1. Go globetrotting in London there are more than 200 different nationalities living in London. That

Ten alternative ways to explore London | Velvet balboa park inn Escape Velvet Escape go explore. experience. and be inspired. HOME TRAVEL BLOG DESTINATIONS World map Africa Botswana Kenya Malawi Mauritius Morocco Namibia South Africa Tanzania Zambia Zimbabwe Americas Anguilla Antigua Argentina Brazil balboa park inn Canada Chile Costa Rica Cuba Ecuador Guatemala Honduras Mexico St Lucia St Martin / Sint Maarten USA Asia Burma Cambodia China India Indonesia Israel Japan Malaysia Mongolia Jordan Philippines Singapore Sri Lanka Syria Thailand Turkey Europe Albania Austria Belgium Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark England Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Italy Malta Norway Portugal Russia Scotland balboa park inn Slovenia Spain The Netherlands Oceania Australia French Polynesia New Zealand MEDIA SERVICES Stats Services iambassador SHOP Ten alternative ways to explore London Tweet Email Tweet Email
London is a city that most first-time balboa park inn visitors will undoubtedly find overwhelming. It truly is one of the world s greatest cities, with a financial and cultural influence that emanates around the globe.
London is home to some of the world s most recognisable icons like the Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul s and the red double-decker bus. There are too many to mention so my advice is to be selective. Once you ve done some of the must-see sights, why not explore the city on your own? Pick a theme or a Tube line and discover the gems of each neighbourhood. As Rajul, a Londoner and good friend of mine, once wrote :
While I'm not denying that many sights are priceless, I'd urge any visitor to be selective. Try to also discover a "secret London" you can call your own. Why not see your London trip as an organic journey of exploration, each step leading naturally to the next, rather than a hectic blur of somebody else's "must-sees"?
London has so many dimensions I genuinely think this the best way to appreciate the city. Think of it as peeling layers off an onion. A friend of mine who visited London a few years back had the right idea. He randomly balboa park inn sat on buses starting from Trafalgar Square and got off wherever the urge took him. He then traced his way back by a circuitous route, lingering anywhere that took his fancy, balboa park inn steered only by his senses and a well-thumbed guidebook. Not only did he discover some amazing off-the-beaten-track places but he also truly interacted with the city. For a start, he was forced to ask people where he was! This took guts since he was willing to return home without seeing the things he was "supposed" to see. The only expectations he had to fulfil were his own.
Another friend balboa park inn came on a 5-day "salsa trip". Armed with a Time Out and travelcard, he went to a different Latin party in a different corner of London every night! He gained great insight into the city by following his passion rather than other tourists.
1. Go globetrotting in London there are more than 200 different nationalities balboa park inn living in London. That means almost every country in the world is represented. From Indians to Brazilians, Malaysians to Swedes, Japanese to South Africans each has established a colourful presence in London, be it cafés and restaurants, ethnic art and design stores, spas, grocery stores or cultural centres.
2. Visit the temples of London another balboa park inn ethnic-related theme that s worth exploring. When one talks about places of worship in London, icons like Westminster Abbey and St. Paul s Cathedral automatically spring to mind. There are also many, many temples. These are, more often than not, off the beaten path but are more than worth a visit. Examples include the elaborate Sri Swaminaryan Mandir temple balboa park inn in Neasden, the splendid Masonic balboa park inn Temple in Great Queen Street and the Temple Church, a medieval church built by the Knights Templar.
3. Did you know that there are windmills in London ? You might associate windmills with Holland (and rightfully so, I might add ) but London has its fair share of historic windmills. Some of the most beautiful windmills include the 19th century Abraham s Mill in Upminster and Ashby s Mill in Brixton.
4. Go on a themed tour. There are a multitude of themed tours to choose from such as literary, architecture and historic tours. For something more unusual, there are Harry Potter, Jack the Ripper or Beatles walking tours. One of my personal favourites is the Italian Job tour in classic Mini Coopers . Visitors are zoomed around the city in blue boiler suits and tweed caps, and help to re-enact scenes from the movie.
