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Need a Reality Check for a planned day in London

Posted by (Chicago, IL, USA) on

Hi,

We’re coming up on our second trip to London and as the primary travel planner, it’s been a struggle (some of which is because I set the bar so high on our March 2023 trip, and some of which is exogenous stress due to my work as a federal civil servant).

But I finally picked a rock and roll history tour that will be in SoHo on Tuesday, 14 April at 10:00 and will end near Regent Street by Piccadilly Circus station around 12:00. That’s booked and done.

What I need the reality check with is the afternoon. I plan for us to hit the Covent Garden Market for lunch after the tour, which is a half mile or so from the end of the tour. From there, the next priority is the Courtauld Gallery, which is about a quarter mile away.

I’d like to chain the Wallace Collection with the Courtauld as they have a Caravaggio (my all time favorite) on display. It’s about two miles and would take half an hour to get to from Courtauld.

We do museums slower than Rick’s time estimates (probably because we haven’t seen it all before), so the question:

Can we see Wallace after Courtauld if we start Courtauld at about 14:00. Or would Sir John Soames make more sense and just save Wallace for another day. We are staying about a mile north west of the Wallace.

Any advice is welcome.

Posted by
36529 posts

I don't think of miles in London, I think of bus stops and tube stations.

Does it sound like you are expecting to walk everywhere? You may find that is slower and more energy draining. Dangerous too if you forget which way to look when crossing the (many) roads.

To get to the Wallace Collection from the Strand, where Courtauld Gallery is, I'd be on the number 68 to Euston, and the 205 to nearby the Courtauld and save your walking,.

Posted by
493 posts

Taking the tube from Courtauld to Wallace would maybe save about 15 minutes. I was born in New York City. I walk like I have somewhere to be. My wife has embraced her treadmill, so we’re not afraid of a mile or two at a go, but taking something faster would be worth the spend if it makes the itinerary possible.

Posted by
492 posts

The Wallace closes at 5:00 pm and the Courtauld at 6:00 pm, so I’d probably reverse the order and do the Wallace first, then walk to the Courtauld afterward.

The Wallace also has a guided tour at 2:30pm, if you go to the Wallace first, you can do the guided tour. It was a good tour in 2024.

Posted by
639 posts

You had better get advance tickets to the Courtauld ASAP if you haven’t already. There’s a popular special exhibit on Seurat running there now and a quick look at their website shows that time slots for the day you want, April 14, are already selling out.

Posted by
1221 posts

For me, this would be too much to fit into an afternoon. I would save Wallace Collection for another day and then you won't be so worried about time.

Posted by
1408 posts

How about skipping the Covent Garden Market and eating at the Courtauld cafe? For me, the museums would be my priority and grabbing a bite at one of them might give you enough time to see both. The Wallace Collection is one of my favorite museums and it has a lovely restaurant.

Posted by
32 posts

According to the Wallace Collection website, Caravaggio’s Cupid is only on display until April 12. So if you go to the Wallace collection on April 14, it won’t be there.

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