Weekend in London: Saturday
Sometimes, I pinch myself about the great opportunities this blog brings.
One such time came when Superbreak invited me to spend a weekend in London trying out some of the tours and experiences they offer.
I go down to London quite regularly for work and to see my brother, and my husband lived there for seven years. We feel we ‘know’ London, yet there are many places that would top tourists’ lists that we’ve never been near.
So we decided to spend the weekend acting like new visitors, packing in some of the most famous sights and taking a couple of days seeing our beautiful capital city through their eyes. And London didn’t let us down.
Vintage London bus tour
Saturday began at sunrise to catch an open-top vintage London bus leaving Victoria at 8am. If you prefer a lie-in you can opt for the 1pm departure, but we wanted to get as much as we could out of our day.
As we boarded, the outside temperature was about 3°C but we went up to the top deck because, after all, that’s what tourists would do. Wearing thermals and hats, we felt OK, if not warm. Until the bus set off and the wind chill kicked in!
Yes, it was cold, but what a view. So often in London – in fact any city – you’re too focused on where you’re going to look up at the historic buildings and impressive architecture that is just all over the place in Britain. Being 12 feet up gives you a totally different perspective and being away from the crowded pavements is a much more civilised way of getting round London’s main tourist attractions.
Our guide Fraser was funny and informative as the bus passed Trafalgar Square, Tower Bridge and St Paul’s Cathedral. We jumped off to get a closer look at Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. (It’s my sometime workplace, but I was surprised by how little I knew about the history of our democracy).
We also got off at the Tower of London then hopped into the warmth for a little while as a boat took us along the River Thames to Embankment. Once back on the bus, we sat downstairs. The cold had finally got the better of us!
We next disembarked to catch the Changing of the Guard, and – thanks to Fraser’s insider knowledge and somewhat fearless tour-leading – saw the soldiers up close as we followed their march from St James’s Palace along The Mall to Buckingham Palace. By now the area around the Victoria Memorial in front of the Queen’s residence was teeming with tourists looking on in awe and imagining what might go on behind that grand façade. We felt proud to think we’ve actually been in there.
Back at the bus – via the London residence of the Granthams from Downton Abbey – our three-and-a-half hour tour had come to an end and Fraser hailed a black cab to take us to our fish and chip lunch at Tattershall’s Tavern (a traditional pub in a really good spot for carrying on your sightseeing – on Knightsbridge, just opposite Harrods).
As we sat down at our table our wedding song played and we grinned at each other because we love being away, just the two of us, exploring. We tucked in to our British dish and talked about how new the city had seemed even to two people so familiar with it. Of course, the London skyline is forever changing and being added to, which is one of the things that makes it a good place to come back to.
The Cavendish hotel, St James
By now it was early afternoon, so we went to our hotel, which was a short walk (just past The Ritz, darling) from Green Park tube station (also near Piccadilly Circus tube). It’s also a stone’s throw away from the Royal Academy of Arts and just across the road from Fortnum and Mason. The room was spacious for its position right in the heart of London and from the eighth floor we could see the Duke of York Column and the London Eye.
Victoria and Albert Museum
I’d asked Twitter for recommendations for a spare hour and have to thank Chrissie for suggesting the V&A. We decided to walk there to stay above ground and see more and it took about 40 minutes.
The stuff that you can see for free in museums in London is amazing and the V&A is bulging with prestigious art and design pieces. It was busy, and huge – I could have spent longer there but I could tell it wasn’t entirely my husband’s cup of tea. The jewellery collection, telling the story of European jewellery from ancient times to present, and the Cast Courts – including a cast of Michaelangeo’s David – were particularly impressive.
Jersey Boys at Piccadilly Theatre
I love a musical, and this was probably the bit of the weekend I’d been looking forward to the most. Since its opening night on Broadway 10 years ago, Jersey Boys has become one of the most popular shows of our time. Telling the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, it’s probably most suited to the generation above me but I guarantee you’ll tap your toes as the cast – their energy indefatigable and infectious – perform songs we’ve all grown up with.
You’ll laugh, and cry, and sing along – and mostly be blown away by the astounding voice of Sandy Moffatt, who plays Frankie. It made me wonder why we all get in such a froth about X Factor and the like, when we can go and see far superior talent like this on stage in front of our very eyes any day of the week.
// I wore pale blue coat from Forever 21 / grey scarf from Monki at Asos / New Balance trainers then lace-up metallic heel flats from New Look / Uniqlo heattech thermals throughout which were amazing! //
Thankfully – for my feet were now feeling the effects of our earlier enthusiastic sightseeing – our hotel was just a five minute walk from Piccadilly Theatre, which makes it an ideal home from home if you plan to see a West End show. After a cocktail or two in the bar we fell into our comfy bed. It was a welcome rest, but we were so looking forward to day 2.
Later this week I’ll tell you all about our Sunday, which included the Tower of London and Columbia Road flower market.
Need to know: one night at the 4* Cavendish Hotel including breakfast, plus entry into the Tower of London, Vintage London Bus Tour and top price evening tickets to the Jersey Boys costs from £285 per person (based on arrival on the 28th March 2015). My hotel and bus tour were complimentary for review purposes but all opinions are my own and honest.
