48 hours in London – Weekend Edition
London In Less Than 48 Words
Truly cosmopolitan and having some of the world’s greatest cultural treasures, London is referred as the “World in One City.” The 15 million tourists who visit it yearly can’t be wrong. They are expected to come in droves in 2012 as London sets the stage for the Olympics.
The Queen's honor guards are shown marching by her official residence, the Buckingham Palace. (Photo by MatAnt)
First 24 Hours
As one of the busiest cities in the planet, London has a couple of major airports. Most of the international passengers arrive in the city via the London Heathrow Airport (+44 (0)844 335 1801; www.heathrowairport.com) in Hillingdon, West London. From there, the easiest way to reach downtown is via Heathrow Express, whose trains head directly to Paddington (central London) after a 15-minute ride. Buses and taxis (cabs, as the English call them) are also available at the airport terminals.
The Milestone is one of the more popular hotels in London for its grand architecture. (Photo from Google images)
Once in the heart of the city, you can check in at one of London’s excellent accommodations. As a financial capital, it has countless five-star hotels swaddled with the restrained elegance the city is known for. Some of the best are Hotel 41 (41 Buckingham Palace Road; + 44 (0) 20 7300 0041; www.41hotel.com), The Halkin (5 Halkin St., Belgravia; +44 (0)20 7333 1000; www.halkin.como.bz) and The Milestone Hotel (1 Kensington Court, Kensington; +44 (0) 20 7917 1000; www.milestonehotel.com). All of them are known for their swanky interiors and close proximity to tourist sites that are spread across the city.
The Soho Hotel (4 Richmond Mews; +44 20 7581 4045; www.firmdale.com/index.php?page_id=7) and Sofitel-St James (Waterloo Place; +44 (0)20 7747 2200; www.sofitelstjames.com) offer less expensive, but equally comfortable, options, welcoming visitors with their modern interiors, well-kept facilities and friendly staff.
A great way to gain quick access to London’s top attractions is to purchase a “Travelcard” from the Transport for London and National Rail (www.tfl.gov.uk). The card lasts anywhere from a day to a year, allowing for unlimited use on the city’s trains and buses. The cost is determined by location, area covered, and length of validity.
TOWER OF LONDON: London is a place of history
London, whose rich and colorful history spans centuries, overflows with historic sites and landmarks. As the city’s attractions are not located close to each other, you may have to brace for a circuitous journey inside Great Britain’s capital.
Prominent in central London is the Tower of London (Tower Hill; www.hrp.org.uk/toweroflondon), a UNESCO World Heritage Site and former royal palace, complete with torture chambers and execution sites. Here, you can learn a lot about the city’s history, with its interactive and informative museum. Near the tower is the namesake bridge, (Tower Bridge Exhibition, Tower Bridge London) which offers some of the best views of the city, including the River Thames.
London's Tower Bridge, lording over the River Thames, is one of the iconic features of London. (Photo by Anirudh Koul)
At the center of Central London, so to speak, is Buckingham Palace (City of Westminster; www.royal.gov.uk),the Queen’s official residence. During the annual summer opening (August and September), the State Rooms are open to the public. Tourists go to Buckingham mainly to see the Changing of the Guard, a ceremonial spectacle, that happens on certain days. The British Monarchy website (www.royal.gov.uk) has the schedule.
THE SQUARE MILE: Where the present meets the past
For a more contemporary look of London, tourists head to the Square Mile, the historic core of London where the modern city had emerged. Clustering around the area are the major business and financial buildings, such as the London Stock Exchange and the Bank of England. Also known as the City of London, the Square Mile is often compared to Manhattan of New York. The area contains a variety of places to hang out (gardens, public libraries and cafés), making it as a worthwhile stopping place.
EAST END: Eat, drink, and be merry!
Eating in London can be very pricey, especially when you are up to full-course dining experience. Among the finest restaurants in the city are Le Gavroche (43 Upper Brook St., Marble Arch; www.le-gavroche.co.uk) and Whits (21 Abingdon Road; 0207 938 1122; www.whits.co.uk). Their excellent menu items, top-notch staff and opulent interior more than make up for the pricy entrees.
Tourists, however, may welcome the fact that London has a plenty of cafes and can choose from over 2,000 establishments. East End, in particular, has an abundance of coffee shops such as Starbucks, Nero, and Costa. A definite favorite there is Café@, offering good fair-trade coffee, plus great vibes and music.
