Weekend In London

Nail Varnish Junkie

Hi everyone. I'm new to Boards so I apologise in advance if I'm asking questions that have already been asked & probably answered! I just can't see the wood from the trees here. I'm going to London for 2 nights & 3 days this weekend. Is Camden market good or is there any good markets for fake designer gear? And what days are best to go?

Camden market is great. Make sure you go to the proper one by the canal. There is a smaller car boot style one neat the tube station. I don't know about fake design gear, but it's a great place. You could spend the day there going through all the nooks and crannies. Enjoy the trip. Do some of the sights too. You'll keep going back for more! (Make sure to wear comfy footwear!)

Nail Varnish Junkie

Thanks Maryann84. Would you recommend to go there on a Sunday or Monday? I want to book tickets for the London Eye & Madame Tussauds in advance however I have to select the date & time on www.madametussauds.com so I'm trying to plan around a visit to the market.

Fysh

If possible, I'd say hit Camden Market on the Monday - it's always busy but absolutely jointed with tourists at the weekend.

Sunday would be very busy, but if you like hustle and bustle, go then, if not Monday would be good too, though not all stalls may be open. There are loads of different types of food stalls, that are very reasonable. Last time we went to London, we went to the Tower of London. It was great! We took a bus tour and got off there for a few hours, then rejoined the bus tour again. The bus ticket is usually valid for 24 hours, so you could use it over 2 days. Have fun!

Lump

London Eye is closed I believe. *Edit* Ignore me, it was closed last week, but's open again *Edit*

outnumbered82

Do pre book tickets it's such a blessing u get to skip the q's. Do the hop on hop off bus tour you can use it as your transfer around the city as the ticket lasts 24 hours. Penny's Oxford street is crazy busy I've never seen such a busy shop. The Victoria and albert museum is nice to potter around in. Go to Harrods. You can gaze at all the lovely bags!! I was there on Saturday the stores all still have there sales on too. Picked up some lovely things in Gap and river island

Maura74

I live beside Camden Market, it is very busy at weekends but all the stalls are open then, also there are lots of street shops there also. The Market runs almost all the way to chalk-farm tube station near the round house theatre.

You can get the 27 bus from the street outside the market and that will take you to outside Madame Tussauds. The 24 at the same bus stop goes to Big Ben and the London Eye is not far from there as well.

You can get a day pass from the tub station that you can use on the tubs and buss as well it be better value than getting individual fares.

Hope that is helpful for you.

This link is basically what you will see in at Camden market/lock. Also Covent Garden is a great place to visit as well lots of activities going on there and is not that far from Camden.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=camden+market&id=E0512AAECD15B631375E0206290D0DE78321FFCB&FORM=IQFRBA

Nail Varnish Junkie

Thanks for all of your help, much appreciated! We're staying in Stratford & going to see The Lion King too. Are we far from Oxford St & is it near any of the other big attractions? I know I really need to get myself a map once we arrive!

Nail Varnish Junkie

Nail Varnish Junkie wrote: »

Thanks for all of your help, much appreciated! We're staying in Stratford & going to see The Lion King too. Are we far from Oxford St & is it near any of the other big attractions? I know I really need to get myself a map once we arrive!

You can get a map online that will give all the info you need!
https://www.google.ie/search?q=tourist+map+of+london&hl=en&tbo=u&rlz=1C2CHMB_enIE361&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=Q83_UPrJC8bMsgaD_IG4Cg&ved=0CDsQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=485

Maura74

Nail Varnish Junkie wrote: »

Thanks for all of your help, much appreciated! We're staying in Stratford & going to see The Lion King too. Are we far from Oxford St & is it near any of the other big attractions? I know I really need to get myself a map once we arrive!

http://thelionking.co.uk/

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&tab=ll


Not sure the map will open for you, but you can get the central line tube from Stratford station to Holborn and very short walk from there to the Lyceum Theatre, Wellington Street, London, WC2E 7RQ. Also, if you are traveling from Camden Market you can get the 168 bus from there as well. Convent Garden is a short walk from the Lyceum Theatre.

You will love the lion king seen it about 5 years ago and loved it. I would recommend sitting in the aisles seats as the casts comes onto the stage through the aisles.

