Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Europe Visiting London

I'm going to have 2-3 days in London to hang out and visit. It's non-hunting but I need to get an idea of any interesting places that are must see.

I want to stay some place we can walk to see the sights, so maybe within a 2 mile radius of the important cultural stuff. My girlfriend and I will be traveling and we leave from London to go back to the states. I arranged some free time at the end to let her see london and stonehenge. I suppose we will find a tour for that or hire a car?

Thanks for all the input I can get on this.

I would hit the tourist sights. Tower of London was worth my time due to the historical significance. Take a Beefeater tour, they are former military and very entertaining. Westminster Abbey, Buckingham, St. Pauls Cathedral, and the Changing of the Guard all were worth my time.

If you are looking for ideas beyond those, check out the London gunshops. Holland and Holland, Purdy, Beretta, William and Son all are in the downtown area. I found the men at Purdy to be very informative and helpful. They showed me their gunroom and let me handle guns I will never have a chance to again. Also, I had one of their "gun guys" fit me for a shotgun so I know what fits me.

If you have any questions, feel free to pm me.








ddj

Another vote for the Tower of London.

I visited about 1997, and it has a fantastic gun collection going back before medieval times.

I was there on a very slow day, and one of the curators noticed my interest in some early (ca 1550) air rifles. There was almost nobody else around the firearms (there was some special event that week regarding the Crown Jewels and everybody was oogling them), so the curator brought out a pair of white cotton gloves and opened the cases so I could handle these fine ancient rifles. I handled quite a few more modern guns, but it was these very old powerful compressed air rifles that impressed me the most.

Anyway, unless things have changed, the Tower of London is well worth it if you are at all interested in fine OLD firearms. Of course, you can see all of Henry the VIIIth's suits of armor as he got fatter and fatter... There is a lot of neat stuff there!

John

Thanks guys, now I need to find a hotel for under 300 bucks a night! Holy cow, And guys complain about a daily rite for hunting! at least I include a PH in my rates, not just a bed and TV!

Actually, according to some sleazy folk who approached me in the street, some of the hotels in Soho will include a PH (Professional Hooker)...

I have no idea about prices though -- not my kind of action!

John

If you rent a car to go to stonehenge then just do a day rental, you don't want a car in downtown London. Parking is outrageous and you have the congestion fee to deal with which is a high priced permit to drive in the downtown area.

Maybe go for the countryside instead. Renting a cottage or something like that and commute to London in the morning with train/tube. That�s alot cheaper than staying in London.

I think the bus tour is easier to stonehenge, hiring a car is the other option. I walk a lot, My GF and I are looking forward to the walking part of the trip as much as the train from St, Maritz to Paris and then the chunnel

Don't know how long you'll stay in France but remember Paris not France, if you get time tour the "chateaux de la Loire" and push to Normandie. With the TGV hi speed train the city of Lyon is 1h40 to ce center of Paris. Bruxelles in Belgium the same. Nice places to go. I will not speak of my towm of Marseille, which is going dirtier every days but around is the fantastic Provence which today is becoming more and more american (wealthy one for sure.
TGV can take you there in 3h15 then you can rent a car to tour to Cote d'Azur or Luberon...
When do you go there? PM me i can give you my phone number in case of trouble if you going south.

Dom
Enjoy your trip.

Dom.

Tower of London & WM Abbey for sure; maybe a play in the West End depending on what's on.

Last time I was there I stayed at a place on the river but can't remember it's name for sure, been a while.........Horsehead rings a bell though.

MM

I have four days of meetings work in/ near Amsterdam. From there I have to get to St moritz or zermatt so we can take the glacier express. Then I would like to avoid a hotel in St moritz due to the hotel prices. Nothing under 500 usd per night I can find.

From there to Paris for a few days. Then thru the chunnel to London. It would be nice to switch trains in zermatt to head to Paris without a hotel as well. What's up with St moritz? The low price hotel is 500 bucks!

