This post was originally published on A Globe Well Travelled in 2017. The content has been revised and updated with fresh information.
When I visited London for the second time, I’d already ticked off most of the big attractions.
Big Ben, the London Eye, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace… as iconic as they are, I didn’t feel the need to visit all of those tourist hotspots again.
Instead, I found myself looking for a different side of the city. I asked some friends and relatives for their London recommendations, and started exploring beyond the main attractions. Some of these spots were suggested by people who live in the city, others I stumbled across by accident, and a few I only discovered because I had extra time to wander.
If you’ve already seen the highlights (or just want to experience London a little differently), here are some underrated things to do in London that go beyond the usual tourist checklist.
Quick summary:
Looking for things to do in London beyond the usual tourist attractions? This guide covers underrated experiences across the city — from skyline views and street art to historic sites and local favourites — all based on my own visits and discoveries.
Recommended tours:
🚤 Westminster to Greenwich River Thames Cruise – Scenic cruise between central London and Greenwich with iconic views.
🎨 Shoreditch Street Art Tour London – Discover hidden murals and learn the stories behind Shoreditch’s street art.
🥐 Borough Market Food Tour with 6+ Tastings – Sample classic British dishes and explore London’s top food market.
🚇 Hidden Tube Tour (Baker Street) – Explore disused platforms and secret underground tunnels.
10 things to do in London that most tourists miss:
1. Spend a half day exploring Greenwich
Greenwich is one of those places that was never at the top of my list, but I was pleasantly surprised when I finally visited.
I started at the Royal Observatory, where I stood on the Prime Meridian line (Longitude 0º) and quietly geeked out for a moment. It’s one of those experiences that feels a bit surreal — standing with one foot in the eastern hemisphere and one in the west.
The observatory itself is worth exploring too. This is where some of the world’s most important discoveries in astronomy and navigation were made, and you can learn about the scientists who helped map the stars and shape modern timekeeping. Inside, you’ll find historic instruments, exhibitions and even the chance to touch a meteorite.
🎟️ Royal Observatory Greenwich & Prime Meridian Entrance Ticket – Stand on the Meridian Line and explore the historic home of British astronomy.
Surrounding the observatory is a large park with views over the Old Royal Naval College and parts of the London skyline in the distance. It’s a really nice area to wander through, and it feels quite different from central London.
As you make your way down towards the river, you’ll pass the National Maritime Museum (which is free to enter) and the Cutty Sark. I stopped at Greenwich Market for lunch, which had plenty of affordable options — I ended up getting six fried pierogi and a fresh juice for under 10 pounds.
Greenwich is easy to explore in half a day, but you could easily spend longer if you want to take your time. It’s a great option if you’re looking to see a slightly different side of London beyond the main attractions.
2. Take a Thames river cruise instead of the tube
One of my favourite ways to get back from Greenwich was by taking a Thames river cruise — and it ended up being so much more enjoyable than catching the tube.
I took a boat from Greenwich back towards central London on a sunny afternoon, and it completely changed the pace of the day. Sitting on the open-top deck, watching the city pass by from the water, felt far more relaxed than navigating busy train stations.
Along the way, you’ll pass major landmarks like Tower Bridge, the Shard, the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye, so it doubles as a bit of sightseeing too.
🚤 Westminster to Greenwich River Thames Cruise – Scenic one-way or return cruise past London’s most iconic landmarks.
This particular route is a really convenient option, as it connects central London with Greenwich. You can either take it one-way or return, and it includes stops along the river so you can hop on or off depending on your plans.
If you’re already planning to visit places along the Thames — like Greenwich, Westminster or the Tower of London — this is a really easy (and much more scenic) way to travel between them.
3. See the street art in Shoreditch
Shoreditch is hands-down my favourite area of London — but what keeps drawing me back is the street art.
I spent an afternoon just wandering through the neighbourhood, and it felt like every corner had something completely different. Massive murals, political pieces, abstract splashes of colour — even entire building walls covered in artwork. It’s the kind of place where you’ll find yourself stopping every few minutes to take photos.
Brick Lane is a good place to start, but some of the best pieces are tucked down side streets and alleyways, so it’s worth giving yourself time to just explore without a set plan. The art changes regularly too, which means no two visits are ever quite the same.
🎨 Shoreditch Street Art Tour London – Discover hidden murals and learn the stories behind Shoreditch’s vibrant street art scene.
If you want a bit more context behind what you’re seeing, a guided tour is a great way to understand the meaning behind the artwork and discover pieces you’d probably miss on your own. But even if you’re just wandering independently, this is one of the most colourful and creative parts of London to explore.
4. Do a food tour at Borough Market
I’ll admit — I don’t usually join food tours when I travel because of my vegetarian dietary choices, but Borough Market managed to surprise me.
Instead of wandering through on my own, I joined a guided food tour — and it completely changed the experience.
Rather than guessing what to try, we were taken straight to some of the best spots in and around the market and given a generous number of tastings along the way. I wasn’t sure how much I’d be able to try, but there were still plenty of options — from cheeses and baked goods to classic British dishes — and I definitely ate far more than I had planned.
🥐 Borough Market Food Tour with 6+ Tastings – Sample classic British dishes and explore London’s most iconic food market with a guide.
One of the things I enjoyed most was getting a better understanding of British food culture. Between stops, the guide shared stories about the area and the dishes themselves, which made the whole experience feel much more immersive than just grabbing something from a stall.
Borough Market sits at the southern end of London Bridge and has been around for around 1,000 years, which adds a bit of history to the experience too. But what really made it memorable was having that local insight — knowing what to try, where to go, and discovering places I would have completely missed on my own.
If you’re planning to visit Borough Market, I’d highly recommend doing a food tour. It turns what could be a standard wander into something much more engaging (and very filling).
