Two Days in London

[oleada]

Hi all, I find myself in need of FSU travel advice

The husband has a work trip to London in July, and I will be tagging along with him. I believe we are staying near Mayfair as that is where he will have meetings. He'll have to work all day, so I will be on my own which is fine as I've never been and he lived there for a summer, which means I have two days to be a tourist on my own. I like art, museums, and history in general. I am abled bodied, am used to walking a lot and take public transportation regularly. What would you consider must-do in London? Thus far, this is what appeals to me and any info or tips is greatly appreciated.

Tower of London
National Gallery (or would FSU recommend the British Museum over it?)
The Frida Kahlo Exhibit at the Victoria & Albert Museum

I'd also like to walk around the city and get a glimpse of Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, the Big Ben etc. I'm also not a picky eater (though I try to eat healthy i.e. greasy fish and chips won't be the first thing I reach for) so any good food recommendations are welcome. I don't mind spice. I'd also love tips on good local beer that I should try.

Is there anything that I shouldn't miss? I don't mind a tour, so if there was a great tour or guide; I'm up for it. Any general safety/travel etc tips?

We're going to go to Paris as well so I'll probably come back asking for more advice. If there's one museum that I must see (Louvre vs Musee D'Orsay) I'd love to know because I don't know if my husband will want to do both (not the biggest art guy; has been to Paris a few times).

 

[screech]

The first time I was in London, I was there for just two days. The things I did were:
- West End show
- Westminster Abbey
- Tower of London
- Tower Bridge
- Walk through Hyde Park
- See Buckingham Palace (just from the outside)
- Walk through Harrod's
- Walk through/tour Kensington Palace

I enjoyed all of the things I did. I'm a musical theatre nerd, so the West End show was absolutely fantastic. I loved Westminster Abbey too. I got the London Pass (with travel) and I thought it was worth it, though it was definitely a bit cheaper 5 years ago when I used it.

As for Paris...
- Eiffel Tower is very worth it, but also kind of a waste of time. A few hours in line, then once you're up, you're up for about 10-15 minutes. And pictures are better from a bit of a distance.
- I went to the Musee D'Orsay and enjoyed it
- Luxembourg Gardens are great
- Versailles is fantastic, especially the gardens. Huge line-ups though. I bought my ticket beforehand, and still had to wait about 2 hours to get inside
- Montmartre is great to walk around (but beware of pickpockets and swindlers)
- Didn't get to go up the bell tower of Notre Dame Cathedral, but it was great to walk around
- Loved walking the Champs d'Elysee
- Wanted to go to the catacombs, but the line was wrapped around an entire block
- Sadly there is no giant elephant or Ewan McGregor singing love songs on top of the Moulin Rouge

 

[manhn]

I liked the National Gallery, but I loved the nearby National Portrait Gallery. I would suggest checking out the Shakespeare Globe.

I went to the Louvre, not the Musee d'Orsee. But they are both within easy walking distance.

Have fun!

 

[oleada]

@screech thanks for bringing up the London Pass because I was going to ask about it! I thought about West End but I live in New York so I can see a Broadway show whenever, you know? Did you like Kensington Palace? I was thinking of doing that.

 

[Vagabond]

@oleada I was just in London a week ago.

I think it's pointless to ask others whether to go to the British Museum or the National Gallery or whether to go to the Louvre or the Orsay. It's really a question of your personal taste. But try to go back another time and visit the museums you don't visit this time.

You should not miss the Tower. You should also visit Westminster Abbey if you possibly can.

Covent Garden is a fun place to visit, if you have time. St. Paul's Cathedral should also be up at the top of any must-see list.

A good guide book, such as The Rough Guide or Time Out's guides to London will include self-guided tours. Here is a website with four good self-guided tours: https://www.londontoolkit.com/walks/london_walks.htm

This site provides a lot of good suggestions: http://www.londontourist.org/ (It's a bit dated, so double-check restaurant recommendations, etc.)

