We are traveling to London during the last
week of this October. We will be staying near
Buckingham Palace (at Crowne Plaza London
St James Hotel & Suites) This is not our first
trip to Europe but it is our first trip
to UK. Last year we visited Rome and
Florence and three years ago we visited
Paris. As always, there is much excitement
but also some aprehension about expectation,
un-forsee events etc. We have gotten very
good advices from fodor's forum before and
would like to ask for your opinions/help again
about our current trip. These are my
questons:


1. We will be in London from October 21 to 29 so
that give us about 7 full days (excluding
time spent on the airplane). On our priority
list of visiting places are:

- In London: Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey
, House of Parliament, Kensington Palace, British
Museum and so on....

- To fill in time, we will visit Windsor Castle.

We are not driving while in London. So would we
feel bore after maybe after 5th or 6th day of our trip?
Any suggestion of other places nearby we could
visit by taking a short one day trip?

2. I know this may not be a fair quesion but in your
experiences, how would you rate your London trip
to Rome and Paris. As far as tourist attractions
, money spend etc.
We enjoyed very much our trip to Paris and Rome/Florence.
We are hoping our London trip would be the same.

3. From some of the London threads I read, it sounds like
everything in London is more expensive than let's say
in Rome and Paris. Is there any truth to that or they
are about the same as far as food and other expenses?

4. I think we will be traveling using public transportation
while in London. For 7 days, what is the best deal we
can get for bus/train tickets?

5. Is it generally safe to walk and travel in London? We
were in Rome last year. My wife and I guarded our
wallets every single minutes because of "pick-pocketers".

6. What is the weather like during our visit? Rainy and cold?
Do we need a heavy jacket?

7. Do we need to bring a lot of cash with us or is
it easier to get money from the ATM in London?

8. Any suggestion on calling card that we can call from
London to U.S.?

9. We get lost quite a bit while in Paris and Rome but most
of time, we were able to find good samaritan to point us
to the right direction. Could we expect the same while
in London? Any suggestion on a good map about London?

10. I know there is no dress code in London but we plan
to wear jeans/sneaker most of the time. Would that be
a problem for visiting certain tourist attractions?


11. Do we need to bring voltage converter with us like in
France and Italy?

Thanks for any suggestions/heads-up,

Peter

I hope this is a troll

No - it doesn't sound "troll-ish" to me. And he asked similar questions about their trip to Rome.

Petersay1: I won't answer all of your questions but just a few comments to get you started.

You will <b>not</b> get bored in London - whether you decide to take a day trip will mostly depend on the weather, etc. But since you already plan on a day trip to Windsor - I rpobably wouldn't count on any others.

It is true that food and hotels can be a lot more expensive in London than the other cities you mentioned. However - since most of the museums and galleries are free, it sort of evens out.

Buckingham Palace is simply a &quot;walk by&quot; near your hotel. You can't go in, so it really will only take a few minutes. No reason to schedule a special visit there.

The first tube station you use - go up to the ticket window and tell the agent how long you will be in London/etc and he will sell you the best ticket plan. It will most likely be loaded on an Oyster Card which is an automated card that is good on all the buses and tube.

Don't bring a lot of cash. ATMs are everywhere.

As for weather - no telling. Just be sure to have clothing you can layer and take something waterproof and an umbrella.

We spent 6 nights in London a year ago September, and our days were very full. For side trips, we took a train to Hampton Court Palace one day, and took a tour to Warwick Castle, Oxford and Stratford-on-Avon one day.

We used the tube or walked in London, and had no problems. We felt safe everywhere, and found the people to be extremely friendly.

Make sure to visit the Tower of London, take a boat ride on the Thames, visit Westminster Abbey, stroll through some of the gorgeous parks, weather permitting. On our first day, we took the hop-on hop-off bus tour to get acclimated to things and found it very helpful and fun.

We found London to be much more expensive than Paris or Rome, especially when you consider you have to double the prices you see if you're American! But we found some lovely local pubs and did OK meal-wise.

