Some preliminary questions
 

Hi y'all,

Hubby and I will be spending 5 nights and 4.5 days in London (Sunday to Wednesday) in September. It's our true first time in London (an overnight really doesn't count). We love museums, galleries and churches, don't shop, are not really interested in the theatre and like "local" pubs and restaurants. I love Jane Austen. We will have obligatory Harry Potter stop (King's Cross station and possibly St. Pancras if we're close). I have the Rick Steves London.

We've rented an apartment on Matthew Parker Street (through LondonConnection) which looks like a great location. From what I can tell, we will be very close to pretty much all the major sights in Westminster and we want to see them all (haha! right!): Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace (Mall, Houses, etc.), Churchill Museum, Banqueting House, Parliament, Downing Street, St. Martin in-the-fields , National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, Tate Britain, St. James Park , Trafalgar Square.

We also want to see many other major and minor sights: The City: Tower of London, Tower Bridge, St. Paul’s, Museum of London; Bloomsbury: British Museum, British Library; Kensington/Chelsea: Victoria & Albert, Harrods; Soho/Covent Garden: Courthald Gallery, Somerset House; Leicester Square; St. James/Mayfair: Apsley House (Wellington Museum), Grosvenor Square, Picadilly Circus, St. James’s Church; South Bank: Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, Tate Modern, London Eye, Vinopolis, Imperial War Museum.

Now I absolutely know that we can't do justice to all of the above in our limited amount of time. We will be cutting things off the list, for sure (probably the Nat. Portrait Gallery, some of the lesser churches, some South Bank sights).

Questions: 1. Are there better days to do some things than others? Eg., I know we won't go to Westminster Abbey or St. Paul's on Sunday and that The City is dead on weekends, so what should be do on Sunday? Is the British Museum or Tower of London more crowded on Sunday or are they just crowded all the time?
2. I think Parliament will be in session while we're there. How do we tour it--that website is pretty confusing!
3. We are going to "do" Buckingham Palace. Should we buy tickets ahead of time? If so, for which day of our four? Not concerned with seeing the Changing of the Guard--takes too much time...
4. We are thinking of visiting Windsor on our way out of London (Thursday) to Goodwood for the Revival. Is it worth stopping there since the Royal Family will be in residence and we will have visited Buckingham?
5. What are y'all sugestions regarding transportation? I don't think we can realistically walk from the apartment to The City, for example.

I don't know why I'm having such a hard time wrapping my head around organizing our sightseeing--seriously, this is harder than Paris (we had much more time there). I really appreciate any help and suggestions.

Thank you! Nola

Realistically, you are not going to be able to see everything, but it seems like you know that already.

A good idea: make a list of everywhere that you want to visit and next to each place, list it's opening hours. To further organize, group the places according to their location in the city, it looks like you have been doing this anyway, but just make sure that you have things organized so that you aren't skipping across the city all the time.

Some things I discovered while in London....

1: Rush hour happens from 6:30-7:30pm ...

2: It really is a stressful rush to see the Tower of London in just under an hour....

3: The metro gets real old, real fast.....

4: St. Paul's has a lovely evensong service ( very convenient if one is too late to tour the church )......

5: A map of the bus routes is THE most useful item to have......

If you would like to read a full account of the adventures I had in London this May, you can read my trip report :). http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...the-report.cfm

If you'd like to see how we organized 2 1/2 days in London in 2007, click my screen name and you'll find my trip report.

Get a good map of London so you can see what sites are close together; it will help you plan. For instance, the British Library, St. Pancras, and Kings Cross are basically on the same street, and you can easily walk from one to the other. Westminster Abbey and the Churchill Museum are close to each other; you can take a verger's tour of the Abbey (highly recommended) and then go to the museum.

There aren't many Jane Austen sites in London, as I recall (I am also a fan). You can see a memorial plaque in Westminster Abbey, and her portrait is in the National Portrait Gallery. One of her manuscripts may be on display in the British Library's "treasures room."

Lee Ann

"<i>We will be cutting things off the list, for sure (probably the Nat. Portrait Gallery, some of the lesser churches, some South Bank sights).</i>"

"<i>I don't know why I'm having such a hard time wrapping my head around organizing our sightseeing--</i>"

OK --I'll be Debbie Downer here -- but the reason you are having such a hard time is because you have a totally unrealistic wish list. You'll have to cut much more than the National Portrait Gallery and bits of the Southbank.

