9 Top London Hidden Gems

You will all know the famous phrase “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of living.” The reason is quite clear: the British capital has so much to offer that a lifetime is not enough to discover everything it hides. Art enthusiasts, then, can find priceless works of art here, some of the most important museums in the world, private collections, and so many treasures that are often little known to the general public.

If you are looking for a unique place you have never visited before, follow our “9 Top London Hidden Gems”.

1) Leighton House Museum

The Leighton House Museum, a building that contains a spectacular art collection inside.Located in the heart of Kensington, the museum blends in on the outside with the other houses in the area, but inside hides a true paradise for art lovers.

Each floor of the building, in fact, offers visitors a wealth of paintings, sculptures, furniture and sought-after furnishings left inside the house by its former owner, the aristocratic Frederic, Lord Leighton, who had a desire to transform his home into the finest “canvas” of art in the world

2. Platform 9¾ at King’s Cross

Although Kings Cross is hardly a hidden gem, being one of London’s busiest train stations, you might not all be aware of Platform 9¾. The designers of the revamped station must be Harry Potter fans.

It’s easy to find next to platforms 9 an 10 and by the queue of muggles waiting to have their photo taken. There’s also a souvenir shop where you can stock up on wizard supplies.

3) Temple Church

The Temple Church is among the oldest and most beautiful churches in London.  It was built by the Knights Templar, an order of crusading monks founded in 1118 to protect pilgrims to the Holy Land.  The Templars became one of the most powerful orders in Christendom.  The Temple was their headquarters in England: here were the Church, two Halls, cloisters and domestic buildings, leading in the 12th century straight down to the River Thames.  The Round Church was consecrated in 1185.  It was modelled on the circular Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the most sacred place of the Holy Land and so of the whole world.

In The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown attaches significance to the fact that the design doesn’t follow the typical cross-shaped plan of Christian churches, implying that it is a deliberately pagan design. While that suits the conspiratorial nature of the plotline, the design is actually a deliberate echo of Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre in what was (at the time) the Christian Holy Land. This is the site where the Templar order was founded. That church is round because it’s a conversion of an older Roman building.

4. St Dunstan in the East

There are some interesting hidden gems of London in the bustling city centre. This church originally dates from 1100 but was damaged in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and heavily bombed during the Blitz.

Saint Dunstan was the patron saint of English goldsmiths and silversmiths. The church tower and steeple built by Sir Christopher Wren in 1695 survived intact.

The window frames also survived and make an atmospheric backdrop. It’s a popular place with City workers and a great secret London spot for a picnic.

5. Museum of the Home

The Museum of the Home in east London explores the changing shape of domestic interiors from 1600 to the present day.

Formerly called the Geffrye Museum, the Museum of the Home charts how families, fashions and inventions have all evolved over the past 400 years in Britain.

What is there to see at the Museum of the Home?

The Museum of the Home reopened in 2021 following a multimillion-pound refurbishment and extension.

Highlights of the museum now include the Home Galleries. Head down to the lower ground floor to see exhibitions exploring the meaning of ‘home’. Here, you’ll find treasured ornaments, furniture and photos of unusual places to call home.

Don’t miss also delving into the Rooms through Time galleries. Also recently refreshed, the displays are based on real London homes and show how interior decoration and living spaces have kept up with changing fashions and demands. Move from a 1630s hall to a 1990s loft conversion.

And head outside to explore the Gardens Through Time. These seasonal displays show how our gardens have evolved as much as the insides of our homes. Discover the Tudor Knot Garden, wander the Herb Garden and enjoy the classic Cottage Garden.

6. Kenwood House

Kenwood House is a gorgeous English Heritage managed Georgian property on the edge of Hampstead Heath. It is home to a world-class art collection, including Rembrandt’s ‘Portrait with Two Circles’, and is often the setting for some fabulous open air concerts in the summer.

Set on the edge of Hampstead Heath and surrounded by tranquil landscaped gardens, Kenwood is one of London’s hidden gems. The House, its breathtaking interiors and stunning art collection are free for everyone to enjoy.

Discover the vast array of masterpieces hanging in this grand setting, including Rembrandt’s self-portrait, and be awed by architect Robert Adam’s magnificent library.

Kenwood offers something for everyone, from crafts and children’s activities to a world class art collection and a cafe to relax and unwind in. With acres of grounds to stretch your legs, come and see what Kenwood has to offer you

7. Alexandra Palace

Alexandra Palace (affectionately known as Ally Pally) is a Victorian Grade II listed building that was built in 1875 as a palace for the people.

It was (and is now) a centre for events and entertainment.Alexandra Palace is set in 196 acres of parkland, where you can relax and make the most of the stunning views or try one of the many activities on offer.It’s worth checking out what there is going on at Alexandra Palace if you’re in North London.

If you fancy trying a bit of ice skating in London, no matter what time of year, there is a skating rink at Alexandra Palace as well as children’s playgrounds, Go Ape, a boating lake and a skate park

8. Thames Barrier

One of the most crucial pieces of engineering work ever seen in the UK is the Thames Barrier, a flood defence system that spans 520m across the River Thames in Greater London.

The unique design of the Thames Barrier has also led to this becoming a popular and curious tourist attraction in east London – with thanks to a few TV shows including spy drama Spooks and Doctor Who.

The barrier currently protects 125sq km (48sq miles) of London, including an estimated 1.25 million people, £200 billion worth of property and infrastructure, a large proportion of the London tube network and many historic buildings, power supplies, hospitals and schools.

Without the barrier the Houses of Parliament, the O2 arena, Tower Bridge and areas of Southwark, Beckton, West Ham, Whitechapel would all be submerged in flood water.

It took eight years to build the structure, costing £535m (£1.6 billion in todays money) and became fully operational in 1982.

The Thames Barrier is the second largest flood defence barrier in the world after the Oosterscheldekering Barrier in the Netherlands.

You can approach the Thames Barrier from either the water or by land – though public visits inside the barrier are not allowed.

Most Thames river cruises stop in Greenwich, but a longer river cruise will take you all the way to Woolwich Reach in south-east London for a close-up view of the space-age looking structureThe

9. Regent’s Canal

Regent’s Canal was built in the early 1800s as part of England’s industrialization but these days the canal has brightly painted canal boats that people live in. Regent’s Canal was named after the Prince Regent, later to be King George IV, and first opened in 1820. London, naturally, is rife with royal connections. The canal even treads on land that was once the hunting grounds of Henry VIII (until in 1811 John Nash landscaped them into the Royal Park).

A peaceful stretch of water in central London? You might think that it sounds impossible but it really does exist. Regent’s Canal is hidden away in Paddington and runs all the way to Limehouse Basin. 

Stroll along the nine-mile length of the canal and you will see your fair share of landmarks – Regent’s Park, King’s Cross, Camden Lock – but aside from some short stretches it’s rarely overwhelmingly busy.

Littered with cute cafes, restaurants – there’s even a floating independent bookshop, Word on the Water in the King’s Cross section, you could stretch the walk along the canal over two days, taking time to stop off at the myriad of diversions along the way. 

The canal is a part of England’s extensive canal network and links the Paddington arm of the Grand Union Canal with the Thames.