Calling all Londoners please!

[NobbyNobbs]

We're arriving in Paddington for 12:00 tomorrow (will leave case in luggage area) and home Tuesday. Meeting friends in Nottinghill Tuesday afternoon and evening but everything else is pretty open.

Hoping to book Shard for tomorrow but not sure of times to get there and what else there is to do in that area. Will return to Paddington to get cases by 4ish to book into our hotel in Kings Cross and then again, we are plan free!

Any recommendations?

Going to buy a cocktail in the Shard but other than that, how long would we need in there?

Hoping to book Shard for tomorrow but not sure of times to get there and what else there is to do in that area.

Southwark Cathedral. Borough Market, which some people like but I'm not all that fussed about. Walk along the river in either direction. If you go east, you can walk over Tower Bridge. Look up the Tower Bridge website to see if it's going to be open when you're in the area. West you'll come to the Globe and Tate Modern. Or just walk across London Bridge and walk towards St Paul's or along the river on the North side. You can pick up a bus or Tube when you get tired.

I would take your cases to the left luggage at Kings Cross rather than slop back to Paddington. Won't the hotel let you leave them early- most do. Kings Cross is a quick bus trip to the Shard.

Borough Market with the Shard. Walk along the river past the Globe-tate modern- over the bridge and to St Pauls- you can get a direct bus back to Kings cross again.

Around the shard you can start at The Tower of London, walk across tower bridge and along south bank.

Around Paddington you can explore Paddington basin, Little Venice. Also walk to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens.

Breakfast at the Duck and Waffle Bishopsgate.

Thames Clipper down the Thames.

Loads to do!! Enjoy

If I were staying in Paddington I wouldn't trek to the Shard.

They're not staying in Paddington. Read it again.

Love Mumsnet! Thanks everyone.
How long would you spend up the Shard? We're hoping to grab some cheap seats tomorrow night to see a drama or show.

Bermondsey Street for art and food. Other markets round there too. Walk under tower bridge and keep walk to see a bit of the river that most people don’t visit. Remember MN obligations to mooch and find quirky cafes

If you are on a budget seat filler websites have lots of last minute cheap tickets for all sorts of stuff. A visit to the Soane Museum or pre-booked tickets to the bank of England tour.

Also. although London is no different from other big cities there are some nifty phone and bag thieves so don't leave bags on backs of chairs or phones on tablesetc

Will do my utmost to fulfill MN obligations, Sah!

<salutes>

Happy to mooch all day long.

Just paid for The Shard with my Tesco club card points!! Bonus!

Duly noted @Mammajay
Thank you!

Going to do this @evangelinename thank you. Makes so much sense.

Second the Bermondsey Street market nooks - stay AWAY from the tourist trap that is Borough Market and head to Maltby Street for coffee at WatchHouse/St John doughnuts/top tier wine in 40 Maltby Street

The Garrison or the Woolpack for a pint.

Cute flea market/vibtage bit of Vinegar Yard

But OP if you disclose any of these places to other tourists I will lock you up in the tower

Have a great visit. The are behind Kings cross has been regenerated so quite a bit to do there.

@BreakfastAtMimis Doh!

Check if the White Cube art gallery or Tate Modern has anything you are interested in.

I think if you have breakfast/brunch at one of the restaurants in the shard you don’t have to pay to see the view.

Afternoon tea at fortnum and masons or Browns hotel.

The hop on hop off buses are ££££ so use TFL buses to see the sights https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/visiting-london/experience-london/bus-leisure-routes

Borough Market is a nice little meander

Nowhere in London is a trek really, just jump on the tube when needed with a daily travel card.

What ages do you have with you? All adults? Teens? Do you like galleries or shops or eating or historic sights or churches or all of it?

whatever your favourites I would say the boat from Westminster to Greenwich shows you many sights from the river and Greenwich is nice for a walk and a view back across town.

Also watch out for people with petitions for you to sign. Clipboard theft is rife in some parts of central at the moment. While you’re signing they lift your purse or phone.

Not on a weekend around the Easter break it isn't. More of a 'so this is what it's like in a Sardine bait ball' with added pushchairs (no children in them, they're poking at Conger eels or sobbing over dead bunnies) and every sixth person has a massive camera for their insta shots.

The only place I'd say is worse would be Camden market (ish) of a Saturday lunchtime. That's your full sheep being shipped to the continent experience.

Went to a lovely little Mexican place on Tooley St recently, recommend the tuna sashimi tostada and mezcal margarita! Santo Remedio.

You also have good food options around Bermondsey- Jose Pizzaro tapas, Caffe Murano for Italian and I personally love Poulet. The roast chicken baguette is beautiful and gorgeous little florist at the back.

I’d also then wander over Tower Bridge, past Tower of London and through the City to St Paul’s.

Exmouth Market is not far from King’s Cross and a bit less touristy than the Granary Square development, Taqueria is another good Mexican (can you tell it’s my fave 😬) but the whole street is full of great places.

Wow! Thanks everyone!
Just DH and I will be there this time so some pub stops are essential.