Help me plan 3 hours alone in London please!

[QuizzlyBears]

Next Tuesday I am accompanying a friend into central London - they have a job interview and I am going along for the ride/moral support on the journey. This means I’ll have approx 3 hours by myself to fill - the interview is around Covent Garden but I’m happy to get the tube. I’ve googled but recommendations are always best! We’ll have lunch beforehand but I’m thinking I definitely want to find somewhere lovely for a glass of wine or coffee, I like museums and art but also don’t want to spend the whole afternoon indoors. I’m not really familiar with London but I’m confident with exploring - so please wise
ones, if you had 3 hours alone what would be your ideal way to spend it? Thank you!

V and A museum. That's it really. Picadilly line down to Kensington . It's got a gorgeous tea Room / restaurant too.

Yep! V&A is the best, and if you want fresh air step into the courtyard between galleries!

I’ll third the V&A, wonderful place. In fact I could live there!

Oh I’m there next Sunday and meeting a friend - we did talk about cake, and I thought I’d like to see the V&A (somehow didn’t go for the seven years I lived there!) - that kills two birds with one stone.

Royal Academy in Piccadilly

Seven Dials food market off Neal Street

In the covered market in Covent Garden, there are some lovely coffee shops

National Gallery in Trafalgar Square

Go to Regents Park to see the art installations

The river boat cruise from Embankment to Tower bridge is fantastic- it is such a different view of London, and is ‘easy’. They often have very entertaining commentaries.

I came on to say the V&A. Nowhere better. And to be alone and go at your own pace will be utter bliss. Enjoy.

Assuming you're roughly in Covent Garden, I would go and spend a bit of time wandering through the National Gallery - its free to get in to everything apart from the special exhibitions - and you can see some amazing classic art. I would then - assuming its not raining - walk across Trafalgar Square, down Northumberland Avenue, and that leads you to one of the footbridges across the Thames. Then turn left, past Festival Hall - some very nice places to stop for a glass of wine there - and along the river to Waterloo Bridge. Walk back across that, stopping to look at the amazing views of London - in one direction the City, and in the other, Houses of Parliament. You're then a few streets away from Covent Garden itself where you can browse in some shops and watch some buskers. The shops in the main plaza of CG aren;t great - although there's sometimes a nice craft market - but if you go a bit further up, past the tube station and either left onto Long Acre or across onto Neal Street, they do get , a lot better.

Oh brilliant, thank you. I’ll definitely check out the V&A, and I love the idea of the walk route to see some sights!

Fortnums

Royal Academy
Glass of wine in Zedel
Shopping on Regent Street (Liberty)
Fortnums

Fresh air in Hyde or Green Park

Ooooh how fabulous! I'd probably dawdle down through Westminster to the Tate for a bit of art then cross over Lambeth bridge and dawdle back up along the southern side of the river, stopping for coffee/wine as I saw fit.

Whatever you do will be lovely I'm sure. Have a wonderful time!

See if Look Up Lindon are running any tours as they are great, otherwise V&A, seven dials, wander to Liberty/Carnaby.