Originally Posted By dagobert Hello UK members, my girlfriend and I are going to London in two weeks and maybe you can give us some tipps what we shouldn't miss. We both have already been there and so we know all major landmarks and tourist attractions like Madame Tussauds. That's what we've planned so far to do: - Visiting the Tower - London Eye (I've already done that in 2001, but it offers such a great view over London that I want to do that again. - Day Trip to Stonehenge - British Museum - Greenwich - Hard Rock Cafe I want to see the London Olympic Park, but I don't know if it is worth to go there. Is it already finished? A friend of mine is a huge fan of the Royal Family and she wants some souvenirs of the Royal Wedding. Is there still something available? Thanks for your help!!
Originally Posted By u k fan dagobert, I don't have much time to respond now, but I'll try and add some thoughts later. Sad to say as a local I actually haven't done half the things on your list! In terms of Royal Wedding souvenirs there'll be a ton, but a lot of it is junk. I would try and get something official if you can!!!
Originally Posted By dagobert >>dagobert, I don't have much time to respond now, but I'll try and add some thoughts later. Sad to say as a local I actually haven't done half the things on your list! In terms of Royal Wedding souvenirs there'll be a ton, but a lot of it is junk. I would try and get something official if you can!!!<< Can't wait for your advices. She will be happy with a mug with the picture of William and Kate. Last year we have been to Sweden and we had to bring her a mug from that wedding. And she even got something from Monaco.
Originally Posted By Bolna dagobert, just saw your post and just like ukfan, don't have the time for a long response right now. But I have lots of tips from a tourist point of view in London, so will add them later. When are you going and where (as in which area of the city) are you staying?
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I have brought the info from the other site here incase we get a nice conversation going: Hey Dagobert, Sounds like a fun trip. I would highly recommend the following: British Museum (free and awesome, glad it is on your itinerary) Victoria and Albert Museum (also free, great if you like antique designs) Natural History Museum (free - has many of Cook's and Darwin's collections) Science Museum (free - world's first computer and steam train to be found there) Greenwich is lovely - be sure to do both the Maritime Museum and the Observatory. Not too far from the Olympic park either, you cannot see much yet, but the stadium is finished. You may wish to also have dinner on Canary Wharf to really experience modern Britain. I think there is still Royal wedding stuff around, but haven't checked to be sure. Be sure to have a meal in China town, and if your budget can stretch, I think you might like Shrek the Musical!Let's put the Walt back in Disney! davewasbaloo Substitutiary Locomotion Posts: 3324 Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 7:11 pm Location: Too far from a Disney Park Private message Top -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Report this postReply with quote Re: Going to London by dagobert » Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:59 am Thanks for the tipps. We don't like Shrek so much, but we are thinking about getting tickets to "Wicked". Is Canary Wharf the area with the skyscrapers. I remember that when I have been with my family in 2001 we crossed the Thames through a tunnel and then arrived in a very modern area. I think the HSBC tower was there and I also think it was on the other side of Greenwich. Back in 2001 I have seen both the Museum and the Observatory, but I think we will do it again. The Natural History Museum sounds interesting as well. Are you talking about the James Cook who discovered Australia? I did a paper about him in school. It's fantastic that nearly all British Museums are free. Here in Austria you have to pay, except your are a student. Sometimes they offer free weekends. China Town is also on our list and maybe Notting Hill. My girlfriend loves the Hugh Grant movie and wants to see that street.DLRP: 2000; 2006; 2007; 2008; 2010 WDW: 2008 dagobert Substitutiary Locomotion Posts: 3215 Joined: Tue Nov 14, 2006 8:44 am Location: Austria Private message Top -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edit postReport this postReply with quote Re: Going to London by davewasbaloo » Thu Aug 18, 2011 11:12 am Yep, you have been to Canary Wharf, it is indeed where all the Skyscrapers are. Wicked is very good, as is the Lion King. Also the War House is excellent. And if you like a good ghost story, I highly recommend the Woman in Black (the movie will be released later this year). I am indeed talking about James Cook, it is a world class museum. It is also next to the Science and V&A museums, so you could peak into all three in the same day (not far from Notting Hill, though there is really nothing worth seeing there IMHO). Another two free museums worth considering are the National Gallery (includes some da Vinci and Van Gough pieces) and the National Library (great if you want to see original texts of Shakespear, the Beatles, Handel, Elgar, Alice in Wonderland, Magna Carta etc.) davewasbaloo Report this postReply with quote Re: Going to London by dagobert » Thu Aug 18, 2011 11:22 am On the weekend I have seen James Bond - The World is not Enough, one of my favorite by the way, and I got really excited about London. Is the Millenium Dome also in Cannary Wharf? As a huge Bond Fan I want to get a picture of the MI6 building. I like the design a lot. Good to know about all the museums. I think we will skip the Plympic Park. I thought there might already be some official stores, bars and restaurants. DWB: If you are interested in stores, there is an Olympic Store in St Pancras Station (worth visiting as well) and across the street from the British Library. Also, you can get a decent and affordable meal at Carluccio's in St Pancras - having a vegetarian italian meal watching the Eurostar Trains roll in and out may appeal to you both - they sometimes have a three course with a glass of wine for about 20 euros. the world's longest champagne bar is also there. The dome is not in Canary Wharf, but across the river. It is easy enough to get the DLR or Jubilee line to it.