One-day passes on public transportation are cheaper on weekdays if you buy them after 9:30 a.m.

I would also suggest that if you do go to the Tower (or even if you don't), you walk across the Tower Bridge and walk along the walkway that mostly hugs the River from there westward and cross over either the Waterloo or Westminster Bridge. That will take you past, among other things, Southwark Cathedral, Shakespeare's Globe, the Tate Modern, the National Theatre. If you make a slight detour, you will find Borough Market, which I would say is the best covered market in London. The views across the Thames, particularly of St. Paul's, are superb.

My favorite restaurant in London is Lima Floral.

Museum cafes are generally good places to have lunch, but I haven't been to the ones at the British Museum, National Gallery, or Victoria and Albert lately.

Safety tip: Always look both ways before crossing the street, and when in doubt, remind yourself that the default is to look right first and then left, as if you were reading Hebrew or Arabic.

Please feel free to send me P.M. if you have questions.

 

[GarrAargHrumph]

If you like theater, and live in NY, you could check to see what shows are unique to London, and see one of them. Last I was looking at going there, there was, for example, a show with Benedict Cumberbatch and Johnny Lee Miller, which to me, is OMFG. Last time I was actually there there was something with Patrick Stewart, but I didn't realize that theaters there are dark on Sunday rather than on Monday, so I missed it.

I also like history and museums, and I really enjoyed the Cabinet War Rooms. I'm also into decorative arts, so the V&A was perfect for me. I'd also recommend the Globe Theater reproduction.

I tend to not have a ton of money to spend when I go on these trips, so know that the Indian in London is very good and can be relatively inexpensive, and I ate a lot of it. You can also eat really well out of a Wagamama, or Pret a Manger, or even a Tesco. I used to get Indian from Tesco (do not laugh), and I enjoyed it, but I may be easy to please with Indian, as I love it to the point where perhaps I'm not picky. The chocolate in the UK is much better than in the US, so if you like chocolate, enjoy.

If you ice skate, there is a rink in central London, in Bayswater. I like to skate when I travel, just because I think that's fun. Yes, I'm weird.

 

[screech]

@screech thanks for bringing up the London Pass because I was going to ask about it! I thought about West End but I live in New York so I can see a Broadway show whenever, you know? Did you like Kensington Palace? I was thinking of doing that.

Kensington Palace was okay. I enjoyed seeing a lot of the clothing that had been on display - probably the highlight of the palace for me.

And I'm so jealous that you live in New York! I'd be even more broke than I already am if I had that kind of access to shows. It's bad enough living in Toronto, and getting some shows on tours!

The London Pass was worth it for my friends and me. It was nice to get to skip the line, and to not have to pay entrance fees. I'd suggest making a plan of what you want to see, and the costs, and compare it to the cost of the pass. Also think about when you want to do the different things - being able to skip to the front of the line is always nice.

Forgot to mention - I've been to the British Museum as well. I was kind of underwhelmed, which surprised me.

 

[dinakt]

Big Ben and Parlament (just outside, but I love it), National Portrait Gallery (if you like staring at faces) and walk walk walk everywhere! I love British Museum, too, and the streets around it. St. James’s Park, for sure- I would recommend St. James over Hyde Park, St. James is more central and compact, and just gorgeous. I also found people watching around and inside Harrods very interesting, and I am
not much of a shopper usually.

 

[Twilight1]

Book Rules for dinner
https://rules.co.uk/

And get an Oyster Pass and a London Pass and check out local places.

When I was there day 1 I went to Harrods, Kensington Palace and did a walkabout in Hyde Park. Then had dinner at Rules.

Day 2, I went to Palace of Westminster, did the Hop On, Hop Off, saw Buckingham Palace and did the Thames River cruise and then walked along the Thames on The Queen's walk.

Day 3- London Eye and Tower of London.

Hope you have a glorious time!!

