A Travel Advisor’s Tips on London

Published November 27, 2018 by Tom Thrun

 

This became the theme for our anniversary trip to London. We had limited time so we decided that short and sweet was going to be the call.

We met in London 38 years ago, so there was no better place to celebrate. It began with a nonstop business class flight on Delta. The fully reclining seats and attentive service got things off to a jolly good start. But the best was yet to come.

The address for our stay was The London Ritz in Piccadilly. An iconic hotel with the best location in town. This is one of only three original Cesar Ritz Hotels, we only have one left to visit. It was over the top luxury, from high tea in the Palm Court to the signature Vespers and proper G&T’s at the Ravioli bar. In fact the robes and towels were so thick I could barely close my suitcase.

On our actual anniversary we had the entire day meticulously orchestrated. It began with a champagne flight on the London Eye. It was a crystal clear day without a cloud in the sky, so the view was spectacular and the champagne wasn’t bad either.

That afternoon we had reservations at the Ivy in Covent Garden for a pre-show gastronomic extravaganza, it did not disappoint. After dinner, we jumped into one of the ‘new’ traditional London cabs to take us to Royal Albert Hall. We had scored box seats to see Rodriguez in concert, the “Searching for Sugar Man” legand. Seeing anything at this legendary venue is a special experience. 

The next day we took the tour inside of Buckingham Palace and the Royal Mews. This tour is only available during the months of August and September and is well worth it. The time spent in the palace and on the grounds was more than I expected. Her majesty says ‘Helloooo.’

After our royal visit we continued to Churchill’s War rooms. This site is virtually frozen in time. It is the same as it was during the war. The Churchill Museum, adjacent to the war rooms, is a fitting tribute to this multi-faceted icon. Having visited Normandy for the first time the year before it was especially poignant.

The next day, we embarked on the magical mystery tour and took the train to Liverpool. On our trip we met Nikki Take, Liverpool’s most famous drag queen. He/she gave us a different take on the home of the Beatles. He/she said it was one of the nicest cities in Great Britain and he/she was spot on.

We arrived at Lime Street Station, located in the heart of town and walked the streets the Fab Four called home. We made our way back to the revitalized dockyard for lunch and a visit to the Beatles Museum. Afterward we boarded the magical mystery tour bus for an escorted visit to over 30 Beatles related sites.

We ended our perfect day where it all began for the Mop Tops, dancing to twist and shout at the Cavern Club, yeah yeah yeah! If you’re a Beatle fan this is a must do, even if you’re not, Liverpool is worth a visit, especially for those of us who visit London on a regular basis.

The rest of our time in London we immersed ourselves in all things British, pubs, fish and chips and west end theatre.

London is a city with many wonderful things to do. Getting good advice can assure you get everything in you want to do by having skip the line entrances, show tickets and pre-paid tours.

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