I have a few questions re: how much time to allow, etc.

Should one do a self-tour of St. Paul's or pay extra for the guided tour? How much times should one allow for the Royal Mews? Cabinet War Rooms? Both of there are self-guided tours- correct?

We fly out of Heathrow back to the States on a 2pm flight on Easter Sunday. Should we stay in London proper and go to Westminster or St. Paul's or would a possibility be to spend Easter Saturday in Windsor and go to services there in the morning? I believe Windsor is close to Heathrow. Attending Easter services are important to me spiritually in addition to the "tourist" reasons.

Thanks again!

Gidget

Yes - both are self guided. I would allow 30 minutes for the Royal Mews and 1.5 to 2 hours for the Cabinet War Rooms. The CWR have an audio that comes with the admission charge.

I can't help with all of your questions but this address has info about windsor http://www.royal-windsor.com/windsorcastle.htm

Easter services in UK tend to be on a the friday and sunday - not sure if there will be a service on easter saturday.

BTW Have you a new itenary?

www.windsor.gov.uk/attractions/castle.htm

this site looks better.

I found a bit over an hour to be plenty of time at St. Paul's. That was including climbing the 530 steps to the Golden Gallery and visiting the gift shop & Crypt Cafe.

Two years ago I had to change planes at Gatwick on Easter morning and attended a service in the airport chapel. They had several services that day, with different leaders. The one I attended was led by a retired Salvation Army Chaplin.

It was sweet, an experience I will attempt to repeat at the Manchester Airport as I have a flight Easter morning this year.

Keith

MAJOR typo. We are flying out on SUNDAY, April 11, so all of my questions are related to Sunday services and leaving on Sunday, not Saturday.

Nothing is being planned beyond London at this point. We are talking about concentrating on Scotland and then Wales. Tough choices will need to be made.

You won't be able to make a 1030 or 11 am service in Westminster or St Paul's and then catch a 1400 departure from Heathrow. You'd also be pushed to go to a 1030/1100 service in Windsor and check in on time - though you could check in before the service, go to the church and then get back to the airport.

Your message implies it's important for you to go to an Anglican church: the service timetable at the Heathrow chapel seemed to be heavily dominated by Catholic Masses last time I looked, but times are available from +44 20 8745 4261.

Might it make more sense to go to a midnight Easter Vigil service at one of London's good choral churches, then catch up on sleep on your tranatlantic flight?

Alternatively, some Anglican churches have what was, pre-Reformation, the vigil service early in the morning (sometimes as early as 630) of Easter Sunday. A full list of these will be in The Times on Holy Saturday.

I can't speak to the issue of Easter Sunday, but my husband and I went to London on our honeymoon and thought it was a great experience!
The Royal Mews is a lot of fun, but can be done pretty quickly. No more than an hour at most.
The Cabinet War Rooms is fascinating. We probably spent about 1 1/2 - 2 hours there. I understand that they have opened up a new portion of it recently.
Enjoy!
Annette