Day I Gettingfrom Heathrow to central London* London Underground: The most cost-effective rail route to London. Piccadilly Linetrains run from all terminals and journey time is 50-60 minutes. An Oyster payas you go single fare to central London(Zone 1) is £5.00 (0630 – 0929 and 1600 – 1859 Monday toFriday excluding public holidays) or £3.00 at any other time. Takethe Piccadilly Line towardsCockfosters Underground Station or Piccadilly Line towards Arnos GroveUnderground Station; At Earl’s CourtUnderground Station, take the DistrictLine towards Tower Hill Underground Station or District Line towardsUpminster Underground Station, or District Line towards Dagenham EastUnderground Station.
Check-InHotel:
Headeast on Pepys Streettoward Savage Gardens,take the 1st right onto Savage Gardens, turn left onto B: Trinity Squares Gardens.
C: Tower of London – In the early1080s, William the Conqueror began to build the Tower of London.Successive monarchs added to the fortress over the following centuries.
D: Tower Bridge and Tower Bridge Exhibition Price: £8.00/£5.60 (Students with identification)
Check-InHotel: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel London – Towerof London (Address: 7 Pepys Street, London EC3N 4AF, United Kingdom)
Walkto Tower Pier, take Boat RB1 towards Embankment Pier, alight at London Eye’sMillennium Pier (Waterloo).
The A: London Eye isthe perfect place to start the Londonjourney (officially), as it will give you a great view of the city. StandardTicket: £19.20/£17.28(Online Price) Cross over Westminster Bridge and take somesnaps of B: Big Ben and the C: Houseof Parliamentin Parliament Squareand then walk over to D: Westminster Abbey. The name Big Ben is often used to describe thetower, the clock and the bell but the name was first given to the Great Bell.The Elizabeth Tower was completed in 1859 andthe Great Clock started on 31 May, with the Great Bell’s strike heard for thefirst time on 11 July and the quarter bells first chimed on 7 September.
Visitors should go to the Cromwell Green visitorentranceto Parliament. All visitors will be subject to a security scan and bag search.Upon leaving security, visitors will enter Westminster Hall where they shouldproceed to the top of the stairs at the end of the Hall, turn left and keepgoing until they reach Central Lobby. Central Lobby is the central point in thePalace between the House of Lords and House of Commons – the ‘crossroads’ ofthe Houses of Parliament.
Westminster Abbey is London’smost prestigious religious building – the setting for coronations, statefunerals, and the burial place of many celebrities. Kings, queens, statesmenand soldiers; poets, priests, heroes and villains – the Abbey is a must-seeliving pageant of British history. Every year Westminster Abbey welcomes over one millionvisitors who want to explore this wonderful 700-year-old building.
Cross over E: Parliament Square and head down Whitehall.A stroll along this prestigious street will take you past F: The Cenotaph and Downing Street. G: 10 Downing Street is the official residence and the office of the British PrimeMinister. You might like to spend 10 minutes in front of the famous gates tosee if you can spot the Prime Minister.
Continue along Whitehall you will seethe H: Horse Guards Parade. The Household Cavalry Museum is a living museum in the heart of Horse Guards, Whitehall,London. TheDaily Inspection takes place at 4pm (Front Yard Whitehall).
Walk towards I: Trafalgar Square, at the heart of London,is one of the city’s most vibrant open spaces. Home to the Fourth Plinth, which has been acenterpiece for some of the world’s most provocative contemporary public artsince 1999, as well as Nelson’s Column, the square is rich in history and provides a platform for newartistic performances and events.
If you like art, then youmight like to spend some time exploring the J: National Gallery on the north side of the Trafalgar Square.
There are plenty of good restaurantsaround this area at Piccadilly, Leicester Square and Covent Garden, they are all within walking distance of Trafalgar Square.
Dinner:OptionI: Burger and Lobster Restaurant Cocktail Bar Address: 36 Dean Street, Soho, London W1D 4PSOption II: Restaurant Brasserie Zédel, 20 Sherwood Street, London W1F 7ED, United KingdomDay II - Aday in Windsor & EtonTakethe train or coach to visit Windsor Castle (Price: £16.15). Bytrain: To Windsor from London Waterloo or London Paddington. Price: £18.80 (Ask for South West Trains package with reduced admission tocastle £14.10 add-on plus train fare).
