Unique things to do in London

Ever wanted to play sleeping lions, for real? Now's your chance. London Zoo has built fancy little lodges where you can have a sleepover in (well, next to) the lion enclosure. It's not the cheapest way to walk on the wild side, but there are plenty of perks, including private guided tours, exclusive access to animal enclosures after hours, and a two-course dinner and buffet breakfast are included. Hakuna matata!

There's nowhere more chic to buy tarot cards, crystals, and witchy gear than She's Lost Control, a Hackney shop with spooky vibes to spare. But did you know they can also delve into the deepest secrets of your personality? Aura photographing sessions at the back of the shop are accompanied by a chat about what the different colours could mean. Then, you get a nice printed out polaroid of yourself surrounded by a cloud of colour, whether you're a negative nancy brown or a sunny mellow yellow.

This tiny museum is the life's work of Sir John Soane, an obsessive collector who rammed every inch of his house full of paintings, furniture, and ancient Greek statues (toned male torsoes feature prominently). A notable eccentric, he even built a cell for fictional monk ‘Padre Giovanni’ (we all need an imaginary friend). Go for an after dark visit and see its treasures loom out at you in the eerie half-light. 

You could easily live your whole life in London without hearing about Eel Pie Island. Frankly, this eccentrically-named isle in the Thames sounds like it's been made up, with its rock'n'roll heritage and artsy leanings. But head to this little-known Twickenham mudflat and you'll be treading on territory of a former hippie commune that housed gigs by The Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd, before evolving into a ramshackle collection of artists’ studios. Keep your eyes peeled for Eel Pie’s open days when you’ll get the chance to visit this secretive hidden community.

Peckham's coolest hangout spot right now is in fact really rather warm. Sauna Social Club is a timber steam room which prioritises ambiance, accompanying its sessions with downtempo sounds and a lounge to hang out after your sesh. On Friday and Saturday nights, DJs soundtrack your sauna time, and you can get low-alcohol beers in the bar afterwards. Sweating alongside half-nude strangers has never been more chic. 

Welcome to full-throttle ’80s front-room fetishism, with cocktail menus hidden inside Charles ’n’ Diana memorabilia books, mocktails served in leopard-print mugs, soap stars in photo frames and cat-covered cushions galore. Little Nan’s Bar was set up in honour of owner Tristan’s late grandmother, who made it to 104. Expect leopard print, china and Pat references aplenty.

Down a perfectly normal-looking street in East Dulwich, you'll find a perfectly not-normal-looking abode. Taking the concept of one man's trash being another man’s treasure, artist Stephen Wright is in the process of covering every available surface of this home in his kitschy mosaics. Everything here comes together in a magical hideaway that’s periodically open to the public, generally on the last Saturday of the month.

Sorting out your own life is hard. So why not get a robot to do it? Nope, I'm not talking about Chat GPT: these are the decidedly more lo-fi creations of cartoonist Tim Hunkin, who's created automatons who can grant you a quickie divorce, take you to sunnier climes, or help you lose a pound or two: all for the humble cost of a quid per go. 

If the grey weather has put you in search of some glorious colour, then feast your peepers on an endless expanse of neon signs at God’s Own Junkyard, artist Chris Bracey’s collection of his work at Walthamstow. This fascinating spot will introduce you to the wonders of an artform he's used to ornament everything from strip clubs to bars to Hollywood movies.

Think white-water rafting and you might be having visions of dramatic rivers wending their way over rocks in some kind of tropical jungle-type setting. But astonishingly, you can try your hand (or oar) at this daredevil sport without leaving London. Lee White Water Centre is a former London 2012 Olympic Games venue is open to the public for adrenalin-fuelled white-water rafting, canoeing and kayaking sessions – and riding the rapids that challenged the world's best makes for an action-packed experience.

Mud, mud, glorious mud! Pull on a pair of the supplied waders and get covered in the sticky stuff on a guided walk at low tide around Deptford Creek. This post-industrial area is a haven birds, bees, and all kinds of flora and fauna. Your two-hour walk will introduce you to this wondrous habitat, and release your inner toddler into the bargain. 

The Grade II-listed former Victorian waste water pumping station Walthamstow Pumphouse stopped sloshing around sewage a while ago and is now home to something far more palatable. Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, it's home to Latin American supper clubs where you can feast on a six-course tasting menu in a vintage tube carriage. Dimmed lights, an atmospheric soundtrack, and dishes from Mexico to Patagonia set the tone for a memorable night on the rails.

If you want to instantly feel like you've plunged back through the centuries, explore Dennis Severs' ornate Huguenot house, which has been decked out to recreate snapshots of life in Spitalfields between 1724 and 1914. A tour through the ‘still-life drama’, as American creator Dennis Severs put it, takes you through the cellar, kitchen, dining room, smoking room and upstairs to the bedrooms. Opt for one of the silent candlelit visits on a Friday night for maximum historic atmosphere.

