Tessa

My husband and I (30 years old)will be going to London the second week of September and are already planning our daily itinerary if youo can believe it. Never been to UK before but husband hates packing, unpacking and changing hotels so we are locating in one spot. here is our plan: <BR> <BR>Day 1: Hop on/hop off bus tour to orient ourselves and see some sights - to bed early that evening to combat jet lag <BR> <BR>Day 2: visit Tower of London, Buckingham Palace in depth and see changing of the guard <BR> <BR>Day 3: Madame toussand's wax museum morning, Sherlock holmes museum, High Tea at Hudson's, theater in the evening <BR> <BR>Day 4: all day and evening trip to bath and stonehenge (should we book tour or train it oourselves?) <BR> <BR>Day 5: visit Covent Garden area basically wander around soak up some "atmosphere" do some shopping at Harrod's and F&M's, eat out at a really nice restaurant <BR> <BR>Day 6: day trip to Hampton Court and Jak the Ripper Walk in the evening should have some extra time here, maybe a museum? <BR> <BR>Day 7: breakfast and flight home <BR> <BR>Any comments? Are we seeing the "important stuff"? Any additions? any days that look to long or too short? what would you do different? thanks for suggestions, we want this to be a very memorable trip!

joe

I was in a London cab two weeks ago that drove by Madame Toussands.The lines of tourist were around the block on both sides of the museum.It just seems to me that the time would be better spent enjoying the "real"London. Take a tube ride to Hampstead perhaps or a Thames cruise to Greenwich.Do a Wax Museum when you visit Southern California.

as

Just back from London. Had a great time. I think you will enjoy it very much. Just a few suggestions on your plan. <BR>You might want to save the bus tour for another day when you have more energy. You can hope on and off and visit many sights. This can take a FULL day. <BR>Better get an early start on the day you plan to visit Harrods and F&M. Harrods is huge and can take a lot of time to shop (especially if you love to shop like me). F&M is much more manageable. <BR>Have not done the was museum so can't comment. <BR>High tea at Brown's Hotel was really wonderful. <BR>Have not been to Stonehenge. <BR>Went to Bath,was not overly impressed but glad I went. However,it was one of those places that once was enough. <BR>Hope this is helpful!! <BR>Have a great trip.

Roger

First I would like to say that there are many more qualified people to respond to your questions than I, however, I have been to London several times so here goes. <BR>Day 1- try to walk by Buckingham Palace. You will need to walk a bit anyway. <BR>Day 2-Tower, yes, first thing and then St. Pauls. <BR>Day 3-Skip the wax thing!! See the British Museum. <BR>Day 4-Try to do it on your own, but if you can't, join a tour. <BR>Day 5-Harrods is good for a walk through, but not to purchase. If you can work it in try a boat trip to Greenwich. What ever you do, do have fun and let us all know how it went on your return

jahoulih

A couple of additional observations: In addition to the British Museum, you might want to check out one or more of the art museums--the National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, Tate Britain, Tate Modern. I believe they're all free, so if you're not that interested in art you can just make a quick visit without feeling you've wasted your money. <BR> <BR>Also, I'm not sure about the Buckingham Palace tour. I haven't done it myself, but I gather it's rather expensive and you don't see that much. Your time might be better spent walking by the Palace and visiting Westminster Abbey. A visit to Windsor Castle is also an option. <BR> <BR>When you visit Stonehenge, be sure to leave time to stop at Salisbury Cathedral and see the Magna Carta.

mike

Just returned from London <BR>1) Use the "Original Tour" hop-on hop-off. Don't hop-off at Buckingham Palace. Save that for another day. Get there by 10:30 and get spot by the fence near the main entrance. <BR>2)On the "Original Tour" bus buy admission tickets for Tower of London & Madame Tussauds. When you get to those places you will not have to wait on line to buy tickets. These tickets are good for three months. We saved at least an hour at the Tower of London. <BR>3) At the tower of London wait for a tour guide that you can understand. <BR>4) Kensington Palace is excellent and have tea at the Orangebury behind the Palace. The tour and Diana exhibits are good and you are not too far from Harrods. <BR>5)Why not take in a show every night. We did for five nights and how a ball. Make sure that you dont miss Mamma Mia. <BR>6)Churchill War Rooms-excellent <BR>7)Tate Britain-interesting. Near there stop at St. John Foodstool. Great restaurant in Church basement. <BR>Have fun and walk all over!!