I wasn't really expecting to love London, the way I do Paris, but I was totally surprised by how exciting and fun the city is. I'd love to return, and might sometime when I come across a really great airfare. That would help offset the high cost of staying there!
Have a great trip and let us know how it went on your return home.

London has a number of outdoor flea, antique and food markets. Try getting a library book or buying something at the bookstore that includes markets.

Too many churches, museums, historic` buildings, parks, gardens, statues, and more to fill up a month, let alone a week. You won't get bored, but do have some material to guide you about and let you know what is available.

Your very short list of activities almost sounds as if you haven't done enough research. Pardon me if that is a false assumption, but after several trips to London, there are sooo many museums and churches that I have yet to visit.

Theaters, movies and a variety of performances... there are so many. We always hit at least one movie that we think one play in our home town.

We have found people in London to be very helpful in giving directions.

I forgot to add that a very good city map for London is the London A to Z, which comes in various sizes and is available at bookstores and newstands, as well as many other places.

We have a pocket size A to Z, which seems to gather a lot of admiring comments from people in London, so I'm guessing this tiny edition isn't all that popular or available, but it is great for slipping in the pocket. Hard to read the tiny print, though.

Try something out of the ordinary too; check out the Imperial War Museum (Tube: Elephant &amp; Castle I recall) and/or the Cabinet War Rooms - Churchill's office is intact and it is quite interesting. For travelling around, get a Red Rover pass, alows unlimited tube &amp; bus. Cheers

book marking this.

I was in London just one week ago and I agree that it can be more expensive than some other cities and I disagree with Janis that because many museums are free it can &quot;even out.&quot; IMO, food can be expensive in London depending on where you eat and what exchange rate you pay.

You definitely need to use public transport when possible and definitely on an Oyster card as one Tube ride otherwise is 3 Pounds (soon to rise in price).

I'm suprise nobody has blasted you for planning to wear &quot;sneakers and jeans&quot; but when I was there many, MANY folks were wearing denim of all sorts as well as many folks wearing &quot;trainers&quot; and some of them white and they were definitely not US tourists as some people like to think!

I've never had any problems walking in London after dark and never been pickpocketed there but be careful with any valuables in crowded situations.

Depite there being many things to do I can understand the need for a day out or something different (it is easy to get &quot;museum overload&quot; in London and a trip to Hampton Court, Greenwich, Windsor Castle is easily done.

As others have said, ATMs are everywhere.

You will not be bored in a week; in fact, you would not be bored in a year. The usual tourist sights are much more spread out in London than Paris but the tube system is good so no problem. I think others have offered good suggestions but I'd like to add London Walks. They are a great way to see the city. Schedules can be downloaded. If you have a nice day consider taking a boat down the Thames to Greenwich- a great way to get the feeling of London's importance in the past as a port.

If you are at all interested in modern art, or interested in an insight into modern European culture, visit the Tate museum.

Ditto other suggestions for a day trip to Greenwich, Hampton Court. Don't waste a day in Windsor unless you really want to see it---there won't be enough time to use an entire day to &quot;fill in&quot; your schedule.

I like the financial district, although it is not on the list of many tourist attractions. It is not far from the Tower, where you will undoubtedly want to go, and there is a small, choice exhibit of money and its history in the Bank of England museum.

Good morning Peter. A few answers from my local perspective...

1. We are not driving while in London. So would we
feel bore after maybe after 5th or 6th day of our trip?
Any suggestion of other places nearby we could
visit by taking a short one day trip?

I can't believe you'd be bored - there really are huindreds of sites to visit in London. What you would like to see depends on your interests - there's something for everyone here. Ask youself, do you like
- shopping
- modern art
- classical art
- history
- design
- nature
- science
- food
- decorative arts
- music
- theatre
etc etc. If you can give details of your interests, we can suggest some places to visit beyond the obvious.

As for trips beyond London - Hampton Court, Kew Gardens, Windsor and Greenwich are all in easy reach. Places like Bath can be done in a two hour train ride.

Any decent guidebook will give you hundreds of options.

Don't miss the Cabinet War Rooms.

