If you only had a day or two to be in London, what would you do?

[TNDemo]

And I've never been there before.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear TNDemo!

A couple of days might give you some ideas about what to see/do when you return for much longer...

Every step (well, nearly) there is historic. I'd suggest that you buy a guidebook to London and read it. That will get you started.

I don't know what you like to see or do, but here's what we did, well some of it, anyway.

British Museum

Westminster Abbey

Tower of London

Tower Bridge

Ride the boat down to Greenwich and see the zero meridian line!

We took the train and saw Stonehenge


There is so much. Depending on when you're there, hopefully the weather will be nice.

Have a ball!

:hi:

[sinkingfeeling]

4. Good list. Add Buckingham Palace or take a train to Windsor

[TheMightyFavog]

20. You need at least two full days to get through all of the British Museum.

Took me three trips to finish it off when I was there. Now if you want to see parts of it like the Rosetta Stone or the feature exhibit, it can be done. I would recommend the Tower of London and standing astride the Prime Meridian at Greenwich, although walking up the steep hill can't be too fun for older people.

If you're going to be there on a Sunday morning, Speaker's Corner is a must, but every other day of the week, it's deserted.

[edbermac]

2. Was there in 1992 for a week.

2 days is really not enough time. I'd say take a hop-on/hop-off sightseeing bus tour of the whole city the first day and then
pick a few places you'd really like to explore for a few hours each on the second day.

I went to all these except for the London Eye as it wasn't built yet. Tower of London and the British
Museum were the ones that I remember the most.

http://www.londonforfun.com/Top-10-London-attractions.html

[siligut]

22. I second the Big Bus tour idea

The guides tell you stories and history as you go along. Here is a link: http://www.bigbustours.com/eng/london/custompage.aspx?id=london_sightseeing_tour&gclid=

You can get on and off as you please, and this way you get a feel for the city, something you can't get from books or the Internet. Then, if you like, you can go back to the places that most interested you. If you decided to take the Big Bus, bring something warm to put on, it gets surprisingly cold there.

[elleng]

23. Good one, sight seeing bus tour, definitely!!!

Bring or buy umbrella and 'wellies!' (Boots)

and DO do a 'tea.' (around 4 p.m.)

[WolverineDG]

3. take a couple of London walks

wide variety of topics, areas walked, & especially for October--Ghost walks & the Jack the Ripper Tour! :) I always take a couple when I'm in London, especially the afternoon I arrive & am trying to re-set my body clock. :)

http://www.walks.com/

dg

[Xithras]

5. Tower of London. Hampton Court. Walk the Millennium Bridge. Ride the Eye.

The problem with London is that there's simply so much to do, so I'd stick to the touristy highlights. There's a long list of fun "off the beaten track" adventures that you can get into, but you've only got two days, so I'd just try to cram in a bunch of the big ones.

If nothing else, you have to see the Tower and Hampton Court.

[joeybee12]

6. Use your first day to rearrange your travel plans and stay a week!

California Peggy has some good ideas...I only have snark!

[Bossy Monkey]

7. Depends what you like. Visit a pub. Go to Hyde Park and see the Serpentine.

Go to Lee Ho Fook's and get a big dish of beef chow mein. (I think you'll have to get lo mein instead, but I could be wrong.
Pick out any ethnic cuisine you haven't tried before and give it a shot.
Try to see a show in the West End.

Just enjoy yourself. As mentioned, a day or two isn't nearly enough time, so don't worry about it. See what you can see and have fun.

[triguy46]

8. I've been 3 time, so a veteran tourist opinion:

In no particular order:
1. Victoria and Albert museum
2. Tate Gallery (do your homework and just focus on a fav modern artist)
3. National Gallery (just do an abbreviated greatest hits quickie or you'll be there all day).
4. Globe theatre: either tour or a 5Pound groundling ticket for a play if there in summer
5. Greenwich on Sunday
6. Kew Gardens if you like flowers, plants, all things horitcultural
7. British Museum, probably the only MUST on my list
8. One evening take the "Jack the Ripper" walk offered by LondonWalks, its creepy fun and very informative of the history of London
9. The Tower
10. St. Pauls

Look at the locations and cluster your visit since if you don't planned you can spend much time just riding the tube. e.g. 2, 4, 9, 10 are all very close to each other.

