London sights for Plum to visit before she returns to the States

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:13pm

I've been meaning to start this for a while now. I had intended to create time to give it thought and research, and as a result I never carved out the time. So, we'll make it simple.

Just list anything intereting in London, or thereabouts, that you would recommend to our Plum, as she spends her time in London.

Southwark Cathedral
Leighton House (Holland Park)
The Sanbourne Linley House (Holland Park)
Hampton Court and return to London via boat
Hampstead Heath
Cabinet War Rooms
Buckingham Palace
The Jack The Ripper Walking Tour (a must)
Kensington Square (home of Thackery)
Smith Square
Bedford Square
Charles Dickins home (on Gower Street)
Theatre Royal Dury Lane
Soane Home and Museum
Smithfield Market

Feel free to add

[Beergoggles]

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:15pm

The London Dungeons are good... quite creepy actually.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:16pm

Which Jack The Ripper walking tour did you take? Through Trafalgar, it would've cost us US$49 for it, but online we found one for GBP6!

I'll add:

Portobello Market (Notting Hill)
Tate Modern
St. Paul's Cathedral/Millennium Bridge
London Eye (apparently - the weather was dodgy when I was there so I didn't bother)

Updated On: 11/6/05 at 08:16 PM

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:17pm

Portrait Museum

[Dollypop]

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:17pm

London's Madame Tussaud's is really good.

Shakespeare's Globe Theater

It's about an hour's train ride to Canterbury and the cathedral there is magnificent. the town's charming, too.

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:19pm

I wish I remembered the name of the park, but the one I believe across from BBC studios..the one where Finding Neverland was taped. It's so beautiful! Um..umm...crap what's it called....don't tell me! Ah no! Why do I not remember this??? The place where there's that musical theatre museum and the little shopping/performing area...something with Gardens I just know it! AH I'm having a brain freeze.

London Eye was great! I second that.

[Plum]

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:19pm

Aren't the dungeons a haunted house thing? I'll have you know I cried from fright the first time I saw Beethoven. Not to mention The Little Mermaid.

I've been to Kensington Square and Smithfield Market, and I'll try to cover Buckingham Palace this week; I have some friends coming from Barcelona. Really, though, I don't think my parents will forgive me if I don't take at least 32 pictures of the changing of the guard. :)

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:19pm

Is Stonehenge a must or miss?

Updated On: 11/6/05 at 08:19 PM

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:19pm

Oooh yes second again for the Globe Theatre!

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:20pm

Sally, it's Covent Garden, and it's a fun place.

[Beergoggles]

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:21pm

Covent Garden is one of the greatest places on earth!

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:22pm

Great suggestions!

Stroll through the Inns of Court
The Queens Gallery (whatever the exhibit)
Find Duke's Hotel in St. James' (it's fun to locate it)
Berkeley Square, #44 has one of the most celebrated foyers (but it's closed to the general public--it's a casino now)
Soho is remarkarbly atmospheric and full of history
The Tower, but go up the hill opposite the Tower--Trinity Sq. Gardens--to the site of the public executions
Apsley House, #1 London (Picadilly at Hyde Park), home of the Duke of Wellington

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:23pm

:IES:: Thank you that was it! I loved, loved that place! I made my parents and siblings go like..3 times in the span on 3 or 4 days.

[Plum]

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:23pm

I've done the Globe, the Eye, the Tate Modern, Covent Garden (the Donmar is there), the Portrait Gallery, and St. Paul's and the Millenium Bridge, which shouldn't be done right after each other if you have any problem with heights whatsoever. *shudder*

And yes, Covent Garden is awesome.

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:25pm

Covent Garden, Yes!
Globe Theater, Yes!
The Embankment Gardens (just behind the Savoy Hotel)
The Savoy Hotel
The Savoy Theatre (see any production there), the street in front of the Savor is the only street in London where one drives on the right
Hyde Park
Kensington Palace

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:25pm

What was the appeal of Covent Garden? I was there the day I landed and had drinks, but didn't find it particularly lively. Perhaps it was just the day?

And Jose', which Jack walking tour did you do?

[NYadgal]

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:26pm

Plum, will you be doing any excursions outside of London?

[Plum]

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:26pm

It was pretty lively when I was there. I had a banana smoothie, and really, anyplace with a good smoothie on a hot day will have my eternal devotion. (Doesn't take much, does it?)

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:30pm

Tiff, Covent Garden is great for the ambiance and fun and simply people watching.

The Ripper Tour, yes. I'll look up the exact info, but it was given by the author of the definitive Ripper book. I took it one very cole October night. Started about 9pm at the Tower Hill Tube stop.


Outside of London
Bath is definitely a must
Windsor and Eaton (adjacent to one another)
Take the Chunnel to Paris, even if for an overnight excursion

[Plum]

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:33pm

I'm going to Stonehenge, and probably Stratford-Upon-Avon. God, I'm such a Shakespeare sucker. And I'm going to Paris after term ends. Hopefully the riots will be over by then.

[Beergoggles]

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:35pm

Everytime i've been to London something has been going on in Covent Garden... last time it was ST Patricks day!

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:35pm

Do you know if you get to go up to Stonehenge or just see it from a distance? A few people I talked to were disappointed by their tour there because they expected to see it up close but were actually placed very far away.

When's the end of term? Paris is simply brilliant. We'll have to start a new thread on that!

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:36pm

Don't underestimate the small, out-of-the-way museums.

And go into every pub and just sit and drink a pint, or two.

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:37pm

And walk, walk, walk, walk.

Johnson said anyone who tires of London tires of life.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 11/6/05 at 8:39pm

Have you been to any theatre?