Lori

Don't overplan -- leave some time for spur of the moment fun too! Having just returned form London for about the 12th time I can tell you that it is nice to have "free time" to just veer off the tourist path a bit. Do allow time for the unexpected (whether it be a walk down a side street or a Tube delay .. of which there have been many I might add). Harrod's is huge and you can get very sidetracked in there, particularly the Food Court so allow extra time! I'd skip the wax museum - overcrowded and lines miles long. We've never been in all ou visits and don't feel we've missed it. Not seeing everything is not a crime, it's a reason to go back!! There is so much too see in London you are only scratching the tip of the iceburg anyway. Try and see a couple of shows, but not on a day you plan a trip out of London. I'd recommend Mamma Mia (saw it twice already!), Witches of Eastwick (very good) if you like musicals.

Rich

<BR> <BR>At the Tower . . I'd go straight to the Jewels towards the rear (plenty of signs to guide the way) to beat the crowds, walk back to the entrance then join a Yoeman Warder tour. . very informal, just attach yourself to the group. <BR> <BR>And get there EARLY . . I think it opens at 9:00. You can get the ticket the day before or with a tour as suggested above. <BR> <BR>Hope this is helpfull . . Rich

Moseyrog

I'll chime in with the 'skip the wax museum' crowd; better off having lunch in an authentic pub than wasting time in line with thousands of other American tourists. <BR> <BR>Visit the Tate, the Portrait Gallery or the British Museum instead. <BR> <BR>Consider a day trip to Cambridge; a peaceful, cosmopolitan city, and the new school year will be gearing up so plenty of buzz, I'm sure. Wonderful museum there too.

Linda

I, too, would skip the wax museum. Though good, there are better, more London-unique things on which to spend your time. However, I think the bus tour is a great way to spend your first day. If nothing else, you get the lay of the land. And you don't have to get on/get off, unless you want to (and have the energy to do it). <BR>As for museums, the British Museum and Victoria and Albert should be at the top of your list. Also, the Sherlock Holmes Museum is quaint--I really liked it, but this was my umpteenth time in London. Unless you are SH manic, I'd skip it for the next time. (Maybe substitute V&A and British Museum for Madame Taussauds and SH?) <BR>Buckingham Palace "in depth"? You really don't get to do it "in depth". The tour includes only a few rooms. Haven't done it myself, but if that is something you really want to do, I've heard good things about it--just that it was really too short (in the number of rooms you see). Do get your tickets before you go, if possible. )Does anybody out there know if it can be done on line? Or maybe your tourist agent can help you.) It is sold out most days, from what I've heard. <BR>Tower of London a must. Bath and Stonehenge, another must. I'd take a tour, only because it is easier to get to Stonehenge itself with a tour bus. It really is way out in the country. Your hotel can help you arrange a tour with a number of tour companies--you don't need to do it ahead of time. <BR>Are you seeing the important stuff? I've been there "umpteen" times, as I've said and still haven't seen Hampton Court--one of the "important stuff" things. (I'll catch it on my next trip back, for sure.) But in one week you don't have time to see _all_ the important stuff and you have a pretty good itinerary. It doesn't seem too crammed, and leaves a bit of time each day for exigencies. Also, you can always switch days around if something comes up. <BR>I second the suggestion for the theater. London's is wonderful and you have a few nights with time to do that. <BR>Have a great trip. You're going to one of my favorite cities. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

britabroad

Just 2 quick comments. <BR> <BR>1.Don't bother with Madame Tussauds. It's very overrated, very crowded and I a lot of the personalities are British! <BR> <BR>2. Definitely go to the Cabinet War Rooms, (someone called them Churchill War Rooms)on King Charles Street, just off The Mall. You could combine that with your visit to Bucks Palace - it's a pleasant walk from one to the other.

