Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - London Superthread

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London Superthread

I thought I'd start one, with references to threads not more than a year old
Let me suggest that as on previous superthreads, you not post facts per se, but primarily links to other threads, or outside websites, that provide good information

Inexpensive pubs or restaurants
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34544585

For newcomers -- Fodors miniguide to London :

http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgr...tion=london@91

Economist's city guide

http://www.economist.com/cities/citi...fm?city_id=LDN

Particularly useful is probably the Catch if you can section:

http://www.economist.com/cities/brie...mp;city_id=LDN

(Note: At present Nathan Lane is singing in the "Producers" in London. I didn't know that.)

I see I already duplicated a thread, above, sorry

More budget hotel threads

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34516460

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34479950

Eurostar (London/Paris):

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34537380

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34510103

It's been noted that it can be cheaper to pretend that your residence is in the UK when purchasing tickets off the website.

Paris Superthread 

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34519236

Perhaps useful info can be gleaned here for day trips to Paris.

Theatre and concerts

www.whatsonstage.com complete current and future listings, can also order tickets

www.thisislondon.co.uk/ has theatre reviews, also clicks for children's London, museums, clubs, some hotels

www.timeout.com/london/

www.albemarle-london.com/ order tickets, seating charts

www.londontheatre.co.uk/ book tickets , seating charts, reviews, etc

www.coventgardenlife.com/restaurants.asp a map of the theatre area, showing theatre locations

www.playbill.com click on London, can order tickets, get theatre addresses

www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk includes a click to the Globe theatre website.

www.itsagift.ticketmaster.co.uk sometimes theater discounts

www.theatrenow.com theater news, reviews, email, chat, booking service

www.conciergedesk.co.uk

www.keithprowse.com ticket agent

www.ticketmaster.co.uk

www.rsc.org.uk Royal Shakespeare Company

www.sbc.org.uk South Bank Centre

www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

www.barbican.org.uk

www.eno.org English National Opera

www.royalopera.org.uk

www.open-air-theatre.org.uk. Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park, London NW1 4NP Box Office 207 486 2431 tube: Baker Street Season runs during the summer

summer events and festivals:
BBC Proms, orchestral music at the Royal Albert Hall. www.bbc.co.uk/proms

Kenwood House on Hampstead Heath, open air concerts.
www.picnicconcerts.com

a week's worth of self-guided walks in London, for history buffs (all eras included), by Ben Haines

http://www.victorianresearch.org/haineswalks.html

Here are a couple more threads about finding affordable hotels in London:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34543915

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34537042

And here's one about affordable eating in London:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34544591

111op

Nathan Lane had to pull out of "The Producers" due to injury. He was only scheduled to be there thru early Jan and then go start filming a movie version of the play. I was fortunate to see him on the second night of the production and it was very good. The movie should be good.

Museums and galleries:
http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/

http://www.npg.org.uk/live/index.asp (National Portrait Gallery)

http://www.tate.org.uk/home/default.htm

http://www.vam.ac.uk/

http://www.somerset-house.org.uk/

http://www.iwm.org.uk/ (Imperial War Museum -- all locations, including the Cabinet War Rooms)

http://www.soane.org/

http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/

http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page1208.asp (the Queen's Gallery page)

http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/

http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/LeightonHouseMuseum/general/ (with link to the Linley Sambourne House)

http://www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk/

Church concert schedules:
http://www.stmartin-in-the-fields.or...x.jsp#schedule

http://www.st-james-piccadilly.org/h...rts/index.html

http://www.sjss.org.uk/

And some miscellaneous favorites:

http://tube.tfl.gov.uk/

http://london.walks.com/

http://www.theatremonkey.com/ (theatre listings, including which seats to buy and which to avoid at each theatre)

Christopher Wren churches:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34441312 (this thread is slightly more than a year old, but then, the churches are a lot older than that)

accommodations in London college/university halls of residence

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34509089

Public (Bank) Holidays

New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day (first Monday in May), spring and summer bank holidays
(Last Mon. in May, Last Mon. in Aug.), Christmas Day, and Boxing Day (Dec. 26).