It is a short walk from the Theatre to Holborn and then transfer to the central line to Oxford Circus.

Hope you enjoy your weekend and the weather is good also.

You will probably want to spend a day at Stratford new shopping center Westfield and if you get time you can get on the overground from Stratford station to the other Westfield at Sheppard bush it is a straight run on the overground with no changes to the centres from Stratford. You can use your pass for the overground as well.

Seve OB

Last time I was in London I found this place called Spitafield market and it was awesome. Right beside Brick lane and heading to there from the market, loads of street stalls all over the place also. Have a curry in Brick lane if you go. It's great fun when the guys tell you the deal they are going to do if you go in their restaurant you haggle with them or move on to the next one Food was gorgeous

PS if you fancy a pint around there, cracking little boozer called the pride of spitafield

PS it's easy to get here from Stratford, tube doesn't take more than about 15 minutes and get off at Liverpool Street - download free tubemap on your phone

Lapin

Stratford is in the East End right beside the Olympic Park and Stadium.

20 minutes on the Tube will take to to Bond Street Tube Station, (which is actually in Oxford St).

I think Oxford St is overrated myself.
I actually hate the place, especially the strech between Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road. Selfridges is worth a look but apart from that the place is full of the same high street shops you'll find anywhere else.

I always think its a shame when people go to London for shopping and end up in places like 'Next', 'Topshop/man', 'Gap'........etc. They might as well be in Swindon !

Not saying you're like this OP, but if you have time its worth taking a stroll down the King's Road (Sloane Square Tube) and a mooch around Covent Garden is a must see.

Madame Tussaud's is one of the biggest tourist traps in the world and ridiculously overpriced. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Don't believe all that crap about no visit to London being complete with seeing it. The time wasted in there looking at wax statues of Elton John would be much better spent outside seeing what there is to see of real London !

Seve OB

Lapin wrote: »

Stratford is in the East End right beside the Olympic Park and Stadium.

20 minutes on the Tube will take to to Bond Street Tube Station, (which is actually in Oxford St).

I think Oxford St is overrated myself.
I actually hate the place, especially the strech between Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road. Selfridges is worth a look but apart from that the place is full of the same high street shops you'll find anywhere else.

I always think its a shame when people go to London for shopping and end up in places like 'Next', 'Topshop/man', 'Gap'........etc. They might as well be in Swindon !

Not saying you're like this OP, but if you have time its worth taking a stroll down the King's Road (Sloane Square Tube) and a mooch around Covent Garden is a must see.

Madame Tussaud's is one of the biggest tourist traps in the world and ridiculously overpriced. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Don't believe all that crap about no visit to London being complete with seeing it. The time wasted in there looking at wax statues of Elton John would be much better spent outside seeing what there is to see of real London !

As the OP is staying in Stratford, I wouldn't bother going down Oxford street. The centre in Stratford would keep her busy for weeks alone!!

Couldn't agree more about Covent Garden and Leister Square areas for just wandering around and getting lost in.

Maura74

Lapin wrote: »

Stratford is in the East End right beside the Olympic Park and Stadium.

20 minutes on the Tube will take to to Bond Street Tube Station, (which is actually in Oxford St).

I think Oxford St is overrated myself.
I actually hate the place, especially the strech between Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road. Selfridges is worth a look but apart from that the place is full of the same high street shops you'll find anywhere else.

I always think its a shame when people go to London for shopping and end up in places like 'Next', 'Topshop/man', 'Gap'........etc. They might as well be in Swindon !

Not saying you're like this OP, but if you have time its worth taking a stroll down the King's Road (Sloane Square Tube) and a mooch around Covent Garden is a must see.

Madame Tussaud's is one of the biggest tourist traps in the world and ridiculously overpriced. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Don't believe all that crap about no visit to London being complete with seeing it. The time wasted in there looking at wax statues of Elton John would be much better spent outside seeing what there is to see of real London !

There is a new very big Primark at the Tottenham Court Road end of Oxford street, but it is always very busy.

I agree Oxford street is very much like any other large shopping street. I also agree about Madame Tussaud's I went to it when I first came to London but not been there since then.

