Aug.08
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Reader Question of the Week: London Calling, Part III

Here is the question we put before readers several weeks back:

T.B. in Waterloo, IA asks: I'm turning 50 in September and to celebrate, a friend of mine and I are going to London for a week. (She turns 75 the same day I turn 50.) This is a lifelong dream of mine, as going to London has been #1 on my bucket list for the last 30+ years. To say that I'm excited is an understatement. I was wondering if any of your readers have suggestions for sites to see, or restaurants to visit (perhaps with favorite dishes to try)?

And here some more of the answers we got in response:

A.G. in Los Angeles, CA: Just to put us into perspective, when we travel we tend to book food before any activities, and we have been to many 1 and 2 star Michelin restaurants. In London, two spots we loved are:

Cheers and enjoy London, T.B. in Waterloo.


M.P. in Leasburg, MO: It has been many years since my visit to London but there are a few experiences from the entire adventure that stick with me to this day. When going to see the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, we chose to get there early so as to get a good spot. There was only one other gentleman there when we arrived. It seems that everyone thinks the best place to watch must be right in front of the palace. I thought it odd that this elderly man was way down at the end of the palace just standing there all alone.

My husband always says I have never met a stranger. He is mostly right. I decided the elderly gent must know more about the event than we did so I approached him and asked him for his suggestion on the best views. He was very stately when he replied, "Right here, of course!" So, I went back to the group and we joined him on that end. He was very kind and turns out, he was retired military and he came to watch the changing every day. He gave us a play-by-play on who and what we were seeing along with some really interesting history regarding the Gurkhas marching in the event! Long story short—facing the palace, go all the way down to the end on the right. I suspect the old cat is long gone now, but maybe you will meet someone with similar insider information. Oh, and, the high-speed train ride to the Cliffs of Dover was exciting as well.


C.B. in Highlands, NJ: I've been fortunate to visit London many times so here are my suggestions:

The most important thing is to LOOK RIGHT when crossing the street! Those Brits drive on the wrong side of the road!


D.D. in Seattle, WA: The British Library is an absolute must-see. It has amazing collections of books, musical scores, religious documents, and the Magna Carta. It is a newer building and easily accessible. There is fascinating sculpture on the grounds. Clos Maggiore in Covent Garden is a great French restaurant for either lunch or dinner. It has beautiful rooms, professional service, excellent modern European food, and a phenomenal wine list.


P.W. in London, England, UK: First, I hope London is everything you ever hoped for. Having lived near it all my life (56 years and counting...) and working there every day for 26 years, I think the most important thing to do if you only have a short time here is not to let yourselves be sucked into the touristy things. Sure, see Buckingham Palace, Westminster, Leicester Square (if you have to, but it's going to disappoint...) and other such obvious stop-offs—we all need to tick our boxes when we travel—but I would try and get off the beaten track a little, even if it's to visit what some would class as the "second division" sights.

Go to Brick Lane and dive into one of the curry houses there—any one will do—for a cheap and cheerful London take on India's finest. Stroll around the City (the City of London, its financial district); much like Wall St., it has fascinating juxtapositional architecture, small winding lanes, so much history you'll be coming up for air and you can laugh at us all in our single-breasted suits and umbrellas—I'll be one of those. Yes, do St. Paul's. Yes, do one or two of the parks (Regents, especially). Yes, visit Speakers Corner, but there's lots more to London than Union Jack t-shirts and hop-on, hop-off buses.

Go south of the river and tour the Globe, wander around Seven Dials, find some peace and the world's finest art in the National Gallery, wander around Holborn, stroll through Kensington and marvel at the huge houses sold to the Oligarchs, buy books at Foyles Charing Cross, even visit St. Pancras station to watch the Eurostar arrive whilst sipping Prosecco in the champagne bar. I hope you take home a lifetime of memories from those corners of this magnificent city that people don't always mention.


M.W. in Marlborough, CT: I polled my family about their favorite sites/activities after we visited in May, and among the obvious choices (Westminster Abbey, Victoria & Albert, Portrait Gallery) was one I didn't anticipate when planning the trip: Evensong. An Anglican choir is England's gift to the cultural world. If you are not religious, it is one of the best free concerts you will ever attend. And if you are a believer, the transcendent beauty of the human voice in a hall with ethereal acoustics will make you believe a little bit more. Pick any pretty church (London has many) and go any evening around 6:00.