 

[Bunny Hop]

I liked the National Gallery, but I loved the nearby National Portrait Gallery.

I was going to say the same thing. If you like history, then National Portrait Gallery will interest you - they have a lot of paintings you've only seen in books!

As said above, Kensington Palace has an excellent display of clothing. I enjoyed my tour (mind you, I was there in November and was the only one on the tour, so I got a lot more information than I otherwise might).

I would definitely recommend the Tower of London. Westminster Abbey gets very crowded in summer, so I would probably avoid it in favour of St Paul's Cathedral.

Boat tours up/down the Thames are also a good option.

 

[flyingsit]

The Tower is my favorite! I'd look up the British Museum and the V&A online, and identify specific exhibits you might be interested in. Both of them are so huge that they're overwhelming -- it's easier to go in, see what you want to, and then leave. Especially since they are free, there's no guilt about only staying for an hour.

The Borough Market is fun and has some great food, I'd pick up lunch there after visiting the Tower in the morning.

As for Paris, my preference is the Orsay over the Louvre, because its focus is on the styles that appeal more to me. I adore Notre Dame (can't stay away from it when I'm there) and Sainte-Chapelle. I also recommend the Rodin museum and the Pompidou.

 

[Erin]

Another thumbs up for the Tower of London. My other favorite things I did in London were going to afternoon tea and spending an afternoon at Primrose Hill with a walk through Regent’s Park (there seems to be no shortage of park recommendations). Food locations - I liked going to Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese mostly because of the architecture and history. It had burned down and been rebuilt sometime in the 1600s so it is really old. We also had a really fun dinner at Flesh and Buns (plus I like puns so the name is awesome), a Japanese steamed bun restaurant. There are a ton of other great places I went to but I don’t know the names of most of them! (The problem with being led around by people who know where they are going...)

Re Paris, I know there are a ton of recommendations, but I’ll throw in another vote for the Sainte Chappelle. The stained glass is magnificent. A lot of churches in Europe have really blended together for me (including Notre Dame to some extent even though I have been there twice) but Sainte Chappelle is one I still remember.

 

[Rob]

I was there 2 days in April -
Arrived in the afternoon, just walked around to see Buckingham Palace, St James Park, Westminster Abbey, Parliament/Big Ben (in scaffolding), Trafalgar Sq, all around Covent Garden, through Piccadilly Circus, and a little of Soho/Mayfair. Stopped for pub bevs at random places and ate pub food for lunch. Checked out the London Marathon concert in Trafalgar Square from afar. Ate dinner on the roof of the Trafalgar St James hotel where we were staying.
Next Day - Tower of London in the morning; Rock & Sole Plaice for Fish and Chips; British Museum in the afternoon (wanted to see Elgin Marbles, Assyrian Lion Hunt, Portland vase). The British has an online map of greatest hits if you don't have a ton of time. Pub stop or two. Had Indian food for dinner at Dishoom in Soho - really good, it was near Carnaby Street so we walked around there.
Last morning: I wanted to do the Portrait Gallery, but my husband wanted to do the tour of Westminster Abbey and it was worth it. Had to leave for the airport after that.

My art conservator friend from the Met in NY loves the V&A.

I happen to love the Musee D'Orsay - more manageable than the Louvre if you don't have a lot of time.

 

[allezfred]

If you are going to go to the British Museum, there also are ticketed special exhibitions that allow you entrance at a specific time and you can skip the massive queues for general admission. Went to see a Hokusai exhibition at the start of August last year and that was packed, but the rest of the museum wasn’t so bad once you got inside.

There’s also an authentic okonomiyaki (Japanese savoury pancake) place called Abeno nearby that was really good.

Wagamama is just dreadful. Do not go there.

This applies to London and Paris, but do not try to do too much. Go to see something you really want to see, but don’t feel you have to see everything. You miss out on so much if you are just running from sight to another.

