How many DUers have travelled to London? (Seeking info)

[derby378]

What are your impressions? What are the best sites to visit, and what's best left alone? Any advice on food, lodging, transportation, etc.? And what can you recommend concerning the RailEurope Chunnel to Paris?

Just trying to get a few ideas. Thanks!

[derby378]

1. Aw, c'mon!

Don't let this thread die - I need some feedback here. Thanks!

:grouphug:

[BigMcLargehuge]

2. use The Tube for transport

try and get day out of the city if you can, the relentless diesel fumes made me sick after a day. Go to The National Gallery, and to The Museum of Natural History.

[Ally McLesbian]

34. And the Science Museum...

... which is right next to the Museum of Natural History. You can lump the two into one visit.

The Science Museum has the Wellcome Wing, a newer section where one can explore the genetics and other factors that make each human being unique. It was heartwarming to see that the gender discussion in the exhibits included transgender - that's something American museums would never do, out of fear of offending some freepers.

[tjwmason]

3. The best city in the world.

I'm a tad biased living about 20 miles away though.

The sites really do depend on what you want to see. The major museums and art galleries (including British Museum, National Gallery, V&A, Tate Britain) are free, and have some of the best collections in the world. The two major churches Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral both now charge entry fees (more to ensure that there isn't over-crowding), both are very impressive however - you don't have to pay if attending the (daily) services.

If you're interested in British politics, then a trip to the House of Commons is probably worth it. There's a very obvious queue for the public gallery.

If you've got any more specialised interests - they're probably there too.

Can't give much advice on hotels - suffice it to say anything in the centre is going to be fairly pricey.

Transport - use the Tube. You can get a map of it just about anywhere and attractions tend to list the nearest Tube station. For more info. see http://www.tfl.gov.uk

The train to Paris is the quickest way (from city centre to city centre), but budget airlines may be cheaper - but remember to price in the cost of travel to the airports, they tend to fly from Stanstead and Luton (which are less accessible than Heathrow and Gatwick).

If you have any more specific questions don't hesitate to ask.

[derby378]

4. How do Chunnel fares run?

Some folks tell me $1000 for a round trip for two people, others tell me I can get it for as low as $180 one-way.

[seemunkee]

7. A thousand round trip?

http://meleterc.com/Page523.html#2004

[derby378]

9. Whew!

Thanks. That sounds much, much better.

[RebelOne]

Go down to Dover and take the ferry.

[CottonBear]

14. I attended the Wednesday Service at Westminster Abbey.

It was amazing. The Ugandan Commonwealth Delegation was in attendance. The boys and mens choir sand acapella. We all sat in the choir loft (not the correct architectural term) in the center of the abbey. It is the area where the seats face each other under a little roof. The service was beauitiful and the sound of the choir in the ancient church was awesome. It is a must do and it's free as you said!

[seemunkee]

5. We went as a family a couple of years ago.

Took the chunnel from Paris to London, it was great and so much easier than when I took the ferry in 76. Camden on market day is very interesting. The Tower of London and Westminster Abbey should not be missed if it is your first time. Museum of London has some fantastic ancient art works. The rosetta stone and Elgin marbles are well worth a visit. If you want to see one of the copies of the Magna Carta it is at the British Library. If you like books there is Waterstone's which I believe is the worlds largest book store.
Check out the restaurant Wagamamas, good inexpensive noodle shop.

[leftofthedial]

6. eat ethnic and drink lots of beer

and drink lots of beer

then drink lots more beer


(yes, and use the Tube for transportation. but mind the gap)

[derby378]

8. As long as we're talking beer...

Is there a particular beer you can recommend that's hard to come by in the States?

[tjwmason]

12. Drink beer rather than lager.

i.e., the warm stuff

If you pick a fairly quiet small pub, you might be able to have a quick chat with the barman see what he recommends.

I have a look and see what's on - London Pride or Bombadier, are what I tend to drink.

