We will be in London at the end of July for 4 days ~ We will visit all the main places such as the Tower of London, London Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Abby Road, Harrods, etc. We are looking for suggestions of what else to see that would let us feel what London is like outside of these monuments (ie: street markets, villages, local "must see's", food, shops, rooftop bars, etc.). We will have our young-adult kids ages 17-20 years with us, so anything that might be interesting. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

We are also looking to head out of London by train 1 day (not overnight) to see something outside of the city (we will have already visited Brighton) in an area that town that would be interesting yet still give us the feel of the English countryside ~ Any suggestions again would be wonderful!

Thank you!

As with your Paris thread - you'll be in London 5 nights? One out-of-town daytrip, so 3 days in London?

If you are there on a Sunday head over to the Columbia Road Flower market.

http://www.columbiaroad.info/

Ride the Tube and look out the windows in the so-called "suburbs" or take a bus if you want to know what a LOT of London "looks like" outside of those monuments.

There is no way you can visit "all the main places" in 4 days. Choose which of the various places to visit based on your interests. A guidebook can help you with this. With just 4 days, I wouldn't be looking to take a day trip out of London.

>>We will be in London at the end of July for 4 days ~ We will visit all the main places such as the Tower of London, London Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Abby Road, Harrods, etc.<<

Not at all realistic -- 3 days (which ever it is) is not enough time to see more than a small % of the major sites. Plus the places you do mention (other than the Tower) are not in the first tier of London sites.

You do not mean 'London' Bridge. That is juts a modern concrete span. You almost certainly mean Tower Bridge,.

The short list of major sites would include The Tower, Westminster Abbey, St Paul's, British Museum, V&A, Cabinet War Rooms, Hampton Court Palace, one or more gallery (National, National Portrait, either Tate) and quite a few others. You'd need about 5 full days to see these. Buckingham Palace is merely a walk by. Abbey Road is a 'walk across'.

If you want to get out of the city centre -- consider Hampton Court, Greenwich or Hampstead Heath. You really don't have time to go out in the countryside.

Oxford is about an hour by train -and would make a superb day out - trek around the colleges and a bustling regional town. I think 3 full days in London is enough for the average tourist and to see another slice of a more real England take yes a day trip by train somewhere. Check www.nationalrail.co.uk for info on trains.

Windsor Castle would be another short day trip by train and Windsor too is a bustling regional town apart from the iconic castle -see the Royal Jewels!

Hampton Court is also an amazing royal palace -home of Henry VIII and scene of many of his machinations - the ghost of Anne Bolyene is said to still haunt the palace - in many ways to me a more relaxed and pleasant visit than perpetually thronged Windsor Castle - and you can take a boat there from London on the Thames to make a real sweet day - trains also go right to the Palace.

As terrific as Oxford is -- it would not give them a >>feel of the English countryside ~ <<

As terrific as Oxford is -- it would not give them a >>feel of the English countryside>

OP- (in an area that town that would be interesting yet still give us the feel of the English countryside) ~

Oxford is perfect for this!

jan have you ever taken the bucolic rural walk along the ISIS (Thames) right from Oxford - shortly you are out in the countryside with further along a neat ancient country pub- beautiful countryside with farms and all.

OP can see a historic lovely town and also a bit of the countryside.

Hever and Hever Castle could do that -take a train there and the station is in the middle of farms and there are public footpaths to waltz thru the countryside to Anne Bolyene's childhood home and one of the finest castles in England - a longish train ride however.

Day trips can be left in flux - if after 3 days you're itching for something different, more relaxing than one of the world's largest metropolitan areas then just do a day trip into yes a more typical England than tourist London where foreing tongues often seem to outnumber British ones. there is no problem just showing up and getting on trains. So a day trip need not be booked in stone and you may well want to see something more in London itself on that 4th day- janis'suggestions for nearby day trips to far-out parts of London like Greenwhich and Hampton Court are great if you just want to spend a half-day there - Kew Gardens -fabulous Kew Gardens too are just a short enough Tube ride away and there is a small town next to it (part of the London megalopolis however.

and with Hampton Court you are on the edge of built-up London and a stroll along the Thames to the famous Mosley Lock and beyond will be leafy and kind of rural.

