24 Hours in: London

Samuel Johnson, a great British poet, writer and essayist, once said - “if a man is tired of London then he is tired of life, for there is in London all that life can afford.” He was not wrong, arguably next to New York, London is probably the world’s most exciting city; a teeming cosmopolitan metropolis where anything can be found and a great time can be had by anyone with the right attitude.

The Iconic Tower Bridge spanning the Thames

With just 24 hours to make the best of our stay we will have to plan carefully and move swiftly so a one day travelcard for use on the buses, tubes and trains should be the first priority. Coming in from Heathrow airport is simple as the airport station is in the tube zone covered by the card, the same applies for Eurostar arrivals. Visitors arriving into Gatwick can get a travelcard included in their ticket into London.

Where to stay in London is easy, quality, on the other hand, is a different matter altogether. Hotels can be expensive and you can end up paying a lot of money for a very mediocre room. Fortunately budget hostels abound with plenty of choice at the lower end; you should use a hostel booking engine to secure your bed ahead of time and good locations are Russell Square, Kensington and the City.

An early morning start is essential to cover all the bases. With luck the weather is clear as we head down to the South Bank to take a spot on the London Eye, what better way to get a bead on this great city than from the top of the wheel - your Kodak moment arrives as it pauses momentarily at the top of the world. Slip out of the crowd and head down the river to take a look at the re-creation of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre before crossing the river to the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.

The Changing of the Guards is a traditional sightseeing 'must'

For many tourists and travellers alike the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace is a must see event. Held every day in the summer and alternate days otherwise, it pays to get there half an hour at least before the scheduled change to get a good spot. If it is raining don’t expect any marching band, however you may get lucky.

After you have had enough of the pomp and circumstance carry on down the Mall towards Admiralty Arch and Trafalgar Square. The square itself is and has been the setting for many events and films. The New Year’s Eve celebrations here are legendary however strong policing and a lack of alcohol puts many serious revellers off. At this point it is time to pop into the National Gallery for some excellent free exhibitions and a chance to soak up some culture with some of the world’s greatest painters.

I reckon after all that walking and standing you will have built up a thirst and feel a little peckish, well you are in the perfect area with Covent Garden just a few yards away. One of my favourite places is a three hundred year old pub called the Lamb and Flag in Rose Street where you can join the many drinkers with a pint of ale and mingle in the narrow street that faces this distinguished hostelry.

Sometimes there is standing room only at Gordons Wine Bar

For a more unusual venue slide down Villiers Street by The Embankment until you come upon a dingy doorway that is Gordon’s Wine bar. Descend the creaky stairway to a cavern of a place that looks as if it had last been cleaned before the Second World War. Old posters adorn the walls and if you are lucky you can grab a table in the shoulder height cellar and stare romantically at your partner over a great bottle of wine. If you are blessed by good weather another great alternative is the Tattershall Castle, a ferry boat converted to a Pub that sits alongside The Embankment and makes a great place for a beer and some food while gazing at the magnificent Thames River and all the history it evokes.

Enough drinking though, we need to move on; this time we are heading to the great London icon, St Pauls Cathedral, one of the few buildings left standing during the blitz St Paul’s is probably London’s most photographed attraction. Passing through the city we take a bus or tube to Tower Hill for the Famous Tower Bridge and the Tower of London; two landmarks flanked by HMS Belfast (now a museum) on the other side of the river. Packing all this in is getting exhausting so take a deserved break at St Katharine’s Dock and enjoy a pint at the Dickens Inn.

St Katherines Dock is a great place to watch boats cruise the Thames

It’s time for more culture as we jump the tube to Russell Square for the British Museum, still free and still awesome. Wander through the great hall of history and marvel at the ancient empires depicted in its many exhibition halls. The Elgin Marble are there and are eagerly awaited by the Greeks at their erstwhile “home” in the New Acropolis Museum….they may have to wait awhile!

After a brief shower and a lie down at our hotel the night life awaits. If the theatre is your bag, grab half price tickets from the booth in Leicester Square, top films are premiered at the west end cinemas and great comedy can be had at the Comedy Store. Pick up Time Out magazine for listings of events, live music and a cornucopia of stuff to do.
The west end has Chinatown, centred on Gerrard Street, with a huge selection of great restaurants. Head down to King’s Road Chelsea for some swanky eateries and bars or down by the river at Hammersmith Bridge for pubs with a river view and some local colour. My choice though is to head to Kensington Church Street and the Churchill Pub, run by Gerry the ever endearing Irish Landlord, its eclectic collection of memorabilia stunning as you enter through the door. This place can get packed and it’s not just for the beer, Gerry has been running one of the finest Thai restaurants for two decades in this pub and the cheap prices coupled with outstanding food keeps the customers coming back for more.

Don’t miss revisiting some of the sights of the day at night time, a walk along the Thames from the Embankment will surely repay you with wonderful views of the London skyline that will stay with you forever. It may only be twenty four hours and you will only have scratched the surface however London will now be in your blood…….soon you will return.