Originally Posted By dagobert >>dagobert, just saw your post and just like ukfan, don't have the time for a long response right now. But I have lots of tips from a tourist point of view in London, so will add them later. When are you going and where (as in which area of the city) are you staying? << It's just a short trip. We are leaving on Tuesday August 30th and return on Saturday September 3rd. Our flight departs in Munich and we arrive in London around 9am. The flight back departs around 8pm. So we can make use of the first and last day as well and have five days in total. I don't know exactly where the hotel is. My girlfriend did the booking. I have to ask her. I know that it's a small hotel located a little bit outside the city center. We have to take the train which takes approximately ten minutes to the city centre.
Originally Posted By dagobert That was a good idea to bring your posts over here. Thanks a lot to all of you for your help!!
Originally Posted By EmmaJayne Are you Harry Potter fans at all? If so you can go to King's Cross station and pretend to push our trolley through Platform 9 3/4.. Maybe not worth the excursion out there, but if you happen to end up at the station anyway it's a bit of fun and a cute photo op. I went to Notting Hill to visit the bookshop from the film, which was cute but also wanted to see the Portobello Rd markets, which I'd wanted to visit ever since watching 'Bedknobs and Broomsticks' I went midweek and there wasn't much there- maybe check if there is, if not then it's a pretty quiet area and not really worth taking te trip out there given you're only in London for so little time.. I don't know your religious beliefs, but I took communion at Westminster Abbey and thought that was pretty incredible- definitely not an experience any of my friends who've been to the UK have done.. I did a really fun 'Jack the Ripper' walking tour a few years ago, it was pretty cheap and you followed a guide to some of London's most gruesome locations. A bit corny, very touristy but I really enjoyed it and felt I learned a lot of cool stuff.. I hope that helped a bit.. I've only been to London twice and pretty much stuck to the well worn tourist track ( plus my favorite thing about England is Primark)!! Have a great trip!
Originally Posted By dagobert @Emma: Thanks for your hints. My girlfriend is a Harry Potter fan and she already told me that we have to go there. I'm pretty sure we will see Westminster Abbey, but I'm sure we will not attend a worship. I'm Roman-Catholic and not a Protestant. I have to admit that I don't go to church at home and so I will not go to church while being on vacation, but I'm glad to hear that it was a fantastic experience for you.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo The picture location may no longer be at Kings Cross, they are currently refurbing the station. But again, it is across the street from St Pancras station.