tracy

Hello, <BR> <BR>I'm just back from a 5 week business trip in London. What a great experience! Hopefully what I have to share will be of some help to you... <BR> <BR>I loved the Tower of London. Agree that getting there early is your best bet. Another "must" on my list is the British Museum. It's free so don't feel compelled to see it all in one day. I'm not much of a shopper, but Harrod's was neat. I got some items from their incredible Food Hall for a picnic at St. James park. Fantastic! If you're in town on a Saturday, head to Nottinghill for the Portobello Road Market. It's full of antiques and all sorts of other stuff. It's a great place to find unique souveniers. If you're in town on a Sunday, head to Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park, just to say you've been there. I heard any interesting debate on how the devil is trying to destroy America. . Don't miss Westminster Abbey. They only allow photography on Wednesday nights, so plan accordingly if that interests you. Skip the wax museum, the London Museum and Covent Garden (except the Dr. Marten's Superstore!). I found them all to be terrribly touristy and not unique in any way. I'd also skip Buckingham Palace. It wasn't open when I was there, but from what I understand it's a perfect example of the saying "money can't buy taste".

wes fowler

I don’t suggest wasting time viewing the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. Because of crowds, you really end up viewing nothing but the backside of the hordes of tourists who go there. Instead consider the following for a day’s itinerary: Visit the Banqueting House on Whitehall (opens at 10 AM). Designed and built by Inigo Jones in 1622, it’s the only remaining portion of Whitehall Palace, not destroyed by fire in 1698. There are some marvelous ceiling paintings by Rubens. It was here on a scaffold built from a second floor window out on the street that King Charles I was beheaded in 1649. Cross Whitehall to Horse Guards, directly opposite the palace. Enter the parade grounds to the rear for the 11AM Changing of the Horse Guards. Here you can get close enough to the “action” to be swished by a horse’s tail! Crowds are few and photo opportunities are many. Following the ceremony, walk across the parade grounds and turn left. St. James Park is now on your right. The first street entering from the left is Downing Street. Closed to traffic and pedestrians and with a guarded gate, if you look down to your left, you’ll see No. 10 Downing, home to Prime Minister Blair. Continue down the street just past the lake where you’ll find Churchill’s Cabinet War Rooms on your left. Once you come out, turn left again continue to the end of the street and turn left onto Great George Street. <BR> <BR> <BR>At its end you’ll find Westminster Bridge, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, Westminster Abbey to the right. Walk a few steps onto the bridge and note, to the left, the statue of Boadiciea the Celtic queen who wreaked havoc with Roman legions. <BR> <BR>By all means visit the Abbey. You can wander about the nave at no charge, but there’s a fee to visit the chapels. Definitely visit the chapels! The entrance is to the left of the sanctuary. The vaulting in Henry VII’s chapel is stunning; the adjacent tombs of Elizabeth I and her cousin Mary are ironic in their proximity. In Edward the Confessor’s Chapel, look for the coronation throne which dates back to the early 1300s. The artistry of the tombs enthralling. The place simply reeks of history! <BR> <BR>There are refreshment facilities in St. James Park almost directly opposite Horse Guards on the north side of the lake. Notice, too, the waterfowl in the lake; there are specimens from all over the world. <BR> <BR>There is a pub you can visit if you tour from Horse Guards to Parliament. Parliament Street is at the end of Whitehall. (Actually, Whitehall changes its name to Parliament Street as it nears Great George Street. At 48 Parliament, you’ll find the Red Lion Public House, popular with members of Parliament and other civil servants. In fact, if you hear a bell go off while dining, it’s a signal to Parliament’s members to return for voting. <BR> <BR>

