A Weekend in London

With a population of 8 million, London is Europe's biggest city. It is a city with stunning architecture (old and new), great art galleries and museums, unmatched entertainment and it has a real buzz. There are complaints from some about the crowds, noise and transport problems, but in my opinion it is one of the culture capitals of the world and is brimming with things to see and do.

There are years of history in London. Old traditions are still very much intact and the city abounds with the culture and charm of the past. London is also modern, lively and hip - there really is something for everybody.

London is a year round tourist centre - few attractions close or significantly reduce their opening hours in winter. The best chance of good weather is July or August, although while sunshine is not guaranteed in the summer, big crowds of people are.

We have been to London many times, but this was the first visit with our 3 year old son. Amongst the highlights of this trip were the following:

- A "flight" on the London Eye - slowly climbing high above London, admiring the fabulous view and picking out the landmarks and famous buildings. You get an especially great view of the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, and the River Thames as it winds through the city.

- Watching the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace. We did not get near the railings to see the actual ceremony, but it was still fun to watch the soldiers and regimental band march down the Mall and into the Palace grounds.

- Visiting the West End - especially Covent Garden and the bright lights of Piccadilly Circus. It is always buzzing there and the atmosphere is great.

- Shopping in Hamleys Toy Shop on Regent Street. It claims to be the "best toy shop in the world" and with 5 floors of toys, games and lots of hands-on demonstrations, our son did not disagree with this - he adored it here.

- Riding on the top deck of a red London double decker bus. It's not the fastest way to get around London, but is a lot of fun.

- Spending a lovely Sunday afternoon exploring Hyde Park, watching locals and tourists taking a breather from the rush of the city and strolling along the banks of the Serpentine.

Quick Tips:

The weather is fickle in London. Expect cloudy weather most days and always carry an umbrella.

A useful website is www.visitlondon.com. The main tourist information centre is at 1 Lower Regent Street (the tube stop is Piccadilly Circus).

If you hail a taxi on the street, choose a black cab rather than a mini-cab. Mini cabs are usually cheaper but do not require to be licensed and do not have to pass "the knowledge" which proves they know their way around the city. They also must be pre-booked and cannot pick customers up from the street. Black cabs are permitted to do this.

Book tickets for attractions in advance. Even on a cold March weekend there were huge queues outside most of the top attractions. You can short circuit the waiting by booking in advance on-line. We did this for the London Eye and saved 10% on the listed price. More importantly we saved about 1 hour of queuing for the tickets.

Do not try and see everything in a short time - there is far too much. Prioritise carefully and plan your days in advance to minimise time spent in queues or on the underground. It is better to see a few things well than spend the whole time dashing from place to place and not really seeing anything properly (we have been guilty of this in the past). Take time to enjoy the sights and sounds - slow down, wander, watch, and absorb.

London is a relatively safe city. Just take the usual big city precautions and you should be fine. We have never felt unsafe, even at night in the city. Just watch out for pickpockets on Oxford Street - their favourite haunt. Also use common sense and especially at night be aware of your surroundings.

We bought a great book for our son called "Katie in London". It is a story about a little girl who explores all the main sights with the help of a lion from Trafalgar Square. Our son loved the story, but more importantly got to know the attractions and sights, so when we visited and he saw these for real, he became very excited and it made the whole trip more interesting for him. If you have younger children I would recommend buying this book before the trip.

Best Way To Get Around:

London is very spread out with no single centre and to make the most of it you will have to use the transport system. It has its faults, but still manages to successfully handle millions of people every day. The underground rail system - the Tube - is the world's oldest and most travelled. Built in 1863, reliability is not a feature and it does suffer from breakdowns - we had no problems during this stay. It is usually the quickest way to get around. Pick up a free tube map from any of the stations and work out the different tube lines and the best routes. Avoid the peak hours of travel - you will get very squashed as people really do pile into the carriages. Also the trains are not air-conditioned so in summer it can get hot and sticky.

We bought daily travel cards for zones 1-4 - these cost £5.70 per adult, under 11's travel free. The travel cards give unlimited travel on the tube, buses and Docklands Light Railway for 24 hours.

