Everyone has heard of Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, The Tower of London, the British Museum and the London Eye, but what about the tourist attractions that aren’t as well known? Some of them are just as interesting as the really popular attractions, and often they are a lot cheaper. Here are some of the alternative things you could do in London.
1. Visit the Museum of Body Parts - Yes, it sounds gruesome, and actually it is a little bit gruesome. It is known as the Hunterian Museum and is housed in The Royal College of Surgeons. It contains surgical instruments, dentistry tools, and preserved body parts dating back 4 centuries.
2. Shop in Camden Market - Oxford Street is the main shopping street in London, and is full of big name stores selling the same things you can buy in most High Streets in the country. For a different experience visit Camden Market where you’ll find quirky gifts, handmade jewellery and vintage clothes, among other treasures. Also with stalls selling food from almost every part of the world, it’s a great place to mooch about on a Sunday morning.
3. A Jack the Ripper walking tour - Guided walking tours are common in London, as are the ubiquitous open-topped bus tours. But for something a bit different, try a tour around the area where Jack the Ripper murdered his victims in the late 19th Century. Learn about life at the time, and find out how the area has changed.
4. Highgate Cemetery - You may be forgiven for thinking this list is a little macabre, but Highgate Cemetery is a popular tourist attraction that is often missed out of the guidebooks. The burial site of a number of famous people such as Karl Marx, Christina Rossetti, Henry Moore, Michael Faraday, Beryl Bainbridge and even Jeremy Beadle, the cemetery offers regular and fascinating tours. During the week you need to book in advance, and at the weekend the tours are on a first come, first served basis.
5. Coram’s Fields - From one extreme to the other, Coram’s Fields is a playground for children only. Any adults who enter must be accompanied by a child, and there are staff on site to ensure this policy is adhered to.
Of course there are a myriad of alternative tourist attractions in London, to suit every taste and age. Just a little research before you visit will take you away from the queues and high prices to activities which are just as enjoyable, and a little more original too.
Alex is a writer and blogger. He writes a financial blog for his day job, covering everything from credit cards to mortgages to tax reduction, but in his spare time he loves to write about touring and exploring the UK and Europe.