“Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”
— Samuel Johnson
To summarise the meaning of this famous quote, if you’re tired of London, you’re pretty much tired of life and living anywhere else in the world – a deeply profound and let’s be honest, truthful statement!
With that in mind, here are 10 secret spots in London you need to visit when you’re next in London to get the full Londoner experience.
Camden Town is the hub of all things fun, creative and vibrant within the district of North London. From the famous Camden vintage markets to Camden Lock to the former home of singer Amy Winehouse, there’s more than enough to explore in this area. Make sure you have your camera to hand when you’re in the area – there’s lots of cool and quirky graffiti to be found here.
Fun Fact: The Hawley Arms Pub do a great selection of Beers and Ciders. Bar 55 is a top spot for delicious, mouth-watering Cocktails.
Slightly similar to Camden, Brick Lane offers all things fun and vibrant and is a popular destination amongst the youth and creative types. From small clothes pop-up shops to cool and quaint coffee shops to endless amounts of pubs, bars and dining place Brick Lane is a great place to visit during any day, time, or month of the year. Brick Lane also offers a lot of beauitful wall and building graffiti and artwork.
Fun Fact: Love bagels? Head to Beigel Bake to grab yourself a delicious bagel – the shop was founded back in 1974, and they currently produce 7,000 bagels a day!
One tube stop away from Camden, Kentish Town is a smaller version of it – it has a few pubs, bars and restaurants and dining places that are a bit more upmarket, and are great for dates or a special occasions. One of the main attractions in the area is the famous musical venue KOKO that is well worth a look even if you don’t buy tickets to an event.
Fun fact: The venue first opened on Boxing Day 1900 and was a variety theatre where Charlie Chaplin regularly performed.
The bustling streets of Soho feature a mix of shopping, nightlife adventures and dining options and experiences. The world famous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club is located here calling the area home. Dean, Beak, Frith and Old Compton streets are the hub of day and night time activity and experiences. Lovers of all things Theatre can head on over to Shaftesbury Avenue, while shoppers move towards Carnaby, Oxford and Regents Street for all the iconic and famous shopping department stores and outlets.
Fun Fact: Some of the streets of Soho are narrow, uneven and cobbled – it does add a magical and rustic feel to the beautiful streets of London.
Islington/ Angel is one of London’s most trendy and eclectic neighbours to visit and/ or live in. The area has beautiful energy of posh meets street vibe – a unique combination that is one-of-a-kind. Local residents and owners have included Lily Allen and George Orwell – so it must be quite an impressive area to visit.
This area is also great for Arts and Culture and is home to The Screen – an old school Cinema where you can catch new releases; cult films an even parent and baby screenings. Upper Street in Islington is a street littered with food places and restaurants. From Turkish meze restaurants to authentic curry houses, you’ll find most food nationalities somewhere along this street.
If you’re looking to have some fun and experience an activity whilst you’re in London, Bounce is the go-to place to visit. It combines three different yet leisurely activities together; a restaurant, a bar and a Ping-Pong playing table area of course!
London loves Bounce so much that there is another branch in Farringdon should you find yourself in the area. There is an extensive traditional Italian Pizza selection and a variety of cocktails, beers and wines on the menu pre or post Ping-Pong match (whether you win or lose!)
A trip to London wouldn’t be complete without a visit to a traditional Pie and Mash shop would it? From Hackney to Hoxton, to Leytonstone, you can find lots of these cosy and delicious spots in and around London.
Fun Fact: If you’re looking for one of the best Pie and Mash shops in London, head to M Manze in E17 – the shop opened back in 1891 and is the oldest to still exist.
Located north of Paddington, Little Venice is a beautiful pocket of London where you can find stunning waterways and canals that make for some great pictures and photography shots. The warming neighbourhood is home to cosy and quaint pubs, waterside cafes and delicious restaurants so there’s more than enough option in the area.
Fun Fact: More than 700,000 people Little Venice every year – make sure you’re one of them!
Love a sweet treat with a twist? Why not head on down to Chin Chin’s Ice Cream place in Camden Town. This isn’t like your average Ice cream shop it’s a liquid nitrogen Ice- Cream Parlour that offers an array of colourful, different and delicious desserts for you to pick from. From Chai Carrot Cake to Tonka bean ice cream to Brownie Cookie Sandwich there’s a sweet treat in this place waiting for you.
Top Tip: The Chin Chin Vegan Hot Chocolate is a must-try. It’s got a hint of raspberry and apricot in it and it’s absolutely delicious if you like fruity and chocolate tastes combined.
Everybody loves to know a secret venue where delicious drinks are served. London has a few of these hidden gems and top recommendations include The Little Yellow Door in Notting Hill, The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town in Spitalfields and Evans and Peel Detective Agency in Earl’s Court. Shhh! Don’t tell anyone that we told you!
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