5 Day Trip To London

[Wannaretireearly]

Windsor Castle is very reachable by train, and is worth a visit.

Also, don’t forget theater!

+1 love Windsor

[kenoryan]

Oxford Street, Bond Street for shopping
British Museum
Tower of London
Piccadilly, Leicester Square, West End
Ride the tube London Underground
Dishoom restaurant in Covent Garden excellent Indian food
Churchill Arms pub in Kensington nice old pub for a pint

[Valuethinker]

Small incendiary bombs landed on St Paul's, but dedicated teams of firewatchers - civilian volunteers, many of them employees of the Cathedral, were able to snuff them out with buckets of sand and manual stirrup pumps for water.

Thank you for filling in the story, I didn't go deep enough studying details. How tragic it could have been-just luck and very motivated citizens saved an amazing church.

Well it's all part of "the Myth of the Blitz". There's a famous picture of St Paul's dome, surrounded by the smoke of the blazing City of London around it. Fortunately by that time the City was pretty much a business district only, with only a small residential population remaining.

People did amazing things in a common cause. But there was also sexual assault, black marketeering, racism, class division*** etc. Both things are true: the heroism of ordinary human beings and the tendency of society to revert to its norms.

The Ordinance Disposal squad at St Paul's Cathedral did a very brave thing -- for which they were decorated. It was a symbolic rescue - gave people the confidence that we were fighting back.** My father was not in Ordinance Disposal, but he could have been - you didn't get a choice what you were assigned to.

Our own destruction of German cathedral cities was quite deliberate. By 1945 we were targeting cities that had not yet been bombed flat - so of limited industrial or military value, often with large populations of refugees. Freiburg, Fulda etc.

With Dresden the question was asked in Parliament whether bombing flat a city and killed 10s of thousands of civilians, when by Feb 1945 it was clear we would win the war, was actually a good policy. I think by that time, we had the bombers and the radar navigation techniques, we had total air supremacy. So we had the tool, so we used it to break open the door - even though it was unlocked.

** until the invention of the proximity fused shell much later in the war, (basically a miniature radar in every shell, that detonates it on proximity to an enemy aircraft), Anti-Aircraft fire depended upon the target flying straight and level. The altitude of detonation was set before the shell was fired. So it was basically a morale builder - make lots of noise, reassure people we were hitting back. It didn't shoot down very many German planes (but it might have spoiled their aim). And in 1940-41 we didn't have radar on planes, so night fighters were essentially flying blind. Again more for morale purposes than actually effective at disrupting German attacks.


*** Buckingham Palace was bombed, and the Queen said "at last we can look the East End in the face". The industrial and dock areas of East London, with their crowded housing etc, took the bulk of the Nazi bombing. Hits on the posher and grander West End were rarer.**** Whilst the visits by the King and Queen were highly publicised (I believe a visit by Churchill or one of his ministers was booed), it was also given out that they were sheltering from the air raids, just like the general public. In actual fact, every night they were driven to Windsor Castle (west of London) to ensure a good night's sleep.

Churchill was supposed to sleep in a bunker. Instead, very much the night owl, he would often climb up on the roof of Downing Street to watch the air raids.

**** they did hit the Cafe Royale, a famous night club in Piccadilly. Killing something over 100 people who were huddling over their champagne glasses. It was war, but the partying went on.

[Mr.Chlorine]

DW and I loved the Tower of London! We spent almost a full day there. If you are willing to venture out of the city, the Highclere Castle (where Downton Abbey was filmed) is spectacular.

Never have been to Highclere Castle, always wanted to see it. According to Google Maps, it's about an hour and a half to two hours driving from downtown London to the Castle.

If one is a theater goer, then The Play That Goes Wrong will provide stellar entertainment. I laughed so hard that I hurt. (It helped in our case that my wife and I originally met doing community theater in our hometown about 48 years ago, so a lot of it hit home.)

We took the train from Paddington to Newbury. It cost about $45/person (roundtrip) and took an hour. We stayed in Newbury for a night, and then it was a 15-minute cab ride to the castle.

[02nz]

I'll second the recommendation for the Churchill War Rooms, and add another: Bletchley Park, where Alan Turing and his team decoded Nazi communications. It's a fascinating site, about 40 mins by train outside of London, well worth it if you're into WWII history. Plan on a solid 3 hours there, at least.

[oldcomputerguy]

I'll second the recommendation for the Churchill War Rooms, and add another: Bletchley Park, where Alan Turing and his team decoded Nazi communications. It's a fascinating site, about 40 mins by train outside of London, well worth it if you're into WWII history. Plan on a solid 3 hours there, at least.

There's also what appears to be a pretty neat computer museum at Bletchley Park, if you're into that sort of thing (I've never been to Bletchley but I enjoy going to computer museums when I get a chance and hope to get over there one day, in keeping with my username ).

The National Museum of Computing (TNMOC) is home to the world's largest collection of working historic computers.

[LilyFleur]

Several years ago, after a few nights in Oxford and leaving one of my children there (a college student, for summer studies), my other young adult child and I visited London. Some of the highlights:

At the Tate Modern we took an elevator to the tenth floor to a viewing platform with views of the city in all directions, including a view of the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral. The Victoria & Albert has an amazing cafeteria for lunch (but don't go too late because they run out of the good stuff). The dining rooms are opulent. We also really enjoyed Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap play, the longest running show, of any kind, in the world. Another highlight was seeing handwritten Beatles lyrics in the British Library. Evensong at Westminster Abbey is free, and the choral music is quite beautiful.

[02nz]

I'll second the recommendation for the Churchill War Rooms, and add another: Bletchley Park, where Alan Turing and his team decoded Nazi communications. It's a fascinating site, about 40 mins by train outside of London, well worth it if you're into WWII history. Plan on a solid 3 hours there, at least.

There's also what appears to be a pretty neat computer museum at Bletchley Park, if you're into that sort of thing (I've never been to Bletchley but I enjoy going to computer museums when I get a chance and hope to get over there one day, in keeping with my username ).

The National Museum of Computing (TNMOC) is home to the world's largest collection of working historic computers.

Yep, I walked past this on my way from the train station to Bletchley Park, would absolutely have visited had I had more time!

[magazinewriter]

For a Boglehead (free) alternative to the London Eye, try the Sky Garden. It is in the building known as the walkie talkie (not sure it still goes by that name). It is a short walk from the Tower of London. There are good views of St. Paul’s, Tower Bridge, the Shard etc.

