The Horniman Museum is a genuine secret gem in south east London. It takes an effort to find but it is SO worth it.
It's a free museum, packed with all kinds of interesting collections: from anthropology to musical history to all kinds of natural treasures.
There's even an aquarium, and a lovely park to have picnics in, weather permitting.
Take a trip to the depths of non-tube-land south east London and discover a fascinating world.

www.horniman.ac.uk
100 London Rd, Forest Hill, London, SE23 3PQ
Open daily 10.30-17.30pm (except 24-26 Dec)
Entrance to the museum & gardens is free, but there is a charge for the aquarium
Getting there: buses 176, 185, 197, 356, P4 stop outside the museum on London Road
Forest Hill London Overground station is a five-minute walk away.
Google map: bit.ly/Z7bh4d

* Lucy is our Been there local for London. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/london-local-lucy-mallows.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/LucyRM.jsp

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I went on the Post Olympic architect tour from these guys, I thoroughly recommend it. I am very interested in architecture - this tour was led by someone who was very knowledgeable about the architecture of the Olympic buildings. The guide told me they mostly do tours for architecture students and professionals, but if you are interested in architecture it beats any other walking tour hand down!

www.artchitectours.co.uk
+44(0)20 33 18 21 53

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The Lea Valley walk is a lovely stroll for Londoners at any time of the year, but in autumn I think the combination of trees, leaves and water is particularly lovely.
For an 11ish mile walk, I recommend heading north from Limehouse to finish up at Ponders End, where you can catch the train back to Liverpool Street Station. For a shorter stretch start or stop at Markfield Park, about 1/2 mile from Seven Sisters and Tottenham Hale tube/train stations.
En route you pass the surprising and stunning Three Mills, the Olympic Park (albeit through security fencing), and breathe in the fresh air of the great green expanses of Hackney, Walthamstow and Tottenham Marshes - and then you're in the countryside with narrowboats and fishermen.
The whole route follows the reflective waters of the Lee/Lea in its various guises - from the Limehouse Cut to the Lee Navigation to the River Lea.
My favourite place to break the walk for a bite to eat is Pistachio's in the Park Cafe in Markfield Park which runs alongside the Lee Navigation.
For a coffee early on in the route, and good food too, you can detour to the Counter Cafe in Hackney Wick - it's on the west side of the canal at the junction with the Hertford Union Canal - which itself offers up a whole host of alternative destinations!
For me, the hardest thing about doing any of the Lea Valley Walk was working out how to get onto it. If you are walking from Limehouse aim for St Anne's Church - it marks the point where Commercial Road crosses Limehouse Cut, and there's access to the canal there. St Anne's is also one of Hawesmoor's churches and its website is great for directions - you can get there easily on the No 15 bus from central London, or on the DLR (Limehouse/West Ferry stations).

Lea Valley Walk information: www.walklondon.org.uk/route.asp?R=4
A Walk Along The Limehouse Cut Canal (lots of info about what you'll see on the early section): www.imvisitinglondon.com/limehousecut.html
Three Mills: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Mills
Pistacios in the Park: pistachiosinthepark.org.uk/category/markfieldpark
Friends of Markfield Park (good map): www.markfieldpark.org.uk/
Counter Cafe: thecountercafe.co.uk/
St Anne's Church website (great directions): stanneslimehouse.org/location.html
TfL bus route map finder: www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/

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Invigorating and exhilarating - a piece of real London history, a fantastic panoramic view at a fraction the cost of the Eye AND you get a certificate at the end! Commemorating the tragedy of the Great Fire of London, the sheer physicality of this memorial is a fitting tribute the the magnitude of the event. Its symbolic features (look them up if you must - but why not just go and find out?) give an added poignance to the experience.
As the tallest isolated stone column in the world, it's almost criminal to come to London and not see this - especially now that it's emerged from its almost two-year closure for repairs and refurbishment with a newly gilded tip.
Of course, everyone now flocks to the Eye for a frankly dull £15 gander at London from above. Here you get much the same sight, at a smidgin of the price (a trifling £3 - less than a single Zone 1 tube journey) but an unparalleled experience and a serious cardio workout to boot (over 300 steps!)
Being a 17th Century construction, it's not wheelchair accessible - but there is at least now a screen at the base where you can experience the panoramic view without actually ascending (also good for those with vertigo, or just with limited time ... or just plain lazy!)

www.themonument.info/
Fish Street Hill, The City EC3R 6DB
+44 (0) 207 626 2717
Google map: bit.ly/OIQHyY

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Under-recognised but really fun for the family: my nephews went mad for the splash zone, a kids area open in summer. Plus lots of special kids activities as well.

www.kbsm.org
Green Dragon Lane, Brentford, Middlesex TW8 0EN
+44 (0)20 8568 4757
Google map: bit.ly/HN0n7G

