I always do the hop on/hop off bus in major european cities for at least one of the days.
They usually have a running commentary via an ear piece and give you a map of the city and their stops. If you want to explore you hop off and then when you are ready to move on another bus is only minutes for the next one. Very convenient.
https://www.hop-on-hop-off-bus.com/london-bus-tours
tinkerbell2 wrote:
I am fulfilling a dream, and traveling to England in May for 2 weeks. Can anyone advise me of wonderful sights to photograph? Also, if anyone has a suggestion of places to go, I'd appreciate it.
I know this is off subject, but don't forget to take a power converter so you can charge your batteries. They are cheaper if purchased in the states.
John N
Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK
Wise to leave the hire car until outside of LONDON. Waste of time using one in LONDON due to volume of traffic. Both OXFORD and CAMBRIDGE are expensive to park in so investigate the Park & Ride schemes. OXFORDS is quite good and I believe CAMBRIDGE is on a par. Leave the tack tourism out and concentrate on the genuine thing, take your choice between modern architecture and old and use a good guide to help you make your choice. Fullers pubs provide a good lunch spot, might I venture to suggest a tour of the Tower of London (the beefeater led tours are informative and can be comical - see link below) followed by a pie and a pint in the 'HUNG, DRAWN and QUARTERED' pub just a few yards away. Tower Bridge is there as well.
I've not spent any real time in BATH, but I'm told the Roman remains are worth a visit. Dependant on time and your itinerary call in at BIBURY (nice Cotswold village) and if the weather is fine WESTONBIRT (National Arboretum), both can be visited between Oxford and Bath so long as you don't take the A34 / M4 trunk route.
A comfortable waterproof coat would be a wise investment, the weather is 'changeable' here and May could be unusually chilly or warmer than expected. Hope you enjoy your visit and come back again - 2 weeks is better than nothing but not long enough.
Photo wise. A good wide angle lens, there's not many wide streets and some quite narrow. Medieval Planning did not allow for turning a cart and a team of 8 oxon around!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWFq-v7TKdQ
You can get from the airport to London by bus or train (Gatwick Express goes to Victoria Train Station---not the same as Victoria Coach Station).
I have listed the places most people want to see:
I recommend an all-day pass (Zone 1+2) or one that lasts longer. You can get them when you go underground to ride the tubes. Just ask for the all-day pass or other extended passes.
To start the tour take the tube (with your all-day pass) to Westminster tube station---walk out and (1) Big Ben and Parliament are there. I They have tours, but the line is usually long. The only thing you would see are the two houses---one has red seats, the other has green seats. (Across the street from Big Ben is a little Co-op grocery where you can get a sandwich to go. Charlie’s favorite is egg salad and cress!) Walk across the street to (2) Westminster Abby and take a picture of Big Ben and Parliament. There are some red telephone booths you can get a picture of each of you in one and Big Ben is in the background. At Westminster Abby you can do a brass rubbing for a couple of pounds. They are neat. Stay on that side of the street and walk north on Whitehall St. toward Trafalgar Square. Half way down the street is (3) #10 Downing St. where the black gate and policemen are. This is the Prime Minister’s house. You can’t get close to it---just have to look down the street through the black gates. The (4) Horse Guards are next. They change every day at 11:00am. When you see the horses and guards, walk through the archway between the guards and there will be a large open area where the horse guards assemble before they change. Don’t wait for them, just take a picture of each of you in front of the guards on their horses out front. They start at Buckingham Palace at 10:30 and march to Whitehall everyday so it takes a while for it to all take place.) Walk back out of the arch and turn left on Whitehall St. to (5) Trafalgar Square. Take pictures of all of the pigeons, etc. Walk through the large Arch to your left. That is the entrance to St. James Park. There is a free WC (toilet) on your left when you walk into the park. If the day is pretty or nice, I recommend you walk through the park. You can picnic there if you’re hungry. Walk on through the Park to (6)Buckingham Palace (1 mi.), but the walk is nice. Looking from B.P. walk down the right side of the park & 1/2 way there is a bridge on your left, turn right and go 2 blocks to the (7)St James Tube Station. Take the tube to (8) Piccadilly Circus. Come up out of the tube and take a picture of all the lights and billboard (Don’t stay long.) and go back in and take the tube to (9) St. Pauls Cathedral. You will be on the back-side so go around front and go inside. It’s very impressive! When you come out of there, turn left and wait at the bus stop (in the queue [stand in line]) for red bus #15 (I think that’s the #, but if you don’t want to take my word for it, just ask someone. The bus will take you through the “Wall Street” section of London. There is an information booth across the street) and take bus to the (10)Tower of London. They close early---5:30 or 6:00---so plan your day or days accordingly. There is a real nice place to eat lunch or dinner across the street from the park called the Minster Tavern. It’s a pub and price and food were both good! Take the tour of the Tower of London. You will be there 2-3 hours, but it’s worth it. The Beefeaters do a great job leading the tours. Be sure to take a picture standing beside one of them. They will tell you about the ravens and the history of the castle. They have a woman Beefeater now for the first time ever. Be sure to see the crown jewels while you’re there and tour the armory (real interesting). Then take the tube back to your hotel.