[dolo amber]

20. Don't drink their Guinness

Their Guinness isn't like our Guinness. It's like drinking a loaf of bread. I had 2 pints and felt so full and hammered I had to take a protracted party break. x(

[leftofthedial]

22. In London, I like all the Fuller's beers (offered on tap widely)

Plus many of the beers that are relatively available in the US taste different there.

[seemunkee]

28. I always like bitters

slightly hoppy but with more malt than an India Pale ale. If they have any cask or real ale definitely try it. Lagers are just like Bud/Coors/Miller here, be adventureous.

[CottonBear]

10. The British Museum and the Tower of London & crown jewels

are not to be missed. There is a great pub across from the museum where Karl Marx used to drink and write! You can purchase an excellent Yorkshire Bitter beer on draft there. Mmmm! The National Gallery of art is amazing if you have a chance to go. I studied art history so it was a "must see" for me. If you like horses and pageantry, make sure to see the Queen's Horse Guards changing guard. Beautiful. Hyde Park is nice for a stroll. There is great shopping and nightlife. The tube will take you everywhere! Have fun!

[Squatch]

11. Very expensive.

[CottonBear]

13. I did London really cheaply.

I stayed at a youth hotel near Hyde Park. I bought food at a local gorcery and made myself breakfast (fruit and yogurt) and little sandwiches to carry with me. I ate fish and chips once. I treated myself to beer in various pubs. I bought some way cool Doc Martens at a nifty Doc MArten store in a hip part of town. I went to the local street markets (Penny Lane?) on Saturday.

[bbernardini]

15. I've been...

My wife and I went as part of our honeymoon 5 years ago. I'd recommend a little Indian restaurant in Notting Hill, although I don't remember the name. Notting Hill is a great area in general to walk around. Of course, you must see Picadilly Circus, and whatever show the Reduced (note that's REDUCED) Shakespeare Company is doing in the theatre on the corner across from Tower Records. There's another great shopping street that I forget the name of at the moment...but the Virgin Megastore is on it. :)

[radwriter0555]

16. I wouldn't bother with the chunnel to paris. It's very expensive, compared

to Easyjet.com which has great prices for a quick jaunt over the channel.

London is great, all of it. Food is good, transport is a piece of cake. The tube is fast, friendly, easy. If you're looking for a package, try http://www.gate1travel.com GREAT site, great prices, have traveled with them several times and have referred others who fared very well with them.

London is fantastic for a first-timer, since there is no language barrier. If you get over to Paris, make sure you learn a few key phrases, it's a gas!

ENJOY.

[WolverineDG]

23. I second using EasyJet

It's Southwest with an accent! The earlier you book, the cheaper your costs. When my cousin & I were in London this summer, we used EasyJet to fly to Edinburgh, Amsterdam, then back to London. Flights were always on time, sometimes we arrived earlier. The planes were clean (but they don't give out free drinks or snacks, so bring your own if you must.

As for anything else about London, give me an idea of what you want to do/how much time you have/budget. London is expensive, but I keep going back! :)

I always do at least 1 or 2 of these & highly recommend them if it's your first trip: http://www.walks.com/ I think there's also a Paris version.

dg

[book lady]

17. When we were in London,

we took the open top bus tour. You can buy a 24hr ticket and it is a hop on, hop off tour, so that you can get off along the route. During the summer months, I believe it runs 24 hours a day. The cost was reasonable as well. I also enjoyed Covent Garden. And I agree with the other DU'ers, take the tube. Enjoy!

[Metta]

18. My wife and her mother.

They also went to Ireland and Scotland. Had a wonderful time. :) :hi:

[CBHagman]

19. Loved it.

I visited in the 1980s, so bear in mind I wouldn't have any exposure to the more recently added attractions.

