Things to do in London for first timer?

Greetings!

I'll be in London for a couple days as a solo traveler before I meet up with my tour organizer and start a whirlwind tour of Europe. I've planned out a tentative itinerary for my time in London but I figured I'll ask the FT community for ideas because you always seem to have the best ideas.

I'll be staying at the Imperial Hotel (in Russell Square).

Here's what I'm thinking, as of now:

Dec 26 - Land at LGW at 9:30 AM. I have a day and night ticket for The Shard with a 3:00 PM arrival time for my first trip up. I also have tickets to a 5:30 PM whiskey tasting on the London Eye. After that, I'll head back to The Shard for my evening trip to the viewing platform. HOWEVER -- a friend just asked if I wanted to see the Chelsea vs. Watford match at 3:00 PM, which I'll probably do (and just burn the tickets for The Shard/London Eye). He was planning on going with a friend but that friend had to cancel so he has an extra ticket.

Dec 27 - I have a ticket for the Harry Potter Studio Tour with a 12:30 PM arrival time. I'm a big Harry Potter fan so it's something I'm looking forward to. However, I don't have any evening plans so I'm open to suggestions.

Dec 28 - A free day. The tour meets at 6:00 PM at the Imperial Hotel. I was thinking of going to Greenwich to see the observatory and International Date Line but that's not a "must-do."

I'm not a big history or art buff so a lot of the historical sites and museums would be lost on me.

In case you're wondering, here's the rest of my trip: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...m-i-crazy.html.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

P.S. I'm still trying to figure out transportation from the airport since the Gatwick Express will be closed for track repairs and public transportation is on a reduced schedule because of the holiday. I'm thinking of using airportdirect.com but would love to hear other options.

P.P.S. What's the best option for cell service? I have an unlocked iPhone 6. I know I can get a SIM card when I land in London but don't know how (if) the rates will change because of my travel between the different countries once I join my tour group.

There are still trains operating from LGW just via East Grinstead (bus transfer to/from LGW) plus another train via Horsham both with extended trip times. Check National Rail Enquiries website for details.

There is also a National Express coach service to Victoria.

In answer to your P.P.S: Three seems to be a very good options in terms of Prepaid/PAYG. It offers 3p/min calls/2p/min texts/1p/mb data which is good for the UK. There is a lot of public wifi in London, the ones that I use mostly are Starbucks and London Underground Wifi.

If you want to call abroad, take a look at dial-a-code which will reduce your rates considerably, however this won't cover your trip further on into mainland Europe. I would imagine a company like Lebara or Lycamobile which are known for their low-cost rates in most places in the world would be able to help you out.

The Harry Potter Studio tour is fantastic! Not sure if street art is of interest but the Shoreditch Street Art tour is interesting. I have reviews of both on philatravelgirl blog.
At night there are options with walks.com for a pub tour, Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park if you like carnivals or live music at Scala. Look at Time Out app for events like multiple pop up food, music, fun during your visit

Thanks for all the advice!

Yes, in short.

When someone asks you whether you prefer Germany or Switzerland, or whether you prefer Dutch character to the Italian character, you won't be able to answer them. In short you will be able to say that you have been to places, but that you know nothing about them.

I would use your free day to do some exploring of London on foot or by an organised bus tour if you're not feeling energetic.
London,like Paris,has lots of fantastic and iconic buildings and public monuments which are free to look at.
The city is also laid out in a way where you could organise a good walk - head South from your hotel and track up either side of the River Thames to the Eye,then cross into Parliament Square,Whitehall,Trafalgar Square and back to the hotel.
As for your European schedule - plain bonkers.

I know it's a jam packed itinerary and I won't get to see nearly as much as the cities have to offer. I'm just trying to get a brief taste so when I return to Europe for a vacation I know where I'll want to spend my time.

Hey,it's your holiday so you can do whatever.But 2,500 kilometres is an awfully long time staring out of a coach on European motorways.Bring some good books !

Or take a Big Bus tour, the one with the live guide. They'll take you all around the city and you can see the high points, which is what you'll be doing in your other countries. You can hop off at any point that interests you, and get back on another bus later. The concierge at your hotel can get you a pass.

Coincidentally, I'll be in London for those same three days before meeting my gf in Paris. I'm also going to the Chelsea v. Watford game on the 26th. For a tour, I decided to do the Sandeman Walking Tour as it seemed that I would get the most out of my time there. If not, I'm also welcoming any suggestions.

As for food, are there any "must-eat" things I should have? I land in LHR on the 26th, so an English breakfast is a must along with other food.

Depends on where you're from!

I'd say a curry is one, unless you have good ones back home. We had a thread recently about good places to go, both on Brick Lane and away. Fish and Chips is another popular one, as is a good roast dinner (doesn't have to be Sunday!).

Another to consider is cheese! You can get some amazing stuff

I hope you enjoy your trip! What flight are you taking to London?