Book three weeks in advance online to get the free timed tickets. If you don’t want to limit yourself to the timed tickets, you can go for breakfast which I’ve heard is reasonable.

https://skygarden.london/

[slipknot]

Make a day trip to Oxford and visit some surrounding villages in the Cotswolds.

[talzara]

DW and I loved the Tower of London! We spent almost a full day there. If you are willing to venture out of the city, the Highclere Castle (where Downton Abbey was filmed) is spectacular.

Never have been to Highclere Castle, always wanted to see it. According to Google Maps, it's about an hour and a half to two hours driving from downtown London to the Castle.

Highclere Castle is only open to the public for about 3 months a year, except when there is a special event.

Most British country houses are only open in the summer for the minimum number of days required to qualify for the inheritance tax exemption. Only the most famous houses are open year-round. Highclere Castle is famous enough to be open for longer than the minimum, but not famous enough to be open year-round.

The OP is visiting London for 5 days "early in the New Year." Depending on when the OP is visiting, Highclere Castle may be closed. Special events charge 3-4 times the usual admissions fee because the Earl of Carnavon is doing it to make money, not to qualify for the tax exemption.

[talzara]

There's also what appears to be a pretty neat computer museum at Bletchley Park, if you're into that sort of thing (I've never been to Bletchley but I enjoy going to computer museums when I get a chance and hope to get over there one day, in keeping with my username ).

The National Museum of Computing (TNMOC) is home to the world's largest collection of working historic computers.

Although the museum has the world's largest collection of working computers, the museum is staffed by volunteers. A computer will only be running if there are enough volunteers to run it. If you're interested in seeing a particular computer running, call them and ask what the schedule will be.

They usually keep the Colossus replica running because that's what people go to Bletchley to see. They usually do not run the mainframe because it uses so much power. They can't run the Cray supercomputer because it is not in working condition. The PCs are running, and you can use an ARM-based PC from the 1980s.

Yep, I walked past this on my way from the train station to Bletchley Park, would absolutely have visited had I had more time!

You would only walk past it if you got lost.

The Bletchley train station is next to Bletchley Park. The only thing you pass by on the way to the entrance is an Enterprise Rent-A-Car. The Museum of Computing is located on the other side from the entrance.

If you're planning to drive, this is a convenient place to pick up a rental car. Not as convenient as picking up at the airport, but more convenient than picking up in London and having to drive out. Bletchley Park has free parking.

[02nz]

You would only walk past it if you got lost.

The Bletchley train station is next to Bletchley Park. The only thing you pass by on the way to the entrance is an Enterprise Rent-A-Car. The Museum of Computing is located on the other side from the entrance.

Maybe you're looking at Google Maps, with its representations of where the entrances are. In reality, the museum is literally right next to Bletchley Park, I walked past the museum on my way from the station to Bletchley Park. If I walked an extra 25 feet or led anybody reading my earlier post to walk an extra 25 feet, I apologize.

Good grief, there's pedantic and there's this.

[talzara]

Maybe you're looking at Google Maps, with its representations of where the entrances are. In reality, the museum is literally right next to Bletchley Park, I walked past the museum on my way from the station to Bletchley Park. If I walked an extra 25 feet or led anybody reading my earlier post to walk an extra 25 feet, I apologize.

Good grief, there's pedantic and there's this.

I've been there. Google Maps has the correct location. It's inside the Bletchley Park complex, but it's at the end of the road, not the beginning. That's why the security guard tells you to drive to the Museum of Computing and park there. They don't want you to park by the Bletchley Park visitor center because that's the first parking lot you'll see.

It's not that far, but I wouldn't tell people to walk 25 feet when something is actually 1,000 feet away. 25 feet means that it's next to the parking lot. 1,000 feet means that you parked in the other parking lot -- the one the security guard told you not to use.

Good grief, there's pedantic and there's this.

Since you have not visited the museum, then you should not be telling people that you know where it is, giving the incorrect location, arguing with someone who has visited that museum about where it is, and accusing them of getting their information from Google Maps.

Telling people that it's on the way from the Bletchley station to Bletchley Park will mislead them about where the museum is. When they don't see it and see the visitor center instead, they might think that they missed it and turn around. They didn't miss it because it isn't on the way. Keep going another 1,000 feet past the visitor center.

[02nz]

Maybe you're looking at Google Maps, with its representations of where the entrances are. In reality, the museum is literally right next to Bletchley Park, I walked past the museum on my way from the station to Bletchley Park. If I walked an extra 25 feet or led anybody reading my earlier post to walk an extra 25 feet, I apologize.

Good grief, there's pedantic and there's this.

I've been there. Google Maps has the correct location. It's inside the Bletchley Park complex, but it's at the end of the road, not the beginning. That's why the security guard tells you to drive to the Museum of Computing and park there. They don't want you to park by the Bletchley Park visitor center because that's the first parking lot you'll see.

It's not that far, but I wouldn't tell people to walk 25 feet when something is actually 1,000 feet away. 25 feet means that it's next to the parking lot. 1,000 feet means that you parked in the other parking lot -- the one the security guard told you not to use.

Good grief, there's pedantic and there's this.

Since you have not visited the museum, then you should not be telling people that you know where it is, giving the incorrect location, arguing with someone who has visited that museum about where it is, and accusing them of getting their information from Google Maps.

Telling people that it's on the way from the Bletchley station to Bletchley Park will mislead them about where the museum is. When they don't see it and see the visitor center instead, they might think that they missed it and turn around. They didn't miss it because it isn't on the way. Keep going another 1,000 feet past the visitor center.

Oh for crying out loud.

[Valuethinker]

Never have been to Highclere Castle, always wanted to see it. According to Google Maps, it's about an hour and a half to two hours driving from downtown London to the Castle.*

Highclere Castle is only open to the public for about 3 months a year, except when there is a special event.

Most British country houses are only open in the summer for the minimum number of days required to qualify for the inheritance tax exemption. Only the most famous houses are open year-round.** Highclere Castle is famous enough to be open for longer than the minimum, but not famous enough to be open year-round.

The OP is visiting London for 5 days "early in the New Year." Depending on when the OP is visiting, Highclere Castle may be closed. Special events charge 3-4 times the usual admissions fee because the Earl of Carnavon is doing it to make money, not to qualify for the tax exemption.

[/quote]

* I would be careful re Google maps and driving times. Driving in/out of London is not predictable in time due to heavy congestion, road works etc.

