London insider tips off the beaten track, these are the places you must visit.
London has many hidden corners and insider tips that not everyone knows about. If you're in London for the first time, you should definitely also take a look at the the most important sights in London. If you're like me and travel to London again and again, here are some real insider tips for London that not everyone knows about. They still exist. Hidden bars that don't have a sign at the entrance or alternative and unusual city tours in Londonthat I recommend you to do.
Before you embark on this adventure, it's important to pick the right place to stay. With plenty of options to choose from, tophotels.com is a great resource to find the best accommodations suiting your preferences and requirements. Stay in comfort as you explore the city's kept secrets.
I'll show you how to discover London off the beaten track!
Secret hidden bars
In London you will find many hidden, secret and not easy to find bars. On our last short trip to London, we visited a few of them, of course. The best of them is the following:
Lounge Bohemia
You haven't found this bar on Google for a long time. Unfortunately, many visitors didn't stick to the code, please don't upload pictures of the cocktails, nor publish the location. There is no sign at the entrance pointing to the location and not even the locals on the street know the bar.
Note: Actually, there should be no public photo of the unbelievably good looking (and tasting) cocktails, as it is pointed out not to take and publish photos. We are happy to comply. Meanwhile, more and more photos are being uploaded to the internet. Time, for a next hidden bar as a tip....
The Lounge Bohemia is such a secret bar in the Shoreditch district. Between a kiosk and a restaurant, a small staircase leads to a bar with only a few seats. This is where the molecular cocktail experience is celebrated.
The interior is a little reminiscent of a mixture of urban chic and grandma's living room. The owner probably raided all the second-hand stores in the area to furnish his bar. The cocktail selection is just as unusual as the interior.
We have never tried such extravagant cocktails before. It steamed and smoked, one glass was a glass skull, the next cocktail was served from a teapot. Some cocktails don't even come in liquid form. The Bearllinis are gummy bears filled with Bellini.
Of course, we don't want to reveal the exact address of the bar here. Part of the experience is calling the number on the website and getting an appointment. Have fun discovering.
Map of the Lounge Bohemia Bar in London Free panoramic view of the skyline
London has many skyscrapers from which you can enjoy beautiful views. Some of the best views of London and the skyline are even free. For example, you can get a great view for free from the café at the Tate Modern gallery. You can take the lift to the top to enjoy the view of the Thames and the city.
At the same time, you can see the really good exhibitions in the Tate Modern. These are also free of charge.
The view from the Tate Modern café in London is free, as is the museum.
On the trail of the unsolved crimes of Jack the Ripper
The unsolved crimes of London's infamous Jack the Ripper have captivated generations of Londoners and visitors alike. The serial killer who brutally murdered and mutilated at least five women at the end of the 19th century, and remains a story of mystery hundreds of years later, leaves no one cold.
Take the Jack the Ripper Tour to find out not only why he did it (the killer was never identified and the motive never solved), but also how he got away with it. Our most exciting of all insider tips for London.
Although there are a variety of Jack the Ripper tours in London, this one is the most popular and best (I think). The tour is led by Jack the Ripper story experts who tell the story quite well and in an exciting way. And if you do the tour at night, it gets a bit creepier.
My experience: we spent the rest of the evening on our mobile phones and reading up on the stories and rumours surrounding Jack the Ripper in the nearby Ten Bells pub (where he is also said to have been prowling).
Ten Bells Bar and Pub in London Breakfast at The Breakfast Club
With 12 branches in London The Breakfast Club is one of the most popular restaurants in London. And what can we say? Quite rightly so. We had breakfast at the Breakfast Club twice, that's how good we thought the concept was. Just imagine, you can have breakfast all day long, it's paradise, isn't it?
But if you think the menu changes depending on the time of day, you'll be disappointed. The concept of the Breakfast Club is: breakfast all day. An absolute dream, especially for late risers and breakfast lovers.
Basically, there are two different types of branches. Daytime Cafs and All Day Cafs. The Daytime Cafs are open until 5 pm and serve breakfast and lunch, the All Day Cafs are open until late in the evening. You can also have dinner here.
