London

[nj2Type-S]

hey guys!

i know that there are a few threads about london, but i THINK i have our itinerary planned out. per the "Euro Trip 2014" thread, my wife and i have decided to go to europe this may. we are flying into london well before the tour starts; basically, we have 3 days ro explore the city.

here is what i have so far:

day 1
- buckingham palace
- westminster abbey
- big ben
- thames boat cruise

day 2
- london bridge
- borough market
- tower bridge exhibition
- tower of london

day 3
- canal boat ride
- picadilly circus
- trafalgar square

we are planning to buy the 3-day london pass: http://www.londonpass.com

we will be staying at the hilton olympia hotel.

here are some of my questions:

1. are 3 days enough to see/go to all those places?
2. is it worth buying the london pass with the travel card?
3. what is the easiest way to get to LHR to our hotel?

i have looked at a cab, but the fare will be around £40. if we get the london pass, we can take the picadilly line to hammersmith, get off and take a bus to the hotel. that will save us some cash, and it does seem straight forward, but how much of a hassle would it be, being we will be carrying luggage?

thanks!

[Mibz]

Taking the tube/bus with luggage is stress free if it's not rush hour. Even if it is rush hour, you'll be fine, just try and find a handicapped area or something where you're mostly outta the way.

3 days should be fine. I'd try and throw the Eye in there if you want to get some great photos, or just a really nice view.

EDIT: And make sure your wife doesn't wear fucking heels for any of those days.

[mr2mike]

Black cab is the way to go. You're tired, you're cranky and it's easier. But I've done the tube or public transit in Amsterdam after a long flight. Depends what kind of flier you are.

There's no museums in this or exhibits?!?

Check out the MOMA or the Natural History Museum, British Library, British Museum, those are a few off the top of my head.

2 boat rides? Why? Seems like a waste. Trafalgar sq I guess just to see it but they've cleaned up the pigeons.

[nj2Type-S]

we've been on the singapore flyer a couple of years ago, and we got bored, lol. i'm afraid it would be a similar experience with the london eye.

honestly, the only museum i'm interested in seeing is the RAF museum (which, i guess i did not list in there). perhaps i will look into museums instead of taking the canal boat ride -- good call.

yeah, i thought about just shelling out the cash and take the cab, but looking at the tube map, it seems so simple lol.

how easy is it to use public transport? should i get the the 3-day london pass with the travel card?

thanks!

[kertejud2]

Originally posted by nj2Type-S

1. are 3 days enough to see/go to all those places?

Yes. You might even be finding yourself with more free time than you anticipated, which in London is not a bad thing at all.

2. is it worth buying the london pass with the travel card?

I'd say so. Buying day-passes would be your best option but they don't offer anything the Travelcard ad-on doesn't and to get the same level of coverage you'd have to pay a lot more. The convenience of not having to buy passes each day and having complete transit coverage gives you more flexibility.

3. what is the easiest way to get to LHR to our hotel?

I guess it would depend on what kind of luggage you have. If it's just carry-on sized stuff then while a cab would certainly be the easiest, the tube wouldn't be a hassle at all. You'd get on at the start of the line so you'd have a seat and the only tough part of the journey would be the Hammersmith to Hotel bit. If you are saddled with larger luggage, that's the bit that might be tougher just because of hauling it onto a bus.

So either one is good, might be a last minute decision for you (if it's a rainy day, the flight was bad, customs was terrible and you just want to get to the hotel and not be surrounded by people anymore...a cab would probably seem like a bargain for 40 pounds).

[ExtremeSi]

I spent a week in London and found it was not enough time to see everything I wanted to. There's just a ton to see there. At first we tried to fit a lot of things in each day, but found we were rushing around too much, so we started just visiting 2 different attractions a day. We didn't bother with the London Eye. We got a great view from the top of St.Paul's so we didn't feel we needed to go up high again.

We hit a few museums and they were pretty amazing and most of them are free to enter with a suggested donation. They have a lot of stuff that you can only see there. Nothing like what we have in Calgary.

The tube is amazing. We bought a week Oyster pass that allows you unlimited travel within certain zones. We used the tube all the time since it's so convenient. There's tube stations everywhere. We also walked a lot so comfortable shoes are important.

Overall it was a great time and I would go back.

[Neil4Speed]

You have a pretty good idea of things.

Harrods is an amazing store worth it just for the walk around. The food hall is something amazing and is located on the ground floor. It is located at Knightsbridge station (for guage). From there, you can walk down Kensignton Rd to the Royal Albert Hall. Its very very close to your hotel, like 2 minutes walking;

Camden market where the Camden Town station is one of my favorite english spots, a great outdoor market with lots of boutique little shops and great food from vendors.

