Hello, my wife and I are finishing our first trip to Europe with 2 and a half days (3 nights) in London. At least, we fly out of London on Saturday evening after arriving there the preceding Wednesday night. Is it a possibility for us to see any other part of England, maybe staying at a Bed and Breakfast somewhere, instead of inside of London? Before I focus on an itinerary in London itself, I thought I would ask for feedback about this option. So I guess to rephrase, with the time we have available, would you just enjoy London, or would you bypass the London experience and see something else? It's the end of our trip and we are kind of attracted to the idea of something slower-paced than the hustle bustle of London. Thank you in advance for your thoughts!
Barry
Posted by
san diego, california, us
149 posts
You don't have to stay in the heart of the hustle bustle. London has many neighborhoods, and you can choose a quieter district like Notting Hill, Paddington, Bayswater, Chelsea, Pimlico, Earl's Court, Kensington, or Tower Bridge. You could also stay in Greenwich or the Docklands or Hampstead, which would give you access to central London, but away from the heart of the city. You also can choose not to visit the more crowded touristy sites if that is your preference. Maybe take a boat ride on the Thames, go to Kew Gardens, stroll through Hyde Park, spend the day in Greenwich, take in a play--there are all kinds of lower-key things to do in London. You could take one of the many London Walks http://www.walks.com/ You could also do a day trip to Bath, Oxford, Or Cambridge (I wouldn't, given your limited time). Or stay in Bath and take the train in to London for your flight on Saturday. The possibilities are endless. But to directly answer your question, yes, I would stay in or near London. Particularly if your only reason for avoiding it is because you think it's too fast-paced.
Posted by
Los Angeles, California
1986 posts
the Cotswolds are what i would look to for a typical English countryside- cute cottages, small villages and slow windy roads. very close to London/Heathrow. Either that or London. Two and a half days is probably the miinmum to get the full cotswold experience. two and a half days in London will enable you to see a selection of the high spots (and miss a lot of them) there is so much to see. if I only had two and a half days in London, i would get a hotel as close to the west End as possible to minimize travel time. Dont try and combine the two in such a short stay- one or the other
Posted by
Bay Area
3551 posts
There is actually alot to see nearby to Heathrow by car. Windsor Castle and town, Eton College, Hampton Palace and Gardens. All very peaceful and very British indeed. Cotswolds if you want historic villages, peace and beauty. Some or all perfect for 2.5 days.