A friend recently asked me for tips on things to do on his short holiday in London. This is a list, in no particular order, of what I, and not necessarily anyone else, would do if I had a few days to spend in London on a holiday:

• Grab a sandwich from either Marks & Spencers or Pret a Manger and have lunch in one of London’s numerous parks (my favourite is Regent’s Park, in the northern end where it’s a little more “wild”)
• Visit some, not just one, of London’s many museums - the ones I would definitely go to are the National Gallery, Tate Modern, and the British Museum (I’m only attracted to the architecture since I’m not one for antiquities). The Courtauld Gallery sometimes houses very interesting temporary exhibitions but its main collection also contains some precious impressionists which I love.
• Watch an opera performed by the English National Opera. Productions are generally good, if not very good. Best of all they have cheap day tickets in the balcony going for only GBP3 each - that can’t be beat!
• Drop by some of London’s bookshops. My favourites are the Borders on Oxford Street, Waterstone’s on Gower Street, a large remainders bookshop close to Wagamama on Streatham Street. And no - I do not like the mega Waterstone’s in Picadilly. It’s too big, too cold and too impersonal.
• Make a day trip to either Cambridge or Oxford - Cambridge is better for most tourists, but I, of course, would go to Oxford.
• Spend Sunday morning at the Camden market(s).
• Watch a play - any play!
• Walk along the South Bank in the evening and watch the sun set on London’s skyline.
• Go to not one, but several, concerts, and by this I mean classical music. London has some of the best concert halls in the world and my favourite is the Royal Festival Hall located in the South Bank. The Barbican houses the world-famous London Symphony Orchestra but the building really does not appeal to me much in so many ways. However, the Barbican also houses the Royal Shakespeare Company, so a trip is still requisite to enjoy some of the best arts performances on offer in London.
• Drop by my old alma mater.
• Go crazy in Lush.
• Drop by the great classical music section in HMV near Oxford Circus.
• Spend an afternoon, an evening, in fact, a whole day in Soho, in particular, Old Compton Street. Have a cup of coffee, watch the world go by, shop for porn, buy the latest skimpiest fashion, let your hair down, dress, don’t dress - because really darling, no one cares. Or at least they pretend not to!
• Walk around Covent Garden and drop-in the myriad of shops in the area.

MORE TO COME

Posted on March 31st, 2003 by jl
Filed under: Notable: Personal, zzz