas, and a walk to include the Royal Arcade, Burlington Arcade (you may not whistle there), Piccadilly Arcade, Jermyn Street (cheeses, shirts, club ties, bespoke shoes), and St James Church. Four hundred yards of these places lies Shepherds Market, with a dozen good and fairly cheap restaurants.<BR><BR>If I may say so, your wife is a woman of letters, and you don?t sound dumb. Please do buy at your arrival airport a copy of ?What?s On in London?, on the boring train towards Bloomsbury turn to ?Theatre?, begin with ?Fringe?, and find yourselves something more interesting and more fun than ?My Fair Lady?. <BR><BR>There?s no law to make you go into buildings, and so long as you stay outside nearly all of them, and take tops of busses for boring stretches, you?ll just manage to pack all this in.<BR><BR>You can always sleep when you?re back home. Please write if I can help further. Welcome to London.<BR><BR>Ben Haines<BR><BR>

Myer: having just returned from London with my husband thought I'd give you my opinion for what its worth. We arrived Sat. afternoon and left Wed. afternoon on to Bath. (I also think that you should listen to Ben H. he really knows his stuff). <BR>First, if you like to walk, I don't think it's too much. We stayed in Knightsbridge and walked everywhere except back from the theater at night when we took the tube, and to make our connection to Paddington for the Bath train. <BR>Walking around the areas is one of my favorite things and you never know what you'll run into. <BR>I don't think you'll actually end up seeing/doing all the things you have on your list, but its nice to have an idea to work from, so I would'nt worry about that too much. You will adjust your schedule when you get there. But time sure flies and it seemed like we never covered as much in a day as we thought we would. We're dyed in the wool gawkers, so we were always stopping to look at something. I love Harrods and would hate to see you skip that, though. <BR>Hampton Court will take a lot of your time up, pretty much the whole day all things considered. <BR>The evening comes early in London and can be cold if you're out walking so take something warm. <BR>You didn't mention any plays(?)in the evening and there are some wonderful ones on. Have a wonderful time.

Thanks to those who've commented so far.<BR>We've been to many museums and usually spend an hour or two and get a taste of it. We don't expect to get an education.<BR>We've been to the Louvre on several trips and the d'Orsay in Paris, The Nationals (both) and British Library on a previous trip (20 years ago), the Uffizi, Pitti Palace and Accademia (David) in Florence and The Met and Frick (great) in NY just last Thanksgiving.<BR><BR>The following is now a revised itinerary based on comments received.<BR>By the way. Shopping is defined as browsing and possibly buy something but not required.<BR><BR>Day 1. Sat.<BR>Leave British Museum area by 9AM to Portobello. If it's too crowded, just as well. Spend a couple of hours browsing there. It's an excuse to wander Notting Hill area.<BR><BR>Work our way toward Kensington Park (Diana's Playground). Through the park if weather is good (mid May). Probably just surround the Palace but not inside. Through the park to Harrod's (spend time here. pick up snack) and possibly Havrey Nichols.<BR><BR>On the way maybe spend an hour in Aspley House. Has anyone been there? The description looks like the Frick in NY.<BR><BR>Pass Buckingham Palace (maybe see Royal Mews). Through St James Park and break off to Jermyn St, Burlington Arcade, Bond St, Regent St Area (if we do not get here today then Monday PM).<BR><BR>Day 2. Sun.<BR>A taste of Culture.<BR>Leave hotel and visit British Museum for an hour or two. Up to British Library (wife is a librarian).<BR><BR>Transportation down to Westminster area. Horse Guards, possibly Banqueting Hall, Trafalgar Sq.<BR><BR>National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery (spent a few hours in the two 20 years ago. time for a booster).<BR><BR>If we're still alive wander covent Garden, Leicester Sq area.<BR><BR>Day 3. Mon.<BR>Transport to Tower Bridge Experience (has anybody been there?). Probably not go inside Tower (was there 20 years ago and waited in line to see crown jewels then - probably not enough time for this)<BR>Take Ben's walk in the Broadgate area (better on Monday and St Paul's issues are gone). St Bartholemew The Great, Museuim of London looks interesting and on to St Paul's.<BR><BR>Bus to Westminster Abbey if time and browse the Bond St - Regent St area as per Ben's street description.<BR><BR>Evening show. We're leaning toward My Fair Lady. Want a large cast, easy to watch musical with well-known music. Not something heavy.<BR><BR>We saw Les Miserables in Montreal (original home), Phantom in NY Thanksgiving, Chicago in Ft Lauderdale (live here now) and will see Mamma Mia here next month and also the Lion King next November.<BR><BR>As some have said, it's a lot of walking (we did that in NY, were sore for a week and had a great time).<BR><BR>Actually, this London visit is an add on (couldn't get direct flight with air mile Miami-Rome) to a Rome-Sorrent trip.<BR><BR>Any new comments. I feel like I should do this for a living.<BR>

Sounds great, Myer...I wanna come too!

Oh the typos.<BR>That's Harvey, Sorrento among others.<BR><BR>Oh, saw Little Shop of Horrors in London 20 years ago. The beginning of April and we froze. <BR>Hope mid-May is warmer.

Skip Harrods. You can shop in the States!<BR><BR>If you are at all interested in World War II history then take the Cabinet War Rooms tour. Fabulous!<BR><BR>We really enjoyed the Jack the Ripper Walking Tour. Starts at 8 pm.Takes a couple of hours.<BR><BR>Have a fun trip!

Myer - don't let others discourage you re Harrods. Do go. You don't need to do any major shopping - but you MUST see all the food halls at least. They spread over several large rooms on the far side from the tube entrance. And if the weather is nice, pick up some savory pies and sweets for alfresco dining in the park. (but they will be too pretty to eat)

Definitely intend to go to Harrods.<BR><BR>I didn't know Jack the Ripper Walk is in the evening.<BR><BR>Any info on this?<BR>

I agree with Ben's post re. British Library - it is brilliant, esp. if your wife is a librarian. There is a collection of illuminated manuscripts and a copy of the Magna Carta. And the cafe there is good, too. Check if the library is open on a Sunday - it would be a shame to miss it.

I just checked for British Library on Sunday. British Library Exhibition Galleries open Sun 11AM-5PM. I'm not sure if that includes the whole Library and/or the work of interest.<BR>Anybody know?<BR>

If you're not a reader, you won't be able to see much beyond the Exhibition Galleries anyway, but you would only be missing the sight of large reading-rooms (pleasant, but much the same as anywhere else). All the book stocks are underground.<BR><BR>You would see the foyer displays - the King's Library in a central glass tower (I won't mention which King, out of deference to so many Americans). With luck, they might have available the 'jukeboxes' of historic recordings (some interesting stuff here: an 1890 recording of the trumpet call for a charge, played by the man who blew it at the Charge of the Light Brigade, on a trumpet used at the Battle of Waterloo; and the recently rediscovered recording of Mandela's speech at his trial in 1962. The standing exhibition also has a good selection of recorded material as well as the obvious documents (Magna Carta) and literary materials. There are also changing special exhibitions.