I'm off to London from the Wild Wop Wops....

The world’s your oyster with London. I assume you are going to the centre? I used to love the national gallery and Oxford Street and Regent Street. Then there’s the tower , depends how much time you have. Things may have changed, of course. I was born and bred in London but left many years ago. Madame Tussaud’s used to be good, too and the V and A.

A walk along the South Bank is fun and interesting. Start around the National theatre and go east. Covent Garden is fun.

I adore the V&A and could spend all day there!

You might enjoy the Fashion and Textile museum inBermondsey, just round the corner from the Shard. There’s the free White Cube Gallery opposite , lots of small cafes and an interesting glass blowing studio in the same street. You can walk across London Bridge and go into the Sky Garden ( book a free slot) fabulous views and indoor garden , better than the Shard which you have to pay for. I also love. a day at the V and A, you don’t need to go into the paid exhibitions, loads of great free galleries - the Jewellery one, the Cast Courts, the fashion gallery, the Glass and ceramics galleries are the best. If you want to buy cheap fabrics head to Goldhawk Road on the Tube which has dozens of fabric shops and Walthamstow market. The new Battersea Power Station has its own tube station which is good for posh window shopping. You can also get a Thames Clipper boat to Greenwich and spend a day at the museums and craft market there.

skygarden.london/
book a free ticket here

Another big fan of the V&A and I agree about walking on the South bank.

As for shopping Liberty’s is a beautiful store.

Lots of ideas there vegansrock some I wasn’t aware of. I often meet up in London with a friend and we have been running out of ideas of things to do. Thank you.

fashiontextilemuseum.org/exhibitions/kaffe-fassett-the-power-of-pattern
this is the exhibition on at the Fashion and Textile museum at the moment, nearest station London Bridge about a 7 mins walk in a very interesting area. If there you could go to the White Cube Gallery which is free and usually has some quirky exhibitions, the glass blowing studio, fascinating but hold onto your bag as some of the exhibits are selling for thousands ! You are then really near Borough Market there with lots of food stalls where you can have a coffee and spot the celebrity chefs. From there you can walk to the South Bank. Take a look at the Festival Hall, the Hayward Gallery , Tate Modern.

Liberty’s for Material. The National Gallery at Trafalgar Square, The Tate, the Tate Modern. Oxford street, Regent’s street. British Museum. I could go on and on……Have a great time

Marylebone is lovely for window shopping and charity shopping, and is home to the free splendid Wallace collection with magnificent Canalettos. It does do special Christmas exhibitions, too.

I love the Fashion and Textile Museum. It is in Bermondsey, which for me is home trritory as it is where two generations of my family spent their lives after immigrating from Ireland in the 1840s and where my mother grew up.

I would also put a word in for The Wallace Collection, situated in a town house behind Oxford Street, full of the OTT art. It looks like the interior of house that someone who writes 18th century bodice rippers would set their stories, a bit too early for Bridgerton.. It also has a lovely airy cafe in the courtyard, which has been glassed over.

This is where Google and Google earth can be your friend. Type in what shops you are looking for around the area you will be staying, a quick look on Google earth will show you where the shops are, you can then plan how to move around quickly, especially if you are looking for Charity shops.

The Christmas lights in Covent Garden are usually spectacular, there’s a really nice cafe in the Royal Opera House and you can get a glimpse of the lovely interior.

I like the national portrait gallery.

I am another V&A lover.
Lots of lovely (if a bit expensive) shops and nice cafés between it and the tube too. There is a shop there (The Medici Gallery) close to South Kensington tube with possibly the best selection of advent calendars in the UK. They will post out but SO lovely to look at them.
m.facebook.com/100063706832049/

Given you have the budget of a gnat you will probably find the charity shops cheaper elsewhere. My daughter's friend just visited from London and spent her money in our charity shops!

There is a nice little gallery right on the Southbank where it's lovely to walk along the river and stop for a quiet coffee (or bring a flask and sit on one of the many benches nearby).
www.banksidegallery.com/
It also has books and cards, original art and some nice prints. It's free entry.
It's actually a charity and "belongs" to the Royal Watercolour Society.
Very easy to get to and nice to walk along the river.

I also second vegansrock re the area near the fashion and textile museum.
The glassblowing studio is lovely.

Have a lovely visit.

I’m just wondering what or where the wild wop wops are

Kensington High Street is good for shops and Leighton House Museum is interesting.
Museum mile in Bloomsbury has lots of museums, including the British Museum. John Soane house is amazing. If you are a Dickens fan, that is good.
In the city you have the Museum of London and St Pauls.

Thanks for the Wallace Collection recommendation Monica. I’m going up to London for a few days next week to meet my sister who’s coming over from Australia, I looked up what’s there’s, and it looks a wonderful way to spend a few hours, not too big to be overwhelming either.

I love Liberty’s.
And the London Eye.

I'm also wondering where the Wop Wops are, I was drawn to this thread thinking that would be explained only I moved away from London over a year ago, 30 or so miles south from where we were, and am wondering if I'm in Wop Wop territories now!

A possible itinerary as they're all in the same general area:

The Saatchi Gallery, general entrance is free, and it's very close to Sloane Square tube.
www.saatchigallery.com/visit

Then a coffee on the top floor of Peter Jones which has great views. Short walk to Royal Hospital Road:

The Royal Hospital Chelsea. Even if you don't arrange a tour around, just passing by you get a great view of this Wren building.
www.chelsea-pensioners.co.uk/visit

National Army Museum - free entry
www.nam.ac.uk/whats-on

Chelsea Physic Garden - entry fee
www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk/visit/

The above 3 are all on the same street. Then as you said you're very energetic cross over Chelsea Bridge to the aforementioned Battersea Power Station which is magnificant!

batterseapowerstation.co.uk/

Have just come back to suggest Leighton House Museum and see you have done so Elusivebutterfly. It has a stunning Arab Hall. Truly beautiful in spite of the appropriation, and you can see how the artist lived and worked.

(If interested, this is where The Stranglers made their Golden Brown video):
youtu.be/z-GUjA67mdc

Then there's also Sambourne House in the same area where you can have a trip back in time with a "maid" or "housekeeper".

If you need a sit down at any point can I recommend a trip up the river to Greenwich on a Thames Clipper. Don’t get tricked into buying the very expensive tours.

An unlimited daily Clipper pass costs £10-£11 pounds and will get you up and down close to most of the spots people have recommended. So much nicer than the tube, quicker than the bus and lovely views of the city🙂

The Design Museum is close to Leighton House & Sambourne House

designmuseum.org/

A daytime boat trip on the Thames can be a great way to see some of London - from a different angle! (Information is available online; search "boat trips on Thames in London"). I like the way they sail past the Tower of London and also under famous bridges.