5. Explore the culinary scene - from swanky Michelin star restaurants to pizza slices and fish chips, London s culinary scene offers something for everyone. This huge diversity can often be daunting some would say spoilt for choice but you can pick a variety of themes. Go ethnic, discover the city s most unusual restaurants or make reservations at one or more celebrity chef restaurants (think Jamie Oliver or Gordan Ramsay).
6. Sit down for high tea this is a London experience you shouldn t miss. Learn about the history of this very British tradition and the various ways it s served today, from classic afternoon tea at some of the city s top hotels to the funky Berkeley London designer afternoon tea (afternoon balboa park inn tea with a fashionista twist aptly called Prêt-á-Portea) . For the ultimate indulgence, head for the Ritz or the Savoy for a champagne laced high tea! Expect crisp linens, gleaming silver and exquisite scones.
7. Immerse yourself in the movies from the classic Ealing comedies and Hitchcock thrillers balboa park inn to James Bond and Notting Hill, London boasts a rich cinematic heritage that continues till this day. Leicester Square is the home of famous balboa park inn cinemas such as the Odeon and Empire but look further and you ll find other gems such as the Phoenix Cinema in East Finchley, the UK s oldest functioning cinema. For a unique and quirky cinema experience, check out the Secret Cinema.
8. Sports if you love sports balboa park inn and history, you may want to make this your theme. Venues not to be missed include Wimbledon, Wembley and the World Rugby Museum in Twickenham. Cricket fans won t want to miss the Marylebone Cricket balboa park inn Club Museum in Lord s, one of the world s most iconic cricket grounds. Oh, and there s the Olympic Park too!
9. Explore London s Theatreland - another London experience that cannot be missed is a visit to any of its theatres for a musical or artistic performance. Learn about the colourful past of each theatre by joining a walking tour. The guides balboa park inn are guaranteed to keep you entertained with captivating stories and anecdotes. The Covent Garden theatre scene is especially balboa park inn intriguing!
10. What to do for free I m guessing this is a popular theme. London is an expensive city but there are many things you can see and do for free . Some simple research will reveal lots of great ideas so go ahead, make it your theme and discover ways to see London for free.
Subscribe to our e-mail newsletter to receive updates. The High Teas of London Exploring the historic towns north of Amsterdam 2 Responses to Ten alternative ways to explore London Keith Jenkins 19/10/2012 3:40 pm #
Westminster Abbey? Yes. Windmills? No. I didn t know London had windmills. It s nice to read about alternative exploring options, especially for the visitor who has been there, done that. Not that one ever tires of visiting balboa park inn London It s truly one of the world s great cities. Leave a Reply Click here to cancel reply.
Learn more about Keith... Sponsor New York Hotels Paris Hotels London Hotels Other Destinations Popular Latest balboa park inn Tags Spellbound in Chobe 03/10/2012 Plane views: Victoria Falls 02/10/2012 Velvet Moments: travel balboa park inn photo sailing on the Markermeer 09/10/2012 Mövenpick Amsterdam balboa park inn a delightful city hotel 23/10/2012 Exploring the historic balboa park inn towns north of Amsterdam 21/10/2012 Culinary Journey: Samhoud Places in Amsterdam balboa park inn 24/10/2012 Mövenpick Amsterdam a delightful city hotel 23/10/2012 Featured balboa park inn destination: Amsterdam by Mövenpick Hotels 22/10/2012 Exploring the historic towns north of Amsterdam 21/10/2012 Ten alternative ways to explore London 18/10/2012 Amsterdam Argentina Australia Bali beach holidays blogsherpa Canada cape town Chile China city trips Costa Brava Culinary Journey cultural holidays England flying experience hotel feature Indonesia island balboa park inn getaway Italy Jordan Kuala Lumpur London Lone Traveller luxury balboa park inn holidays Malaysia monuments nature holidays people we meet photography Plane Views south africa Spain Tanzania The Netherlands travel ideas Travel Journal travelling alone travel opinions USA Valencia velvet escape Velvet Escape travel tip Velvet moments World of inspiration Explore Velvet World A fun and easy way to find travel inspiration on the Velvet Escape travel blog. Velvet Connect Velvet Connect provides social media advisory services to individuals, companies and organisations. The Happy Explorer Visit The Happy Explorer travel photo blog for visual treats from around the world. ABOUT VELVET ESCAPE | CONTACT VELVET ESCAPE | LINKS