wes fowler

I'd skip the commercial hop on/hop off bus upon your arrival. With jet lag, you'll probably fall asleep during the course of your ride. Instead, consider the following at about a tenth the cost. <BR> <BR>You can pick up a Central London bus route map at any tube station or tourist information office. The map will identify all the major tourist sites and the bus routes passing them. Rather than attempting to orient yourself to London by taking a commercial tour bus with a bunch of other tourists from Idaho, Hong Kong and Sydney, first pick up a copy of the A-Z Visitors’ London Atlas and Guide. It’s about the size of a postcard and less than half an inch thick, but it lists every major attraction in London, opening and closing hours and nearest underground station. It also has a superbly detailed set of maps that identify every street, attraction on it, underground stations and bus routes identified by street. It’s available at bookstores, tourist information offices and most newstands. Now, purchase a London transport ticket for Zone 1and 2 (where almost all of the attractions are located). Costs will range from 4 pounds for a daily pass to 6 pounds for a week end pass. The passes allow you to hop on or off buses as you see fit. With A-Z Guide in hand, you have a couple of inexpensive sightseeing options. At Victoria Station, board one of the red enclosed double decker London Transport buses marked “11 Liverpool Street Station”. Sit up top up front. You’ll drive past Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, up Whitehall past 10 Downing Street, Horse Guards and Banqueting Hall to Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery, then onto the Strand past the Courtauld Institute, to Fleet Street and the Royal Courts of Justice, and on to St. Paul’s Cathedral. As an alternate, at Paddington Station or Marble Arch, board the city bus marked “15 Canningtown” and ride down Oxford Street past Selfridge’s department store to Oxford Circus then down Regent Street past Liberty’s and Josiah Wedgewood to Piccadilly Circus and on to Trafalgar Square, St. Paul’s and the Tower of London. Get on and off as frequently as you please, your ticket (which may cost less than 10% of the one for the commercial tour bus) is good all day. By combining both bus rides you will end up seeing every one of London’s major attractions except Buckingham Palace and Harrod’s. The advantages? You set the pace. You save considerable money. You can get on and off wherever you choose (for lunch, to explore, to shop) rather than just where the tour bus stops. You may have the opportunity to interact with a native Londoner (“Excuse me, ma’am, is that the British Museum to our left?) rather than a fellow tourist or tour guide. Disadvantages? You don’t have the benefit of a guide’s narrative, a small price to pay. <BR> <BR>

wes fowler

Here’s a walk that covers four rather historic pubs in a relatively concentrated area. Take the tube to the Charing Cross station. Walk across Trafalgar Square to St. Martin’s Lane. (It’s between the National Gallery and St. Martin in the Fields church. At 90 St. Martin’s Lane, you’ll find The Salisbury Pub which dates from the mid 19th century and is notorious for the bare knuckle fights that were held there in that era. It’s a stunning pub and you may find it filled with theatre people. Leave the pub, cross St. Martin’s Lane and enter Goodwin’s Court at 55-56 St. Martin’s Lane. Goodwin’s Court is a wonderfully authentic 18th century street. At its end turn left on Bedfordbury, then right on New Row, cross Garrick Street and continue straight onto Rose Street to 33 Rose, The Lamb and Flag pub. This one is really old, being one of the few wooden structures to survive the Great Fire of 1666. It was once known as the “Bucket of Blood” because of all the fights that broke out in it. It was also one of Charles Dickens favorite spots on his pub crawls. Backtrack to Garrick Street, turn left, continue down Garrick (which changes its name to Bedford) to The Strand and turn left again. Continue on The Strand to 91 The Strand and The Coal Hole pub. Now a popular refuge for theatre people, it got its name in the early 19th century from the coal haulers who unloaded boats on the river and went there to restore themselves. Leave the pub, cross The Strand and walk straight ahead to Southampton Street. Walk up to Maiden Lane, turn left and continue on Maiden Lane which changes its name to Chandos Place. At 51 Chandos Place you’ll find the Marquis of Granby pub which dates to the 17th century when it was called “The Hole in the Wall” and run by a mistress of the Duke of Buckingham. It’s a friendly tavern which, like the others, attracts theatre people. Now backtrack on Chandos to Southampton, turn left on Southampton and continue up the hill to Covent Garden Market where you won’t find any pubs of historic significance but you will find three pubs on the north side of the market, any one of which serves pretty good traditional pub food. <BR> <BR>Remember that most pubs are of the self service variety. You order food and drink at the bar and pick it up yourself. Also, traditionally, bartenders are not tipped. <BR> <BR>London’s major museums, the British Museum, National Gallery, Tate and Victoria and Albert are overwhelming, both in their physical size and their extensive holdings. All of the major guidebooks feature them in great detail. There are, however, some smaller delightful museums that warrant attention. Here’s a few: <BR> <BR>Sir John Soane’s Museum, 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields (Holburn tube station). Soane, an architect, was sort of an early 19th century Renaissance man. Interested apparently in everything, he amassed a huge collection of eclectic stuff ranging from an Egyptian sarcophagus to statuary, scientific devices, prints and paintings. He filled every room of his home with his collections and left the entire collection and his home to the city of London on the stipulation that nothing, absolutely nothing, be removed or changed. The collections and the house itself, which he rebuilt, provide fascinating insights into the mind of an extraordinary man. <BR> <BR>Courtauld Institute Galleries, Somerset House, the Strand (Temple, Embankment or Charing Cross tube stations). While the museum’s collections include works of Brueghel, Rubens and Tiepolo, its bulk is devoted to the works of the Impressionists and Post Impressionists. Manet, Renoir, Monet, Degas, Van Gogh and Tooulouse-Lautrec are all well represented. <BR> <BR> <BR>

