What are your favourite things to do in London?

[Theda13]

My DP and I are booking a trip to London for a big birthday (mine). We’ll be staying for a few days.

I’d definitely like to go to the Ritz for afternoon tea and the National Portrait Gallery. Maybe a show too, but not sure which one.

Any other ideas?

I really love our history and if you haven't been to all the museums yet you should definitely find a new one to see. The postal museum with the underground post car rail train ride is really unusual! The Bank of England has a great museum where you can hold a gold bar and see lots of old money- it was quite nostalgic seeing notes again from my childhood. Churchill's War Rooms is also really unusual, and the big ones like the Science museum are still thrilling after many visits.
For other activities, I love the view across London from Bishopsgate- it's well worth booking to go up the sky garden or the lookout at 8 bishopsgate or horizon at 22 bishopsgate- they are free but limited in number per slot, and quite beautiful to be up there. I love the ruins of the Roman Amphitheatre too- also free to see in the basement of the Guildhall art gallery. I would also go to a show for a big birthday- I recently saw the special casting for the Les Miserables big anniversary. It was so beautiful I actually teared up listening to the singing.

Into the Woods at the Bridge theatre. Lot to do around there with museums on Bermondsey Street.

view from Sky Garden is great but inside is a bit tacky.

I just gorge on art, but that won’t be appealing unless it’s your thing — what do you enjoy? I’d personally see the Lee Miller and Nigerian modernism shows at the Tate, Seurat at the Courtauld, Lydia Benglis at the Barbican, and Playboy at the NT. if I were staying over Sunday morning and hadn’t been out too late, I’d do what I did in my childfree London days and go to Columbia Road to the flower market, buy an armload of flowers, and walk down to Brick Lane to get bagels. Meals at Bocca di Lupo, Yautcha and somewhere out in Wembley that does excellent chilli paneer.

HMS Belfast is great.

Novelty Automation is a little arcade of handmade automaton machines that each perform highly specific funny tasks - unique and a lot of fun.

Sir John Soane's museum.

The London Mithraeum - in the City - an atmospheric underground excavation of a roman temple and lots of very well presented artifacts.

The walk through Regents Park and up Primrose Hill is lovely.
Battersea Power Station is great for a mooch, shopping and a drink, easy to get to on the Northern line. Also Coal Drops Yard behind Kings Cross.
Second Sir John Soane’s museum. I also like the Wallace Collection.

Chelsea Physic Garden would be my recommendation.

Denis Sever's House is wonderful. 100% immersion in history.
Liberty.
Borough Market.
The National Gallery. Thousands of years worth of art that will blow your mind.
The British Museum.

After going to the NPG I would walk down to Embankment (five minutes), go across the walking bridge (Queen Elizabeth) and walk down the Southbank. There is an open air food court just beyond the edge of the bridge which is great if it is not too cold and then down the Southbank you can see The Festival Hall, Tate Modern (well worth a visit) and The Globe. If you walk slightly on from The Globe you will come to Borough Market. A bit touristy, but some great places to eat. The Monument Coffee shop suggests it has the best coffee in London. Down opposite Borough Market is a pub called The George. Owned by the National Trust, it is the last galleried pub in London and is a lovely historic place.

No 2 The Temple if you are there when it's open. Great exhibition on there at the moment.

Sir John Soame's or the Wellcome Foundation if that's your thing. Or do a curated tour of the V&A and then have tea in their tea rooms.

I love walking along the South Bank. Walking along past Lambeth is also quite cool. Riverboat to Hampton Court Palace ifyou are there in the summer.

Portobello Road market,Tate Modern and Kew Gardens.

I want to go to The Barbican, Hampstead Ponds and Hackney Wick.

Moulin Rouge was fabulous!

Second the Postal museum.

Also the fabulous Museum of Brands in west London.

Marylebone High St for posh shops and nice cafes.

Boating in Regents Park.

Definitely see a show, so much choice! Or a classical music concert for something a bit different.

I love getting the river bus to Greenwich or Canary Wharf. The walk along the South Bank and Tate Modern and The Globe is lovely. V&A is my favourite of the big museums. Not a show person so can’t help there. We always time out London trips for bands we want to see.

Bit further out but Hampstead is worth a visit. Lovely shops and cafes, Hampstead Heath for walks or the beautiful Golders Hill Park. Everyman cinema if the weather is bad.

Thank you. I’ll look into Sir John Soane’s museum.

The British Museum is on the list too. We went there last year, but didn’t manage too see much (just the Rosetta Stone) as we had to go somewhere else.

Horizon 22 is brilliant - we went up just before Christmas and looking across London at the Christmas lights all over London was amazing.
If you like a drink make sure you pop into the Princess Louise on Holborn for the best preserved Victorian pub in London and not too far away is "Ye Old Mitre" off Hatton Garden its also worth a visit although good luck getting a seat !

We’re torn between Phantom of the Opera and Hamilton!

My absolute favourite thing to do is to stroll along the South Bank from Waterloo to London Bridge

@Theda13 The Sutton Hoo hoard at the British Museum is mesmerising.

@Theda13 We found the Hamilton audience a bit whooping and shouty. Duction isn’t always clear either. Not my favourite. Oliver, on the other hand, if it’s still running, has the most amazing Fagin. Perfect!

The postal museum is ok but there’s better things! Always check what’s on at the V&A. It’s usually excellent.

id always recommend St Paul’s, cross the Thames via the wobbly bridge and then go into the Globe. Lots to see there and Southwark cathedral is good too.

If you have not been to the Tower of London - go. It’s a fantastic hub of our history. Then get a boat back to Westminster.

Shopping - Liberty still has a great vibe - it’s expensive. Battersea is fascinating and worth the trip.

Tea at the Ritz. Can get very booked up! Have you checked? Other hotels have better teas! Try any Firmdale hotel - cheaper! Good for early supper before the theatre too.

I really like the N P Gallery. Dennis Severs house is ok but cluttered. The Geffrye Museum is better. Spitalfields is worth a visit and lots of restaurants. Have a great time.

When are you going OP?

Thank you! Perhaps we’ll see Phantom, rather than Hamilton this time then.

I went to the V&A a few years ago and loved it their garden was so lovely too.

April.

Highgate Cemetery tour is brilliant