Generally, given the unfamiliarity of many Americans to driving on the left hand side of the road, and roundabouts and their rules, I would recommend using the train system if at all possible. It is however the case that there can be a distance from the train station to the property (not an issue for Bletchley Park! Which was chosen for the cypher war effort because it was on a rail line with its own station) and it may be possible to take a cab, however rural minicab service can be sporadic. It is possible to arrange a pickup timed to your train.

The most dangerous time is apparently the morning after arrival - you are jetlagged, and your brain is still a bit foggy. That's when drivers often revert to the right hand side of the road.

I would generally recommend avoiding driving in Greater London if at all possible. Exception being pickup/ return of rental cars eg near Heathrow Airport. There are also car rental places that are logically where the highways would go if they were extended into Central London (so you just bear on a heading, out, (on the A Road) or eventually, the motorway (M-something)).

** Often they are owned by the National Trust, sometimes with special arrangements for the descendants of the family to keep living there (sometimes only in an apartment rather than the whole house). National Trust is a non-governmental organisation that was formed to take over just this sort of property, that the aristocratic owners could no longer afford. There is some agreement then about how many days it can be seen - many NT properties are open to visitors 7 days a week. If you visit more than a couple of these, it can be well worth taking out the annual membership.

English Heritage is a government body that performs a similar function on some properties (there are Welsh and Scottish equivalents).

[talzara]

Generally, given the unfamiliarity of many Americans to driving on the left hand side of the road, and roundabouts and their rules, I would recommend using the train system if at all possible. It is however the case that there can be a distance from the train station to the property (not an issue for Bletchley Park! Which was chosen for the cypher war effort because it was on a rail line with its own station) and it may be possible to take a cab, however rural minicab service can be sporadic. It is possible to arrange a pickup timed to your train.

The most dangerous time is apparently the morning after arrival - you are jetlagged, and your brain is still a bit foggy. That's when drivers often revert to the right hand side of the road.

Yes, that's why I suggested picking up a rental car at Bletchley. It's a safer and more gradual introduction to driving in the UK.

The Enterprise Rent-a-Car is across the street from the Bletchley train station, so it's easy to get there. Bletchley Park is next door, so you only have a short distance to drive. Once you're inside, you can practice driving at low speeds, and parking is free. There's a security guard at the entrance, so it's safe to leave your luggage in the car. Cross to the other side of the tracks and turn left, and you'll end up in the rectangular street grid of Milton Keynes, the most American city in the UK. It's a good place to practice driving through roundabouts.

If you rent the car at Heathrow, you will go through a 4-lane roundabout to exit the airport, followed by another 4-lane roundabout at the M4 junction, followed by driving on the motorway. Five minutes from picking up the car to driving 70 miles per hour on the motorway. That is not a gradual introduction to driving in the UK.

[exodusing]

What's the current tipping custom in London?

Last I heard it was around 10-15% in restaurants and around 10% for taxi/uber/freenow/etc.

Are uber/freenow/bolt essentially interchangeable or is one or the other better? Is there another ride app choice (in addition to taxi, tube and bus)?

[cardinal45]

Forgot to add - Maybe for a longer trip, but consider attending a professional football (soccer) game - we saw an AFC Wimbledon (League 2) home game against Carlisle United. Had a great time and good seats, but were glad we didn't buy tickets in the areas behind the goals - one end was for the visiting fans, the other for the more "enthusiastic" home fans.

Our seats were in one of the home team fan sections along the length of the stadium, pretty sedate except for the occasional abuse shouted at the visiting fan section

AFC Wimbledon won 4-0, and the locals around us (great people) joked that we should visit more often.

So yes. England has a distinguished and long history of fan violence & hooliganism....

The big ones are:

- Wembley (the national stadium - and therefore you can have 2 away teams playing) - 100k seats?
- Emirates - Arsenal Football Club (Highbury Tube station)-- I think that's 60k seats
- Tottenham (it was White Hart Lane, but it's moved; NE London anyways) - new stadium
- West Ham United - which is now in the Olympic Park (E London)
- Chelsea (Stamford Bridge - W London)

smaller ones including:
- Charlton United (so SE London)
- Crystal Palace (SE London)
- Fulham - Craven Cottage in W London - I have a soft spot for Fulham FC for some reason (used to live around there)
- Wimbledon FC
- Queens Park Rangers (West London) - AFAIK the QPR fans still have something of a reputation
I've deliberately avoided mentioning Millwall. Millwall was infamous for its fan racism and violence back in the 80s. They have made huge efforts to clean that up (the club having gone through bankruptcy at least once) but no one who remembers Millwall from those days would want to go to their grounds. "Everyone hates us and we don't care" was (is?) the Millwall chant.

Also Brentford is in West London (across from Kew Gardens / Kew Bridge) and part of Premier League.

Watford is pretty easy to get to outside of London (NW). It's in the Championship. And there is Leyton Orient in East London in League One.

The matches are totally safe IMO. Except Millwall like VT said! That place just feels sketch still.

Fulham plays Ipswich on Sunday the 5th and there should be tickets avail for that I'd imagine.

Good luck!

[Raymond]

What's the current tipping custom in London?

Last I heard it was around 10-15% in restaurants and around 10% for taxi/uber/freenow/etc.

Are uber/freenow/bolt essentially interchangeable or is one or the other better? Is there another ride app choice (in addition to taxi, tube and bus)?

Most (all?) of the sit-down restaurants in London my wife and I ate at last month had an automatic "voluntary" 12.5% service charge added on - always check your bill before they bring the card machine to your table. I always left it on - if you think the service is substandard, I suppose you can have it removed, but fortunately I never thought it necessary.

The server should inquire about food allergies before you order, and will tell you which dishes to avoid. If you do have allergies, they'll ask if possible trace cross-contamination in the kitchen is a problem, or only if the offending ingredient is an integral part of the dish.

Uber has an option for a GBP 1.00, 2.00 or 5.00 tip to add on, no percentages. We didn't use a taxi or another ride share app during our trip.

We did use the Citymapper app for public transport, very handy. Google Maps not so much - one time early in our trip it had us wait twenty minutes for a bus that was supposed to have arrived twice in that span of time, but never showed. We weren't the only ones who were miffed; several other people were also waiting for the imaginary bus and were similarly irritated.

Use a contactless credit card for the Tube (tap in when you enter your station of origin, tap out when you exit the destination station.) Same for the Thames Clippers river bus service.

For the bus (single or double-deck) just tap in once when you enter through the front door; exit by the door in the middle of the bus.

We gave GBP 10.00 to each of the car service drivers from and to the airport.