I have used this website when I travel to a new city:

Website to compare hotels (including costs)

You can get all kinds of info on this website too...

Hope it helps.

John

Try tripadvisor.com for hotels and opinions.


ddj

I'm originally from the UK and I would look at the Imperial War Museum, the British Museum or the Victoria and Albert Museum. The IWM is a MUST see.

Forget hotels; go with Bed and Breakfast places, lots of them in London and a fraction of pricey hotels. Google is going to be your friend and look for sites with actual reviews from real folks who have stayed there recently. Stonehenge is well, underwhelming unless you absolutely have to see it. I would stay in London and see the museums and visit the aforementioned high end gun shops. You can always visit Harrods and Fortnums and Masons (high end shopping) for the female unit. Don't forget the London Eye, Houses of Parliament, Tower of London, Buckingham Palace and well, a crap load of historical and cultural places.

DON'T get sucked in by con men selling all kinds of tourist crap, there are hundreds of 'em in London. Have a good time but seriously, pass on Stonehenge. If you want to get out of the city, go see Windsor Castle instead. It's a lot closer to London and there's a lot more to see.

Have some fish and chips for me as well as some English beer.... ;-)

I'll second ddj. Having spent a number of years in the UK while in the USAF, seems everyone wanted to come and visit - and tour London. It was my experience that booking a tour that encompassed as many of the sights as possible in a day was the best money. Likewise, finding lodging outside London and commuting by train is a viable alternative to the high cost of London hotels. You'll likely find that all of your lodging (outside London) will be less than a single night in London. Don't forget about Bed & Breakfast offerings.

Lastly, get the addresses for the various guns shops(Purdey, H&H, Boss, Evans, Beretta, etc) and plot them on a London map as best you can. Then plan on using the London taxi services to get you from shop to shop. It will be time well spent. I can't count how many times I went to H&H, and was amazed each and every time I was there.

Hello trouthunterdj I agree with you tripadvisor.com is one of the best travel portal where you can find any travel related informations.Try it hopefully you get benefited.

Imperial War Museum is a must. Also the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert and the Science Museum are all fantastic and all free. The Tower of London is expensive, but well worth doing at least once.

Stonehenge is a must. There's nothing else like it. I'd take a train to Salisbury from Waterloo station, see Salisbury Cathedral, stop for lunch and a pint at the Haunch of Venison (pub from the 14th century) and then take a bus tour to Stonehenge.

A great walk in London is from Victoria station to Buckingham Palace, from BP to Trafalgar Square on the Mall (pronounced Mal) through the Admiralty Arch to Trafalgar Square, Nelson's Column and the National Portrait Gallery, then down Whitehall past 10 Downing St & Churchhill's underground bunker to the Houses of Parliment, the London Eye and Westminster Abbey. You could make a nice day of it if you stopped at all the museums along the way.

That is a great walk, You can also arrive at Charing Cross Station and then start at Trafalgar Square. Depends which train or tube line is most convenient.


ddj

So much to see in a 3-4 day stretch!

I'm a bit overwhelmed with options right now.

The only problem is that Trafalgar Square is pretty much in the middle of the walk. If you start there, in order to see everything you'd have to walk between Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace and it's a fairly long walk with not a lot of interest on it, at least nothing as nice as a walk down the Mall with the parks on each side.

You could do it starting from Westminster station and do it in reverse, but Westminster is on the same Underground line (District) as Victoria, so it's six of one, half a dozen of the other.

I've booked the bobsleigh run in St Moritz. Just cannot pass that up. I took my girl friend on a trip in the past and surprised her with a two jump sky diving event, this time with the bobsleigh run. She will probably stop doing trips with me. In June we are darting a Rhino at my hunting camp, she is unaware of that too!