2. I know this may not be a fair quesion but in your
experiences, how would you rate your London trip
to Rome and Paris. As far as tourist attractions
, money spend etc.
We enjoyed very much our trip to Paris and Rome/Florence.
We are hoping our London trip would be the same.

Each city has it's own definate culture and atmosphere, so I can't possibly answer whether you'll like London as much or more than Paris or Rome. Paris is prettier, Rome is dripping with more ancient sites. But 'I' think that London has far more diversity of sites and better museums than either.

3. From some of the London threads I read, it sounds like
everything in London is more expensive than let's say
in Rome and Paris. Is there any truth to that or they
are about the same as far as food and other expenses?

London is more expensive. If budget is an issue, then I suggest buying a good restaurant guide such as 'Harden's Cheap Eats in London'. It's certainly possible to eat well at reasonable prices, but unlike, say, Rome, you need to research your restaurants well to make sure you don't fall into a tourist trap. A search on this forum will reveal numerous threads on eating in London.

On the plus side, most of the major museums are free.

4. I think we will be traveling using public transportation
while in London. For 7 days, what is the best deal we
can get for bus/train tickets?

You need to buy a 7-day Oyster Card for zones 1-2. An oyster card is like a credit card that you swipe on a machine as you go through turnstiles or board a bus. It's good for all forms of transport.

The London travel network is divided into zones - a series of circles gravitating out from the centre that dictate ticket prices. Zones 1-2 will cover all of Central London. You would only need to buy extensions if you ventured out further (such as greenwich or Hampton Court). Pick up a tube map free from any station - you'll see the zones marked on the map.

For info on Oyster cards and London Transport, visit: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/fares-tick...er/general.asp

5. Is it generally safe to walk and travel in London? We
were in Rome last year. My wife and I guarded our
wallets every single minutes because of &quot;pick-pocketers&quot;.

Central London is very safe. We are the most 'videoed' nation on earth, with CCTV cameras practically on every street corner. However, as in all major cities, watch your bags in crowded places - particularly on tubes or in pubs.

6. What is the weather like during our visit? Rainy and cold?
Do we need a heavy jacket?
We're having a pretty mild October so far. I'm still wearing just a t-shirt and a thin jacket to walk to work. A heavy coat would be too much - instead, bring layers. It's rather wet at the moment, so bring a small collapsible umbrella each to keep in your bags. You can but these everywhere - e.g. Boots or M&amp;S, two chain stores you'll see everywhere.

7. Do we need to bring a lot of cash with us or is
it easier to get money from the ATM in London?
ATMS are everywhere. Hey, we invented them!

8. Any suggestion on calling card that we can call from
London to U.S.?
Don't know, sorry.

9. We get lost quite a bit while in Paris and Rome but most
of time, we were able to find good samaritan to point us
to the right direction. Could we expect the same while
in London? Any suggestion on a good map about London?
Londoners are very used to lost tourists so don't worry, we won't leave you stranded. What's more, we even speak English.
Londoners use the A-Z map book to get around. You will find these small pocket sized books in every newstand inside tube stations. Fold out maps aren't really detailed enough to cover London's ancient and complicated street pattern.

10. I know there is no dress code in London but we plan
to wear jeans/sneaker most of the time. Would that be
a problem for visiting certain tourist attractions?
You can wear whatever you want, and that includes high-end restaurants and the theatre. The only place in London I can think of that still has a dress code is the Ritz Hotel.


11. Do we need to bring voltage converter with us like in
France and Italy?
Don't know for certain, but I suspect the answer is 'yes' as the US seems to operate on a different system from everyone else.

&quot;So would we feel bore after maybe after 5th or 6th day of our trip?&quot;


&quot; . . . when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.&quot;

— Samuel Johnson

Hampton Court is a terrific place to visit. You may spend much of a usable day visiting but a truly facinating experience if you have any interest in history.

Day trips out of London:
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, again if one is into Englsih history, a wonderful place to visit. http://www.flagship.org.uk/welcome.html
The City of Bath;
Warwick Castle;
Leeds Castle.

The new Tate in the old power station south of the river gives you very good views north at the walking bridge and wren churches. Then down to the OXO tower and little designer shops around the tower. That small zone will kill a day as you can then walk past the theatres up to the next bridge and drop my Vinopolis.

