London in a Nutshell: How to get the most of your visit

London is one of those great walking cities that you must visit, especially if you love to learn more about history and the theatre....wow, I just spelled theater with an "re"....purely unconsciously.

Here is a list of top 7 things you should do when visiting London.  Oh, and if you are a student, by all means, bring your student ID along; a deduction of 2 to 3 pounds here and there does add up, especially if you are from the US, and are FREAKING out that a tall cappuccino from Starbucks is the equivalent of coughing up around $6....YIKES!!!!  Oh, and it costs more to drink it on the Starbucks premises, then to take it to go (ehh, I mean "take-away").  And it's not just Starbucks, other fast food places charge more to eat at the location (e.g., Pret a Manger).  This would not fly in NY....just saying.  Anyway, here is my top 7 list to make this a rewarding experience:

i) Take at least one London Walks tour.  You will really get a feel of the city.  The cost is 9 pounds for adults, and 7 pounds if you are a student.  Each tour is about 2 hours long, give or take 15 minutes.  Wear comfortable shoes and bring your camera.  If you like history, then "Past the Palace" (for a bit of mischief and you're over 12 yrs old ;) or "The Blitz" (more serious and your heart will break a little) is for you.  If you prefer something more fictionalized, then the "Ghost Walks" or "Harry Potter" walks would be more appropriate.  I am a big fan of most of the guides.  I have had only one dud so far; for the most part, they are dramatic and great story tellers, and are happy to answer any of your questions.  You can't help getting sucked into the story.

ii) Visit the Churchill War Rooms.  Here you will find a detailed account of what happened in WWII in London, where Churchill and his Cabinet met, how Churchill led England during the war, and other interesting tid-bits.  Please do take the free audio guide, which comes with your cost of admission.  It adds more color to what happened in the 1940s.  Reserve at least two hours of your time for this visit.  You can take pictures here.

iii) Go to the National Gallery at Trafalgar Square.  Great works by so many artists from the Renaissance period to other eras (including a couple from Hans Holbein, a painter in Henry VIII's court).  Best of all, it is FREE.  Yes, you read correctly.  It is free, unless you want to see the special limited time only exhibitions.  I don't think there is a need for it.  There is so much to see.  Do note, you are NOT allowed to take pictures here.  Another thing to point out, there is a FREE one hour guided tour at 11:30am and 2:30pm in the Sainsbury wing, where the guide will show you about 4-5 paintings, and discuss some of the meaning and symbolism behind it.  Very interesting...apparently, the use of the color blue was worth more, than the use of the color gold.  Hmm....

iv) Visit the Royal National Theatre.  Get tickets for a backstage tour, and consider also buying a ticket to watch a play.  About half the plays are the usual classics, while the remaing half are of newer playwrights.  Many of these tickets can be bought for as little as 12 pounds, because the government subsidizes much of it.  Wish they did the same in NY, so more younger folks could go there.  Anyway, it's worth visiting it.  The location is great, too.  Right by the water.  You can take the tube to Waterloo or Embankment, and walk there in 10-15 minutes.

v) Visit the Tower of London.  Once inside, you can walk on one of the guided tours with a beefeater, and learn all about its rather bloody history.  It is here where King Henry VIII had two of his six wives beheaded.  Oh, Henry....what were you thinking????

vi) Visit the Victoria & Albert Museum.  FREE entrance, except for special exhibitions, and here, you are allowed to take pictures.  There's a great garden, where you can hang out by the water fountains.  Lots of Roman and Greek sculptures, Asian art, and so much more.

vii) Eat fish & chips.  This is one of the great meals you must have at least once before leaving.  I cannot describe to you how delicious and crispy the fish tastes (make sure you verify that it is haddock, not cod....for some reason, haddock has more flavor, is juicier, and more fulfilling).  They sprinkle malt vinegar on the fish and the chips (i.e., fries), and it is absolutely yummy.  Two things to keep in mind: i) you may have to pay for the ketchup....I know, how strange it that???  Or alternatively, they give you one measly packet; and ii) DO NOT eat fish & chips at the airport; it tastes like crap there, is dripping in oil, and they apparently don't remember to give you malt vinegar...I'm speaking from experience).

If you happen to have more time, you can drop in some more museums with free entry (e.g., Tate Modern, Tate Britain, National Portrait Gallery, British Museum).  Alternatively, if you have more budget to spare, you could include Westminster Abbey and London Dungeons in your schedule as well.