London - she’s first time, I’m eighth; what to show her?
 

I’ve been to London 8 times, still haven’t seen all I want. A friend is leaning toward a Dec Christmas trip with me. It’s her first time.

i don’t want to spend alot of time on sites I’ve already seen but want to give her a taste. Any suggestions to show her highlights?

we’ll be there 4 or 5 nights. Possibly at the Rembrandt.

my interests for this trip are shows, Christmas decorations, shopping, markets, Borough market, tea, any special V&A exhibits, Sunday roast, British Library treasures room (was closed last Sept when I tried.)

I know you always go in Dec but I haven’t been at that time.

Sounds like you already have a pretty good plan. Maybe go on V&A website to see if you need to buy any tickets for special shows. V&A, British Museum, Natl Portrait Galley and Tate Modern are some of my favorite museums. Same advice for popular plays-go online and see if you can purchase beforehand or go to the same day reduced price ticket booth and see what’s available when you are there. Harrods, Liberty’s and Selfridge will probably all have lovely Xmas decorations and maybe Covent Garden would be fun to wander around. I usually eat ethnic food in London (the Barbary, Dishoom, Barrafina and Koya are some favorites) but The Baring and Harewood Arms get good reviews.

Not knowing if you'd be interested but the National Portrait Gallery will have a special showing called "Cecil Beaton's Fashionable World" from Oct. 11, 2025 to January 11, 2026. He is, of course, the famous photographer who revolutionized (?) royal portraits.

Hi - Maybe ask the moderators to edit your title. I do appreciate my name in lights ;) but LOTS of others will have good suggestions. A lot does depend on what sorts of interests your friend has.

A few things:

• There is a Cecil Beaton exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.
* CosProp has a once ever exhibition of their vast archives of British movie and TV costumes. Looks amazing. It would be a good fit with Borough Market because it isn't far from London Bridge station. (I'm really looking forward to this - the shirt Colin Firth walked out of the lake in Pride and Prejudice :D )
• In the same area south of the river is a Gianni Versace Retrospective running at the Arches
• The V&A is running Marie Antoinette
• Stephen Fry is playing Lady Bracknell in The Importance of being Ernest Earnest.
• Maybe a Panto
• Christmas at Kew nighttime light show
• Theatre Picasso is at Tate Modern
• Turner/Constable @ Tate Britain.

. . . Was posting the same time as TrophyWife.

All of the above are in addition to the usual major sites like the Tower, St Paul's and Westminster Abbey but you have a good idea which of those your friend 'needs' to see.

Would your friend be OK with you two separating at times? Perhaps she can go to some of the more "first time visitor sights" while you get a chance to shop or visit places you haven't seen that might not be on your friend's "must see" list. You could consider spending two days together and perhaps doing your separate sight-seeing on two of the other mornings and meeting up for lunch or tea.

Thanks. Cecil Beaton sounds great.
we will probably separate in Capri- small island but I’m not sure she’s ready to explore London on her own. She hasn’t traveled in Europe.

Christmas st kew sounds lovely but I think would take a chunk of time.

is Abba Voyage still on?

I like theme afternoon tea.

Yes -- ABBA Voyage is still running -- a major yes!.

Re Christmas at Kew -- it is in the evenings after the gardens regular closing time so wouldn't impact other sightseeing time really.

Takes 40-50 minutes from central London by tube.

Agree with Janisj re: ABBA Voyage You won't forget it!

Speaking of Westminster Abbey, if you haven't seen the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Gallery, it's worth a visit -- separate ticket can be reserved in advance but not certain if it would be needed in December.

yep- but most attractions close at 5:30 or 6 pm at the latest. So a 6:30 or 7 pm booking at Kew. Easy peasy ;)

the two times I’ve gone I booked for 5:30-ish and had an early dinner at the Botanist on site but that restaurant isn’t open this year due to the construction going on. But the whole garden is full of food and drink kiosks and a couple of cafes

You can shave a few minutes off that by taking a Southwest train from Waterloo to Richmond and the tube or Overground back from there to Kew Gardens.

Panto
Liberty's
V&A
Possibly Kew

Then just do stuff you want to and take her along