But I know what you mean - and OP means - a small country town -very few near London but can find one and do walks on public footpaths from town.

When you go to the Tower of London, walk over the Tower Bridge and it is a short walk to Borough Market. Borough Market has a lot of great food and drink stalls, but try Kappacasein's Cheese Toastie. They're located at 1 Stoney Street. You won't regret it. Wash it down with a Pimm's Cup.

>>jan have you ever taken the bucolic rural walk along the ISIS (Thames) right from Oxford - <<

Uh - Yes -- I lived 10 miles from Oxford for nearly 5 years. Please don't lecture me -- ok.

Did you book your tickets for Buckinhham Palace yet? They are timed and thus you need to plan around them. You do not have time for any day trips.

OP, if you have a budding engineer in the family, I enjoyed researching the Tower Bridge opening times so I could see it in action. Also, took the tour below to see how they worked out the lifting mechanisms.

I also enjoyed a trip to Bodiam Castle and Battle, but I have no idea how to train that; I was driving a hire car.

The main problem is how to prioritize (or more properly, how to order in priority) your time.

Of course it all depends on what section of the Thames path one is referring to but the one I've walked at least a dozen times is from Oxford to Iffley. Not at all sure I'd call the surroundings " bucolic". It is a very pleasant walk but often full of walkers and the river full of boats with enough buildings to remind one that you're not far from civilization. The pub I'm most familiar with is the Isis Farmhouse as it's now called. It's changed hands over the years but don't think one could've ever called it ancient unless referring to rhe carpets. Hopefully those have been replaced by the new owners. The best spot to visit along this section is the 12th century church of St. Mary the Virgin which is just a short uphill walk at the Iffley lock.

If I had only one opportunity to visit somewhere outside of London, it'd be Hampton Court Palace but not with an idea I would see much of the English countryside.

For those of us who remember the Isis Farmhouse under its old name...

I too find the "Isis" walk a bit too busy but there are a fair few stations along the Thames, you could take the train (to train means to get better at doing something not to be transported on a train) to one station, walk down the river and catch a train home. Henley is especially nice for one of the places to stop.

<<Borough Market has a lot of great food and drink stalls, but try Kappacasein's Cheese Toastie.>>

YES!!! I was there last month and I'm ready to go back just for that sandwich.

the eyes of an American tourist and locals often interpret the same scenery as being different - the Isis or whatever that river is called there walk to me was cute and seemingly in the country but such visions are in the eye of the beholder for sure.

Anyway not the English countryside OP may have in mind and Oxford itself should take a full day anyway for most.

at Harrods don't miss the Egyptian Staircase!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkzURQ-vuyA

Also famous afternoon tea in ornate tea rooms.

It's not clear how central the poster wants spending a day in deep countryside to be.

The conventional railway route from London to Oxford (the one from Paddington to the station in central Oxford) spends about 45 of its typical 59 minutes surrounded by lovely fields, meadows and rivers: the highly controversial legacy of our planning system that puts almost everything along this London-Oxford line under aggressive development restrictions.

Almost uniquely, Oxford's city centre railway station offers immediate access to green footpaths north out of the city into the open countryside around the Trout at Wolvercote (a staple of Morse progs), though the green paths south to the main River Thames do involve a couple of hundred yards of urban-ness.

Obviously, Oxford itself's a bustling city - but one made almost impossible for cars, and with immense expanses of visitable walled gardens

Getting to Lacock in a day is a pain - and Stonehenge, while impressive, is in rural England's dullest countryside: so dull, much of the surroundings are permanent - and restricted - military training grounds.

We can argue about whether Britons and Americans interpret "bucolic" differently - but most people are happy with the amount of greenery they're exposed to on a day out to Oxford.

We can argue about whether Britons and Americans interpret "bucolic" differently - but most people are happy with the amount of greenery they're exposed to on a day out to Oxford.>

Even the fields by Christ Church are rather country:

https://www.google.com/search?q=oxfo...w=1920&bih=950