A 6 day London Travel Story – Part 2
This is part 2 or the the 2nd half of my 6 day London trip. The two halves were punctuated by a day’s trip to Cork in Ireland. Read about Part 1 here, where I visited Buckingham Palace, Harry Potter Studio Tour, the Tower Bridge, Covent Garden and Borough Market and took a ride on the Hop On Hop Off Big Bus to view all the major attractions of London.
We returned from Cork late evening on the Wednesday of that week. A quick dinner and we were done for the day.
Day 4: History and Geography
I set out early the next day because there was 2 main stops to cover that day, plus our hotel was actually on the outskirts of London and it took me quite some time to get to Central London.
Tower of London
The Tower of London is a 1000-year old royal castle, fortress and prison built as part of the Norman conquest. The Tower of London now serves as a fortress to protect the Crown Jewels and also houses the Royal Armouries.
I took a guided Yeoman Warder tour who narrated stories about the castle’s history and the executions and tortures held at the prison. The prison stories were pretty bloody. Then I got to take a look at the famous Crown Jewels – a fascinating collection from around the world including the Indian subcontinent. There was also a tour of the White Tower – which gives its name to the whole castle – which was the home of Kings and Queens and their animals especially the ravens.
Tip: The Yeoman Warder tours take place at 30 minutes’ interval whereas the White Tower tours are at specific times and are subject to availability. So time your visit accordingly.
Royal Observatory, Greenwich
This is the part where I stood with a foot in each of the western and eastern hemispheres! I was at the Prime Meridian where time started, known as the Greenwich Mean Time or GMT. I was going to visit The Royal Observatory in Greenwich.
After I was done with the Tower of London tour – over 3 hours – I made my way to the ferry terminal nearby to board the cruise ship to Greenwich; it was free with my London Pass. The cruise was with live commentary on the history of various buildings/monuments we could see from the ferry and some fun facts as well a like which was the house of a famous Aamerican actor. The ferry ride and the walk from the pier to the Royal Observatory via Greenwich Park was very pleasant.
I made a beeline for the 0 deg 00’ 00” longitude – the Prime Meridian – and stood with one foot on each side. A mini photo session ensued. Then I took a tour through Flamsteed House which was the original Royal Observatory building built by Charles II and designed by Wren, which is now a museum devoted to time and timekeeping, measuring and telling of time. It was fascinating! I saw so many different types of clocks, watches, the original method of using a sundial etc.
Tip: The Royal Observatory is part of the Royal Museums Greewnwich which also includes the Cutty Sark (a merchant vessel now a museum), National Maritime Musuem and the Queen’s House (which houses an internationally renowned art collection). If you have time, do visit these as well.
Tickets (without Pass)
- Tower of London: £ 29.90
- Royal Greenwich Observatory: £ 16
Waka Waka - A New Experience!
Before my visit, I had lunch in Greenwich itself – another English classic – pie and mash with gravy. This one was quite yummy! I spent about an hour at the Observatory after which it was time to head back to London, specifically to Stamford Bridge in Fulham. I was about to watch my one and only (to date) live football match! I don’t follow football at all but my husband does and he is a Chelsea fan. So I accompanied him to his first live international match, along with our friends.
I must say it was an invigorating experience. The huge stadium, the astonishingly green field, the ambiance, the fast paced match and the athleticism of the players. I kinda loved it. I would do the live thing again but the sport unfortunately still holds no appeal for me.
After the match, we had dinner – steak and fries – at this Tex-Mex restaurant nearby called Yucca. The food was just delicious! One tube ride later we were back at the hotel and ready to call it a day.
Day 5: A Castle, A Sport and A View
Wimbledon
Today’s agenda included one of my fandom-based places – Wimbledon stadium. This was my first stop of the day. A train and a bus ride took me to the All England Lawn Tennis Club. Using my London Pass, I booked a ticket to the 90-minute guided tour of the stadium and grounds including the Press Room and the Centre Court! After the tour, I visited the Wimbledon Museum for all tennis related history and memorabilia. Read about my post regarding the Wimbledon visit here.
From the AELTC, I took a train to Windsor; a journey of over 1 hour. I was famished by the time I reached so I took time to eat lunch at Nando’s.
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a royal residence for British royal family members. I visited the castle after my lunch where I took the free audio-guide which came with the ticket and guided myself through the castle. I strolled through The State Apartments – where the rooms were unimaginably lavish, St. George’s Chapel – of Gothic architecture and the glass paintings were gorgeous, and the Moat and Towers. It was a huge area and I loved the whole tour of the castle in the lovely weather as well as the scenic views from up hill (which is where the tower is located). The tour took about 1.5 hours which is the minimum time needed to see everything.
Tip: Check castle timings before tour visit especially the different sections because they have separate times for last entry of the day.
Tip: Photography is not allowed inside but you can take pictures of the view and the castle from outside.
Tickets (without Pass)
- Wimbledon: £ 25
- Windsor Castle: £ 26.50
A lot to consume in a day but I had room for more!
Find out about the ending to this day – the “View” and about my last day in London in Part 3.
Useful links:
- London Pass: https://londonpass.com/en-us/london-attractions/pricing
- Explorer Pass: https://gocity.com/london/en-us
- Oyster Card: https://tfl.gov.uk
- Trainline (for outside London visits): https://www.thetrainline.com
- Buckingham Palace: https://www.rct.uk/visit/buckingham-palace
- Windsor Castle: https://www.rct.uk/visit/windsor-castle
- Big Bus: https://www.bigbustours.com/en/london/london-bus-tours/
I’ve always wanted to see the Greenwich Observatory but did not have time on my last visit. Wanna go to the Shard too (may be stay in the fancy hotel inside :P)
The Observatory is definitely worth seeing. The Shard views are fantastic but I wouldn’t know if I can afford the fancy hotel😛
Pingback: London Journals – Part 3 - Nils Around The World