[exodusing]

What's the current tipping custom in London?

Last I heard it was around 10-15% in restaurants and around 10% for taxi/uber/freenow/etc.

Are uber/freenow/bolt essentially interchangeable or is one or the other better? Is there another ride app choice (in addition to taxi, tube and bus)?

Most (all?) of the sit-down restaurants in London my wife and I ate at last month had an automatic "voluntary" 12.5% service charge added on - always check your bill before they bring the card machine to your table. I always left it on - if you think the service is substandard, I suppose you can have it removed, but fortunately I never thought it necessary.

The server should inquire about food allergies before you order, and will tell you which dishes to avoid. If you do have allergies, they'll ask if possible trace cross-contamination in the kitchen is a problem, or only if the offending ingredient is an integral part of the dish.

Uber has an option for a GBP 1.00, 2.00 or 5.00 tip to add on, no percentages. We didn't use a taxi or another ride share app during our trip.

We did use the Citymapper app for public transport, very handy. Google Maps not so much - one time early in our trip it had us wait twenty minutes for a bus that was supposed to have arrived twice in that span of time, but never showed. We weren't the only ones who were miffed; several other people were also waiting for the imaginary bus and were similarly irritated.

Use a contactless credit card for the Tube (tap in when you enter your station of origin, tap out when you exit the destination station.) Same for the Thames Clippers river bus service.

For the bus (single or double-deck) just tap in once when you enter through the front door; exit by the door in the middle of the bus.

We gave GBP 10.00 to each of the car service drivers from and to the airport.

Now that you mention it, 12.5% added on does seem the standard. I wish US restaurants used card machines.

Tap to pay on the tube is much more convenient than the old Oyster card. Some warn to put the phone away quickly due to thieves.

[Valuethinker]

So yes. England has a distinguished and long history of fan violence & hooliganism....

The big ones are:

- Wembley (the national stadium - and therefore you can have 2 away teams playing) - 100k seats?
- Emirates - Arsenal Football Club (Highbury Tube station)-- I think that's 60k seats
- Tottenham (it was White Hart Lane, but it's moved; NE London anyways) - new stadium
- West Ham United - which is now in the Olympic Park (E London)
- Chelsea (Stamford Bridge - W London)

smaller ones including:
- Charlton United (so SE London)
- Crystal Palace (SE London)
- Fulham - Craven Cottage in W London - I have a soft spot for Fulham FC for some reason (used to live around there)
- Wimbledon FC
- Queens Park Rangers (West London) - AFAIK the QPR fans still have something of a reputation
I've deliberately avoided mentioning Millwall. Millwall was infamous for its fan racism and violence back in the 80s. They have made huge efforts to clean that up (the club having gone through bankruptcy at least once) but no one who remembers Millwall from those days would want to go to their grounds. "Everyone hates us and we don't care" was (is?) the Millwall chant.

Also Brentford is in West London (across from Kew Gardens / Kew Bridge) and part of Premier League.

Watford is pretty easy to get to outside of London (NW). It's in the Championship. And there is Leyton Orient in East London in League One.

The matches are totally safe IMO. Except Millwall like VT said! That place just feels sketch still.

Fulham plays Ipswich on Sunday the 5th and there should be tickets avail for that I'd imagine.

Good luck!

Good shouts.

My East End in-laws would have me shot for forgetting Leyton Orient!

Clearly I flunked the pub quiz on London football clubs!

Definitely easier to get a ticket to a game for the smaller clubs - and more atmosphere than a big stadium.

[Valuethinker]

Most (all?) of the sit-down restaurants in London my wife and I ate at last month had an automatic "voluntary" 12.5% service charge added on - always check your bill before they bring the card machine to your table. I always left it on - if you think the service is substandard, I suppose you can have it removed, but fortunately I never thought it necessary.

The server should inquire about food allergies before you order, and will tell you which dishes to avoid. If you do have allergies, they'll ask if possible trace cross-contamination in the kitchen is a problem, or only if the offending ingredient is an integral part of the dish.

Uber has an option for a GBP 1.00, 2.00 or 5.00 tip to add on, no percentages. We didn't use a taxi or another ride share app during our trip.

We did use the Citymapper app for public transport, very handy. Google Maps not so much - one time early in our trip it had us wait twenty minutes for a bus that was supposed to have arrived twice in that span of time, but never showed. We weren't the only ones who were miffed; several other people were also waiting for the imaginary bus and were similarly irritated.

Use a contactless credit card for the Tube (tap in when you enter your station of origin, tap out when you exit the destination station.) Same for the Thames Clippers river bus service.

For the bus (single or double-deck) just tap in once when you enter through the front door; exit by the door in the middle of the bus.

We gave GBP 10.00 to each of the car service drivers from and to the airport.

Now that you mention it, 12.5% added on does seem the standard. I wish US restaurants used card machines.

Tap to pay on the tube is much more convenient than the old Oyster card. Some warn to put the phone away quickly due to thieves.

+1 on all Raymond's excellent points.

Agree 12.5% is pretty much standard. Check to see if it is not on the bill!

In a perfectly legal scam, many restaurants charge their employees "fees" against the tip. So you can't be sure, with an electronic tip, that the employees are getting it (or all of it at any rate). Nobody has cash any more though.

[exodusing]

Now that you mention it, 12.5% added on does seem the standard. I wish US restaurants used card machines.

Tap to pay on the tube is much more convenient than the old Oyster card. Some warn to put the phone away quickly due to thieves.

+1 on all Raymond's excellent points.

Agree 12.5% is pretty much standard. Check to see if it is not on the bill!

In a perfectly legal scam, many restaurants charge their employees "fees" against the tip. So you can't be sure, with an electronic tip, that the employees are getting it (or all of it at any rate). Nobody has cash any more though.

A similar issue is that many high-end hotels (and perhaps others) include an optional 5% "service charge" with no indication who gets the money. Tap to pay does seem to have pretty much killed cash.

Do you have a view on the relative merits of uber, freenow, bolt? Other? Or just pick the cheapest / quickest?

Or a black cab if in a hurry since they can use the bus lanes?

[Raymond]

...Tap to pay on the tube is much more convenient than the old Oyster card. Some warn to put the phone away quickly due to thieves.

My wife and I used our contactless cards from one of our less-used credit card accounts (not the one used to pay the hotel bill) for public transport, specifically to avoid using our phones.

Alternatively, you can use other devices such as smart watches, key fobs, etc.: https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/how-to-pay-and ... -as-you-go

[Valuethinker]

+1 on all Raymond's excellent points.

