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London

Three Weeks in London

  • by Milja
  • An October 2004 travel journal
  • Last Updated: March 23, 2005
Journal Usefulness Rating 2 out of 5
Journal Usefulness
17
Reviews

A fantastic three weeks in England

Three Weeks in London

Overview

Spending three weeks in London was amazing in itself. Some highlights include the incredible museums and restaurants in town.

Quick Tips:

Even if it is totally sunny, be sure to take your umbrella! The sunniest day can be cloudy across town, and you may see a sprinkle for 2 minutes, a short downpour, or drizzle all day long. But don't stay inside if it looks bad - it is always nice at some point during the day.

Best Way To Get Around:

Always take the bus everywhere you go! There is no need for a rental car - in fact, it would be a huge burden. Buy an Oyster Card and fill it will a week-long bus pass for however long you are there. I don't suggest the tube for visitors - the bus is very easy, and you get a scenic tour everywhere you go!

Cafe in the Crypt

Restaurant

Cafe in the Crypt

Awesome food and incredible ambience. This restaurant is actually located in the crypt of the church - and right in the centre of Trafalgar Square. The food was like homestyle and very good. Affordability is tough to find in London - so we went back three times. Excellent pudding and meat/potatoes kind of meals. A place you can take kids - be sure to stop here!
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by Milja on March 23, 2005

Cafe in the Crypt
The Crypt of St. Martin in the Fields London, England WC2N 4JF
(020) 7839-4342

Marine Ices

Restaurant

Marine Ices

Marine Ices is a family-owned Italian restaurant known for their homemade ice cream. The Italian food is quite good, but the ice cream is awesome. Worth the trip and well recommended in the local dining guides. Good for families too.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by Milja on March 23, 2005

Marine Ices
8 Haverstock Hill London, England NW3 2BL
(020) 7482-9000

National Gallery

Activity

National Gallery

We aren't huge art lovers, but it was definitely worth the walk-through. Tough with kids unless they are asleep or very quiet. All museums in London are free, so it is definitely good value!
  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by Milja on March 23, 2005

National Gallery
Trafalgar Square London, England WC2N 5DN
+44 (207) 747 2885

British Museum

Activity

British Museum

I didn't like this one. Very disappointing - since all museums in London are free, we thought we'd check it out - but the one thing we wanted to see (mummies), you had to pay extra for. The museum was huge but not great for kids.
  • Member Rating 1 out of 5 by Milja on March 23, 2005

British Museum
Great Russell Street London, England WC1B 3DG
+44 (207) 7323 8299

Museum of London

Activity

Museum of London

This was a great museum, and I wish we could have had more time here. A great overview of a great city. Such a central city as london it is important to learn about the history of the area. Wonderful for adults and children and very close to the bus tour stops. Worth the short walk.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Milja on March 23, 2005

Museum of London
150 London Wall London, England EC2Y 5HN
+44 (207) 814 5613

Natural History Museum

Activity

Natural History Museum

This is by far our favourite museum in London. We stopped here twice and still didn't see it all - so we went back a third time. All the exhibits are wonderful, but highlights include the dinosaurs and the mammals. The kids absolutely loved every minute - and I loved the architecture. The building itself is incredibly detailed inside and out. A must-see for anyone - especially those with kids. Free is great too!
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by Milja on March 23, 2005

Natural History Museum
Cromwell Road London, England SW7 5BD
+44 20 7942 5000

Science Museum

Activity

Science Museum

Right next door to the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum is another must-see location in London. If you have kids, the lower level is fantastic - the entire floor is dedicated to hands-on activities for kids. This museum is huge, and in two visits we only really saw about half of it. Even with a full day, it would be tough to see it all. The exhibits are too many to mention, and they are all great. Bring a picnic lunch, as food is pricey.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Milja on March 23, 2005

Science Museum
Exhibition Road London, England SW7 2DD
+44 870 870 4868

Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens

Activity

Kensington Gardens / Hyde Park

A beautiful walk in the middle of the city - you feel like you are in the British countryside, but you are right in the middle of London. The Diana memorial was strange - not what I was expecting at all, but interesting just the same. I can't even explain it - it has to be seen. Kensington Gardens are beautiful (as all British gardens are).
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by Milja on March 23, 2005

Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens
W Carriage Drive London, England W2 2UH
+44 20 7298 2100

Regent's Park and Primrose Hill

Activity

Regent's Park

Our flat was right next to Regent's Park, and what a great place to be! The highlight of this park is walking right along the fence to the London Zoo. You can see a large percentage of the animals - it is like getting the zoo for free! A great place to let the kids run in the grass - many smaller parks don't let kids walk on the grass at all, and they need to be let loose!
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by Milja on March 23, 2005

