I’ve lived near or in London for over 10 years and I’ve still not done most of the things people would usually do when they are tourists.
I guess I take for granted that I can visit the Tower of London, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham palace, et al, when I have the time, just as I suppose most New Yorkers think the Statue of Liberty is always going to be there waiting for them and they can go some day-- just not today.
So maybe I should ask those of you not in England what it is you would do if you had a day in London? Because I’d like to stop only living in but seeing this city I’ve come to call my home.
^ This at night, (or the Royal National Theatre perhaps), and the National Gallery during the day. St. Martin-in-the-Fields is just steps away from the art and if they’re doing one of their free lunchtime concerts that day, I’d leave the museum for that hour.
I usually go to have tea at the Kensington Palace Orangery, then try to visit one of the stately homes that used to be outside the city but the countryside has long since been swallowed up by the metropolis. There are quite a lot of them–Syon, Chiswick House, Ham House. Next time I plan to see Walpole’s Strawberry Hill House.
Imperial War Museum. I ran out of time before I lost interest. They literally had to herd me out at closing time.
Actually my favorite thing to do in London is go for a walk along the Thames while listening to Ray Davies & the Crouch End Chorus on my earbuds. But I’m odd like that.
I’m going to be there the first week of September. Can’t wait. London is my favorite city to visit.
I’ve been there three times. Each time, I’ve found more to do than I had time to accomplish. Someday, I’m going to hire a BlueBadge and have him/her personally squire me around the British Museum for three days.
One of my most fun things done was a walking tour that took me past Craven Cottage and Stamford Bridge; had I really tried, I could have gotten Loftus Road too. And the walk along the Thames was very pretty.
I would haunt the British Museum. Then the Victoria and Albert Museum. Then The Natural History Museum…I think you get the idea!
(And I wonder, to myself, if it would be like Inca ruins in Peru, or Churches in Italy, y’know, you see so many that one day…it’s just enough, no more! That’s really hard for me to imagine though!)
I was only in London for a full day but we did the Red Rover open top bus tour and The Tower! I thought the Tower of London was about the coolest thing ever. The river bus was a nice break from all the tower exploring and our guide was very funny and informative. You probably know this but you can get on and off the river bus too and so it is a good way to hit several areas while enjoying the view and a beer.
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