wschlick

Hi everyone,

First time posting here, and first time out of the country. My boyfriend and I (both late 20s) will be spending a week in London from May 19th-27th, and I was hoping to get some help with our itinerary.

A little bit about us: we are go go go people. We dont mind walking long distances, or having jam packed days. My boyfriend isn't really big into history, and prefers to explore on his own without a tour.
We will be staying at the Marriott Hotel Park Lane , and using a 7 day travel card for the 2 for 1 vouchers.

I have tried to make a very rough itinerary, and would appreciate any feedback! We want to see as much as possible. Obviously we plan to switch around what days we do things depending on weather.


Day 1
~Drop bags at hotel (flight lands at Heathrow at 6:25 am)
• Hit Portobello Market
• Check out Notting Hill
• Kensington Gardens (if not too sleepy)
• Hyde Park

Day 2
• Westminster
• Buckingham Palace
• House of Parliament
• St. James Park
• Trafalgar Square
• Big Ben
• Piccadilly Circus

Day 3
• Science Museum
• V and A Museum
• Harrods

Day 4
• British Museum
• Kings Cross ( 9 ¾)
• Regents Park

Day 5
• St. Pauls
• Tower of London- AT OPENING
• Boroughs Market
• Sky Garden
Day 6
• Leicester Square potentially for show tickets
• Covent Garden
• Oxford St

Day 7
• St. Pauls Cathedral
• Shakespeares Globe
• Shoreditch area


Is there anything you would add, or switch around? Thanks in advance guys!

janisj

Is day 1 a Saturday? If so, by the time you could possibly get to Portobello Road it will be between 10 and 11 AM and the place will be absolutely SLAMMED -- like too crowded to walk. I'd do the rest of your day1 plan but forget about the Market unless you are really into huge crowds (not fun on jet lag IME/IMO)

Day 2: Assuming you mean Westminster Abbey -- right? Not just the area of Westminster. In any case, except for the Abbey, everything else on your list are merely 'walk by's'. You could do much more that day. This might be a good place to include Covent Garden, freeing up Day 6 for maybe a boat trip to Greenwich, or a half day to Hampton Court, or the Cabinet War Rooms, or the British Museum or anything else.

Day 3 is fine.

Same w/ Day 4 -- I'd add the British Library since it is so close to Kings Cross. Just the Treasures Room.

You really don't have anything much on Day 6 at all. Maybe a 15 minute queue at TKTS at Leicester Square and an hour exploring Covent Garden. Oxford Street is a total ZOO and there are better places to shop if that is what you want.

Your Days 5 and 7 are sort of mixed up -- you listed St Paul's twice. Any of the things you have listed on the two days can be done together. It partly depends on the days of the week for Borough Market.

BigRuss

Why do you need to schedule Oxford Street - it's right outside your hotel. Plus, it has a LOT of brands you can get in the US, usually for less. Investigate more British-only brands.

Have the boytoy go to Jermyn Street instead. And the food halls at Fortnum & Mason.

Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square are < 0.5km from each other. In US distances, that's about 6.5 blocks and Covent Garden is about 3.5 blocks from Leicester Square. Cluster them.

How many times are you going to St Paul's - Day 5, day 7, both?

If day 1 = May 19, go to Hyde Park on Day 3 so you can see the crackpots, race-hustlers and antiSemites (often all rolled into one) jabber on at Speakers' Corner.

scdreamer

I would definitely take a half-day to visit Hampton Court.

Also - Kew Gardens is a beautiful place to wander about. Plenty of walking, if you like.

jenshadus

Unless you can really sleep on the airplane you are going to crash your first morning. You'll be exhausted. Flying the red eye is different than cramming for a final.

If you walk down river along the Thames you'll get to the legal district where you'll find Temple Church. If you're lucky it'll be open, it'll be quiet and you'll be able to see some crusader effigies. It's pretty neat. Nice to go somewhere quiet after all the bustle you'll be experience.

If you want to experience local political hacks, get a pint around 6 PM at the Westminster Arms or The Feathers.

laurie_ann

Your idea to plan outdoors first day is a good one. Fresh air and exercise can help beat back jet lag. But I believe the Portobello Road market is only on weekends. You might stick to Hyde Park and Kensington gardens that day.

Also look into Time Out guide for London on line for things going on during your week there.

And while you said you would rather not do guided tours you might still like the free hourly tours within the museums like V&A and British Museum. Check out the schedule on their websites. They have some with highlights of the museum and others with special topics.

PalenQ

I'd do one day trip to a more real England -like to Oxford or Cambridge -both regional towns as well as univerisities - Oxford is less than an hour by train. Walk around the college quads -really nice escape from hectic London- plenty of other easy day trips too. Windsor and Castle - Hampton Court Palace -awesome home of Henry VIII- take suburban train. Can take boat on Thames too.

PalenQ

You are visiting St Paul's twice? Anyway be sure to go to the top -via stairs and ladders for the ultimate view of London.

And Greenwich makes a fabulous half-day - go by train, tube or boat- check out the architectural gems of the naval colleges (some now a college open to public)-trek up to the Home of Time - Greenwich Observatory and straddle the hemispheres.

Greenwich town is neat too -a big market many days.Cutty Sark boat.

Return to London proper by unique Docklands Light Railway - DLR - covered by Travel Cards - elevated self-driving train that goes thru the Docklands- lots of modern architecture-sit in the first car (driverless) and make like you are the driver:

https://www.123rf.com/stock-photo/do...t_railway.html

rncheryl

Recommend you look at London Walks. Tours of Westminster,Oxford, British Museum. http://www.walks.com/


Just show up, pay and enjoy. No reservations, if it is raining, do something else.

dwdvagamundo

Bookmarking. Thanks everyone.

PalenQ

• Oxford St>

famous in the 60s and 70s Carnaby Street is hidden just off Regents St near Oxford St - lots of small shops and Soccer Scene for football fans last I was there -several years ago.

http://hidden-london.com/gazetteer/carnaby-street/

https://www.yelp.com/biz/soccer-scene-london-2

wschlick

Thanks everyone for the feedback! Re-working the itinerary now. Appreciate all your help