ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE WORLD 2009
London on the cheap
A day in the English city doesn't have to be expensive. Take in a few sights, hoist a pint, go to the cinema, enjoy a 'fry-up.' Spend 24 pounds or less.
London can be an overwhelming experience and a sadistic strain on the wallet. All too often, unknowing visitors squander their money while repeating the mantra, "I'm on vacation, so I won't think about it." Call it bankruptcy in the name of enjoyment.
It need not be that way, provided you know what to do. Here's how to spend 24 hours in London for 24 pounds ($34) or less.
9:15 a.m.: If you're hungry for more than coffee, eat the Londoner's way. Step into a cafe and get an English breakfast. A good place for a "fry-up" is Bar Bruno (101 Wardour St.) in Soho. Always teeming with local workers -- a good sign -- it is one of a dwindling number of traditional "greasy-spoon caffs." A plate of eggs, baked beans, chips (with a cup of coffee or tea) will cost you about 3.40 pounds ($4.85).
During the weekend, head south of the River Thames to Borough Market near London Bridge station. Londoners have been buying food from the market since the Romans occupied the island. Local produce, meat and seafood abound, as do scores of stands selling artisanal breads, sausages, cheese, olive oil, pastas, condiments and juices.
10 a.m.: It may sound a bit morbid, but a trip to any of London's Magnificent Seven Victorian cemeteries can be uplifting. The architecture and landscaping are stunning, particularly if you're fortunate enough to visit on a misty morning. If you must choose one, Highgate Cemetery (Swain's Lane, Highgate; admission: 3 pounds [$4.30]) represents the best bet with its stunning Lebanon Circle Vaults, Egyptian Avenue and the Terrace Catacombs. It's a great snapshot into the Victorian obsession with occult Egypt.
1 p.m.: Take a break with a touch of classical music and architecture. People head to St. Martin-in-the-Fields for its free lunchtime concerts because of its proximity to Trafalgar Square, its Christopher Wren design and its listing in guidebooks. But a concert at St. Luke's (161 Old St.) offers something similar, but with an architectural twist. Partly the work of Nicholas Hawksmoor, a Freemason with a flair for the occult, the one-time church's steeple is designed as a giant obelisk that towers over the trees and adjacent buildings. One expects to see a pagan symbol, only to be greeted by a Christian church. After the deconsecrated church was saved from demolition, it was converted into a mini-concert hall for the London Symphony Orchestra and its teaching wing. After the concert, grab a bite in the building's converted burial chamber, the Crypt Café. Alternatively, a lunchtime market with fresh food bustles across from St. Luke's, on Whitecross Street.
3 p.m.: Take a stroll along the South Bank of the Thames. It offers one of the best views in London, particularly of Somerset House, the Victoria Embankment, Westminster Abbey and a view of Parliament and Big Ben straight off a postcard. It's particularly dramatic in the evening. Wander in the opposite direction and you pass street entertainers, museums and London's answer to bookstalls along the Seine. If you keep walking, you hit the next destination.
3:30 p.m.: Most museums in Britain are free. London's Blair-years-affluence has trickled down to the art scene, and the Tate Modern (Bankside) is making a serious run at Europe's modern art circuit. Admission is charged for special exhibits, but the museum's main holdings are significant and growing. If you have time, pay 2.60 pounds ($3.70), with a Travelcard, and ride the shuttle boat across the Thames to the Tate Britain (Millbank). Its holdings of Turners and pre-Raphaelite art should not be missed. If you are unable to make the trans-Thames trip, just step outside and appreciate the best view of St. Paul's Cathedral in London.
6 p.m.: You can't go wrong with a plate of fish and chips from a bona-fide "chippy." Fish & Chips (20 Berwick St.) is the real deal. A plate with sole, chips, mushy peas and pickled onions will run you 5.50 pounds ($7.85). Tip: One plate easily serves two.
8 p.m.: On a Friday, few theaters can match the
11 p.m.: Grab a manually pumped pint of bitters at the Hope & Anchor (207 Upper St.) in Islington. It's a loud and dirty pub worthy of its history. It was central in the 1970s punk scene. For a quieter (and prettier) experience, kick back down the road at the Angelic (57 Liverpool Road). A pint will run you 3 pounds ($4.28).
2 a.m.: If you're still out and standing upright, head over to Bar Italia (22 Frith St.). Late night revelers gather inside and outside this venerable Soho institution. Grab a late-night cappuccino for 2.50 pounds ($3.57), one of the best in town, to help you along the last leg of your evening.
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