DiscoverWindsor Castle with a self-guided audio guide.With so much on offer we suggest that you allow 2.5-3 hours for your visit.
Windsor& Eton Heritage Walking Trail – This trail (approx 1 mile) takes you from Windsor Castle,across the Thames to Eton College and touches on a few aspects of Windsor’s 1000 yearhistory.
Startingfrom the Royal Windsor Information Centre in Windsor Royal Shopping, walk upthe hill towards Windsor Castle and turn rightonto the High Street. Stop outside Barclays Bank, at the junction with Peascod Street.
Now,using the pedestrian crossing, cross the High Street and walk up Castle Hill,to the junction with Church Street.
Thewealthy lived on Peascod Street,while visitors used the town’s inns, first recorded in the late 15thcentury and they continue as a feature of the town’s economy. These inns hadnames such as The Crown or The Angel – just as pubs and hotels are named today;more than 30 existed in the 16th century. At this date theyparticularly catered for the crowds of pilgrims visiting the tomb of Henry VIin St. George’sChapel, a king popularly considered a saint. His shrine was widely venerateduntil Henry VIII’s break with Romein 1536. Although a small town, Windsorbecame one of the thirtieth wealthiest in the country, owing to its manyvisitors.
Nowwalk down Castle Hill towards the High Street, along Market Street (formerly Butchers Row) andstop between Windsor’sGuildhall and the crooked house.
Nowwalk down the High Street, passing the statue of Queen Victoria, presented by the town to mark herGolden Jubilee in 1887. Victoria isparticularly associated with Windsorbecause following the castle’s renovation between 1820-40, it became herprincipal residence. The renewed presence of the royal court in Windsor brought newprosperity and, linked with the arrival of the railways in 1851, the town waslargely rebuilt, accounting for its appearance today.
Passingalong the massive castle walls built in 1240, you have to imagine away thewindows which now pierce them, in order to appreciate their original appearance– with one exception. Just before the corner (Clewer) tower notice the smalliron barred window, mid way up the wall – this is the last surviving originalcastle window, which lights a ‘sally port’ tunnel beneath the High Street. Thiswas the means of escape should the castle be sieged – it was never used, as faras we know. The Clewer tower contains the bells of St. George’s Chapel, held within a massivetimber frame, originally planned as a spire for the chapel, but neverinstalled. It is one of the largest and finest belfries in Britain.
Followalong Thames Street,passing Windsor Theatre and cross the road at the traffic lights, to reach Windsor Bridge. This iron bridge was built in1822, and replaces a succession of timber bridges which date from c. 1170. Inthe 12th century bridges were both rare and costly. Windsor Bridgewas important because it brought trade to Windsor’smarket, underpinning the new town’s economy.
Nowpass down Eton High Street. This is the main street of the separate communityof Eton, and has remained unchanged for manyyears. Royal processions from Westminster to Windsor passed along thisroad, one of the most famous being the funeral in 1537 of Jane Seymour, thethird wife of Henry VIII. Notice the Tiger Garden Restaurant, a typical exampleof 15th century timber framed architecture. Part of this buildingwas used as an inn in the 16th century, called The Adam and Eve. Itslocal name ‘The Cockpit’ dates from 1936, making reference to a rearslaughterhouse, incorrectly thought to be a cockpit. The post-box next to therestaurant is an early example of its type, dating from 1854.
Nowreach Barnes Pool Bridge,recorded from the 13th century, although remade in iron in the 19thcentury. Arrive outside Eton College. This is one ofthe oldest and most famous schools in the country, founded by King Henry VI in1440. The college buildings are amongst the earliest brick structures in thecountry and are of exceptional architectural importance. The college chapelcontains wall paintings of late 15th century, again some of thefinest in the country, a chance survival only re-discovered in the 19thcentury. Eton School has educated nineteen Britishprime ministers, including David Cameron, and both Princes William and Harry.
Headfor Hyde Parkafter coming back from Windsor, Winter Wonderland offers a huge selection offood and drink.
11.30pm– Midnight Eucharist: The first Eucharist of Christmas with congregationalcarols and music sung by the Cathedral Choir. The Bishop of London will presideand the Dean of St. Paul’s will preach.