sightseeing info and itineraries for short visits to London

http://www.londontourist.org/time.html

100 Great Things to do in London

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34481251

http://www.streetsensation.co.uk/

Streetscapes showing more than 3,000 shops, bars and restaurants in the liveliest areas of London: Oxford Street; Portobello Road; Carnaby Street; Covent Garden, and Soho etc.

places for breakfast near Thistle Charing Cross Hotel, or Charing Cross Station

oops
that thread for Charing Cross, Thistle Hotel, or station, is
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34541700

For more lunchtime organ recitals and concerts:
www.londonorgan.co.uk
www.cityevents.co.uk/city_churches.htm

For list of churches in the City:
www.cityoflondonchurches.com

For annual London open house:
www.londonopenhouse.org

For visiting southern London:
www.london-se1.co.uk

daytrip to the city of Bath:

www.bath.co.uk web site for train and other information about Bath , can design your own walking tour

www.bathpass.com

www.visitbath.co.uk

http://webcenter.travelocity-dest.ne...56|3|1,00.html

a magazine article on a 2 day visit to Bath: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/tr...1113_bath.html
trains leave London from Paddington Station

Directions to tourist office in Bath:
exit station, walk straight on Manvers Street, turn left on North Parade, proceed past Sally Lunn’s to Abbey Green, turn right on Church Street. TI office is to your right. The Abbey is also a few steps in front of you.
The TI office offers guided walking tours; the 2-hour walking tour required comfortable shoes and moderate energy

Great Western (www.greatwestern.co.uk) is the high speed train that services Bath Spa Station from London.

Even in winter, all attractions and many many shops are open on Sunday.

Rick Steves recommends starting your UK trip in Bath before going to London. He also suggests Mad Max minibus tours from Bath to nearby areas like Wells, Avebury, Stonehenge, etc.
Email [email protected] tel 01225 325 900

If you want to go to Bath directly from Heathrow: In the arrivals concourses at Heathrow there are railway desks. These will sell you tickets on the shuttle bus that railways run from Heathrow to Reading, and then on the train to Bath. Buses leave for Reading every half hour.

Food and Drink: a few suggestions--

www.popjoys.co.uk Closed Sundays. Other days serves lunch and dinner, dinner from 6pm. ”

Pimpernel’s: Royal Crescent Hotel, 16 Royal Crescent, www.royalcrescent.co.uk Open 7 days, serves afternoon tea.

The Bath Priory, Weston Road, www.thebathpriory.co.uk hotel and restaurant

Fishworks Seafood Café, 6 Green St, www.fishworks.co.uk Open Tues-Saturday, and Sunday lunch during the summer.

Sally Lunn’s: 9 North Parade Passage, a block south of the Abbey. Also in an historic house (1482) Many tourists go there, but the quality is high and it is not a tourist trap. You can have lunch, dessert, afternoon tea, or candlelight dinner. Open 7 days. http://www.sallylunns.co.uk/

Woods, 9-13 Alfred St. Open Mon-Sat and Sunday lunch. Modern British/French cooking.

There is a walking tour of Bath, sightseeing information, and a useful map of Bath in the book “Day trips London” by Steinbicker.

The web site for the Theatre Royal in Bath is
www.theatreroyal.org.uk

some fodors threads on Bath (there are many more, just do a Search)

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34542147

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34531633

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34528052

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34481938

Transportation from the Airports

From Heathrow:

The cheapest way to get into central London from Heathrow is via the London Underground, commonly called the "tube" (www.thetube.com). The Piccadilly line runs from Heathrow into London. Depending on where your hotel is located, you may have to make a train change to get close to your hotel. If considering the tube, keep in mind that there may be a set of stairs to navigate with your luggage at the London end of your journey. If faced with stairs, it is best to have your entire party exit the train at your stop and step aside out of the flow of traffic until the rush of passengers have passed. Then you will not be rushed while you are manuevering the stairs.

The Heathrow Express (www.heathrowexpress.com) is an express train that takes you from Heathrow into London's Paddington Station. From there, you will either have to take the tube or a taxi to your hotel. With luggage, the taxi is the easier option.

