When you think of London, what comes to mind?
Perhaps the UK capital conjures up images of the London Eye, red telephone boxes and Big Ben?
London has been named one of the best destinations in the world – unsurprising, given the popularity of the UK capital.
In Tripadvisor’s annual Travellers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best 2026, the city ranked in second place.
But outside of the usual tried-and-tested tourist landmarks the capital is best known for, there’s much more to see.
From quiet parks to sleepy suburbs and with plenty of quirky museums and hidden gems to discover, there’s much more to the capital than meets the eye on first glance.
The Daily Mail’s travel team has revealed the must-see parts, undiscovered secrets and best things to do in the UK capital off the well-trodden tourist track…
Lonsdale Road, Queen’s Park – Erin Deborah Waks, Travel Writer
A walk through Queen’s Park is a fabulous way to spend a Sunday in London
Lonsdale Road in Queen’s Park is one of the most underrated spots in the capital.
Not only is it just minutes away from the park, surrounded by typically London-esque houses, but it’s one of the most European-style al fresco streets filled with great independent cafes and restaurants.
Highlights not to be missed are bakery Don’t Tell Dad (especially the hazelnut and brown butter pastry) and the restaurant Carmel.
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Design Museum, Kensington – Hayley Minn, Deputy Travel Editor
The Design Museum’s Barbie exhibition was a real crowd-pleaser
There are plenty of famous museums around London, including the Natural History Museum and Science Museum, but one that doesn’t get quite as much of a look-in is the Design Museum, in Kensington.
There are various free exhibitions here, showcasing the development of design through the ages, ranging from architecture to fashion. But the temporary exhibitions that you have to pay for are excellent too.
In the past, there has been a Barbie exhibition, but film buffs will love the current one, Wes Anderson: The Archives – a display featuring props and costumes the film director has kept from all his movies over the years. This includes the iconic costumes worn by Ben Stiller and his onscreen sons in The Royal Tenenbaums, as well as every tiny puppet used in The Fantastic Mr Fox and Isle of Dogs.
Exmouth Market, Clerkenwell – Erin
Exmouth Market’s many shops, cafes, bars and restaurants leave you spoilt for choice
This street is not a typical ‘market’ – rather, it’s a road filled with culinary delights and great bars.
My personal favourite is independent brewery Mikkeller, which has some of the best pints in London, and Shawarma Bar for Middle Eastern food.
But it’s best to go mid-afternoon without a plan and make your way down the street, pausing every few metres for a drink. It’s also home to Barber Streisand, perhaps the most innovatively named barber in the city.
The Hill Garden and Pergola, Hampstead Heath – Jowena Riley, Travel Writer
The Hill Garden and Pergola in Hampstead Heath is a thoroughly underrated spot
One of my favourite spots in London to visit on a cool summer’s day – and it really doesn’t see nearly as many visitors as you’d think it would – is The Hill Garden and Pergola in Hampstead Heath.
While many Londoners and tourists tend to flock to the more familiar parts of the Heath when the sun comes out, I prefer to venture to a lesser-known nook where romantic ruins, manicured gardens, vibrant meadows and a mini exotic zoo await.
While the Pergola’s extended walkway sets a beautifully gloomy tone with its Georgian architecture, weathered wooden beams and overgrown wisteria, the meticulously groomed surrounding garden bursts with colour with its vibrant green lawn, lilypad ponds, cobbled pathways and beds of perennials.
A short walk through the garden then leads to a free zoo – yes, a zoo! – that is home to a range of well-looked-after animals, including fallow deer, lemurs, wallabies, wildcats and various birds. All in all, a great place to spend the day – and it’s free of Instagram-happy snappers.
The Wallace Collection- Erin
The Wallace collection has a mass of curious objects and beautiful paintings on display
This collection of art, paintings, furniture and porcelain, is one of the most beautiful in London, made even better by the fact that entry is free.
Every day at 2.30pm, the museum runs a free guided tour – and it really brings the history to life.
The guides have a wealth of knowledge about the origins of items, including everything from historic armchairs to porcelain items owned by Madame de Pompadour, King Louis XV of France’s official mistress.
Wimbledon Park – Marti Stelling, UK Trainee Reporter
There’s a great cafe called Felt and it’s always nice to grab a coffee to-go from there and have a wander around Wimbledon Park
Wimbledon Park is a Grade II listed park in South West London, located adjacent to the All England Lawn Tennis Club.
There’s a large lake where you can spot wildlife, and there are plenty of walking and running routes, as well as a cafe where you can get a coffee and cake, or ice cream in the summer.
Raymond Briggs, author of The Snowman, grew up in the area and you can retrace the steps from his childhood home to the park, which inspired his storytelling.
