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London

London and Vicinity

View of the National Maritime Museum and London in the backMore Photos
  • by Sergey
  • A September 2001 travel journal
  • Last Updated: October 9, 2001
Journal Usefulness Rating 3 out of 5
Journal Usefulness
22
Reviews
4
Experiences
16
Photos

I went to London for a few days last year, on a sort of reconnaisance tour. Having realized that there's plenty to see, I spent 8 days there this time.

London and Vicinity

Overview

London is a huge city with tons of things to see and do, no matter what your interests are. I spent most of my time going to historic sights like palaces and castles, and due to their abundance, found my one week in town to be woefully inadequate.

Quick Tips:

Weather in London changes every day. On this trip I saw cold, windy and wet days (I had two sweaters and a jacket on, and was still cold) and sunny warm days, with people walking around in shorts. Be prepared for different weather. Also note that while the current in the UK is 220, the plugs are different from the rest of Europe. You will require a special UK/Ireland adapter.

Best Way To Get Around:

Be prepared to walk a great deal, no matter what else you do. I highly recommend buying a visitor travelcard before leaving for the UK. This will give you unlimited travel on all London subways (AKA "the tube" AKA "underground"), buses, and suburban rail and light rail lines. I also recommend buying the London Pass for admission to many museums. See inside for more information on these things in the Transportation section and the Museum Access section.

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Park Lane Sheraton Hotel

Hotel

Park Lane Sheraton

Location: Despite the name, the hotel is not actually on Park Lane, but is on Picadilly, a few minutes walk from Park Lane, and across from Green Park. It is only about a 5-10 minute walk from Buckingham Palace and about a 5-minute walk to the Green Park underground station. Hyde Park Corner underground station is maybe a 7-10 minute walk. There is a bus stop less than a minute away from the front doors.

About the hotel: To stay here you have to be either rich, or be willing to spend your Starpoints. The rooms were nice (I had two). The hotel stays true to the bizzare European custom of providing two twin beds next to each other, and calling that a "king" room. There was no coffee maker in the room, and to have one put in cost L4.50 per person per stay. The doors seem to be made of paper, because I could hear everything that was going on in the hallway, especially the maids as they got ready for their morning duties. The smaller of my two rooms was what I think was called an Executive King, but didn''t feel that way. It had a small desk in a corner, the two beds that they call a King, a TV, a round table with an armchair, and a large closet with a safe inside. All electric was 220V, except for a 110V razor plug in the bathroom. The bath had a separate shower and tub. The other room was a suite, with a large bedroom (again with 2 beds that they call a King), an L shaped desk thing with 3 electrical outlets (1 220 UK, 1 220 European and 1 110 US), armchair and a TV. The other room had a sleeper sofa, armchair and a TV. There was an actual hallway separating the two, with closets. The bathroom was large and the shower was combined with a large jaccuzzi (could fit 2). However, the jets were not working.

  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by Sergey on October 6, 2001

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Park Lane Sheraton Hotel
PICCADILLY London, England
44-207-4996321

Houses of Parliament

Activity

View of Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament

Houses of Parliament

The Houses of Parliament are also known as Westminster Palace. This huge building houses the House of Lords and the House of Commons, the two parts of the British legislature. This is also the building where Big Ben is. If you come at the right time, you can go on a guided tour of the building, which lasts about an hour. I went on this tour, so I know it is available at the end of September, but I don't remember other times it is available. You certainly can't get this tour all year round. On the tour you get to walk up the same stairs the Queen uses when she comes to open a new session of Parliament. You walk through the actual rooms where the House of Lords and the House of Commons meets. On my tour the guide explained in detail the workings of the legislature and the history of it. She pointed out little things, like an indentation in the door to the House of Commons that has been made over the years by the ring of the Queen's representative as he makes the ritualistic knock during the opening ceremony. This was one of the most informative and interesting tours while I was in London.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Sergey on October 6, 2001

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Houses of Parliament
Westminster London, England SW1A OAA
+44 (20) 7219 4272

Windsor Castle

Activity

The inner courtyard in Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle

Admission is included in the London Pass. This huge and magnificent 900-year-old castle is located in the charming town of Windsor (see separate entry), about 40 or so minutes from central London. To get here you have to take a train from Paddington to Slough, and then transfer to a train that takes you to Windsor. If you have the London Pass and an all-zone visitor travelcard, this trip will cost you nothing. Despite the somewhat inconvenient trip, a visit here is HIGHLY recommended. You get to see rooms used for official purposes. There is beautiful furniture, which includes a number of thrones, art and architecture. If you go in September (perhaps also in August, but I'm not certain), you get to see the North Terrace, which is a beautifully sculpted garden facing the back of the Castle. This area of the Castle is where the private residences of the royal family are, so it is usually not open to the public. There's a fascinating exhibition about the 1992 fire and restoration that took place. Also on the grounds of the Castle is the Albert Memorial Chapel (which I wasn't able to visit) and St. George's Chapel, which is a beatiful church. Be sure to plan on spending at least several hours here, and since I recommend staying in the area for a bit longer, you might want to make a day of it. The only refreshment you can get inside the castle is bottled water at one of the shops, so be sure you don't go hungry. There is a Changing of the Guard ceremony here, and takes place daily from April to June and every other days the rest of the year at 11:00 AM, except on Sundays. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are buried on the grounds, and apparently their mausaleum is open to the public for something like one or two days a year, sometime in May. Go to http://www.royalresidences.com for more information.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Sergey on October 6, 2001

