Two days only in london....
Jul 20th, 2006, 08:01 AM
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Two days only in london....
Ok.. I know there's tons of things to do in London, but to try to condense the important things to see... which would you pick? Im going with mom who has never been there...
what would be a good itinerary...
Thanks.
what would be a good itinerary...
Thanks.
Jul 20th, 2006, 08:32 AM
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Without knowing your interests it's hard to make specific suggestions, but I'll take a crack at it anyway. 
Do the hop-on, hop-off bus tour. This will give you a great overview of the city and you'll see all of the major sites, even if you're just passing by.
Try to go into St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London. If you do the Tower, get there early as lines are long.
Do NOT do the Changing of the Guards. This is both time consuming and boring.
See a show in the evening. There are too many good shows to name, but my faves are Mamma Mia, Phantom of the Opera, Mary Poppins, and Billy Elliot.
If you will post back and tell us more about your interests (ie gardens, museums, theatre) we can make more suggestions.
Do the hop-on, hop-off bus tour. This will give you a great overview of the city and you'll see all of the major sites, even if you're just passing by.
Try to go into St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London. If you do the Tower, get there early as lines are long.
Do NOT do the Changing of the Guards. This is both time consuming and boring.
See a show in the evening. There are too many good shows to name, but my faves are Mamma Mia, Phantom of the Opera, Mary Poppins, and Billy Elliot.
If you will post back and tell us more about your interests (ie gardens, museums, theatre) we can make more suggestions.
Jul 20th, 2006, 09:16 AM
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Yes, hard to advise w/o knowing what you & mom like but here's an indoor and an outdoor suggestion:
1) The British Museum in Bloomsbury. A veritable feast! The Elgin Marbles a must-see. You could spend days in there.
After taking in the museum, say, late morning, walk northwest across Russell Sq and beyond to a lunch at The North Sea Fish Co, 7-8 Leigh St. Assuming you & mom like fish, this is the absolute best place in all of London to get it.
2) The Diana Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park. IF a nice afternoon, bound to be lots of kiddies splashing happily in what is really a circular water course on a grassy slope.
Then walk across Hyde PArk to take in the impromptu debates at Speaker's Corner. Depending on who's holding forth it can be a real hoot.
The hop-on, hop-off tour is a great idea. Be sure to budget some time, part of a morning or afternoon, say, to just WALK, amble around parts of central London. BY walking you'll be able to catch the wonderful DETAILS of this city. Just follow your nose.
You can also buy a Day Ticket for unlimited Underground & bus travel (after 9:30am). The top deck of a double decker bus is a great way to see lots of the city as the Londoners do.
1) The British Museum in Bloomsbury. A veritable feast! The Elgin Marbles a must-see. You could spend days in there.
After taking in the museum, say, late morning, walk northwest across Russell Sq and beyond to a lunch at The North Sea Fish Co, 7-8 Leigh St. Assuming you & mom like fish, this is the absolute best place in all of London to get it.
2) The Diana Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park. IF a nice afternoon, bound to be lots of kiddies splashing happily in what is really a circular water course on a grassy slope.
Then walk across Hyde PArk to take in the impromptu debates at Speaker's Corner. Depending on who's holding forth it can be a real hoot.
The hop-on, hop-off tour is a great idea. Be sure to budget some time, part of a morning or afternoon, say, to just WALK, amble around parts of central London. BY walking you'll be able to catch the wonderful DETAILS of this city. Just follow your nose.
You can also buy a Day Ticket for unlimited Underground & bus travel (after 9:30am). The top deck of a double decker bus is a great way to see lots of the city as the Londoners do.
Jul 20th, 2006, 09:56 AM
#5
Not a bit wrong w/ what's been said so far -- but to get you started, click on DESTINATIONS above. Then follow the links to Europe and then London. There is a TON of info to give you a starting point.
No one here can possibly tell you what to see/do w/ knowing what you enjoy, how old you both are, how fit, etc.
