Mahesha

Hi Everybody,
First of all, Thanks everyone who responded to my earlier questions
about transportation in London.
Now I do need some advice on planning the sightseeing in London.
we(me & my wife) will be reaching London on 27th Dec around 10.00 a.m
and leaving on 29th Dec around 6.00 p.m. So, we have 1 full day and
two half days to see as much as possible.
We are still debating on whether to take a)Big bus tour or b)3 day
London Pass. c)Take a travel card
This is our first trip to London and hence would be comfortable taking
the Big bus tour as they have the guides to tell us the big picture.
Here are the places we want to visit.

1-Buckingham Palace
2-Westminster Abbey
3-Tower Bridge
4-Tower of London
5-Big Ben
6-British Museum
7-Hyde Park
8-St Paul Cathedral
9-Covent Garden
10-Trafalgar Square
11-London Eye
12-Windsor Castle
13-London Dungeon
14-Tate Modern

I do not know which of these places need a entrance fee and how much
time each of these takes to cover.
It would be great if someone could give me a headsup on this. I would
have loved to include a musical or theater. I don't think its
possible this time.Also pls let me know which of the places above
aren't worth visiting so we can skip. Pls do include if I've missed
any must sees..
We are going to stay in a hotel in Slough(litte far from London).

Thanks in advance ,
Mahesha

Gernot Egger

Mahesha wrote:
    > Now I do need some advice on planning the sightseeing in London.
    > we(me & my wife) will be reaching London on 27th Dec around 10.00 a.m
    > and leaving on 29th Dec around 6.00 p.m. So, we have 1 full day and
    > two half days to see as much as possible.

Take a bus-round-trip first. So you will see much of London's sights.

    > 1-Buckingham Palace

You can't enter it. (apart from Summer IIRC)

    > 3-Tower Bridge

You can pay an entrance fee for it and see the interior but as your time is
limited leave it.

    > 5-Big Ben

Part of the Houses of Parliament.

    > 6-British Museum

Skip it or make sure what you want to see there before getting to London.

    > 7-Hyde Park

Which part? Leave it if you do not have time left.

    > 8-St Paul Cathedral

Climb it up! Great view and skip London Eye!

    > 11-London Eye

Skip it! Just expensive IMO!

    > 12-Windsor Castle

IMO a day trip from London! Skip it! You don't have the time. Nevertheless a
nice place.

    > 13-London Dungeon

Skip it! Nothing special! I was disappointed.

    > I do not know which of these places need a entrance fee

Most places! And London is not cheap! :-)

    > I would
    > have loved to include a musical or theater. I don't think its
    > possible this time.

Why not? This is in the evening anyway! Just book your tickets from abroad.
Then you do not have the hassle to get the tickets whilst in London.

lg Gernot

Phil

Mahesha wrote:

    > We are going to stay in a hotel in Slough(litte far from London).

John Betjeman was arguably Britain's favourite poet, also arguably, his
best known work was <http://www-cdr.stanford.edu/intuition/Slough.html>.
You may well agree with him.

Phil

Doug Cutler

I don't think it it too late. There are at least a couple of internet
booking agents that will work with you, we have used
http://www.albemarle-london.com/news.html quite a number of times. Have
not used the Web form but did it by telephone. There was one screwup but
the was sorted out at the theater (to our advantage, no less). You may
also want to look at http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/. I love
London theater, probably because I spent 12 years there as a teenager
then an undergrad. The theaters a much smaller than the US, or at least
the Kennedy Center(!!) which makes it a very different experience.
Doug.


Mahesha wrote:

    > Hi Everybody,
    > First of all, Thanks everyone who responded to my earlier questions
    > about transportation in London.
    > Now I do need some advice on planning the sightseeing in London.
    > I would
    > have loved to include a musical or theater. I don't think its
    > possible this time.
    > Thanks in advance ,
    > Mahesha

Hatunen

On Sun, 23 Nov 2003 21:12:41 +0100, "Gernot Egger" <>
wrote:

    >Mahesha wrote:
    >> Now I do need some advice on planning the sightseeing in London.
    >> we(me & my wife) will be reaching London on 27th Dec around 10.00 a.m
    >> and leaving on 29th Dec around 6.00 p.m. So, we have 1 full day and
    >> two half days to see as much as possible.
    >Take a bus-round-trip first. So you will see much of London's sights.
    >> 1-Buckingham Palace
    >You can't enter it. (apart from Summer IIRC)
    >> 3-Tower Bridge
    >You can pay an entrance fee for it and see the interior but as your time is
    >limited leave it.
    >> 5-Big Ben
    >Part of the Houses of Parliament.

And, of course, Big Ben is the bell within the famous clock tower
at Westminster, and accordingingly out of sight of tourists.

    >> 6-British Museum
    >Skip it or make sure what you want to see there before getting to London.

Eh? Browsing can be part of the fun.

[...]

    >> I do not know which of these places need a entrance fee
    >Most places! And London is not cheap! :-)

But not the British Museum.

