My walking tours in London

Natalia, It looks like you have done your homework. Your routes seem pretty well designed, and you will cover many of the highlights of London. You will need a lot of energy to cover this much ground, abd as long as you don't want to spend too much time in any one place, I think this will work. I would only suggest that you be flexible and linger in places that strike your fancy, even if it means skipping something later in the day.

It is easy to eat cheaply in London. It's been about five years since I've been there, but when I was there they had these great places called Pret a something that had delicious pre-made sandwiches. Take out fish and chips is also delicious and reasonably priced. You can get a decent and inexpensive meal in most pubs. And finally, there are reasonable international restaurants, such as Indian and Asian, where you can get a great meal at a decent price.

The Tower of London and Westminster Abbey are both very popular places and may have long lines. I would suggest you make those two your first stops on the days you have designated for visiting them. Sometimes Westminster Abbey is closed to tourists, so check that out before you go. And as far as I know the Abbey has no public restrooms, which can be a complication in your tour route.
On your Harrod's day, the Victoria and Albert Museum is an enjoyable nearby museum. St Martin's in the Field has a good lunch spot in its crypt and also an excellent gift shop. It is near the National Gallery, I think. Also, I hope you are planning on at least one play. London has beautiful theatres.

Dear Natalia: Your plan is very carefully thought out, and covers central London pretty thoroughly. I have a few suggestions, but really you seem well prepared. I do think that you should try to cut down the walking involved by using buses and occasionally the tube. The London transport web site has an excellent guide (as does Rick) to key bus routes...and with an Oyster card you can just hop on and ride a few blocks, saving your feet. You don't say when you will be going, but rain is always an issue in London as far as picnics are concerned. London has a huge swath of parkland perfect for picnics, and many streets have little green parklets with benches. The only place I would tell you to avoid for picnics would be the Embankment, the area along the north bank of the Thames from Westminster down a few blocks toward the Millenium Bridge--for some reason, this area has been infested with bums and winos for decades now, and they don't take well to picnickers (as I can testify). Another poster mentioned the chain Pret a Manger, and they are excellent for take-away.
Now IMO, your day 3--while geographically fine--is too ambitious. To really see St. Paul's, especially to climb the stairs to the top, takes a full morning. If you do lunch and spend 2 hours in the Tate Modern...well, you won't have much time for the Borough Market let alone the Tower of london, which can easily absorb a full half-day (or more). If the weather is nice, you might think about using the tube and shooting over to Hyde park/Kensington gardens and strolling and relaxing.
Also, I assume you are going to Abbey road because you are (like me) a Beatles fan paying homage. An earlier poster mentioned London Walks.com...they are excellent, and they do a guided walk of many Beatles-related sites, not just Abbey road. Go on their website and check them out. Think about day 4/5 excursions to Hampstead heath, Greenwich, Kew Gardens, Hampton Court Palace. Easy and cheap by tube/rail.

Thank you all! I read all your comments.
First of all, regarding the museum visits, I intend to prepare my own tours selecting the pieces of art that I'm interested in. I'm not a big art fan, and I don't want to spend long hours there and start getting bored. So I don't think I'll be expending more than 3-4 hours in each museum.

I will take buses and the tube when the walk is too long or if it doesn't call my attention, so as to shorten the time spent walking and not get too tired.

On Day 1 I expect to enter the Westminster Abbey and the National Gallery, and I would like to do the London Eye ride. Are queues really that long? Even if you buy your ticket online? The website says you have to be there half an hour before, and the ride takes another 30 minutes.
I would like to end my day in Picadilly Circus and have dinner there, what do you think about that?

I am concerned about getting to Commercial St and Brik Lane too late, isn't it dangerous? Maybe I should start there early and finish my day in Tate Modern, I know that Fridays and Saturdays is open till 10 pm and I've been told that area is beautiful at night to have dinner there, isn't it?

I dont think I'll enter the St Paul's Cathedral and the Tower London, I'll just pass by :)

In general, I am not very strict about following my tour thoroughly, I just want a guide to know what to do. If I have to leave something out, I will, I don't want to run just to get to some place.

Natalia,

These walking tours that you have set up for each day look very good. When you get to Buckingham Palace, do you plan on seeing the Changing of the Guard at 11 AM? Allow some time for that. It's great that you have set aside for London 5 full days.

This summer I took of the same routes you have listed (but no way as organised as yours) and walked them too. Are you not going to the Imperial War Museum in Lambeth North (one station from Waterloo Station)?

natalia,

I agree with your edit on Day 3: I'd go east (Brick Lane) to west (St. Paul's). Having said that, why would you want to pass by the Tower and St Paul's?? The Tower is probably the best site through which to learn about the history of English royalty, England, and London.

Day 1 is A LOT, esp. if you're walking most or all of it and even if you don't enter every site. I might move some of it to other days, as some of the other days aren't too heavy (Days 4 and 5).

For example, it'd be very convenient to go from any of the Westminster sites to Trafalgar (where as you may know the Nat Gallery is) and on to Piccadilly. Waterloo doesn't quite fit, although it is doable if you have time. You could have dinner and head to the bridge at night for a nice view of the city, or leave it and visit another night.

IMHO, Harrod's is a big, fancy department store. Not sure why it's a tourist attraction.

At the risk of sounding bossy, I have to tell you -- do NOT walk by St. Paul's without going inside. It is spectacularly beautiful; one of the most beautiful interiors I have ever seen. If you're going right by, please at least have a look inside. You don't have to stay long if it doesn't thrill you.

I also can't imagine not going in the Tower of London. Especially since you say you are not into art, but you plan to spend 3-4 hours in each museum. Why would you skip the Tower of London to spend 3 hours in an art museum if you don't like art?