 

[PrincessLeppard]

My favorite place in London is Highgate Cemetery, but if you only have two days, I would pass on it. It's a bit of a ride on the tube and usually you have to take a tour. (Twice a year, you can wander around without a guide, but I've only been lucky enough to do that once.)

 

[acraven]

The current advice for the Tower of London is to go first thing in the morning, get in line before opening time, and head straight for the crown jewels if you want to see them.

Several of the biggest London museums are open late one night a week (I think usually Thursday or Friday), which allows you to squeeze in a few extra hours of sightseeing. However, in some cases only part of the museum stays open late. For the V&A it was the ground floor as of last September.

Save valuable time by exploring the major museum websites at home and figuring out your top-priority exhibits rather than wasting precious time doing that during your trip. A lot of the museums would take about two full days (possibly more) to cover reasonably fully.

The latest word from recent visitors is that the Churchill War Rooms have become hugely popular due to a recent movie. I'll be going in September but haven't delved into the admission procedures yet. I only know that it's no longer a sight you can just casually walk up to, buy a ticket, and enter.

London Walks does really good walking tours that don't require pre-booking and cost only £10. The schedule is on their website. However, I probably wouldn't take a tour during a short trip unless there was one related to a topic in which I was especially interested. Having to be at the starting point per their schedule may leave you with time pre-tour that's not long enough to do anything on your target list.

The Oyster Card (a stored-value card for buses and tube) saves you money in two ways: Individual fares are substantially lower if you use the card, and there's a daily cap that kicks in if you take a lot of trips on any given day. You have to pay for the card (I think £5) but you can get your money back before you leave town. I haven't needed to do that, so I don't know the procedure.

 

[MsZem]

We're going to go to Paris as well so I'll probably come back asking for more advice. If there's one museum that I must see (Louvre vs Musee D'Orsay) I'd love to know because I don't know if my husband will want to do both (not the biggest art guy; has been to Paris a few times).

Oh, this is also a Paris thread! I have no insights about London, which I last visited when I was 18, but re Paris, check out the thread from when manhn was planning his trip.

The Louvre is really overwhelming, and I'd recommend one of two approaches if you end up going there: either pick one section and really dive in, or just walk around and soak in the experience without spending too much time on any one thing. The Musee d'Orsay is great, as is the smaller Musee Rodin.

This applies to London and Paris, but do not try to do too much. Go to see something you really want to see, but don’t feel you have to see everything. You miss out on so much if you are just running from sight to another.

This is very true. It's perfectly fine to sit in a nice park and people-watch or read a book for a while. Preferably with a nice baguette or patisserie.

 

[allezfred]

The Oyster card in London is worth getting, but the Tube can be hotter than Hades in summer so I would recommend walking if you can. You get to see more of the city too.

 

[oleada]

Oh, this is also a Paris thread! I have no insights about London, which I last visited when I was 18, but re Paris, check out the thread from when manhn was planning his trip.

The Louvre is really overwhelming, and I'd recommend one of two approaches if you end up going there: either pick one section and really dive in, or just walk around and soak in the experience without spending too much time on any one thing. The Musee d'Orsay is great, as is the smaller Musee Rodin.

Thank you! This thread is super helpful! And now I have a list of places to eat pastries in Paris

In our infinite wisdom, we just realized that we're arriving in Paris on Bastille Day morning. I am excited and also slightly The free concert and fireworks sound fun; the military parade and show are not exactly to my taste. I'm concerned about the RER - we had planned to take it to our hotel from Gare du Nord. Will it be running? Any helpful lists of what will be open/closed that day? Any good place to see the fireworks aside from Champ du Mars? How early should we stake out our spot?

 

[overedge]

Putting in a plug for the Tate Britain (the old Tate) and Tate Modern (in a former electrical turbine plant on the south side of the Thames). Tate Modern is just down the riverbank from the restored Globe theatre, and you can walk across the Millennium Bridge near both and get to St. Paul's that way.

