by Stephen Andrews
London is a great place to visit (or live in) with some of the most famous attractions in the world, like Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Big Ben and the British Museum.
If you’re exploring the city, they’re not to be missed. But, remember, London is
huge and there are interesting things to see and places to go around pretty much every corner.
And if you want a few unusual London pictures for your Instagram, these are definitely the places to go …
HMS Belfast
A warship in the middle of the Thames? It’s absolutely true. You’ll find HMS Belfast on the south bank of the river not far from Tower Bridge. The Belfast, launched in 1938, is a cruiser similar to the Imperial Japanese Navy’s Mogami-class ships. Damaged in battle during World War 2, it’s now a great place to visit if you want to see what life was like on board a warship!
Golden Hinde
And if you’re into ships, there’s one you can visit that’s even older than HMS Belfast - the Golden Hinde, not far from London Bridge on the south bank. It’s a modern replica of the original ship built in 1577, famous for being the first English galleon ship to travel around the globe, captained by Sir Francis Drake. The modern ship hasn’t done too badly, either. Since its launch in 1973, it has sailed over 100,000 miles, once around the globe and twice across the Atlantic. If you want a few photos of an authentic sailing ship, this is the place to go.
The Thin House
Five Thurloe Square, located between South Kensington station and the V&A Museum is one of the strangest looking buildings in London - because it’s so thin! Known as the 'Thin House', it measures only six feet wide at its narrowest point. What’s the story? In the 1800s when the London Underground was being developed, they knocked down quite a few houses in the area. Others had their back gardens reduced in size, so there was only room to build a very narrow building in the spot where the Thin House now stands.
Neal’s Yard
You’ll find Neal’s Yard in Covent Garden, sort of hidden away, just off Seven Dials, with entrances in Monmouth Street and Shorts Gardens. There are all kinds of different shops here including independent restaurants, cafes, health and beauty shops. Although it’s right in the heart of London, it has an ‘otherworldly’ feel a bit like a little village and is a very pretty place to take a few pictures.
Sky Gardens
Fancy a drink high in the sky? Then don’t miss a visit to the ‘Walkie-Talkie’ building, the huge modern skyscraper that’s located at 20 Fenchurch Street in the City. it stands at 160 metres high and, right at the top of it, there are the ‘Sky Gardens’ an area that resembles a public park or gardens, full of beautiful flowers, small trees and shrubs. Not only that, there’s a bar and a restaurant where you can have tea or dinner sitting in the clouds. Oh, and obviously, since you’re so high-up, the views across London are breathtaking. So be sure to get a few snaps of the stunning views … and, on top of all that, entrance is absolutely free!
Cartoon Museum
Love cartoons and comics? Then this is the place to go. Not one of the biggest museums in London, but one of the most interesting. The museum is dedicated to preserving the best of British cartoons, comics and animation. It has a massive collection of over 6000 original cartoons and comics, and a library of over 8000 comics and books.
Leadenhall Market
Portobello, Borough, Covent Garden, Brick Lane - you’ve probably heard of these famous London markets. But what about Leadenhall Market? It’s perhaps less-known, but is just as buzzy as the others. It’s the only market located in the financial district of the City of London. Located off Gracechurch, It’s definitely a bit of a hidden gem that boasts a wonderful selection of boutiques, shops, restaurants and bars. One of the most amazing things about it is the really stunning architecture dating back to the 14th century, an exciting contrast to the surrounding skyscrapers and office blocks of the Square Mile.
Whitechapel Gallery
Of course, you’ve heard of the Tate, Tate Modern and Tate Britain. But there are lots of other, perhaps less-well-known art galleries, in London. The Whitechapel, located in the now very trendy East End, in Whitechapel High Street, is one of the best to visit. Actually, although it exhibits a lot of contemporary art, it’s been there since 1908 and has exhibited such famous artists as Pablo Picasso, Bridget Riley and David Hockney. It’s the perfect place to stop-off if you’re exploring the surrounding Spitalfields area where a lot of London’s present-day creatives and artists live and work.
The Natural History Museum
True, it is one of the most popular museums in London. But, let’s face it, which other museum could you go to and the first thing you see when you walk in, is a real Blue Whale? (This replaced the world-famous dinosaur skeleton, Dippy, who was removed in 2017.) If you want to see more giant creatures, you could also go and see Archie, the 8.62 metre metre-long giant squid taken alive in a fishing net near the Falkland Islands in 2004. But, as well as all the weird and wonderful creatures you can see there, the museum building and galleries are just as amazing. The museum is a prime example of Victorian architecture with tiles and bricks featuring sculptures of plants and animals, both living and extinct.
Wherever you go, have a great visit – and don’t forget to post your photos!