Regent's Park and Primrose Hill
Park Road London, England
+44 (20) 7486-7905

The Maple Leaf Pub

Activity

The Maple Leaf

The Maple Leaf is the "Canadian Bar in London". Being from Canada, we were looking to watch a bit of sports coverage from home. We actually got a fabulous meal (just like home!), and the decor reminded us of home. Since my husband was away for 2 months, it was a nice treat and felt like a home away from home. Even if you are not Canadian, this is a great pub.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Milja on March 23, 2005

The Maple Leaf Pub
41 Maiden Lane London, England WC2E 7LJ
020 7240 2843

Covent Garden

Activity

Covent Garden

A neat market in a pretty hip area of town. Some good pubs, many neat stalls selling unique wares. We didn't have a lot of time here, but keep in mind that the place is pretty much a ghost town on weekends - anything in the business area is often closed at 4pm for the day. Covent Garden is not too bad, right near the market stalls, but closer to the tube stops, it looks like a ghost town at 4pm.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by Milja on March 23, 2005

Covent Garden
Covent Garden London, England WC2
+44 20 7836 9136

London Transport Museum

Activity

London Transport Museum

This was the kids' absolute favourite museum of the entire trip. If your kids like trains, buses, etc., then they'll have a blast. At each of 12 stations, they learn one step of the history of transportation, from horse-drawn "trains" running on tracks to double-decker buses and building the tube. We could have spent hours and hours here - 2 hours just wasn't enough for my train-loving children.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by Milja on March 23, 2005

London Transport Museum
39 Wellington Street London, England WC2E 7BB
+44 (207) 565 7299

Big Bus Company

Activity

Big Bus Tour

On our first day in London, we took the Big Bus tour. This is a fantastic way to see everything as an overview of what you want to see during an extended trip or as a full day if you have limited time in the city. You can't go wrong by seeing absolutely everything this amazing city has to offer. Feel free to hop on and off at the dozens of stops. There are red lines, blue lines, and a short green line. We arranged to see almost all of the stops on the red and green lines. The only drawback was that it starting to just pour rain - and our bus leaked. We got off and switched buses, which is easy when they come roughly every 5-10 minutes. A great tour. If you speak other languages, this one offers multiple languages via headsets and a pre-recorded message. Live commentary on the red line.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Milja on March 23, 2005

Big Bus Company
48 Buckingham Palace Rd. London, England
+44 (20) 7233 9533

Tower of London

Activity

Tower of London

The Tower of London is a must for any trip to London. There is so much history packed into this space. The Yeoman Warder (Beefeaters) tour guide was absolutely fantastic. These men live on-site at the Tower, and there are only 40 of them in total. The crown jewels are impressive, but the stories by the guards really make this awesome.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by Milja on March 23, 2005

Tower of London
Tower Hill London, England EC3N 4AB
+44 (207) 709 0765

Oxford and Cambridge

Activity

Oxford University

A day trip to Oxford was well worth it. Trains are inexpensive if you go during off-peak times. The city is incredible - such history and architecture. Be sure to tour Christ Church College - the dining hall is where Harry Potter was filmed. Very busy on weekends - so try to go during the week. Also, you don't really need to take a bus tour here, the train station is close to town and everything is in walking distance.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Milja on March 23, 2005

Oxford and Cambridge
70 Hammersmith Bridge Road London, England W6 9DB
+44 20 8748 5261

Oxford, Stratford and Warwick Castle

Activity

Warwick Castle

Another day trip to Warwick Castle - a true medieval experience. This was a great castle to tour if you are looking to get out of the city. Less than an hour from London by train and a short walk from the train station to the castle, this is a great getaway. The castle itself is stunning, and the walk around the castle, to its peaks and overlooks, takes you back to 1090 and 1300 AD, when various sections were built. This castle was bought by the Tussaud's Group, so there are also incredible wax figure displays to show people and activities of the day. Incredibly lifelike!
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Milja on March 23, 2005

Oxford, Stratford and Warwick Castle
Driving distance from London London, England

Portobello Road Market

Activity

Portabello Market

This market had a lot of stores that are easy to navigate on the main street. No matter what you are looking for - from flea market to collectibles - you're sure to find it here. Take note that everything is not cheap - watch the prices, and you can get some deals.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by Milja on March 23, 2005

Portobello Road Market
Portobello Road London, England W11

About the Writer

Milja
Milja
Waterloo, United States

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