Your list is about 3 weeks worth. W/ your 4+ days you need to start from a much shorter list.

To give you some ideas, here are rough estimates of the minimum time each of the sites take (not counting travel time)

Westminster Abbey, 1.5 to 2 hrs.
Buckingham Palace, tour - 90 mins
Churchill Museum, 1 - 2 hrs
Banqueting House, 30 mins
Parliament, tour - 1+ hour.
Downing Street, 0 (nothing to see)
St Martin in-the-fields, Best to attend a night time concert
National Gallery, 1 hr (min) to as long as you can manage
National Portrait Gallery, 1 -1.5 hrs
Tate Britain, 1 - 1.5 hrs
St. James Park, walk through
Trafalgar Square, walk through
Tower of London, 3 hrs
Tower Bridge, walk across
St. Paul’s, 1 - 1.5 hrs
Museum of London, 1+ hourB
British Museum, 2 - 3 hours
British Library 1+ hour
Victoria & Albert, 2 - 3 hours
Harrods, 15 mins to HOURS depending
Courthald Gallery, 1+ Hour
Somerset House, depends on which exhibits you want to see Apsley House, 1.5 hrs
Grosvenor Square, 0 - nothing to see
Picadilly Circus, walk through at night
St. James’s Church - 1/2 an hour
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, 1+ hour if you take the tour
Tate Modern, 3/4 - 2hrs
London Eye, 1 hr (30 mins for the actual ride)
Vinopolis, 1 hr (Why?)
Imperial War Museum, 1 - 2 hrs.

Basically - count on 2 really major sites a day -- or two semi-majors and one 'minor'.

A couple of janisj's timings are slightly off.

What she really meant:
Harrods, 0.1 millisecs to 0.2 millisecs
British Museum: 1 hour to at least a lifetime

"I think Parliament will be in session while we're there. How do we tour it--that website is pretty confusing!"

How on earth can anyone be confused by:
http://www.parliament.uk/visiting/vi...rseasvisitors/

"I have the Rick Steves London."

Get a guidebook instead.

"How on earth can anyone be confused"

1) Using Rick Steves
2) Not having a proper map
3) Trying to do 3 weeks of touring in 4 days
4) Not prioritising what they want to see

flanner is right about the British Museum -- but I did say <i>minimum</i> time

He <i>may</i> be right about Harrods --just depends. But at least 1/2 an hour in the Food Halls and escaping the rest of the store.

and alanRow is definitely on target about Rick Steves. He is OK to very good about lots of places in Europe. But RS doesn't personally enjoy/appreciate the UK and it shows.

The quickest way to travel in London is by tube. No traffic. The other good option is bus, you get to see where you are going which is a huge plus but it's slower.

Buy an Oyster Card each on arrival and have a good look at www.tfl.gov.uk especially the tube map and bus map.

Actually my preference for getting around London is walking but the tube or bus are wonderful for when you are too knackered to walk one more step.

Kay

Consider a hop-on/off bus tour. it will at least save you the hassle of finding your way around, and it may help in that you can have some sights that tyou will "see" and others you will visit. You have places like Leicester Sq. that might be worth a look, but not necessarily a Tube trip.

http://www.theoriginaltour.com/tour-...our-routes.htm

Museums can easily deplete your hours. Be realistic and don't try to fill all of your days indoors.

You have a busy schedule, but consider a London Walk. It is a good way to see stuff that may not be in a guide book, entertaining, and a nice break from DIY.

www.walks.com/index.aspx?PageId=964

They also have a nighttime pub walk in Hampstead that was quite good (nice area of London).

As others said, you need to chart this out. Waht is open when/what days, what is located in the same geographical area,etc..

Consider a hop-on/off bus tour. it will at least save you the hassle of finding your way around, and it may help in that you can have some sights that tyou will "see" and others you will visit. You have places like Leicester Sq. that might be worth a look, but not necessarily a Tube trip.

http://www.theoriginaltour.com/tour-...our-routes.htm

Museums can easily deplete your hours. Be realistic and don't try to fill all of your days indoors.

You have a busy schedule, but consider a London Walk. It is a good way to see stuff that may not be in a guide book, entertaining, and a nice break from DIY.

www.walks.com/index.aspx?PageId=964

They also have a nighttime pub walk in Hampstead that was quite good (nice area of London).

As others said, you need to chart this out. Waht is open when/what days, what is located in the same geographical area,etc..

Some things I discovered while in London....