Then again, London has been adding attractions for CENTURIES, so it's okay to get behind. :-)

If you have any interest whatever in art, history, and culture in general, do not miss the Tate Gallery, the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, the British Museum, and the Victoria and Albert. I understand the Courtauld Gallery is also worth a visit, but I missed that. :-(

I'm pretty much a church nut when traveling, so I made sure to go to Westminster Abbey (and I attended mass at Westminster Cathedral, which is R.C.), St. Margaret's Chapel, and St. Paul's. I'm truly sorry I missed some of the other houses of worship.

In Westminster Abbey, I was moved by the stained glass window memorial to the airmen who died in the Battle of Britain.

On edit: Also went to a dress rehearsal of Benjamin Britten's Billy Budd at Covent Garden (through a friend's influence).

We also made sure to visit the house of Samuel Johnson and then have pub grub at the Cheshire Cheese, which I think is in Fleet Street.

I was less moved by the usual touristy things, like the Changing of the Guard and the Crown Jewels, though the sight of Traitors' Gate at the Tower of London sent a chill through me.

[WolverineDG]

24. The Changing of the Guard

is a big waste of time. It's free & I still wanted my money back. :-(

dg

[formerrepuke]

21. Just walking around is a delight; consider one or two of these:

Guided walking tours of London neighborhoods; there are different themes, different neighborhoods.. each catering to different tastes. It's a wonderful way to familiarise oneself with the city


http://www.walks.com/Homepage/default.aspx

[smirkymonkey]

25. There are quite a few charming (and cheap) little B&B's on

Gower Street (in the Bloomsbury neighborhood near University of London) - very conveniently located, we walked everywhere and it was nice to come home to our quiet little B&B in the evening. The place we stayed in was called the Garth Hotel, and while it wasn't business class, it was clean and charming in it's own quirky way. You may want to look it up on Google.

Also, it's nice to take a day trip out to the Cotswolds, Oxford or even Bath (might want to do an overnight) as a little getaway. In London, just walking around and exploring was half the fun, but you should definitely check out the sights mentioned in the posts above.

[bikebloke]

26. Gone over for work.

The British Museum is worth a visit. When I've gone over to our London office, everyone there is always saying go to the Tate. Especially since they have evening hours. A former colleague always used to lose her shoes in the Tube (after drinking sessions for some reason), so if you see any on the tracks, they're hers. The Notting Hill Sunday street market is worth a skip, unless you want to waste your money on junk. Fine for people watching though.

Personally, London has never really clicked with me. Even back when I was a new traveller and everything was exciting. Over on the continent, now that's my turf.

[DrDan]

27. been there several times

enjoyed the pubs immensely - best place to lunch

also enjoyed the toy department at Harrods

If you have time, get out of town to Cambridge and Oxford (preferred Cambridge) - easy train ride

Speakers corner in Hydes Park was worth some time

[Ally McLesbian]

29. Three-time visitor

I love London. By far, it's my favorite place to be - even more so than Amsterdam (which is grossly overrated).

By all means, go for the British Museum, V&A, and Tate Modern. The British Empire's loots from its former colonies make London's museum great places to see (for example, you can actually read the real Rosetta Stone). Greenwich Observatory is another good pick. Don't forget the Tower of London, or the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace. Skip Madame Tussaud's wax museum, I don't like blowing GBP 20 just to look at the likeness of W (and another GBP 6 to "give a speech" with him).

Don't miss a musical in the West End; go to a TKTS half-price ticket booth at Leicester Square to get same-day tickets.

Don't forget window-shopping on Oxford Street and at Harrods.

I'll agree with so many others - use the Tube. Despite the graffiti, it's much better than the NYC Subway. Buy a one-day Travelcard for under GBP 5, which will get you unlimited rides for the day after 9:30.

Use the National Rail to travel to other cities; avoid Fridays, when fares skyrocket. My favorite day trip is Windsor Castle, although the town of Bath is a close second.