Originally Posted By Bolna Just a few things which I really enjoy: Museum of London - they have redone it last year I think and I thought it was great before. I have read things about the new exhibition and would love to see it. It is about the history of the city. Docklands Museum - if you make a trip to Canary Wharf in combination with Greenwich that might be worthwhile. I thought it was fascinating to find out more about the history of the harbour of London and they have an incredibly well done exhibition about the slave trade. I think the nearest DLR station is India Quay and you can easily walk from there to Canary Wharf station. Imperial War Museum - extremely well done museum about war in all forms. What impressed me most was how it gave me a sense of the horrors of WW I which often here in Germany is kind of forgotten in comparison to WW II. They also have an interesting exhibit about the history of MI5 and MI6. Hapton Court Palace - you have to take a train from Waterloo Station, but it is a very impressive palace. I like it better than the Tower of London. Lots of interesting rooms and there are tours given by people in costumes. There are also beautiful grounds. The palace where Captain Jack Sparrow was brought to to be interrogated by the king in PoC4 was Hampton Court. London Walks <a href="http://www.walks.com/" target="_blank">http://www.walks.com/</a> offer a lot of guided walking tours around London. I once did the one about legal London and found it fascinating. It might be of interest for a law student. ;-) It covers the Inns of Court and the Royal Court of Justice - a very impressive building! You might want to check wether the summer opening for the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace are still ongoing. Both are a bit tedious to get tickets for (a lot of queuing involved, you can order timed tickets ahead of time and I woudl recommend that) and aren't cheap. But they are both fantastic experiences. Especially the Houses of Parliament - which other country has people sitting on wool packs? I love to walk along the South Bank - nice walk is from the London Eye all the way to Tate Modern, have a tea in their bar on the top, then across the river on the Millennium Bridge up to St Pauls, which is a very impressive building and well worth the entrance, especially if you have good weather, there is a great view from the top. Get a sandwich at a sandwich shop (I love Pret-a-manger, but there are lots of other chains as well, another one which I liked was "EAT") and take it to a park to eat there. I like Green Park when you are in the city center. The deck chairs have a rental fee (someone comes around to collect it), but aren't too expensive. Regent's Park is a beautiful park as well, but a bit further away, so not so ideal for a lunch break. I don't think that Portobello Road is worth the hassle to go there. If you like flee markets, it might be worth to go there when the market is on, but otherwise it is just a street... And I would say don't bother with Kings Cross - my student residence was in that area, there really is no reason to travel there. And JK Rowling admits that she made a mistake, she wanted to use Euston Station but wrote Kings Cross. Track 9 and 10 are in an annexe to the station and there isn't even a barrier between the two. Last summer there was a building site and no picture location, so maybe it was indeed removed just as Dave said. I have a few more suggestions for meals - but since you aren't leaving that soon, I will come back to that next week! Have fun planning, it is a great city to visit!!
Originally Posted By MoondoggieCA I love London! If you're looking for a musical and don't like "Shrek," I saw "Billy Elliot" and thought it was GREAT! It's been in London for quite a few years now, and I loved it. At the Victoria Palace Theater when I was there. I also did a day trip to Stratford-upon-Avon and Oxford. Really interesting day! As for the city: did a lot of walking as well as the Hop On/Hop Off bus tour which I would strongly recommend if you're into the major city sites. I had to see the Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens as I used to work the attraction at Disneyland/Anaheim. Take a river cruise along the Thames too. Something I didn't do, but something I did do along the Seine in Paris and loved it.
Originally Posted By u k fan A top tip I was given by someone today is to visit Greenwich on the same day you visit the Tower of London and take a boat up the Thames as transport between the two. If you go to Stratford or Oxford let me know as I'm very close to both. My brother works in the centre of London so I'll ask him for his food recommendations as he won't eat in the tourist traps!!!
Originally Posted By dagobert Thanks for all the asnwers. It seems we have a lot to do and I can't wait to go.
Originally Posted By dagobert I have a question regarding tickets for a musical. Is it impossible to get tickets in London? I mean should we buy them already now over the internet, or can we wait and buy them at the theatre in London? What price range should we consider? Here in Austria good tickets are from 70€ to 150€ per person.
Originally Posted By u k fan I would buy tickets when in London - there are several reputable agencies selling last minute tickets and if you act like you'd love to see the show on tonight, but can't afford it a lot of box offices will do you a deal direct. <a href="http://www.tkts.co.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.tkts.co.uk/</a> The place above is right opposite my brother's work in Leicester Square and he and I have bought tickets here before at very good prices!!!
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo You can buy tickets at the box office or at the last minute box in leicester square. You can sometimes get good tickets for about 30 euros, sometimes 50. it is much cheaper to do the last minute discounts, it just means you may need to be flexible on days or shows.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo that is the one i was thinking of - they are grewat. we saved 70% on Shrek that way.
Originally Posted By u k fan It's a shame that Shrek isn't of much interest as I know my brother can wangle good discounts (or even free) through work sometimes!!!
Originally Posted By dagobert Thanks for the answers. Aren't there any categories of seats? Is each seat the same? I just don't want to save money and don't get good seats.
