 | London Tourist Traps | Tips 41 - 50 of 495 |  |
Popular Tourist Traps | Miscellaneous Tourist Traps Tips | All Tips (495) I was reading an article in Gourmet Magazine about London and the first line under Tea was "Proper British tea in one of London's grand hotels is ...strictly for tourists." And it goes on to say that we (American tourists that is) aren't even referring to it correctly, applying the misnomer of high tea (informal, often hearty supper) instead of afternoon tea.
I've been to afternoon tea in Chicago and Los Angeles and find it an enjoyable way to spend the afternoon. So accept the fact that you are a tourist and go anyways! Here's a nice list of places to try from London Town and from Visit London
Here are Gourmet Magazine's suggestions for non touristy venues: Maison Bertaux, 28 Greek Street, Leicester Square tube Parlour at Sketch, 9 Conduit Street, Oxford Circus tube The Wolsley, 160 Piccadilly, Green Park tube Yauatcha, 15 Broadwick Street, Piccadilly Circus tube Leave a Comment
|
 | |  |  | Rip Off TIcket Booths | Tip Rating:    |  |  | |  |
There are a lot of rip-offs and scalpers selling tourists tickets for shows. Beware!! Do not patronize any of the places around Leicester Square calling themselves the "Half Priced Ticket Booth". The Half Priced Ticket Booth WAS the name of the authentic booth that is now called tkts. Because of imitators, they changed their name. The cheapest way to get tickets of course is going or phoning to the individual box office and buying a ticket there. You will not get half price tickets, but you can get cheaper tickets without the service charge. [TKTS sells more of the best or most expensive seats.] Theatre box offices are open from 10.00am. Even if TKTS doesn't have tickets for the show you want it is still worth contacting the theatre box office. If you don't want to do that, AND want to avoid being ripped off, go to TKTS formerly called the Half Price Ticket Booth. is the only official half price and discount theatre ticket booth in London. You can't book ahead. You can only get tickets for performances on the same day. There is no phone number for TKTS. You can only get them by coming in person. The website says: You'll find it in the clocktower building on the south side of the garden in Leicester Square. It's easy to find - it is the only free-standing building actually within the Square, rather than around the edge. Beware the many imitators around the Square!
tkts is run by the Society of London Theatre, the trade association that represents London theatre. Other outlets that promise discount tickets are not the official outlets of SOLT and their sales and business practices are not regulated by the Society. So make sure you go to the tkts building to purchase your tickets. Most tickets are sold at exactly HALF PRICE plus a service charge of Ģ2.50 per ticket. Some additional shows may also be available at a 25% discount or at full price, giving you the broadest choice of on-the-day tickets available in London. Payment is by cash (Sterling or Euros), credit card or debit card, or by Theatre Tokens (cheques and travellers cheques are not accepted). Look to see which shows have tickets available by looking at the two noticeboards in front of the building. Bob is looking at one of them in the picture. One of the noticeboards at tkts gives details of matinée (afternoon) performances, the other lists evening performances. Note: Tickets for Matinee and Evening shows are sold from different windows. Check the signs above each of the windows so that you get into the right queue.
tkts is operated by The Society of London Theatre. The service charge per ticket levied at tkts enables the Society of London Theatre to operate the booth, run a broad range of audience development initiatives, and contribute to the Theatre Investment Fund which invests in new productions and supports new producers. The nearest Underground stations are Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus. tkts is open every day of the week, all year round (with the exception of Christmas Day) Monday to Saturday: 10.00am - 7.00pm for afternoon (matinee) and evening performances Sunday 12 Noon - about 3.30pm for afternoon (matinee) performances only. Leave a Comment
|
 | |  |
| | | | Eating cheaply in London | Tip Rating: | | | | |
When visiting London, the biggest expense after accomodation is the food! Avoid the tourist traps of the restaurants in the centre. You may find the menu unexpensive, but they'll get with the drinks in the end, which is a typical London reastaurant scam. A great place to eat cheaply if you like real curry, is Sweet and Spicy, in Brick Lane, near Aldgate East tube station. It's real curry, unlike most of the surrounding reastaurants that will try to drag you inside (literally!). You can bring you own beer, as the restaurant only sells non-alchoolic beverages. Another cheap eat option, if you like sushi, is the Japan Centre, right in Picadilly Circus, next to the massive Waterstones bookshop. Go inside, ignore the restaurant on the ground floor, and go down the stairs to the food shop. There you can buy prepacked but freshly prepared (you see the food preparers hard at work!) sushi. Buy the drinks there, or go to the nearby Tesco supermarket for it. Then you only need a nice place to sit and eat. I recommend nearby Green Park or Trafalgar Square if the weather is nice, on the inside a bus if it isn't!
|
| | |
| | | | Buckingham Palace | Tip Rating: | | | | |
It is nice to see from the outside, but DONīT waste your money paying to go in. Not only you are not allowed to take pictures (it is private property even though you have paid to go in), but also, thigs are rearanged (and I suspect some taken away as well as others added) from theur original places, carpeting is added, plastic is put on all doors and stairwells, and the guards and staff are RUDE.
The Change of Guards; make sure you go on the right day. THe first year we had to go 3 times before catching the whole thing because there was no change on Sundays, and we were told it was held on Odd (perhaps Even, donīt remenber) days and it was the other. If you donīt get a place near the entrance, donīt worry, the show is outisde the steert. Guards come in horses along with a band and they make a little show. The 2nd time, we did not even plan to go, but we hopped off our bus, and catched the change of guards, but the simple way (no show added). We were alone and were able to see the whole thing right in front.
There is no alternative. It is interesting and pretty. Most people donīt want to miss it when visiting London. Leave a Comment
|
| | |
More London Tips Overview
| General Tips
Tips: 2,313 - Photos: 1,896 | Restaurants
Tips: 2,696 - Photos: 1,645 | Hotels and Accommodations
Tips: 1,624 - Photos: 835 | Things To Do
Tips: 9,059 - Photos: 7,989 | Nightlife
Tips: 1,343 - Photos: 836 | Off the Beaten Path
Tips: 1,526 - Photos: 1,288 | Tourist Traps
Tips: 495 - Photos: 273 | Warnings or Dangers
Tips: 685 - Photos: 345 | Transportation
Tips: 1,879 - Photos: 1,210 | Local Customs
Tips: 696 - Photos: 479 | Packing Lists
Tips: 288 - Photos: 116 | Shopping
Tips: 931 - Photos: 684 | Sports Travel
Tips: 209 - Photos: 179 | Flights
Tips: 154 - Photos: 103 |
 |
More Sponsored Links for London |
 |
 |
Search Hotels
Find the best room rates |
|
 |
|
on April 6, 2006
on June 1, 2006
on August 22, 2005
on May 29, 2005
on July 31, 2003
on September 18, 2007
on September 17, 2004
on June 21, 2004
