First day in London
We are heading to the airport car park before dawn a few km. from Malpensa: parking. They are usually very efficient, however, are very slow this morning and we lose a lot of time in the checkout line, although we had booked our parking space. Finally the bus takes us to Malpensa Terminal 2 (Malpensa old) for our cheap flight booked Easy Jet of course online. The flight to conduct all regular and on time.
Airplane even sell train tickets to get from Gatwick Airport to central
London via the Gatwick Express. Even all'areoporto arrival everything happens quickly: we are given the luggage quickly and easily find the signs to the train already standing on the platform. The journey to Victoria Station is fast: about 30 minutes, directed, without any stop. Arriving at Victoria Station, we look for the subway ticket we buy a Travel Card valid for 3 days.
Then, with the meter, we head to our hotel (Crestfield Hotel, booked online with Venus - do not go) which is just outside the King's Cross station. Obviously the room is not ready yet, after all, still morning, but let us leave the luggage and immediately go out to start touring the city. First visiting St. Paul's Cathedral, a beautiful cathedral with beautiful frescoes and the opportunity to climb the dome. Beware, however: in
London, all entrances to all museums, churches included, they cost a lot. To visit a museum or a church, we must pay from 10 to 15 Pounds (about 20 euros). It is therefore necessary to choose well what to visit, only limited to what is most interesting. After St. Paul, we visit the Tower of
London, just near the famous Tower Bridge. The Tower of
London is a fortress overlooking the Thames, composed of a plurality of old buildings is a museum. There are several buildings worth visiting including the Jewel House, which is the building with the crown jewels. Perhaps most interesting is the visit outside the building rather than the inside. However, even to visit the courtyards, you need the ticket entrance. Finally, we walk in the beautiful and glittering Oxford Street: the long shopping street par excellence. Here there are shops per km. on both sides of the street with wide sidewalks for pedestrians and there are numerous shops including all the adjacent streets (Regent Street, Bond Street, etc.). Sometimes it is not just shops, but of genuine multi-department stores (such as Selfridge's, Marks & Spencer) where, if you want to visit every single department, we would lose the whole day. Then, tired, (considered also up early morning to 4.30), back to the hotel. Now the room is ready but of course .... What a disappointment! Fortunately, the comments and the vote given to the hotel on the portal Venus, by previous visitors, was a major success.
Below I will list all defects in the Crestfield Hotel trying to discourage anyone who reads my writing to go: - 4 flights of stairs to walk close by, with and without luggage (which will, when it returns to the room after a long day always standing around the city) - a bed of a square and a half passes for bed (Max and I are certainly not small in size). Result: not sleep well any of the second day and 2 nights Max is forced to take one tablet of Voltaren to allay back pain - in the room there is not space to open a trolley 50 cm. (And we have 2) - the bathroom is ridiculous contain only toilet and shower sets that downloads directly anchored to the ceiling on the bathroom floor (which sucks!). The sink is hand in your room, in front of the bed. - Breakfast is very basic. How true the saying: "Those who spend less spending." Here's what you earn to be "stingy." In the evening, however we leave and head for dinner at one of the most beautiful parts of
London: Covent Garden. This is a set of little cobbled streets, which will unfold around the old buildings (indoor market in fact) recovered brilliantly and now serves as restaurants, bars, shops. Here the shops are open into the evening, local pool where you can eat and drink anything even in winter. The atmosphere of celebration, artists and street musicians in various corners, Christmas decorations in good taste: How nice! I want to go tomorrow night, and it will be.
Second day in London
After a mediocre breakfast in our luxurious hotel we head to the Abbey of Westminster. The cathedral is very complex, composed of several wings, side chapels and cloisters. And 'certainly very sumptuous, but it is a great "monumental cemetery" as it hosts the tombs of kings, poets and various personalities of the past English historian.
Right after we go to visit the National Gallery: finally a beautiful place to visit is completely free. Famous paintings are exhibited here, the beautiful rooms are divided chronologically eras: from 200 to 900 (the section that I prefer). Later we visit a museum outside of the usual "tourist destinations". This is Apsley House, the former home of the Duke of Wellington. The building from the outside rather austere, is richly decorated inside and also keep the paintings of some significance. The visit is fast and very pleasant. Apsley House is located a few steps from the famous "Harrods". I have no words to describe this beautiful store. One can not simply call it shop, is a true monument. Tastefully opulent furnishings and fittings, a solicitation to buy anything. It features articles with their own brand Harrods; objects that you can buy only here. On the ground floor we find gifts, souvenirs and food such as go (tea, chocolate, candy), all in an attractive setting to the maximum. Do you think the escalator is in style "Egyptian". It's like being at Disneyland.
Despite the crowd, even managing to make the purchases, something for us, something to give. Return to the hotel, have dinner in the nearest McDonald's and then we head back to Covent Garden for a delightful after dinner. We hear a talented street musician (presumably because it sounded too Italian pieces Ligabue) and then to eat the sweets at one of the outdoor bar, right in the market hall (Apple or Cherry Pie and Chocolate fudge pie for me for Max) .
Last day and departure
By Metro (where in these 3 days we spent more time on the Time) we head to Kensington Palace to visit the palace, the royal residence and former residence of the late Lady Diana. Part of the building is a museum / shrine of the same Lady Diana with much exposure to his clothes, big screen projection anywhere with its giant video walls. Then, finally, we pass the most interesting tour of the apartments of state: really interesting, and it's definitely worth the price paid. Kensington Palace is surrounded by a large park with beautiful central lake, squirrels and green as far as eye can see. If time permits, we recommend a visit. It is not our case because, unexpectedly starts to rain and we have nothing to shelter. I am so compelled to buy a folding umbrella with British flag "will be a nice souvenir." Then we go into a neighborhood in North
London: Camden Town. You dine in a typical English pub with traditional English food: The Black Cap
After the pleasant and relaxing lunch, we visit the charming neighborhood of Camden Town. "Quaint" is the only word that comes to mind to describe him. We say that the neighborhood is "peculiar," "extravagant," "colored" full of kids 'folk'. Shops and markets items of dubious taste everywhere. If you want to buy clothes really extravagant to impress your friends and family to return, come here: it is the right place. I decide not to waste much time and urges Max to return to the center, thus visiting the most classic and tranquil areas like "Piccadilly", "Regent Street" and "Carnaby Street", all streets with elegant shops and many beautiful Christmas decorations as pleasing to me. But for us it is time to bring us to the airport. Return to the hotel to collect our luggage and took the train to Gatwick. Sadly we have bitter surprise that the whole system Easy Jet does not work: do not work the computer, do not work the baggage conveyor belts, it is not possible to check-in. This accumulated an hour and a half late. Late at night, we are finally home. Moral: Do not go to the Crestfield Hotel in
London (or another hotel too cheap) and do not fly with Easy Jet Dani and Max for more information and links to places mentioned, visit our home page: http://digilander. iol.it / danidisa