If you want to see cathedrals and don't want to pay the $$$$ entrance fees, go to a service. You won't be able to wander around and look at things, obviously. But you'll get to see the inside of the building, see the building being used for the purpose it was built (which is a different experience all in itself), and maybe get to hear some beautiful choral singing. Just be prepared to put something in the collection plate when it comes around.

 

[MsZem]

Thank you! This thread is super helpful! And now I have a list of places to eat pastries in Paris

In our infinite wisdom, we just realized that we're arriving in Paris on Bastille Day morning. I am excited and also slightly The free concert and fireworks sound fun; the military parade and show are not exactly to my taste. I'm concerned about the RER - we had planned to take it to our hotel from Gare du Nord. Will it be running? Any helpful lists of what will be open/closed that day? Any good place to see the fireworks aside from Champ du Mars? How early should we stake out our spot?

I can pm you a list with more pastries if you want

You should be fine taking the RER. I don't recall any problem getting around last year on the 14th. Saw the flyby from my living room window (!!!) and skipped the rest. See if you can get to one of the fire station parties, I meant to do it last year with some friends but it didn't work out.

 

[Lara]

I agree that with two days, it's best to focus on a few things. No matter where you visit in London you'll be mostly scratching the surface, it's definitely like NYC in that respect.

I enjoyed the British Museum and National Galleries (didn't make it to the Tate but it's surely just as good), but with just two days if the weather's nice I'd personally postpone them for a future visit and focus on outdoor walks/tours. The one exception being Westminister Abbey, for me it was a must-see. Just be sure to buy tickets ahead of time online since it'll save waiting time. I clocked at least 90 minutes but it was still worth it!

Hyde Park is nice but you may not find it too special after having regular access to Central Park and Prospect Park. My favourite spot was actually the Kyoto Garden in Holland Park which isn't far from Kensington Palace.

Maybe one suggestion:

Day 1:
1) Tube to Westminister (Yellow Circle line) and see the Abbey.
2) From the Abbey, walk to Embankment station passing Big Ben (sadly the Elizabeth Tower was almost completely under scaffold when I was there in Easter so be warned) and the London Eye. Then take the brown Picadilly line to Charring Cross. Walk from Trafalgar Square to Picadilly Circus to Leicester Square to Covent Garden.

Day 2:
1) Tube to Tower Bridge and see The Tower of London (join a beefeater tour!)
2) Some combination of Buckingham/Kensington Palace with the parks and Knightsbridge/Kensington neighbourhoods.

If you do go to the British Museum expect to queue outside for a bit before entering, it was about 30 minutes for me. National Galleries I could go in right away. The Crown Jewels at the Tower of London was also maybe 30 minutes - not too bad compared to the Abbey, but I'd go early anyway.

Oxford/Regent had good architecture, but I wouldn't make it a priority with all the shopping you already have in NYC. Notting Hill is definitely worth seeing, but maybe for a future visit.

As far as places to eat, I didn't go there myself but maybe Masala Zone for Indian?
http://www.masalazone.com
And Wahaca for Mexican (keep in mind Montreal's Mexican scene sucks, you're probably not lacking)
https://www.wahaca.co.uk
I had the basic chicken ramen from Wagamama once while in Leeds. It was a cold gloomy day and I didn't want something too heavy, so it fit the bill great on that particular occasion. But if I found it a bit bland, that's probably not good lol.

Hope this helps!