1: Rush hour happens from 6:30-7:30pm ...>>


rush-hour - 8-9.30 am, 4.30 [if not earlier] to 6.30ish pm.

your best idea is to work out what sights are near other sights or are on easy underground [not "metro", that's Paris] connections.

you will never do windsor and Goodwood in the same day.

Thanks for the replies, y'all. I don't usually have such a hard time getting my itinerary together but London--there's just so much to see and we only have the 4 full days.

I am working on prioritizing and so far know we won't miss the British Museum, Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's, Churchill Museum, or the Courthalt for example. I appreciate very much janisj's "minimum times" in places (knowing of course that you can spend hours/days/a lifetime at any one). I have the bus route map and a Streetwise Map of London, we'll get the tube map when we get there. I also have a link to what's near the apartment in terms of sights, events, restaurants, etc. We like to walk so will probably do the sights nearer the apartment by foot and grab the bus or tube for the further away ones.

In re. Rick Steve's--I agreement about his London guidebook. I've used him for other big cities and found those more helpful. I didn't really like the Frommer's or Fodor's but will head back to the bookstore for another perusal. I do think I need another book. Maybe the Michelin Guide...

Oh, Goodwood Revival doesn't start until Friday so Thursday is our "free" day to see some of the countryside before checking at our B&B in Selsey. That's why we thought about going to Windsor. But maybe Stonehenge instead? Or Bath?

I really appreciate your replies and I will keep working on this!

"<i>so far know we won't miss the British Museum, Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's, Churchill Museum, or the Courthalt . . .</i>"

That alone will just about fill 4 days (or 3 anyway) -- w/ time for a few other smaller sites and 'walk by's.

London to Bath to Goodwood makes no sense at all. That will be 5 hours of driving on a good day -- not counting fighting your way into Bath, or parking in the out of town park-and-ride and busing into the city. Easily 6 hours 'car time'

Actually -- Windsor wouldn't be <i>too</i> bad -- about 3 to 3.5 hours just for the drive - so a long but doable day.

Salisbury/Stonehenge would take a bit longer for the drive. 4 to 4.5 hours London > Stonehenge > Salisbury > Goodwood.

Of course, any of these times could be much longer w/ traffic/construction/accidents/heavy weather.

ARGH - <b>do NOT get an Oyster Card</b>. You will be there for the better part of a week. Get a seven day travel card from a National Rail station (Victoria, Charing Cross seem the closest to you) and it should be a PAPER card - flimsy coated thing the size of a credit card with orange border on the bottom that you buy from the ticket agents at the train station, NOT in the Tube station.

Before you go, print out as many 2for1 offers from daysoutguide.co.uk as you want. They're good at the Tower, the Cabinet War Rooms (Churchill Museum) and more. No limit. They will cut your bill a lot.

As for your list, here are some pare-down recommendations:

Westminster Abbey, 1.5 to 2 hrs.
Buckingham Palace, tour - 90 mins [Really? There's more to do in the city and the tour is limited because so much is off limits to the peons]
Churchill Museum, 2 hrs minimum
<strike>Banqueting House, 30 mins</strike>
Parliament, tour - 1+ hour.
<strike>Downing Street</strike>
St Martin in-the-fields
National Gallery, 1 hr (min) to as long as you can manage
National Portrait Gallery, 1 -1.5 hrs
<strike>Tate Britain</strike>
St. James Park, walk through
Trafalgar Square, walk through
Tower of London, 3 hrs
Tower Bridge, walk across
St. Paul’s, 1 - 1.5 hrs
<strike>Museum of London</strike>
British Museum, 2 - 3 hours
British Library 1+ hour
Victoria & Albert, 2 - 3 hours
Harrods, 15 mins to HOURS depending
Courtauld Gallery, 1+ Hour
<strike>Somerset House</strike>
<strike>Grosvenor Square</strike>
Piccadilly Circus
<strike>St. James’s Church</strike>
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, 1+ hour if you take the tour
<strike>Tate Modern, 3/4 - 2hrs</strike>
London Eye, 1 hr (30 mins for the actual ride)
<strike>Vinopolis</strike>
Imperial War Museum, 1 - 2 hrs -- note that this is the hardest museum to reach on your list.

And you don't even mention viewing the nutcakes at Speakers' Corner or seeing the Monument.

P.S. - remember, there is no "metro" in London.

I personally go to Tate Britain (for sure) and Tate Modern (usually) almost every trip to London -- just goes to show different strokes . . . :)

You guys are awesome: This is exactly what I've been needing!

