Please sign in to post.

My itinerary for a week in London

Posted by (Parma, Italy) on

Hello everyone,

I am going to spend the last week of April in London. It's not my first time and my idea is to focus on the lesser known spots and on the places I missed the previous times. Things I need to specify: my accomodation is near the Tower of London, I am taking just a small backpack with me and I love walking, so no problem there.
This is my plan at the moment

  • Monday: I arrive at the airport around 11.30 and I should be at my accomodation around 14 to check-in. Then my plan is to stay around that area. In my list there are the leadenhall market to grab something to eat, the st. dunstan in the church garden, maybe I'll add a stroll around St. Paul and the One New Change terrace. Hopefully I will manage to get the skygarden ticket for sunset time.
  • Tuesday: First thing would be the yayoi kusama exhibition, then I'll cross the millenium bridge and get to somerset house (is it worth it to get tickets for the guided tour or can I skip that? What do you think?). Then I'll head to Covent Garden, eat, look at some shops, mainly bookstores (I know minalima is in near that area) and go towards neal's yard. I would love to see the Outernet free installation near Tottenham Court Road station if it's still in place. I'm still unsure about the rest of the afternoon, but I'm thinking of going north towards the British Library (even if I have already visited years ago) and the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel because I'd like to see the interiors.
  • Wednesday: my original plan was to go somewhere by train, but to avoid any possible strike I chose to book a day tour to the Cotswolds (visiting only Bourton-On-The-Water and Bibury) and Oxford. I'll have around 3 free hours to visit Oxford and I would love to take one of these tours: option 1. the 60 min or 90 min guided tour of the Bodleian library/Divinity school; option 2. the 60 min tour of Christ Church college; option 3. the 90/120 min free walking tour. What would you do? Any advice?
  • Thursday: I've bookmarked a bakery in the Marylebone area where I would love to have breakfast. Before visiting the wallace collection and going to the Daunt Books bookshop, I'm taking a detour to visit the Mayfair market. Then my plan is to get to Baker Street to have lunch in another place I've bookmarked. I'd then make my way to Abbey Road and to the Rembrandt Gardens.
  • Friday: First thing in the morning is Portobello market and a stroll around Notting Hill. Kensington and Chelsea are the second part of the day. I plan to see the Kyoto Gardens, the design museum and all the pastel coloured houses around Chelsea. Then I'll start to make my way back to the tower of London as I've managed to buy a ticket for the ceremony of the keys.
  • Saturday: I'm going to take the ifs cable car (I've seen suggested by someone ina previous topic and I loved that suggestion) to get to Greenwich (where I've already been so I will be just passing by) and then Canary Wharf. I would also love to see the shoreditch area, brick lane and columbia road.
  • Sunday: I have a 19.45 flight from Birmingham. I wanted to take the train around midday (because my plan was to see the flower market, but that must be for another time), however this weekend there will be engineering works on that route. So my plan B is to take a national express bus at 10 to get to Birmingham around 13. Any advice on things to see this afternoon? As of now I've written on my list: canals, St. Paul's square and the library. Anything else?

I would also like to visit the natural history museum (even just a quick stroll to see the whale), would you add it on Thursday or on Friday?
When I travel, I love to look for unique bookstores, street art and gardens. Do you have some suggestions I can add to my itinerary? I also enjoy taking photos, so if you have some specific wonderful spots let me know. :)

Thank you all in advance for the help!

Posted by
1006 posts

Sounds like a lovely week to me. Have you got tickets for the Yayoi Kusama exhibition already? It was booked up weeks in advance when I looked a little while ago.

Posted by
1006 posts

There another free public garden in the City at 120 Fenchurch Street that you could get to easily.

Posted by
84 posts

Hi Helen, thanks for the feedback! I'm bookmarking that garden now. :)
I don't have a ticket yet, but I read they're going on sale later this month for the following months.