London eye is "OK" Only do it if you have some time to kill

Keep an eye on all your stuff, london is reletively safe but like anywhere, lots of petty theft.

If your eating out, try some pub food (although I don't think its better than the better pub food we have here), give some fish and chips a try, and some traditional Indian food (Tikka Masala is the English official dish)

Quick eats are the best way to go in London. Marks and Spencer/Waitrose is great to be the best for you. Little supermarkets perfect for on the go. English chocolate and candy is solid.

I would highly recommend having High tea. Fortrum & Mason is a good spot, it is near Green Park (Buckingham palace etc), but if you can try to go to "The Ritz London" for high tea - famous for it. IF you can't get to either, I recommend just walking into any posh hotel to see if they offer it. High tea is such a great experience. Clotted Cream with Scons etc. Amazing.

[nj2Type-S]

thanks for the responses!

i've just purchased the 3-day london passes with the transit pass included.

we are definitely foodies, so Harrods is something we'll check out, for sure. i'll look into the high tea as well.

any more recommendations on food places? we'll be all over europe so i SHOULD pace myself, but hey...YOLO! i know my muay thai coach will kick my ass when i get back haha! keep the suggestions coming, guys!

[nj2Type-S]

Originally posted by kertejud2


Yes. You might even be finding yourself with more free time than you anticipated, which in London is not a bad thing at all.



I'd say so. Buying day-passes would be your best option but they don't offer anything the Travelcard ad-on doesn't and to get the same level of coverage you'd have to pay a lot more. The convenience of not having to buy passes each day and having complete transit coverage gives you more flexibility.



I guess it would depend on what kind of luggage you have. If it's just carry-on sized stuff then while a cab would certainly be the easiest, the tube wouldn't be a hassle at all. You'd get on at the start of the line so you'd have a seat and the only tough part of the journey would be the Hammersmith to Hotel bit. If you are saddled with larger luggage, that's the bit that might be tougher just because of hauling it onto a bus.

So either one is good, might be a last minute decision for you (if it's a rainy day, the flight was bad, customs was terrible and you just want to get to the hotel and not be surrounded by people anymore...a cab would probably seem like a bargain for 40 pounds).

thanks for the response. at this point, i'm still optimistic in taking the transit to the hotel. i don't know why, since we always change our minds when we get to our destinations, and just cab it. i guess it's because everything is so much more expensive in europe. we will both be carrying 1 large luggage and 1 hand carry each.

[nj2Type-S]

Originally posted by ExtremeSi
I spent a week in London and found it was not enough time to see everything I wanted to. There's just a ton to see there. At first we tried to fit a lot of things in each day, but found we were rushing around too much, so we started just visiting 2 different attractions a day. We didn't bother with the London Eye. We got a great view from the top of St.Paul's so we didn't feel we needed to go up high again.

We hit a few museums and they were pretty amazing and most of them are free to enter with a suggested donation. They have a lot of stuff that you can only see there. Nothing like what we have in Calgary.

The tube is amazing. We bought a week Oyster pass that allows you unlimited travel within certain zones. We used the tube all the time since it's so convenient. There's tube stations everywhere. We also walked a lot so comfortable shoes are important.

Overall it was a great time and I would go back.

we're frikkin stoked!!! yeah, the "tubes" (gotta get used to that haha) would be cool. i think there's a station near our hotel.

how did you find the ease of public transport going from one attraction to the next? stupid question, but, are the locals generally friendly when asked questions and/or directions?

[ExtremeSi]

Originally posted by nj2Type-S


we're frikkin stoked!!! yeah, the "tubes" (gotta get used to that haha) would be cool. i think there's a station near our hotel.

how did you find the ease of public transport going from one attraction to the next? stupid question, but, are the locals generally friendly when asked questions and/or directions?

I found it super easy to get around. Like I said there's tube stations everywhere. I think we only took a bus once. The tube is faster and pretty well organized. Once you figure out the map and giant tunnel system you have to walk through sometimes, you're good.

And ya the locals were friendly anytime we had to ask for help. It's a very touristy city and the locals seemed welcome to it.

[rx7_turbo2]

I've been to London a few times, most recently this past December/January.

I've always hopped on the Tube from Heathrow never had an issue. If your hotel is relatively close to a Tube station that's what I would do. The Tube in general is a great way to move around from attraction to attraction. Take a Black Cab once or twice more than anything to chat with the driver. However the Tube is easy to navigate, signs and maps are intuitive, and posted everywhere. There are closures and modifications or repairs to the Tube lines but I've found there are always lots of signs to notify you, and workers to ask if need be. Stations are always at key locations and nothing more than a short walk is required from most of the attractions you listed.