Red double decker buses are a worldwide symbol of London and it is great fun and highly recommended to ride on the top deck at least once. They are quite slow - we got stuck in lots of traffic and the pedestrians were moving faster, but it is a great way to travel as you pass things you would otherwise miss on the tube. We unexpectedly passed St Paul's Cathedral and found ourselves driving down Fleet Street on one journey.

Driving in central London is really not advisable. There is a daily congestion charge of £8 per day to drive in the congestion zone during the week between 7am and 6:30pm. If you do not pay, your number plate is picked up on camera. Parking is also extremely difficult and very expensive in the centre of the city.

Do walk as much as you can. You will see and experience so much more that way. Most hotels have free London street-maps. We used ours a lot and found that by walking we could sample the different flavours of the London neighbourhoods.

The hotel is a custom built yacht hotel in Royal Victoria Dock near Canary Wharf. We booked through ratestogo.com and paid £90 for the room per night. The hotel quoted £150.00 per night. Breakfast was an extra £13 per person - our son was free of charge.

The hotel is only 5 minutes from the City Airport. This might concern some people, as you can watch the planes take off and land quite close to your balcony, however there was hardly any noise in the rooms and there is no flight activity between 9pm and about 7:30am.

There are 102 yacht suites and 2 luxury suites. Be sure to ask for a room with a view of the water - otherwise you may get a room on the other side of the ship which will have a view of the car park and the Excel Exhibition Centre - not ideal.

Our room had air-conditioning and was extremely spacious. This is quite unusual for London hotels and was probably the largest room I have ever had in the city. The room had a huge, very comfortable double bed and a lovely big sofa bed for our son. There was a mini-bar, hairdryer, and tea and coffee making facilities. The small, but modern bathroom had a great power shower. We had a small balcony overlooking the water and you could see Canary Wharf in the distance and the top of the Thames Barrier.

The hotel had a restaurant - we didn't try it but it did look pricey. Breakfast was good - a nice selection of hot and cold food and was buffet service. We ate out one night in a great Caribbean restaurant about 10 minutes walk from the hotel. It is along the waterfront, past the ExCel centre and had delicious food, excellent service, and a great laid-back atmosphere. The walk there at night is also very pleasant with the lights of Canary Wharf twinkling in the distance.

We loved the novelty of staying in a yacht in London. The biggest plus for the hotel was the room size. Being that bit further out of the centre of the city, you do get so much more space for your money. The downside though is that it is a longer journey in and out to the main sights and attractions. The Docklands Light Railway stops opposite the hotel. Trains are frequent but it does take about 20 minutes to get into the city, then you probably have a further tube ride to get where you want to go. For us, this time, the trade-off was worth it, but I think next time we would prefer to stay somewhere a little more central.

We had never really visited this area of London before - there always seemed to be something more interesting to do. We decided on this visit since our hotel was close by, we should explore.

The Isle of Dogs or Canary Wharf as it is usually referred to, is full of modern, sleek, shiny, towering blocks mainly inhabited by large companies in finance, law, and advertising. The centrepiece is Cesar Pelli's One Canada Square tower - the best known landmark of the area - it has a distinctive pyramid on top. We went inside as the marble lobby and shopping centre under the pyramid are open to the public. It has some nice shops, bars, etc., but not a lot of atmosphere and I thought it was a bit soulless - just modern, shiny, a bit bland and you could be anywhere.

We travelled to the area on the Jubilee Line. The Jubilee Line extension to the underground was completed in 2000. The stations are so different to the rest of the tube - all ultra-modern with glass screen doors at the edge of the platforms which open and shut to let you onto the trains. Canary Wharf station, designed by Norman Foster is quite impressive with its bubble dome.

The whole of the Canary Wharf area has become thriving as lots of the affluent workers have decided to move here to be closer to work and live in developments of modern, expensive apartments.

We walked around a little, but the whole area is not really very safe for young children. There is water everywhere and not much in the way of safety barriers/fences. It is all very nice to look at, but a bit of a nightmare with an active 3 year old. We had to keep a really tight grip on our son the whole time we were outside.

