I planned for months: where to stay, what to do, where to go. London was not just a hop on my way to the Disneyland Paris Half Marathon, it was going to be an adventure! We wanted to do those things we've only been able to imagine through books, TV, or movies.
We had a lot of memories to build in just 4 short days, and here is how we did it!
Saturday
We arrived via Virgin Atlantic at 9:30 am. The experience with Virgin Atlantic was amazing! Would fly them again and again! The service, food and comfort was exceptional.
They even had a Hidden Mickey!
Once at the airport, I had booked a private transfer from the airport to our hotel so we wouldn't have to worry with luggage on the Underground.
We arrived before noon and our plan to beat jet lag was to enjoy a hop-on-hop off bus tour for the day. We were told that there was a march/demonstration and traffic would be horrible, and the hop-on-hop off tour was not recommended. So, when all else fails - eat!
We enjoyed a traditional meal of Fish and Chips at a local pub,
then ventured off on foot to Buckingham Palace.
Tip: If you aren't within walking distance, Underground Stations Victoria, Green Park or Hyde Park will get you to Buckingham Palace
We toured the Mews, or stables, and viewed all the stunning carriages from over the years!
These tours took up most of our day and made us very hungry! We decided to explore past our hotel and headed to the Soho District for Supper. It was such a nice surprise: very quaint, energetic and favored Diagon Alley!
Very pleasant end to our first night in London!
Sunday
Sunday we continued touring and marking off landmarks.
Our venture to Speedys Cafe was quick-lived since it was closed on Sundays.
We were hoping for tea and scones and to pretend we were friends with Sherlock; however, it wasn't meant to be!
So, we quickly moved on to a serious MUST DO on our list - the Tardis.
We took the Earl's Court stop on the Underground and there it was! A Dr Who fan's dream come true!
Next stop was the Tower Bridge! This stop was one of the highlights of my trip. From the Tower Hill Stop, you step out right into history. A Statue of Emperor Trajan greets you with what is a remaining portion of the original London Wall.
As you step out on to the streets, you are surrounded by the Tower of London.
Guests to the bridge are led to the lift to access the upper deck, but we asked to walk the original staircase. So glad we did! We were the only ones in the stairs and were able to stop and look out the small windows to the world below. And once at the upper deck, I absolutely loved the view of the Thames!
The main attraction of the upper deck is the glass walkway!
Don't worry about the fact that you are over 40 meters above the Thames... just enjoy the view!
We then were off to the Tower of London to see the crown jewels. Disappointingly, No pictures were allowed- but the collection was absolutely breathtaking: Hard to imagine being honored to wear them!
I know that seems like a lot for one day; however, we still had an appointment at 5:30pm for the Warner Bros Studios Harry Potter Tour!
I just can't even describe everything we saw! We saw many actual sets and props from the movie:
From Harry's Room
to The Great Hall
to the Boys' Dorm Room (this set was kept original throughout the years: even though the actors grew, their beds did not.)
to The Weasley's Kitchen
And Dumbledore's Office: where each book on the shelf was really a phonebook, especially dressed for a Wizard's bookcase.
You couldn't miss Professor's Snape's Classroom with over a thousand bottles detailed to magical perfection!
and where it all started - The Dursley's Home
Many of the Costumes were on display, too, including the very important Invisibility Cloak!
Fan Note: Every picture and painting in the movies were hand crafted and used actual crew members as models!
After almost 4 hours of Harry-Potter-Fan-Heaven, it was time to go... (they were closing)
Cheers with Butterbeer, And that was the end to Day 2!
Monday
We booked a tour to Stonehenge and Bath for this day! The day was dreary with a steady, light rain when we arrived. It was perfect, though, for viewing these monoliths!
Seeing Stonehenge has always been a dream of mine. I love pre-historic studies and actually wanted to be an Archeologist! Our guide was an actual Archeologist which made the experience so much more enlightening - sharing more than the audio guide could ever give you!
The Town of Bath was our next stop. Bath has the best preserved Roman Baths in all of Europe.
I absolutely enjoyed seeing these historic ruins. To walk where Emperors once walked was awe-inspiring. It was very relaxing to sit by the trickling water and imagining all the conversations that took place here.
The water in the actual baths isn't clean since the baths were lined with lead. However we were given the opportunity to touch, feel and even drink some of the cleaned mineral water as we left!
There are lots of cobblestone streets and quaint shops to visit as you left the Roman Baths. But the main focus of the town, is Bath Abbey. Just Captivating!
Of course, before I left, I did stop at a local shop to eat! I had a traditional meat pie, and shared my crumbs with the pigeons!
Our third day was done!
Tuesday
Tuesday morning was filled with hurried packing and last minute touring.
What's a Trip to London without seeing Big Ben!
or the London Eye
Or the Majestic Westminster Abbey!
Note: The Abbey is a working church with prayers every hour and with Absolution available. Guests to the Abbey are asked to quietly view the grounds and to join in prayer with the Faithful.
Plan to take your time at the Abbey. There is a lot to admire and see! And as you make your way to the end of the tour, you will find Cellarium Cafe nestled within the 14th Century wine cellars of the monks.
Tip: Plan to eat before you get to the Abbey. In order to get to the Cafe, you have to make it through the whole Tour which can take over an hour.
And yes, inside the station is Platform 9 3/4 !
And then we were off! We left the cloudy skies of London for a new adventure in Paris!
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Do you have a favorite memory of London? Let me know!
Kesselrunner77@gmail.com
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