Overview Hotels Things to Do Restaurants Nightlife Itineraries Facts Explore Travel

Tour London - Days 2 & 3

Description:

History, shopping, entertainment, tea and art in 2 days. Visit the British Library, Covent Garden, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, The Guards Museum, shop on Oxford Street, have an English tea and explore the V&A Museum.

user rating

Author: Erin

Day 1 - London

Start the day at the British Library ... a library you ask? Well, this is not your average library! This state of the art building houses 150 million works and grows by 3 million each year. More impressive is the dazzling collection of priceless books, manuscripts, letters and documents found in the special exhibition gallery. Of interest are two of the four surviving copies of the Magna Carta, Beethoven's 9th Symphony and Beatles' manuscripts, a Gutenberg Bible and the journals of Captain Cook. There is so much more, I feel the need to go on ... there is a letter from Sir Thomas Moore to Henry VIII pleading his life be spared, the actual Stamp Act which led to the Boston Tea Party and The Diamond Sutra (the earliest dated printed book). Headphone tours are available any time while the guided tours are offered MWF and Saturdays. Easily accessed via nearby King's Cross/St. Pancras Station. After lunch head here for another dose of history. The crowds may be off putting, but wandering around inside where the majority of England's coronations took place is fascinating. After finding the tombs of many of the country's monarchs do not miss Poet's Corner for grave markings of Dickens & Chaucer and monuments for many more well known scribes. For dinner, shopping & entertainment. Have a drink at an outdoor cafe or above the market & watch the crowds and listen to live music. Be sure to nip into Ben's Cookies for one of the best chocolate chip cookies EVER!

1

British Library

user rating

Location:

view in google maps
96 Euston Rd., NW1
St Pancras
NW1 2DB London, England

Phone:

020/7412-7332

Westminster Abbey

user rating

Location:

view in google maps
20 Dean's Yard
Broad Sanctuary, SW1
SW1P 3PA London, England

Phone:

020/7222-5152

Fortnum & Mason St James's Restaurant

user rating

Location:

view in google maps
181 Piccadilly
W1A 1ER London, United Kingdom

Phone:

44 20 7734 8040

Covent Garden Piazza

user rating

expert pick

Location:

view in google maps
Covent Garden
WC2E 8RF London, United Kingdom

Phone:

+44 20 7234 5800(Tourist Information)

Day 2 - London

Dedicated to Her Majesty's Household Division which protects the Sovereign and Royal Palaces... in other words, dedicated to those who wear the red tunic and bearskin hat! Small and quiet, it is a perfect place to learn more about the guards and even have your photo taken in that famous regimental tunic and hat. On display are uniforms, helmets, instruments, medals, a tent from the Crimean War and more. There's a little shop next door and you might even catch the new guards forming at nearby Wellington Barracks before the Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace. Take a long walk through Piccadilly Circus and through the shopping mecca of Oxford Circus and when your feet begin to howl and stomachs growl instead of lunch try a traditional English tea. Having guests provides me with yet another excuse to try afternoon tea at one of the famous London hotels. So far, my favorite is Brown's for the sleek yet warm atmosphere, with a twist on cakes and tea (try the vanilla-toffee tea). The Ritz is a once-in-a-lifetime experience with impeccable service and delicious treats, ideal for moms and daughters. Need to kill two birds with one stone (ouch, is that expression still acceptable?) hit Harrods' Georgian Tea Room, recently redecorated with lovely views and nice piano music without the fuss. And the list goes on: The Savoy, Claridge's, The Connaught & The Dorchester. All can be booked in advance (recommended) online. Once revived from your tea break hail a cab to the V&A Museum. From the moment you walk into this museum you will be astonished. Dale Chihuly's glorious glass chandelier in the entrance is worth checking out, even if you don't have time for the museum. Dedicated to the world's applied art and design, the museum houses a 3,000 year old diverse collection of textiles, metalworks, glass, furniture, instruments, sculptures and more. I am particularly partial to the four centuries of European fashion, with fine examples to view and an interesting look at the history of corsets! Free admission and open late on Fridays. For a real city feel try the last Friday of every month for live performances and a cash bar.

1