London Sightseeing in 9 Hrs on Christmas Day?

Question

Hello!

My husband and I have 9 hrs in transit at Heathrow. We will be arriving at Heathrow airport at 6:50am on Christmas Day and leaving at 4:25pm same day.

I was wondering if there are any bus tour which operates on Christmas day? We would like to see main highlights of London: Buckingham's Palace, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, London Bridge..

Also not quite sure about transporting from Heathrow airport to London city - Is the Piccadilly line best way to go?

Can you please recommend tour buses for 4 hrs.

Any other suggestion regarding things to do and getting around in London is also appreciated.

Thanks!!!!

Answer 1

I can't help w/ bus tours, but as far as what to do while there, here's a site for the 101 best things to do in the city while you're there.

Go to the Tower of London. See the Crown Jewels. The changing of the Guard. Tour Parliament, which is fabulous, and Westminster Abbey.

You can get tour guides at your local bookstore or from the library and just browse through them ... a great source of ideas. Or view the sites below.

Also, get a good street map (either when you get there, or, again, from a bookstore) and map out where you want to go since your time is so limited. Have fun!

Answer 2

As you've already heard, all public transport (throughout the UK, not just in London) is closed on Christmas Day.

So are all the tourist attractions -- with the exception of churches, which are open for worship, though not for tours. So you could go to a Christmas service at Westminster Abbey (though it gets very full!)

You will find details here, nearer the time. http://www.westminster-abbey.org/calenda...

If you can get into town, you will still be able to look around (outside) many of our landmark buildings. And traffic will be very light indeed!

I think you should contact some bus tour companies direct. Premium Tours, The Big Bus Tour and Golden Tours are three that I know of. The only one I have personal experience of is Evan Evans, a company which friends of mine have used and been happy with. http://www.evanevanstours.co.uk/about-us...

They are definitely running tours on Christmas Day (I just spoke to them and checked) although they haven't finalised their tour plans. They say they should have full details up online by the end of October.  

Failing that, you could book a private taxi. This will be expensive but if it's your only chance to see London, you may consider it worth the price.

To give you an idea, normal transfers from Heathrow to central London cost £45-£60. Normal rates for private tours of London are £30 per hour.

You can expect to pay at least double on Christmas Day; possibly more.

Here's the site to find out... http://www.londontaxicabs.net/bookings.h...

If you do choose this option, you will at least be sure of getting back to the airport for your connection. And you could see all the things on your list.

Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben (the Houses of Parliament) and Trafalgar Square are all very near. Then your driver could perhaps take you down the Embankment (alongside the Thames) towards the old City.

I'd recommend driving past St Paul's Cathedral and then the Monument (where the Great Fire of London started). The streets here are narrow and winding but taxi drivers know every single one!

Now it's just a short drive to see the Tower of London and Tower Bridge (this is the one with the towers and opening bridge; London Bridge is very ordinary.)

Your driver can take you over Tower Bridge and bring you back along the south bank. If you cross back over the river at Southwark Bridge you will have a lovely view looking back at Shakespeare's Globe, the reconstruction of the playwright's theatre, timber-framed and with its thatched roof.

Well, that would make a wonderful drive-by tour, and you could certainly do it in the time you have available. In fact, this is the one day of the year when London traffic would allow you to do it.

Best of luck.

Love from a Londoner born and bred.

=D

Answer 3

Unfortunately not much happens in London on Christmas Day, nearly all the shops are shut (corner stores may still be open), and buses and trains do not work for the day.  If you can get into town it will still be quite easy to walk around Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square, but unfortunately not much else will be going on.

Answer 4

Everywhere will be closed.  Can I just mention though that we have often had what we thought were long transit waits in airports.  The thing that has always surprised us is when you deduct the hour or hour and a half before you actually get outside of the airport and the three hours needed for checking in and security, plus the travelling into London and you will only be left with 2-3 hours.  It may be better to go to one of the big hotels locally and have a nice lunch or something (if they are open to non residents as it is Christmas).

Answer 5

Dont bother EVERYTHING will be closed, except for a few local pubs.

Answer 6

Although this web page :-  

http://golondon.about.com/b/2007/12/15/c...  

is a year old almost everything it says about Christmas day in London is still valid.

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