Beyond the tourist crowds of Oxford Street and Tower Bridge, London hides a parallel city of quiet wonders. A hidden garden blooms behind a church on Fleet Street where memorial benches face a plane tree planted in the seventeenth century. Speakeasy bars hide behind unmarked doors in Soho, requiring passwords whispered to doormen in period costume.
Yes, the Tower of London, Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace, are amongst the long list of ‘must do’ in London, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be tied down by the guide book. London offers a massive variety of places to visit, and something for everyone, not all of which are known. Here are a few places that are well worth a quick visit for a slightly different experience.
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Spuntino
Well kept secret, mainly because this delicious and well-priced food joint has no phone, takes no reservations and is pretty hard to find if you don’t know where it is. However, it’s no secret to those who know this American-style diner that the truffled egg toast is a must have.
Tottenham Court Road Tube Station
The tube map is not the only part of London’s transport which is seen as a piece of art. Visit this tube station for Eduardo Paolozzi’s mosaic masterpieces representing the variety of electronic shops opposite the station.
Tamesis Dock
The Embankment is a great place to see the River Thames, particularly with the large number of tourist attractions clustered together creating a particularly beautiful scene at night. However, this fun old barge is a great way to experience the view whilst enjoying the local atmosphere.
Phoenix Gardens
Quietness in the centre of bustling London is rare, but Phoenix Gardens provides a restful environment in the heart of Soho and Covent Garden. Originally one of five, and now the only one remaining, this community garden is looked after by volunteers. Take a small break here from walking and the crowds for a picnic or coffee.
Phoenix Gardens, London, UK by Ewan Munro
Columbia Road Flower Market
Every sunday this street becomes home to a large and loud flower market. Almost stopped in the 80s, this historic market was saved by the local community. With live music and small independent galleries and shops lining the market, walk along to enjoy the smells and sounds. Not the biggest secret, but often missed by tourists. Nearby to the Sunday Upmarket at Brick Lane, and also Spitalfields.
Summer Cinema Season
Although England’s summer is pretty short, full advantage is made with these outside cinema projections across London. Seeing a film when exploring another city always feels like a bit of a waste, but with impressive backdrops from Kew Gardens to a rooftop in Shoreditch, it’s a special viewing. However, blankets, scarves and coats should be taken with you because it is still England after all.
Cockney Bank Machines
Secret locations across parts of London, with one being located on Commercial Road. Unlike the usual trip to the bank, you can choose to have bangers and mash instead of pounds.
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Daunt Books and Sir John Soane’s Museum
Daunt Books on Marylebone High Street is London’s most beautiful bookshop, occupying an Edwardian building with a long oak gallery lit by a stained-glass skylight. The shop organises shelves by country rather than genre. A short walk brings you to Sir John Soane’s Museum, the former home of the architect who designed the Bank of England. Soane left his house as a museum in 1837, stipulating that nothing be moved or rearranged. The result is a time capsule of Georgian eccentricity: the Picture Room reveals Hogarth paintings, the Monk’s Parlour glows with coloured glass, and the basement contains the sarcophagus of Pharaoh Seti I. Entry is free, but the house limits visitors to 90 at a time.
Little Venice and the hidden Waterways
Little Venice is a pocket of calm where the Grand Union Canal and Regent’s Canal meet in a basin lined with weeping willows and moored narrowboats. The junction sits 10 minutes from Warwick Avenue tube station. Floating cafes serve coffee from converted barges, and canal-side pubs have beer gardens that spill to the water’s edge. A 45-minute narrowboat cruise passes through Maida Hill Tunnel, emerging into Regent’s Park by London Zoo. The stretch between Little Venice and Camden Lock passes Victorian townhouses with private moorings. For a spontaneous discovery, walk east along the towpath: within 15 minutes the crowds fall away, leaving lapping water, coots on the banks, and occasional herons fishing.
What secret London spot would you most want to discover? 🔍
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