From Canary Wharf you get a really excellent view of the Millennium Dome - it is a spectacular structure. It is now closed to the public, but is due to be reopened and renamed in the near future and used as a concert venue.

London has many years of history and many long standing traditions are still very much alive - one of these is the ceremonial Changing of the Guard. It takes place daily from April to July and on alternate days the rest of the year at 11:30am. Dates and information are available on the website. It is free and is not ticketed so if you want to see the ceremony properly, you will need to get there early.

The ceremony lasts 45 minutes and takes place inside the railings of the forecourt of Buckingham Palace. If you want a good view, you need to be there at least 1 hour early and position yourself near the railings. If you are not firmly anchored here you will miss most of the proceedings.

We arrived about 11:15am - we did not think it would be a great idea to hang around with a 3 year old for an hour in advance. We got a reasonable view of the regimental band and footguards marching down the Mall and into the Palace gates. We stayed put for 45 minutes and then watched the bands and the old guard march out of the Palace. In hindsight we could have had a stroll around and come back 45 minutes later, as by this time most of the crowds had dispersed and you could get a good view anywhere.

Buckingham Palace is an impressive building - one of the most famous "homes" in the world. It is massive with over 600 rooms. During the summer months you can go on tours of some of the state rooms. During our visit the Royal Standard was not flying above the Palace - the Queen was thus not at home.

Not far from Buckingham Palace is Hyde Park - 34 acres of green and a popular recreational and resting haven for tourists and locals. It was at one time the hunting grounds of King Henry VIII.

We got there Sunday lunchtime and went to Speakers Corner at the north east corner of the park. Since 1855 a British tradition has been for people to get on their "soapbox" and air their views here. Anyone can get up and sound off on any subject. The only rules are that you cannot blaspheme, be obscene or incite a riot. It is quite a lively and different place to visit. The crowds heckle the speakers, but most of the speakers have nothing very interesting to say.

The banks of the Serpentine in Hyde Park are a lovely place to stroll on a Sunday afternoon. There are people rollerblading and horse riding and you can hire boats and go out on the lake. There is a really nice cafe/restaurant at the lakeside. It was full of families enjoying Sunday lunch. The food was very good, but as usual pricey - around £5 for a bowl of soup. There is a nice area outside with picnic style tables. We loved sitting here with our food and looking at the lake.

The London Eye is a feat of modern engineering - it is beautiful to look, at and the views when you are on board are stunning. It is located on the banks of the River Thames and was voted the world's most popular tourist attraction in spring 2005. It is 135 metres above London and is the world's tallest observation wheel.

The capsules, or pods are made of glass and are sleek, modern, and totally see through. You get a 360 degree view of the city and beyond. Apparently on a clear day you can see 25 miles in each direction. I have been on it twice - both times on cloudy days, but you still get good views.

The pods are air-conditioned (and heated in winter), have a large bench seat in the middle and each one can accommodate 25 people. They feel very spacious, never cramped with lots of space for everyone to enjoy the view. The wheel constantly moves, but very slowly, so you do not feel any movement at all - it is a really great experience.

The trip takes about 20-25 minutes. You can see many famous landmarks including Buckingham Palace and St Paul's Cathedral. The view of the Thames and the Houses of Parliament is fantastic and unsurpassed.

The London Eye is the most popular paid tourist attraction in the UK and has the capacity to handle 1,500 visitors per hour. As it is so popular there are huge queues to buy tickets. We booked on-line before our visit and saved 10% on the quoted price, but more importantly saved at least one hour of queuing just to buy the tickets. If you pre-book, you just put your credit card in the machine and the tickets are generated immediately.

You do however still have to queue to get onto the wheel. We stood in line for just over an hour. This was on a cold March morning - I dread to think how long you must have to wait in summertime when the crowds are at their peak.

The London Eye is open in winter from 10am to 8pm and in summer from 10am to 9pm. It costs £14.50 for adults, £7.25 for age 5-15 years, and under 5's are free.

The closest tube stop is Westminster. If you time your arrival right, when you come out of the tube stop you are right next to Big Ben and can hear it chime the hour. We arrived just before 11 o'clock, which was really good timing. Big Ben is really impressive - designed by AW Pugin, Big Ben is actually not the name of the clock, but the name of the bell in the clock tower. The largest bell in the chime weighs close to 14 tons. The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben are the ultimate symbols of London, and as such really are a must-see.

