Beachcombers

This time next week (ish). We will be in London for the weekend, before heading off to Sweden.

Melissa has never been to the UK and since I am a northern lad, I have not been to London since forever. So, we have Saturday do take in the sights, but there is a lot in cram in and I really do not want to be rushing around.

So if we were to start at the London Eye, what five "must do/see" things could we achieve at a leisurely pace?

RobClubley

The eye's great!
The tube makes it quick to get everywhere but check the distances - some places it's quicker to walk!
We enjoyed the Natural History Musem (if you're into such things) but it's huuge.

KiwiKate

Shopping in Covent Garden
Shopping in Bond St
Shopping along Oxford St
shopping at Camden market
shopping at Portobello Rd

If shopping isn't your thing (can you tell I miss Uk stores and markets? - sad I know) then how about:

1 Trafalgar Square - nelson & national portrait gallery
2 Tower Bridge and Tower of London - so close together count as one
3 Duck tour - over land and the Thames
4 West End show or Royal opera house (whatever's on)
5 And a shopping trip along any 1 of the above

Have fun!!!

Beachcombers

I am terrified of Mel getting into "shopping" mode esp with NZD vs GBP!

But was kind of thinking.....

London Eye
Houses of Parliament
Tower Bridge
Buckingham place
and a show

Got to fit dinner in somewhere and I am craving for a decent pint.

I guess the Cutty Sark is off the list now, shame!

southerner

1. walk along South Bank from London Bridge to Waterloo, taking in the Borough market, old pubs and the Tate modern

2. check out Leadenhall market, Lloyds building and the heart of the Square Mile

3. Camden or Greenwich

4. Covent Garden with side trip to Neal St and Belgo Centrale (moules frite and beer selection)

5. Brick Lane for a curry

5b Edgeware Road for a lebanese

5c Soho for a Chinese

5d Stoke Newington for a Turkish

5e Islington/Richmond/Kingston for a good choice of shopping, restaurants and pubs.

Beachcombers

Not had a decent Chinese since 2004 (as in food), now got a craving for Peking duck!

Maz

A tour around the Globe Theatre on the South Bank

Boat Trip to the Thames Barrier and stop off at Greenwich on the way back Have photos taken with one foot on either side of the Prime Meridian at the Royal Observatory. The Royal Naval College is also there. Cutty Sark is still there too, and because of the restorations, much of the timbers weren't in place anyway.

Speakers Corner in Hyde Park. Get some right nut-jobs there.

I would say Trafalgar Square but you missed the turf being there.

Can't think of anything else off the top of my head. Not unless you're heading down to Paris on the EuroStar...

Beachcombers

Boat trip down the Thames, brilliant! No shops along the way

Got "Waterloo Sunset" playing through my mind now.

Thanks Maz!

P2L

Definitely the London Eye. Quite inexpensive too for London

What about the Planetarium??

Or a picnic in St. James Park, nice stroll over the bridge and up the Mall to Buckingham Palace.

And I don't care how much you resist, you have to go to Harrods (I'll give Melissa directions myself )

Covent Garden on a weekend is cool too!!!

And don't forget that most of the galleries and museums are free now

KIRSTIE

hi

how about

camden you can also walk along the river at camden lock and there are loads of lovely cafes etc and you can also walk towards tottenham court road.
greenwich fab for shopping especially if the market is on, and you can get the boat back to the centre of london
ride on the docklands light railway ( you will see loads of london you don't normally see)
portobello road
v&a museum they always have nice collections on
richmond, it is not far on the tube or main line train and has a really nice park and some good shops / cafe and restaurants along the river - good place for celebrity hunting

hope that this helps a bit

with regards

kirstie

brandn

Get on the "big bus" (bigbus.co.uk). Open top bus all around London, get on and off when and where you want and the kids love it. Also agree with the river taxi £2.50, open air down the Thames, you can get on it from the pier at the London Eye and go as far as you want, there are stops all along the thames all the way down to Greenwich.

simonmarkellis

I'd go with

[1] London Eye
[2] Imperial War Museum (free)
[3] HMS Belfast
[4] Buckingham Palace (see Liz)
[5] West End Show

mazi

Even just walking around for hours is fab - and while I know this is not everyone's cup of tea, hours on the tube is also my idea of fun!

And you, with your excellent musical tastes, should go to Brixton and just soak it all up.

littleal

I always do National Portrait Gallery in Trafalgar Square. It is free and isn't too highbrow. Most visitors see Nelson and have their pictures taken with the lions in Trafalgar Square. Then walk up to Covent Garden and take in the atmosphere and the buskers.

Have a nice time.

Professional_Gypsy

check out the Comedy Store (Leicester Sq) for some late night stand up laughs over a few beers.

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