I'm planing a trip to London and i want to See more then the regular sites any suggestions?

Question

i'll arrive to london in mid september, and all the guide books and web sites suggest the same things i know all about the big ben, tower of london and stuff like that, but i'd also like to check out other stuff like a few markets maybe local festivals at the time. something that isn't in the regular tourist books.
thanks.

Answer 1

If you are there on Sept 16th and 17th, it is the annual Open House weekend, when hundreds of buildings normally closed to the public are open, for free. The list will eventually be on the website listed below. You can see inside embassies, clubs, government offices (the Foreign Office is the most splendid), grand houses, old cinemas, etc.

Sir John Soane's House in Lincoln's Inn Fields is free and is a very quirkly little building built for an architect. It has lots of mirrors and passageways and feels bigger than it is.

You could sit in the gallery of the Old Bailey court house and see British justice in action.

In Neasden, north London is the largest Hindu temple outside of India.

On Sept 12th and 27th there are film premieres in Leicester Square - you might enjoy going to see the stars arrive.

If you find the cost of the London Eye is too high, for about £3 you can go up the bell tower of Westminster (Catholic) cathedral on Victoria St and see for miles all over London. There are little signs pointing out the different landmarks.

I'm not sure what kind of markets you want - surely your guides mention the great Camden market, but there is also Borough Market in Southwark for food on Saturdays. You might find a new taste treat.

Also have a look at this site of free things to see and do in London.

By the way, the Museum of the Moving Image which someone else mentions closed years ago.

Answer 2

There is tonnes of stuff that you can do in day trips from London where you will get to see more of the real England instead of just cosmopolitan London. Lots of places are easy to get to by train and are worth the effort to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

A couple of suggestions are Dover Castle, Windsor and Eton, Hampton Court, Eltham Palace, Brighton.

Check out www.english-heritage.org.uk for lots of other places to visit. And check out www.nationalrail.co.uk for how to get there.

Otherwise, some of the simple things in the city are often the best - take a stroll down along the South Bank to the Borough Markets, stick your feet in the fountain at Trafalgar Square and watch the world go by or get up close to a Monet or a Picasso at the National Museum.

Answer 3

There's lots to see.and visit. Here's a brief list of the main attractions.

Palaces - Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Hampton Court Palace. All of these are open to visitors.

Museums and Galleries - Natural History Museum, Science Museum, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, The Tate and Tate Modern, British Museum, Imperial War Museum.

Famous Buildings and Monuments etc - The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, Whitehall and Downing Street, Clarence House, St James Palace, Tower of London, Trafalgar Square, Marble Arch, Monument, Tower Bridge, London Eye.

Churches - Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral, St Clement Dane, Temple Church, Saint Martin in the field.

There's such a lot to see I can't possibly list them all here. I'd recommend an Eyewitness Travel Guide as they're very comprehensive and include attractions, opening times, photos and maps.

Try the website for The Original London Walks as they do loads of guided tours around the city, They're very cheap and you can take Jack the Ripper, Harry Potter, The Da Vinci Code, Charles Dickens, Museum and Ghost walks. They are very good indeed and you get to see the places lots of tourists don't eve know about.

Travel by tube or bus, It's cheaper than by taxi and very convenient. You can get travel cards from your nearest tube station.

The main shopping streets are Oxford and Regent Street. You can try New Bond Street for Designer labels. Camden for alternative clothing. There's a big mall in Brent Cross also.

As for food, there are places to eat everywhere. China Town in Soho is good and Brick Lane for Indian Food in particular.

There are lots of public parks and green areas in London. I'd recommend lunch al fresco if it's fine.
Have fun.

Try the www.whatson.com site. They have details of festivals and events and you can search by date. I can't recommend the Original London Walks enough you know. You really get to see things that others don't even know about. They have a website too and their guides will answer any of your questions.

Answer 4

Firstly don't be put off by todays events, if you are then "they" have won.

Ok, places to visit...... Camden Passage Antique Market, Portabello Road Market, the Tate Modern Galley, The Museum of Moving Image on the South Bank of the Thames, The London Dungeons, Kew Gardens, Hampton Court Palace, The Trocadero in Picadilly......to name but a few places in and around London.

Answer 5

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Answer 6

I think Mel means the National Gallery. The museums are excellent and FREE. You might want to visit St. Mary's church in Battersea - Benedict Arnold is buried there. You could go to Kew Gardens or to Hampton Court Palace. There frequent and important exhibitions at the Royal Academy of Arts at Burlington House in Piccadilly. You can go on a tour of Young's brewery (check their website for details) .You can visit Kensington Palace where there is a display of court dress. How about the Florence Nightingale museum (St. Thomas' hospital) She revolutionized nursing. In short - London is a mega city with no end of things to see and do.

Answer 7

Go online and search some of the towns you will be visiting, and you can usually find festivals and events in that area.

Also, now that there has been a new terrorist attempt on planes, check beforehand, what is allowed on planes. Right now people are only allowed to carry minimal things in clear plastic bags, and no liquids. Have fun and be safe.

Answer 8

Have you seen todays news?? You may want to rethink the whole London thing

Answer 9

tower of london, changing of the guards, london eye, madam tussaude's