If you get bored, you can go to Hyde Park to the NE corner to Speakers Corner. Anyone can say anything they want so have fun!
You might want to do St. Pauls and Tower of London one day and the rest on another day, depending on weather.
Good luck and have Fun! Wish we were going with you!
You can exchange your money at the airport or at any bank. Use your credit card whenever you can---tickets, food, etc.
There are also day tours that you can sign up for such as Windsor Castle, Stratford-Upon-Avon (where Ann Hathaway‘s Cottage is), Cambridge (beautiful American Cemetery on the outskirts of town), Oxford, Bath and Stonehenge. You could also get a cheap tour to Paris. There are a world of choices!
UPDATE; Ther are a couple of things that have changed, they have moved the red telephone boxes by Parliament and the name of the day pass has changed. Good luck. HAVE A GREAT TIME! Skate
A lot of great advice has been posted but WHY is a trip to England fulfilling a dream for you? If we knew that, we could provide much more specific advice. Is it because the Darling Childrren started their Peter Pan adventure there? Do you love reading Sherlock Holmes or Jane Austen? Have you always wanted to see the Churchill War Rooms? Looking for places Elizabeth I might recognize? Love 18th century architecture or do you prefer modern? Want to see a Bristol car or would you rather go to the Globe?
If you give us some guidance on why England is your dream destination, we can provide you with more specific suggestions.
There are many tour companies that do a Stonehenge, Bath and Windsor Castle trip. All three places afford great photo ops. I was especially impressed with the Windsor "changing of the guard", but you have to be there at the exact time (you will need to check that out with the tour company). The guard change there is much better that the one at Buckingham because the crowds are smaller and you can get closer to the event.
It really depends what your interests are.Canterbury was mentioned.the oldest cathedral in the world. You could spend two weeks in London and not see everything. The Science Museum is fantastic .Go on the Eye for a great view.Cambridge is one of my favourite cities. The Cotswolds are lovely with great country houses.
In London, ask where ou should not go at night but the West End is fine. See a show at one of our great theatres.Taxis are dear but buses are cheap.
Enjoy.n
We LOVE London. Much to see and do. Being a Beatles fan I always enjoy Abby Road. Always special.
I love England and hope that it is all you dream of. I would second all the suggestions above!
Please, do yourself a favour, come to Derbyshire and The Peak District National Park. You won't regeret it, I promise.
Phil
revhen
Loc: By the beautiful Hudson
All these suggestions bring back great memories and make me want to go again. Some favorite (spell it "favourite" over there) places outside London are Stonhenge and Salisbury, York, the Cotswolds and even the Cornwall coastal villages.
philmurfin wrote:
Please, do yourself a favour, come to Derbyshire and The Peak District National Park. You won't regeret it, I promise.
Phil
Don't tell everybody they'll ruin it
Besides all the great things in London, and don't forget to go to Harrod's dept. store and see the food stalls, if you like to shop check out the Portabello Road flea market held on Saturdays. Take the train to Windsor Castle and go to Hampton Court, where Henry the VIII resided. Stone Henge and Bath. Look's like you have enough suggestions here to fill your 2 weeks and then some. Enjoy and be sure to post photos here when you return.
revhen
Loc: By the beautiful Hudson
If the weather is decent, you can take a boat up the Thames from London to Hampton Court. Really, so much to see, so much history in such a small space. The distance from London to Edinburgh, Scotland, is just about the same as the distance from New York to Pittsburgh. Another thing: A trip down to Battle where the definitive Battle of Hastings was fought (Hastings was where William the Conqueror landed).
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