Old Palace Lane, Richmond – Joanna Tweedy, Assistant Lifestyle & Travel Editor
Old medieval historical gate from Richmond Green to Old Palace Yard
Leave the Ted Lasso fans behind – you’ll find them on the eastern corner of pretty Richmond Green, snapping selfies around Paved Court where the AppleTV show is filmed, and head for a lesser known corner of this South West London riverside town.
Cut through Old Palace Yard, off the southern tip of the green, and bypass Grade I-listed, 18th-century mansion Trumpeter’s Lodge, built on the site of Henry VIII’s Tudor-era Richmond Palace.
From here, make for the towpath, stopping for a pint at The White Swan pub en route. The walk towards Richmond Bridge. This section of the Thames gifts the town’s most winsome view – with fewer tourists.
Coal Drops Yard – Erin
Coal Drops Yard in Kings Cross is a perfect place for a spot of shopping
Few places in London combine shopping, eating, art and green space as well as Coal Drops Yard. Located just five minutes from King’s Cross station and on the banks of the Regent’s Canal, it’s centrally located and perfect for an afternoon of mooching.
There are often art and photography installations in the public areas, or you can head to Lightroom for an immersive light show experience.
In terms of dining, there’s everything from Italian restaurants to Asian cuisine and street food. My personal highlights are Bubala, a renowned Middle Eastern restaurant, and Word On The Water, a tiny bookshop located on a houseboat.
Belsize Park – Alesia Fiddler, Travel Reporter
The Belsize Park neighbourhood is an affluent part of the city with much to see
Bustling with independent eateries and a range of shops, Belsize Park has a small neighbourhood feel while still being close to central London. It’s a perfect escape from the busy city and is much less crowded.
Haverstock Hill, one of the main streets in Belsize Park, is my favourite spot to go for an afternoon of mooching around charity shops and relaxing in a cafe, often Gail’s for me, with a hot drink.
It’s also very close to Hampstead Heath, which only adds to the escapism. In North London’s Belsize Park, you can almost forget you’re even in the UK’s capital.
Greenwich Park – Hayley
Forget the Shard – you can see across the city for free from this location
The views in Greenwich from the top of the park provide a full landscape of London
There’s no need to pay to go to the top of The Shard if you want great views of the city. Some of the best lookouts are from the highest points of parks around the capital.
While I do love Primrose Hill, in northwest London, my favourite park has to be Greenwich Park. Here, if you walk to the top of the hill and stand outside the Royal Observatory, you can see right across London, looking out at the historical Queen’s House and Royal Naval College (both regularly used in period dramas like Bridgerton and The Crown) in the forefront, with the modern skyscrapers of Canary Wharf cutting through behind.
While in Greenwich, it’s also worth visiting the magnificent Painted Hall, built in the 19th century, and heading to Greenwich Market, where you’ll be able to pick up some delicious food and handmade gifts.
Regents Canal – Genie Harrison, Executive Travel Editor
Regent’s canal view in the Islington area of London
This (mostly) pretty waterway runs 8.6 miles from Little Venice, in the west of London, right through to the Limehouse Basin in East London, where it joins the Thames.
It offers visitors the opportunity to pass through some of the capital’s most famous neighbourhoods, including Maida Vale, Kings Cross, and Regent’s Park – where you might even glimpse monkeys in London Zoo.
On a sunny day, join the canal from Duncan Terrace, by Angel Station, and walk eastwards, greeting canal boat residents along the way. Stop at trendy brunch stop Towpath for a mid-morning meal, or drop in at favourite local pub The Rosemary Branch for a game of Rummikub and a pint.
Stepney Green Farm – Genie
Stepney City Farm is a unique spot located in East London with a cafe
Growing up in London, I always relished the opportunity to visit this bucolic haven in the heart of East London – just a few minutes’ walk from where I lived.
Still a working farm, Stepney City Farm’s 4.5 acres are home to all number of animals, including sheep, goats, rabbits and pigs, and is free to enter for children and parents alike.
There’s a lovely Farmer’s Market every Saturday, as well as a café ideal for a hot chocolate stop off after feeding the pigs or befriending the farm cats, Tess and Claudia.
Foundling Museum – Marti
The Foundling Museum is located in Brunswick Square, London
A selection of Hetty Feather merchandise at the Foundling Musuem
The Foundling Museum in Bloomsbury tells the story of the 18th-century Foundling Hospital, Britain’s first home for abandoned children.
There is a heartbreaking display of tokens left by parents, usually mothers, who were forced by poverty or the social stigma of their child’s illegitimacy to relinquish their children.
The tokens were used as identifiers in the case of the parents’ return.
The museum is one of the city’s most interesting places to visit, in my opinion, and inspired Jacqueline Wilson’s children’s book series, Hetty Feather.