KOKO: Where some of the famous perform
One of the most happening places in London is Koko where British and international artists perform. (Photo from Google images)
The nightlife in London is particularly happening, as the English social life revolves around alcohol. The average Brit loves to go out and get drunk. South East has an array of pubs which, at the crack of midnight, can get very rowdy with rampant drunkenness.
KOKO (1A Camden High Street; www.koko.uk.com) is a popular hangout for the young and old, with a 1,500 seating capacity and performances from noted artists all over the world. Examples range from pop stars like Madonna to punk bands such as My Chemical Romance.
A more intimate alternative is Herbal (10-14 Kingsland Road; www.herbaluk.com), with a 250-seating capacity. World class DJs set the stage for famous performers such as Kate Moss and the White Stripes. EGG (200 York Way; +44 20 7609 8364; www.egglondon.net) is a three-storey structure with open facilities including a central courtyard garden, pool during summer, and a balcony terrace.
Next 24 Hours
A visit to the city is not complete without dropping by British Museum, a repository of masterpieces. (Photo from Google images)
The second day can be treated as a chance to explore London’s famous attractions. Learn more about the city’s history and culture by visiting its museums, such as the British Museum (Great Russell Street; www.britishmuseum.org). It is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world, with more than seven million objects from all continents, including its well-known mummy collection (the largest one outside of Egypt). Entrance is free.
Another notable attraction is the Imperial War Museum (Lambeth Road; www.iwm.org.uk), created during World War I to document the country’s war effort and sacrifice. It contains archives of photography, film, oral recordings, art collections, a library, and exhibits of military equipment.
Fans of England’s most famous writer Shakespeare can’t go wrong visiting the Shakespeare’s Globe Theater (21 New Globe Walk), which is built on the site of a former theater where the plays the Bard were once staged.
TATE MODERN: London’s contemporary face
Those who want to take a glimpse of the contemporary art scene in London can go to Tate Modern (Bankside; 020 7887 8888; www.tate.org.uk/modern), Britain’s national museum of modern art. Lying by the banks of the River Thames, the museum features a broad range of genres, from panting to sculpture, from conceptual to video art. Tate Modern also displays works from noted painters of the 20th century, including Picasso and Matisse.
MADAME TUSSAUDS: Rub elbows with celebrities
Possibly one of the most popular attractions in the city is Madame Tussauds (Marylebone Road; +44 (0) 871 894 3000 www.madametussauds.com) where you can rub elbows with some of the world’s most famous faces—at least their life-like, wax versions. Celebrities from different fields are represented: entertainment, sports and politics, among others. Shakespeare, Amy Winehouse and Her Majesty are all at a ready to accommodate a photo opportunity.
THE RESTAURANT AT ST. PAUL’S: Lunch out, religious-style
Celebrate your cultural visit with a lunch out at The Restaurant at St. Paul’s (St Paul’s Churchyard; www.restaurantatstpauls.co.uk) which is uniquely set inside a cathedral. Open only during lunch hours, it serves up some of the best traditional British food, coupled with sophisticated twists. The greatest surprise, however, is the experience of dining near the church crypt where the remains of famous figures like Admiral Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington have been interred.
THE LONDON EYE: Looking down on London
Also called the “Millennium Wheel,” the London Eye (London Borough of Lambeth; www.londoneye.com) is a probably present in the checklist of every tourist. When it was first introduced in 1999, it was the tallest Ferris Wheel in the world, and the giant structure looks like an eye when viewed from afar. The London Eye moves along slowly – taking around 30 minutes to complete a revolution, which is just as well so you can take in a sweeping view of the city without the hurry.
Giving a bird’s eye-view of the entire city, the London Eye attracts over 5 million tourists per year. (Photo by se9 london)
OXFORD STREET: Shopping in style
A second day in London can be capped by shopping drop at the city’s chic boutiques, high end stores, and opulent shopping malls. Oxford Street, in particular, is noted for its line of big department stores that stretch between Marble Arch and Oxford Circus. One of the most popular is Selfridges which contributes to Oxford Street’s reputation as Europe’s busiest shopping street.
Located in the City of Westminster, Oxford Street has over 300 shops, making it is Europe's busiest shopping street. (Photo by Márcio Cabral de Moura)
The more affluent visitors head to Bond Street, which features some of London’s most elegant and expensive boutiques. Harrods (Brompton Road in Knightsbridge) remains the most favorite mall, with over 1 million square feet of retail heaven.
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