The London Eye is fun if the weather is clear, if it's overcast don't bother you won't see shit.

Tower of London is my wife's favourite attraction in London, but it can get stupid busy, get there early maybe do it on a weekday.

A boat trip up the Thames is fun especially if you have a good guide, but more than one trip up the river on a 3 day stay is probably overkill.

If you're a foodie the ground floor of Harrods is awesome, the rest of Harrods is a department store, my wife likes it but it's wasted time for me.

Buckingham Palace can be seen early in the morning, it's not to busy, if you want to see the changing of the guard get ready it'll be a complete zoo. I've always gone there to see the Palace but never bothered with the changing of the guard.

I love Westminster Abbey. I prefer to do it with the London Walks tour. They get you an entrance discount and get you in the back door so you don't have to wait in line. The guides are knowledgable as well. The London Walks tours offer a number of excellent tours of places you may not have thought about. www.londonwalks.com

Borough Market is another foodies delight. It can get super busy as well, especially on weekends, but worth a walk through that's for sure. We'll often just grab some bread, meats and cheese, then go picnic somewhere.

Piccadilly, Leicester Square, Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square etc are fine to walk around, I never spend an extended amount of time there though, unless there's a pub that catches my eye when I'm thirsty.

As mentioned there are some great museums. Natural history, RAF, Tate Modern. I always find the museums gobble up my time though. I could spend all day in them, I force myself to move through them relatively quickly. When I have more time there I plan longer stays in the museums, but with only three days it's tough.

My only other advice is to be flexible. There is so much to see and do, don't let your itinerary dictate everything. Prioritize the activities you absolutely have to do, but be prepared to go off track now and again when something catches your eye, or an experience not on your itinerary presents itself.

[ga16i]

Harrod's has an awesome watch department. The stuff listed is a pretty good tour of London. Just a few thoughts:

- London Bridge really isn't much to look at. Looked like a regular bridge to me.
- Piccadilly Circus has jack all, just Eros statue and shopping. I have no clue why it's well known haha.
- Trafalgar Square does have the National Gallery, but otherwise it's a large open concrete area.
- Buckingham Palace was very cool. 3 different areas you can visit, the Palace, Gallery and Mews. You'll want to call your garage your mews too when you're done.
- Tower of London's crown jewels were my favorite. Queen is baller.
- Chinatown near Leicester Square is worth a visit if you want to see Chinese people with a British accent.
- 10 Downing Street and Scotland Yard is worth a photo when you're around Westminster.
- Tube is awesome, but it is still 45-50min to Heathrow from London.

[slowy]

If you wanna walk around and see markets and a bit of London's style and culture, I would suggest hitting up or googling these areas:
(all easy to get to from the tube.

-Camden town
-Hyde park
-borough market as been said
-If it's Sunny out, Clapham common is a busy park with lots of pubs and restaurants near by (almost like a 17th Ave)
-Brick lane for some indian food (fun to barter for a cheap 3 course meal with wine)
-one of my favorite areas is Spitalfields (really close to liverpool street

Pm me know if you want to know more info about London.

[nj2Type-S]

now, what are the areas best to avoid? lol

[Feruk]

You can do all that in 2 days... Trafalgar Square is easily walking distance to Big Ben/Westminster Abbey/Buckingham Palace. Also note that all the museums are FREE, and there are some great ones in London. I'd spend day 3 in the Natural History museum if I were you. Skip science museum next door; super lame. British War museum was awesome too.

What to avoid: the boat rides... Why would you wanna ride on a dirty ass river? There are great places in the world for boat rides, but London?? Say "NO" to sewage splashing your face.

[mr2mike]

Originally posted by ga16i
- Chinatown near Leicester Square is worth a visit if you want to see Chinese people with a British accent.

Am I the only one that finds hearing this a) hilarious and b) odd all at the same time?
I guess it's just that you're expecting another accent, not British.

[nj2Type-S]

yeah, i think we'll end up at some museums. we're already there, so we may as well.

i wasn't planning on going to chinatown, but now, i kinda wanna do..lol.

edit:

i guess to clarify, the 2 boat rides we're planning on taking are:

- the boat ride in the thames
- the canal ride between little italy and camden

we thought about checking camden market when we get off at camden. should i skip it???

[Neil4Speed]

Originally posted by nj2Type-S

we thought about checking camden market when we get off at camden. should i skip it???

Nope, Camden market is sweet, a really cool scene spot. you don't have to spend tonnes of time there but really enjoyable to walk around.

[benyl]

10 downing as closed off in 2010 when we were there.

Bring a huge wallet or a small appetite if you eat at harrods. food is awesome, but so is the price!