Problem I see with going to Windsor from the airport is luggage. Certainly no left luggage at LHR, I wouldn't imagine, and I'm not sure what you'd do with it in Windsor, either. If someone knows something ....

"<i> Certainly no left luggage at LHR, I wouldn't imagine</i>"

Yes - there is left luggage in each terminal. If I was planning to visit Windsor, I'd leave my bags at LHR - take the bus to/from Windsor, retrieve my bags and take the tube into London.

Of course - if Windsor fell off the plan - then you could just take the tube or a car service directly into London.

Hi Janisj

Well you are quite right re Heathrow and Windsor - I hadn't thought of that. That makes Windsor quite feasible, if their plane gets in at a reasonable time.

However, I must take objection to your other points. I live overlooking Tower Bridge and Tower of London and have many a'times done the itinery I suggested. It's a lovely walk up the river, but certainly you're right, nobody would have time to go into those places, which is why I wrote:

"you wouldn't have time to go INTO all those places"

If I were Dr T, I would start at Tower of London and visit it properly. Coming out I would pick up a pastry and coffee from the Cafe Paul kiosk or visit the Ben and Jerry shop with the kids. Then I'd cross over Tower Bridge, and walk up the river, passing HMS Belfast, Golden Hind, Globe. I would probably then continue across Millenium Bridge to see the outside of St. Paul's. Have lunch at Strada opposite. After lunch, cross back across the bridge and pop into Tate Modern. Then I'd continue walking up the river, and lastly have a trip on the London Eye.

Now I'm quite sure that that is perfectly feasible for a full day, 9-6pm. Wouldn't have recommended it if I hadn't done it myself.

And you don't have to go through the "Experience" to go up Tower Bridge. You first go up in the lift to the top part of the Tower and you don't have to sit through through their videos if you don't want to. Are you thinking of the mechanical works which come later? I've done this trip 3 times this year (taking friends and fam to see the sights), so maybe they've changed it since you last went?

Minnie: It seems the Experience has changed its workings -- maybe since they re-opened last year. I haven't been up it in about 4 or 5 years and previously one went through the exhibit before getting to the top walkway.

I avoided that a few times by schmoozing the entrance folks saying "I've been through before. Any way I can go up top w/o going through the other bits?" And each time they took me aside and let me sort of go "up the down staircase" by taking a staff elevator and bypassing the exhibit.

You originally listed 9 sites starting w/ Westminster Abbey and ending w/ the Tower/Tower bridge, saying "<i>That's quite enough to see for 1 day</i>". Now you are saying start w/ the Tower and cut out half of your original plan.

But I still think your suggestion for a day is highly aggressive. There is really no way one could do the Tower and St Paul's before lunch and <u>absolutely</u> no way to do it if one walked along the southbank to get to St Paul's.

The Tower, a nice lunch, St Paul's and something in the late afternoon is a pretty full day right there. Sure one <i>can</i> get to all those places. But visit and enjoy -- not so much. You live there and can pop in/out when you want. For a first time visitor it just isn't on.

"Passing the Globe" is not the same as visiting. You really don't see anything from outside. Tate Modern is worth 45 mins or an hour if one has no interest in Modern Art and hours if one does.

Sorry, just to be clear, my original list included sites which could be encompassed by the route I mentioned. Literally, places to "see". If you wanted to visit them all and enjoy it, you would need a few days. And I quite agree, "passing the Globe" is not the same as visiting - I didn't suggest otherwise.

DrT, the beauty of the itinerary I suggested is that you can decide en route how many of the sights you would actually like to visit and how long you'd like to spend at each one. If after the Tower of London you are all tired, you can take lunch at one of the many places by Tower Bridge and spend an hour walking up to the London Eye. There are an infinite number of itineraries you could use, but the one I mentioned I have done with friends and family on numerous occasions (it's amazing how many visitors you get when you have a spare room overlooking TB).

But whatever you do, have a great time! Over and out.