Places to visit in London?

[Rulke]

I'm spending next weekend down in London, catching a couple of gigs in the evenings.

Looking for something to do during the day, so far my list just includes various museums.

Any suggestions?

 

[Jupitus]

I'm assuming you have the Natural HIstory and Science museums in your list already which are a must really, and free... Other things to consider would be the London Eye (great views but bad vertigo folks may not like it), the Tate gallery, St Pauls, Tower of London (always tourist-clad, but ok if you can bear them) and a bit odd but on a Sunday the City area is very quiet and a stroll around the Bank tube area can be interesting.

 

[Darthshearer]

I'm assuming you have the Natural HIstory and Science museums in your list already which are a must really, and free... Other things to consider would be the London Eye (great views but bad vertigo folks may not like it), the Tate gallery, St Pauls, Tower of London (always tourist-clad, but ok if you can bear them) and a bit odd but on a Sunday the City area is very quiet and a stroll around the Bank tube area can be interesting.

Canary Wharf is very weird on a weekend, nobody about at all, yet a couple of tube stops to Leicester Square etc and its MENTAL!

 

[mycenae]

i would second the london eye -
if you like cultury sort of stuff, the globe is always worth a look
natural history and science museums are AWESOMENESS cubed
the clockwork museum in covent garden can be quite fun too

 

[Chilly]

have a stroll around the tower, the old mint isnt far away from there and tower bridge is nice - although more of a photo op than an "activity". Do NOT go to madam tussards, the queues at the weekend are brutal.

 

[Rulke]

The tower might be interesting, will be in that area at some point.

Intinery at the mo is the British museum and the science/natural history museums.

 

[mycenae]

thats a good itinerary
an often missed bit of the science museum is the wellcome wing of medicine - its very interesting. They have old trepanning tools in there, the first ever robotic prosthesis from the 80s and wierd things in jars....its worth a look

 

[Tom]

The Tower of London tour is brilliant. Seeing the Crown jewels is amazing.

 

[Darthshearer]

The Tower of London tour is brilliant. Seeing the Crown jewels is amazing.

*chuckles*

 

[Moriath]

found the crown jewels most boring on the moving walk way .. prefered the torture pieces and the medievil armour and such

 

[Embattle]

Well this is the claimed top ten:

Top 10 London Attractions - Visit London

 

[Munkey]

If you go see the British Museum, make sure you go early as the crowds can get pretty manic, especially in the Egyptian rooms where it can be impossible to walk around.

Natural History Museum is worth a look, although I only go for the dinosaur exhibitions these days. Make sure you dedicate a day for it, as its pretty massive. Short walk from there is the Science Museum.

Plus theres the Victoria and Albert Museum, which for me is the best of them all and is seriously under-rated. The architecture of the V&A and the Natural History Museum are simply epic.

Plus if you go up Exhibition road, which is between the V&A and the Science Museum, you can see a section of wall that has been preserved since WWII and still has shrapnel marks on it from a bomb that fell nearby, and there is a plaque that commemorates it.

At the top of Exhibition Road, next to Hyde Park, is the Royal Geographic Society, home to all the famous explorers. You can't go in unless you're a member, but I always get a slight feeling of awe from just standing next to it.

Up exhibition road and to the left is the Albert Memorial, which is just opposite the Royal Albert Hall in Hyde Park. Most amazing thing you'll ever see, the level of detail is immense.

If you have the time, walk down towards Kensington and then enter Hyde Park via the Kensington Gardens, up to the Round Pound (Opposite Kensington Palace) and then inwards to the fountains (as seen in Bridget Jones Diary 2), and then down the lake towards the Serpentine, where you can either walk to Hyde Park Corner (Knightsbridge, near Harrods etc.) or instead to Marble Arch (where you can get to Oxford Street/See the Marble Arch)

A 15 minute walk from the Natural History Museum is Knightsbridge where Harrods is, if you're into seeing what is essentially an outdated supermarket. However, awesome place to buy some Arabic food.

Oxford Street/Regents Street isn't really worth it, as its just a bunch of shopping places. But St. Christophers Square which is near Bond Street is good for a spot of lunch.

Plus just behind Bond Street station is a nice little antique place called 'Grays', where there are about 200 antique dealers in the same building, with a lovely little Military antique store in the basement.

London Eye is worth going on, but expect lots of queues there as well. Just down the Thames is the Southbank Centre, where if you look online you can find tickets for upcoming London Orchestra performances, which are brilliant if you're into that sort of thing.