5. Find the remains of the old London Wall
I wasn’t planning on seeing the London Wall at all — I actually just stumbled across it while walking around the city with my cousin who lived in London for a few years.
The wall dates back to around 200 AD, when it was built by the Romans to protect the city. Today, only a few scattered sections remain, and they feel strangely out of place surrounded by modern office buildings and glass-covered skyscrapers.
It’s one of those things that’s very easy to walk past without even realising what you’re looking at — there’s no big crowds or obvious signage drawing attention to it. But once you know what it is, it’s a pretty fascinating reminder of just how much history is layered into London.
If you want to find it, walk along the street called London Wall (easy to remember), and you’ll spot one of the largest remaining sections near the Museum of London.
6. Explore Baker Street’s hidden underground tunnels
Baker Street station is one of the oldest stations in the world, dating all the way back to 1863 — but what most people see today is only a small part of its history.
I originally stopped here just to have a quick look around one of the world’s first underground stations, and while you can still see some of the older design elements and historical displays along the platforms, it didn’t take long to realise there’s a lot more hidden beneath the surface.
🚇 Hidden Tube Tour (Baker Street) – Go behind the scenes to explore disused platforms and secret underground tunnels.
This guided tour takes you into parts of the station that are normally closed to the public, including old lift shafts and sections of the original underground network that you’d never be able to access on your own.
It’s a really unique way to learn about the origins of London’s transport system, and it gives you a completely different perspective on a place that most people would just pass through without a second thought.
7. Visit the British Library
My visit was mainly so that I could photograph the towering bookcases and curved stairwells in the lobby, but the British Library is actually somewhat of a museum too.
As you walk in, you’ll see a large glass-covered bookcase directly in front of you — The King’s Library, a collection of over 85,000 books acquired by King George III.
Inside the Sir John Ritblat Gallery, you’ll find a collection of rare books and manuscripts, including original notes by Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde and Lewis Carroll, as well as handwritten lyrics from The Beatles.
The library also hosts rotating exhibitions. When I visited, there was a display of illustrations by Sir Quentin Blake from Roald Dahl’s stories, which brought back some very nostalgic childhood memories.
8. Visit Kensington Palace (for a different kind of royal experience)
I hadn’t even heard of Kensington Palace before this trip, but as I was trying to make the most of my time in London, I decided to check it out — and it ended up being far more interesting than I expected.
Unlike Buckingham Palace, which feels very formal and grand, Kensington Palace has a quieter, more personal feel. You can walk through a series of rooms set up to reflect how they would have looked in the 17th and 18th centuries, including the impressive King’s Staircase.
👑 Kensington Palace Entrance Tickets – Explore the State Apartments and learn about the lives of past royal residents.
What stood out most to me, though, was the connection to Princess Diana. Kensington Palace was her primary residence after her marriage to Prince Charles, and learning more about her life here added a completely different layer to the visit.
When I was there, an exhibition called Diana: Her Fashion Story was on display, featuring some of the dresses she wore alongside photos of her wearing them. I’m not particularly interested in fashion, but I actually found this surprisingly engaging.
The palace also hosts rotating exhibitions, so there’s often something new to see depending on when you visit. The gardens are worth a wander too, especially in spring when the flowers are in bloom.
9. Visit Sky Garden (free alternative to the London Eye)
I’d seen photos of Sky Garden before visiting London, but I didn’t fully realise it was free — which immediately made it one of the best-value experiences I had in the city.
Located at the top of a skyscraper in the City of London, Sky Garden is essentially a lush indoor garden with panoramic views across the skyline. You’ll get a clear view of landmarks like the Shard, the Thames and even Tower Bridge — without paying the hefty ticket price of the London Eye.
You do need to book a free time slot in advance, and there’s a quick security check on arrival, but once you’re up there you can wander around at your own pace. I’d recommend aiming for late afternoon or sunset if you can — the light over the city is beautiful.
If you’re trying to stick to a budget in while travelling through London (which isn’t always easy), this is one of those experiences that genuinely feels like a win.
10. See the city skyline from Primrose Hill
When I asked for recommendations on what to do in London, I had a few people suggest Primrose Hill — which surprised me, because I’d never even heard of it before.
On my last day in the city, I decided to head there to see what all the fuss was about. Even with cloudy skies and chilly weather, there were still plenty of people sitting on the grass and taking in the view.
From the top of the hill, you get a clear view of the London skyline stretching out in the distance. It’s not the most dramatic skyline I’ve ever seen, but it’s still a really nice spot — especially if you’re looking for somewhere a bit more relaxed and less crowded than the main viewpoints.
Where to stay in London
On my most recent trip to London, I stayed at The Hoxton Shoreditch.
The rooms were all styled slightly differently (I know this because the other bloggers I was travelling with and I compared!), and mine had retro carpet and lamps that gave it a really cosy feel. It struck a nice balance between being stylish and comfortable without feeling over the top.
The location was a big highlight too. Shoreditch is one of the most vibrant areas in London, with plenty of restaurants, cafés and bars nearby, and it’s also a great base for exploring parts of East London on foot. I found myself spending quite a bit of time just wandering the neighbourhood.
🛏️ The Hoxton Shoreditch – A stylish boutique hotel in one of London’s most creative neighbourhoods.
That said, where you stay in London really depends on your travel style. If it’s your first visit, you might prefer to stay closer to central London for easy access to the main sights. But if you’ve already been before (or want a slightly different experience), staying somewhere like Shoreditch gives you a more local feel while still being well connected by public transport.
*My trip to London was sponsored by Visit Britain, who invited me along with a few other bloggers over to challenge us to see as much of London as we could on a small budget. I’m proud to be an honest and transparent blogger, so every opinion expressed on AGWT is a true review of my experience.
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