When visiting London it’s natural to try and see all the iconic sights that are associated with the city. But it’s all too easy to miss out on the wonderful aspects of the capital that are not so widely known but which form part of its rich fabric. Towns outside the capital are also often over-looked.

So here is a guide to London and a nearby town which involves taking in sights and places full of atmosphere and enjoyed by locals every day.

London is justly famous for its parks and leafy squares — the lungs of the city — but don’t just stick to famous green spaces such as Hyde Park. Instead, consider taking a stroll around Victoria Embankment Gardens that run parallel to the River Thames. Just take the Tube (London Underground Railway) to Embankment and the gardens are right outside the Villiers Street exit.

Here is a truly lovely garden that is a haven for office workers who escape from their desks for a little bit of sunshine and fresh air. You can grab a bite from one of the many attractive food outlets on Villiers Street and then sit in a deck chair or on a bench in the Gardens. Often you will be able to listen to live music — and sometimes you will see people — especially elderly pensioners who love to gather in the summer months — dance to their favorite tunes. There is a big range of music on offer, from visiting US bands such as the Oklahoma Ambassadors of Music, to the Lambeth Wind Orchestra and Swing Dance in the Park.

These gardens are also home to statues that commemorate the great and the good; people like the Scottish poet, Robert Burns and the Imperial Camel Corps.

When you leave the Gardens it’s well worth walking back up Villiers Street and turning up a passageway called The Arches that leads to the Sherlock Holmes Public House. The surprise is the upstairs dining area where the sitting room of the great detective — complete with his violin, pipe and deerstalker — is set out as though he has just stepped out a few moments ago.

On the nearby Strand you will see an ornate stone monument outside Charing Cross Station. This is a replica of a memorial cross built in honor of Queen Eleanor of Castile on the instructions of her husband, King Edward I.

If you want to take a boat down the Thames you can walk back down Villiers Street to Embankment Tube and cross the busy road to the river. Here you can easily board a Thames Clipper that will take you downstream to well-known places such as the Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe, The Tower of London and the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. You can buy a ticket that enables you to hop on and off at your leisure and enjoy the sites at your own pace.

If you want to see a place that is very ‘English’ in character you might want to consider taking a train to the historic market town of Berkhamsted. Just go to Euston railway station and take a London Midland train to this town. The train journey takes about 45 minutes. From the station you can walk into the town center in about ten minutes.

If you want to experience afternoon tea in the normal, everyday kind of way (i.e. not at exorbitant tourist prices), go to a shop called Home & Colonial on the High Street and walk up to the 4th floor. Then sit down in the airy Attic Cafe and order your pot of tea and a choice of cake, scone or muffin. Once you are refreshed take a look around; the four floors are packed with classic and 20th C furniture, clocks and watches, jewelry and silver, decorative antiques, lighting and mirrors and all sorts of amazing English style things to make your home look special. Don’t forget to go down into the basement. Ladies — here you can find vintage clothing and accessories. Great fun and all good quality.

Talking of vintage or designer labels — here is a tip if you are looking for something to wear that’s second hand but barely worn and in great condition with a bit of style and elegance — but at a fraction of the price of the original. Pop into the nearby Luminous & Vogue boutique and grab a bargain. Posh ladies savvy about budgets go here to buy evening gowns — shush!

Also, if you are interested in old castles, Berkhamsted has one right next to the railway station. Berkhamsted Castle was first built as a timber motte-and-bailey castle in the late 11th century. One of the most important early Norman castles, it controlled the northern approach to London, 30 miles away. Kept in royal hands, it was occupied by key figures of the Middle Ages, such as Thomas Becket, Richard, Earl of Cornwall, and the Black Prince. It’s worth a wander round before heading back to London.

So — you are back in London and thinking about dinner. Well — why not try a truly British experience? After all — what’s the point in eating the same food as at home — even if the UK is somewhat unfairly branded as lacking in shall we say the flair of the French when it comes to dining.

The best advice is to keep it simple; forget about elaborate sauces, fancy arrangements and plate art. Go to Simpson’s-in-the-Strand which has been offering classic British dishes for over 185 years. Famous former patrons include Charles Dickens and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

This is the place to enjoy beef, lamb, venison, pheasant or duck — or fish — done the way the British like it — top quality, home grown produce cooked to perfection. Roasts are carved at guests’ tables from antique silver-domed trolleys by Simpson’s Master Carvers. Add in potatoes, some fresh local vegetables and a helping of gravy and you will not be disappointed. For dessert or pudding you might want to try Simpson’s treacle sponge or Rhubarb and Peach Crumble — you’ll need to walk this off but it’s worth the extra calories.

Here’s a little cautionary tale to those visitors to the UK who feel compelled to order fish & chips. Please bear in mind that this national dish is best eaten from a paper wrapping on a seaside promenade with salt spray blowing in your face and gulls wheeling overhead. The chips should be piping hot, the cod or haddock white and flaky in crisp batter, and doused with lashing of salt and vinegar and a side serving of mushy peas. The terrible soggy versions cynically doled out to unsuspecting innocents in cafes across the land are a disgrace and cause international reputational damage.

Now as the sun sets, you might want to take a stroll across Westminster Bridge — the oldest road bridge across the Thames in central London. As you walk across you can stop and admire the beautiful Houses of Parliament and take in the view of the river and famous landmarks silhouetted against the skyline.

Finally, if the following morning you decide it is the right day to view some of the amazing art that the capital has on offer, then here is a tip. The big, famous galleries such at The National and Tate Modern well deserve their reputation for housing great artworks but they can sometimes be a bit busy especially in the summer when the whole world seems to congregate in front of Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’. You can enjoy a more relaxed experience visiting The Courtauld Gallery located at The Strand entrance of Somerset House.

The Courtauld is best known for its Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, including iconic works by Manet, Degas, Monet, van Gogh, Gauguin, and Cézanne. The displays extend into the 20th century with works by Modigliani, Matisse, Kandinsky and the Bloomsbury group, alongside masterpieces of German Expressionism and modern British art.

If ‘Somerset House’ rings a bell you may be thinking of London Fashion Week; it becomes a magnet for designers, buyers, the international fashion press and fashionistas from around the globe when the Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer collections are shown each year.

And talking of fashion — don’t forget to visit the little boutiques dotted around nearby Covent Garden. It’s a good idea after you have visited the covered market with its well-known brands to explore the streets nearby to find that special item of clothing. Also, don’t miss out on the Apple Market for more original handicrafts.

If you love all things natural when it comes to your beauty routine then make sure you visit Neal’s Yard, also in Covent Garden. Here you will find Neal’s Yard Remedies — a great range of organic products for face and body for men and women.

—

Email: [email protected]