London: Day 2

If you've already made your way through "The Best in 1 Day," you'll find your second full-day tour takes in a different part of London. You've seen Royal London. Now visit what might be called "Academic London" by heading to the history-rich district of Bloomsbury, following in the footsteps of Charles Dickens and Virginia Woolf. After lunch, head for "the City," London's financial district, and wander around St. Paul's Cathedral, masterpiece of Sir Christopher Wren. Then have a thrilling afternoon riding the British Airways London Eye and visiting the Tate Modern. Start: Russell Square.

1 - The British Museum

This is the mammoth home of one of the world's greatest treasure troves -- much of it plundered from other parts of the globe when Britannia ruled the waves. The most exciting of these treasures are the Elgin Marbles, stolen from Greece, and the Rosetta Stone, stolen from Egypt. You'll need at least 2 hours for even the most cursory of visits. An easy-to-follow map at the entrance will help you hit all the highlights, including the legendary Black Obelisk, dating from around 860 B.C. and exhibited in the Nimrud Gallery. You can't see everything, so don't even try. But you'll see enough to convince yourself you need to make another visit some time in the future. End your quickie tour in the modern Great Court covering the celebrated Reading Room where Karl Marx wrote Das Kapital.

The museum doesn't open until 10am, but early birds can arrive before and take a brisk morning walk, getting the feel of this famous district. Our favorite square for wandering is Russell Square (you can take the Tube straight there), followed by Bedford Square to the east and Bloomsbury Square to the southeast.

After the British Museum, it's time for lunch. You've already dined in Covent Garden, so it's time to head for "the City," the financial district of London in the East End.

Take a Break

2 - Bow Wine Vaults

No place in the City is more evocative and atmospheric than this venerated choice for lunch. Here you can mingle with the movers and shakers of the City's financial district, enjoying well-prepared, affordable food and a drink in the bar or in the more formal street-level dining room. We always go for the Dover sole or the mixed grill (no one does this dish better than the English). 10 Bow Churchyard, EC4. tel. 020/7248-1121. Tube: St. Paul's.

Fortified for the afternoon, you can begin your descent on yet another monument:

3 - St. Paul's Cathedral

Wren's Cathedral, the fifth to be built on this spot, is not filled with great art and treasures. But it's an adventure nonetheless. The thrill comes in climbing to the dome and taking in the Whispering Gallery (259 steps), the Stone Gallery (530 steps), and especially the panoramic sweep from the Inner Golden Gallery on top of the dome.

4 - Tate Modern

On the south side of the Thames, the relatively new Tate Modern, shelters the greatest collection of international 20th-century art in Britain, ranking with the Pompidou in Paris but not the equal of New York's Museum of Modern Art. You'll see all the Warhols, Picassos, and Pollocks an art devotee could ever dream of. Allow at least 1 1/2 hours for the most cursory of visits.

Head for Westminster Bridge (Tube: Westminster), the embarkation point for the:

5 - British Airways London Eye

The world's largest observation wheel is the fourth-tallest structure in London, with panoramic views that extend on a clear day for 40km (25 miles). Each of the 32 futuristic-looking "pods" carries visitors to a bird's-eye view of London, making a complete rotation every 30 minutes. Currently, it's the most popular ride in London.

6 - Royal National Theatre

For your final night in London (assuming you're skipping Day 3), we'd recommend a night at the Royal National Theatre. On the South Bank of the Thames, this is one of the world's great stage companies -- not just one theater, but a trio of modern auditoriums, each with the latest equipment and great acoustics. Even the Queen attends for one of the new plays, comedies, musicals, or whatever. There is always a major event being presented here, often with the greatest thespians or musicians in the world. You can arrive early for a pretheater meal in one of the cultural complex's dining facilities, such as the main restaurant, the Mezzanine.