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Windsor Castle
Windsor Berkshire, England SR4 1NJ
+44 1753 869 898

Guards Museum

Activity

Guards Museum

Admission is included in the London Pass. This is a small museum that explores the Guards regiments. There are uniform displays, medals and silverware. There is also a shop dedicated to toy soldiers. I didn't find this particularly interesting, but I guess some people might.
  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by Sergey on October 6, 2001

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Guards Museum
Wellington Barracks Birdcage Walk London, England SW1E 6HQ
020 7414 3428

London Eye (Millennium Wheel)

Activity

A view of a cabin from inside another cabin

The London Eye

Admission is around L10.00 per person. This is a huge ferris-type wheel that offers fantastic views of London. You enter an enclosed cabin with a bunch of other people (the cabin probably holds something like 10-15 people and has a bench to sit down) and look around as the wheel slowly brings you around. The full ride lasts about 30 minutes.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Sergey on October 6, 2001

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London Eye (Millennium Wheel)
Westminster Bridge Road London, England SE1 9TA
+44 (870) 500 0600

Tower Bridge

Activity

The famous draw bridge is open for a boat (view from the Tower of London)

Tower Bridge

This is both beautiful and the only draw-bridge on the river Thames. The bridge was built to fit in with the Tower of London (see separate entry), and so has a similar architectural style. If you a buy a ticket from the gift shop, which is located at the bottom of the tower that is on the righe in the picture below (which I didn't do) you get to see the machinery that operates the draw bridge, as well as go inside the towers.

If you stand on the bridge, you can feel the surface vibrate with traffic.

  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Sergey on October 6, 2001

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Tower Bridge
Tower Hill London, England SE1 2UP
+44 (207) 403 3761

Jewel Tower

Activity

Jewel Tower

Admission is included in the London Pass. This is a 14th Century tower built to house the royal treasures. Now there is an exhibit here about the Houses of Parliament AKA the Palace of Westminster. I would only suggest going here if you've got nothing else to do, as I did not find this particularly interesting.
  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by Sergey on October 6, 2001

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Jewel Tower
Across from the Houses of Parliament London, England

Kensington Palace

Activity

Closeup of the gold-plated statue of Albert

Kensigton Palace

Admission is included in the London Pass. This palace is still used by royalty and some sections are closed to the public. Princess Diana lived there when she was in London. An audio guide is included with the admission. The tour starts with a history of royal dress, before leading you into the official rooms. There is a special exhibit about Princess Diana's dresses. Here you get to see the very room that Victoria was woken up in and told that she was to be Queen. The palace has beautiful grounds and is located in a large park. It is also a few minutes walk from the Albert Memorial.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Sergey on October 6, 2001

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Kensington Palace
Kensington Gardens London, England W8 4PX
+44 (20) 7937 9561

Westminster Abbey

Activity

Westminster Abbey

A gorgeous and very old cathedral that is still actively used as a church and burial site. Here you get to see burial places of many of Britain's royalty. A large number of famous people are also buried here, or at the very least have a plaque here. This is also the sight of coronation ceremonies, and several coronation thrones are on display here. A visit is highly recommended, but check ahead. Since it is still used as a church, it is not open to the public every day.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Sergey on October 6, 2001

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Westminster Abbey
20 Dean's Yard London, England SW1P 3PA
+44 (20) 7222 5152

Westminster Abbey

Activity

Westminster Abbey Chapter House

Admission is included in the London Pass. Here you can see some very interesting and very old sculptures and stonework. There is also a museum that includes figures of various royalty. If you have some extra time when visiting Westminster Abbey, then go here and spend 30-45 minutes.
  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by Sergey on October 6, 2001

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Westminster Abbey
20 Dean's Yard London, England SW1P 3PA
+44 (20) 7222 5152

Catamaran Cruises and Bateaux London

Activity

Catamaran Cruises

Cruise along the River Thames from Westminster Palace (AKA The Houses of Parliament) to the Tower of London. The boat I was on had an opening roof, so in nice weather you could take in the sites and the fresh air at the same time. There's a recorded commentary and explanation, and it is also available in several other languages. There are some refreshments offered on board. There is also a hop on/hop off tour offered, which I did not take, so can't say much about it.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by Sergey on October 6, 2001

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Catamaran Cruises and Bateaux London
Charing Cross/Embankment Pier London, England WC2
+44 20 7839 3572

Big Bus Company

Activity

Big Bus Tour

This is basically your standard hop on/hop off double-decker tour with a live tour guide on every bus. The top of the bus is open, so watch out for bad weather. Big Bus operates 4 routes in London, one of which is a Language Tour, offering recorded commentary in something like 10 different languages (including English) via a personal headset. The buses take you to all the important sights, including the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Madame Tussaud's and the National Gallery.

Your ticket is valid for 24 hours, so if you start at noon, you can come back the next day and ride in the morning.

This tour also includes a free boat cruise with live commentary (not the Catamaran Cruises tour I described in another section, but very similar) from either Embankment Pier to the Tower Pier, or the other direction.

  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Sergey on October 6, 2001

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

London Transport Museum

Activity

London Transport Museum

An interesting museum to go to if you want to learn about the history of the public transportation system in London. See a variety of double-decker buses, starting with the early horse-drawn types. Learn how the subway system was built. There are special play areas for kids. There are several simulators that let you drive a subway train.