Londoners (and non Londoners) I need your help!

[readingismycardio]

Hi everyone,

Hope you're all good and content in the run up to Christmas.

My husband and I are visiting London soon. I've been to London before, but years ago, but my husband never did.

We only have a booking at Ottolenghi (I hope it's good!), but other than that... no plans!

What are your favorite places to eat, visit, shop?

Many thanks

Covent Garden is a nice place to visit - plenty of shops, street entertainers and loads of good restaurants. The London Transport Museum is there too.

Well, what do you like doing? Where are you staying? How long do you have? There's no ‘standard’ one size fits all London.

We need more info! What sort of things do you like? What is your budget? I'm presuming you want to avoid places like Lita in Marylebone where a starter can cost £30...

My top london tip at the moment is to get a reservation at the bar for drinks at the Sky Garden. That way you avoid the queues for normal entry.

Are you coming from abroad or do you already live in the UK?

And what has prompted the trip- is it something your husband has always wanted to do, or said he fancied, or is he a reluctant companion who will need to be convinced?

London is a big place with a lot of choice! What do you like/want to do, shopping, history, culture, walks? What kind of food and what budget? Do you want to do classic sightseeing e.g. Buckingham Palace, Tower of London or more off the beaten track type options?

A walking tour if you like a bit of history : https://www.walks.com/

Yup. As above, depends on what things you like - old culture, modern culture, shopping, parks?

I’m not a Londoner but I love to visit.

Here’s a few things I like doing -

Get on the river bus somewhere up west and go to Greenwich. Gives a great sense of London as a river city. Plenty nice places for a coffee in Greenwich. Walk under the river and get the DLR back to the middle, have a look at another London as you go through Canary Wharf.

On foot wander around Pimlico and Kensington, again to absorb the different Londons.

I like to pop into the Crick Institute, British Library and Wellcome Collection to see what they’ve got going on. All walkable from each other. Coal Drops Yard not far from there too and I have enjoyed watching that change from what it was to what it is now.

The V&A most is my favourite museum. Check out what's on there though the regular exhibits are great too.

How many days are you going for, where are you staying and what do you like doing?

London is a huge city! Where are you staying roughly? What kind of things do you like to do?

What kind of things do you like, where are you staying, how much do you want to soend?

Blimey that's a blank canvas.

I'd say that a trip down the river from Waterloo to Tower will give you at least sight of Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, St Paul's, the Globe, the Millennium Bridge, HMS Belfast, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. So that's an efficient way to tick off a lot of the sights.

www.thamesclippers.com/plan-your-journey/route-map

Take the Thames Clipper, from Putney / Wandsworth or London Eye down to Battersea Power Station (cocktail in the Control room) or Greenwich (many pubs). Sit out the back and grab a rear facing seat if you can.

They give it the beans past tower bridge it's amazing. Lovely on a sunny day but don't bother if it's raining.

My London go to is the Slone Museum... even if you are not into Museums and Art Galleries it's an incredible place....

www.soane.org/

... and a bit out of the way, so depending how much time you have and where you stay:
https://www.horniman.ac.uk/

We always take visitors to eat at Brasserie Zedel at Piccadilly Circus. We love the American Bar there too. there is also a cabaret room - Carzy Coqs. It all needs to be booked. We also like Ronnie Scotts for dinner and jazz. Go to see Operation Mincemeat.

Chipping in to say Ottolenghi is always delicious, save room for a cake or two (or take one away).

I would avoid Piccadilly Circus/The Strand - it's quite grotty at the moment. Lambs Conduit St or Camden Passage are great for a wander down depending on where you are staying. A bit of time by the Thames is always a good shout.

Ohhh. thanks, everyone! Sorry for the lack of details!

We're mid thirties, love good food, love to walk, love art/museums. we only have 3 days. I lived in the UK for a long time (uni + work) but my husband has never been to the UK!

The Immersive Van Gogh on Brick Lane is lovely.

If you like older art I always enjoy the portrait gallery at trafalgar square - this is near Covent garden.

I love history so for me my top highlights are always the palaces like Kensington, tower of London or the big churches like St Paul's or Westminster cathedral.

I always find food hard to recommend as there are literally so many incredible restaurants in London. It's really quite a personal thing.

The Guildhall Gallery is stunning and always quiet. There's a Roman amphitheatre in the basement.

I like Frederick Leighton's house, Denis Severs house, John Soanes Museum.
All small compared to the big museums, and all quirky.
The Lamb in Lambs Conduit Street is a gorgeous old pub with excellent food. Covent Garden and the surrounding streets are good for shopping.

Definitely go to the National Gallery then. It's a great gallery and it has the advantage of being in Trafalgar Square and within easy walking distance of Buckingham Palace, the London Eye and the Houses of Parliament to tick oft 3 of the big tourist must-see sites.

The British Museum is good and free and has some amazing things but it's really really crowded (maybe less so midweek outside school holiday time).

The Tate Modern is a great gallery: I have to admit, the art inside is not top rank though.

The Tower of London is amazing, dating back nearly a thousand years. Well worth the price of admission, so much to see.

Westminster Abbey likewise. Don't miss out the Diamond Jubilee gallery in the roof.

@readingismycardio

Have a look at www.walks.com

They are organised walks at various times and have many subject covering the history of London. They really are excellent.

https://lookup.london/about-look-up-london/

Another idea for walking tours. Katie has a brilliant insta page too, if you want an idea of her style.

Don't come. Apparently you'll get black-finger nails, your phone stolen and everyone is rude.
Go somewhere great like Hull.