One day in London alone- what would you do?

[FeatherLoverGod]

I’m staying down for work and tomorrow’s day has been rejigged so I’m not needed til 6pm. Enforced free day in London and have no idea what to do with myself, I’m overwhelmed by the possibilities. Any ideas? I have no problem with doing things alone. Thanks in advance

Jeez, give us something to work with.

What sort of things do you like doing and which area do you need to be in at 6pm?

Museums /galleries are an obvious choice, but, as @Plexie says it depends how you like to spend your time.

Is the Troy exhibition still on at the British Museum? I'd see something like that, have a damn good potter and dim sum in China Town.

My DD says the Indian Paintings exhibition at the Wallace Collection is outstanding. Spend time in the National Gallery or V&A? Better dining room at the latter for lunch!

Go to St Paul’s Cathedral. Cross the Thames via the pedestrian bridge. Go to The globe theatre. Have lunch overlooking the Thames.

Go to Westminster Cathedral. Cross over the road and do a tour of the Supreme Court. Walk up Whitehall and then go to National Gallery.

Go to Spitalfields Market. Go into the Hawkesmoor Christ church at the end of Bushfield Street. Then wander around the streets where the silk weavers houses are. Princelet Street. There is a cafe at the church. Walk up Brick Lane. Go to the Box Park at Shoreditch.

Hope that’s a start for ideas!

The Tutankhamun exhibition is very good if you like that sort of thing. Followed by Kensington high street

Westminster Abbey!!! Not Cathedral.

Is the Tutankhamen exhibition sold out?

Wander round looking at things going “how much??????”

( it’s £20 into St. Paul’s, and £17 to the Globe, f’rinstance. Tate mod is free )

TKTS booth in Leicester Square for a cheap matinee theatre ticket. Google TKTS booth and there will be a list of available shows (note, not all are discounted).

Wallace Collection if art and museums are your thing. North of Oxford St/Bond Street Tube. It's free, has a great cafe/restaurant and close enough to Oxford Street (and Marylebone High Street) for shop mooching.

Have a lovely pootle around Liberty without your husband and two DSes whinging about wanting to go to Niketown (bitter emoticon).

I would go to the National Gallery, find an upmarket wine bar for a glass of something a bit nicer than normal, and then go for a wander outside somewhere.

Is the Picasso drawing exhibit still on at the RA? I’d go there. Then Liberty’s, then mooch

Definitely go to a matinee. That's what Wednesday is for!!

I would go to Covent Garden for brunch, and then mooch around shops. Wander over to Liberty’s near carnaby street and then off to soho to Bone daddies for early tea.

V&A, possibly one more museum, then lunch and mooching around Mulberry/LV/etc and Liberty.

I agree with the pp who said that the East India Company exhibition at the Wallace collection is brilliant. If you like art and decide to go, make sure that you take your headphones so that you can make the most of the free audio guide.

Thanks for the tips, lots of excellent ideas. I need to be in Clapham at 6 pm ready to dance for 2 hours 😩 but have taken your advice and booked a matinee. Been years since I’ve been to the theatre alone. Will do the V and A in the morning, and try and squeeze in Covent Garden lunch. How exciting! No DSs whinging about too much walking/sitting still/looking at stuff!

I’d go to the V&A, my favourite museum in London and free. Go somewhere nice for lunch, walk in one of the parks or along the river/Regents Canal if the weather is okay. Enjoy your day.

@FeatherLoverGod sounds idyllic, have an amazing time! I love the V&A so much. I also tend to walk everywhere in London - it’s great for spotting the unusual and I like the contrast to walking at home (country lass!)

If you are going to be in the West End, go to the TKTS booth in Leicester Square and bag a discounted ticket for a matinee, wander round the National Gallery for a couple of hours, have lunch in Chinatown and go to the show!

I would spend the morning in Liberty, because that shop is the most beautiful place, an inspiration. Then wander around Soho and find a table to eat lunch and people watch. The people watching is the best in SoHo.

Which show have you booked?

Liberty's
Spitlefiedld market
Portobello road

Shop in Uniqlo, window shop in Liberty.

If you like dance you should pop into the Royal Opera House for the shop.... maybe check out the terrace ( although maybe more for tea / cocktails than for lunch ). The restaurant up there is nice but pretty expensive