Want something a little different on vacation? These are the most unexplored places in London that are some of our family favorites.
Most London visitors know about the London Eye and the London Zoo. It’s not difficult to find your way to the city’s famous bridges and museums. There’s a list of standard London attractions that everyone wants to see on their first visit and maybe again on their fifth or sixth visit.
But what about unexplored places in London that are a blast for kids and adults? There are many of those, and they’re easy to miss if you don’t do your research in advance.
We don’t want your family to miss out, so we created a list of our favorites. They’re not as well-known as many other London attractions, but we’re about to tell you how to be one of the lucky ones who get to explore them in depth.
Top Unexplored Places in London
Cecil Court
There are so many reasons to find Cecil Court while in London:
- It’s a breath of fresh air when you need a break from the crowded London streets. It really is much quieter and far less explored today.
- It’s possibly the location that inspired J.K Rowling’s description of Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter series. Some will argue with that, but visit this place and you may feel like you have stepped into Diagon Alley.
- It’s lined with small bookshops, many carrying unique titles that you won’t see in many larger stores. If you guessed you’ll find a lot of magic books here, you guessed right.
- It’s a good place to shop for antiques in London.
This is an amusing and relaxing little strip of London to seek out when you’re in the Covent Garden area. It runs between Charing Cross Road and St. Martin’s Lane, and is one street south of St. Martins Court.
The Mithraeum Temple of Mithras
What was it like to walk into an active Roman temple? You can find out when you make your way to the London Mithraeum and visit the Temple of Mithras which is one of the most unexplored places in London. It’s close to the financial district in the City but will take you to a world very different from the chaos of modern finance.
This temple was reconstructed from ruins excavated in the 1950s from a real Roman temple. When you schedule a visit online, you sign yourself up for a sensory experience that may leave your jaw open for hours after. First you may notice the smokey, dimly lit environment. Then you hear the chanting as the followers of Mithras pay their respects and carry out a full worship ceremony.
Children can read about the ancient temples, but it’s another thing entirely to see a recreated version in real life. Afterwards, you can learn about London history through a detailed exhibit and look around the temple until your allotted time has expired. There are a lot of interactive activities, so it’s a child-friendly London attraction.
Museum of Brands, Packaging, and Advertising
We’ve recommended this quirky museum a time or two on this website, but it’s still one of the most unexplored places in London. It’s also a great place to educate kids while having a bit of fun. The goal of the museum is to collect branding, packaging, and advertising exhibits that portray the transformation of the United Kingdom over time.
The exhibits now go back more than 200 years. It’s interesting to see the old tins and boxes, but there are deeper messages if you pay attention to the commentary on social change. Whatever you do, don’t skip the Time Tunnel. It’s one of the most fascinating attractions in the museum.
Pickering Place
So many travelers are looking for the biggest this or the biggest that, but not you. Welcome to the smallest square in London, which you might decide is also one of the prettiest. It’s difficult to find but well worth the time if you want to see one of the tiniest open spaces in the city.
Head down St. James’s Street and find Berry Brothers & Rudd wine shop between King Street and Pall Mall. Look for a small tunnel and archway. It is marked, but it’s easy to walk right past those small letters if you aren’t looking for them. They are right next to the wine shop, so consider stopping off for a bottle after stepping through the archway into the tiny square.
Pickering Place isn’t for everyone because it doesn’t have street performers, food trucks, or selfie stations. It’s a simple open square with limited room to move around. Think of it as a great place for a time out with the little ones or a photo booth to stage a few family photos.
While you may not want to go out of your way to find Pickering Place, it’s worth stopping off if you’re in the area. Of course, if you need a little retreat from the hustle and bustle of London, this is the perfect place to go.
St. Dunstan in the East Church Garden
Another one of the most unexplored places in London, you’ll find this church-turned-garden about halfway between the Tower of London and London Bridge off Great Tower Street. The Premier Inn London Bank Hotel is just across St. Dunstan’s Hill and the Monument Meeting Rooms conference center is just to the south.
What makes this often unexplored place in London so special? It’s a beautiful garden that was created from misfortune and doom. It started as a large church that was destroyed in the Great Fire. The rebuilt church was so badly constructed that it was torn back and rebuilt once again only to experience more destruction during World War II bombings.
Instead of rebuilding once again, the site became a community park that still shows some signs of the past wreckage. It’s the perfect spot for a family picnic or just a spot to stretch your legs after a long London bus tour.
The Unseen Tours in London
Every parent and guardian must determine the suitability of the Unseen Tours for their children. These are some of the more unusual London tours because they’re all guided by former homeless people who once lived on the streets of London. You get a unique perspective of these unexplored places in London when you see Covent Garden, Brick Lane, Shoreditch, Soho, or London Bridge through the eyes of someone who once called the streets home.
You can reserve space in an upcoming tour or book a private tour just for your family. This is a great way to find even more unexplored places in London.
Going Off the Beaten Path in London
Stepping away from the main tourist pathways is an exciting experience wherever you travel. London is a great city for curious wanderers of all ages because there’s so many unexplored places in London to discover on the smaller streets and in some of the more distant boroughs. You never know when you’ll come across the perfect small shop with beautiful handmade products or a great café that serves a tasty but cheap meal.
You may even find yourself grabbing a bite to eat from a stall that serves food so good you can’t believe you didn’t pay double the price. London is full of surprises, but you have to find the more unexplored places to really enjoy them. Hopefully some of our suggestions will make your London itinerary one to remember.