I figure everything else after that 75 seconds at 5gs she will love and be grateful to be on foot

The Eye of London is a must do-if you have a clear day. Your girlfriend may also enjoy afternoon tea at Harrods-my wife loved it. West End shows are good for the evening (don't worry about dress code-we saw everything from sweat pants to formal gowns). For Amsterdam, I recommend the Rijksmuseum. It is my favorite museum for art. The Night Watchman is particularly impressive.

My wife and I have had very good luck with vrbo.com to find vacation places. Here's an apartment in St Moritz for what I think is 338 USD a night

http://www.vrbo.com/266573#rates

Lived in London for 4 months .... did daily afternoon trips exploring the city...All of the above are great Ideas... most all the museums are free or a least were when I was there.... neat little place I found while walking one day.... Churchill war room... Near westminister's Abby... underground bunker comlex where churchill waged the battle of britian from... really neat.....imperial war museum....Greenwich is a neat little trip...naval maratime muesum/ Cutty Sark... Reagents park if the weather is nice, unbelievable gardens..... Cambridge/Oxford/ Bath all neat trips that can be done in a day via commuter train..... ST Pauls... neat to see inside...was in therre one afternoon an listened to the boys choir... really cool even though its not my cup of tea ... the clink prison museum along the river near the battleship... midevil torture stuff ... very interesting.... so much to see and do in that city.... after I saw the big stuff I would just get on the tube and go to different places.... not a bad way to visit either... horseguards park- the queens guard does daily shows, interesting to watch.... dont miss out on any chance to drop in local Pubs and get a pint... most have local brews... hope it helps

Damn! I wish I had known of the Churchill bunker! I would really like to have trod where the great man did...

Maybe on my next visit. Great info on this thread!

John

It's getting closer for me, I would just as soon skip Paris altogether but I am traveling with my Girlfriend who has never been to Europe. So it's worth the one overnight to see The Eiffel tower and Notre Dame. I will make the France trip again and then take the train to Italy. On this trip I would like to have the time to see rural france, but the paris thing for me, ..... well once was enough years ago.

The Bobsleigh run in St Moritz is what I'm most anxious for! It will be 75 seconds out of 2 weeks, but it's all I can focus on right now.

It's been a while but as I recall , one floor of the London Airport is set-up to help visitors . They asked my price range and recommended a Hotel within walking distance to Harrods Department Store and even made the Hotel Reservation. Harrods was an interesting store including food , cars , everything . The rain in March got me very wet even with a Raincoat & umbrella on long walks . Hotel was clean , very small rooms , very old fashioned , but I could walk to a lot of Museums . The sandwich Shops on every street in London were surprisingly good . Went to Purdys and Holland & Holland but was kind of surprised at the small quantity of Firearms on hand ( this was quite a few years ago ). On the ride from the Airport to the Hotel , I made contact with a great Cabbie and got his Phone Number . Later , he took me and another Hotel Guest on a Camera Tour of London ( we split the cost ). That was really worth while as he put us in position to take some great pictures . In Paris I liked the Louvre ....my favorite was not a painting , but a statue at the head of some stairs ..." winged Victory at Samothrace " as I recall . Napoleons Tomb , Notre Dame and the Ecolle Militaire were interesting . I was well treated in both London and Paris . You could not pay me enough to drive on the left in England ! Loved the speed limit on A-6 in France , but got lost a few times . Brings back some nice old memories . PS : if you go where there are large numbers of people like Pompedue ( sp? ) Plaza ( all sorts of free entertainment from Jazz Singers to belly-dancers ) in Paris watch out for pickpockets .... I was lucky as I had mine in my shirt pocket as I got tusseled around by a group and was " padded down " as I was off-balance .

"Pompidou" (Just like Marylin song ... "Pom Pom Pedoo" )

George Pompidou became president of the French Republic in 1969, when C. de Gaulle quitted his charge as he was feeling dismissed after the may '68 events and their consequences.

Jim,

This is the best post of them all. I've highlighted the good stuff. Throw in a trip to Hollands and Purdy's as mentioned above. The Imperial War Museum defies description. My wife still raves about it 10 years later!