Don't even think of driving; it costs USD $9 or so to enter downtown London per day, and even if you do, you can't park, and the maze of one-way streets will get you. Add the complexities of driving on the wrong side, and most likely stickshift, and... it's too much. (I say this from personal experience.) Stonehenge is the only day trip where a car makes any sense - but well worth it.

Accommodations: I've used Priceline to land 4-star hotels for under $100/day. London lodgings are otherwise way too pricey.

As for Eurostar to Paris, try advanced reservation at raileurope.com or eurostar.com... You could get dirt cheap fares around $120 roundtrip, with lots of restrictions. But Paris needs at least 3-4 days on its own.

Have a nice trip.

[derby378]

30. Speaking of lodgings...

I don't need to stay in the center of the city, so if that drops the price some, I'm all for it - as long as we have access to the Underground. Any thoughts on a suburb like Islington or King's Cross?

[Ally McLesbian]

32. Islington/Kings Cross

It's hardly suburban. Your Zone 1 Underground ticket (which covers downtown) will still be good there.

I found a bargain two years ago at a Thistle hotel in Islington (this no longer seems to be a Thistle hotel now). I paid USD $64 or so for a single on a Sunday night in November, a bargain by London standards. This place was very modern and well-equipped.

It took me about 6-7 minutes to walk to the nearest Underground station at Kings Cross.

The neighborhood left me something to be desired though. I ended up using the pay phone in the lobby, and a 2-minute call back to California cost me $33 when I got the credit card statement!

Good luck!

[vino]

33. In King's Cross

you need to be careful. There are some places to stay near there but it is central It is also a major red light area. Drug dealers and prostitutes abound after dark you will end up getting taxis back to your hotel all the time.
Recommended places (in no particular order)

Tate Modern (also get the museum boat to the Tate gallery in Pimlico)
Borough market (Saturdays - go early 9am +)
18 Folgate street ( a restored 18th century house in Spitalfields) simply amazing
The London Eye

Cafe Mandola - Westbourne Grove (Sudanese food in the evenings only) very tasty.
Brick Lane - good cheap curry
Queensway/ Edgware Road if you are going in the summer it is like going to the middle east as wealthy Gulf Arabs go for the summer to escape the heat. Lots of Arab cafes with traditional coffee and cakes. It's just a whole new side of London.
English food gets a bad rap one of the best restaurants in the world (according to Anthony Bourdain) is St John in Smithfield (not for the vegetarian)

Pubs- do not go to Wetherspoons they have all the atmosphere of McDonalds and the food is dreadful
Shopping - Marylebone High Street is good and less crowded than Oxford street etc

Enjoy your stay.:-)

[tjwmason]

35. The Tube goes way out.

There's a station just down the road from me - but obviously the further out the fewer and farther the stations.

The Tube works on a multi-zone system, the centre of London is Zone1 then there are concentric circles around that for each subsequent zone. The main difference is that the price rises in each zone. The best system is probably to get a travelcard - these allow unlimited travel within specific zones for a given time (e.g. day/week).

[WolverineDG]

36. i stayed in kings cross this summer

it was ok, not the greatest area i've stayed at, but lots of hotels & tourists roaming around the station. we ended up at the comfort inns & suites, a couple of blocks' walk from kings cross station just past argyle square. i can't remember what we paid for it (maybe $100/night each?) for a 1 bedroom suite that had a small kitchen, living room & sofa.

What you might want to do is check out Priceline for hotels in London. Sometimes you can score a really good deal for $75-80/night for a 3 star. For our stay after we got back from Amsterdam, we stayed at a Thistle near Russell Square tube. Nice area, close to the British Museum, good Italian restaurant (Il Forno) closeby. $80/night for 3 nights. Not too bad.

dg

[Ally McLesbian]

43. Russell Square

That's my favorite area of town to stay in... Though when I stayed there ten years ago, I had to pay GBP 100/night for a single at a beat-up Le Meridien.

[derby378]

31. Also...

Many, many thanks for the help and feedback I've received so far.

