Hello lovely London experts and visitors.
We have 2 days in London (arr Sun May 4, dep Tues May 6). It's not our first trip to London, so this is more revisiting favourites and not packing too much in. We are two Canadians in our 60's. The first day is planned, we have tickets for a matinee of SIX and reservations at Blacklock Soho for a Sunday roast.
Lots of detail here, please comment on whatever bits you like!
Monday, we wanted to start with a full English. We are staying at Premier Inn Blackfriars, and it looks like Terry's cafe is a straight shot by bus. Our back up to Terry's is the Regency Cafe.
After breakfast we're heading to the V&A. We haven't looked up temporary exhibits, but whatever they have, I'm sure we'll love it. We also want to go to the Cafe at the Museum, and refresh ourselves in one of the beautiful rooms. I don't know if we'll have a huge appetite after the full English! It's a bank holiday, and opening hours at the museum look normal, but we're hoping to manage breakfast early enough to make it to the V&A by 10 am.
After the V&A we thought we'd wander around Westminster. We've been to the Abbey but not toured it. We attended an evensong service years ago, which was pretty magical, but you know, I still haven't seen Poets' Corner and the rest. Is it doable on foot to visit the Abbey, take a walk by the Houses of Parliament, maybe hear Big Ben, and stroll a bit by the river? If I'm booking an Abbey entrance, I don't think I should book it before 2 pm?
I am not seeing any tours available for purchase at the Abbey. (Except the early morning one which is sold out for our dates.) Will I be ok with the included audioguide, or can someone recommend another tour provider? Prefer to avoid Viatour and the big resellers.
The remaining big question is where else do we eat? Will we find a decent pub/not strictly tourist trade around Westminster? I see Mother Mash in Covent Garden, kind of on the way back to the hotel. Also Willy's Pies, looks like a chain? (We're very interested in iconic London food, nothing fancy.) The other thing we are considering is the Cheshire Cheese, which we found surprisingly un-touristy, and quite pleasant, during a visit several years ago. It is a scant five minute walk from our hotel, so a very convenient option.
The next morning we will need to be on our way out by mid-morning so we thought we'd walk to Beppe's cafe (another traditional caff) around 8, then back to the hotel to check out, as it's showing as about 11 m walk from our spot in Blackfriars.
That's it I think. Would appreciate any thoughts, insight, dire warnings, whatever you think we need to know.
Thank you again.