I'm now thinking that our "countryside" day will just be leisurely get from London to Goodwood day. You're right janisj, we won't be going to Bath--way too much driving and no time in the town. Hubby is more interested in Stonehenge than me but it's too far too. Windsor is not off the table completely...

BigRuss thanks for the recommendation of the Travel Card, instead of the Oyster. I was wondering which would be best for us and you answered! We definitely want to use the 2 for 1 offers! Also thanks for the pare-down suggestions. I forgot to add Speaker's Corner--that looks like a hoot! I'm not sure we will omit the Tate Britain but we're probably going to pass on the London Eye.

You're right janisj, we won't be going to Bath--way too much driving and no time in the town. Hubby is more interested in Stonehenge than me but it's too far too. Windsor is not off the table completely...>>

but's it's hardly "en route" to Goodwood; nor is Stonehenge.

you could have a very nice trip going south into Sussex via Petworth, and Midhurst.

there is a stately home at Petworth [national trust] that you may enjoy:

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main...petworthhouse/

No hop on hop off either -- take the #9, 15 or 136 buses and you'll get a tour of London that you won't pay nearly $40 for.

As for art museums, there are so many that you should pare your list based upon interest.

The Nat'l Portrait Gallery is good for viewing historical figures of note spanning centuries, including the 20th. The National Gallery provides a survey of styles from 1250-1900 but does not move into more modern art.

The Courtauld has a lot of Impressionist/Neo-Impressionist works. The Tate Britain has British art from 1500-on.

The Tate Modern has the grayish-brown sculpture conglomerations that look like elephant scat.

So get a feel for the exhibitions before deciding.

I'm convinced! We are scratching Windsor, Bath, Stonehenge from the list for sure! Just not enough time to do any of 'em justice.

annhig, Petworth looks exactly like what I'd love to see but unfortunately for me, it's closed on Thursdays... I saw Amberley Castle mentioned elsewhere and thought it might be a good place to visit in the Goodwood environs. Hubby just said he'd be glad to find a put close to the b&b and hang out :)

BigRuss, we're not much for modern art so the Tate Modern will likely go.

This is really helping me consolidate the reasons why I want to go to a particular sight. After a little more reaseach and a trip to Barnes and Noble, I'll be close to doing the itinerary--I hope!

>>>>Hubby just said he'd be glad to find a put close to the b&b and hang out<<<

Obviously meant a puB close to the B&B; wish we could edit or that I could type better...

Flanneruk, thanks for the website about Parliament. We won't be able to tour on the Saturday 9/10 because we arrive that day. It says overseas visitors can visit the Commitee sessions Monday-Thursday but does that allow us to see what you'd see on the Parliament tour (like Westminster Hall?)? I'm reading it as no so then is it still worth it to visit given we have such limited time in London? That's kinda what I meant by confusing... The good thing is that it's really close to the apartment so we could try to "pop in" any of our days esp. if the lines are short. Thanks!

If you want to go in Buckingham Palace, you need advance tickets or you really will eat up a lot of your valuble time. The new Duchess' wedding dress goes on display today; 500,000 tickets have been sold. Given yout time constraints, I would give this a miss, as much as I personally would love to see the detail work on the dress. Doesn't look like anyone is allowed that close.

I love the National Portrait Gallery, 600 years of history of Britain on canvas. But, understand your predicamnt!

"<i>Doesn't look like anyone is allowed that close.</i>"

According to the account in the Telegraph - one is allowed w/i 8 feet of the wedding gown/veil and it is not behind glass. So pretty close actually.

But the point about advance tickets is important. The interest in the Royal Wedding has greatly increased the pre-purchase of tickets over the last few years.

If you really want to tour the Palace (and it is definitely worthwhile/interesting w/ or w/o the wedding gown) you should book ASAP.

Okay, sort of close but not to see the handwork detail, which is what interests me. I would still go if I could.

I have tickets for next Sunday so will try to remember to do a post about the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace...

Thanks cathinjoetown n janisj. I was planning to book the tickets in advance but was trying to decide on what day of the week to go.

I figure Sunday will be busier than during the week and earlier in the day is best. But it seems Sunday would be the best day for us since as I thought to combine BP with a wander through Hyde Park Speaker's Corner, a stop at the Diana Fountain, Apsley House and Victoria and Albert. Maybe stop at Harrods since we like big European department stores but can easliy give it a pass.

