If you had an unexpected day in London...

[donkeyhottie]

What would you do?

Free/cheap ideas welcome!

Lots of the museums don't charge entry. My favourite is the British Museum.

Start at Westminster Bridge and wonder past Houses of parliament, Westminster Abbey, through St James' Park, up to Buckingham Palace and through Green Park. There's a tube station at Green Park so just decide where you want to go after that.

If you have Tesco Clubcard points you could exchange for a ticket for the London Eye, or Tower of London.

A boat trip down the Thames? Some of them aren't too expensive.

Start at Oxford Circus and work my way down to Piccadilly via &other stories, Liberty, Zara Home, & Wholefoods. Then down Piccadilly (via Fortnums) to Green Park, walk through to Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens til I get to Exhibition Road and go to the V&A. If I still had time then either carry on through Kensington Gardens to Holland Park or get a cake from Kova or Merveilleux de Fred and wander down through Kensington and Chelsea to the river.

Depends what you like doing! And budget.

With a low budget I’d visit a free attraction, eg Tate Britain, National or National Portrait gallery, walk somewhere scenic, eg over a bridge to or from the South Bank, and eat somewhere nice but budget.

With a high budget would see a matinee show.

Or shop!

Just me?

I'd start in Liberty for tea and cake and a browse. A mooch on Regent Street and get sprayed with something lovely in Penhaligons. Then I'd go to Fortnums for essential biscuit and smoked Earl Grey purchases. A late lunch - would probably spend all of the day before researching where - or afternoon tea at The Wolseley. Definitely a drink at The Wolseley if not food. At least an hour in the big Waterstones - or zip over to Daunt
Books.

I'd end at the Wellcome for their bookshop.

Or I'd go to the V&A.

I love Covent Garden so I'd mooch about there

I’d walk around spitalfields - visit some of the Whitechapel murder sites, visit the market, mooch in the shops, eat amazing food from market or restaurants.

Marylebone High Street for a morning mooch and lunch , and trip to Daunts as already suggested. Then down to Fortnums for a happy half hour in their perfume department, along to Santa Maria Novella to treat my self to something smelly and lovely. Wander over to the RA for a bit of visual culture, cut across to Liberty before they close, then an early supper at Cote or somewhere similar that won’t break the bank.

With a low budget I’d visit a free attraction, eg Tate Britain, National or National Portrait gallery, walk somewhere scenic, eg over a bridge to or from the South Bank, and eat somewhere nice but budget.
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Lots of 'nice' restaurants do decent lunch deals, so you could have a 'nice' lunch out and then a sarnie/sushi/M&S cocktail on the train home for dinner!

I'd head to Camden for a nice mooch around the market and then some people watching whilst drinking tea from Camden Tea Shop. Then I'd take my pick from all the lovely street food stalls.

Sorry, just realised you want cheap ideas, mine are mostly free, but not necessarily cheap. ............

If I had time I would pop into the Wallace collection while in the Marylebone vicinity.

........

Cheap day alternative

AM : visit Foundling Hospital, then lunch at Mary Ward Settlement in Queen Square,
PM: British Museum, tea and cake at the Literary Review bookshop, evening film / drink at the Curzon cinema in Brunswick Square. Loads of chain restaurants to eat at there.

Only temptation is the Literary Review Bookshop. This itinerary has the advantage that all the places are within very easy walking distance of each other.

British Museum and Borough Market are my two must-dos in London. I can’t go without doing at least one and hopefully both.

A visit to the big Foyles is up there too.

British museum , V & A or the national portrait gallery - love them all .

Most of the above, apart from The National Portrait Gallery as it's closed until 2023 - humph - as I'm also planning a London trip right now.

YY to the British Museum. We spent 4 hours there last week and still only saw a fraction of it.

British Museum, tea and cake at the Literary Review bookshop

You stole my suggestion… love that bookshop. Alternatively the Tate Modern and a walk to Borough market for food. Don’t try to pack too much in… the South bank usually has stuff of interest on.

I tend to gravitate towards Covent Garden for some reason, I know not why!

I'd go to the Scandinavian Kitchen just off Oxford Street and eat lovely food. It's semlor bun season and going there is something I miss now I don't live in London any more.
Lots of free museums. I like the Geffrye museum and it won't be heaving busy like some and has a good cafe, if you don't mind going out there.

Oh have been wanting to try the Scandinavian Kitchen!

The Jewish museum is absolutely incredible. It's free. About ten mins from Camden market.
Covent garden is pretty and there's a less swanky market just behind it.
Seven dials area is nice for weird shops and a wee brewdog.

@viques

Sorry, just realised you want cheap ideas, mine are mostly free, but not necessarily cheap. ............

If I had time I would pop into the Wallace collection while in the Marylebone vicinity.

........

Cheap day alternative

AM : visit Foundling Hospital, then lunch at Mary Ward Settlement in Queen Square,
PM: British Museum, tea and cake at the Literary Review bookshop, evening film / drink at the Curzon cinema in Brunswick Square. Loads of chain restaurants to eat at there.

Only temptation is the Literary Review Bookshop. This itinerary has the advantage that all the places are within very easy walking distance of each other.

Second the foundling museum. Staff v knowledgeable. Really interesting place.

National Portrait Gallery closed atm

If a Friday, I'd do Borough Market, then wander around the South Bank, Tate Modern, walk over Millennium Bridge, wander through City via St Pauls Cathedral and then perhaps either mooch about Shoreditch or back towards Tower Bridge, weather dependent.

I like that bit of London best.

If I had £££ then I'd shop and eat around Soho/Golden Square, maybe look around Mayfair/Savile Row/Dover St. it's a great area to photograph (free!)if you have a decent camera or phone. A cinnamon bun and coffee at Ole & Steen.

@TheMadGardener

I'd go to the Scandinavian Kitchen just off Oxford Street and eat lovely food. It's semlor bun season and going there is something I miss now I don't live in London any more. Lots of free museums. I like the Geffrye museum and it won't be heaving busy like some and has a good cafe, if you don't mind going out there.

The Geffrye museum has been renamed the Museum of the Home.