St, Moritz is the Euro Aspen and it's ski season. Pricey! All major cities are pricey for hotels. No Motel 6 in London or Paris. $300 is reality. Check B &B's.

Have a good time!

Got to tell one story of my trip to London : I was walking down the street and passed what looked like an abandoned Hotel . In front was a huge pile of clothes ....like maybe three feet high and five feet wide . All of a sudden I see two eyes pop up out of the pile of clothes . I see an old lady with a slightly dirty face . I was startled and thought ...what to do ? In the US that would be a street person . I reached in my pocket , fetched a coin worth a few bucks , and tossed it to her feeling I was doing a good deed . She caught it and threw it back at me saying something like " take your bloody money and XXXXXX ) ! Two Arab guys behind me ( wearing about a ton of Gold ) were laughing their heads off . I beat a fast get-away ! I learned later this was a " bag lady " . They walk the streets , pick up stuff and sell it to get enough for food , etc . They don't like charity ! It's sometimes good to learn the local customs ahead of time .

Yes I like !!

Any updates on this?

I'll be over there this fall for a Roe deer hunt in Southern Scotland and than planning a few days in London, etc.

London - the Imperial War Museum is a must see, the British Museum is like the Smithsonian on steroids and another must see.

A nice day trip from London on a short train ride (just over an hour) is Oxford which shows the beautiful English country side and gardens, as well as Blenheim Palace which is a short bus ride from Oxford.

My wife and I stayed a few days in London at the Marriott across the street from Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park. We went out for fish and chips and a pint at a local pun the doorman suggested. It was right across the street from Purdy's. Too bad they were closed. I would take one of the bus tours of London where you can get on or off wherever you want. The Guards Museum by Buckingham Palace and the Horse Guards Museum by Trafalgar Square are also interesting.
Don't get caught with a lockblade pocketknife. They have no sense of humo(u)r.

I'd also make William and Sons, as well as William Evans. While on St. James St., also visit the Beretta Gallery, just across the street.

While in the neighborhood of Purdey's, eat lunch (or dinner) at the Audley, just across the street. They have the best fish and chips in London.

On Mount Street, not far away, is a great venue for an Italian lunch, Serafino's. You can go upstairs, or downstairs...go downstairs, same good, cheaper. The seafood pasta bowl is to die for.

Be sure to take in Rule's Restaurant (oldest restaurant in London). Make a reservation for dinner, they are famous for game dishes, ask a manager for the tour (and stories of royal illicit liasons in a private room).

If you are thinking of car hire , use National as they are half the price of Avis and most other hire firms.
http://www.nationalcar.co.uk/

Cheap accomadation that wont break the bank try travel lodge or premier inns they are much of the same.

Most of the other guy's have mentioned some of the best places to visit in London. But if you get chance visit the Tower of London, and get on a tour by one of the Yoeman. The clip is of a guy called Bill Callahan, who's a real star, have a look atsome of his other clips.
All the best,
Paul.

Tower of London. (Hint- it's a castle.... don't be an Ugly American like we were... ) Walking distance from Picadilly Circus. A block off Picadilly Circus is the Queen's Theater. We thoroughly enjoyed Phantom of the Opera when we were there a few years back at Christmas time. I'm not exactly an opera type, either... but I'm betting whatever the production - it's worth it.

Just don't ask anyone for directions in P.C.. It took us 7 tries to find someone who spoke English. Look for someone dressed in vest and suit...

Not kidding! Britain is doomed!