Agree 12.5% is pretty much standard. Check to see if it is not on the bill!

In a perfectly legal scam, many restaurants charge their employees "fees" against the tip. So you can't be sure, with an electronic tip, that the employees are getting it (or all of it at any rate). Nobody has cash any more though.

A similar issue is that many high-end hotels (and perhaps others) include an optional 5% "service charge" with no indication who gets the money. Tap to pay does seem to have pretty much killed cash.

Do you have a view on the relative merits of uber, freenow, bolt? Other? Or just pick the cheapest / quickest?

Or a black cab if in a hurry since they can use the bus lanes?

Ahh.. the ripoff continues. "Service charges" in hotels that don't pay for service people ... I always try to have some cash for the housekeeping.

We ask the staff point blank if they get the service charge: in hotels and restaurants. Of course if the manager is near, they won't give the straight answer.

I don't have a view on car services. We use local minicabs for airport runs. And otherwise? We use public transport, that's what it is there for.

But I would use the cheapest/ quickest. If you cannot manage the excellent public transport to Heathrow, then your hotel should be able to book you a minicab run there.

(the other airports, other than London City Airport, are so far out that you are almost certain to take the train - Gatwick, Stansted, Luton). Gatwick is easily an hour's drive (or more if traffic is bad).

Black Cabs are a wonder - because due to an exam known as "The Knowledge" they are required to know 5,000 key routes around London. They can be quizzed on any of these. Highly regulated, the cabs are clean, the driving is very safe (with a few exceptions) -- they can lose their licence should you complain. However they are also expensive. So I would only use them if I really needed to get somewhere - I doubt there's a cab ride in Central London that is available for less than £20 now. A run up to Zone 3 (Tube map) could easily cost you £80.

[BrooklynInvest]

Me, a day trip on the train to Oxford would be fun, or an overnight. The Pitt Rivers Museum is a truly unique experience. I'm an Inspector Morse fan so the Trout and the other Morse pubs were must sees. Plenty of neat stuff within easy walking distance or cab.

In the city, the V&A, the Tate Modern and the Portrait Gallery. I guess you gotta go see Buck House. It's a nice walk.

The Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street for a pint where Dickens drank. If the weather's nice take a ferry up the Thames to the Greenwich Observatory. A nice sightseeing jaunt plus history. Dinner at Punjab in Covent Garden is deliciously... well, not British exactly but perhaps Brit-ish. If you're feeling flush, cocktails at the Savoy and then dinner at the Rules - the oldest restaurant in London and familiar to James Bond fans.

Take a black cab once but the tube's easy. For our kid Paddington Station for the photo op was a must.

Have fun OP!

[Valuethinker]

Me, a day trip on the train to Oxford would be fun, or an overnight. The Pitt Rivers Museum is a truly unique experience. I'm an Inspector Morse fan so the Trout and the other Morse pubs were must sees. Plenty of neat stuff within easy walking distance or cab.

In the city, the V&A, the Tate Modern and the Portrait Gallery. I guess you gotta go see Buck House. It's a nice walk.

So my list would be:

- National Gallery
- Courtauld Gallery
- British Museum
- if it was a Tate, it would be the Tate Britain (older paintings and sculpture)
- National Portrait Gallery if you know the historical figures

If the weather's nice take a ferry up the Thames to the Greenwich

You mean down river?

Oddly, although it can be grey and rainy (these last 18 months has been like that, a lot) you can do that cruise in poor weather. It still gives you a feel for how London fits together.

Dinner at Punjab in Covent Garden is deliciously... well, not British exactly but perhaps Brit-ish

Nice way of putting it . We ruled India for nearly 2 centuries, and the cultural fertilization went both ways. I would say Indian food is quintessentially British, these days. However I don't know what would be the best Indian restaurant to go to. Particularly with a young person, Indian food may not be to taste (generally, Brits like their Indian food a lot spicier than Indians would have it - depending on which locale in India one was referring to).

The Cinnamon Club in Westminster is certainly well known. https://cinnamonclub.com/menus/ but fairly expensive.

For ordinary "family" food I can recommend Pizza Express chain (the Pizzas are Italian style ie thin crust, although I think they do have some American style ones). Wagamama does Japanese style rice, noodles, soup - you sit at long tables, but Brits are adept at ignoring the people next to them (*especially* the people next to them ).

For quick lunches I can recommend Pret a Manger outlets. As always, keep a careful eye on your phone and bag anywhere busy and touristic in London.

For our kid Paddington Station for the photo op was a must.

Have fun OP!

At Kings Cross (the slightly more eastern part of Kings Cross- St Pancras station, which is 2 stations linked underground) there is a Platform 9 3/4 marked out for fans of Harry Potter.

Paddington, with the Victorian grit cleaned off of it, has one of the most beautiful glass roofs of any train station.

[wabbott]

Many, many great suggestions on this thread. The only addition that I would make is to get familiar with how the subway (Underground) works. We used it several times on a trip to London in August. It's a HUGE time saver, and is inexpensive. The renewable Oyster Card is quick and efficient.

https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/tube/

[exodusing]

So my list would be:

- National Gallery
- Courtauld Gallery
- British Museum
- if it was a Tate, it would be the Tate Britain (older paintings and sculpture)
- National Portrait Gallery if you know the historical figures

Nice to see our lists coincide.

Is it still the case that there's a long line at opening at the British Museum, which can be avoided with a timed ticket to the special exhibition (now The Silk Road) or a membership, but not the free timed ticket?

[Lookingforanswers]

Quickly skimmed this thread, and I think you're missing several of my favorite places in London (I lived there a couple of years and have been back many times on business / vacation):

- Imperial War Museum. Especially great for Americans to get a British perspective on WW1 and WW2. As grand as any Smithsonian museum in DC.

- Sir John Soame's Museum. Small, quick visit if you're going to the British Museum, not that far away. Fascinating townhouse that the owner left as a museum. Shows you how much ancient loot that rich people used to be able to get their hands on.

- Victoria and Albert Museum. Great museum of artistic design, fashion, furnishings, architecture. Not like a normal "art" museum.

[Valuethinker]

So my list would be:

- National Gallery
- Courtauld Gallery
- British Museum
- if it was a Tate, it would be the Tate Britain (older paintings and sculpture)
- National Portrait Gallery if you know the historical figures

Nice to see our lists coincide.

Is it still the case that there's a long line at opening at the British Museum, which can be avoided with a timed ticket to the special exhibition (now The Silk Road) or a membership, but not the free timed ticket?

