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Weekend Theatre Breaks in London

Weekend theatre breaks in London are becoming a very popular way of visiting the UK capital. A weekend theatre break usually consists of two nights in a London hotel and tickets to see a West End show. Usually you arrive in London on Friday evening. You either choose to see your show straight away on the Friday evening or book your show for Saturday night. If you choose to see your show on Friday you might worry about getting a pre-theatre meal. However most of the restaurants in the West End offer pre-theatre menus which are served from 5:30 giving you lots of time to get to your show. I prefer to book the show for Saturday evening if at all possible. It gives you Friday night to relax, explore a little and have an unrushed evening meal. Then a little gentle sight-seeing and maybe shopping on the Saturday. I like to have a really English treat, afternoon tea, somewhere like Fortnum and Masons. This needs to be booked in advanced. Some of theatre break agencies will let you book when you book this when your break and even offer a discount. Afternoon tea is really a small meal not just a snack so it should see you through everything but the longest shows. After the show, most end between 10pm and 10:30pm, you can easily find somewhere to have a spot of supper. I am very fond of La Tasca which does fresh, tasty Spanish tapas until quite late on Saturdays. It is great for sharing and you can order as much or as little as you want. The it is back to your hotel for a nightcap and to relax. This is when you will be really glad you chose a central London hotel, somewhere within walking distance of the theatre is ideal. This is so much pleasanter than dealing with the tube, black cabs or rickshaws. After theatre tapas? If you are an early riser and you’ve travelled fairly light Sunday morning can be a great time for sight-seeing in London. The city is amazingly quiet on Sunday mornings and you can see busy areas like Westminster without having to deal with the crowds.

January 6 2010, 4:37am | Comments »

Weekend Theatre Breaks in London

Weekend theatre breaks in London Weekend theatre breaks in London are a good way to fit in a mini holiday. You may not be able to afford the time or money for a full blown break but a weekend in London with a show can be enough to make you feel that you have actually had a holiday. It is all down to very careful planning. Choose your travel times You have to choose your travel times with care so that you make the most of your weekend. If you decide to travel by rail you need to watch out for any planned engineering works that could add frustration especially to your return journey. These are often planned for Sundays so if you can take an extra day and travel back on Monday you can avoid the problem all together. Hotels often offer an extra night for a very reasonable amount and you get an extra day in London. See below for more about Sundays in the city. It would be a shame to spoil your relaxed mood with a disrupted homeward journey. Luckily you can easily check using the trainline.com and find out if there is any work planned for your chosen dates. If there is then it might be best to re-think your dates or travel to London by car. How many days are there in a weekend? Friday If you travel on Friday and return on Monday you can have 3 nights and 2 full days in London. This is ideal if you can manage it as for just 1 extra day off work you can turn a weekend into a mini-break. Travel on Friday afternoon and you can arrive at your hotel, freshen up and go out for a nice meal, or an evening’s entertainment. Saturday Then you have all day Saturday for shopping, galleries or what ever takes your fancy. After an early (5:30-6:30 ish) pre-theatre meal you can get to the theatre in plenty of time, pick up your tickets from the box office, have a relaxing drink and be settled ready for the performance. Most shows finish around 10 – 10:30pm so after the show you will have time for a stroll round the West End, a light supper, a nightcap somewhere or even a club if that’s what takes your fancy. Then make your way back to your hotel, which, if you were wise when you were booking, will be only a short walk away. Sunday London is a different place on a Sunday. The tourist ‘traps’ are less busy, especially in the morning. London isn’t a city that wakes up early on Sundays so if you are an early bird you can see the sights before most people are even awake. London is famous for its street markets and these are great fun on a Sunday morning. Try Covent Garden’s Jubilee Market or, if you are feeling adventurous, try Brick Lane or Columbia Rd Flower Market. There’s lots of street food available and most of it is very good, so lunch won’t be a problem. After lunch you’ve got the luxury of a relaxing afternoon ahead of you. If you are into art you might try having a look at Tate Modern and if you are really energetic why not take the Tate to Tate ferry that runs between that and Tate Britain? Or just have a stroll along the Southbank. There’s usually something going on and it’s a great spot for people watching. If the weather is not so good there is lots of indoor entertainment too, maybe even visit the TKTS booth in Leicester Square and fit in an extra show! More shows are doing matinees on Sundays so it is definitely worth checking. You could even just find a good pub and settle in. Fullers pubs are quite traditional, have very nice real ale and are famous for their pies. If you are near Covent Garden you could try a real Cornish pub, complete with pasties and Cornish beer. Monday morning After the rush hour, and a good breakfast, you check out of your hotel for a leisurely journey home. So you can see how weekend theatre breaks in London really can work for you as a mini holiday if you plan them carefully. a

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December 9 2009, 8:32am | Comments »

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