:grouphug:

[Aristus]

37. I can recommend a pub for you. It's the Queen's Head and Artichoke

pub, near Great Portland street in Camden town. Don't you just love the name of the pub? Quintessentially English if you ask me. The patrons are mainly working-class Irish guys. Very friendly and welcoming to an American tourist like me. 'Course, this was back in 1993, when the world had a better opinion of us. The beer is good, pumped by hand from the beer cellar. They will also cook you some meat and potatoes if you ask them.

[derby378]

40. Thanks for the recommendation

I had thought it would be neat to check our the Crown and Anchor pub on the Strand, because that's the birthplace of the drinking song To Anachreon, in Heav'n, which Francis Scott Key liberally borrowed from to create The Star-Spangled Banner. But alas! The pub closed its doors over 140 years ago, replaced by the Whittington Club, and I don't even know if that remains in business anymore.

Queen's Head and Artichoke, check. Nice name. I'm still waiting for the day when a pub opens in Ireland with the name Cromwell's Bloody Stump. That would be so cool.

What are the oldest pubs in London still in business, out of curiosity?

[tjwmason]

42. There will be many which all claim to be the oldest.

Perhaps worth a look -

The George Inn, Southwark - which is mediaeval in origin, now owned by the National Trust (and leased out for business), it is referred to in Little Dorrit by Dickens.

The Olde Cheshire Cheese, Fleet Street - it was burned down in the Great Fire, and was frequented by Ben Jonson.

The Prospect of Whitby, Wapping - dates to about 1520, famed for being the haunt of various smuglers and other ne'erdowells, it was rebuilt in the 19th century.

See also http://victorianresearch.org/hainesonpubs.html

[Kashka-Kat]

38. my fave places

VERY QUIRKY house/museum stuffed full of antiquities and oddities: http://www.soane.org/index.html (although the website does not do it justice)

The British Museum- incredible ancient egyptian displays- rosetta stone, etc., and incredible gigantic stuffed mammoths and other prehistoric animals found frozen in siberia

Victoria and Albert museum- stuff people lived with from various eras- furniture, clothing, housewares--some of it quite incredible!

Various Flea Markets

Did I say-- incredible?

Do you have time to get out of London a bit-- the Brighton Pavillion (quirky place built by eccentric king in the 1700s), various castles and ruins in county south of London

[derby378]

41. I like quirky - sounds like fun

Thanks for the info!

[northzax]

39. don't take the Chunnel

fly, it's actually cheaper, much, much cheaper.

[omshanti]

44. Take the tube everywhere. Get a good guidebook.

There are trains that go directly from London Heathrow and Gatwick to St. Pancras/Victoria station, from which you can catch a tube. You can get a day pass which allows you unlimited travel on the tube during off-peak hours. DO NOT get on the tube during the morning/evening commute! it is crazy. Beware of pickpockets.

I liked Covent Garden, St. Paul's cathedral, and the British Museum of course! The Rosetta stone is in the B.M.

Food - good pub food is fantastic. Stay away from chain pubs. Indian food is very authentic overall in England.

Get a good guide book and some walking shoes and save $ on transportation and expensive guides. There are some fantastic bus tours of London for not a lot of $ and the guides are so wonderful, they sing and narrate in a typical Londoner way.

Nightlife in London is fantastic too.

[MaggieSwanson]

45. I stayed right next to Hyde Park

At the Berjaya Eden Park hotel. Nothing too fancy, but clean and cheap and right around the corner from the Bayswater station, which is on the Circle line (which takes you just about anywhere in Central London).

http://www.berjayaedenparkhotel.co.uk/

I got a week's travel pass from my travel agent, so whether I was on the tube, the light railway, or the bus my fare was taken care of, and I remember it only cost about 40 dollars (US). It's been 5 years, so prices may have changed.

My favorite store is Fortnum&Mason on Picadilly street, and I loved the museums, especially the National Gallery.

...and buy some Marmite while you're there!