There are also bus services available:

Hotelink: www.hotelink.co.uk
National Express: www.nationalexpress.com/destinations/airports.cfm?t=air

There are also car services that will meet you in the airport, help you with your luggage and take you directly to your hotel. This, of course, is a more expensive way of getting into London, but is the most convenient. Here are a few commonly recommended by Fodorites:

Ray's London Transfers: www.london-transfers.com

Just Airports: www.justairports.com

Premier Airport Cars: www.premierairportcars.com

Heathrow Hotel Hoppa:

If staying at a hotel at Heathrow, there is the Hotel Hoppa (www.nationalexpress.com/p.cfm?n=pai-hhh) bus service that runs between the hotels and Terminals 1, 2 and 3. If you need Terminal 4, you can take one of the free transfers between terminals on the Heathrow Express.

From Gatwick:

The London Underground does not run as far as Gatwick so this is not an option for getting into London.

The Gatwick Express (www.gatwickexpress.com) is an express train that takes you from Gatwick into London's Victoria Station. From Victoria, you can either take the Tube or a taxi to your hotel.

Mainline train services also will take you into London (www.thetrainline.co.uk or www.qjump.co.uk.) Again, you would have to take the Tube or a taxi from the station to your hotel.

The above mentioned bus and car services are also an option from Gatwick.

From Stanstead:

The Stanstead Express (www.stanstedexpress.com) takes you into London's Liverpool Street station, where you'll have to take the Tube or a taxi to your hotel.

From Luton:

The Thameslink train (www.thameslink.co.uk) takes you into London's Kings Cross station, where you'll have to take the Tube or a taxi to your hotel.

Airports:

Here is the website for all the airports in the UK: www.baa.co.uk

Left Luggage:
If you need to leave your luggage at an airport, bus or train station, here is the website for Left Luggage: www.excess-baggage.com/contact.asp

ROYAL LONDON

Official site of the British Monarchy: www.royal.gov.uk

Historic Royal Palaces: www.hrp.org.uk

Royal Residences: www.royal.gov.uk/output/page553.asp

Ceremony of the Keys: www.hrp.org.uk/webcode/content.asp?ID=622

Changing of the Guard: www.changing-the-guard.com/sched.htm

Trooping the Color: www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page370.asp

State Opening of Parliament: www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page365.asp

Windsor Castle Guard Change: www.windsor.gov.uk/attractions/guards.htm

The Royal Trail (schedule of royal appearances): www.thelondonseason.com/LSRoyaltrail.htm [great if you want to see if the Queen will be in London the same time you are. :)]

BRITISH GOVERNMENT

Houses of Parliament: www.parliament.uk

Clock Tower Tours [currently unavailable to overseas visitors, but keep checking for changes - it's a great tour]: www.parliament.uk/directories/hcio/clock_tower.cfm

10 Downing Street: www.map-of-london.co.uk/downingstreet.html

The Old Bailey: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/our_services/law_order/central_criminal_court.htm

WORLD WAR II LONDON

Cabinet War Rooms: http://cwr.iwm.org.uk/

Imperial War Museum: http://london.iwm.org.uk/

HMS Belfast: http://hmsbelfast.iwm.org.uk/

Winston Churchill's Britain at War Experience: www.britainatwar.co.uk

AFTERNOON TEA

Here are some websites to help in planning if you wish to attend an afternoon tea while in London.

Tea Time - London: www.travelbritain.org/NewHome/insidebrit/IBallthings/teatime.htm

The Best Afternoon Teas in London: www.elegant-lifestyle.com/afternoon-teas.htm

London Grand Hotel Tea: www.dine-online.co.uk/teatime.htm

Brown's Hotel: www.brownshotel.com

The Ritz: www.theritzlondon.com/tea/

Lanesborough: www.lanesborough.com/dine.cfm

The Dorchester: www.thedorchester.com/default.asp?section=236&page=250

Dukes Hotel: www.dukeshotel.co.uk/dining.htm

Stafford Hotel: www.thestaffordhotel.co.uk/dining/tea.html

Savoy Group (Claridge's, Connaught, Berkely, Savoy & Simpson's): www.savoy-group.com

Fortnum & Mason: www.fortnumandmason.com

Harrods: www.harrods.com

More affordable teas:

Basil Street Hotel: www.thebasil.co.uk/Pages/loungebar.htm

Orangery - Kensington Palace: www.hrp.org.uk/webcode/content.asp?ID=346

Elaine,

Thank you for starting this thread, and everyone one else, thank you for your contributions. What a great thread. I'm copying the whole thing for future reference.

