SkiAdcock

One of my favorite museums to visit in London is the "Wallace Collection" in Manchester Square, a few blocks from Selfridges.

"The Wallace Collection is a national museum in an historic London town house. In 25 galleries are unsurpassed displays of French 18th-century painting, furniture and porcelain with superb Old Master paintings and a world class armoury. Open daily 10am-5pm (closed Dec 24-26). Free admission."

Wallace Collection

stut

With a rather good restaurant, to boot.

They also do very good art classes, at all different levels.

Trustguy

I may have missed it if someone else suggested it, but I believe Parliament is in recess in August, so it is possible to buy advance tickets to take a guided tour of the Parliament Building. We really enjoyed the tour, and it didn't burn a huge amount of time.

Kettering Northants QC

http://www.parliament.uk/visiting/vi...of-parliament/

Prices seem to have gone up a bit in recent years - we did this (by just turning up on a Saturday Morning) and I don't recall it being £25 each.

Analise

I'm doing a day trip to Cambridge in April. I found a return fare for £12 from Liverpool Street Station. While I wanted the convenience of an open return, a fare like that was too good to ignore. The trip in the morning is about 1 hour; the return is longer at 1:24. I also added £3.50 unlimited plusbus. Just curious, does that bus (or buses) travel between Cambridge and Ely?

stut

No, Ely is some way outside the plusbus zone.

Note, however, that a train ticket from London to Ely normally allows you to break your journey in Cambridge.

Analise

Thanks.

I've already purchased my tickets to Cambridge but it's good to know for next time. I'm still surprised I was able to get such a good deal.

SecondGo

I would try Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese in Fleet Street, which was rebuilt after the Great Fire in 1666. Or the Old Bank of England pub, helpfully also in Fleet Street. The first has lots of little crooked rooms; the second is full of gilt and finery, and next door to the imposing Courts of Justice. Ideally do both - a mini pub crawl We English aren't the most approachable of races, but stand/sit at the bar and you'll usually get a conversation. These are most lively in the couple of hours after 5pm as they pick up the afterwork crowd.

Others have said to avoid eating in city pubs, and that's pretty true. Indeed, Sweeney Todd was based next door to the Old Bank...! In unrelated news, Gauchos restaurant at the bottom of Chancery Lane (in between the two pubs) does a good steak.

sig05

Great, thanks for the recommendations.

flatlander

There is bus to Ely, but not included in Plusbus as noted above.

Unless you are either wanting very cheap transport or to see the roads between them, I would recommend taking the train from Cambridge to Ely.

As an aside, £3.50 for unlimited travel in the city is less than the usual price, £4.10, for the all day ticket (Day Rider) purchased on the bus.

Analise

Thanks.

That's good to know. In case it rains, I want the option of taking the bus from the station to the Wren Library, Kings College Chapel or the Fitzwilliam Museum.