For instance telling you to take a guided walk and visit the British museum isn't very useful if you can't walk long distances or if you hate museums.
Two days is not very long in London so you can really only pick 2 or 3 major sites plus maybe the hop-on-hop-off bus tour. And if you are dealing w/ jet lag things muddy up quite a bit too.
So read over the info under "destinations" and then maybe come back w/ more specific questions.
No one here can possibly tell you what to see/do w/ knowing what you enjoy, how old you both are, how fit, etc.
For instance telling you to take a guided walk and visit the British museum isn't very useful if you can't walk long distances or if you hate museums.
Two days is not very long in London so you can really only pick 2 or 3 major sites plus maybe the hop-on-hop-off bus tour. And if you are dealing w/ jet lag things muddy up quite a bit too.
So read over the info under "destinations" and then maybe come back w/ more specific questions.
Jul 20th, 2006, 10:32 AM
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if you want to see super trendy London in all its glory go to any of the big streetmarkets for food, ogling pretty people, street theatre, impromptu street theatre, lots of booze, and ih yeah, shopping.
my faves:
Brick Lane Sunday market in the supertrendy Bangladeshi district (this is connected to the massive Spitalfields for arts and crafts maket and the beautiful Columbia road flower market too) for urban cacophany - people sell evrything they can lay their hands on here from antiques to stolen goods to modern art.
Portobello Rd market from Notting Hill Gate tube for antiques, fashion and vintage fashions in a gorgeous stucco backdrop.
Borough Market (from london Bridge tube station) : foodies heaven, numerous stalls selling organic and exotic and homegrown fare, go with an empty stomach and the 'street theatre' is a feast for the eyes too.
try to stay away from the much touristed Camden markets - it can attract crowds of 200,000 and it sells overpriced tat in a litter and pickpocket heavy environment, and the much lauded fashionable element to it all is a myth - its deeply stuck in a 1990s timewarp.
my faves:
Brick Lane Sunday market in the supertrendy Bangladeshi district (this is connected to the massive Spitalfields for arts and crafts maket and the beautiful Columbia road flower market too) for urban cacophany - people sell evrything they can lay their hands on here from antiques to stolen goods to modern art.
Portobello Rd market from Notting Hill Gate tube for antiques, fashion and vintage fashions in a gorgeous stucco backdrop.
Borough Market (from london Bridge tube station) : foodies heaven, numerous stalls selling organic and exotic and homegrown fare, go with an empty stomach and the 'street theatre' is a feast for the eyes too.
try to stay away from the much touristed Camden markets - it can attract crowds of 200,000 and it sells overpriced tat in a litter and pickpocket heavy environment, and the much lauded fashionable element to it all is a myth - its deeply stuck in a 1990s timewarp.
Jul 20th, 2006, 10:34 AM
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i must warn you, 'doing' a market can take all day if not just a morning at least. Basically Id go to a market, with your time constraints, as a lunch stop. There will always be streetfood aswell as quality eateries catering to the weekly crowd nearby.
Jul 20th, 2006, 01:44 PM
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With my mom here is what I would do in two days.....
assuming you're starting in the morning with a fresh day...
1. Go to the British Museum
take the tube over to...Kensington Palace
2. Book a tour of Kensington Palace, it's open to the public July-September and you can also tour the Mews (stables)...you can book in advance..by the time you tour all those it should be time for afternoon tea...the Orangery is located beside Kensington Palace, pop in there anytime after 3:00 for a nice tea and cucumber sandwich + more!
3. If she's still got lots of energy, then take a bus ride around the city and drop yourself off at Leicester square (?) I think that's the one..where you can buy daily discount tickets to the theatre...buy your cheap seats to whatever show tickles your fancy and just people/shop watch until it begins..if you're not full from high tea then get a bite to eat before the show begins.
Go to the hotel and sleep! Day one done.
Day 2...
