Bored of Big Ben? Alternative places to visit in London

Posted by Mia Pebleton on Mar 9, 2014 in Misadventures | 0 comments

You’ve been on the London Eye, taken an obligatory photo sat on top of the lions at Trafalgar Square and tried to make the guards outside Buckingham Palace crack a smile. You’ve been the perfect tourist and when it comes to the English capital you’ve been there, done that and got the t-shirt several times over.

But no matter how hard you try, you keep coming back.

London is a city that you’ll inevitably want to visit again and again but don’t you find that seeing the same sights and doing the same things gets boring?

And in such a massive city, there must be loads to be beyond the obvious tourist spots, right?

Fact.

Millenium Bridge – Bored of Big Ben

London has loads of cool stuff to once you veer away from the main touristy areas, you just need to know where to go.

Now, I won’t pretend know all the hidden gems in London. But visiting uni friends there I’ve discovered a few.

So for the tired tourist trying to find something different, here they are…

1.       Celebrate Oktoberfest in Putney

Ok, London might seem like a pretty weird place to celebrate Oktoberfest, let alone Putney, but keep an open mind.

One of my best friends lives in there and I get the impression that quite a lot of young people hang out there, making it the place to soak up that ‘young professional’ vibe.

So if you’ve got a hankering for some German beer, a portion of Currywurst and a good old oompa band, the Oktoberfest pub in Putney is the place for you.

There’s even a sign on the wall telling you not to stand on the tables or benches when the band is playing. Standard.

2.       Take to the skies on the Emirates Skyline

Already done St Paul’s Cathedral and the London Eye?

Make sure your next bird’s eye view of London is from the Emirates Skyline.

O2 Arena

You ‘board your flight’ round the corner from the O2 Arena and trust me, the best time to go on this is definitely at night. The space-age cable cars take you over the O2 Arena and the Thames and give you a stunning view of London and Canary Wharf all lit up at night.

My top tip is to buy a return ticket so you can go on it twice and don’t have to get the tube back home!

3.       Climb the Monument to the Great Fire of London

Whenever I go to London, I always feel like my money is evaporating before my very eyes.

Which is why I was over the moon when I discovered something almost free to do – climb the Monument to the Great Fire of London.

It was built to commemorate the Great Fire of London and offers amazing panoramic views of the city for only a few pounds.

You will have to climb quite a few stairs to get to the top (I won’t tell you how many) but it’s worth it for the views.

You’ll even get a certificate at the end saying you survived!

4.       Party like it’s 1941 at the Blitz Party

So I’ll admit, I haven’t actually been to this but my friend has and I’m dying to go.

It’s held in an old air raid shelter and everyone dresses up in 1940s’ clothing to turn back the clock to wartime Britain.

You’ll even be given a ration book when you arrive.

The parties don’t happen very often so it’s best to keep an eye out for when the next one will be. I know I will.

5.       Ditch the tube for a riverboat

Thames Riverboat Cruise

Getting sick of everyone’s miserable faces on the tube?

Then it’s high time to ditch part of your journey on the Underground for a boat along the Thames.

There’s a boat that goes from the London Eye to Greenwich and it’ll take you past loads of the major sights, including the Houses of Parliament and Canary Wharf.

In fact, it’s a great way to fit in a few of the main tourist attractions without actually having to spend all day going to them – giving you plenty of time to enjoy all the lesser known, but equally as cool, things to do.

Can you recommend any particular hidden gems in London for someone who’s done all the major sights? Share your secrets below!