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For the best Italian cultural experience we had to go no further than Belgravia: to the Italian Cultural Institute. We paid £5 each to be serenaded by an Italian guitarist. We were welcomed at the door with a glass of deliciously cold Prosecco. The concert took place in a gracious, high ceiling room where there was an ongoing exhibition of contemporary Italian paintings. At the interval another glass of prosecco was forthcoming. At the end of the recital the audience were invited upstairs to a beautiful wood panelled room to partake in more drinks and canapes. The place hummed with both Italian and English voices and the warmth of an experience shared. The evening rounded off with everyone receiving a memento of the evening - a free CD of the music of the guitarist.

www.icilondon.esteri.it/IIC_Londra/Menu/Istituto/
39 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8NX
+44(0)20 7235 1461
Google map: bit.ly/wXkVL5

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For a fun London experience, check out the late night adult-only openings of the London Science Museum on the last Wednesday of every month. With 'no kids between you and the big red button' you can refresh forgotten science knowledge by checking out the rocket show (where the presenter proves he can do adult as well as childish humour), doing a spot of speed-dating, and contemplating the properties of sound while boogieing away at the silent disco. Best of all, it's completely free.

www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/visitmuseum/events/events_for_adults/Lates.aspx
Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD
+44(0)870 870 4868
Google map: bit.ly/AjDdSY

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Keep little ones and teenagers intrigued on a shoestring budget with a day trip to the Natural History Museum. The impressive cathedral-like structure plays host to one of the largest natural history collections in the world.
The collection includes everything from microscopic slides to mammoth skeletons, a dinosaur gallery to Darwin’s work on natural selection and an enormous life-size model of a blue whale.
The National History Museum also offers special exhibitions, an outdoor ice skating rink (in winter) and a wildlife garden. Admission to the permanent collection is free.

www.nhm.ac.uk/
Cromwell Road London, United Kingdom SW7 5BD
+44(0)20 7942 5000
Google map: bit.ly/yAK0x7

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Recently I took my mother for a trip onto the London eye to celebrate her 75th Birthday. When purchasing our tickets, I was asked if I was her carer as she walks with a walking stick and I enquired why. They said that the carer goes on free so in essence it's a buy one get one free ticket. The London Eye was a wonderful experience and I would recommend it to anyone.

www.londoneye.com
Riverside Building, County Hall Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7PB
+44(0)870 990 8881
Google map: bit.ly/A9PFVh

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Jane, a Londoner, was highly sceptical when I suggested this tour. We piled on clothes (it was November) so stayed warm enough to appreciate the birds’ eye view from the upper deck. Over several hours we learned an eclectic mix of history, celebrity, and the macabre: Trafalgar Square’s lions were cast from melted French cannons; a City company insures Tina Turner’s legs for £millions; Green Park was a swampy, medieval graveyard for lepers. You can hop on and off along any of the three routes and the ticket includes a river cruise and guided walks. Commentary is live on one route; on the others it’s taped, in seven languages, plus an extra-gruesome one (in English) for kids. The ticket, normally valid 24 hours, is extended to 48 in winter, so the next day I used it to get to the museums in Kensington, hearing about the humble origins of Harrods and Harvey Nichols along the way. Jane confessed that next time she has out of town visitors, she might do it again.

www.theoriginaltour.com; from £23 adult, £11 under 16s.

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Visiting London we happened upon a free drop-in drawing session at the National Portrait Gallery. The welcoming tutor placed sheaf of cartridge paper and some pencils in our hands and we were away! A great hour's fun. Even my wife, who hates drawing, found it engaging and was proud of her finished efforts, which we still have.

www.npg.org.uk/
St Martin's Place, London WC2H 0HE
+44 (0) 20 7306 0055
Google map: bit.ly/wMtJSN

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The Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons is a lot more fun that its name might suggest. It contains more that 3,500 specimens, mainly collected in the 18th century by John Hunter, the anatomist.
There is a vast array of pickled body parts, the skeleton of a 7’ 7” ‘Irish giant’, the tooth of an extinct giant sloth, and a slightly grisly display of pickled foetuses. More recent additions include Churchill’s dentures.
There is also the opportunity to try your hand at simulated keyhole surgery, and watch footage of brain surgery. Educational and fun at the same time!

www.rcseng.ac.uk/museums
35-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE
+44 (0) 20 7405 3474
Google map: bit.ly/wEx9wO

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By far the craziest and most bizarre night out I've had in London was a result of finding myself in the company of 'The Book Club Boutique'- a collection of London's most wonderfully eccentric characters having a jolly good knees-up.
It's an incredibly artistic experience, with bands playing, poets reading, actors swooning and tales of life and love being shared- all set in the beautiful and intimate chapel of the House of St. Barnabas on Greek St.
There's plenty of excellent drink flowing too, especially the exotic cocktails with hilariously unbelievable names- I just wish I could remember them!