The West End is largely considered the heart of London, with lots of theatres and bright lights. Piccadilly Circus with its neon lights and advertising is said to be a miniature version of Times Square (if it is, it really is in miniature!). Leicester Square is in the thick of the West End. It is the beating heart of British cinema and all the major films premiere here.

The best part of the West End, in my opinion, is Covent Garden. It is a lovely area filled with restaurants, bars, markets, and nice shops. It has great shopping by day and the Royal Opera House by night. A visit to Covent Garden is a must, whether you intend to shop, sightsee, or just relax. The market is the focal point and has dominated the area since the Middle Ages when monks tended their market garden here. There are lots of mime artists and street performers - quite good fun to watch. George Bernard Shaw got his inspiration for Pygmalion here, where the Cockney girl who inspired the character of Eliza Doolittle sold violets to wealthy opera goers.

We strolled around the West End in the evening but really struggled to find somewhere we could have a pre-dinner drink with our son in tow. We found that all of the winebars and places in this area have a no-children policy. Eventually we ended up at the Rainforest Cafe in Leicester Square. We have eaten at this restaurant chain numerous times in the past in other places and always enjoyed it. Not this time though. The decor and theming were, as always, very good. The service was really bad, food was bland, lukewarm, and very unappetising, and the prices were extortionate. We each had a main course and shared a bottle of wine while our son had a children's meal. The bill came to £70. The child's meal - chicken nuggets, chips, and an ice-cream (pre-prepared in a plastic tub) cost £10.25 - not including a drink. Avoid this place. It is meant to be a great restaurant for children but we were disappointed with the food and the cost.

If you have children, do visit Hamleys Toy Shop on Regent Street, supposedly "the finest toyshop in the world". It draws big crowds and has toys and games on 7 floors. Staff are friendly, there are lots of demonstrations and it is all very hands-on. Our son adored it here.

The last place in the West End to be sure to visit is Trafalgar Square. I used to hate it here - the place was infested with pigeons. You could buy bird seed and feed them - they were everywhere and very tame, landing all over passers-by. Now thankfully this no longer happens. It is forbidden to feed the pigeons and the whole of Trafalgar Square has really been cleaned up. It is a great place to visit - sit on one of the lions for a great photo opportunity.

Tower Bridge is possibly the most photographed and painted bridge in the world. It was built in 1894 and took 8 years to construct. It spans the Thames and from its high level walkways (140 feet above the river) you can enjoy panoramic views. We didn't go up there on this visit, but were content just to admire the view of the bridge from Butlers Wharf. You get the best views from either side of the river, if you go down the steps at the side of the bridge and walk along the riverside a little way.

The bridge goes up when the commercial need arises. It is the only Thames bridge which can be raised. It is 60 metres long and the middle section raises to allow large vessels to pass through. Massive engines raise the bridge sections in just over a minute. It used to be raised 50 times a day, nowadays it is raised 4-5 times a week. Unfortunately I have never been there when the bridge went up.

Tower Bridge is impressive any time, but at night it is really spectacular as it is lit up. This makes for a really great photo opportunity.

After we had admired Tower Bridge, we strolled along the banks of the Thames and went past the Tower of London. We didn't go in this time - not really suitable or fun for a 3 year old - but it is an interesting place to visit with years of history and you can see the Crown Jewels. There were crowds of tourists outside the Tower - not sure how busy it was inside. We saw two Beefeaters - or Yeomen Warders to give them their full titles - outside the Tower. They were really friendly and quite happy to pose for photos with a number of foreign tourists.

The closest tube stop to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London is Tower Embankment - this is also a stop for the Docklands Light Railway. We got the number 15 bus from here which took us back to the West End. It is a fun journey, travelling in a red London double decker bus past St Paul's Cathedral, down Fleet Street and finally to the West End where you get a great view of Trafalgar Square and the lions. The journey from Tower Bridge to Regent Street takes about half an hour - try and sit on the top deck for the best views.