1. National Gallery...some of the most beautiful artwok your eyes will ever see...
2. Hop over to Hyde Park or Regents Park and enjoy a picnic in the park weather permitting.
3. Jaunt over to Tower of London for a look at the crown jewels.
4. St. Paul's Cathedral and feed the birds...
That would be a filled 2 days! Enjoy whatever you decide!
Tara
assuming you're starting in the morning with a fresh day...
1. Go to the British Museum
take the tube over to...Kensington Palace
2. Book a tour of Kensington Palace, it's open to the public July-September and you can also tour the Mews (stables)...you can book in advance..by the time you tour all those it should be time for afternoon tea...the Orangery is located beside Kensington Palace, pop in there anytime after 3:00 for a nice tea and cucumber sandwich + more!
3. If she's still got lots of energy, then take a bus ride around the city and drop yourself off at Leicester square (?) I think that's the one..where you can buy daily discount tickets to the theatre...buy your cheap seats to whatever show tickles your fancy and just people/shop watch until it begins..if you're not full from high tea then get a bite to eat before the show begins.
Go to the hotel and sleep! Day one done.
Day 2...
1. National Gallery...some of the most beautiful artwok your eyes will ever see...
2. Hop over to Hyde Park or Regents Park and enjoy a picnic in the park weather permitting.
3. Jaunt over to Tower of London for a look at the crown jewels.
4. St. Paul's Cathedral and feed the birds...
That would be a filled 2 days! Enjoy whatever you decide!
Tara
Jul 20th, 2006, 02:04 PM
#9
A couple of problems w/ the previous (ma23peas) post:
1) I assume she means Buckingham Palace since it is the one near the mews and only open Aug/Sept. (Kensington Palace is open year round) So advising going to Buckingham Palace/mews is OK - but then it is a LONG way from the Orangery which is next to Kens. Palace.
2) National Gallery to Regents Park (or even Hyde Park) to the Tower of London to St Pauls is nearly an impossible day. Arriving at St Pauls after 3:00 p.m. means you can't see the cathedral since it closes up to prepare for Evensong. And getting to the Tower much after opening time means the queues for the Crown Jewels can be an hour or longer.
The Tower for 2 to 4 hours in the morning/early afternoon, then lunch, and to St Pauls around 2:00 p.m. would be a pretty full day by themselves.
1) I assume she means Buckingham Palace since it is the one near the mews and only open Aug/Sept. (Kensington Palace is open year round) So advising going to Buckingham Palace/mews is OK - but then it is a LONG way from the Orangery which is next to Kens. Palace.
2) National Gallery to Regents Park (or even Hyde Park) to the Tower of London to St Pauls is nearly an impossible day. Arriving at St Pauls after 3:00 p.m. means you can't see the cathedral since it closes up to prepare for Evensong. And getting to the Tower much after opening time means the queues for the Crown Jewels can be an hour or longer.
The Tower for 2 to 4 hours in the morning/early afternoon, then lunch, and to St Pauls around 2:00 p.m. would be a pretty full day by themselves.
Jul 21st, 2006, 05:33 AM
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I'm so sorry! I did mean Buckingham palace...I was just posting about the Orangery on another post and mixed the two up!
And actually, I did do all three of those in one day...did not have an hour wait for the crown jewels but we did go on a weekday and perhaps the crowds were less. But, I'm a commando traveler...didn't think I'd make it over there again and fit so much in during our 4 days there! You'd probably be exhausted if I listed them all!
It is usually best to travel weekdays..hope you're going then!
Tara...but I think your mom would enjoy a nice tea...
And actually, I did do all three of those in one day...did not have an hour wait for the crown jewels but we did go on a weekday and perhaps the crowds were less. But, I'm a commando traveler...didn't think I'd make it over there again and fit so much in during our 4 days there! You'd probably be exhausted if I listed them all!
It is usually best to travel weekdays..hope you're going then!
Tara...but I think your mom would enjoy a nice tea...
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