British Museum. Yes re timed tickets but you still have to work through the general security queues AFAIK. So there's no way around that.

Unless you found a way I just haven't (we have memberships).

[Valuethinker]

Quickly skimmed this thread, and I think you're missing several of my favorite places in London (I lived there a couple of years and have been back many times on business / vacation):

- Imperial War Museum. Especially great for Americans to get a British perspective on WW1 and WW2. As grand as any Smithsonian museum in DC.

- Sir John Soame's Museum. Small, quick visit if you're going to the British Museum, not that far away. Fascinating townhouse that the owner left as a museum. Shows you how much ancient loot that rich people used to be able to get their hands on.

- Victoria and Albert Museum. Great museum of artistic design, fashion, furnishings, architecture. Not like a normal "art" museum.

Sir John Soane's Museum I am pretty sure you should book in advance? It gets busy and is inherently crowded given that it is a Georgian townhouse. I think the last time we wanted to go it was closed for an event - so you have to check that.

You can walk from the Courtauld, past the London School of Economics, to Sir John Soane's Museum and then to British Museum - they've pedestrianised a big part of the Aldwych.

Charles Dickens House on Doughty Street is not so far away either and they have bought the house next door and expanded it.

V&A (main one at South Kensington) is just this vast treasure works of pretty much anything that is decorative or artistic but not a painting. I really love their historical interiors galleries: the Kaufman's (for whom Frank Lloyd Wright designed Falling Water) left a whole interior the museum, for example. You really cannot see it all in (3) days. So you have to figure out what you like, and pursue that. The Members Room is also pretty good for sandwich lunches - out of the hubub.

(There's also a Museum of the Domestic Interior (formerly the Geffrye Museum) up in Hoxton - a now trendy, formerly sketchy area north of the City of London (effectively up from Liverpool St Station). Has a series of rooms set out in domestic interiors of different eras of British history. Would be fun to take a guided tour, perhaps).

V&A has also reopened at Bethnal Green (Museum of Childhood). And it now has a Museum in the former Olympic Park (so Stratford Rail Station in E London) which has some very large exhibits.

[02nz]

Do you have a view on the relative merits of uber, freenow, bolt? Other? Or just pick the cheapest / quickest?

Bolt has worked great for me all over Europe ... except in London. For my ride to the train station, the driver showed up, looked at my luggage, and insisted it wouldn't fit even though it obviously would. He then said he'd have to charge a higher fare. I refused to fall for the scam and so had to scramble for a regular taxi. He then charged me a fee in the app which I got Bolt to reverse. This was probably an isolated incident, but it did sour me on Bolt at least in the UK. Bolt has been great though in Spain and Portugal. In Portugal it charged so little for a fairly long ride that I really felt bad for the driver and added the max tip (5 euros).

I've tried to use Freenow a few times, don't remember the specifics but couldn't ever get it to work.

[Grt2bOutdoors]

Nice to see our lists coincide.

Is it still the case that there's a long line at opening at the British Museum, which can be avoided with a timed ticket to the special exhibition (now The Silk Road) or a membership, but not the free timed ticket?

British Museum. Yes re timed tickets but you still have to work through the general security queues AFAIK. So there's no way around that.

Unless you found a way I just haven't (we have memberships).

I found a way around this (though i didn’t know at the time of booking it - if you have reservations for tea at their internal restaurant located on the top floor / taking the stairs or the elevator) and show them to the guards we were able to bypass the general and reserved time entry lines which were quite long that particular rainy day. My queue was 15 minutes from entering the line, past security and into the museum.

[Valuethinker]

Quickly skimmed this thread, and I think you're missing several of my favorite places in London (I lived there a couple of years and have been back many times on business / vacation):

- Imperial War Museum. Especially great for Americans to get a British perspective on WW1 and WW2. As grand as any Smithsonian museum in DC.

- Sir John Soame's Museum. Small, quick visit if you're going to the British Museum, not that far away. Fascinating townhouse that the owner left as a museum. Shows you how much ancient loot that rich people used to be able to get their hands on.

- Victoria and Albert Museum. Great museum of artistic design, fashion, furnishings, architecture. Not like a normal "art" museum.

Cabinet War Rooms (off Whitehall, near Downing St), IWM (Lambeth North Tube on Bakerloo and near Waterloo), RAF Duxford (near Cambridge), HMS Belfast (on the Thames near London Bridge station - WW2 Cruiser ship) are all part of the IWM group of museums. Only the IWM itself is free. A membership is worth it if you are visiting more than one of the others (just apologise and say because you are not a UK taxpayer, you cannot do "Gift Aid" ie they get the tax credit as well if a UK taxpayer signs up).

I would say the War Rooms, and HMS Belfast, are the most atmospheric. But yes IWM has some very good displays. You have old warships in America, too, so HMS Belfast may not be so notable. RAF Duxford is incomparable in terms of its aviation exhibits - including the American hangar (SR71 Blackbird, FB 111, etc) -- you reach that by a bus from Cambridge railway station, and it's easily got a day's worth of exhibits.

There is also an RAF Museum in Colindale, (NW London via Northern tube Line) and that's interesting, but a little bit older and shabbier. The real treat there is that they relocated an old WW1 era aircraft factory to a hangar on the site -- lots of old planes (mostly reconstructions), and a very interesting tour. I somehow always imagine the world-famous fighter pilot, Snoopy, pulling his trusty Sopwith Camel out of the hangar - "Curse you, Red Baron!"**

As always with these museums, check online, in case something you want to see is going to be closed etc. Museums are generally open 7 days a week - there are exceptions.


** I assume it wasn't Charles Schulz. But when he died, someone had a cartoon of Snoopy flying his Camel aka doghouse up to the Pearly Gates and St Peter. It really touched me, particularly as Schulz was fond of his Christian allegories and allusions in the strip. The world-famous fighter ace's last flight...

[InvisibleAerobar]

V&A (main one at South Kensington) is just this vast treasure works of pretty much anything that is decorative or artistic but not a painting. I really love their historical interiors galleries: the Kaufman's (for whom Frank Lloyd Wright designed Falling Water) left a whole interior the museum, for example. You really cannot see it all in (3) days. So you have to figure out what you like, and pursue that. The Members Room is also pretty good for sandwich lunches - out of the hubub.

(There's also a Museum of the Domestic Interior (formerly the Geffrye Museum) up in Hoxton - a now trendy, formerly sketchy area north of the City of London (effectively up from Liverpool St Station). Has a series of rooms set out in domestic interiors of different eras of British history. Would be fun to take a guided tour, perhaps).

