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

P.S. I agree about the Wallace Collectiion. It's a lesser known Art Museum and is wonderful, IMO. (And I think its free to see the "main collection ". Extra for special exhibitions.)

And you can use your free bus-pass in London - if you're of an age to have one!

The only Wop Wops I have ever heard of are the company that make the clothing

Bus pass. Is it only for the English? Can you use a Welsh bus pass. ?

The Courtauld Gallery in the Strand is one of my favourites. It has a superb collection and interesting exhibitions. What appeals to me is the scale of the place. There aren't endless corridors and rooms to leave you feeling overwhelmed.

I recommend a collection of guidebooks called London's Hidden Walks by Stephen Millar. They contain illustrated walks to explore and details of local attractions, the best eating places, pubs etc.

The Imperial War Museum is well worth a visit.

I have a regular visit to Fortnum &Mason, unlike any other department store and their Christmas windows are so lovely then across the road to the Royal Academy for refreshment. Bond Street nearby too.
I second Sambourne House, a real time capsule (Room with a View filmed there) and the Wallace Collection, like being in a private house.

There is so much to see in London, I tend to make for museums , rather than the shops, so many fantastic ones, I love The British Museum it's vast I could spend a week in it and still not see everything. The problem is the Egyptian rooms are sited on the ground floor and they are just sooo fascinating I get stuck there, but there is so much else to see, I particularly love some of the ancient Celtic artefacts too. Amazing place! The surrounding area of Bloomsbury is nice.

The Oxo Tower is great for panoramic views over London at night, especially St Paul's when it is lit up, but think you could see all of that walking over Waterloo Bridge especially if you are wandering back from Covent Garden which isn't far away. If you are going around Christmas time many of the landmarks such as the museums have pop up skating rinks which adds to the atmosphere and Southbank is also a good place to view all the lights.

V&A, Natural History museums also wonderful and such beautiful buildings. Also love the National Gallery and The Tate as well as The Tate Modern for art.

If you've got youngsters with you mine quite enjoyed Museum of the Moving Image when they were kids. Tussauds, from what I remember, there is an onus to hurry everyone through as quickly as possible, and I imagine it's very expensive, haven't been there for ages.

As far as shopping is concerned just be sure to avoid Oxford Street it's horrible but lots of other good suggestions here such as Libertys a lovely store. Harrods, when I last went it was something like a pound to use their loos not that I'd buy anything there, very inflated prices as you'd expect.

I spent many years working up in central London, but haven't been up there since the pandemic hit. Before that happened we took several trips up to Hampstead Heath which is lovely and has great views over London plus the shops and cafes surrounding that area are nice but it's off the beaten track.

Wishing you a great time.

As mentioned by hollysteers Fortnums and Masons, a great store to wander around particular during the Christmas season and Jermyn Street where one of it's entrances is sited is lovely, I used to work very close to there so took it all a bit for granted

What about St Paul's Cathedral? Absolutely fabulous. And the Natural History Museum.

I m another who wants to know where the wild wop wops are I want to go there
Just go to Camden town Shepherd’s Bush can spend hours there

MrsKen33

Bus pass. Is it only for the English? Can you use a Welsh bus pass. ?

You cannot use a Welsh bus pass in England. Equally you cannot use an English bus pass in Wales.

www.traveline.cymru/faqs/

Not forgetting Portobello Market & Notting Hill - it's not far from Leighton House, Design Museum etc.

portobellomarket.org/

vegansrock

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.

My office is literally opposite the Glass Blowing studio! I'm at this very moment looking out of my office window into their entrance in Bermondsey Street! If you google Vintage Yard Bermondsey Street that's me! Front buildings are Grade II listed, used to be a Police Station, still got vertical iron bars in the basement from the cells ...

There is a Mary Portas Charity Shop on the other side of the road from the Fashion & Textile Museum (Mary's Living & Giving, 90 Bermondsey Street)- I've seen some lovely things in there but pricier than your normal charity shop. From here it's an 8 minute walk up to the River Thames / HMS Belfast / Tower Bridge through the tunnel on Bermondsey Street, or 10 minutes walk up St Thomas's Street to Borough Market. If you are there at weekends Vinegar Yard on the corner of Bermondsey Street and St Thomas's has a "Flea Market" -https://www.vinegaryard.london/market - it's a bit hit-and-miss for me but the look of it, and the funky art installations, are fun.

Another vote for River Boats - way more interesting than the tube! On some you can use your debit card rather than buying tickets.

I'd avoid Camden personally, overpriced and crowded. Bond Street has lovely lights. Fortnam & Masons have Christmas decs up already.

I wonder if the poster knows that wop is an offensive word for people of Italian decent.

My sons when they were mid teens into skateboarding and grunge frequently did pilgrimages up to Camden which they viewed as their spiritual home, I got dragged up there on occasions to help with the purchase of some desired old dishcloth t shirt it all looked a bit grubby to me. Although I can remember making similar trips up to Notting Hill market at the same age and buying a moth eaten vintage fur coat, which my mother told me was infested with fleas and chucked it out unbeknown to me Not that I'd wear fur now.

The wild wop-wops is a new Zealnd term for the back of beyond en.wiktionary.org/wiki/wop-wops

If you haven't visited the Museum of London it's closing in December before relocating so now would be the time to go if it's somewhere you are interested in.

This article lists a treasure trove of museums, some have already been mentioned, some lesser known:

www.ianvisits.co.uk/london-museums/

Visit Burough Market, pick up some lunch, then wander along the Thames, past The Globe and on to to Tate Modern where you can see the permanent collection for free. A lovely wander..

M0nica

The wild wop-wops is a new Zealnd term for the back of beyond en.wiktionary.org/wiki/wop-wops

I've never heard the expression before, but will remember it when I next see anyone we know from NZ. I know some Australians and New Zealanders who use the term out in the "Boonies" Boondocks, to refer to the back of beyond.

As a born and bred Londoner, now exiled in the wild wop wops of the Midlands, you are all making me feel home sick!

With all these destinations the op will need quite a lot of stamina and in some cases a large budget!

I would steer clear of Oxford Street because the only large stores still open are Selfridges, M&S and John Lewis.

Please be careful as there are so many pickpockets around.

Another good place in the Victoria area is
Westminster Cathedral. You can climb the tower steps and get great views from the top. No charge made but donations welcome. You can see the view from 4 sides of the tower.

All these places recommended have me longing for a couple of nights up there! We often went up when my daughter lived there for years.