S.S. in Toronto, ON, Canada: My very favorite place in London was what was then known as the Geffrye Museum and is now the Museum of the Home. I had done all the usual (wonderful) touristy things and I had some time on my hands one afternoon. I don't remember how I found it, but I took the bus there from where I was staying in Hackney. This was in the year 2000, and I think the only (or certainly main) thing to see was what is now called the Home Galleries—you get a look into the main room of a home from each period from the Jacobean era until mid-twentieth century. That has probably been expanded and updated by now; looks as though it has been significantly enhanced and modernized since I was there. But that's where I'd head in London, even if I only had a day or two there.


P.L. in Minneapolis, MN: There's lots to see and do in London, and I'm certain you'll be able to compile an excellent list thanks to the readers of this site, but definitely check out Novelty Automation in Holborn. As its curator explains, it's "an antidote to the corporatisation of fun."


A.B. in Amman, Jordan: So, right... I might be based in Amman these days, but I spent a good chunk of my career working right in the center of London, and regularly dip back into the city for both work and pleasure. Let's begin by acknowledging that the perspective on what to see and do from someone who used to work in central London might be very different from the perspective of someone from Black Hawk County, IA, who's on a once-in-a-lifetime bucket-list trip, but I'll do my best to come up with some tips and thoughts for someone who's never been to the city before, and will understandably want to visit the BIG sites, but may also have some interest in quirkier places:

Museums and Art Galleries

Yes, the British Museum is absolutely worth it (though as an archaeologist, I might be biased), but try and pace your visit, and it's worth remembering that some of the most spectacular items are in quieter galleries. So yes, you'll probably want to see the Rosetta Stone and the Elgin/Parthenon Marbles, but just one row of galleries west of the Egyptian galleries (and Rosetta Stone) are the Assyrian Galleries in rooms 7-10, which contain some of the most spectacular sculptures in the entire museum—and they're always much, much quieter than the Egyptian Galleries. Upstairs, the crowds rush for the Egyptian mummies; the sensible visitor will be spending some quiet time with the Sumerian objects in Room 56 or the Sutton Hoo treasure in Room 41. As with so many tourist sites around the world, getting just slightly off the beaten track offers fantastic rewards.

Of the three big South Kensington museums—the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum, and the Victoria & Albert Museum (colloquially the V&A), the latter will almost certainly be the one of most interest to visitors of T.B. & friend's demographic. It's a genuinely great museum of applied art and design through space and time; the Science and Natural History museums are generally overrun by schoolchildren (though do provide great places for families to visit).

But do try and visit one or two of London's quirkier museums. Sir John Soane's Museum—within walking distance of the British Museum—is a good bet. It's the former home of an architect and antiquarian who accumulated a vast and eccentric collection of art and antiquities; his house has been kept as it was on the day he died in 1837, but it's so much more than the oddities of a late Georgian/early Victorian collector (though it's certainly that, too).

Your taste in art galleries will depend to a large extent on your taste in art, but since T.B. and friend will presumably stop by Trafalgar Square at some point if they're doing the tourist rounds, then if art is their thing they might as well visit the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery while they're there—both world-class collections, with the Portrait Gallery also giving some interesting insights into British history. If they're into modern art, then Tate Modern—just across a pedestrian bridge from St Paul's Cathedral—is the obvious stopping point.

But for something a little bit more obscure yet fascinating, consider the Guildhall Art Gallery in central London, on the same square as the city's medieval guildhall. It's not the biggest art gallery in London, but there can't be too many galleries that have the archaeological remains of a Roman amphitheater on display in the basement—and it also has a temporary exhibition through October on connections between London and the U.S.

One point to keep in mind... national museums and galleries in the U.K. are free to enter (it's the temporary exhibits that charge); but smaller private museums often have an entry charge. That at least makes the great museums and galleries cost-effective places to visit, because tickets to the next category can really add up...

Heritage Sites

I'm not going to tell a first-time visitor on a bucket-list trip to completely avoid Buckingham Palace, but even if it's still open for T.B.'s visit (it closes to the public at the end of September), it's overpriced, and you can get more bang for your buck elsewhere. Kensington Palace (the official London residence of Prince William) is by far the better royal palace to visit if visiting palaces is your thing. Yes, the Tower of London (also still officially a royal palace) is likely worth a tourist visit, but be warned that the crown jewels can seem anti-climactic, and the site can get very busy; I'd recommend focusing on the broader history of the Tower.

