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Top 3 London Tips

I spent five lovely, sunny days in London in late September, walking all around Westminster, Piccadilly, Mayfair, and environs. It's taken me a while to process the trip, but here's what I think worth sharing, in terms of discoveries:

1) If you're going to see any show while in London, make an effort to see The Play that Goes Wrong at the Duchess Theatre on Catherine Street. It is hilarious from start to finish. Speaking of the start, be sure to get to the theater 20 minutes early, because the play actually starts before the advertised curtain time. Very unusual, but the pre-play reinforces the theme.

2) The Bank of England on Threadneedle Street is worth a visit for their museum, which has exhibits on the history of currency and on counterfeiting. Assuming you've bothered to pick up any currency, rather than tapping your card everywhere, you can check all your British notes with a special light to see whether they are fake! And if you find a fake... well, there's a gift shop in the next room to fob it off quickly ;-).

3) If you're walking around and need a place to rest your feet for a few minutes, pop into a library. The Westminster reference library is a wonderful place. I found it fortuitously on the Apple map app when looking for someplace to sit after a day of walking, where I wouldn't feel like I needed to buy something to justify taking up space. After all, there are only so many coffees one can drink in a day. Like many libraries these days, they sell used books, cast-offs from their collection. I found a wonderful mid-twentieth century guidebook of the Cotswolds (one of a national series, kind of like the British version of the American WPA guides) for all of one pound. Their shelves hold lots of books on art, architecture and history worth browsing.

Finally, I want to give a shout out to the Rick Steves Travel Forum and all the people who provided helpful tips or asked the right questions. Thanks for helping me plan a successful trip!

Posted by
115 posts

I love the suggestion of stopping into a library, especially for used books. Thanks for the reminder!

Posted by
1304 posts

Library - yes, great idea! And the play and bank seem like good ideas, too.

Posted by
6626 posts

I keep forgetting about the bank museum. I obviously need to update my "what to see and do" list for London this year.

Thanks for your report.

Posted by
9364 posts

Pleased you enjoyed your stay and that the Forum was a helpful resource.

LOL regarding libraries. Laughing because during my career as a film and TV Location Manager/Scout learned early on that libraries were great places for pit stops and uploading scouting pictures via free WiFi.

Some of the nicest cafes I’ve enjoyed on London excursions over the years were located in Libraries. Loved the one in the Swiss Cottage Library but have heard it’s now closed.

Posted by
1560 posts

Yes! Libraries and Museums have the best cafes and restrooms! Plus, National Trust Sites!

Posted by
1753 posts

Not in London, but in Edinburgh, the library in Old Town has a nice little cafe with delicious jacket potatoes. And the central library in Boston, Mass is a gorgeous building, and there's a cafe with great clam chowder and a nice courtyard to sit in.

Posted by
631 posts

Thanks KT, I was vacillating between The Play…… and one of the 2 Agatha Christie plays to book for our Feb trip to London. You helped me make the call! And very good reminder on libraries, I made use of the one in Bath when I need a WiFi break.

Posted by
376 posts

Thanks for the tip on The Play That Goes Wrong. We have tickets booked for June. We'll be sure to arrive early!

Posted by
5965 posts

When I need to get off my feet, and especially when it's raining, I find a shoe store and try on my fav European brands. MOST of the time I leave empty-handed/footed......
I know, off topic . ( wink emoji)

Posted by
1917 posts

Regarding the Bank of England museum. Is the large gold bar still on display? Not too many places where you can touch and lift a pure gold bar that weighs maybe 25 pounds (10 Kilos) or thereabouts.

Posted by
125 posts

I loved The Play that goes Wrong. You definitely want to experience the pre official start of the play. Those actors are real acrobats.
The library stop is something I'll have to remember. Great idea. Thanks.
And The Bank of England is on my to do list.

I've now done over a month in London (3-6 days at a time). I still occasionally go back to the BIG tourist things (The Van Gogh exhibit was marvelous!) but I have been finding and going to smaller museums and/or walking in neighborhoods and booking one or two theatre shows.
Recent fun or enlightening finds for me include the Rail Mail Museum (fun!), the Wallace Collection (the miniatures are wonderful and the afternoon tea very nice). This next trip I hope to walk on Hampstead Heath and see Highgate Cemetery.
So many options!!!!!
Love London.

Posted by
3175 posts

Thanks for your report and ideas. I’m putting together my June/July itinerary so your ideas are very handy

Posted by
19 posts

Rocket -- Yes, the gold bar is still there! And very hard to lift within its box-like constraint (and I'm used to tossing around the occasional 50-lb bag of sunflower seed).
LizLynnwood -- Great suggestions for a future trip!
Pat -- Not at all off topic (how to sit down for free and not feel guilty)

Posted by
6 posts

Thank you for sharing these great tips for travel in London (and needing a break).

If you're walking near St. Pancras Station, the British Library is well-known for its superb collection of original written documents (Magna Carta, Shakespeare folios, Beatles sheet music with pencil markings, etc.) on the ground level to your left after you pass the gift shop.

On the upper level of the British Library (go to the far back) is a gorgeous cafe that gets a lot of sunlight and is a lovely place to rest or grab a simple lunch or coffee. It also has a strong WiFi connection, so if you did not choose to pay $10 extra per day for an international cell phone plan, this is a place to catch up on emails. Also, it has a clean restroom (WC). Be sure to skip the main entrance mini-cafe (which is neither peaceful nor lovely).

The upper level restaurant is geared more to staff and frequent visitors (it feels like a hidden oasis in North Central London - especially if you need a mental health break far from the maddening crowds).

Posted by
2900 posts

This is a great thread -- exactly why I like to read the Forum. Thanks, all.

Posted by
9364 posts

Going to add another tip for travelers interested in obtaining early Christmas stocking gifts. Key rings.

Available everywhere. Friends still rave about them and use daily.

Royal crowns, red busses, black cabs and “ Big Ben.”

Lastly, and hopeful still being published ( but most likely not) paper tube maps which were near manned tube ticket station windows. Occasionally had to ask ticket window employee to supply one.

Last one retrieved in 2023. Didn’t look for any in 2024. Admit that I used Google Maps and TFL websites on iPhone.