    >> I would
    >> have loved to include a musical or theater. I don't think its
    >> possible this time.
    >Why not? This is in the evening anyway! Just book your tickets from abroad.
    >Then you do not have the hassle to get the tickets whilst in London.

Or, take your chances on what might be available at a discount at
the ticket stand in Leicester Square (theater roulette, so to
speak).

[...]

************* DAVE HATUNEN () *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

Jon Hanstein

"Gernot Egger" <> wrote in message
news:bpr4bk$1nque6$...

    > Mahesha wrote:
    > Take a bus-round-trip first. So you will see much of London's sights.


    > > 1-Buckingham Palace
    > You can't enter it. (apart from Summer IIRC)

But you can of course see the changing of the guards:
http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page570.asp

    >>2-Westminster Abbey

Might be crowded, but it's worth the wait. Remember to check if it is open
http://www.westminster-abbey.org/


    > > 3-Tower Bridge
    > You can pay an entrance fee for it and see the interior but as your time
is
    > limited leave it.

Agree. It's not that expensive but not very interesting. £4.5
http://www.towerbridge.org.uk/


    > > 6-British Museum
    > Skip it or make sure what you want to see there before getting to London.

I like the British museum very much and it's free, but don't spend to much
time there. I like the Rosetta stone, the mummies and the reading room. One
hour will give you a quick overview and you can spend more time there the
next time you visit London.

    > > 7-Hyde Park
    > Which part? Leave it if you do not have time left.

The Big Bus starts at the corner of Hyde Park/Speakers corner. Take a quick
stroll if you feel like it, but nothing special about it IMHO. St. James's
park is smaller and nicer.

    > > 8-St Paul Cathedral
    > Climb it up! Great view and skip London Eye!

A MUST when in London. The view is excellent. £6

    > > 11-London Eye

    > Skip it! Just expensive IMO!

Only if you have the time. I liked the view

    > > 13-London Dungeon
    > Skip it! Nothing special! I was disappointed.

Children might insist on going there, but wouldn't recommend it if you are
short on time.

barney

In article <>,
(Mahesha) wrote:

    > we(me & my wife) will be reaching London on 27th Dec around 10.00 a.m
    > and leaving on 29th Dec around 6.00 p.m. So, we have 1 full day and
    > two half days to see as much as possible.
    > Wm are still debating on whether to take a)Big bus tour or b)3 day
    > London Pass. c)Take a travel card
    > This is our first trip to London and hence would be comfortable taking
    > the Big bus tour as they have the guides to tell us the big picture.
    > Here are the places we want to visit.
    >
    > 1-Buckingham Palace
    > 2-Westminster Abbey
    > 3-Tower Bridge
    > 4-Tower of London
    > 5-Big Ben
    > 6-British Museum
    > 7-Hyde Park
    > 8-St Paul Cathedral
    > 9-Covent Garden
    > 10-Trafalgar Square
    > 11-London Eye
    > 12-Windsor Castle
    > 13-London Dungeon
    > 14-Tate Modern

In the short time you have available, I would suggest you visit
Westminster Abbey (you can also see the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben
from close by), either St. Paul's Cathedral or the London Eye (for the
views), and either the British Museum or the Tower of London.

Be aware that despite its name, the British Museum is not particularly
about British artefacts - if you want a dose of English history you will
be better off at the Tower.

Windsor Castle is a bit out of London and realistically will eat up a
whole day. Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden are just places - if you're
going to the theatre in the evening you can easily see them both in a
spare hour before!

If you are interested in modern art, certainly drop any or all of the
above in favour of Tate Modern. If not, but you would still like to visit
an art gallery, the National Gallery or the smaller and much less-visited
National Portrait Gallery are both very central (right on Trafalgar
Square, in fact).

Susan Wachob

Actually, Speaker's Corner is really quite interesting- but I think
people only gather there to speak on Sundays. Does anyone know?


Hyde Park/Speakers corner. Take a quick
    > stroll if you feel like it, but nothing special about it IMHO. St. James's
    > park is smaller and nicer.

Gernot Egger

Jon Hanstein wrote:
    >>> 1-Buckingham Palace
    >> You can't enter it. (apart from Summer IIRC)
    > But you can of course see the changing of the guards:
    > http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page570.asp

Sure! Changing of the guards is a major event. Horse guards has a changing
of the guards too. I do not when but it is a nice alternative.

    >>> 2-Westminster Abbey
    > Might be crowded, but it's worth the wait. Remember to check if it is
    > open http://www.westminster-abbey.org/

It is worth a visit IMO but remember the Stone of Scone is back to Scotland.

lg Gernot

Mark Hewitt

"Hatunen" <> wrote in message
news:...
    > On Sun, 23 Nov 2003 21:12:41 +0100, "Gernot Egger" <>
    > wrote:
    > >> 1-Buckingham Palace
    > >
    > >You can't enter it. (apart from Summer IIRC)

True. But I thought it was worth a walk down the Mall just go to and peer
through the fence. Just one of those things it's nice to say that you've
seen it.