Glide down the Thames in a bovine boat as part of this alternative sightseeing tour. A two-man vessel decorated with a black and white cow print will be your mode of transport. Just head to Hackney Wick barge'The Milk Float' to be outfitted with a canoe and oars, before splashing down the river and back to base camp for cocktails on the water.

Indulge your taste for the macabre at this tiny Mare Street curiosity shop, which is decked with a plethora of shells, skulls, taxidermy specimens and assorted oddities including a lock of Elvis’s hair, the skull of Pablo Escobar’s hippo and a mermaid skeleton. Stick around for an absinthe or tarot reading to make your inner witch cackle with glee.

Gorilla Circus's flying trapeze school sets up camp on the north-west side of Regent’s Park for the summer with expert acrobats teaching all sorts of fancy tricks on the highly strung bars. Even beginners aim to be ‘caught’ by the hands of a (trustworthy) instructor by the end of a two-hour session. 

Are you a sucker for a pretty plate decked out with delicate herbs or dabs of coulis? Learn to focus on what really matters at Dans le Noir?, an Islington restaurant where you eat in complete darkness, putting all the focus on the taste, smell and texture of the food. Before being led into the pitch-black basement by the restaurant’s blind waiters, you select one of four colour-coded mystery menus. The best part? If you spill anything down your top, no one’s going to notice. 

An entire museum dedicated to a coquettish cooling method? We are a fan. This beautiful building is the world’s first museum dedicated to the history of handheld fans and the craft of fan-making. Housed in a pair of newly restored Georgian townhouses, it holds more than 3,000 specimens from all over the world, some dating back to the eleventh century. Entry costs just £5, and it's just on the edge of Greenwich Park for a picturesque stroll afterwards.

The proposition of a drink in a public loo has never been a very appealing one. That was until WC opened up inside an old toilet in Clapham. But don’t be put off your Martini: not only is it surprisingly beautiful, it’s – dare we say it – romantic. Spend a penny on a well-curated wine list and a selection of cheese and charcuterie. WC, geddit?

Ready for tales of murder, torture and other foul deeds? They're all brought to life on a tour of London’s horrible past in a scary but seriously funny style. There's a stonking variety of scenery, smells, rides and atmospheric lighting to make you feel like you’ve left the twenty-first century behind.

There’s a wonderful world to discover below ground level, and we’re not talking about the tube. The Roman Temple of Mithras lay hidden for around 2,000 years before it was rediscovered in central London. Now, it’s preserved in a state-of-the-art museum, where visitors can ogle some of the exquisite artefacts that were left or lost by the very first Londoners. Look out for the ancient Oyster cards carved in marble… kidding.   

A few years back, The Cheese Bar made all our dreams come true when it opened a cheese conveyor belt restaurant in the West End, and we are forever thankful for it. It’s just as you hope it’ll be and more: an unending supply of quality, artisan cheese dishes gliding around a shared dining table. Plates start from around £4.35 – you’re in for gouda times. 

Know the Burger King at Euston like the back of your hand? Maybe it’s time to explore what lies beneath it with one of London Transport Museum's special tours. There is a labyrinth of dark passageways that have been concealed for more than 50 years – many of them with perfectly preserved mid-century design. Book a tour and fall in love with these dank and grimy relics of old London. 

The dimly lit tunnels of Leake Street link the South Bank area to Lower Marsh, creating an edgy subterranean gallery of street art. Look closely, and you might spot a Banksy. Or just soak up the atmosphere and get mildly, enjoyably high off the fug of aerosol fumes.  

Imagine passing a kidney stone the size of a mango. Not only did it really happen, but the folks at the Science Museum got their hands on it to show in their Medicine gallery. The speckled display wall looks rather beautiful from afar. Then you get up close and realise it's made up of hundreds of urinary and gall stones which have been removed from the human body. Nice. 

Ah, oysters. The height of sophistication, right? Well, they were considered peasant food in London in ye olde days, served up on street corners as snacks. Today, they’re enjoying a renaissance thanks to a foodie boom and their fab sustainability credentials. With that in mind, there’s no need to be intimidated. Bentley’s Oyster Masterclass is one of the best in the biz: spend a Saturday morning eating a load of oysters and mastering shucking for £85, which includes a glass of champers. That’s worth shelling out for. 

It looks more like a psytrance rave, but a Neon Naked life drawing session is actually an experiment in light, texture and movement. Expect models adorned in glorious neon accessories and body paint, throwing different poses for you to capture. Keen drawers are encouraged to experiment with different techniques, like line drawing and pointillism, using neon paint. Those with little or no experience are welcome, too.