London, England – March 2000

By: Stacy Ashworth

What to do in London if…
London is an enormous city with no apparent rhyme or reason, making it hard to decide what to do once you get here. Many people come here with the idea that they have to run from museum to gallery to tourist attraction, completely overlooking the interest and allure that lies in London’s architecture and neighbourhoods.

Wandering aimlessly will bring guaranteed pleasant delights and surprises and undoubtedly be more satisfying than shelling out lots of cash to see things you probably don’t really care about to begin with.

I’ve put together some ideas for itineraries based on time available. Obviously they build on each other (I didn’t feel the need to repeat “visit Trafalgar Square” each time).

You only have a few hours:
If you literally only have a few hours in London and want to make the most of it, Whistle Stop Tours offers taxi tours of central London. Phone 0207-624-3978.

If you don’t want a tour, I’d stick to walking around the area covering Trafalgar Square – Covent Garden – Leicester Square – Piccadilly Circus, which are all in close proximity to each other. For shopping, head to Oxford Street, the area between Marble Arch Tube & Oxford Circus is best.

If your few hours are after dark, Trafalgar Square and the Parliament Buildings are more impressive at night when they are all lit up than in the day when they show their filth, and they are only a short walk from each other. For something a little more laid back, you can always catch a West End Show. Half-price tickets are available from the both in Leicester Square, and most theatres offer cheap rush seats a ½ hour before the show starts.

Of course the obvious alternative, day or night, is to spend your precious hours in an authentic London pub, and you don’t need to venture very far from any point to find one of those!

You only have a day:
The Big Red Bus Company, London Pride and The Original London Sightseeing Tour all offer open-top bus tours on several routes around London, as well as a river cruise. There is commentary, and it is live on the Big Red Bus Company. All tickets are hop-on-hop-off so you can explore areas of interest to you on foot before resuming the tour.

If you have time in the evening, half-price day-off tickets can be bought in Leicester Square. The only official booth is the one located in the centre of the square (cash only). If you purchase from one of the other booths, be aware that you may be paying more than the face value of the ticket.

You only have a weekend:
London’s so big, it’s hard to imagine how to choose what to see in a weekend. Only catch a museum/gallery if

a) you’re really into that kind of thing or

b) it’s raining.

Try to visit the Tower, but don’t just do attractions. You might find the most fun is just wandering around some of the areas, like South Kensington or the City. It might be a good idea to take an organised walking tour, just to add colour to what you’re seeing.

You have an entire week:
Try to get out of the central tourist traps and explore other areas London has to offer. The Docklands, Greenwich, Hampton, and Hampstead are all sure bets, and many people find it fun just to randomly pick a tube stop and go explore the “real” London.

Also be sure to visit one of the many museums and gallery on offer, see the January 2000 article for an idea of which one you would enjoy (but don’t over do it!). Some tourist attractions are definitely worth a visit, but don’t clog your week with attraction after attraction. They’re expensive, wear thin fast, and don’t give any representation of the city.

You have a phenomenal two weeks:
It’s hard to say what would make someone want to spend two weeks of hard earned vacation in any city, but if you are there’s certainly enough to do in London to keep one pre-occupied (although the pre-occupation may turn to your dwindling bank account!)

London is such a large city and to add to the confusion is made up of several boroughs and therefore has many feels. To make matters worse, there are two centres, the City and the area around Trafalgar Square.

Two weeks is just the beginning amount of time needed to piece this city together. If the reason you’re spending two weeks in London is to get to know it, then I suggest you focus your time on this. The key is to do some research before you get here, and the best way I can think of to do that is by reading Edward Rutherford’s novel “London”.

Also, try to get to the far reaches of London, Windsor Castle, St Alban’s, and even farther afield Cambridge, Oxford, and Canterbury are all easy day trips.

General Info on London

London’s huge. It’s also crowded and buzzing with an energy all
it’s own. With the exception of wildlife you can find everything
you’ve ever dreamt of – for a price.

When coming here the number one thing you can count on is that you’re not going to be bored. The number two thing is that you’re going to spend a lot more money than you planned (even considering most museums & galleries are free).

Guide Book Update
London has gone a little crazy for the Millennium and spent a lot of money on not so good attractions. The most expensive and famous of these is the Millennium Dome in Greenwich.

At £20 a ticket you can celebrate the Millennium inside what looks like a big circus tent. The dome is filled with different “zones” each offering entertainment and education. The Dome has been hugely controversial and is expected to fall short of its expected visitors target when it closes next year.

The London Eye, the world’s largest Ferris wheel, has been erected across the Thames from Big Ben. It was supposed to carry people during the New Years festivities, but a technical glitch left it spinning empty.

“The Eye” is now open – but you have to book at least 5 days in advance or they won’t let you on, even if there are empty cars! (This is so
typically British it’s not even funny)

Recommended Readings
Edward Rutherford’s “London.” Okay okay, it’s a long book, but
if you have a long plane ride the payoff is excellent. There’s
so much more to be had from the city when you can walk around
and understand how the things you’re seeing got there.

Getting Around
I know all guidebooks will tell you to take black cabs, and they
are pretty cool but also pretty expensive. You can get much cheaper
travel by finding a minicab, with whom you can negotiate the price
upfront. They are really easy to find at night, they hang around
outside of night clubs and other attractions, and they’re listed
in the phone book if you want to get one from your hotel.

Click here for a map of the London Underground that opens into a new window.

Where to Find Info
The what’s on bible for most Londoners is “Time Out” which is widely available and comes out weekly for 1.80.

Every Thursday the very similar (though not as comprehensive) guide “Hot Tickets” comes free with the 35p Evening Standard – which is sold on all street corners.