Opposite the London Eye is the Houses of Parliament, amazing place but chockabloc full of tourists, and Westminster Abbey is bang next door, where if you go at the right hour you can go inside to have a look. 3 minute walk from there is 10 Downing Street, but thats a little underwhelming. But its the heart of Whitehall, with the Ministry of Defence on the Thames and nearby is The Temple Church, the home of the Knight Templars (if you like the whole mythology behind them), but again check visiting times.

If you have the constitution, go on the London Eye in the morning, then walk down the Thames to Tower Bridge. Lets you see London how it should be, plus its pretty amazing seeing the landmarks which are famous around the world but you never really get to see close up. Walk across, see the Tower of London and then a 10 minute walk back up towards Westminster is St. Pauls Cathedral which is pretty awesome.


You don't have to spend a fortune to be in London, but it does help. Yet if you plan everything accordingly, and don't mind a bit of walking, then it can be cheap. Plus, you would be amazed at how close everything is, takes me about an hour to walk from the Lancaster Gate entrance of Hyde Park through Hyde Park, along the road that splits Green Park (where there is the awesome memorial to the colonies that fought in WWII plus if you time it right you can see the Royal Horse Guards riding through, past Buckingham palace, down to the Houses of Parliament, across the Westminster Bridge and past the London Eye and *bam* you're at Waterloo).

Buy a tourist map, it will help immensely, and look up as much as you can online and plan it out. There is tons to go and see

 

[Sharkith]

Imperial War Museum - well worth it. Definitely Tower of London as well.

Hampton Court is pretty good too.

 

[Rulke]

Thanks for all the replies (specially Munkey, repped!).

I'm really just after options, I'm not going to plan a precise schedule instead I'm just gonna take my time and have a wander.

Only set times are needing to be at the hammersmith appollo for Billy connolly on the friday night and then Wembley arena on Sat night for a gig

 

[Ch3tan]

Croydon. Who wouldn't want to visit the concrete paradise?

 

[Aoami]

imperial war museum in lambeth is sick.

 

[Rulke]

Yeah I was at the War museum a couple years ago, pretty good but the holocaust exhibitions really got to me - which is the point I suppose

 

[xane]

London Eye should be one of the top places.

If you are travelling in by train, you can get 2 for 1 deals on a lot of attractions, see Days Out Guide - London attractions with train tickets | London trains | trains to London

 

[MYstIC G]

Only set times are needing to be at the hammersmith appollo for Billy connolly

Me = green + envy. I really wanted to catch Billy but it's the wrong side of payday I hope it's a great as everything I've been reading says it is for you!

 

[tierk]

A couple that haven't been posted.

1. Madame Tussauds.

2. London Dungeons - not sure if it still up and running.

3. London Zoo - though quite crap last time i went.

4. Leicester Square.

5. Piccadilly Circus.

TBh the list of places to go and see is so long it would be pointless to try and name all of them here, you need to first figure out what sort of things you want to see - museums, landmarks, historical buildings etc - and then choose.

 

[Ch3tan]

On the above: Piccadilly Circus offers nothing, it's just a big junction with lots of bars ans shops. Leicester Square is jsut a big square with lots of bars and cinemas, there is nothing there, just a big tourist trap. London Zoo is pretty poor. The dungeons and Tussauds will both be far too busy on weekends (as has already been mentioned).

 

[MYstIC G]

In my personal opinion Tussauds is seriously expensive for what it is.

 

[tierk]

In my personal opinion Tussauds is seriously expensive for what it is.

Very but to be quite honest what isn't expensive in London nowadays?

 

[Rulke]

I've been to Tussauds before when I was wee, on a holiday with my folks and all I can remember of the place is it stank

 

[DaGaffer]

Is Buckingham Palace open this time of year? If its open then its worth a look (largely because its surprisingly tacky).

I'd agree about the London eye, definitely worth doing once. Also, a tour of St. Paul's and the British Museum are also good; but frankly I'd get a decent meal and a few pints and not worry about all the touristy crap.

 

[dysfunction]

You could always do an Open Top Bus tour as well. Would give you a good insight as to where everything is etc...

 

[Chilly]

Is Buckingham Palace open this time of year? If its open then its worth a look (largely because its surprisingly tacky).

I'd agree about the London eye, definitely worth doing once. Also, a tour of St. Paul's and the British Museum are also good; but frankly I'd get a decent meal and a few pints and not worry about all the touristy crap.

dinner and beer can be had anywhere - why bother doing it in london specifically?

 

[DaGaffer]

dinner and beer can be had anywhere - why bother doing it in london specifically?

You're perspective is wrong; why not bother doing it in London specifically? Particularly if you can afford a good restaurant.

 

[Chilly]

london doesnt have a monopoly on good restaurants. If you are somewhere, you might as well do things you can only do there to maximise value.

 

[Jiggs]

a man's gotta eat!