 

[Vagabond]

I'm concerned about the RER - we had planned to take it to our hotel from Gare du Nord. Will it be running? Any helpful lists of what will be open/closed that day? Any good place to see the fireworks aside from Champ du Mars? How early should we stake out our spot?

http://www.secretsofparis.com/heathers-secret-blog/what-to-do-in-paris-on-bastille-day.html

 

[millyskate]

For the best free views of London:

-if the weather is nice, go to the 6th floor of the One New Change shopping centre right next to St Pauls. There's a bar there so it's open evenings too.
-If the weather sucks, and especially if you want a super relaxing, quiet drink go to the St George's hotel, 15th floor, which is on Regent street not far from Oxford Circus. From the outside it's the most unassuming building ever. There are nearly always sofas available and the views are on both sides, perfect for after a long day. In fact it's such a hidden gem I can't find a single semi decent picture of what the view's are like, particularly in the evening.
https://www.thecairncollection.co.uk/hotels/saint-georges-hotel/restaurant/

 

[Icetigger]

As a londoner, i advise splitting your days in to one where you explore from kensington back to Mayfair and one where you explore from tower hill back to mayfair if you like walking a lot.

I would for example get the underground to the Tower of London (as early a possible, and pre-book if you can), see and visit, then cross over to the other side, walk back along the river past city hall and under London Bridge (borough market is here), you will then continue along the river past the Globe (worth checking out if you like Shakespeare) and Tate Modern (there's a Picasso exhibition on at the moment, plus the building and some of the art is a sight in itself), you can then cross back over the river to see St Pauls (really very much The British National monument), then walk along Ludgate hill and Fleet Street until you get to the Strand (there is a gallery here called the Courtauld at Somerset House which is good for London for impressionist but probably redundant if you going to go to Paris), if you want to go shopping then go through Covent Garden, through Soho and then Mayfair, or alternatively walk to trafalgar square, where the National and Portrait Galleries are, then back to Mayfair.

You are not going to get a good visit in to all of the above, but research and take your pick plus get an oyster card so that you can take as much public transport as you want. The most boring part of this walk would be from St Pauls to Covent garden- so if pressed just grab a number 15 bus and it should take you directly to the National galleryish.

The other day you can get a tube to High Street Kensington, walk to Kensington Palace ( I would not recommend anything beyond passing by, in comparison to the other places you can visit, unless you specifically want to see the current Diana clothing exhibition) walk to the Albert hall/the Albert Memorial walk down Exhibition Road to the V and A (where also the Natural History and Science museums are too), see the Kahlo exhibition (pre-book, and also check out what other exhibitions are on), but also the British galleries and the recently refurbished renaissance galleries are great too (I also love the ceramics on the top floor, but that's a bit of an esoteric choice), the restaurant there is also good for an informal lunch plus there's the Morris room to eat in, you can then walk back past the Brompton Oratory, Harrods, and Harvey Nichols, then to Hyde Park Corner, back past Buckingham Palace (the state rooms can sometimes can be visited- from July 21st this year; there is also the queens gallery which runs special exhibitions and also shows other artefacts open most of the year), through St James Park to Westminster- houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey, then walk back to Mayfair along Whitehall to trafalgar square, so will take you past the entrance to Downing Street (not much to see here)

Again, you are not going to be able to do everything properly, but research and take your pick.

If you don't want to do the tourist walk from Kensington to the V and A, start off at South Kensington tube.

The National Gallery and the British Museum are very different- one's Western European paintings from before 1900, the other is a World resource of cultural artefacts of historic and ancient civilisations with some Western European design from the medieval age onwards thrown in. If you want to do the British Museum, I'd add it to the first day, except end your walk at St Pauls, and get the tube to Russell Square, then you can walk back through Soho to Mayfair. I think the V and A and the National gallery and National portrait gallery are easier to visit and get a satisfactory experience.

Also, maybe do some research on both Westminster Abbey and St Pauls. They are churches but also very much National monuments. Westminster Abbey I would also recommend pre-booking if you can and getting there early if you want to see it. If so, I would visit first thing on the second day, you can then get the underground to the V and A, walk back past the Brompton Oratory, Harrods, and Harvey Nichols, then to Hyde Park Corner, back past Buckingham Palace, then back up through Green Park to Piccadilly (where you have the Royal Academy- currently the Summer exhibition (not worth visiting) and also Fortnum and Masons), and back to Mayfair.