Pubs
a website on “pub etiquette” http://www.sirc.org/publik/pub.html

and another one with lots of suggestions: www.fancyapint.com/index.htm

www.camra.org.uk pubs of historic interest

just two fodors threads, do a search on 'pubs' for more

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34546908

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34544585

some websites that have restaurant suggestions, some with reviews

www.londoneats.co.uk

www.londoneats.com

www.londondining.com

www.londonrestaurantreview.co.uk

www.english-restaurant.com

www.london-eating.com

www.planetveggie.co.uk for vegetarians

www.zagat.com

www.restaurant-guide.com/

www.toptable.co.uk

www.squaremeal.co.uk,

www.thisislondon.co.uk

www.timeout.com

www.hardens.com .
You have to register, but it has a search mechanism for various categories and locations of London restaurants.

one fodors thread on inexpensive eating in London

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34458693

visiting Oxford

Oxford Univ. www.ox.ac.uk/

www.visitoxford.org

www.oxfordcity.co.uk/

www.oxfordshire.com

http://www.dailyinfo.co.uk/sheet/maps/map.htm

http://www.oxford-info.com/oxford.htm

http://www.eurodata.com/articles/doi...illiantly2.htm

www.oxlink.co.uk/index.html

For more articles, go to www.about.com

http://www.stagecoach-oxford.co.uk/timetables buses in and around Oxford

You can take the train from Paddington Station to Oxford. It's about a 50 minute ride. Ask for a discounted day return ticket. For train info, www.thetrainline.com

For bus (coach) transportation to Oxford from London, Oxford Express coaches leave from London's Victoria Station for the Oxford bus station daily about every 20 minutes, trip takes about 1 ¾ hours. www.oxfordbus.co.uk The buses don’t require any changes, are cheaper, and the Oxford coach station is closer to the center of town than the train station is. There is also the “Oxford tube”, an express coach. Every 20 minutes, 24 hours per day. Call in London 011865/772250 http://www.stagecoach-oxford.co.uk/oxfordtube/

Bus tours of Oxford,with commentary: www.tappins.co.uk

There is another tour company using minivans, called "Spires & Shires", 4 Walton Well Rd Oxford OX2 6ED,tel: 0865513998; fax: 0865791469. http://www.oxfordshire.co.uk/data/017104.html

This company offers daily half day tours to Blenheim as well as walking tours of Oxford. Reservations should be made in advance. The Blenheim tour bus meets some of the incoming trains at the Oxford train station which come from London’s Paddington station.

Thames Transit Minibus runs Oxford to Blenheim and other locations www.oxlink.co.uk/travel/index.html

“Guide Friday” has an office at the Oxford rail station, call 01865/790522. Offers one-hour open-top bus tours
around Oxford. Call for seasonal schedules.

The Oxford Story, 6 Broad Street phone 01865/790055 has an audio-visual presentation of Oxford. Daily 10-4:30. Family rates available.

the Oxford tourist information center, offers guided tours of some of the Oxford colleges and notable buildings during the day The Oxford tourist information centre is at the Old School Gloucester Green, opposite the bus station. The telephone number is 01865/726871. They sell maps and brochures, tee shirts, and can book hotels for a fee.
Open Mon-Sat from 9:30 am to 5; Sunday and bank holidays in summer from 10-3. The walking tours of selected colleges leave daily at 11am and 2pm. They do not include Christ Church or New colleges..

Don't miss Christ Church college, however. Note that not all Colleges are open to visitors all the time, and especially not during exam periods. When they are open, it is usually in the afternoons.