The menu includes the breakfast classics: Avocado On Rye, Pancakes & Bacon, Granola & Yoghurt and Eggs Benedict. But there are also unusual dishes like the Disco Fries or Cauliflower Fritters & Chimichurri.
Whether you opt for a classic or something fancy. Savoury or sweet, breakfast, dinner, whatever the time, the Breakfast Club is always worth a visit.
Vegan options are also on the menu, of course.
What are you waiting for? Let's go to the Breakfast Club in London! See all our tips for eating out in London here.
London insider tips for breakfast: Breakfast Club London Pancakes
Breakfast Club London Egg Benedict (my favourite of the top 10 tips)
Sky Garden
If you haven't been to London that often, you might not know the debate about which view is the more beautiful: The Shard or the Sky Garden. If you want to discover a lesser known view, I recommend Sky Garden. The free view gives you a great 360-degree panoramic view of London from behind a huge glass wall.
There's also a beautifully landscaped garden, café, bar and restaurant. If you want to stop in, make sure you book early. My tip: new dates are always released on Mondays.
The Sky Garden is also the highest garden in the UK. It is located in the fifth tallest building in the city, also known as the Walkie-Talkie Building because of its unusual design. It is a little off the beaten track, and therefore a real insider tip for us.
Kyoto Garden
London has many beautiful parks, but for me as a Japan fan, Kyoto Garden is quite unique. It is located in Holland Park. Walking through the garden, you know roughly what it feels like to walk through a park in Japan. There are peacocks and huge koi in the pond - the biggest attractions in Kyoto Garden.
Greenwich Pedestrian Tunnel
Did you know there's a pedestrian tunnel under the Thames? Ok, it's gloomy, cold and not pretty. But somehow it's great to walk under London's Thames after a day in Greenwich. For me, it's a real insider tip in London. If a friend living in London hadn't told me about it, I would never have known about it.
London insider tips also take you underground.
A journey to undiscovered corners of the city
Neal's Yard
My secret tip for the centre of Soho is no longer quite so unknown. Nevertheless, many tourists pass by without discovering Neal's Yard because of its location in an inner courtyard. If you don't know that there's a colourful courtyard in an inconspicuous place, keep walking.
If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of Covent Garden and Leicester Square, head to this insider tip and take a break in one of the cafés.
The most colourful of all insider tips for London: Neal's Yard
The best bagels are at Beigel Bake
For the most famous (and tastiest) bagel in London, go to Beigel Bake. Open 24 hours a day, the bakery opened on Brick Lane in 1974. To this day, up to 7,000 bagels are baked there every day according to a traditional Jewish recipe. Don't be fooled, the interior is functional and a bit outdated. But that doesn't detract from the taste.
The Salt Beef Bagel is the shop's flagship. It is already considered the London version of the Katz pastrami sandwich from New York. Beigel Bake is not just a tip if you want a tasty snack at a reasonable price! And best of all, Beigel Bake is open 24 hours a day. No matter when you're hungry for a bagel, you can always get a fresh treat here.
We stopped here on our first day and could hardly tear ourselves away, it tasted so good. Most tourist trails lead past here, only locals find their way inside. Before our flight back to Germany, we stocked up on bagels here again. Absolutely top recommendation (you may have to queue a little for them)!
Top 10 food insider tips in London: Beigel Bake
Beigel Bake London
Pastrami bagel in London? Beigel Bake has the best!
The coolest markets in London
Camden Market hasn't been an insider tip for a long time. Everyone knows it or has at least heard about it. But there are other interesting markets and places in London that are worth visiting:
Borough Market
Brick Lane Market
Old Spitalfields Market (with great second hand stalls)
Leadenhall Market indoor market
Portobello Road Antique Market (Notting Hill)
Covent Garden Market Hall
Alfies Antique Market (Lisson Grove)
Broadway Market: vintage clothes and organic food
Here I have summarised the best markets in London in detail.
London Insider Tips: Borough Market with lots of food stalls, music and bars.