I would spend 3-4 hours in the British Museum. I spent an entire day there my first trip to London. I also spent half a day in the British Library, but I'm a manuscript geek. I don't think you need to spend that long in the National Gallery or Tate Modern. In fact, I would leave them for the end of the day because you may run out of time.

Natalia, I also agree that you should go inside the Tower of London. A great 1 hour tour is given, and you get to see the Crown Jewels. Quite frankly, even tho everyone always hears about the Changing of the Guard, it's quite boring, and the day I went was so crowded it was hard to see much. I think to see this instead of the Tower would be a mistake.

First, I stayed at Easy Hotel- Earl's Court last April for 4 nights. Please do not do what I did and get a room without a window. The rooms are very small and felt like a jail cell (actually smaller). I agree with a previous person not to pass on London Tower. I got my ticket from the small convenience shop inside the Earl's Court tube station so I avoided the ticket line. I arrived at London Tower at 8:30 (opens at 9) and was the first in line. Go immediately to see the royal gems. When I left at noon the lines were very long. Go to Westminster Abbey as soon as it opens also, long lines otherwise.

Unless you are used to walking for hours a day your feet will probably hurt alot. I was surprized about how big London is. What looked like a short distance to me on the map was actually much longer. Use the tube. Good luck, have fun, leave time to be spontaneous.

In London... you need to go see a show too!

I hope you will look up some self guided walks. Rick has some in his London guidebook, my public library has a few books devoted entirely to London walks. You will learn more history and see more sites with a well described do it yourself walk. I would never have seen the Banqueting House without a walk description and walked past and had to double back to see it with a guidebook.

I mixed and matched parts of the walks described here: http://www.londontoolkit.com/walks/london_walks.htm .

Other possibilities:
http://www.timeout.com/london/features/5270/Great_London_walks.html

http://tinyurl.com/288o43
http://tinyurl.com/2vcxbp
http://tinyurl.com/2x2rg2

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g186338-i17-k801436-Unseen_London_Walks-London_England.html

Your itinerary is ambitious! I have to agree with the other posters that not going into St. Paul's or the Tower is a crime! The Tower is pretty amazing - especially when you learn of the history of The Tower and St. Paul's is pretty awesome. Allow plenty of time in Westminster Abbey - even if you take the audio tour.

Some things I might skip off of your itinerary - Hyde Park, Regent's Park. Speaker's Corner is the only thing I'd consider at Hyde Park but I personally would rather spend some time in a museum.

Good luck!

It's certainly a very comprehensive and ambitious itinerary. You might want to plan 'emergency stops' along the routes (museums or interesting places) to duck into, in case of heavy rain or blustery weather ... though London is pleasant to walk around in, even under grey skies. For some variety and if the weather's good, how about taking a boat ride along Regent's Canal (between Little Venice, London Zoo and Camden Lock - for Camden Market)? I enjoyed that very much, it's a different view of London. If that's your kind of thing, you can catch the London Waterbus Co boats across the bridge from the Warwick Avenue tube station. I agree with other posters that the Tower of London is worth a visit. And the Tate Modern too, even if only briefly. As for food, I assume from your question that you're on a tight budget and aren't looking for gourmet meals for your entire stay? The Pret a Manger chain is good for take-away sandwiches, there are also many coffee chains, and Chinese take-aways and restaurants in Chinatown (Gerrard St and surroundings) are relatively cheap eats. Museum cafes are usually pretty reasonable too. I like the Cafe in the Crypt in the church of St Martin's in the Fields. Supermarkets (Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury,) also sell packed food items which are useful for picnics. I remember that the Belgo Centraal Belgian restaurant in Covent Garden had a "Beat the Clock" menu where you pay the number on the clock when you order, eg. if you order at 6 pm, you pay 6 pounds. Not sure if that still exists though!

Take a train from Victoria to Battersea Park station and then walk. It is a lot closer than walking from Sloane Square. There isn't much to see really because it is all fenced off.

I pass by it on train every time I travel into London and it is a thrill but I wouldn't actually walk to see it.

Other than that your itinerary looks good.

Hello Natalia. Day 1 : I think you can go to all of those places, in the order in which they are written there, in one day. I recommend travelling in a Taxi car from Buckingham Palce to Westminster Abbey. When I was at London, the British National Gallery was open until 7:00 p.m. (1900 hours) one day each week.
I think you will not be at Buckingham Palace at the time of the Changing of the Guard. You can have a quick look at that Palace exterior, through the fence. I recommend that you go in St. Paul's cathedral. I do not recommend walking up into its dome, because you will do much walking that day.

I'm also thinking of going to London this summer with the family (4 - total, 2 kids 21 and 18 yrs). I'm thinking of 9 days. It'll be our first trip. I like the walking tour, but how about some day trips? I've heard about a trip to Bath, then over to Stonehenge. Is a day trip to Scotland possible? How about some castles? I would rather not rent a car. just thinking of possibilities. Thanks

"Is a day trip to Scotland possible (from London)?"

Possible is one thing. Whether it's a good use of your money and time only you can decide. The fastest trains go from London to Edinburgh in 4 and 1/2 hours one-way (those are the fastest, a more typical time is 5 hours).

Add to the 5 hours the time to get to the train station and wait for the train. Then multiply the total one-way time by 2. Depending on exactly where you're sleeping in London, you're already up to 11 or 12 hours of your day spent seeing the inside of trains and train stations.

You could fly, but these days with the time to get to the airport, go through security, wait for the plane, the flying time x 2, plus the money, well....

There are many day trips from London that you'll probably get more value from than a day trip to Scotland: Windsor, Greenwich, Cambridge, Stonehenge, Avebury, Bath (but not all of these in one day!).