There is a suggested walking tour of Oxford and a map of the city center in the book
“Day trips London” by Steinbicker.

Additional walking suggestions can be found at www.viamichelin.com, search on Oxford.

Private guide for hire, recommended International Travel News November 2004: Chris Lloyd, www.lloydweb.net.tours He is a member of the Oxford Guild of Guides and has written a book on walking tours of Oxford (available amazon uk.) His price is the same for 2-19 people.

Highlights in Oxford, in addition to the Colleges:

Ashmolean museum: http://www.ashmol.ox.ac.uk/ Britain’s oldest public museum

Bodleian Library, where a copy of every book and periodical published in Britain must be sent (as in the Library of Congress in the U.S.) Guided tours are available. Open weekdays and Saturday mornings, tours must be booked in advance. www.bodley.ox.ac.uk

Museum of Oxford, on St Aldates. Among other things it has an exhibit on Louis Carroll, pen name of the author of Alice in Wonderland. Near there is Alice’s Shop where you can buy Alice-related souvenirs.

Botanic Garden, open daily. http://www.gardenvisit.com/g/ox2.htm

If you walk up St Aldates to St Giles, on the left is a pub called the Eagle and Child. Oxonians, including Tolkien and C.S. Lewis for two, have often met here to drink and chat around the fire.

Punting on Oxford’s waterways in a flat-bottom punt propelled only by one pole is a traditional pastime. There are two rivers in Oxford: the Thames, but here called the Isis, and the Cherwell. For punting on the Cherwell, head for the Magdalen Bridge boathouse in the city center. You will have great views. Others go out to Cherwell Boathouse, just north of town off Banbury Road, and chauffered punting is available there, as is good food and drink.

Places to stay in Oxford:

http://www.oldparsonage-hotel.co.uk/ Same owners have the Old Bank Hotel, same website, location also in town.

For more ideas on places to stay, go to www.viamichelin.com and search on Oxford hotels.

A few restaurants
Browns 5-11 Woodstock Rd tel 01865/319600. Open Monday-Saturday noon to 11pm, including afternoon tea. http://www.browns-restaurants.com/

Cherwell Boathouse Bardwell Rd, off Banbury Rd tel 01865/552746. Closed Mon & Tues, plus Sun eve. Reservations essential.
www.cherwellboathouse.co.uk/ open 7 days

Gee's Restaurant 61A Banbury Rd tel 01865/553540. Open daily for lunch and dinner plus brunch at weekends. http://www.oldparsonage-hotel.co.uk/ (yes, that’s correct.)

Le Petit Blanc 71-72 Walton St tel 01865/510999.Renowned French chef Raymond Blanc's 'affordable' alternative to his famous Manoir aux Quat' Saisons in Great Milton, some seven miles east of Oxford (tel 01844/278881).

Fisher’s 36-38 St Clement's, Oxford, OX4 1AB Tel 01865 243003 Tues-Sat 12N-2.30pm Mon-Sat 6-10.30pm (Fri-Sat -11pm)

Old Parsonage Restaurant Old Parsonage Hotel, 1 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 6NN
Tel 01865 310 210 [email protected]
Price £38.00
Opening Hours Mon-Sat 12N-3pm 3-5.30pm 6-11pm serves afternoon tea

White House 2 Botley Road, Oxford, OX2 0AB 01865 242823 www.thewhitehouseoxford.co.uk/
Mon-Sat 12N-2.30pm 6-9.30pm Sun 12N-3pm 7-9pm

Blenheim Palace is accessible from Oxford by taxi or bus. http://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/

http://www.blenheimpalace.com/ Blenheim is closed to visitors from late fall through the winter, reopens in March.

how much time to spend at Blenheim:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34548687

link to a thread on travel planning

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34446472

more suggestions on travel planning and research

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34404808

Surprised the walks link hasn't come up yet. There is mention of london.walks.com but that isn't the correct site. It's:

http://www.walks.com/

It probably shows up in one of the threads though.

Bill

www.ehow.com type in < London>, there are articles on saving money and on other activities

London hotel or apartment
family of six including kids, pool

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34549261