Monday would be Westminster Abbey, Churchill Museum, Parliament (pass by most likely; no tour available when we're in town), St. Martin-in-the-Fields and National Gallery

Tuesday would be Tower of London, photos at Tower Bridge and climb Monument (if have the energy!), then tour St. Paul's before a walk across the Millenium Bridge to Tate Modern (quick tour, if any).

Wednesday would be British Library (King's Cross and St. Pancras for Harry Potter!), the British Museum and possibly the Courtault Gallery.

We're sadly nixing the Tate Britain and the Museum of London at this point. Also nixing the National Portrait Gallery, the Banqueting House, Shakespeare's Globe, London Eye, and Vinopolis.

Thoughts? Thanks!

every one of your days are over full IMO.

No time factored in for transport, a sit down, lunch -etc.

"<i>I thought to combine BP with a wander through Hyde Park Speaker's Corner, a stop at the Diana Fountain, Apsley House and Victoria and Albert. Maybe stop at Harrods </i>"

Even w/o Harrods -- this will be a full day w/ LOTS of walking. So it is doubtful you'd also have enough time for the Palace Tour.

"<i>I figure Sunday will be busier than during the week and earlier in the day is best.</i>"

It honestly makes no difference at all which day of the week you book the Palace. Entrance is exclusively via timed tickets. Same number of people are admitted on Wed as on Sunday. The ONLY slight difference is booking the first time slot of the day when there will be no one else ahead of you.

Just taking Monday for one example:

"<i>Monday would be Westminster Abbey, Churchill Museum, Parliament (pass by most likely; no tour available when we're in town), St. Martin-in-the-Fields and National Gallery</i>"

These are all near each other so that is good. But there are three major sites plus St Martins in the Field. Assuming you get inside Abbey right at 9:30 you won't be done until 11AM at the very earliest and 11:30 is more likely. The main church opens at 9:30 but the other parts of the Abbey don't open til 10:30.

So it is now nearly noon and you won't want to tackle another major site before having lunch -- otherwise you won't get to eat until 2 or 3PM ("Inn the Park" is a good place to eat - in St James's Park and near both the Abbey and the War Rooms)

Walk over to the Park and eat --probably close to an hour total. 1 PM-ish walk over to the Churchill Museum/Cabinet War Rooms. This one takes a lot longer than some would guess. At least 2 hours if one is at all interested (and if not interested, why go at all??)

So <i>maybe</i> you are done by 3:30 - If you sit down for a drink you will arrive at the Nat'l Gallery by maybe 4:30 - 4:00 if you just press on w/o a break. The Gallery closes at 6PM so you'll have less than 2 hours there. Then the kicker is ST Martin in the Fields is only open in the afternoons from 2:00- 6:00 (different hours on different days.

And you will have been on your feet on hard marble floors almost the entire day w/ only a break for lunch -- you will probably be exhausted.

>><i>every one of your days are over full IMO.</i><<

to be fair -- Tues isn't too bad IF you skip the Tate.

And the problem w/ Wed isn't too many sites really -- it is the 3 museums/galleries back to back to back w/ no respite. Your eyes will likely be crossing by the time you're finished.

You're right, janisj; it's too much! We need another day in London! Or a year... :(

I am trying to put our "must see" sights first up in the day so we can see those for sure then we can do something else if we run out of energy/time. And eating and transport definitely affect that!

Alright, keeping Tuesday as is. Will work on the other days some more. May have to cut more things from the list--was thinking we did not need to see both the National Gallery and the Courtault. Diana Fountain is off the list--not that important to us. Victoria and Albert is teetering. I know hubby wants to spend hours at the British Museum, whereas I'm more interested in the Library so am trying to work that out. Yikes this is hard. There are so many awesome sights in London!

"<i>I know hubby wants to spend hours at the British Museum, whereas I'm more interested in the Library so am trying to work that out.</i>"

No need to fret about that. You can both get what you want. London is a perfectly safe place to wander solo--so you can start out at say the British Museum, then have a bite to eat in the Great Court. Hubby can press on while you walk (or jump on the tube) over to the British Library. Plan to meet up someplace for drinks -- or back at the hotel. easy peasy :)

"<i>Yikes this is hard. There are so many awesome sights in London!</i>"

Absolutely! So don't knock yourselves out trying to see/do everything. You'll be back again . . .