You should get to make at least four/five decent visits to tourist hot spots (like the Tower/St Pauls/National Gallery/The V and A), and you'll a nod/a sighting of a lot of others. St Pauls has a great view from the top (costs to get up there). Tate Modern now has an extension with a viewing platform but it's not that high (and the lifts are annoying) but it's free and you'll get some idea of the gallery. There's also the London Eye, though it's not on either of these routes. It is however not far from Westminster Abbey.

Most museums and most galleries free except for special exhibitions. Palaces, palace galleries, the tower and the two big churches cost........

I'd use something like How far did I run to plot the routes. Both walks are five miles, but there's a lot to see on the way.


Things I don't think are worth doing-----

Madame Tussauds

Enjoy your trip.

 

[clairecloutier]

In Paris .... if you have any interest at all in medieval art, the medieval wing of the Louvre is pretty amazing, they have some gorgeous, huge tapestries. As I recall, there is also a separate museum of medieval art in Paris, which has, I believe, a famous set of unicorn paintings, or panels, or something. But I think I enjoyed the medieval wing in the Louvre more. I really, in general, enjoyed the Louvre. It's so huge, and you just walk around and make interesting discoveries. The Musee d'Orsay is great if you like Impressionist art, but the paintings there were almost too familiar, it lacked the element of surprise I found in the Louvre, plus it's also packed very full of art and people. The Louvre feels more spacious. Another art-related thing you can do is visit the Jewish Museum in Paris; they have some Marc Chagall paintings that were very striking.

Notre Dame is an absolute must, it's one of my favorite places that I've visited. I would recommend to go to Saint-Chapelle on a sunny day--I went on a cloudy day, and without sunlight streaming through the famous stained-glass windows and lighting up all the colors, it wasn't as beautiful as I think it would be on a sunny day. Versailles was fine but not as interesting to me as other castles/palaces I've been lucky enough to see elsewhere in Europe.

In London, I went to the British Museum and found it a bit of a bust because it seemed to be mostly antiquities (Greek-/Roman-related stuff), which I'm not that into. (If you ARE into that stuff, it's probably amazing). Westminster Abbey is great because of all the history, and also it's a lovely building with lots of light. Personally, what I've enjoyed most so far during my brief times in London was just walking around, seeing the different neighborhoods, and eating English breakfasts and Indian food.

 

[MsZem]

In Paris .... if you have any interest at all in medieval art, the medieval wing of the Louvre is pretty amazing, they have some gorgeous, huge tapestries. As I recall, there is also a separate museum of medieval art in Paris, which has, I believe, a famous set of unicorn paintings, or panels, or something.

...

I would recommend to go to Saint-Chapelle on a sunny day--I went on a cloudy day, and without sunlight streaming through the famous stained-glass windows and lighting up all the colors, it wasn't as beautiful as I think it would be on a sunny day.

Musee de Cluny.

I also went to Saint Chappelle on a cloudy day, and going back in nicer weather is on my list of things to still do in Paris

 

[acraven]

The Cluny has been undergoing reconstruction for some time and the entire museum is currently closed. The web site says it reopens on July 14 (at least that's how i interpret it), but I don't know whether the entire museum will be open, or just part of it. I'd check the websste right before a planned visit to try to get the total story.

 

[whiteskates]

I can't recommend any sights that haven't already been mentioned but: Be prepared for insane traffic, general chaos and long queues to everything so equip yourself with lots of patience! And last but not least: Wear very comfortable shoes and enjoy the great melting pot that is London! It's fantastic.

 

[hanca]

My favorite place in London is Highgate Cemetery, but if you only have two days, I would pass on it. It's a bit of a ride on the tube and usually you have to take a tour. (Twice a year, you can wander around without a guide, but I've only been lucky enough to do that once.)

What’s so special about the cemetery, @PrincessLeppard ? I have never heard anyone recommending a trip to cemetery, so I am curious.