Is the area between Paddington Station and Harrods safe to walk around in around 5pm?

http://goo.gl/maps/kwKYM


2nd question below...

[This message has been edited by edwardsk2003 (edited 5/17/2014 8:53p).]

Through Hyde? I'd say yes. Should be a ton of people out in Hyde. Of course, I never felt unsafe in London.

Yes

Want to ask a followup question:

We're arriving in London on a Saturday morning at 11a (LHR). We'll be there that Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and leave out very early on Tuesday morning.

A while later we'll arrive back in London at about 10p on and fly home the following day at 3pm. Essentially that's 3 full days in London.

What do you prioritize and MAKE SURE that you get to see while there?

Go to the Tower of London
And be sure to join the guided tour (this coming from a person that typically dislikes tours)

it's definitely on our list. (noted about the tour)

Go to one museum - pick from the British Museum, National Gallery, Imperial War Museum depending on your interests.

Spend some time in Greenwich with the Royal Observatory, Queen's House, and National Maritime Museum. Go by boat so you can experience the Thames.

Depending on your interests there are several districts you can wander around enjoying the tastes and sounds and shopping.

The Arsenal museum and stadium tour if you're a fan of football. Twickenham stadium tour if you prefer rugby.

The London Eye.

Houses of Parliament tour.

And here's a great walk that includes stops at some good pubs. You kill two birds with one stone on this walk (and there are a lot of great walks in London).
http://www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do/walks-with-views-parliament-hill-fields-to-primrose-hill

With such limited time you'll not get close to seeing and experiencing the must-see's of London.

[This message has been edited by An Ag in CO (edited 5/18/2014 7:23a).]

Purchase the Oyster card for the tube.

Westminster abbey and/or St. Paul's cathedral
Tower of London
British museum or imperial war (enjoyed both)
Greenwich
Look for London Walks tours inexpensive and don't need reservation

As in any big city, there are going to be spots you as a tourist would probably want to avoid. My advice for you is to try and be a little streetwise.

Crime can happen and opportunistic crime is more likely, so if you look like a target and have valuable items in sight, or bags that someone can easily unzip or even cut open when you're in a busy crowded area, then you could be targeted.

Gangs have been known to run by or cycle by people and snatch their phone or valuables. Even my missus nearly got her stuff stolen from her backpack in Covent Garden...Someone had tried to unzip it but was unable to take her stuff.

Don't want to scare you, just be sensible and try not to look like a tourist or a target.

quote:

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What do you prioritize and MAKE SURE that you get to see while there?

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1. The British Museum
To be that close to the Elgin Marbles and the Rosetta Stone and not see them would be criminal.
2. Westminster Abbey

A close third behind those two would be St. Paul's Cathedral--I actually like that one more than WA but the historical significance of the Abbey elevates it on a first timer's list. If you go, pay the money to climb to the upper Galleries--the view from the Golden Gallery can't be beat.

You can do those three in a day if you just want to hit the highlights of the British Museum.

After that it's up to your interests. Personally I would go to the National Gallery, the Tate Modern and spend more time at the British Museum if I had just three days. The Tower is a very good choice, but it is a bit out of the way and will take you the better part of a day if you see everything there. Greenwich (Observatory and naval museum) is a bit farther out of the way but also a great choice if you have an interest in the history of the 1700s-1800s.

Whatever you do, don't waste your bloody time watching the changing of the guard.

+1 for the British Museum.

See a West End show - only Broadway is comparable.

Go to Portobello Road on Saturday morning, or one of the the other neighborhood markets.

If you're looking for a walking tour, the wife and I did one last summer that was great. The tour is about 2.5 hours long and is free (tips suggested). It leaves twice a day and covers a lot of the main spots. The guide we had (John) was super knowledgeable and pretty funny. We did it on the first day and it gave us a better idea of what we wanted to hit during our next couple of days. I highly recommend. http://www.newlondon-tours.com/daily-tours/royal-london-free-tour.html

I'll add The Churchill War Rooms if you're a history buff or a Churchillian.

FYI - The Imperial War Museum is closed until July 19th for refurbishment.



[This message has been edited by MAROON (edited 5/23/2014 9:01a).]

I felt safe In London all of the time (to this day still the vacation I did the most walking)

We did all of the major museum- Tate & Tate Modern
The British Museum and Tower of London
We didn't do the eye but got great views from other locations

Go to the palace and walk back towards Westminster

Texas embassy is fun to stop by- just to see what they really think of us- my friend worked there on an exchange program

Another rec for the Churchill Museum. Too cool.

And, FWIW, I've also never felt unsafe in London.

[This message has been edited by TP Ag '87 (edited 5/27/2014 12:58p).]