No one can really say that they know London well. It is impossible to know London completely. London is changing faster than the pigeons descending to the fountains of Trafalgar Square. Home to residents for more than 2,000 years, London has moved from the protective circle of the tower to an expanding metropolis, the ideal platform for constant celebrity activity.
Every time there is history, there are stories to tell. Of course, tourists are attracted to regular tourist attractions, but it is true travelers who seek deeper to find the gems of a 2,000 year old city. It only takes a small amount of research to find something more rewarding, more interesting, more inspiring in London than the London Dungeons (though it must be said: it's a very good laugh if you can endure the long lines in an hour!).
For example, Hay's Galleria is not even a minute's walk from the London dungeons. This jewel is, for some reason, hidden completely strange to all tourist guides and information, no doubt to preserve its shortage of thousands of tourists, making it a less exclusive refuge. Go there! It is a beautiful collection of interiors / exterior locations in a few select stores with a large number of cafes, marketplaces, bands, presentations and of course dominates a beautiful part of the Thames, Call black cab.
Turn right from Hays Galleria and you'll find yourself on a Thames corridor next to the newest buildings in town. The architecture is phenomenal and these mayors of the mayor are still so new that you can imagine that cellophane has just been taken away from every window. You can walk into the building of Lord Mayor (it has the shape of a golf ball), climb to the top and marvel at the amazing roundness of everything. Of course, you can also see the spectacular views of HMS Belfast, Tower Bridge and the Tower from London. Keep going straight to the I-Witness Outdoor Gallery before eating a hot dog at the mini fairground area.
Pass the green that previously hosted many Hollywood movie premieres in giant tents, the David Blaine-in-a-Box episode, in addition to many other events, and is literally under the Tower Bridge, keep going, and now it is in Shad Thames, a true delight of the cobbled streets, free of traffic and full of people, that gives you an accurate sense of how the streets of London felt hundreds of years ago. It is as if these streets have been restored for a long time, giving the traveler a wonderfully rich mix of old and new in the same neighborhood. Walk through the Shad Thames, pass the constantly changing design museum and find Butler's Wharf, a delightful collection of bars and restaurants by the pier, all overlooking the Thames in front of the equally picturesque St. Katherine Mole. Trust me when I tell you that Butler's Wharf is the ultimate in romantic setting.
In fact, Hays Galleria for Butler's Wharf is a walk of possibly hundreds to choose from, in fact it's a full day! There are just delights, though if you turn left outside Hay's Galleria, especially the Clink Street Prison Museum, Vinopolis (Wine Museum), Borough Market, Southwark Cathedral, you can continue ...
Great streets, great walks, good museums (forget the big ones, go to the Children's Museum in Bethnal Green for a real treat). It is frustrating to think that the majority of London visitors end up living in some of the less interesting areas. Paddington and Bayswater are big areas as they are so close to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens (now home to Princess Diana's shrine, finally done). Kensington & Earls Court has their highlights too, but there is more to London than the proven tourist routes.
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