We have been to London twice – the last being May 2017 and this is a great city to visit. We spent a week in above average weather after being in Ireland for two weeks. Hard to believe we could still enjoy a cold Guinness after being in Ireland, yet we persevered in London!
London is a good walking city and the Tube works well for underground transportation. Because the weather was so nice, we did more walking than if it had been raining and cold. There is so much to see in London that you need to have a plan to get it all done.
We have taken the Tube in from Heathrow and no problems as we stayed within a 12 – 15 minute walk from Victoria Station. Victoria Station is the heartbeat of transportation in London. The Tube, buses and trains all arrive and leave from here. You can buy an Oyster card at Heathrow to manage all your Tube and bus transportation. We found the Oyster card simplified our travel around the city. Just provide your travel plans and the helpful attendants will get you the right amount on your Oyster card. If you have money left over it can be used another time, refunded or transferred to another card.
In May, we took the train from Gatwick airport to Victoria Station on the “London Gatwick Express” and prearranged the ticket. Very simple and quite efficient. From Victoria Station it was no problem to walk to our accommodation.
- Luna Simone Hotel
We stayed at the Luna Simone Hotel for both our trips and have recommended this Hotel to a number of our friends who have had excellent stays as well. We would not consider staying anywhere else in London. The contact website is https://www.lunasimonehotel.com.
The location is fantastic as it is not far from Victoria Station or from Pimlico Station. There are very good restaurants and pubs in the area and I will cover some of them later. The central locations allows for walking to many of the attractions including Buckingham Palace, Westminster or Trafalgar Square.
The hotel does not have an elevator and there are at least three floors, so if mobility is an issue you best call ahead to request a main floor unit. The hosts are quite happy to help with luggage if it is an issue. We stayed 71 steps up and we managed ourselves just fine.
The rooms are not huge, yet are comfortable and what you would expect in Europe. The bathrooms are very good and the rooms are quiet even when facing the street.
Breakfast is included and it is a full offering with eggs, bacon, toast, cereal, yogurt, muesli, beans, coffee, juice and tea. Some or all, your choice. The breakfast room is comfortable and you get a chance to talk to other travellers. The hosts are friendly and can offer suggestions or answer your travel questions as well.
We paid about $255 CDN or $200 US per night and feel this was very fair.
- Restaurants
O Sole Mio – right on the corner near the Luna Simone. Italian food and tasty with good service. We also did take out pizza one night and it was very good. There is a confectionary across the street for snacks and drinks.
Grumbles – just next door to the O Sole Mio and we ate outside. A very small restaurant and the menu changes. A reservation may be necessary.
Constitution Pub – across the street from Grumbles. Great for a cold beer and pub food.
Coffee house – Just down from Grumbles and some outside seating.
Gail’s – breads and pastries is just down from the Constitution and is very good. The chocolate croissants go down very well with coffee.
The B Bar – On Buckingham Palace Road down from Victoria Station. We have been here three times and the food is quite good. You can dress a little nicer in the evening as I believe they get a clientele that is going out for the evening.
The Crypt – Located at St Martins in the Fields near the National Gallery and Trafalgar Square. The restaurant is on the lower level and is set up cafeteria style. The food is good and the setting is different.
Pubs – We tried a variety of pubs and the food was good and the Guinness was all we needed. Take a break and give your feet a rest!
- Attractions
We covered most of the highlights and were not disappointed. There are far more out there and you will have to find your favourites. Many of the galleries and museums are free and a tourist guide will point these out as well as the attractions that have an entrance fee.
Be careful when walking and look to your “right” first as the traffic flow is different from Canada and the United States.
Buckingham Palace – A 25 minute walk from the Luna Simone. A must see and lots of photo opportunities. I thought it would be bigger, but it is still impressive, particularly, when you see how the parks all link together.
Hyde Park, Green Park and St. James Park – Beautiful green space and lots of walking opportunity. You will have a plenty of company, yet it is very relaxing. Take your time and watch the people and scenery. We saw mounted guards riding through the park and it was quite majestic.
British Museum and National Gallery – You can spent a great deal of time in both and not have covered everything. Plan your time well and get there early as it gets busy at both places. The British Museum was saving and protecting artifacts when we in North America were living in sod huts. A true sense of history.
Tower of London – This was an absolute favourite for me. We caught a walking tour lead by a Yeoman Warder. These men are retired military who have distinguished themselves during their service. They provide an enormous amount of factual information and do so with a good sense of humour. A guided tour is a must to get the most out of the Tower of London.
Westminster Abbey – A 20 minute walk from the Luna Simone. There is no lack of history here and for many people the walk in the Chapel is like the Hockey Hall of Fame for me. I quite enjoyed Poets Corner and it is hard not to be impressed with the massive structure.
The War Museum – So, so for me. A self guided museum with a number of floors. Lots of room to get around, although, there was no mention about the battle at Vimy Ridge and the Canadians role in taking the Ridge that no one before them could. I’m still waiting for a response to my email regarding why this was omitted from the museum. Overall, it was a good review of the British war involvement and a couple of hours is all you need.
Churchill’s War Rooms – The underground war rooms were far larger in area then I expected. I thought they would have been for Churchill and his closest advisors only. In fact, Churchill basically ran the British second world war involvement from these rooms. There were a lot of people working down there in support of the war effort and it probably got a bit crowded. If I had to choose, I would do this ahead of The War Museum.
Windsor Castle – Another favourite of mine. There is no need to pay for an organized tour to get to Windsor Castle. You can take the Tube to Paddington Station and then take a 45 minute train ride to Windsor. Walk out of the train station and there is Windsor Castle. You must pay for a self guided tour and I enjoyed the grounds and castle. We were able to see the State Apartments and the changing of the guard. Be sure to have an expensive ice cream from the Royal Creamery. The grounds are beautiful and the views are wonderful.
After the tour of the castle, we went to the Two Brewers for a refreshing beverage. It is a little walk down a street to get there and worth it. We were back in London by early afternoon.
Greenwich Village – We took the Tube out to Greenwich and it does take a bit of time. There is also a water taxi to get there that we would look into next time. Of course, you must see the prime meridian and check out some souvenirs. There is also a marine museum to visit while there. We went to Heaps Sausages for lunch and I would go again.
Trafalgar Square – A 35 minute walk from the Luna Simone. Very busy and a nice walk around to see the hub of activity. Lots of ways to get there and lots of ways to leave. No shortage of pubs and restaurants in this area.
Thames River Tour – I really enjoyed this river tour. It was narrated so points of interest were mentioned and you can get off at the Tower of London and do your touring there before returning. You get a different perspective of the city from the water and you see Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster and the main bridges. Great way to spend a sunny afternoon.
Harrods – There is a Tube stop right at Harrods so no issue getting there for all your shopping needs. I made sure not to touch anything. The shopping is very high-end and a bit outside of what I would pay for things. In the lower level you should check out a memorial to Lady Diana and Dodi Fayed as it is well done.
Natural History Museum – This is in the same area as Harrods and is easy to get to. If you are short of time, I would not worry about going here as I did not find this to be anything special.
London is an easy city to return to and soak up the history and experiences.
My second cup is now empty……………………..