One of the best things about London is that there is always something new to discover.
Tourists make a beeline for the obvious gems – the London Eye, Buckingham Palace and the delights of West End – while seasoned Londoners have their favourite cafes, they know the parks inside out and they all have a favourite beer garden too.
But, even for the lifelong Londoners, this city holds plenty of secrets just waiting to be discovered.
Did you know that you can get to a beach on the tube? Yep, Ruslip Lido is just past Uxbridge on the Piccadilly line. Or what about London’s smallest square, Pickering Place? This sits beyond an oak-lined tunnel in St. James.
It’s likely, during non-pandemic times, that you walk past these places often without a clue it’s there.
With the government giving the green light to start meeting our pals outside a bit more as part of its roadmap to easing lockdown, there’s been no better time to explore London’s best-kept secrets.
While some you may need to wait until lockdown lifts completely (this is currently scheduled for June 21, but is subject to changing), others you can go looking for right this minute.
Why not go on a big walk through the capital and tick off a few while you’re at it? On your way you can see church ruins that were destroyed in World War II, discover the vaults of Waterloo and end up in a concealed garden in the West End.
For those who live in Hampstead or Highgate, there’s a gothic village to discover and a hidden part of Hampstead Heath.