The new Westfields shopping centres at Stratford and Sheppard Bush have lots of new designer shops and it is inside which is want you in this weather. The overground from Stratford will take you to the Westfied at Sheppard Bush one with no changes on it, you will find all the shops you want you there as well.

Nail Varnish Junkie

Wow all this info is brilliant! We're coming over from Ireland so I'm glad for the heads up on Oxford St being full of the same high street shops as we have here. As much as I love shopping you can really do that anywhere so I think I'll just visit the shopping centre in Stratford & explore the city & visit the tourist attractions you have all mentioned instead. Thanks so much, can't wait now!

Fysh

Spitalfields market is great, some great food stalls around there at the weekend too - well worth a look.

who the fug

As a bloke I would say that the Westfield at Stratford is very very impressive, but Stratford is still the Arse hole of London

exiledelbows

Since you're staying in Stratford you can get to Camden Market really quickly on the abovementioned Overground. Just get off at Camden Road and it's a 5-minute walk. Also, I'm pretty sure you have to change at Willesden Junction on at least half the Overgrounds if you're going from one Westfield to the other, it's quicker to just get the Central Line to Shepherd's Bush, but you've got a Westfield on your doorstep so don't bother going to the other one.

Agreed on Oxford St. i don't see the attraction. Borough Market (near London Bridge) is another great one for food.

Nail Varnish Junkie

Sounds like we won't be short of places to fill our bellies! Yum yum.

Maura74

exiledelbows wrote: »

I'm pretty sure you have to change at Willesden Junction on at least half the Overgrounds if you're going from one Westfield to the other, it's quicker to just get the Central Line to Shepherd's Bush, but you've got a Westfield on your doorstep so don't bother going to the other one.

It does depend on which train you get on at Stratford as they branch off.

if Link does not work go into TFL website and see the overground map it.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/london-overground-network-map.pdf


Forgot about London Bridge it has the new Shard next to it. Apparently it going to be open to the public in next month.

http://www.londonbridgequarter.com/

Seve OB

who the fug wrote: »

As a bloke I would say that the Westfield at Stratford is very very impressive, but Stratford is still the Arse hole of London

Don't say that to loud, that's where OP is staying!

As another bloke, I also found it very very impressive. But unvbelievably busy, I was there on a Saturday early last November

Nail Varnish Junkie

Ha, ah sure it was a present plus we're far from flush so it was wherever the budget took us. From the sounds of all the posts we won't be spending too much time there anyway!

enda1

Simply google maps is really good for showing connections and train bus and tube routing and timing.

Which airport are you flying into?

Southend would be best I'd say for Stratford, but a bit late to advise that I suppose.

If you have a National Rail (train) ticket, you can get 2for1 into loads of attractions including for example the Tower of London and the War Rooms. A travelcard could be a simple alternative to the oyster and allows this.

Nail Varnish Junkie

Brilliant, thanks.

Stansted. We'll be there mid-afternoon on Sat.

That's a very useful tip, thank you!

enda1

Nail Varnish Junkie wrote: »

Brilliant, thanks.

Stansted. We'll be there mid-afternoon on Sat.

That's a very useful tip, thank you!

Get the terravision bus then to Stratford I suppose. Your cheapest option. Its 40mins and best booked online.

Maura74

enda1 wrote: »

Get the terravision bus then to Stratford I suppose. Your cheapest option. Its 40mins and best booked online.

As mentioned above you can get he terravsion coach to Stratford but National Express runs more frequently. You can also book on line and print off your tickets in advance for your journey to Stratford, make sure to get a return as it may be a bit cheaper, but not always.

http://www.stanstedairport.com/transport-and-directions/buses-and-coaches

who the fug

stevieob wrote: »

Don't say that to loud, that's where OP is staying!

As another bloke, I also found it very very impressive. But unvbelievably busy, I was there on a Saturday early last November

As I have to go down there on a semi regular basis due due to a certain country moving their visa centre, I gets to have a look early in the morning when it be quiet .

that place in the run up to Xmas on a Saturday

Amazing when I first went there the only connection to civilisation was the Central line, now you have DLR, Jubilee and that new North London Line.