V&A has also reopened at Bethnal Green (Museum of Childhood). And it now has a Museum in the former Olympic Park (so Stratford Rail Station in E London) which has some very large exhibits.

Thanks for the very helpful post. As if I didn't have enough reasons to visit the V&A, this surely just sealed the deal.

I've come to appreciate two types of design, one is the Prairie School of which FLW is a proponent, and the other is Neoplasticism as embodied by the various designs of Gerrit Rietveld. Funny enough, I've heard FLW often lambasted Bauhaus designs (which drew from Neoplasticism), but I tend to think that at least the 2D designs of FLW (in particular designs of glass-panel doors) are rather reminiscent of Bauhaus/ Neoplasticism designs.

And on the issue of Neoplasticism/ Bauhaus/ FLW, I wonder if someone associated with the founding of our forum is a fan. The main logo (in particular the borders thereof) seems to evoke the aesthetics of Mondrian's Broadway Boogie Woogie.

[exodusing]

Nice to see our lists coincide.

Is it still the case that there's a long line at opening at the British Museum, which can be avoided with a timed ticket to the special exhibition (now The Silk Road) or a membership, but not the free timed ticket?

British Museum. Yes re timed tickets but you still have to work through the general security queues AFAIK. So there's no way around that.

Unless you found a way I just haven't (we have memberships).

I think we're saying the same thing. You can avoid the line down Great Russell Street outside the gate, but still have to stand on the security queue.

Methods to avoid the line outside the gate appear to be membership, timed paid special exhibition tickets and Great Court Restaurant reservations.

Have you seen the Silk Roads exhibition? We're looking forward to it.

[Valuethinker]

V&A (main one at South Kensington) is just this vast treasure works of pretty much anything that is decorative or artistic but not a painting. I really love their historical interiors galleries: the Kaufman's (for whom Frank Lloyd Wright designed Falling Water) left a whole interior the museum, for example. You really cannot see it all in (3) days. So you have to figure out what you like, and pursue that. The Members Room is also pretty good for sandwich lunches - out of the hubub.

(There's also a Museum of the Domestic Interior (formerly the Geffrye Museum) up in Hoxton - a now trendy, formerly sketchy area north of the City of London (effectively up from Liverpool St Station). Has a series of rooms set out in domestic interiors of different eras of British history. Would be fun to take a guided tour, perhaps).

V&A has also reopened at Bethnal Green (Museum of Childhood). And it now has a Museum in the former Olympic Park (so Stratford Rail Station in E London) which has some very large exhibits.

Thanks for the very helpful post. As if I didn't have enough reasons to visit the V&A, this surely just sealed the deal.

I've come to appreciate two types of design, one is the Prairie School of which FLW is a proponent, and the other is Neoplasticism as embodied by the various designs of Gerrit Rietveld. Funny enough, I've heard FLW often lambasted Bauhaus designs (which drew from Neoplasticism), but I tend to think that at least the 2D designs of FLW (in particular designs of glass-panel doors) are rather reminiscent of Bauhaus/ Neoplasticism designs.

And on the issue of Neoplasticism/ Bauhaus/ FLW, I wonder if someone associated with the founding of our forum is a fan. The main logo (in particular the borders thereof) seems to evoke the aesthetics of Mondrian's Broadway Boogie Woogie.

Talk about a question which flew way, way over my head ....

Whether the V&A is the best place to check into this, I do not know. They do have a very good library as well, I believe, so you should consider taking out a membership (I think that might give you access).

Also British Library, on Euston Road, has a phenomenal book collection. You can apply for a Reader's Pass, and then request books (reference library only). Great way to spend a day, reading in there (it gets very busy when the many local universities are in term time).

Check out the V&A website. There was a wonderful "fly on the wall" series on the BBC about the collections (2 or 3 series in fact) which followed curators through the design of an exhibition, up to the actual showing The most touching parts were when someone had given their life's work, eg a fashion collection or their photography, to the V&A and they come and see it displayed .. to have joined the treasures there.

For example the new V&A in Olympic Park has a piece of a facade of public housing designed by Peter and Alice Smithson (sp?) the architects who designed The Economist Newspaper building off Lower Regent St in St James's. The housing (Robin Hood Estate) has been torn down, but they have mounted several tons of the facade.

https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/robin-ho ... uFrBUlWg6p

Also you probably want to get to Weimar in the former East Germany at some point? I think the Bauhaus Institute (revived) is there?

https://www.uni-weimar.de/en/architectu ... 20planning.

Easy enough from Berlin, I should think. There are certainly tours.

The 20th Century Society is the British society for 20th century buildings.

https://the-modernist.org/?srsltid=AfmB ... ff7lBYWZOc is in Manchester (NW England).

You might want to check out the art gallery and faculty of University of East Anglia in Norwich. They have the Sainsbury building there (grocery store family) and are well known for their visual arts and design history.

You will of course know of The Design Museum? Which has moved to West London (it used to be just east of Tower Bridge, in Butler's Wharf).

https://designmuseum.org/

again they will have a reference library and you might be able to consult it.

Lastly I should mention the Royal Institute of British Architects. Wonderful 1930s building on Portland Place.

https://www.architecture.com/

They certainly have a library - I don't know what you need in order to be able to access it.

[Valuethinker]

British Museum. Yes re timed tickets but you still have to work through the general security queues AFAIK. So there's no way around that.

Unless you found a way I just haven't (we have memberships).

I think we're saying the same thing. You can avoid the line down Great Russell Street outside the gate, but still have to stand on the security queue.

Methods to avoid the line outside the gate appear to be membership, timed paid special exhibition tickets and Great Court Restaurant reservations.

Have you seen the Silk Roads exhibition? We're looking forward to it.

Due to an injury my spouse and I have not yet been able to attend.

Very popular. And very good. It might be infeasible on a weekend so I will need to take an AM off in the week. Or try the old "go at 3.30 as people are getting tired and losing interest".

[InvisibleAerobar]

Thanks for the very helpful post. As if I didn't have enough reasons to visit the V&A, this surely just sealed the deal.

I've come to appreciate two types of design, one is the Prairie School of which FLW is a proponent, and the other is Neoplasticism as embodied by the various designs of Gerrit Rietveld. Funny enough, I've heard FLW often lambasted Bauhaus designs (which drew from Neoplasticism), but I tend to think that at least the 2D designs of FLW (in particular designs of glass-panel doors) are rather reminiscent of Bauhaus/ Neoplasticism designs.