Posted by
5758 posts

It sounds a lovely week off the beaten track.
If you haven't already booked your coach to Birmingham on the Sunday , don't necessarily give up on the train option. Chiltern Railways from London Marylebone have a direct train to Birmingham Moor Street (literally just round the corner from New Street) every hour, on the hour, which takes 2 hours 10 minutes.
Normally there would be very keen fares. Due to the Euston Closure I think the £34.90 you can see now is likely to be the best fare offered that day.
On Covent garden bookstores- if you are into travel books and maps then Stanfords is a must. It is believed to be the biggest such store in the world.
Places on this list I have never been to.

Posted by
332 posts

Sounds great. Apparently there are 3,000 parks in London,

Just be sure you don’t go to Abbey Road Station if you are looking for Abbey Road, they are 20 miles apart. Catches a lot of people out.

Posted by
84 posts

@isn31c - I didn't know about that train option, it sounds great! I'm buying the railcard, so it should be £22.60. I'm waiting till March, 6th to buy these tickets anyway, as revised times should be published that day. So I can choose the best option.
I didn't know about Stanfords either, added to the list! Thank you!

@stroudy60 - I don't think I can see them all this time, but I'll try my best. :) I usually love to buy something at supermarkets and eat it in parks around the area, so hopefully the weather will let me eat my snacks in peace.
If I don't walk and take the Jubilee line from Baker Street, St. John's Wood looks like the closest stop.

Posted by
15014 posts
  • if you are into travel books and maps then Stanfords is a must. It is believed to be the biggest such store in the world.

Not anymore. That's the old location. It's now in a much smaller location slightly down the street and down an alley from the original spot.

I still enjoy stopping in when in the area.

And yes, they carry the RS guidebooks.

If you like old bookstores, or at least one with a history, visit Hatchards on Piccadilly. It's been there since the late 1700's. It's more modernized now and part of the Waterstone's chain. It's near Fortnum and Mason.

Posted by
27122 posts

Saturday is the busiest day for Portobello Road Market. Some of the stalls and antique dealers won't be there on Friday--but then, neither will the crowds.

LondonWalks may have a street-art walking tour.

Posted by
84 posts

@Frank II - Thanks, adding Hatchards on the list!

@acraven - I don't mind having less stalls to browse, I know I won't be buying anything. I just wanted to experience a general feel of the market. :)
I forgot to mention I would love to book one of the London Walks! I checked the street art one, but unfortunately it isn't taking place in April. An interesting alternative option could be the Jack the Ripper’s Whitechapel Tour, I'll think about it.

One night I could also see a play, any advice on how to find cheap tickets? If I recall correctly, buying them the night before is the best option... or am I wrong?

Posted by
8674 posts

Enjoyable 2nd hand bookstores:

Hurlingham Books. 1/2 block from the Putney Bridge Underground station entrance.

Foster Books on the Chiswick High Road

Always fun the book sellers under Waterloo Bridge

Lastly, The Bookshop on the Heath in Blackheath.

Posted by
5758 posts

Cheap Theatre Tickets- the TKTS booth in Leicester Square-the Clocktower building on the south side of Leicester Square. Open Monday – Saturday from 10.30am – 6pm and from 12pm – 4.30pm on Sundays.

Posted by
1006 posts

You can get same day tickets online from Officiallondontheatre.com. As you only need one seat you will have the best possible choice.

Posted by
84 posts

@Claudia - Thank you! Added them all on my map on GoogleMaps. :)

@isn31c and Helen - Thanks for the advice, I'll see if there's something interesting available the nights I'm there.

Posted by
280 posts

Gigua, if you decide to go to Portobello market on Sat instead, there is a London Walks offered for the area that ends at the market. Starts at 10:45. Have fun!

Posted by
84 posts

Do some of you have some advice regarding Oxford? I got 3 hours there and I can't decide which tour to book (if available).

This topic has been automatically closed due to a period of inactivity.