Electoral-Vote.com readers are presumably by definition interested in politics. So I can highly recommend a visit to the Houses of Parliament (technically the Palace of Westminster) if you can find a day when Parliament isn't in session. Details are available on the ticket site. For all the faux-medieval Victorian flummery, I find it an oddly moving place to visit.

When it comes to churches, the bucket-list visitor with an interest in the ecclesiastical will likely—understandably—want to focus on Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral. That's fine, but if this is an area of interest, consider visiting some of the surviving Christopher Wren churches in the City of London (the City is the tiny square mile area at the center of London encompassing the original Roman and medieval cities). Many of them are absolute gems. Walking between the Wren churches can also give a real feel for the Square Mile (though best not to do it on a Saturday, when the business district can feel almost abandoned).

Eating

You can eat almost any cuisine at almost any price point in London, so this is inevitably going to be very, very cursory, but for quirky lunches from a range of affordable street food stalls, the best places to go for the first-time tourist are probably Borough Market (just at the southern end of London Bridge) and Spitalfields Market (to the east). Borough has a broader food offer, and Spitalfields has some quirky non-food stalls and shops.

If you want to do the over-the-top quintessentially English once-in-a-lifetime-special-treat dining experience, then perhaps consider the Grand Divan at Simpsons in the Strand. One of London's oldest restaurants, it re-opened this year after a major refurbishment, and has become one of the hottest dining tickets in the city. If you want your roast beef carved on a silver tray by the side of the table while you're seated on a leather banquette—and are willing to be convinced that traditional British dining is significantly better than its reputation might suggest—then this is the place to go.

But otherwise, TimeOut's constantly updated list of the 50 best restaurants in London (which covers a range of styles and prices) is always a good place to start.

My Favorite London Walk for Tourists

These things are subjective, but I really like the riverside walk from the Monument to the Great Fire of London (just north of London Bridge), down across London Bridge (from where you get good views of Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, though London Bridge itself is a nondescript modern structure) to Borough Market, then along the Thames—passing Southwark Cathedral, the reproduction of Drake's Golden Hinde, and then the Clink Prison Museum—walking down Clink Street and then along Bankside, until you pass by Shakespeare's rebuilt Globe Theatre, and on to the almost-adjacent Tate Modern art gallery, and then across the pedestrian-only Millennium Bridge towards St Paul's Cathedral. That's roughly 1 1/2 miles (excluding wanders through food markets and art galleries), and nice and flat, and should give first-time visitors in their 50s and 70s a good feel for the oldest part of the city.

Places to Avoid

Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square are awful, pointless tourist traps. Piccadilly Circus is sometimes unavoidable if moving from Point A to Point B in the West End, which is fair enough, but I can't for the life of me fathom why anyone would go anywhere near Leicester Square (unless it's to go to the nearby Cork & Bottle wine bar, which has been around since 1971, and is one of the few interesting independent outlets in the immediate area).

Only clueless tourists eat in Aberdeen Angus steakhouses. Avoid them.

I can't really imagine why a tourist would want to go shopping on Oxford Street; it's frantically busy and almost nothing but chains. There are so many interesting independent shopping areas across the city. That said, if you feel compelled to do one of the grand department stores, then Selfridges on Oxford Street is a better bet than Harrods (shudder).

I also think the London Eye is wildly overrated (as are the adjacent tourist-trap museums like the London Dungeon). I can't see why anyone would spend that much money to go on an oversized Ferris Wheel.

Anyway, good luck and enjoy!


M.D. in Edmonds, WA: I'm sure that other readers will join me in recommending Sir John Soane's Museum.

My wife and I have visited this truly remarkable dwelling/museum three times in the past 20 years and found it nearly as memorable as the British Museum—and much less daunting if you are pressed for time and perhaps a bit footsore some afternoon.


S.D.L. in Monrovia, CA: We have enjoyed the sightseeing boat ride up the Thames (Westminster to Greenwich). You'll view the historical landmarks while experiencing the raw power of the river up close. Disembarking, you can visit the great Observatory, roam around its grounds, and even step on the international dateline. The Tube takes you back easily.