www.thebookclubboutique.com

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Between Covent Garden and the Thames, down Villiers St off the historic Strand awaits Gordon’s Wine Bar. This is London’s oldest wine bar and must be one of the world’s best. Visiting Gordon’s is a unique experience of London’s history. Before becoming a wine bar in 1890, the building was home to Samuel Pepys and also an illustrious brothel or two. Outside, in Villiers St, the building now has the appearance of a deserted and condemned old building from Dickensian London and is often unrecognised by the most dedicated visitors. The only clue is the dusty original gas-lit lamp above the door, labelled “Gordon’s Wine Bar”. Take the narrow steps down into the unlikely darkness.
The bar has the appearance and feel of a dark basement untouched since Pepys left. Nicotine stained walls of tongue-n-groove boards, history-stained stone floors, and rickety tables and chairs under the low, brick-domed ceiling of the original wine cellars are not retro but original features. Candles light the reticent faces of illicit encounters. The staff are efficient and friendly and pull schooners and beakers of sherry, Madeiras, or port from the barrels stacked behind the bar. Excellent wines are also available by bottle or glass. Recently homemade food has been introduced, and the tables spill out into Watergate Walk to the side. But stay indoors to enjoy the uniqueness and excellence of Gordon’s Wine Bar, and drink deep the history of London.

www.gordonswinebar.com/
47 Villiers Street, London WC2N 6NE
+44(0)20 7930 1408
Google map: bit.ly/yoMnP7

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If you really want to understand London at war you need to visit the Churchill War Rooms. Seeing the intricate labyrinth of underground bedrooms and offices, and the maps marked with strategic plans really brings home how real the threat of invasion was. You feel the tension in the air. A large part of the museum also details the life of Winston Churchill and political life during the war. While this is interesting the best aspect of the museum is in sharing a space with one of the most iconic men of recent history.

www.iwm.org.uk/visits/churchill-war-rooms
Clive Steps, King Charles Street, London SW1A 2AQ
Google map: bit.ly/rThsFi

* Sophie is our Been there local for London. You can view her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/london-local-sophie-mitchell-intro.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/SophieMItchell

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The Barbican Cinema, hidden away in the depths of the Barbican complex, is/was a leading cinema exhibition centre with an international programme full of past classics, screen talks with film giants, lively film discussions, and contemporary festivals. While for years the Barbican art gallery and the concert hall have been lauded for providing world class artistic entertainment the cinema has remained largely underappreciated by those not in the know, despite the fact that it was the only cinema rivalling the BFI for high quality imaginative programming. With cuts afoot this cinema looks likely to lose what had make it special so I urge you to visit it soon while its programme still resembles what it once did and while it still has a claim to call itself ‘London’s most diverse cinema’.

www.barbican.org.uk/film/whats-on.asp
Silk Street, City of London, Greater London EC2Y 8DS
+44(0)20 7638 4141
Google map: bit.ly/rszbGi

* Sophie is our Been there local for London. You can view her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/london-local-sophie-mitchell-intro.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/SophieMItchell

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The Leicester Square Box Office is a small theatre ticket box office tucked away in Leicester Square.
I recently bought tickets to Lion King:The Musical, and the tickets were a lot cheaper than anywhere else! You can't argue with that.

www.lsbo.co.uk
42 Cranbourn Street, London, WC2H 7AN
+44(0)20 7087 2999
Google map: bit.ly/mZCZaH

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Old-style boozer in the heart of Peckham with a pool table and cheap pints. Local artists hold exhibitions of their work in the back room.

96 Peckham High Street, London SE15 5ED
+207 639 2490
Getting there: overground train to Peckham Rye, buses 12, 36, 171, 436
Google map: bit.ly/nr4x0Q

* Lucy is the Been there local for London. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/london-local-lucy-mallows.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/LucyRM.jsp

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If you make a special trip to Peckham Rye to see the Peckham Peace Wall that sprung up on thousands of post-it notes plastered over the boarded up walls of Poundland after the recent riots, then you'll be disappointed.
It's gone.
Poundland has now replaced its smashed windows, however the Peace Wall will be preserved as a piece of local history in Peckham Library.
Some of my favourite messages were/are:
'Well luv Pecknam' (sic)
'Diversity + jerk chicken'
'Stop the riot, allow Greggs, man' (referring to the trashed bakery)
'Love is the key'

Peckham Library
122 Peckham Hill Street, London SE15 5JR
+44 20 7525 0200
Open: Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 09.00-20.00, Wed 10.00-20.00, Sat 10.00-17.00, Sun 12.00-16.00
Getting there:
Buses: 12, 36, 63, 76, 171, 343, 345, 363, 436
Rail: Overground train to Peckham Rye
Google map: bit.ly/nGupZS

Lucy is the Been there local for London. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/london-local-lucy-mallows.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/LucyRM.jsp

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The Pillars of Hercules pub dates back to 1733, although most of what we see now was built around 1910. Dickens mentions the tavern in 'A Tale of Two Cities' and the road next to the pub through the arch is named Manette Street, after one of the novel's characters, Dr Manette.
The pub is still popular with London's literatti, including Martin Amis, Julian Barnes, Ian McEwan and Clive James, who titled his second book of literary criticism 'At the Pillars of Hercules', allegedly because most of the pieces were commissioned, delivered or written within its very wooden walls. The beer is excellent, the craic always witty and the Hungarian barmaid particularly charming, especially if you say 'egészsegedre' ... !

7 Greek Street, Soho, London W1D 4DF
+44 872 148 1909
Nearest tube: Northern or Central Line to Tottenham Court Road
Google map: bit.ly/oXSc2Y

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