And on the issue of Neoplasticism/ Bauhaus/ FLW, I wonder if someone associated with the founding of our forum is a fan. The main logo (in particular the borders thereof) seems to evoke the aesthetics of Mondrian's Broadway Boogie Woogie.

Talk about a question which flew way, way over my head ....

Whether the V&A is the best place to check into this, I do not know. They do have a very good library as well, I believe, so you should consider taking out a membership (I think that might give you access).

Also British Library, on Euston Road, has a phenomenal book collection. You can apply for a Reader's Pass, and then request books (reference library only). Great way to spend a day, reading in there (it gets very busy when the many local universities are in term time).

Check out the V&A website. There was a wonderful "fly on the wall" series on the BBC about the collections (2 or 3 series in fact) which followed curators through the design of an exhibition, up to the actual showing The most touching parts were when someone had given their life's work, eg a fashion collection or their photography, to the V&A and they come and see it displayed .. to have joined the treasures there.

For example the new V&A in Olympic Park has a piece of a facade of public housing designed by Peter and Alice Smithson (sp?) the architects who designed The Economist Newspaper building off Lower Regent St in St James's. The housing (Robin Hood Estate) has been torn down, but they have mounted several tons of the facade.

https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/robin-ho ... uFrBUlWg6p

Also you probably want to get to Weimar in the former East Germany at some point? I think the Bauhaus Institute (revived) is there?

https://www.uni-weimar.de/en/architectu ... 20planning.

Easy enough from Berlin, I should think. There are certainly tours.

The 20th Century Society is the British society for 20th century buildings.

https://the-modernist.org/?srsltid=AfmB ... ff7lBYWZOc is in Manchester (NW England).

You might want to check out the art gallery and faculty of University of East Anglia in Norwich. They have the Sainsbury building there (grocery store family) and are well known for their visual arts and design history.

You will of course know of The Design Museum? Which has moved to West London (it used to be just east of Tower Bridge, in Butler's Wharf).

https://designmuseum.org/

again they will have a reference library and you might be able to consult it.

Lastly I should mention the Royal Institute of British Architects. Wonderful 1930s building on Portland Place.

https://www.architecture.com/

They certainly have a library - I don't know what you need in order to be able to access it.

A gem of a post, as usual. Thank you.

I'll look into the other places mentioned (e.g. The Design Museum). Art wasn't something I appreciated until my early 30's, and I didn't pay much attention to design until even later.

At the risk of derailing the thread (though vicarious vacationing is a good way to learn more about various subjects), Bauhaus is definitely on my list, although just the archive in Berlin. The one in Weimar could be interesting, but with so much to do in Berlin, I might not get to it.

[exodusing]

I think we're saying the same thing. You can avoid the line down Great Russell Street outside the gate, but still have to stand on the security queue.

Methods to avoid the line outside the gate appear to be membership, timed paid special exhibition tickets and Great Court Restaurant reservations.

Have you seen the Silk Roads exhibition? We're looking forward to it.

Due to an injury my spouse and I have not yet been able to attend.

Very popular. And very good. It might be infeasible on a weekend so I will need to take an AM off in the week. Or try the old "go at 3.30 as people are getting tired and losing interest".

Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

The morning seems the most popular time based on looking at online ticket availability day of and the following couple of days. Even today (8:30 UK time), almost all of the morning is sold out and almost all of the afternoon is available. We're choosing early, in part to avoid the line to enter the museum.

[Valuethinker]

Due to an injury my spouse and I have not yet been able to attend.

Very popular. And very good. It might be infeasible on a weekend so I will need to take an AM off in the week. Or try the old "go at 3.30 as people are getting tired and losing interest".

Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

The morning seems the most popular time based on looking at online ticket availability day of and the following couple of days. Even today (8:30 UK time), almost all of the morning is sold out and almost all of the afternoon is available. We're choosing early, in part to avoid the line to enter the museum.

Great tip! Thank you.

Recovery in your 60s is not what it was in your 20s. This we are learning.

[exodusing]

Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

The morning seems the most popular time based on looking at online ticket availability day of and the following couple of days. Even today (8:30 UK time), almost all of the morning is sold out and almost all of the afternoon is available. We're choosing early, in part to avoid the line to enter the museum.

Great tip! Thank you.

Recovery in your 60s is not what it was in your 20s. This we are learning.

I know the feeling; alas.

More advice for your home town - Michelangelo, Leonardo and Raphael at the RA. Small show but quite lovely.

[zachtede]

Thank you all for responding. I can't hit all of these places but I will be visiting a good number of them.

Make a day trip to Oxford and visit some surrounding villages in the Cotswolds.

This is something I've been considering. We like hiking so we were considering doing a countryside/village hike through parts of the Cotswolds. Is there a particular area that is most beautiful?

[cartophile]

Thank you all for responding. I can't hit all of these places but I will be visiting a good number of them.

Make a day trip to Oxford and visit some surrounding villages in the Cotswolds.

This is something I've been considering. We like hiking so we were considering doing a countryside/village hike through parts of the Cotswolds. Is there a particular area that is most beautiful?

I enjoyed the London Walks (that's the company name name) tour of "Oxford and the Cotwolds" which included some easy rural hiking. Train from London to Oxford, guided tour of the school, coach (bus) trip to a little village with a guided walk.

[zachtede]

Thank you all for responding. I can't hit all of these places but I will be visiting a good number of them.

This is something I've been considering. We like hiking so we were considering doing a countryside/village hike through parts of the Cotswolds. Is there a particular area that is most beautiful?

I enjoyed the London Walks (that's the company name name) tour of "Oxford and the Cotwolds" which included some easy rural hiking. Train from London to Oxford, guided tour of the school, coach (bus) trip to a little village with a guided walk.

That looks so fun. The website doesn't mention the group size, only that it is limited. Was it a big group of you guys?

[cartophile]

I enjoyed the London Walks (that's the company name name) tour of "Oxford and the Cotwolds" which included some easy rural hiking. Train from London to Oxford, guided tour of the school, coach (bus) trip to a little village with a guided walk.

That looks so fun. The website doesn't mention the group size, only that it is limited. Was it a big group of you guys?

The trip size was not explicitly limited. There are no reservations; everyone shows up at the train station and surrounds the tour guide. I think I recall that he called ahead so that our train would be met by a bus of the appropriate size. My Oxford/Cotswold group probably numbered about two dozen. [Sorry for my lateness in replying.]