OK , sorry , you jogged my memory again . Just a couple more stories : Friend and I were on a work assignment in France . We decided to do the usual Tourist sight-seeing in Paris . My friends wife was a French Language Teacher in the States so I asked him to learn a few key phrases . Did'nt work , so I got the job of navigator . We wanted to see the Ecole Militaire , so I found it on the map , and into a Courtyard we walked . We were immediately surrounded by a bunch of Guards asking all sorts of questions ..... and neither of us knew much French . Seems like there are two Ecole Miliaires . We had gone into a Military Academy sort of like West Point . I kept saying Musee...Musee ...which I think means Museum , and they finally let us go and pointed in the right direction while shaking their heads . The Military Museum was interesting . Lots of suits of Armor ....those guys were pretty small in those days ! A French friend asked what I wanted to see . It was the Folies Bergere . He told me the chance of getting Tickets on short notice were nil , but I asked him to call anyway . Luckily , there were two cancellations . That was a fantastic Show ! Don't miss it if you have a chance . Tastefully done , very fast paced , and lots of funny audience participation . Oh , if you go to dinner with the French , be prepared for a two or three hour feast . They do take their time . I really enjoyed an Algerian Restaurant . My French friends father was a Cabbie in Paris , so this guy knew all the roads by heart . He drove so fast , however , that I just reclined my seat and closed my eyes .

Trouthunter is right, and thanks for posting the pics. I easily walked to Holland & Holland and Purdey. They were very friendly letting me handle anything I wanted. We had some really nice conversations as well. I stuck out like a sore thumb wearing a camo fleece vest, cabelas shorts, t-shirt, and danner boots.

I really like London, don't forget the pubs and see all you can fit in.

London smells like Curry and BO

British Museum is wonderful and absolutely essential. One could easily spend several days there. Karl Marx's grave in High Gate Cemetery is also worth a visit if you have time to spare.

The London subway will get you everywhere you wanna go in the city (same with Paris). I wouldn't consider driving in London and made the mistake of driving Paris (twice).

What part of London were you in?

You're kidding right? The entire city is ripe with it... Muslim extremists outnumber brits in the city. It's a pretty known fact, one that the locals themselves (the brits that is) freely admit. And yes I've been to London likely over a dozen times in the past 20 years, so I know what it was like before the borders were opened up.

If you knew what it was like before the borders were opened up then you should know its not the muslim extremist that are the problem its the eastern europeans, and tho I didnt "live" in London I worked there for 12 years, so have a good handle on whats going on.

Looks to me like you should have stayed in London since your [bleep] attitude stinks... oh hold on, you're in Ontario, just as well. You'll fit right in up in Canada. Now GFY.

You're kidding right? The entire city is ripe with it... Muslim extremists outnumber brits in the city. It's a pretty known fact, one that the locals themselves (the brits that is) freely admit. [/quote]

If you knew what it was like before the borders were opened up then you should know its not the muslim extremist that are the problem its the eastern europeans, and tho I didnt "live" in London I worked there for 12 years, so have a good handle on whats going on. [/quote]

Looks to me like you should have stayed in London since your [bleep] attitude stinks... oh hold on, you're in Ontario, just as well. You'll fit right in up in Canada. Now GFY. [/quote]


I didn't notice anything wrong with his "attitude". He was just offering facts to counter your personal bias.

If you knew what it was like before the borders were opened up then you should know its not the muslim extremist that are the problem its the eastern europeans, and tho I didnt "live" in London I worked there for 12 years, so have a good handle on whats going on. [/quote]

Looks to me like you should have stayed in London since your [bleep] attitude stinks... oh hold on, you're in Ontario, just as well. You'll fit right in up in Canada. Now GFY. [/quote]


I didn't notice anything wrong with his "attitude". He was just offering facts to counter your personal bias. [/quote]

So my opinion is bias, and his opinion is fact.... funny... At the end of the day, London is a [bleep] town full of nasty, American hating Muslim extremists... the Eastern Euro trash fits in pretty well in that town... so you guys can all wax on about the joys of London, but I hope it falls off into the sea... Brits, Muslims, Eastern Euro trash and all... at least that's just my "biased" opinion...

Yes, your opinion indeed appears filled with bias.

Biased would be an understatement, you're too kind moosemike.

It be cool to go someday