Don't try to do too much, its impossible in a short time. Focus and make the best of a short time.

Pubs if you like beer. you might try reading "Historic Pubs of London" and hit a few that have historic meaning.

But a 4 zone tube pass. Don't be afraid to take a cab if you are not going too far, the little extra price over the tube is well spent for the time savings, plus the cabbies are the best. By law they have to know ALL the streets and addresses and what we call "cabbie magic" never fails.

Have fun, relax, and keep in mind, they speak the language and are very nice and helpful. Don't stress.

[WinkyDink]

10. I did the JtRipper tour! It's awesome! (But I'd do your list in reverse!)

[triguy46]

19. The order of the list is irrelevant, just making a list. I also suppose

one should go past buckingham, but other than look at it not much to do.

[WinkyDink]

9. See Westminster Abbey inside; the Tower/Crown jewels; Horse (not BP) Guards Changing; and WINDSOR

as a day-trip!!!

[hayu_lol]

11. If you have the funds...

hire a guide for the two days. Otherwise, use the tour buses. You will see more with either option than you will trying to do it on your own.

[Ghost of Tom Joad]

12. St. Pauls

and of course Abbey Road

[applegrove]

13. Watch out for jetlag. I had a day in London and I went to the national gallery. Then

I walked towards buckinham palace but was too exhausted. So I lay down in St. James Park and had a snooze for a few hours. I saw nothing else in London.

[cwydro]

14. Westminster Abbey...

and then go to Fulham and see where my dad grew up...though the place is gone, still like to find it.

[DebJ]

15. British Museum for sure. Westminster Abbey is horrific, creepy

It is supposed to be a church, but much of it is dedicated to honoring war. Gave me chills and made me revolted.

[bigwillq]

16. Go to a dance club!

I heard they have good clubs in London (and all over Europe!)
:bounce:

[PassingFair]

17. Madame Tussaud's and the Tower of London.

Trafalgar Square.

Those are my favorite things in London.

Also, shopping on Regent Street.

Have fun!

[hunter]

18. I'd go to some sketchy pub and get into a fight.

With any luck the knife wounds would be bad enough to earn me some extra time in London, but nothing permanently disabling.

[bikebloke]

21. Go to Paris.

;)

I prefer to go walkabout. If you're there on a Sunday, then the Notting Hill street market with mobs of people for people watching. Swing by the Palace. Tell the guards you're a mate of mine and they'll let you in to see the Queen. If it's raining, then the British Museum or across the river for the Tate.

[TNDemo]

26. Already been there. ;-)

Loved it.

[sarge43]

24. You could spend two life times in London and not take it all in.

All the above and, if you're are bibliophile, Foyles Book Store. Bring lots of money and a U-Haul.

[RandomThoughts]

25. I would have a beer :)

[TNDemo]

27. Thanks, everyone!

My husband and I are reading all your responses and talking over options. Great ideas.

[RFKHumphreyObama]

28. Been to London twice, will be going a third time next year

Some excellent advice here. Also check out this site for some excellent ideas
http://wikitravel.org/en/London

Personally I enjoyed the Changing of the Guards and the British Museum the most. Particularly do check out the section on ancient Egypt. Went there when I was eight and I credit it for sparking my lifelong interest on the topic. I also enjoyed going and watching a theatre production (actually we saw two when we were there, one of them being an Andrew Lloyd Webber production in the late 80s). Try some of the different ethnic cuisines while you're there and visit Chinatown as well if you're interested in good food. Hyde Park is nice for a picnic

[datasuspect]

29. get drunk

[Paladin]

30. Westminster, War Museum, Davidoff's For Some Cuban Cigars. (n/t)

[UTUSN]

31. Find a cheap room (is there one?!1) to recover from the Hades called "Heathrow"!1 n/t