I love a bit of good old-fashioned tourism: you know, the kind that involves pootling round visitor attractions at a snail's pace, reading every caption a museum has to offer or spotting landmarks out of the window of a double decker bus like it's my own personal coach tour. But if three decades of London life have taught me anything (apart from the vital importance of never making eye contact with a tiktoker on Oxford Street) it's that the best days out are generally wherever the crowds aren't.
If you love rubbing shoulders with thousands of often-malodorous strangers, then by all means attempt to pick up a casual sandwich in Borough Market or take a leisurely stroll down Columbia Road, preferably on a Saturday afternoon when the sun's out. But if you want a bit of peace and quiet in which to discover London's rich cultural history, well, read on.
This guide to secret and hidden London will introduce you to a wealth of lesser known treasures. Spend a day losing yourself in secret gardens, discovering places that feel like time forgot them, and delighting in under-the-radar hangout spots. The only thing I ask is that unlike bigmouth old me, you keep schtum, so we can enjoy these hidden gems in peace for a little while longer.
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