Food prices are high for the English as well so watch what they eat. Sandwhich at lunch, worth biggish breakfasts if included in hotel bil

I would recommend getting a Phone Card at the Post Office in London...you can buy one for 10 pounds and it should last you the whole week. In addition, Windsor Castle is a great day trip that can be easily accomplished by catching a train at Paddington Station, changing at Slough and then off to Windsor...it was beautiful and worth the trip! And I recommend a trip to the theatre...if that interests you!

On my two visits to London, I have loved the Red Map. It is a smallish fold out map, but it covers almost ALL of central London. It is easy to read and shows the tube lines and stations in a clear way. I've nearly worn mine out and will buy another for my third visit to London in March. Here's what I wrote about it in my first trip report:

<i> Based on many recommendations, I bought a London A to Z pocket sized book map. I had also bought a London map made by Red Maps (212 255-4645) in my local Barnes and Noble. I had a few other maps that people lent me.

I ended up using the Red Map for 98% of the time, as it gives a very good overview coupled with impressive detail. The map covers more of central London than many other one page maps (from Earl’s Court in sw to Maida Hill in nw to Shoreditch in ne to Bermondsey in se). What I liked about it is that it is very legible, has every street labeled (little alleys are not included), and, best of all, has the tube stations clearly shown and the tube routes drawn on, with color and name of line. The back of the map has lots of listings for various attractions, shopping, and major streets. The Red Map is a laminate/weatherproof material, which held up well with all of the stashing and pulling out, refolding, and lots of rain. You can see the map at: http://www.globecorner.com/t/t41/20962.php
</i>

Hi there

As someone else suggested, try some different sites as well:

- Greenwich. Just walking around there on a Sunday. So much to do and see. (not just Sunday, by the way!)

- Jason's canal boats - a company that will give you an alternative view of London along the canals.

- A walk along Southbank - taking in the market and the Tate.

- Bath

- Richmond Park - and then lunch in Richmond on the river

- Virginnia Waters


Re safety, as with any town, you need to be sensible and stick to busy areas but I would say it is safe

Re. travelling - an Oyster card is a must. Buy it on arrival for the duration of your stay. Get a pay as you go, which you can top up.

Re. food, gastropubs are another option where the meals are cheaper than the average restaurant. Also, most restaurants do pre-theatre menus which are excellent value. Another very handy tip is to go onto www.toptable.co.uk. Then go to special offers and click on 50% off. The list changes all the time and it gives you a chance to eat at some great places which you wouldn't normally try due to the cost.

Finally, what is a troll??????

WW

A troll is someone who posts something just to cause trouble. It does sound like Peter hasn't done much research, so a few people are suspicious.

Peter....bored in London? No way! You could be there a whole year, and still find new things to do. With the current exchange rate, and a high cost of living, you will find London quite expensive, even for simple meals. You will find London quite safe to travel in. This is CCTV everywhere, and it certainly calmed my mind.

I encourage you to walk the South Bank, see a play/musical, wander around Covent Garden, visit the parks (if it's reasonably dry), and simply drink up the atmosphere. London is a world-class city, and you'll be glad you added it to your life list.

Hello all,

I would like to thank you each individually for taking
out time to answer my questions. The suggestions are
informative and helpful. I have borrowed some books
from local library but nothing can compare to the good
advices and personal experiences that this thread can
offer.

The &quot;bored fear factor&quot; was from my wife. (sorry Pearl,
. I just have to re-assure her that we will not
be bored. Tomorrow is her birthday so this trip is my
birthday gift to her.

I promise to do more research and follow your advices/
suggestions. Life is kind of hectic around here. (by the
way, we are from Chicago, IL, live by the western suburb)
Both me and my wife are working and have long commute every
day. So finally this will be a relaxing vacation for
both of us away from work.

Last time when we visited Rome and Paris, we enjoyed
very much strolling around the city, visiting museums
and ancient sites. So that's why we have pick London
this time.

Again many thanks to all of you and I will try to file
a trip report once we get back from London.

Best Regards to all,

Peter