A good rule of thumb is two major sites in a day. One before lunch and one after - and sometimes you can do 'two-fers'. Like the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery are right next door to each other so you could squeeze them as sort of one big site. same w/ something like the Globe and Tate Modern -- right next door to each other. Those sorts of things

How far is the walk between the British Museum and the Library?

Maybe 3/4of a mile walking.

If Parliament is in session while you are in town, look to see if they are having an evening sitting (probably will as they often go into the night). If so, you can probably do like I did, and go on a Monday night around 6:30. I had a very short wait to get in and at least got to see the Commons chamber and a little bit of the palace on the way to and from the entrance. The lines are long during the day, but, at least when I went for an evening sesssion, not so much at night. I found that it was well worth the time, especially if one is staying as close as it appears that you are (we stayed in a flat on the corner of Palmer and Petty France, so it was an easy walk over, but not as short as yours).

Thanks twk for the suggestion. We are excited about being so close! Will definitely keep it in mind. I do want to get inside Parliament, if possible, and see the amazing rooms where so much history has been, and is being, made. It's kinda like going to DC and having to completely miss Capitol Hill... BTW, any suggestions for good food and drinks in the area?

I'm gonna skip Speaker's Corner since it's only on Sunday and is causing me grief timing wise. On Sunday I'm now thinking of British Museum and the British Library (and, obviously only if we have energy, the Courtault since it's open until 1800).

Also we are planning to do a Westminster Walk (Rick Steves) on Saturday afternoon/early evening, ending up at a pub for dinner before succumbing to jet lag (no earlier than 9 or 10pm!). We will be passing by Parliament Square on the walk so may not have to go back, unless we can tour it somehow.

I'm trying not to overthink this but still be smart and make the most of our time. Cheers!

So this is what I've come up with. Some days seem busier than others! We may have to skip some sights later in the day if time and energy are depleted.

Saturday 9/10 Arrive 11:40. Late afternoon Westminster Walk (Rick Steves), photo stops at Parliament Square, by Downing Street, etc.

Sunday 9/11 British Museum; British Library; Courtault Gallery

Monday 9/12 Buckingham Palace; Apsley House; depending on time-Victoria and Albert

Tuesday 9/13 Tower of London; Tower Bridge; Monument; St. Paul’s Cathedral; Millenium Brige cross to Tate Modern (walk-by)

Wednesday 9/14 Westminster Abbey; Churchill Museum and War Rooms; if have time pop into the National Gallery and/or St. Martin-in-the-Fields

Thursday 9/15 check out, pick up rental and head to Goodwood for Revival on Friday and Saturday. Petworth is closed on Thursdays, any other suggestions for historic mansions/castles to see on way?

Thanks!!

Sorry -- but your Saturday really (REALLY) seems like a waste of time on your very short visit.

Why? Because it willput you in <u>exactly</u> the same neighborhood/places you will be walking through on Wed.

• Parliament Sq? -- that is the front yard of Westminster Abbey

• Downing Street -- you can literally see <i>nothing</i>. At one time you could walk right up to the fron door. Then they installed flimsy barricades. And now it is big heavy black iron fence/gate. All you will see is a police guard and other tourists asking "Myrna - Is that all there is??? Jeeze!"

• Horse Guards? You'll see them when you leave the Churchill Museum enroute to Trafalgar Sq/National Gallery.

Why not use that valuable time to see/do something else that really strikes your fancy (and do ditch that Rick Steves guide book :) )

Janisj, we'll be starting from the apartment on Matthew Parker Street which is pretty close to the stuff on the Westminster Walk. I anticipate we won't be ready to leave the apartment until 3pm. Just figured we'd be jet lagged and it would be an easy way to get a taste of London while not hopping on the tube or a bus right away. Open to other suggestions, though.

And no worries, I'm off to the bookstore tomorrow for another guidebook :) Which one do Fodorites like best for London?

I understood that -- that you were staying nearby. But still you have sooooo little time in London. You don't have to plan a walk in that neighborhood - you are right THERE. So when you walk home in the evening -- you'll see it. When you go out in the morning, you'll see it. When you walk to the Abbey, War Rooms, Westminster tube station, anywhere, you'll see it.

If you want to do something non-strenuous that day -- how about walking over to Westminster Pier and taking a boat ride down the Thames and back? Or walk across Westminster Bridge and along the Southbank?

Or take a tube ride (no changes to mess up:) ) to High Street Kensington and wander through Kensington Gardens and see Kens Palace. You don't need to go inside, but the sunken Garden is beautiful and you can stop for tea at the Orangery.