London. It’s time for a few days in the British capital and a little trail off the beaten tourist tracks such as London Tower, London Bridge or Buckingham Palace. On the to-do list of our trip: The musical performance “Book of Mormons” with last-minute tickets by the ticket lottery. A visit to an exhibition at the V&A Victoria & Albert Museum about the artwork of the fashion genius Alexander McQueen and, right at the beginning, a day on the roller coasters at the theme park Thorpe Park. But that, of course, is not all. As gay travel bloggers, we are always on the lookout for the best view over the city, i.e., London. Where you could enjoy a free view of central London and more, we have summarized for you in our newly updated article “London Gay Couple City Trip”. Enjoy planning, booking and experiencing the English metropolis of London with small but fine travel advantages (with or without the Queen) through a couple of men’s eyes!
London Gay Couple City Trip to the British Capital
The English capital city England has 13 boroughs in so-called Inner London. However, the metropolitan region of London, the so-called London Metropolitan Area, is home to over 14 million people. This makes London officially the most populated metropolitan area in Europe. And we, as LGBT travelers, also notice that. By the way, our tips for accommodations are simply furnished, clean but small double rooms available for an excellent price in the hotels of the Travel LODGE chain. Our first booking and stay at Travelodge London Central Bank was a perfect hit. In the middle of the City of London close to the underground station of Bank, which is known not necessarily for LGBTQ+ and gay life but for the financial world of London, we just stayed easy but well. For those who have forgotten something in their backpack or washing bag, there is a vending machine with the most important travel essentials right next to the reception. The nearest underground stations Bank, Cannon Street, Monument Stat, on and Mansion House, are in just a 10-minutes walking distance away from the hotel.
Breakfast like real Londoners
Since we don’t have to spend every moment of enjoyment in a restaurant, we love to enjoy some eating outdoors. So, our day begins with a breakfast by the Thames river overlooking London-Shard. To do so, we treat ourselves to a meal deal for £3 at Sainsbury’s enjoying it on a bench right on the banks of the Thames. Joggers from the Financial District run by, tourists take photos while we have breakfasts and walking along the river, constantly accompanied by street art, which simply needs to be photographed! A slightly different way to breakfast…
Rollercoasters at Thorpe Park – Screaming like there is no tomorrow
Daan, who is famously crazy about roller coasters and theme parks, does not want to miss the adrenaline rush at Thorpe Park during our short trip to London. The amusement park in west London is well connected by rail and is also effortlessly accessible from the airports around London. The destination station is called “Staines.” From there, a bus commutes directly to the park. If, as has been the case with us, school classes use the buses, one of the few taxis may be used to share for little money. We had a funny encounter with a London couple, with whom we shared the taxi easily.
Tip: Absolutely buy the Thorpe Park Tickets ONLINE! Right at the entrance, they cost almost twice as much. Even if the official information is to print the tickets, it is possible to enter 100%ig with your mobile phone!
Musical ticket lottery for “The Book of Mormon”
Daan played one of the leading roles for a few years in probably the biggest Dutch musical, “Soldaat van Oranje“. Even though he has hung acting on the nail at the moment, he is and remains an actor and musical fan at heart. And so, of course, we are drawn to Leicester Square in the heart of London. Although not far from the famous Piccadilly Circus which is busy with teeming tourists, street performers, and vendors, we know exactly where we need to go. As a musical and theater fan, we are spoiled for choice to attend a performance in one of the well-known actors and theaters. But how do you get one more of the coveted last-minute tickets? Good to know that some theater houses, such as the Prince of Wales theater, offer tickets at incredibly cheap prices right at the box office in a ticket lottery. The tickets are then to be redeemed for seats in the front row of the evening performance of the respective lottery day.
Our Tip: Ticket Lottery Prince of Wales Theater: From 5 p.m. sharp, you have the opportunity to write your name on a lot for half an hour and throw it into the lottery-wheel. We really wanted to see the play “The Book of Mormon“. Out of about 100 participants who then wait until 17:30 o’clock standing on the street, we are actually one of the winners! Madness!
Free: The best view over London
Free tip: The Sky Garden at the skyscraper in London’s Bank district at 20Fenchurch Street which was only opened in December 2014, is accessible until 10 a.m. (by appointment). What you get: An incredible view of London, where the Thames just seems tiny, small. A stunning London view to enjoy! We were able to taste a breakfast with delicious coffee surrounded by palm trees touching glasses to our 2nd anniversary in 2015.
V&A Museum: Alexander McQueen Exhibition
As culture and art lovers, we are drawn to the best museums in the world on every trip. London has some special museums and exhibitions to offer. On our list for this trip: the V & A Museum (Victoria & Albert Museum), considered “The World-Leading Museum of Art & Design”. The exhibition about Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty is of course no longer available for visitors, but it is always worth mentioning it again here. And of course, our tip also applies to further exhibitions (but please check again for every new exhibition at the V&A Museum). For most exhibitions, there is a chance to get tickets (number of tickets depending on the exhibitions) directly on site shortly after the museum opens. Simply be on time at the main entrance or at the entrance directly in the Underground Station (which also means a long way to the ticket offices). The first ones in line can then buy a maximum of 4 tickets per person (payment accepted whether cash or with a debit card), which then entitle you to admission in a given time slot.
Our Tips for a perfect London Gay Couple City Trip
Not far from the V&A Museum lies the green lung of London, the Hyde Park. The two small and quiet lakes in the center of the Park called “The Long Water” and “The Serpentine” are our final destination of our London trip. On the east bank of the Serpentine, we find a small restaurant, the Serpentine Bar & Kitchen, with direct lake view, delicious snacks and a quiet patch of earth for a short London Gay Couple city trip Resumé. London is and will always be worth a trip for both of us. The next time, we will take a closer look at the gay scene and gay life in the City of London, adding a more extended London gay travel guide to our blog. Until then: London, See you soon!
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Karl & Daan.