J.M. in Arvada, CO: London was a long-time bucket-list item of mine and, like T.B., I didn't reach it until later in life (my 42nd birthday in my case). First and foremost, use the Tube. I've seen some Americans who have concerns about it (thinking of it like the New York City Subway) or who feel like it's beneath them (both figuratively and literally) or whatever but it's fine, it's easy, and it's fast. Except between Leicester Square and Covent Garden; that's faster to walk.

The first time we went we got London Passes for both of us and there was enough included in them that it paid off. On our next trip, though, we didn't bother (and I've been back a couple of times for work and never considered it). One typical tourist thing we avoided was the London Eye, taking the advice that the viewing floors at the top of The Shard were easier, cheaper, and better, and we enjoyed that. We also did the free Garden at 120 in the square mile of London for another view.

I highly recommend the Churchill War Rooms and the Tower of London. Tower Bridge was a fine add-on to our Tower of London day since it's right there, but I wouldn't go out of my way to do it. Obviously, the British Museum is a must-see, but the V&A Museum is quite good in its own right. The V&A also opened a new East Museum in April that I have not yet seen. They opened their East Storehouse (different location) last year and I saw it in October. It's a unique way to see a museum's inventory, in some way it's a museum of a museum. It probably isn't worth trying to work it in on your first trip, but it's a great follow-up. Unless you're a David Bowie fan, the East Storehouse has all of his papers and collection he left to the V&A but that requires a separate ticket to get in and I understand they sell out fast.

I'd also recommend a Thames Cruise from somewhere in London (we usually get on at Embankment) down to Greenwich. Depending on your interest in nautical history and/or astronomy, you can spend as little or as long as you want in Greenwich. For us, it's our favorite part of the city and I've been back every trip. The Royal Observatory, the Old Royal Naval College, the National Maritime Museum, the Cutty Sark and the Queen's House are all worth touring. Greenwich Market is also a great market to explore for an hour or so.

While you're in Greenwich you can get traditional pie and mash at Goddards at Greenwich, which is on one corner of the market. We're not much for fine dining (at least, not at central London prices) but on my last trip for work in October my wife joined me and it was recommended that we try J Sheekey in Leicester Square and we're glad we did. They've been serving London theatergoers since the 1890's and it was great. My wife considers it one of the great meals she's had in her life. I thought it was very good, but I wouldn't put it quite that high.

Last, but not least, if you're a football (soccer) fan, London obviously has many options. If you have a specific team you want to see, I highly recommend finding the time to do it. If you just want to see a game and experience English football, though, my recommendation is to look at lower-league teams and not the big names like Arsenal and Chelsea. There are 8 professional teams below the top level in London, all accessible by Tube. My personal favorite to go to is Wealdstone down in non-league, but you have to be a real football sicko to do that. I'd recommend QPR, Leyton Orient, or Wimbledon.


C.S. in Tucson, AZ: Side trip to Liverpool and hire a guide for a Beatles tour. It will be the best money you've spent in a long time. Maybe forever.

Bonus suggestion: Do NOT take a side trip to Stonehenge.


D.D. in Bucks County, PA: I travel to London a lot. It's become a bit of an adopted home. There are way too many options to list, but here are some of our recommendations and favorites:

Sites

Restaurants


J.H. in North Salem, NY: My wife and I visited London in 2002 BC (before children) and had a spectacular time. Two experiences stand out as ones I would repeat if I ever have the opportunity to return. One is the Imperial War Museums, which is a must for military history buffs (which I am) but was also a huge hit with my wife who is most definitely not interested in warfare. In particular, the immersive experience of the exhibits of a World War I trench and a World War II bombshell were extremely memorable.

The other must-do recommendation I have is to see the Royal Shakespeare Company perform one of the Bard's plays. The running subtitles on the sides of the stage made it much easier to follow the performance—difficult enough because of the meter and Elizabethan language of the text, and doubly so since it was also spoken with true British accents. It's the best Shakespeare I've ever seen and could only have been better had it been performed in the original Klingon.


G.R. in Carol Stream, IL: As someone who has always wanted to see England but probably never will, I urge you to do some research and let me know what these are:

  1. spotted dick
  2. marmite
  3. toad in the hole
  4. bangers and mash

Thank you in advance.

One more week of this before we move on to something new.


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