mkrueg

If you like Flea Markets and are in London over the weekend, you have multitudes to choose from - from Portobello Road on Saturday which is a very easy scene -- to Camden Town (either Saturday or Sunday) which is not very easy because it is so unbelieveably crowded, but talk about a scene! One of the best & biggest flea markets around, various bars & clubs in the area & lots of places to eat.

kam

Skip the wax museum for sure! The Tower of London is good for half a day as is Westminster Cathedral. Spending a full day at Covent Gardens is a bit much. Brown's tea is super but last I was there, they required jackets for men which you might not want to lug with you. There's a good tea at Fortnum and Mason instead. Study the underground map and read how it works. It's very easy to get almost anywhere in London on the tube. Stonehenge is best combined with Salisbury and you can easily train out on your own and then catch a bus from Salisbury. Be sure it's open as it's been closed because of the foot and mouth disease. Bath is another destination easily reached by train from Paddington Station. In good weather a boat ride from Westminster up the Thames to Kew Gardens is very nice. See as much theatre as you possibly can--book ahead from home. Have a great week.

Tracy

Wes - thanks so much for the detailed double-decker bus info. This was the EXACT information I was seeking for my son's upcoming trip! THANKS!

Tessa

Wow! Thanks for all the great information. We will definitely see a theater performance while there. Any recs? We will already be seeing Mamma Mia in Chicago this summer. I had not thought of the cabinet War Rooms, my husband would enjoy that. We also may rethink doing the tour of buckingham Palace in favor of Westminster Abbey. As fa as museums go, I can take or leave them though it would be nice to visit British Museum for an hour or so, my husband is not interested in museums at all and especially not art galleries thus our reason for skipping them unless you think it is a necessity. What about the tour of Bath and Stonehenge, is this doable in a day or should we cut something out. i also am looking for a nice moderately priced golf course close to or in the city. This is my husband's plan for during my visit to harrod's etc! Keep the comments coming.

DSK

I love London. <BR>I agree with most of what Wes said, except that I WOULD do the bus tour the first day, it has always helped me get over the jet lag...just me?! <BR>Skip the wax museum! <BR>Leave enough time to see all my mates at the Tower...I spend 1/2 day there every time I go! And definatly do go to the crown jewels very 1st thing as soon as it opens...you will thank yourself later. Get a beefeater tour...it is free and adds so much to the experience. <BR>The only thing you left off is St. Paul's...you must see this beautiful cathedral! <BR>Again, Wes is very much on track, imho! <BR>Have fun, cherry-o!!