We will be in London in April for a few days (not our first time; we have spent weeks there) and will be doing a London Walk just about every other day. I have them all figured out except for one day: I have to choose between Bohemian Bloomsbury, Old Westminster, and Shakespeare & Dickens Old City. I am leaning toward the latter, but Old Westminster is in a better location for us that day.
What is your opinion?
Thanks!
Trust yourself.
I suspect there may be more well-known sights on the Old Westminster tour, so one of the others may be more suitable for repeat visitors. However, I've taken a lot of London walks and enjoyed all of them, so I think you'll have a nice time no matter which one you choose.
We took Old Westminster with London Walks and enjoyed it very much. But we had not spent as much time as you in London.
Go with the one that sounds the most interesting to you. I tend to prefer the walks that visit a neighborhood (e.g., I’d choose Bloomsbury), but this is purely personal preference.
Walking around and having someone knowledgeable tell me about The Bloomsbury Group would be right up my alley. The one in The City and Clerkenwell would be interesting too. The City is fascinating in the places where the ancient pokes out of the modern veneer. Westminster would be a third place for me, though "Old Westminster" might have some interest. Lots of Westminster isn't actually that old in relative terms, so finding out more about the more aged parts might be ok.
Lola, thanks for reminding me that I need to schedule a few London Walks while I'm in London! I know I will be doing the Thames and Hidden Pubs pub walks, and hoping to get a couple more in.
Shakespeare and Dickens Old City was my very first London Walks back in December 2016. I loved the tour and the way our guide (a former actor if I recall correctly) recited from both authors’ works at different spots throughout the walk. If you go, bring a warm layer…there’s something about the City’s layout that tends to block sun and whip up wind, so it can be chillier there, in my experience, than other parts of London.
I quite liked Old Westminster. I do have an interest in U.K. politics so that may have influenced my opinion.
I’ve never had a bad London walk.
Thanks, everyone. My husband preferred the Bloomsbury idea (I should have asked him earlier), so I will save the other two for a future visit. I am afraid we are becoming addicted to these walks.
